Since Al Gore conceded the presidency to George W. Bush in December of 2000, following the closest election in history, the Democratic Party has perpetuated a slow and continuous process of protest. It began with challenging the legitimacy of Bush's presidency, followed with criticizing his dealings with business, tax cuts, and the environment. Sept.11 proved to be a respite while Democrats quieted to present a united front free of partisanship. Before long, however, the Democrats were back at it, openly questioning the president's motives in the war on terrorism and contesting his policies regarding Iraq and North Korea. A ubiquitous overture to these criticisms has been endless jabs at the President's intelligence. Amid such criticism, common knowledge suggests that the Democrats would have someone in mind, a candidate worthy of their support who could take charge and lead our nation during these trying times.
In reality, however, there is no knight in shining armor. The Democratic Party is currently home to 18 potential candidates for the 2004 general election. Of course, not all of these citizens will make it on the ballot for all the primaries, and many of them may not even formally file their intentions to run. It is imperative, though, that to even stand a chance at unseating an incumbent president, a strong candidate must rise to the top. The current list of aspirants runs the gamut from moderate to radical, readily identifiable to obscure, and potentially formidable to downright ludicrous.
Among the hopefuls are some recognizable people. For example, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Gore's running-mate in 2000, made a public announcement to pursue the Democratic nomination shortly after Gore withdrew his name from candidacy in December. Lieberman has received criticism from some Democrats because of his strong support of Bush's policy regarding the war on terrorism and Iraq. However, some feel that he would appeal to more conservative centrists in a general election. Because of his name recognition and established donor base, Lieberman is in the first tier of candidates.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, a familiar face and name to most Americans, tossed his hat in the ring for the presidency for the first time. An avowed liberal and self-proclaimed enemy of the Democratic leisure class, Sharpton intends to "take out" this segment of the Democratic Party, which he believes undermines the well-being of minorities and the poor. According to Time magazine, Sharpton sees the 2004 campaign as a chance to displace Jesse Jackson and "take on the mantle of black leadership in America." But Sharpton stands virtually no chance of receiving the nomination.
Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts toyed with the idea of running against Gore in 2000, but Gore's early endorsement by prominent Massachusetts Democrats put an end to these notions. Kerry is a veteran who worked extensively with John McCain in the 1990s to normalize relations with Vietnam, and is a frequent supporter of the President's military policies. However, on social and fiscal issues, many in his own party feel that he lacks a connection to the public.
Not all of the electioneers are prominent names. One relatively unknown Democrat is Lyndon H. Larouche Jr. of Virginia. The 80-year old activist will be conducting his eighth campaign in 2004. Larouche has been associated with the Socialist Workers' Party and founded the U.S. Labor Party. In 1979 he moved his affiliation to the Democratic Party, and has remained on the fringes of it since. He won up to 4 percent of the vote in several primaries last year, but was denied the right to have delegates at the Democratic National Convention by the Democratic National Committee.
Howard Dean, M.D., the former governor of Vermont, has worked to distance himself from Bush's stance on issues of the economy, tax cuts and the war on terrorism. In 2002, Dean did not seek re-election to a seventh consecutive two-year term as governor, and instead started a political action committee, paving the way for him to explore a 2004 presidential run.
Another name that many Americans are unfamiliar with is Gary Hart, a former senator from Colorado. Once a rising star on the political scene, Hart ran an underdog campaign against Walter Mondale in 1984, winning New Hampshire and several other important primaries before ultimately losing the nomination.When Mondale was destroyed in a landslide during the general election, Hart was seen as the front-runner for the 1988 -- until he was accused and subsequently photographed participating in extramarital affairs. Since his departure from politics, Hart has been primarily practicing law and working as a consultant.
Second-guessing, belittling, and outright criticism of the current administration has become commonplace in Washington and across the nation. Entertainment personalities and prominent public figures speak out freely against the president and his policies.While this is most definitely their right, and they undoubtedly feel that they are doing their part to better their country, they are falling short in this regard. Without being able to produce a worthy and able replacement or challenger to face President Bush, the Democrats are sealing their fate for the 2004 presidential election.
