Iowa governor Vilsack will formally announce candidacy for POTUS Thursday.

[Clarkie1]

And so the crowded field begins....

By MIKE GLOVER, AP Political Writer 59 minutes ago
DES MOINES, Iowa - Gov. Tom Vilsack said he will officially launch his presidential campaign Thursday when he files documents with the Federal Election Commission.

The filing comes two days after his fellow Democrats scored overwhelming victories in state and national elections.

"Americans sent a clear message on Tuesday," Vilsack said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press that will be released Thursday.

"They want leaders who share their values, understand their needs and respect their intelligence. That's what I've done as governor of Iowa and that's what I intend to do as president."

Vilsack said he will file documents with the FEC establishing the Tom Vilsack for President Committee. He plans a multistate tour on Nov. 30 to formally announce his intentions.

Several potential candidates have spent time in Iowa building a network for the state's leadoff caucuses in 2008, but Vilsack is the first in either party to make a formal declaration.

Vilsack heads the Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist group that former President Clinton used to help launch his candidacy. He has also traveled the country campaigning for Democratic gubernatorial candidates while considering a presidential run.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061109/ap_on_el_ge/vilsack_president_1

[MADem]

1. He'll have a challenge on a load of levels, not the least of which is his name

But he's smart to get out in front, to start "marketing the product" if he's serious about it.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

3. Not being named Hillary is a positive for me.

[WCGreen]

6. LOL.....

Hillary is not as great as everyone think she is....

She is far to measured, far to cloy, far to "safe" to make it....

In my humble opinion....

[Jack from Charlotte]

4. Sadly, I agree. Look at the names of past presidents.........

Their all so Anglo and one or two syllable. The only exception is Roosevelt. But Bush, Clinton, Carter, Reagan, Ford, etc.......

[yellowcanine]

8. What about Macaccawitz? Oh. Never mind.

[MADem]

9. Roosevelt was one of those "old money" names. And Teddy was

a SECNAV and a war hero, so it was a cakewalk for him! By the time FDR came along, it wasn't just a name, it was a "brand." Like Campbell's soup, or McDonald's, everyone thought they knew what the character of a Roosevelt was, based solely on the name.

It's kind of like the BUSH name, really. It wouldn't matter if Jenna Bush matured, threw herself into the intense study of politics and diplomacy, and emerged after several years of advanced education and reflection as one of the great thinkers of the 21st Century (I know, I know--unlikely, but work with me, here!). That BUSH brand has become so tainted, by Poppy (martinet, wishy-washy, stumblebum speech patterns, puking on Japanese PMs, sleazy government practices) and King "Little Boots" George (fucking incompetent, stupid, and oh, fucking incompetent) that no matter how hard she tried to market herself to the public, an older, wiser, damn near genius Jenna could NEVER overcome her heritage, even if she were the one brilliant exception to the Bush 'dullard' rule.

[Cha]

10. Yeah, I don't even like calling a

"bush"(plant) a bush. Too many bad memories have gone into the memory bank on that one.

[Hippo_Tron]

2. Yikes, I'm told he can put a corpse to sleep

[Totally Committed]

5. The man is about a hundred shades of boring beige wussiness and

corporatism. They'd better pass out NO-DOZ to the audiences when he speaks.

Plus, he's DLC... and not just a member, but an officer of the organization. Neither he nor any DLC candidate will ever get my vote. Not ever.

Never again.

TC

[Pithy Cherub]

7. My vote doesn't go to any

candidate that remains a member of that failed organization, or who voted for the Iraq debacle. Kerry was my last give him the benefit of doubt. Vilsack is just the warm-up show.

The DLC is in its descendancy, and their evil patron saint Joementum was elected by republicans. It is an organization in decline fighting for the last vestiges of respect. All they have left is the old media which gives them a platform, but not hearts and minds, more importantly no boots on the ground. ;)

[messiah]

11. Democrats just keep moving to the right.

[AtomicKitten]

12. He has the word "sack" in his name.

'nuff said

[SouthernBelle82]

13. Isn't that premature?

Isn't that a bit early announcing something like that? I mean hell they've just gotten back the House and Senate. I would wait a while to see the mood and how things go for a couple of months. Anything could happen from now until 2008. I think Kerry has the best plan and that is to wait until next year I believe.