2016 Presidential Election. Who SHOULD run?

[eynon81]

[Winchester]

[exploited]

Joe Biden earned a warm spot in my heart when he debated Paul Ryan. Dat smirk.

[Spider]

Biden was also very sporting when debating Palin. Managed to talk to her like she was 12 and *doing her very best* all while staying very respectful and keeping up a straight face. As straight as Biden's face ever gets, anyways.

[eynon81]

I also liked his whole "the reason we don't torture" lecture when he was still a senator.

[Mr.Bill]

[Mr. Shaman]

[Professor]

I simply cannot think of one guy who I would want to run, who has a slightest chance.

Well, perhaps Steve Scalise. But, that's based much less on his qualifications than the fact that I would have the President's personal cell phone number (I'm sure that shit gets changed, though). I'd like to have another personal tour of the WH; I was only 12yo the first time, and remember very little of it.

[Mr. Shaman]

[Indy]

I will say what I said last time: Huntsman.

He doesn't have a chance in hell, and the fact that he doesn't exemplifies everything that's wrong with our system.

Not only has he been a governor (ding!), he's been ambassador to China (ding!) and speaks Mandarin. (ding ding ding). In other words, he's educated and knows a world outside of the United States.

He's not perfect: some of his tax ideas are a little too plutocratic and his stance on gay marriage is sort of hedging (although for a Utah governor I guess that's progress). Then again, why would we elect a president on social issues anyway? Those are more than tired.

Why he's doomed (and was doomed last time around):

-He's educated and well-spoken--we want our GOP candidates wearin' flannel and shootin' guns while talkin' that Bible talk
-He's not a climate change denier so that would kill him right there
-His ideology doesn't seem to be solely based on opposing the other party, he actually wants to goverrn and has governed
-He's not a tea partier, which probably was the biggest factor in him being first to be ejected from the primaries last time around

So for the GOP that leaves... I don't know. You just won't make it these days unless you appeal to the FOX audience and tea party fanatics so who should run will always collide with--yeah, they can run but they'll never make it.

Prof also raises a good point and this is true across all elected offices: we're so accepting of dirty/negative campaigns in this country that what decent person would want to run for office knowing that "oppo research" squads will be deployed against them to try and destroy their reputation should they run?