Monday, December 17, 2007

Underwhelmed

I guess I’m not the only one who thinks that the Republicans are having trouble revving up excitment for their field of candidates. Even Rich Lowry of the National Review says the field “has been less than the sum of its parts.” And as Steve Benen notes at TPM,

To be sure, this could change once there’s a Democratic nominee Republicans can rally in opposition to. But what does it say about the modern Republican Party that they need a Dem to save their electoral chances?

Not to say I told you so, but I think I did about a year ago:

– The Democrats will be down to three serious contenders for the upcoming Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards. Second tiers will be Bill Richardson, Wesley Clark, Joe Biden, and someone we’ve never thought of who will catch fire briefly over the summer and get some face time on TV. Dennis Kucinich becomes this year’s Gary Bauer; no one at the national level will take him seriously, but he has a dedicated core of supporters who will keep chanting his name.

– The Republicans will still be scrambling to find someone who is both right wing enough to satisfy the Talibangelistas, moderate enough to get votes in places where the Democrats have now got a foothold, and not be a holdover from the current administration. I haven’t a clue as to who that will be…and neither do they.

Except for Wesley Clark, it’s spooky how right on I was then. Now if I could only do that with lottery numbers.