Donald Trump

[ProfessorDavey]

W T F are you talking about - he is a billionaire PART of the  ruling elites and globalists. He has property and companies all over the world!

He wants more not less and, as President, he will get it!

Exactly - anyone who thinks that Trump is somehow an outsider kicking against the establishment needs their head examined.

[Brownie]

I think Jeb Bartlett did it best.

Better looking for sure.

[jeremyp]

Oh my god NO!!!

She would be better than any of the Republicans.

[floo]

She would be better than any of the Republicans.

Agreed.

[ProfessorDavey]

Oh my god NO!!!

Why? What's so wrong with her. She is competent and exceptionally experienced. I think she'd make an excellent, if somewhat uninspiring, president. But actually being elected as a woman would be inspirational in itself, in the same manner that Obama's election was inspirational as the first black president - albeit Obama is inspirational anyway - he really is a class act.

[floo]

Why? What's so wrong with her. She is competent and exceptionally experienced. I think she'd make an excellent, if somewhat uninspiring, president. But actually being elected as a woman would be inspirational in itself, in the same manner that Obama's election was inspirational as the first black president - albeit Obama is inspirational anyway - he really is a class act.

Obama will certainly be a hard act to follow, having been the best President the US has had a for a good while.

[Jack Knave]

W T F are you talking about - he is a billionaire PART of the  ruling elites and globalists. He has property and companies all over the world!

He wants more not less and, as President, he will get it!

May be so, but his greed doesn't include the other elites and if that means a big bust up between them that looks good to me!!!  Nothing better than when the big fish rip each other apart.

[Jack Knave]

She would be better than any of the Republicans.

That's questionable. But better doesn't necessarily mean good enough or acceptable.

[Bubbles]

Obama will certainly be a hard act to follow, having been the best President the US has had a for a good while.

Yes, definately the best.

Saw a programme on him the other day.

I'll be sad to see him go.

I hope they vote for Hilary next.

She seems the most sane IMO

[Jack Knave]

Why? What's so wrong with her. She is competent and exceptionally experienced. I think she'd make an excellent, if somewhat uninspiring, president. But actually being elected as a woman would be inspirational in itself, in the same manner that Obama's election was inspirational as the first black president - albeit Obama is inspirational anyway - he really is a class act.

She's a wolf in sheep's clothing. She 'works' for the banking system and all the elites...

[Sriram]

I agree Hillary seems the best bet under the circumstances. But I met some women from the US last week...and they all seem to hate Hillary. Funny!

[Jack Knave]

Obama will certainly be a hard act to follow, having been the best President the US has had a for a good while.

And what grounds do you make that judgement?

[ProfessorDavey]

She's a wolf in sheep's clothing. She 'works' for the banking system and all the elites...

I think it is pretty well impossible to be a credible candidate for the president without being in some way part of the elite - effectively because of the cost of a presidential run - you either need to be massively personally wealthy, or already well enough embedded in the 'system' to be able to attract major funding.

So who, in your opinion, isn't part of the elite and would be a credible president. Certainly all of the remaining contenders are, being either exceptionally rich (Trump) or with a longstanding background in the political establishment as governor or senator.

[Brownie]

Obama will certainly be a hard act to follow, having been the best President the US has had a for a good while.

I'm glad you said that.  He has tried very hard.  I expect he'll be glad when it's over though, they usually are.

Sririam, maybe the American women you met are die-hard (or is it 'dye-hard'?) Republicans.  Hils certainly does have a lot of female support.

Despite the fact that I think she is a good candidate, I accept that Hilary Clinton is one of the in crowd.  Difficult to get away from that.  Bernie isn't but I doubt he will get in though he has many fighting his corner.

[floo]

I'm glad you said that.  He has tried very hard.  I expect he'll be glad when it's over though, they usually are.

Sririam, maybe the American women you met are die-hard (or is it 'dye-hard'?) Republicans.  Hils certainly does have a lot of female support.

Despite the fact that I think she is a good candidate, I accept that Hilary Clinton is one of the in crowd.  Difficult to get away from that.  Bernie isn't but I doubt he will get in though he has many fighting his corner.

Bernie looks so frail, he doesn't come over very well either, imo.

[Brownie]

I hadn't noticed him looking frail, might be the pressures of the campaign (have you noticed how, when someone gets into power, they seem to age ten years overnight?), but I like what he says.  Well I would wouldn't I.  I don't think he has much chance though.  I'm off to google him to see if he's changed since I last looked.

[floo]

Apart from Ted Cruz (45) none of the other contestants are in their first flush of youth. I think someone in their 70s is likely to be past it as far as being President is concerned.

Clinton 68
Trump  68
Sanders 74

[Nearly Sane]

Apart from Ted Cruz (45) none of the other contestants are in their first flush of youth. I think someone in their 70s is likely to be past it as far as being President is concerned.

Clinton 68
Trump  68
Sanders 74

Why? Personally I would rather have the oldest person in the world if they were terminal with dengue fever, bubonic plague and athlete's foot than Cruz

[floo]

Why? Personally I would rather have the oldest person in the world if they were terminal with dengue fever, bubonic plague and athelete's foot than Cruz

I wouldn't want Cruz either.

[Nearly Sane]

I wouldn't want Cruz either.

Which doesn't deal with the question asked about your issue on age?

[Brownie]

Bernie looks OK to me, very good for 74.

[jeremyp]

Why? What's so wrong with her.

My only problem with Hillary Clinton is that there are some potentially harmful legal cases hanging over her. If they surface i.e. come to trial before she is elected, it could be the opportunity the Republicans need to get into power. In short, she could lose the election.

My problem with Bernie Sanders is that he is already 74. He should pick his VP with care.

[jeremyp]

That's questionable.

No, really it is not.

But better doesn't necessarily mean good enough or acceptable.

You can only pick the best of what is on offer.

[jeremyp]

Obama will certainly be a hard act to follow, having been the best President the US has had a for a good while.

Clinton I was better IMO.

Normally, I would have made a joke about Martin Sheen being the best...

[ProfessorDavey]

Clinton I was better IMO.

I think Bill Clinton was fortunate to have been president though a period (Jan 1993-Jan 2001) which was relatively benign in both an economic sense and also in terms of major security threats.

Sure you can claim that this was in part down to him, and I don't doubt he was a sure hand on the tiller, but sometimes these things are about luck rather than judgement.

It seems remarkable than toward the end of his presidency the thing that appeared to be the biggest threat was the millennium bug that was apparently going to screw up all our computers. Seems rather quaint now.