According to modernvertabrate.com several Republicans and Democrats are talking of plans to run.

President
History tells us that the person who will be elected president in 2008 is probably someone who is right now in the public eye, most likely holding a high political office like governor or senator. So here are a few of the most likely candidates:

Republicans

George Allen (R) - Virginia's Sen. Allen is rumored to be considering a 2008 run.

Jeb Bush (R) - With term limits looming, Jeb Bush won't be able to run for governor of Florida in 2006. Before the 2004 election, Jeb said he wasn't going to run for president in 2008. Translation: He's thinking about running for president in 2008.

Elizabeth Dole (R) - Currently the North Carolina senator, Dole ran for president in 2000 but didn't quite catch on. She's a senator now, might she have an eye on 2008?

Rudy Giuliani (R) - A moderate Republican and beloved former mayor of New York City, Guiliani might well be the next great candidate that unites America, ala Clinton and Reagan.

Charles Grassley (R) - Iowa senator

Chuck Hagel (R) - Moderate senator from Nebraska

Alan Keyes (R) - Do you really think he'll ever just go away?

John McCain (R) - The moderate senator from Arizona, has significant crossover appeal to independents and democrats. However, age might be a factor for McCain. He will be 72 in 2008, which, if he's elected, would make him the oldest person elected president.

George Pataki (R) - It's been reported in a few places that New York Gov. Pataki may have presidential ambitions.

Colin Powell (R) - With tremendous appeal to moderates, Secretary of State Powell might be convinced to run, although he has declined to run in 1996 and 2000. Powell would have trouble exciting the conservative wing of the party.

Condoleezza Rice (R) - Rice may run for senate in California 2006, especially if the popular Sen. Diane Feinstein (D) retires. If she doesn't run for senate, Rice might make an interesting candidate for president in 2008. There is already a Draft Rice movement underway.

Mit Romney (R) - Mass. Gov. Romney reportedly has presidential aspirations. Bush bashed Mass. so much in the 2004 and to such great effect -- you can bet one of the other Republicans will hurl some of those familiar lines at Romney. Romney, if he runs, is a longshot.

Rick Santorum (R) - The ultraconservative Pennsylvania senator may run for president in 2008; however, he must first survive his 2006 re-election to the senate.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) - Under the current rules, Arnold would not be allowed to hold the office of President because he was not born in the United States. But no one should let a petty thing like the Constitution get in their way. A group called www.OperationArnold.com is working to get Congress to change the highest law of the land, all for Arnold.

Democrats

Evan Bayh (D) - The popular senator from Indiana.

Joe Biden (D) - Maryland's Sen. Biden was flirting with the idea of running in the 2004 election, but opted out and became a cheerleader for Kerry.

Rod Blagojevich (D) - Even before he took office as Illinois' chief executive, G-Rod has been said to have presidential ambitions. But he'll have a tough re-election bid in 2006 to worry about first.

Wes Clark (D) - Clark was a top contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 but lost out to Kerry. He may resurface in 2008, although Clark may be better suited to run for Arkansas governor in 2006 against Republican Mike Huckabee.

Hillary Clinton (D) - Hillary is definitely on for 2008. In fact, I'm having this frightening vision that it will be Jeb Bush vs. Hillary Clinton in 2008. Aghhhhh!!!!

Howard Dean (D) - The former Vermont Gov. Dean is using his grassroots organization to stay in the political spotlight, perhaps in hopes of a 2008 run. Rumor has it that he has his sights set on the Democratic party chair.

John Edwards (D) - Sen. Edwards will be in it for 2008, although since he won't be a senator for the next four years, he has the difficult problem of staying in the spotlight.

Al Gore (D) - There is always the possibility that Gore will run again. There's a Draft Gore site already up.

John Kerry (D) - Win or lose, Kerry will be talked about as a contender in 2008. But if he loses, don't bet on him running -- that would royally piss off Hillary.

Blanche Lincoln (D) - Popular Ark. senator. She might actually be a good choice for the vice presidential nominee.

Barack Obama (D) - It has been said often enough by supporters and the media that Obama should run, but Obama is unlikely to run for president before his first term is over. He's young. Give him at least until 2012 or 2016 to rack up a host of big accomplishments first.

Nancy Pelosi (D) - House Minority Leader from California. There's no way she'd run if Hillary jumps in the race.

Tom Vilsack (D) - Iowa Gov. Vilsack's name was being kicked around as a running mate for John Kerry, but that didn't quite pan out. However, he's considered a likely 2008 presidential contender.

Mark Warner (D) - Virginia Gov. Warner is not eligible for re-election in 2005 and has to be weighing his political future. On the one hand, he could challenge Sen. George Allen (R) for the senate in 2006, or he could make an especially compelling case to Democratic voters for the 2008 nomination by potentially winning Virginia's 13 electoral votes. Keep an eye on Warner.

Others

Jesse Ventura (I) - The Associated Press reports that the Harvard visiting professor and former Gov. of Minnesota is considering a run for president. For Ventura, there are a couple of downsides to being president, however. 1) Ventura loves his freedom, and 2) his wife is not too keen on the idea of living in Washington D.C., the article reports.

U.S. Senate
Al Franken (D-Minn.) - Though the election isn't for four years, best-selling author and Air America radio host Al Franken says he's considering challenging Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) when the seat comes up for re-election in 2008. Franken, a friend of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), is reportedly being encouraged by friends to seek the seat.

For a look at this election cycle, visit 2004 elections.

I have heard a few suggestions, what about Lieberman? Will he run or just skip it?

Two things: For a complete list on how will run, see my page called 2008,you'll find back somewhat, second Lieberman will not run, unfortunely.

JenPie -

I said I like the guy and I've said elsewhere that people like Obama are the future if the Dems are going to have one, but there is a big difference between a stint in the state legislature (no offense to the great State of Illinois) and success on the national level. If he does as well as his background suggests he will, he has tremendous upside, but let's be realistic about the timing of his annointing with oil.

Cheers,
Daiwa

WoW! I'm amazed at the fantasy land that you Democrats seem to be living in. As far '06 goes there isn't mich light at the end of your tunnel. President Hillary Clinton? That will never happen. If you want to give us Republicans the White House for 4 more years go ahead and run her. We'd love it! She's a love her or hate her kind of person. Not much middle ground. It would be like us doing Rush Limbaugh for President. She's been trying to stay away from the far-Left Bush hatred but a zebra can't change it's stripes. She's a true blue Liberal with the past to prove it. The only thing better than running her would be to run Howard Dean. I love this guy! He says all the wrong things in the worst possible ways. Arrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!! At least he's consistent. Something which Kerry lacked. Unfortunately the wave that Dean rides is the Anti-Bush radical Left. His own supporters are his worst enemy because they consist of the hardcores. These people are nothing but radical environmental whackos, socialists, and anti-Christian bigots. A man leading this group certainly won't help break that Republican hold in the South or Midwest. Another name I've seen mentioned here is Barack Obama. First he's only an 'S' away from Osama which scares me. j/k I just don't see Southerners or Midwesters warming up to a dude with the first name Barack. What has been pointed out here though is that he has no national record. Plus fancy speeches only get you so far. Unfortunately I feel the Senate will frustrate him very much with it's slow pace and general inactivity compared to the House let's say. He's come so far so quick we'll have to see what a slower pace does to him and if he can calculate his moves for the long term. This guy just needs more time in the oven before he can served up nationally. As for recycling Kerry or Gore? Go for it! Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. We've beat them before we'd do it again gladly. Unfortunately for you guys the Party is bigger than any one of it's members. What are you going to do to change how you are perceived in the 'red' states? Gay marriage, high taxes, and UN submission have proven very unpopular. Michael Moore and the rest of Hollywood have shown that when it comes to politics they do more to hurt the dems than to help. Plus the comments I've been reading about America being Christian wackos, redneck rubes, and paranoid homophobes is going to continue to feed the image of Democrats as amoral elitists who think they know what's better for us poor, ignorant peasants. The GOP tide is rising my friends and you're drowning in a 'red' sea. What will you do to reconnect with America? What will your message be? With George W. not running what will hold your Party together besides Bush hate?

Daniel Rouss:

Boy you'd really love it if we ran Hillary, wouldn't you feel stupid if we did run her and found out on election day that more people loved than hated her? As for her LIBERAL background, you do realize in the Reagan days she was a Republican right? She left the party because she no longer so the values once atributed to the party. Oh! and by the way being liberal is a wonderful thing. As for Dean relax we won't run him, probably, for your sake, I guess. The rest of your message I didn't bother reading until the end. We will have our values, beliefs, and country to hold us together, and that is something no one can take away.

Sincerely,
DNCdude

Alex, I'm looking for your article, I can't seem to find it though, I would love it if you posted it. You have wonderful comments, your list has to be awesome!
Sincerely,
DNCdude

Is that all you have against him? He's black and has a name that rhymes with Osama? I knew there was a reason I was a Democrat, I don't make judgements based upon race, or their names.

Sincerely,
DNCdude

Wow...the convincing arguments are coming out of the woodwork here. *eye roll*

Look, from a purely non-partisan point of view, the Democrats have a chance in '06 if the Republicans treat their new majority as if they got the mandate from Heaven and went overboard, crushing us into a quagmire and alienating the centerists that DON'T necessarly thing that Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity are the best thing since sliced bread. The Cult of Rush may be alive and well, but the facts are simple: if the American people lose by Republican policies, the Republican party will lose. Rapidly. If Iraq becomes stable and Bush and company are forced to fight domestically and things don't improve on that front, then I think you're going to have a lot of angry 'conservatives of the moment', who'll remember why Reaganomics was only a good idea for 8 years of the 80's.

Otherwise, the Dems need to figure out a way to dispel fear. The people who voted for Bush didn't love him (not the SANE ones, anyway) but they didn't see Kerry as able to handle the mess we're currently in. The Republicans ran on uncertanity, and while a little corny at times, they ran it well, the devil you know vs. the devil you don't. The fact that their incumbent was so close is a bad omen, tho'. Clinton had a electoral landslide, and won the pouplar to boot. Reagan, ditto, only more so. I can't remember the last two termer beyond that, and I wouldn't be able to find their election results.

Now, to be shamelessly partisan: a Obama/Clinton or a Clinton/Obama ticket would probably have the slogan: 'the ticket that's going to kick your ass', because a white woman and a black man would be a hard combo to beat or assualt because you'll sound sexist or racist doing so, and any opposition would sound positively like a throwback from Uncle Tom's Cabin. Condi's nomination to the cabinet will probably succeed under this premise, as well as the guy replacing Ashcroft (he's Hispanic), proving that the Peter principle is alive and well.

I find Obama personally attractive, but he's yet to serve one day in Congress,

Hmmmmmm..... Did Bush ever serve a day in Congress? I think he was just a governor. Bill Clinton never served in Congress either. At least, I don't thing so. Serving a day in Congress is not a prerequisite to becoming president.

Is that all you have against him? He's black and has a name that rhymes with Osama?

First off it was just a little humor. Second, I have no problem with him being black. In case you haven't noticed it's the GOP that has elevated blacks to positions of power the Democrats have always denied them despite their lip service to black people.

Clinton had a electoral landslide, and won the pouplar to boot.

True, but Clinton never won a majority of the popular vote. He never went above 50% in either election. It can be argued that if it weren't for a man named Perot, Clinton would be remembered as another Dukakis or Mondale. (Of course your side has Nader to bitch about.)

What will you do to reconnect with America? What will your message be? With George W. not running what will hold your Party together besides Bush hate?

None of you have answered my question. What are you going to do to put forward a platform the American people will vote for? Everyday the Democratic Party drifts further away from the electorate. The radical Left seems to have firm hold on the grassroots of the Party. The marginalization of Joe Lieberman and Zell Miller show that it is filtering up to the top. These guys are the only Democrats that actually have appeal to independents and conservatives as well. If the Democratic Party wants to change the tide they must appeal to the South and the Midwest. They must become more religious friendly. The biggest reason John Edwards was chosen to run with Kerry was the hope that he could put the South in play for the Democrats. This didn't happen and North Carolina in particular was always very safe for Bush and the GOP. Your current gameplan isn't working my friends. Are there any of you that are concerned about this? Or will you keep the old plan and keep the GOP tide rolling? Please, don't change a thing! There's nothing I love more than watching GOP wins on election night!

leave it to the Dems to offer a candidate whose name rhymes with Osama

Low blow, you should be ashamed.

leave it to the Dems to offer a candidate whose name rhymes with Osama

Low blow, you should be ashamed.

Hypocrites, to pretend you actually want to see minorities succeed in our highest levels of government. Your loyalties lie with the party, and only the party, and racial progress doesnt mean shit to you unless the minority in question happens to be a Democrat. Continue these attacks on Condi and Colin, and wait for them to come back to haunt you when you put Obama up for the race. I promise you, they will.

they're coming from one person, so wouldn't that be hypocrite? Unless Ted Rall comes in here and pulls the race card you have nothing to stand on. it was an idiotic statement, no matter who makes it.

If he does as well as his background suggests he will, he has tremendous upside, but let's be realistic about the timing of his annointing with oil.

please notice that my comments have NEVER referred to any specific timeframe. my comments have simply been that the DNC needs to keep an eye on him. he is UP AND COMING. i have also said that he has a promising future if he continues on the same path. please don't put words in my mouth or the "oil in my hands!"

Low blow, you should be ashamed.

What's funny is that conservatives are always told by liberals to grow a sense of humor when we point it flaws or offensive statements from the left (i.e. some of what Michael Moore says in F9/11). Maybe I'm biased, but it sounded obvious that little_whip didn't mean anything like "The Democrats are electing Osama's brother to build a land of terror jihad in America!" What's next? Getting all offended when people notice how Bush's last name can be a reference to pubic hair?