As for electing a business executive, we tried that once and wound up with Herbert Hoover. My guess is that neither Gates nor Jobs have the temperment to be a politician – to do the dirty work of coalition building, persuading, twisting arms, riding the rubber-chicken circuit. And neither can use the bully pulpit at all well, especially Gates. I’m sure they’d much prefer being in complete command of their personal empires.

I’m sick of all these jerks already, and the election is well over a year away.

Ron Paul is an excellent illustration of why libertarians, real libertarians, cannot be trusted with the country’s future. They are useful as agitators at the margins but the lack of serious national security credentials, as illustrated by Paul, make them unable to govern. They assume that everyone is motivated by the same concerns they are. It just isn’t true. Neville Chamberlain could not conceive of a man who was not concerned with prosperity and peaceful business interest. He was unprepared for Hitler because, like most libertarians, he assumed that everyone wanted to be a successful businessman.

Note that I said “…who might, at least,…”

Might being the operative word. They may not say anything or ask any question that generates a little light or heat, but, I think that the odds are better for the “drek” than for the leaders.

Unfortunately since this isn’t reall a debate anything interesting won’t get followed up on anyway.

If the format can be saved, which I doubt, I would like to see each candidate present a list of questions to a specific other candidates and allow the questioner to follow up. There needs to be more interplay and discussion and less speechifying.

Paul said what everyone in the world outside of the GOP has been saying for decades: US foreign policy is creating unnecessary enemies for the US. Rather than refuting his comment Rudy replied with self-righteousness and a demand that the non-ideologically sound heretic apologise. Right there Paul said something that desperately needed to be said and Rudy made it clear that he represents politics as usual.

The much publicized philanthropic monopolist
who has given the world the most virus ridden, dysfunctional operating system known to mankind is a candidate for the media’s biggest fraud. And those who have more than an amateur’s experience with it know it.

Roger, please.

What did Ron Paul or Kucinich or Dodd ever say that was interesting?