This is the first presidential election in modern history where both parties are wide open. Usually there is a president or his heir apparent VP running.

Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama received $100 million dollars more in contributions that the ten Republican candidates combined.

After the Republican revolution in 1995 the party cut pork barrel earmarks from 4,200 to 1,300. The next year they cut it to 958. After the Clinton impeachment the Republican regressed to buying votes with earmarks and they increased to 2,000. They climbed every year they were in power until it reached 14,000 in 2005.

A northern Democrat has not won since John Kennedy.

It is questionable if the public opinion is against the war in Iraq or the lack of victory in Iraq. Victory forgives, a long drawn out war of attrition without a vision of victory does not.

summarized from ‘The Election, the GOP, – and Iraq’ by John Podhoretz in the March 2008 Commentary Magazine

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