Labor Day: 10 More Questions

The Washington Post's Dan Balz asks and answers 7 questions about the state of the primaries. Here are 10 more?

1. Can Mitt Romney -- or -- any Republican disqualify Rudy Giuliani based on moral/social issues and/or his personal/professional controversies? If so -- how?

2. Fred Thompson: can he debate?

3. What final argument will Barack Obama make against Hillary Clinton?

4. Does John Edwards cling to his lead in Iowa?

5. Do Florida and Michigan matter to Democrats? Does Hillary Clinton need momentum from Florida to vault into Feb. 5?

6. As the Democrats begin to pay more attention to their races, does it benefit Obama? Clinton? Edwards?

7. What's going to be in Hillary Clinton's health care plan? Will it be more comprehensive than Barack Obama's?

8. What unanticipated, outside events -- Black Swans of politics -- will pop and change the dynamics of both primaries in ways one cannot anticipate?

9. Does the press pay more attention to the Democrats? If so, does that change the contours of the Republican race?

10. Mike Huckabee: does the Club for Growth matter? If not, is there anyone else on the Republican vice presidential shortlist?

Comments

1. Yes, they're called TV ads.

2. Yes, but will he win them? No.

3. Change versus more of the same.

4. Yes, polls don't measure new voters.

5. Democrats in FL and MI only, all the rest of us don't give a crap. Can't hurt momentum, but IA & NH will dominate as usual.

6. All 3. The real decision making comes after one of them wins/loses an early contest.

7. Better question: Will it be bolder than Edwards'? Answer: No, the Clintons are too practical and too cautious for single-payer.

8. Not too unanticipated anymore, but increased credit card rates will sap consumer spending.

9. Yes, we're more interesting. Yes, easier to get direct mail attacks under the radar.

10. Yes, they run ads and they know how to get media attention. But, goodwill among party activists should propel him past for the VEEP nod.

This was fun, let's play again sometime.

TOM

Posted by Tom B. | September 3, 2007 1:55 PM

the more people listen to Obama and learn about him it will be to his benefit. No one wants to look too close at Hillary if they want her to win. She is like Dorian Grey.
I believe obama answered your question today. clinton is entrenched washington and old. yesterday.
she is not a change agant and obama talked about his experience which is alot more than clinton.
I personally think as people pay attention they will see clinton does not give a penny of care for those hurting. That is just does empty retoric and is just the same old same old.
As they listen to Obama they will find he is more than capable of handling the job and doing a great job of it. And he can win in a landslide against the gop whereas with clinton, it's doubtful she can win at all.

Posted by vwcat | September 3, 2007 10:25 PM

Obama is a capable candidate; Clinton is better.

Clinton's health care plan will indeed be more detailed and more realistic than Obama's. No it won't be single payer - that's not the way it will go in this country. It will look something like Medicare for everyone with some form of guarantee that everyone is covered.

Lucky for us, Romney will end up being the nominee. Guiliani won't fly in the long run and Thompson is just a mirage.

More attention helps Hillary the most. It will bring her negatives down as people see she's not the she-devil painted by the conservatives much to the disappointment of Obama's and Edwards' supporters.

Obama's final argument: I raised the most money, I deserve to be the nominee - there's change for you!

Posted by Pragmatic LIberal | September 5, 2007 12:30 AM