Who should do the Dem response at the SOTU?

[thatsrightimirish]

I think Webb, McCaskill, or Tester would be great choices since they were so high profile this year. And I think it is safe to say Kaine will not be doing that again. What do you guys think?

[Deep13]

1. Ms. 3rd-in-line for the presidency.

[chefgirl]

2. Don't know if it violates some protocol or not..

...but, I would love to see Nancy Pelosi do it!

Go get 'em girl!!

-chef-

on edit: Never mind, she'll be the speaker by then, wont she?

[ellenfl]

3. tester . . . he's so natural. but i also like mccaskill's enthusiasm.

but then webb's son is in iraq . . . i can't decide!

ellen fl

[MindMatter]

4. That's easy. Dean

None of this would have happened without him.

[Deep13]

6. You said it.

He is so articulate and puts things in language that anyone can understand without being condescending.

Kind of like when he gave Wolf Blitzer the smack-down on the Abramoff thing.

[Demoiselle]

5. I heard Tester, McCaskill and Tester today in brief interviews...

They're ALL terrific! How lucky we are to have so many good people...And so many good NEW people.

[MindMatter]

7. And that is a big part of Dean's strategy

By focusing on the grass roots instead of the beltway, we have a great team of newcomers entering the Party ranks. If we keep this up, we will be able to push out the brain-dead empty suits that lost 8 national elections in a row.

We must keep it up, because those bastards are lining up all of DC right now trying to regain jobs in positions where they can ruin everything that has been accomplished with this election cycle.

[JCMach1]

8. Webb would be an awesome choice.

[FrenchieCat]

9. I don't know....I really, really like John Tester.....

His smile reminds me of my daughter's boyfriend smile; earnest and true!

[BluegrassDem]

10. OBAMA!!!! If not him, then McCaskill or Tester

They are both TV friendly. McCaskill is quite impressive in front of the tube. Tester is a natural and very believable. He doesn't look like a typical politician, so maybe that's why he comes across so well. But PLEASE, no more boring governors!! Kaine sucked last time. And before him, they tried Gov. Locke from Washington who sucked as well.

[Clark2008]

14. I like his smile, too, Frenchie.

And thanks for pointing out how much Tester respects our general in an earlier thread. I just KNEW Tester was a good man. hee hee

:hi:

[d_b]

11. How about Jack Murtha?

[American Jesus]

12. Howard Dean

That way I know it will be an actual response unlike that puke-lite embarrassment from last year.

[Vinca]

13. Obama is our most inspiring speaker at this point. nt

[yellowdogintexas]

15. OK, wild card here: The Senior Senator from Massachusetts

great orator
articulate
not running for anything else
well respected


Obama would be good, too.

Normally this is someone from Congress, in one of the leadership positions,either the whip or a powerful committe chairperson.

I know! John Conyers!!!!! That would be fun, wouldn't it?

I don't think the Senate Majority Leader or the Speaker of the House generally give this response, due to protocol. So either of the whips would be a good choice.

[BluegrassDem]

16. Obama deserves it more than anyone

He's the most popular politician in America. He's telegenic and charismatic. And he's the only African-American senator. He also worked his ass off for other candidates this year to help get out the black vote, which probably saved Virginia and Missouri for us. He definitely should get the face time on TV.

[JudyM]

17. Waxman or Boxer. nt

[election_2004]

18. Pelosi and Dean could give a joint response

Sort of like Daschle and Gephardt did in response to Bush's very first SOTU address.

Except the Pelosi/Dean response would actually be effective.

[karynnj]

19. I don't really think that we should give the job to any of the 3 newest Senators

I also think it would be a mistake to give it to any potential 2008 condender because that person's presence would make the story about how it positions him/her. There is a need to move people from politics as a game to issues. This is not about winning and losing.

We also need someone who could articulate the need to stop playing games and work together to extract ourselves from Iraq, deal with critical environmental problems, deal with an economy that has become increasingly less equitable, and who is knowledgable enough on all issues to ad lib additions to respond to anything in Bush's speech. There are very few people with this breath of experience. Durbin, Kennedy, and Levin come to mind.

If he weren't running, Kerry would be a perfect contrast and would reference the wrong choice made.