Who Would Make the Best President?

Oct. 19, 2007 — -- When it comes to the 2008 presidential race, it is no longer early – in fact, it is getting late. So it is time to stop quibbling about which candidate has the best campaign moves, and get down to the serious business of determining who would make the best president.

Subtract Halloween, the World Series, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, and you will find there are not many shopping days left to pick the nation's forty-forth president.

Voting in this election will begin in the first days of 2008.

Keeping with tradition, Iowa and New Hampshire will dominate the early stages of the nominating process, but many Americans will begin casting ballots by mail in January, and more than half the country will vote in a rapid succession of caucuses and primaries in the first five weeks of the new year.

'Time to Choose, Before Choice is Made for You'

The candidates will not have enough time or money to reach every voter in all of these states. So citizens across the country should start paying close attention now, not just by monitoring the passing parade of media coverage, which tends to focus on the tactics and strategies of politics, but by trying to assess which person could best govern the nation. It is time to choose, before the choice is made for you.

Even though the stakes are high, with the burden of the Iraq War and pressing domestic issues awaiting the next administration, many Americans are just now starting to pay attention to this race.

For those just joining us: some candidates have already dropped out of the race (Tommy Thompson, Jim Gilmore, and Tom Vilsack, we hardly knew you), and some big names have taken a pass (give up those dreams for a Gore-Gingrich match up). But there are still more than a dozen active contestants in the two major parties, and New York City's savvy, billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg stalks the sidelines, pondering a potential independent bid.

The Democrats have a clear frontrunner in Hillary Clinton, while the Republican race remains a jumble. But if history is any guide, as fall turns to winter, some candidates from both parties will kick things up a notch, elevating their stump speeches, their campaign skills, their feel for what the country is looking for in a new a leader to replace George W. Bush, and perhaps surge to the front of the pack, or at least make some news and scare the frontrunner.

Mark Halperin is editor-at-large and senior political analyst at Time magazine, a political analyst for ABC News, and author of "The Undecided Voter's Guide to the Next President."

Unrelenting Media Scrutiny During Campaign

Bill Clinton has described campaigning for president as a job interview, with the application process comprised of unrelenting media scrutiny and a grueling coast-to-coast gauntlet of events and debates. Every voter is part of the national hiring committee, and the task is daunting. Sometimes the candidate who appears most qualified is not right for the job, and sometimes a resume does not adequately convey talent or potential.

The men and woman maneuvering for the White House comprise an accomplished and fascinating mix, and have achieved success both inside and outside elective office. They include a war hero, a precedent-setting trial lawyer, a famous actor, and a former First Lady.

One saved America's Olympic Games from scandal, another was hailed as a national leader after 9/11. They are a diverse group, with members of the Mormon and Jewish faiths, an African American, an Italian-American, an Hispanic, and a woman. They have written best-selling books, endured personal tragedy, and gotten themselves into – and out of -- hot water.

They are all impressive, with interesting stories to tell, and enthusiastic supporters to sing their praises. But presidencies evolve in unexpected ways. Both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, once in office, followed different executive trajectories than had been signaled during their campaigns, disappointing tens of millions, including many who voted for them.

When Clinton and Bush were running for the White House, the focus was often on the external dramas and day-to-day ups and downs of their races. It was difficult to fully anticipate how they would eventually lead the country. In order to assess a potential president, one must look past the clutter to examine political substance, as well as the personality behind the record, the spirit animating the rhetoric.

Mark Halperin is editor-at-large and senior political analyst at Time magazine, a political analyst for ABC News, and author of "The Undecided Voter's Guide to the Next President."

Iraq War Will Impact 2008 Race

The situation in Iraq and the contours of the war on terror will have an impact on every aspect of the race. How the candidates conduct themselves within that vortex will surely be important. But other policy issues -- and the questions of character and readiness – will matter as well.

This is the first American presidential election since 1928 in which neither the incumbent president nor vice president is competing in the race.

In addition, after twenty consecutive years of presidents named "Bush" or "Clinton," the nation faces a choice about extending the dynastic cycle – or not. In this wide open 2008 season, there is plenty of time for a candidate – even a trailing one -- to win the election by combining good ideas, hard work, and an understanding of what the country needs in a president.

So read up on the candidates, surf their websites, watch them on C-SPAN, maybe take a road trip to Iowa or New Hampshire and try to see them in person. Most days, the process of running for president -- and watching from the sidelines -- can seem like a game. But as January approaches, the contest will become as serious as the challenges facing the nation.

Mark Halperin is editor-at-large and senior political analyst at Time magazine, a political analyst for ABC News, and author of "The Undecided Voter's Guide to the Next President."