Vermont Cynic

Issue date: 1/30/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Jason Gold Just six of the announced and anticipated contestants in the 2008 presidential race, clockwise from top left: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Rudolph Guiliani, John McCain and Duncan Hunter.

For what is supposed to be a four-year term as president of the U.S., 2008 election candidates have already started gearing up and campaigning for the job - over a year beforehand.

As President Bush finishes his second term, he leaves the seat wide open for the 2008 election.

So far seven Democratic politicians have filed their statements of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). They include; Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Senator Hillary R. Clinton of New York, former Senator John Edwards of N. Carolina, Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, former Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa, Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico and former Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska, according to the FEC Web site.

Vice President of the UVM College Democrats Eddy Foster said that as far as their club members go, "Everybody has diverse favorites right now. Some people like Edwards, some people like Obama.

"I'm not certain if anyone actually likes Hillary Clinton, but it's a possibility."

Barack Obama, a Senator from Illinois, has not yet filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC, but has formed an exploratory committee.

If either Obama or Clinton is elected, he or she would be the first African-American or female President in history, respectively.

"Race doesn't matter to me," UVM College Republicans President Heather Baldyga said. "Whoever the best candidate is should win … I think it'd be great for the diversity of the country, for sure."

As for the Republican Party, former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, former Governor Jim Gilmore of Virginia, former Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin, Senator John McCain of Arizona and Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas have filed their statements of candidacy, according to the FEC Web site.

Several others have formed exploratory committees.

Foster does not think that Americans will elect another Republican president after eight "disastrous" years with Bush.

Continued...

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