Credit: Steve Schirra

Congratulations Democrats everywhere. We have successfully taken not one, but two houses of Congress. We have won numerous gubernatorial races across the country. We even had the pleasure of Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation. We are ready to take on the White House in 2007 and take it back in 2008.

This is where the hang-ups start. The Democrats offered strong enough candidates to win Senate and House races, but none of these people seem like the likely presidential candidate.

It’s going to be hard to win the White House in the first place.

Democrats don’t necessarily have the entire world on their side – there are just more people pissed at the Republicans. Plus, to have one party hold the House, the Senate and the highest office in the land at one time isn’t something the nation will willingly embrace. This is why we need the big guns to fight this battle. Too bad we don’t have any of these power players.

Two of the top prospects to run for president in ’08 are Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama. Neither one appeals to a broad demographic. In case you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years, Clinton is a woman and Obama is black. Although the two together would be my dream ticket, the rest of the country is not going to see it my way.

Christian conservatives would jump all over Clinton. A female presidential candidate is the evangelicals’ fantasy because they know it will motivate their demographic to campaign hard against her. Then there would be the inevitable “she must be a lesbian” nonsense. Every woman in a powerful position must like other women. I believe in the progression of women; I just don’t think this nation is ready.

And speaking of someone this country isn’t ready for, Obama would face a lot of discrimination. Are we ready for a black president? I really hope so.

It shouldn’t be an issue, but it will be when people can’t find anything wrong with the soft-spoken and well-regarded senator. Obama is also just a freshman senator, so there is a chance people would say he’s not qualified.

Other possibilities are John Kerry and John Edwards. Repeat of 2004, anyone? No thank you, I’ve had enough of getting my butt kicked. Plus, we can’t forget about Kerry’s recent comments where he accidentally insulted troops in Iraq. That was just another nail in Kerry’s coffin. Edwards, on the other hand, has avoided scandal and just about everything else. It’s hard to run for president when you haven’t been in the public eye in two years.

Iowa’s Governor Tom Vilsack has been the only Democrat to throw his hat into the ring. My only question is, who is Tom Vilsack? Great, a no-name wants to run. Well, Tom, I hope you’re ready to make a name for yourself and throw yourself whole-heartedly into the media because that’s what you’re going to have to do.

So, Democrats of the United States, this is your mission: Find a wide-appealing candidate who hasn’t offended the armed forces and is recognizable. And you need to do this while trying to fix the mess in Congress and proving to the United States that you deserve to stay in power in ’08.

Good luck, I’ll be pulling for you.

Jen Steer is a junior broadcast news major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].