If you thought you had a chance of winning, would you run for president?

[calmblueocean]

Would you be willing to put yourself and your family through the ordeal of campaigning, knowing that any skeletons in your closet would be fodder for Tucker and Tweety and every newspaper, website, and media outlet in the world, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the rest of your life?

Knowing that even if you don't have skeletons in your closet, people will make up things about you and the people you love and spread them around as if you did, until half the country believes they're true anyway?

Would you be willing to be criticized, insulted, and mocked every day for inane things like the clothes you wear, your accent, your weight, etc.?

Would you be willing to make yourself and members of your family targets for assassination?

Would you be willing to do all this knowing that there's a 50% chance you would go through all of this and lose?


I wouldn't. But I'm betting some of y'all would. Would you?

[gateley]

1. No. I also wouldn't be willing to give up the freedom living a "normal" life. nt

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. no

but I wouldn't mind being the puppet-master. The guy just off-screen telling the president what to do.

[SmellsLikeDeanSpirit]

3. No I wouldn't. Someone has to be crazy to want that job.

[robbedvoter]

4. No.

[Fresh_Start]

5. no

we are private people
we are introverts
we do not like being in crowds
we do not like being the center of attention

[jlake]

10. Ding Ding Ding. My answer exactly.

[madrchsod]

6. i need a job- i`d take it

good benefits ,free travel,good eats,meet interesting people,and have the power of life and death of every living thing above ground level. what more could i want!

[maddiejoan]

7. First Transexual President?

sure!



Maddiejoan '08



Who's with me!!!?

[jlake]

11. I'll vote for you!

[maddiejoan]

14. Meh

it would be like voting for Hillary, but I don't have the experience.

We're pretty much the same on all the issues.
(I'm probably better on LGBT rights though)

[jlake]

18. Alright, I'll just have to vote for Hillary....maybe you can be vp

[maddiejoan]

21. Two New Yorkers on the same ticket?

Not a chance.

I'll wait until 2016. Then I'll be running against the Obama/McClurkin ticket.

[jlake]

22. Okay, I can wait.

[maddiejoan]

24. and you'll have 1,000 posts by then

so DU'ers will take you serious. ;)

[jlake]

28. hehe hopefully.

[NastyRiffraff]

8. Not only No...HELL No n/t

[lapfog_1]

9. As passionately as I feel about some issues

predominately, our environment, global climate change, and energy... it would be tempting.

But, ultimately, no. I would not stand up to the pressures of campaigning, the scrutiny of my private life (I've made several bad decision with money), and I would loose my temper with the lies and deceptions of my political opponents. And I, not to seem to immodest, have been told that I have the patience of a saint (I volunteer to tutor 6th grade math and science students). Still, I don't think I would be able to withstand the insults and lies. I don't know how our good candidates deal with this.

I totally understand why Al Gore decided to sit out this time. I wish it were otherwise, but I don't fault him for not doing it.

[Auntie Bush]

12. No way! I enjoy my privacy among a gazillion other reasons.

[Radical Activist]

13. I would only run if I knew I was going to lose.

Being President must be the worst job in the world.

But there are some positives to running for President. You can to meet a lot of amazing people and sometimes people will listen when you talk about issues you really care about. I'll bet its a total rush. And as Kucinich can tell you, its even more fun if you're single

[angrycarpenter]

15. Anyone with a chance of winning won't come here

Just saying that candidate X belongs to a liberal web forum would be enough to knock them out of the running. Sad but true.

[Ravy]

16. Sure, I would take donor's money and winter in Florida, like Rudy....

wait.. I live in Florida. FORGET IT!

[asdjrocky]

17. Think it goes like this-

"I shall not seek, and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your President"

[zalinda]

19. No, and that's why I admire John Edwards

He doesn't have to run for President. He could go back to his cushy life, without a care. He is not a political junkie. I think he really just wants to do something for this country. And, I think that if he could do it all in one term, I don't think he would run again.

zalinda

[Seabiscuit]

20. I'm too old.

[John Q. Citizen]

23. Hell no. But if drafted, I would consider serving. They would kill me quick, but on the other hand

we all got to go sometime.

[Flabbergasted]

25. Not a chance. I

[rwheeler31]

26. Ummm ya no maybe

[Mythsaje]

27. Are you NUTS? I'd rather be a famous author than any other kind of celebrity.

And that includes President.

People EXPECT me to be a bit "off." If I make enough money, then I can be "eccentric."

I've got it all figured out, see.

:)

[emilyg]

29. Never.