Wow, I didn't think 34 made me young, but thanks! I just like to engage in debate and discussion in civil tones. When name calling comes up, it just turns me off.
That Fox comment - a bit of sarcasm there.
Ignorance is bliss - I can't tell you how many times I've heard the "Obama is a Muslim" comment, and corrected people. As well as the "Obama is not a citizen" comments. But they don't want to hear it. People will be believe what they want, myself included.
George W. Bush's legacy? He lead the way for Obama to be elected. Playing the what if game here.
2000 - Al Gore wins. 9/11 attacks still happen. 2004, John McCain runs, and Americans want a battle tested war hero running the country. 2008, McCain runs for a second term, we may never had been IN Iraq, so he wins. Possible Demo candidates? John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, maybe Obama, but he wouldn't get much traction and probably would wait a few years until 2012.
Or, if Bush wins 2000...
2004 - John Kerry wins the Presidency. War in Iraq is still the same, Dems take the blame since the President is to blame. Dems don't pick up the majority in the Senate in 2006. Big Dems loses in 2008 Congress, John McCain runs in 2008 and wins, Obama runs maybe in 2012.
If Obama had first run in 2012, some of the experience argues would be tempered, assume he won re-election in 2010, he'd have 8 years of experience. There was also speculation that he would have returned to Illinois to run as governor if he had not run for President.
History lesson here - Going from the Senate to the Presidency doesn't happen often. It's usually former VPs or Governors. I think Kennedy was the only other sitting Senator to be elected President. One or two sitting Congressman, Lincoln one of them, have been elected President.
Just my opinion...