Watching Harold Ford, Jr. on TV...reminds me...
that he is going to be a major (capital M) player "on the scene" for the next 10-20 yrs. (if he avoides scandal, but of course)..
- a minority candidate will break thru at some point, and since this is likely Powell's hurrah, Ford, Jr. next in line (I believe)
- comes from political stock, and for whatever reason, that seems to lead to higher things in our country (sense of purpose? instinct/genes?). He's definently overacheived to this point, and seems to have that extra "something".
- he comes off well on TV, is polished, can work a crowd
- demonstrated enough moderate tendencies/history to hold the middle..
- is from the South (and South kicks ass in presidential contests-g). Gotta appeal to that folksy middle...Ford smart enough to pull it off (articulate enough for the cities)...I also think he'll win many "middle" votes in a South desperate to show itself as "new South" (at some point)
- who is the bench-strength competition? Edwards is a light-weight IMO, and will fail gravitas competition in next couple elections...who else the Dems got?
I could even see him, possibly, get a VP nod for the next selected Dem (2004), but I think he's too smart for that (its not his time yet- he's precocious, but Americans don't want it to "look" like you are learning on job), and he'll pick his spot later in the decade..
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