Holy Caucus Batman!

 

AP

 

Something very interesting occurred yesterday in Iowa. The caucus there brought forward two candidates for the U.S. Presidency.  There are three issues I wish to address regarding this (somewhat) important event. 

First, can someone with the name Huckabee really be considered as a serious contender for the job as leader of the free world?  Honestly, President Huckabee just doesn't sound serious enough.   I simply cannot picture Mr. Putin (now there's a name) calling out to one of his aides, "Get me President Huckabee on the phone, right now, we have world problems to solve!"  Perhaps, "Get me President Huckabee on the phone when he's available, I'd like to talk about this problem I'm having with my carburetor."  Also, he is currently the Governor of Arkansas.  Remember the last time a Governor from Arkansas gained national prominence?

Second, can someone with the name Obama really be considered as a serious contender for the job as leader of the free world?  For those of us who reside in Illinois, we know all too well the track records of our publicly elected officials.  Three of our former Governors since the 1950's have done time in the pokey.  Can Senators be all that different? Am I sounding redundant?  I don't mean too, but perhaps the winning candidates are a little, how shall I say it? Redundant.  Perhaps their respective parties should take time to reflect.  Which leads me to my third issue:

I wonder how much of the lemming effect is in action after these events are trumped up to a near hysterical level?  Much has been written in recent weeks about how Iowa and New Hampshire can make or break a campaign.  I wonder if after results from those two States are publicized, people in other States simply fall inline; a kind of peer pressure.  I worry that people in other States feel that the decision has already been made as to their party's candidate and simply go with the flow or even don't go at all. 

What would I do differently?  Mix it up.  Perhaps have a different State begin the "(s)election season", as it were.  Is it really true that as goes Iowa (or New Hampshire) so goes the Nation?  Let's find out.  Four years from now let's have another State kick things off.  Yes, I know it might require some State Constitutional amendments, but we're talking about a Presidential election here:  the next leader of the free world.  Do you think though, next time the two parties might try to find leaders with names like Smith and  Rice?