I predict Giffords as US President in 2016

[Eikon]

My crystal ball says that U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will be the USA's first female president when she runs for Pres in 2016.

Here is my thinking: She is already a miracle to be alive. Her recovery thus far has been a miracle. The odds of her making a complete and full recovery in physical and mental capabilities are incredibly low, but she seems to be on that path (at least according to her husbands words and predictions). So, if she continues to defy the odds, she may just make a full recovery, which is beyond incredible.
Next big question... How will this incident affect her life. She may very well say "forget it".. I've given way more than any person should be expected and it got me shot.. I'm done with it... etc.. I would probably make that decision. Or, she might make another miraculous decision and decide that she will not be deterred by some freak and his actions. She may know that she has incredible political capital and maintain her role in the US government... If so.. she might just make a good Presidential candidate.

I'll admit that I don't know a lot about her politics... but I know that she will be a national hero, and that alone can win a presidency.

Just thought it might be an interesting topic to discuss...

Any opinions???

[dusred]

She is a moderate Democrat. . . hmmmm.

She has a better chance than Palin, that's for sure.

[stebo0728]

I dont know her politics either, but I certainly hope she does not scale the ranks solely based on a miraculous injury recovery. Does that make her resilient, sure, does that make her presidential material, I dont think it says either way, just makes her a strong person, which is good. I certainly dont like to see celebrity based elections, like the last one was

[IBCoupe]

I agree with Stebo - I don't want that to be her claim to fame. I don't know her policies, but every reputable news agency that has presumably looked into it says, as Dus' did, that she's a moderate Democrat. 'Course, the last time we were offered a moderate Democrat, we were told that he was the most liberal one in the Senate, and that he was a secret Muslim. I don't anticipate that 2016 will see anything different in opposition tactics.

[stebo0728]

I agree with Stebo - I don't want that to be her claim to fame. I don't know her policies, but every reputable news agency that has presumably looked into it says, as Dus' did, that she's a moderate Democrat. 'Course, the last time we were offered a moderate Democrat, we were told that he was the most liberal one in the Senate, and that he was a secret Muslim. I don't anticipate that 2016 will see anything different in opposition tactics.

LOL - when really all he was was a community organizer with 2 years senate experience .... way in over his head, but at least he prances pretty and bows nicely

[IBCoupe]

...ooooookay. He was still a moderate, and not a secret Muslim. Which was my point. You can tell that was my point because I wrote that, and not anything about his experience or whatever the right calls his gaffes.

[stebo0728]

...ooooookay. He was still a moderate, and not a secret Muslim. Which was my point. You can tell that was my point because I wrote that, and not anything about his experience or whatever the right calls his gaffes.

How do you know he was a moderate, everyones a moderate at election time, you know that, either side, so which of the 2 votes he cast in his 2 years as senator lead you to believe he was moderate?

[IBCoupe]

1. Because his explanations for his policy positions weren't at an ideological extreme.
2. Because the legislation he's gotten through Congress since being elected have been ideologically moderate.

[heliochrome85]

she's jewish. nuff said.

[stebo0728]

Wait, you said "was" a moderate.

1. doesnt work, you cant use election banter as a political compass anymore, you know that as well as anyone

2. I would disagree with your assessment of moderation on some of his policy, chiefly the healthscare bill, moving control of 16% of the US economy into government hands is hardly moderate, again the bill is all about control

Pushing repeal of DADT is a fairly moderate position Ill give you that much.

START is no where near moderate, agreeing with a former enemy that we wont set up defenses against the very weapons being assembled by mad men right now is lunacy

THANK GOD we still havent signed Kyoto, even Clinton smelled the rotten egg in that one. Honestly I dont know where Obama stands on Kyoto, dont remember if its ever come up.

Absolute defiance on controling the border is not what I would label moderate.

[heliochrome85]

that you call russia a former enemy rather than a partner, is telling.

do you still call germans, nazis?


you drive a japanese car. they were former enemies much more so than germany ever was.

[stebo0728]

Actually I drive a German car at the moment, the Japenese one is in the garage (if the damned soon to be X doesnt grab it in the divorce)

If thats all you managed to pick out of my argument, Im not too shaken then

[heliochrome85]

whats your objection to start other than its with a former enemy. you clearly have no issue with the japanese or germans, despite them being moreso former enemies.

[stebo0728]

my objection to start really doesnt have as much to do with Russia per say, its more of an issue with entering a treaty with ANYONE where we promise to not defend against the very weapons we see mad men formulating

[heliochrome85]

no one said we werent defending. instead of having 5000 warheads, we only need 3000. for example.

but yeah, i can see how that is a sign of domestic weakness.

[IBCoupe]

1. doesnt work, you cant use election banter as a political compass anymore, you know that as well as anyone

2. I would disagree with your assessment of moderation on some of his policy, chiefly the healthscare bill, moving control of 16% of the US economy into government hands is hardly moderate, again the bill is all about control

1. is taken in consideration with 2. I saw no evidence that he was a batty liberal, and the only evidence in the campaign I did see suggested moderation. I'm not going to assume a person's what they don't appear to be, but I'm also not going to cry if it turns out differently.

2. It's not moved into government's hands. We still have private hospitals. We still have private doctors. We still have private insurance. No matter what crazy conspiracy theory you've concocted this time, that much is true.

Pushing repeal of DADT is a fairly moderate position Ill give you that much.

Yah.

START is no where near moderate, agreeing with a former enemy that we wont set up defenses against the very weapons being assembled by mad men right now is lunacy

Stebo, there's no one in the world that's not a former enemy. Welcome to the world of international policy.

THANK GOD we still havent signed Kyoto, even Clinton smelled the rotten egg in that one. Honestly I dont know where Obama stands on Kyoto, dont remember if its ever come up.

Whatever. You don't even know where he stands, yet you're making a thing of it.

Absolute defiance on controling the border is not what I would label moderate.

Right. Four times as many company audits as President Bush's last year in office, 110% of 2008's deportations and 125% of 2007's in 2009. You're full of it.

[AZhitman]

You guys are devolving rapidly.

Giffords is far more conservative than Barry ever was. He was a phony moderate with a backseat full of hard-core lefties doing his dirty work and shooing him into the White House. Absent his hangers-on, I'd have been a bigger fan.

Interesting theory, Seth. Politically, I don't dislike her. She's VERY rational politically, and Lord knows that's what we need. I don't give a damn if our next POTUS has a R, a D, or an I behind their name... I just want their ideology to be based in common sense and reasonable logic. She fits.

That being said, I can't imagine her wanting to subject herself to the rigors. A White House bid grinds people down - Look at pictures of our last 3 Prez's before and after their terms. She'll still be in rehab when the campaigning starts - While her recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, she's got a LONG way to go, and we're not sure it she can walk / talk / think properly yet.

[Eikon]

Agreed, it's still a stretch to believe that she will fully recover from her injuries. It is another stretch to believe that if she does, she will have any desire to devote more of her life to public service of any kind, much less a bid for presidency.

But, I think it will happen. I think she will recover fully. When recovered I think she will find herself to be a hero to the American public and when that happens, I think a lot of people will start whispering in her ear the fact that she can capitalize on that name recognition and massive popularity and make a run to the White House.. and if all those things happen and she does decide to run.. I think she'll win. She has just the right political base to not "turn off" any major sector of voters. Couple that with her fame and she will be a shoe-in.

I agree with the comments above that said we hope that a future president is not elected purely on fame, but rather on their predicted ability to lead the nation... I agree with that. For that reason, i don't think any Joe off the street who becomes famous can just run for President (ie, the airplane pilot who landed in the Hudson river). But, when you start with a popular politician who has a middle-of-the-road beleif system, I think it's the perfect recipe. Without the fame, she may be too far right (conservative) to win the Democratic nomination, and if she flipped, she'd be too far left to win the Republican ticket, so she'd get little to no support at all.. But when you throw in the huge popularity.. count on her being a landslide victor.

Sure, you'd like to think the American public would disregard the "fame" and get to the heart of the candidates political beliefs and vote on that alone, but let's face it.. The American public is not so sharp. We've had how many former WWF wrestlers appointed to Governer seats? How many former NFL players in the House? Kennedy's elected because their last name is Kennedy? The public votes on a favorite person and not the best politician. Giffords will be the favorite person if she recovers and decides to take the opportunity that will lay before her.

[AZhitman]

I hope you're right - I do like her politics... She's also the kind of bootstrap go-getter that the lefties are terrified of (even though she's a Dem), she's a former GOP'er and still holds to those core values.

[heliochrome85]

she is jewish. why do you guys keep forgetting that? for all the hero worship going on this thread, you guys might as well elect her queen of the US, since its just as likely as her becoming president.

[Eikon]

Why does her being Jewish matter?

[heliochrome85]

because the US will not elect a jew. they are fine for senate, and house, but not for the highest office in the land.

[Eikon]

I disagree.

10 years ago people said we would never elect a Black Pres. The first time BO got any press, people said we would never elect someone with a middle eastern sounding last name..

People have said we will never elect a woman.. but that's not true either.

[stebo0728]

You tell me if its true or not, but I always had a suspicion about 'ol Abe, and this article talks about it

http://www.planetberries.com/was-there- ... ident.html

So ... was 'ol Abe jewish? Does that negate helio's claim? I dunno you be the judge ...

[heliochrome85]

hey, im not saying they arent fit for the office. im just saying, there is a significant and vocal portion of this country who still believe that the jews killed jesus.
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/arc ... sus/69715/

their leader? Glenn Beck. Maybe you have heard of him.

[stebo0728]

No the jews didn't kill Jesus ... they did demand his death though ... not to kick up that ant hill or anything, as it means next to nothing to me either way ...

[heliochrome85]

You tell me if its true or not, but I always had a suspicion about 'ol Abe, and this article talks about it

http://www.planetberries.com/was-there- ... ident.html

So ... was 'ol Abe jewish? Does that negate helio's claim? I dunno you be the judge ...

interesting, but i dont think so. ive read a couple lincoln biographies and none have made any mention of this coincidence. also, back in the day, biblical names were as popular as naming your kids after your favorite reality tv show character. sounds like someone is trying to connect two dots that shouldnt be connected.

[stebo0728]

You tell me if its true or not, but I always had a suspicion about 'ol Abe, and this article talks about it

http://www.planetberries.com/was-there- ... ident.html

So ... was 'ol Abe jewish? Does that negate helio's claim? I dunno you be the judge ...

interesting, but i dont think so. ive read a couple lincoln biographies and none have made any mention of this coincidence. also, back in the day, biblical names were as popular as naming your kids after your favorite reality tv show character. sounds like someone is trying to connect two dots that shouldnt be connected.

maybe you're right, i dont know, but he does seem to have some jewish-esk features ...

[heliochrome85]

the point is neither here nor there, right or wrong the perception is present, and so i dont think that she is electable. prior to her getting shot, no one knew of her supposed great service record. could this be an even more grotesque version of the hero worship that helped deliver obama the white house? thats my read.

[stebo0728]

wow, so you agree that grotesque hero worship actually got Obama where he is? Very interesting.

I think a jew is electable, and very swiftly we will see women electable, BUT, a jewish woman, that may be a bit too much all at once for America. I have no problem with either characteristic, but then i'm only a small sample of America