Feingold Not A 2008 Presidential Candidate

Then There Were Twelve

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold will not seek the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination:

"I never got to that point where I'd rather be running around the country, running for president, than being a senator from Wisconsin," Feingold said in a phone interview from Madison.

Feingold, 53, conceded that he faced long odds of winning the nomination.

"It would have required the craziest combination of things in the history of American politics to make it work," he said.

But Feingold said waging an underdog campaign appealed to him. What didn't appeal to him, he said, was "the way in which this effort would dismantle both my professional life (in the Senate) and my personal life. I'm very happy right now."

Feingold had been publicly weighing a presidential bid since early 2005, forming a political action committee, traveling to key states such as New Hampshire and Iowa, and cultivating a more national constituency as an early and outspoken opponent of the Iraq war, the Patriot Act and other Bush administration policies.

[. . .]

"But I have never had a craving to be president of the United States. I used to say it when I was 5 or 7 years old. But I haven't really been saying it as an adult," said Feingold, who said he didn't rule out running in the future.

Feingold is the second Democrat to opt out of the 2008 campaign. Like former Virginia Governor Mark Warner it's the fire in the belly thing.

Feingold's departure from the race leaves 12 potential Democratic 2008 presidential candidates:

1. Indiana Senator and former governor, Evan Bayh
2. Delaware Senator and chief Democratic plagiarist, Joe Biden
3. Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, General Wesley Clark
4. New York Senator and presumed front runner, Hillary Clinton
5. Former Democratic Senate Leader Tom Daschle
6. Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd
7. Former North Carolina Senator and the Democrats' 2004 vice presidential candidate, John Edwards
8. Former vice president, 2000 Democratic presidential nominee, and self-proclaimed internet inventor, Al Gore
9. Massachusetts Senator and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, John Kerry
10. Illinois freshman Senator Barack Obama
11. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
12. Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack
13. Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold
14. Former Virginia governor Mark Warner

With Fiengold's decision not to run there remain 26 potential 2008 presidential candidates.

Comments

[MinorRipper]

The only way the Democrats lose in 2008 is IF they nominate Hillary. Let's face it folks, she is simply toxic, right or wrong, to a large percentage of the electorate. I am continually surprised by the ignoring and omission of the one person who could certainly derail the Hillary Express: Al Gore. He was shafted in 2000, was right on the war, and has been a true visionary on the environment. He sits on the board of Apple, are we in store for an Ipod like product introduction?
www.minor-ripper.blogspot.com

[Crazy Politico]

Daschle is on your list? Hadn't thought of him, though I guess I could see him running. However, like Clark, Kerry, Edwards and Gore he's got that "loser" image to get past.