Who will run in 2016?

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will.15's Avatar
Semper Fooey
First the Democrats:

Politics
Meet 5 Potential Democratic Presidential Contenders Who Could Run in 2016
  • Posted on September 7, 2012 at 10:05am by Mythe
The 2012 election is not over yet, and judging by the polls, it won’t even be truly predictable for months. The polls have tightened to a dead heat, the mathematical models for predicting elections are undecided, and the convention season hasn’t even concluded. However, whatever the outcome, two facts are inescapable: The Democrats will field a new candidate in 2016, and the primaries leading up to that election will showcase a full bench of ambitious leaders within the party.
Some of the potential contenders — Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, especially — are known commodities. Others, such as Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley or New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, are less well-known. All, however, are credible threats, either as challengers to a reigning President Romney, or as people looking to preserve President Obama’s legacy after a second term.
So while it may seem premature, TheBlaze decided to take a closer look at the Democratic men and women who may be getting showcased at this year’s Democratic National Convention as a prelude to a future run for president, with an eye toward figuring out which are the most formidable contenders for the highest office in the land.
Joe Biden (Photo Credit: AP)

#1. Vice President Joe Biden
Why? Biden is easily the most experienced, known commodity on the Democratic bench, both in terms of legislative experience and in terms of experience at the highest levels of the executive branch. Having been technically qualified for the job for at least 20 years, his ideal selling point would be his status as an elder statesman with ties to blue collar Delaware workers – a far cry from his aloof, relatively inexperienced current superior. If Obama’s second term is a success, Biden might be tapped as a “third term” custodian of his legacy.

Why not? Biden may be an elder statesman, but he doesn’t act like one, being gaffe-prone and irascible at the best of times. His favorability ratings are worse than President Obama’s by a wide margin, and his presence in so many primaries in the past could leave him looking like a has-been. He would also be even older than Ronald Reagan was upon assuming his first term, making him the oldest first-term president in history.
Hillary Clinton (Photo Credit: AP)

#2. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
Why? For many Democrats — especially those with a fresh memory of 2008 — Hillary Clinton is “the one that got away.” Aside from managing to be respected on a bipartisan basis in Washington for her work as Secretary of State during one of the most polarizing periods in American history, Clinton will have had four years to reinvent herself by 2016, given that she’s leaving the administration in 2012.
Why not? Clinton faces exactly the same problem she faced in 2008 — namely, the question of whether the Democrats want to re-litigate the battles of the Clinton years. However, given the nostalgia with which even Republicans are beginning to look on those years, a lot of the fiery anti-Clinton opposition that existed in 2008 may have flamed out by 2016. Clinton also would face an age question, given that she would be 69 while running — precisely the same age that Reagan was when he first ran.
Rahm Emanuel (Photo Credit: ABC)

#3. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel
Why? It’s admittedly unusual for people to jump from being mayor of a city to President of the United States. However, Emanuel is no ordinary mayor. As a former White House chief of staff, one of the most infamously ruthless leaders ever to grace Congress, and a man who still remains a close confidante of the current President, Emanuel could easily parlay his connections into a plausible run. If he does run and loses, look for him to crop up at the bottom of the ticket.
Why not? Emanuel is still only a mayor, and as Rudy Giuliani’s run for president shows, that’s not necessarily enough to win. It’s also unclear how he would be able to call in favors if Joe Biden is running, given that the latter would probably inherit a good chunk of President Obama’s campaign staff. Emanuel might make the calculation to wait until 2020, when he will still be only 61.
Andrew Cuomo (Photo Credit: Bloomberg)

#4. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
Why? Cuomo is something of a dark horse relative to his competition. However, in the event that President Obama loses this year, Cuomo would come into the 2016 race with a serious edge – namely, he is the polar opposite of Obama governance-wise. Despite running one of the most reliably blue states in the nation, Cuomo has been leery of cozying up to Democratic liberal ideology. He held off raising taxes for almost an entire year in New York, has slashed spending, and cracked down on unions. His one liberal accomplishment — getting gay marriage legalized in New York — was accomplished with Republican votes. In a Democratic party seeking to return to its Clintonian glory days, Cuomo might be just the man. His father, erstwhile liberal hero and former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, could also provide some ideological cover if necessary.
Why not? Cuomo’s election prospects are somewhat tied to the success (or failure) of Mitt Romney. If Obama wins a second term, Cuomo will come off weaker. If Obama’s second term isn’t a disaster, Cuomo is much weaker, since you don’t fix what isn’t broken. On the other hand, if Romney wins and has a good first term, Cuomo becomes plausible, though even then, Democrats might be too wounded and angry to pick a compromiser.
Martin O'Malley (Photo Credit: AP)

#5. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley
Why? O’Malley is the ultimate generic Democrat, and if the party’s image seems damaged in 2016, or if they want to pick a nominee with comparatively few risks, he would be an easy choice. His convention speech, despite being lackluster, showed a man ready to run for office, even if the party wasn’t ready for him. His hardball approach could also endear him to a Democratic party sick of compromise.
Why not? O’Malley’s convention speech was underwhelming, and he lacks the starpower of Biden or Clinton, while also not possessing the reformer’s spirit of Cuomo. In short, barring some extraordinary developments in the next four years, he’s a second tier candidate waiting to happen.







Looks like a pretty weak list. Cuomo is the only solid candidate. If Biden should get the nomination the Republicans should be able to pick him off easy unless they pick Rick Santorum or someone similar. Hillary's time has past. That O'Malley, not even worth mentioning. Is that all they got?



Barack Obama (Photo Credit: Getty)
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It will be Hillary Clinton, let's have a bet now?



From the look of Hillary in that picture, she'll be dead by the time 2016 comes round.

I vote Powderfinger. He'd make a good movie President. The kind that chins the opposition and takes on the entire police force single handed when things start going awry.



I would make a good President, just like Romney could've...



Loser has to leave the Shoutbox.
Okay that's a bet I won't welsh on like that sexy celebrity did.



will.15's Avatar
Semper Fooey
Arnie for President... with Stallone as Secretary Of Defence and Chuck Norris as Teaboy.
And Clint Eastwood running FEMA.



Clint running FEMA...



You have to thank the Old Man for that, Yoda. He's smarter than most people give him credit for...I crack myself up again. I'm on fire!



For God's sake can we wait a little while before we start engaging in fairly pointless and totally off the wall speculation about who might or might not run in 2016!? President Obama hasn't even started his second term yet, people! I don't think the problem in our politics is that the election season in this country hasn't started soon enough!



will.15's Avatar
Semper Fooey
Why wait for him to start a second term to speculate?

I guarantee you there are people in both parties already planning to run.