Yeah, I know it’s still a long way until the ‘08 elections. But this one is intriguing to me on several levels:
1. It’s the first presidential election since 1988 that I’m not a card-carrying member of the GOP.
2. It’s the most wide-open field in my lifetime with no one seeking re-election of attempting to move from VP to POTUS.
3. The diverse make-up.
Over the next few weeks I want to take a moment to look at each of the aspirants, both contenders and pretenders. I will alternate between both sides of the aisle so I won’t be accused of stacking the deck. Each thumbnail will be my own individual impressions. I will try to be as fair as possible but of course my subjectivity will be apparent. But I’m sure you will set me straight in the comments. 
Side Note: As always, I want this to be a civil forum. I know that political discussions are given to ad hominem attacks and pejoratives. Let’s avoid that here.
What better place to start than John Sidney McCain?
For the longest time I have been a McCain fan. His positioning himself as a maverick and unwilling to play politics was a breath of fresh air within the beltway. I even thought that my vote for him in ‘08 would be a rubber-stamp if he decided to run again. After he was so cruelly sabotaged in 2000 by the Bush campaign I hoped for a comeback.
Pros: Knows the horrors of war first-hand, his work on campaign finance, awareness of global warming including his work with Joseph Lieberman to raise awareness, a benevolent approach to immigration reform, and his commitment to end torture as an interrogation device, cash cow, a candidate that has cross-party appeal.
Cons: Age (he would be older than Reagan was when first elected), an increased penchant for capitulation to the current administration on the Iraq war, recent reversals of positions that seem to be tied to the nomination
Analysis: The McCain of 2000 is a candidate that would make me reconsider voting GOP. But, that is not the candidate of 2008. It seems, from my perspective, that McCain has realized that he may be electable but he can’t get the nomination unless he caters to the far-right.
It seems that he has made the decision that he will remain unswervingly devoted to the war in Iraq and that will be the hill he dies on. As a result, I question his strategy to remain so committed to the Bush doctrine. It’s a long way away and a lot can happen that will prove him to be more shrewd than I think he is. But it seems like a fool-hardy move in the light of the current climate.
Moreover, he seems to be painting himself as more conservative this time around. Recent comments reversing previous positions on Roe V. Wade, reconciliation with Falwell, and ruminating about Bob Riley as a potential running mate indicate a swing to the far-right. My question is whether or not this is out of growing conviction or the realization that a moderate cannot win the nomination in the GOP. Based upon his experience in 2000, my cynical nature opts toward the latter.