Kerry Leaves 25

Kerry's withdrawal leaves 25 prospective 2008 presidential candidates.

Potential Republican 2008 Presidential Candidates:

1. Kansas Senator Samuel D. "Sam" Brownback
   
2. Illinois attorney John H. Cox
   
3. Former Virginia Republican Governor, Jim Gilmore
   
4. Former US House Speaker and Georgia Congressman, Newton L. "Newt" Gingrich


5. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. "Rudy" Giuliani


6. Nebraska Senator Charles T. "Chuck" Hagel


7. Former Arkansas Governor Michael D. "Mike" Huckabee


8. California Congressman Duncan L. Hunter


9. Arizona Senator John S. McCain III


10. Former New York Governor George E. Pataki


11. Texas Congressman Ron Paul
    
12. Former Massachusetts Governor W. Mitt Romney


13. Colorado Congressman Thomas G. "Tom" Tancredo


14. Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy G. Thompson


15. Former Virginia Senator George F. Allen


16. Former Senate Majority Leader and Tennessee Senator, William H. "Bill" Frist


17. Former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating

Potential Democratic 2008 Presidential Candidates:

1. Delaware Senator Joseph R. "Joe" Biden Jr.
   
2. Retired Army General Wesley K. "Wes" Clark


3. New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton


4. Connecticut Senator Christopher J. "Chris" Dodd


5. Former North Carolina Senator and the Democratic 2004 vice presidential candidate, John R. Edwards


6. Former vice president and 2000 Democratic presidential nominee, Albert "Al" Gore Jr.


7. Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel


8. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich


9. Illinois Senator Barack Obama


10. New Mexico Governor William B. "Bill" Richardson


11. Former Iowa Governor Thomas J. "Tom" Vilsack


12. Indiana Senator and former governor, Evan Bayh


13. Former Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. "Tom" Daschle
    
14. Wisconsin Senator Russell D. "Russ" Feingold


15. Massachusetts Senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, John F. Kerry


16. Former Virginia Governor Mark R. Warner

I have added former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating to the Republican candidates who have withdrawn. Keating did contemplate running for president, but decided against it last week.

Cross-posted from California Yankee.

Kerry Out of Presidential Race

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, the Democrats' losing presidential candidate in 2004, intends to stay out of the 2008 presidential campaign.

Kerry's withdrawal leaves 25 prospective 2008 presidential candidates.

Richardson Forms Exploratory Committee

New Mexico Democratic Governor Bill Richardson announced the formation of a Presidential campaign exploratory committee on his campaign website.

In the run up to his announcement Richardson highlighted his Hispanic credentials by calling for comprehensive immigration reform and opposing the recently approved fence along the Mexican/U.S. border

Richardson served 14 years in Congress. President Clinton appointed Richardson as the U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 1997. In 1998 he was appointed Secretary of Energy.

I don't see how Richardson gets past the Wen Ho Lee scandal. A Federal judge alleged that Richardson leaked Lee's name to reporters months before the scientist was charged with any crime.

Brownback Announces Presidential Bid, Again

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback announced Saturday that he will seek the Republican Party's 2008 Presidential Nomination.

Brownback previously announced the formation of an exploratory committee.

He claims that conservative values like opposition to abortion and gay marriage distinguish him from others vying for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

Brownback's opposition to abortion and gay marriage, and his platform against wasteful federal spending and for compassionate and practical programs to help the poor, energy independence, stopping cancer, term limits for judges and members of Congress, and a flat tax, isn't going to win the nomination. He has alienated the core of his chosen conservative constituency by opposing the revised Iraq strategy and by supporting a path to citizenship for some of the nation's 11 million illegal aliens.

Brownback's campaign is Quixotic. Even though he first announced he was running on December 4, a new Washington Post and ABC News poll finds Brownback supported by only 1 percent. That's the same level of support CNN and Pew polls found for Brownback in November.

Hillary Announces She Will Form Exploratory Committee

New York Senator Clinton announced she will form a presidential exploratory committee.

The National Review described Clinton's campaign organization, allegedly assembled for her Senate reelection, as a "vast political empire" unrivaled in scale and ambition in Democratic politics. A year ago the Hillaryland juggernaut included campaign staffers, research projects and consultants, an army of more than 40 campaign aides and operatives.

Dodd Won't Run for Re-Election

After spending half his life in Congress, Connecticut's Senior Senator says enough is enough and bets everything on his presidential campaign.

Congressional Quarterly reports Senator Dodd, “is no longer a candidate in the 2010 election for the United States Senate in Connecticut.”

This allows Dodd's Senate campaign committee, Friends of Chris Dodd, to transfer excess funds to Dodd's presidential campaign committee, Chris Dodd for President Inc. His Senate campaign committee reported $1,855,961 cash-on-hand as of 9/30.

Hunter Forms Exploratory Committee

California Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter filed papers to form a Presidential Exploratory Committee on Friday.

Hunter announced his intention to run last October.

Eleven of the 26 prospective 2008 presidential candidates have now formed exploratory committees:

Republicans:
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback
Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani
California Congressman Duncan L. Hunter
Arizona Senator John McCain
Texas Congressman Ron Paul
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

Democrats:
Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack

Dodd decided not to "do that exploratory thing:"

Kathy Sullivan, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party in New Hampshire, said in an interview that she had spoken to Dodd and he said, "I'm not going to do the exploratory thing, I'm going to plunge right in."

He filed papers to run for the White House in 2008 on Thursday.

Paul Makes 26

With Paul there are 25 26 prospective 2008 presidential candidates. I have followed the suggestion of several readers and included former U.S. Senator Mike Gravel. Gravel announced he was running in April.

Potential Republican 2008 Presidential Candidates:

1. Kansas Senator Samuel D. "Sam" Brownback
2. Illinois attorney John H. Cox
3. Former Virginia Republican Governor, Jim Gilmore
4. Former US House Speaker and Georgia Congressman, Newton L. "Newt" Gingrich
5. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. "Rudy" Giuliani
6. Nebraska Senator Charles T. "Chuck" Hagel
7. Former Arkansas Governor Michael D. "Mike" Huckabee
8. California Congressman Duncan L. Hunter
9. Arizona Senator John S. McCain III
10. Former New York Governor George E. Pataki
11. Texas Congressman Ron Paul
12. Former Massachusetts Governor W. Mitt Romney
    Colorado Congressman Thomas G. "Tom" Tancredo
13. Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy G. Thompson
14. Former Virginia Senator George F. Allen
15. Former Senate Majority Leader and Tennessee Senator, William H. "Bill" Frist

Potential Democratic 2008 Presidential Candidates:

1. Delaware Senator Joseph R. "Joe" Biden Jr.
2. Retired Army General Wesley K. "Wes" Clark
3. New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
4. Connecticut Senator Christopher J. "Chris" Dodd
5. Former North Carolina Senator and the Democratic 2004 vice presidential candidate, John R. Edwards
6. Former vice president and 2000 Democratic presidential nominee, Albert "Al" Gore Jr.
7. Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel
8. Massachusetts Senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, John F. Kerry
9. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
10. Illinois Senator Barack Obama
11. New Mexico Governor William B. "Bill" Richardson
12. Former Iowa Governor Thomas J. "Tom" Vilsack
13. Indiana Senator and former governor, Evan Bayh
14. Former Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. "Tom" Daschle
15. Wisconsin Senator Russell D. "Russ" Feingol
16. Former Virginia Governor Mark R. Warner

Ron Paul Forms Exploratory Committee

Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul has filed papers to form a presidential exploratory committee. This will be Paul's second try for the White House; he was the Libertarian nominee for president in 1988.

Paul was only one of six Republicans to vote against the war in Iraq. He was the only Republican congressman to vote against the 2007 Department of Defense appropriations bill.

With Paul there are 25 26 prospective 2008 presidential candidates.

Tancredo Running

According to the Des Moines Register's Iowa Caucuses Blog Backstage, Colorado Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo is headed to Iowa to announce he is entering the 2008 presidential campaign.

Tancredo is a five-term congressman from suburban Denver known for his support of strict immigration reform. He chairs the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus.

UPDATE: Jan 13.

Speaking with the Associated Press Saturday in Des Moines, Tancredo said he will decide in the next week whether he will run for president.

Dodd Is Running

Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd announced his bid for the White House this morning on the Don Imus radio show.

Dodd said he plans to focus on issues like education, energy policy and health care in his campaign.

Senator Dodd has been exploring a bid for the White House since May 2006, traveling to Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and other early voting states to test his appeal.

The Senator has his work cut out for him:

On the national political radar Dodd is barely a blip. A Gallup survey of nationwide Democrats in December found Dodd the choice of 1 percent, while an ABC News/Washington Post survey listed him 11th with less than 1 percent.

Dodd will also have to persuade the antiwar activists to overlook his 2002 vote to authorize military intervention in Iraq. He is trying to make amends by opposing an increase in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq and has said Congress should consider withholding funding for such a troop increase.

Dodd is one of 24 prospective 2008 presidential candidates

Crossposted from California Yankee.

Gilmore Forms Exploratory Committee

Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore filed papers to form a Presidential Exploratory Committee on Tuesday.

Nine of the 24 prospective 2008 presidential candidates have now formed exploratory committees:

Republicans:
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback
Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore
New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani
Arizona Senator John McCain
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

Democrats:
Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack

Sharpton Considers Running For President, Again

Civil rights activist-for-hire Al Sharpton is considering another run for president.

Sharpton mounted a longshot presidential campaign in 2004. He dropped out of the race after losing several state primaries and endorsed John Kerry. What an endorsement that was. Sharpton endorsed Kerry, but promised to continue his own campaign:

My campaign continues now to pick up delegates so that we can go to the convention to coalesce with other delegates.

A month after the '04 election we learned that Sharpton was paid $86,715 by the Democratic National Committee to campaign for Kerry and other Democratic candidates.

Sharpton admitted he was paid for travel:

"They asked me to travel to 20 or 30 cities to campaign, and I did that," Sharpton said. "What am I supposed to do, donate the cost of air fare?"

As usual, the Reverend Al wasn't being totally forthcoming. According to the Associated Press, Sharpton was paid for more than travel:

But records show that while most of the money was to reimburse travel expenses, Sharpton was paid $35,000 as a "political consulting fee" 15 days after the election.

Sharpton has about as much chance of being elected president as I do. Perhaps he sees another chance to make some money by shaking down another Democratic nominee.

Kerry Slammed For 'Political Malpractice'

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe has a new book in which he brands John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign incompetent, gutless and foolish:

McAuliffe calls the Kerry campaign gun-shy, incompetent and distracted from the mission of defeating a more organized Bush campaign.

McAuliffe said the Massachusetts senator's presidential campaign was so afraid of offending swing voters that it didn't defend his record and backed away from criticizing Bush at critical turns.

"I thought the decision of the Kerry campaign to back off any real criticism of Bush was one of the biggest acts of political malpractice in the history of American politics," McAuliffe wrote.

McAuliffe is sure to support Senator Clinton's 2008 presidential bid. McAuliffe's 25-city book tour includes two parties to celebrate its publication - Jan. 22 in New York City hosted by former President Clinton and Feb. 8 in Washington hosted by Senator Clinton.

The book, "What a Party! My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators and Other Wild Animals," also reveals a rift between Kerry and his running mate John Edwards:

Edwards had complained that the Kerry camp had muzzled him, while Kerry said Edwards kept failing to attack Bush as promised.

According to the New York Times, virtually all memoirs by people in politics are blatantly self-serving. At least McAuliffe admits it. In the author’s note he writes:

This is my book and I’ve done my best to make myself look good.

At least that's a refreshing bit of honesty.

Hunter Makes Stealth Visit To NH

California Republican Congressman and presidential wannabee, Duncan Hunter, is in New Hampshire this weekend.

Oddly, no one in the state knew about his upcoming trip until Friday afternoon, when he began calling Republican activists before and after he gave a speech on the House floor.

In one of those calls, for an interview with the Globe, Hunter said he wanted his trip to be “low-key.” Hunter told Republicans that he didn’t have much of a schedule at all and that he would pop in unannounced to local Republican leaders and media.

Nor is Hunter worried about raising the $100 million or so thought to be required to win the nomination:

Hunter said he wouldn’t need to raise that kind of money because “most of that money goes to pay for consultants that help them look like they are conservative and I am conservative already.”

Is anybody wondering why pundits don't take Hunter's presidential candidacy seriously?

Thompson Forms Exploratory Committee

Former Wisconsin Governor and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson filed papers to form a presidential exploratory committee on Friday.

"Let's bring America together again. And together, let's start solving the tough problems and creating greater opportunity," Thompson said.

"Despite some real challenges, America still enjoys the highest quality of life. There is nowhere in the world where a newborn child will be afforded more opportunity and freedom than the United States of America," he added.

Seven of the 24 prospective 2008 presidential candidates have formed exploratory committees:

Republicans:
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback
New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani
Arizona Senator John McCain
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

Democrats:
Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack

Romney Forms Exploratory Committee

Now former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney filed paperwork yesterday to form a presidential exploratory committee:

"After talking to my family, I have decided to take this initial step of forming an exploratory committee in order to raise the resources and build the campaign organization required to pursue the highest office in our country," Governor Romney said. "I look forward to continuing to talk with the American people to determine the best way we can meet a new generation of challenges."
Romney "has not made a decision on when he will officially and formally declare his candidacy."

There are now 7 2008 presidential candidates that have formed exploratory committees:

Republicans:
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback
New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani
Arizona Senator John McCain
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson

Democrats:
Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack