LET THE GAMES BEGIN

LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Harold Brookens

Presidential politics are solstice events much like the summer-winter Olympic Games, the World Cup and the prestigious Americas Cup Regatta. Every four years the games are played and teams comprising the best talent and training with the most money usually emerge victorious. This year’s 2008 Presidential marathon is no exception. The candidate and party with the best organization, money, speaking talent, and political savvy (training) will emerge in November as President elect. The stage is set. All the necessary papers filed, donations solicited, messages tested, and the Democrats and Republicans have selected their captains to run the relays towards their party’s nomination. All that remains is for Presidential fans to select their all stars for the November election. The Democrat field has its appointed captain in Hillary Clinton with John Edwards and Barak Obama selected as sparing partners to keep Hillary focused and perceived as a skilled champion taking punches left and right having never been knocked down endearing herself as the people’s champion. She carries the mantle as a battle hardened champion who’s got Presidential politics are solstice events much like the summer-winter Olympic games, the World Cup and the prestigious Americas Cup Regatta. Every four years the games are played and teams comprising the best talent and training with the most money usually emerge victorious. This year’s 2008 Presidential marathon is no exception. The candidate and party with the best organization, money, speaking talent, and political savvy (training) will emerge in November as President elect. The stage is set. All the necessary papers filed, donations solicited, messages tested, and the Democrats and Republicans have selected their captains to run the relays towards their party’s nomination. All that remains is for Presidential fans to select their all stars for the November election. The Democrat field has its appointed captain in Hilliery Clinton with John Edwards and Barak Obama selected as sparing partners to keep Hillary focused and perceived as a skilled champion taking punches left and right having never been knocked down endearing herself as the peoples champion. She carries the mantle as a battle hardened champion who’s got organization, money, perceived experience, and the blessing of a former peoples champ, President Bill Clinton. The democrats are humming the tune "Onward Christian Soldier".Whereas, the Republican field appears is still in training. The organizational candidates are still testing and formulating their message. The vetted finalists, Ron Paul, Rudy Giuliani, and Mitt Romney have all experienced knock downs on their journey to carry the republican team banner. Money, organization, experience are not the problem. The issue is the party organization can’t decide on a unifying message. And to compound the problem, along comes a heavy weight amateur in Gov. Huckabee who came into the game late and scored knockdowns with haymakers from right of center. A position from which the Republican Party does not and never envisioned from which it would have to run. The Republicans want the pleasure of picking their own champion in the same manner in which the Democratics have. But along comes the former Gov. from Arkansas who seems to carry his own pennant as the peoples champion and scoring knock downs right of center, a position from which party officials, after the presidency of George Bush, Republicans hope they can leave behind.And now we are facing the Iowa caucuses. The presidential torch has entered the stadium. Candidates have marched in formation into the venue and the process begins whereby the people will begin the process of choosing two champions of their choice to duke it out come what November. Let The Games Begin. Organization, money, perceived experience, and the blessing of a former peoples champ, President Bill Clinton. The democrats are humming the tune "Onward Christian Soldier".Where as, the Republican field seem to be still in training. The organizational candidates are still testing and formulating their message. The vetted finalists, Ron Paul, Rudy Giuliani, and Mitt Romney have all experienced knock downs on their journey to carry the republican team banner. Money, organization, experience are not the problem. The issue is the party organization can't decide on a unifying message. And to compound the problem, along comes a heavy weight amateur in Gov. Huckabee, who came into the game late and scored knockdowns with haymakers from right of center. A position from which the Republican Party does not and never envisioned it would have to run. The Republicans want the pleasure of picking their own champion in the same manner in which the Democratics have. But along comes the former Gov. from Arkansas who seems to carry his own pennant as the peoples champion, scoring knock downs right of center, a position from which party officials, after the presidency of George Bush, Republicans hoped they can leave behind.And now we are facing the Iowa caucuses. The presidential torch has entered the stadium. Candidates have marched in formation into the venue and the process begins whereby the people will begin the process of choosing two champions of their choice to duke it out come what November. Let The Games Begin.