EARLY LOOK

POSTSCRIPT


Yesterday, I gave a look to potential Democratic presidential contenders in '08. After flitting around I found a great bit from the Washington Post doing the same thing for both parties. So, in the interest of giving different perspectives, I bring you the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza and The Fix's rankings and some thoughts as of this past Friday:

For the Dems:

1. Hillary Clinton - Clinton's stance on the war in Iraq is out of step with many in the Democratic base, and she is clearly vulnerable to a challenge from someone who has been opposed to the war from the start. Despite that seeming vulnerability, no one is better positioned at the moment to win the nomination.

2. Barack Obama - Obama's strengths are obvious -- huge buzz both inside and outside the Beltway and the perception that he could raise $50 million or more to compete with Clinton. His weaknesses? Lack of organization in any early primary or caucus state and a relative lack of experience on the national stage.

3. John Edwards - The one lingering question for Edwards is whether he can raise the tens of millions he needs to compete against Clinton and possibly Obama.

4. Evan Bayh - ... [C]an a centrist message appeal to the liberal activists who dominate the early presidential voting states?

5. Bill Richardson - ... Richardson is not the most disciplined of politicians, a trait that could work to his detriment over the long haul of a presidential effort.

For the GOP:

1. John McCain - No one -- and we repeat no one -- had a better year politically than McCain.

2. Mitt Romney - Romney is the best raw candidate in the Republican field and he is the equal of Obama and Edwards when it comes to charisma. He still must answer doubts among conservatives about his time in Massachusetts and seeming flip-flops on some social questions.

3. Rudy Giuliani - If Giuliani really is planning to run for president, he is taking a decidedly unorthodox approach to it. Giuliani has no staff in early states and doesn't appear to be doing too much courting of key money men and activists across the country.

4. Mike Huckabee - The past year looks like a wasted opportunity for the outgoing Arkansas governor.

5. Newt Gingrich - Gingrich, like Giuliani, seems more enamored with being mentioned as a potential presidential candidate than actually running ...

Not sure I'm feeling Chris on the Evan Bayh and Bill Richardson vibe, but I totally agree with his assessment of Gingrich and Giuliani.