Let me preface this diary (my first one, I might add :) by stating that I will vote for the Democratic nominee next November, no matter what. This diary should not be read as just another anti-Hillary diary, as I personally have nothing against Senator Clinton, nor do I think she would make a "weak" candidate, as many pundits on both sides of the aisle have stated repeatedly (though I have to admit, I do think she'd hurt us downticket). I simply do not want to see the level of corruption, cronyism, and deception that is present in the Republican Party seep into our party.
It has been nearly 32 years since a Republican-controlled Executive Branch has not contained a fellow named Bush as either the first- or second-in-command. We have to go all the way back to the Ford/Rockefeller administration--even then, a Bush influence still appears. While looking up the name of Ford's VP on Wikipedia (forgive me, I'm only 24), I learned that when Ford nominated Rockefeller as VP, "Rockefeller's top competitor [for the nomination] had been George H.W. Bush."
Let's review briefly the results of the political control of the Executive Branch by the Bush family. Many of the current and former leading players of the current administration can be linked to George H. W. Bush, whose first attempt at the presidency was in 1980 and whose political career can be traced back to the 1960s. He entered the White House in 1981 with Reagan; coincidentally (or not), this was also right around the time of the founding of the Moral Majority and the New Christian Right. Thus began the migration of the GOP to the extreme right. Bush Sr.'s tenure as President brought us sound-byte style lies ("No New Taxes,") the beginning stages of the conflict with Iraq, and an ever-expanding list of shadowy, shady associates.
I'm thankful for the netroots and the vast number of Democratic activists who come from all over the spectrum. In my opinion, the Republican Party's "base" consists of only two main groups; the wealthy and power-hungry, who wish only to become wealthier and gain more power, and the gullible, gun-loving, Southern faith-voters, who could never vote for a "hippie" or a "baby-killer." While I think Senator Clinton has the experience necessary to lead this country, I happen to like my smörgåsbord of a Democratic Party. I view the consolation of power among individuals, whether in politics, mass media, or sports, as a detriment to true democracy. I'd like to avoid anything that could possibly lead away from democracy.
Let me state again that I'll vote for Hillary Clinton if she is nominated, and I am not suggesting, nor do I have any evidence, that granting her more power will lead to anything comparable to the current cronyism mentality present in Washington. I would simply prefer to avoid the possibility. I believe that our country needs to completely change direction, and the best way to do this would be with a President who is not a part of the "Establishment." I haven't donated to any campaigns during this primary season, and I'm unsure if I will; I do have my preferred candidate right now, but my preference is hardly set in stone. I just hope our nominee comes with a minimal number of strings attached.
On a final note, how about we consider potential Vice Presidential nominees for a second? Let's not fall into the assumption that both veep candidates will be selected from our current pool of 17. Back in 2000, neither Lierberman nor Cheney were Presidential contenders. While I see enough diversity in the Democratic field to make it seem likely that one of them will eventually be selected as a running mate, as in 2004, I don't believe the same can be said for the Republicans. Each of the leading GOP candidates has huge faults and skeletons in their closets; Mike Huckabee might actually lead the pack when it comes to potential running mates. The leading two GOP candidates, Romney and Giuliani, are both from the Northeast, so logic would dictate they would be inclined to select a Southerner such as Huckabee to run as VP. Perhaps they would follow in the footsteps of George W. and decide not to select one of their primary opponents, but rather someone from the "inner circle."
Perhaps someone young who would have his eye on the Presidency in the future...
Perhaps someone from a swing state such as Florida...
Perhaps...
Dear God, let's not allow another Bush to live in the White House.