Will Feingold's divorce end any presidental ambitions in 2008?

[sybylla]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/nat/apr05/317534.asp
Feingold, wife announce plans to end marriage
Couple say separation after 14 years is amicable
By KATHERINE M. SKIBA
[e-mail]
Posted: April 11, 2005

Washington - Sen. Russ Feingold and his wife, Mary, stunned the political world in announcing Monday that they would end their 14-year marriage.

<snip>

A divorce would be the second for both. Each has two adult children from a first marriage.

Feingold had begun to test the waters for a presidential run in 2008, and the news led one political expert and longtime friend to speculate that any hopes for the nomination three years hence were dashed.

"This is the end of his presidential hopes, at least for 2008," said the University of Virginia's Larry Sabato, an expert in presidential campaigns.

<snip>

This is very bad timing, but I'm not sure it ends any presidential ambitions. I'd like to think, as this is the 21st century after all, that this can be over come. Personally, I'd like to think as a nation we would elect the best man or woman for the job, separatiing private life from public, but I've been disappointed in that regard in nearly every election (and impeachment) I've witnessed.

[GodlessBiker]

1. So what? Reagan was divorced.

[9119495]

2. Yeah, and W shirked his military duties. See the point.

You and I know it's not a big deal but Fox news viewers don't. But then, they'll do that to any of our guys so I guess the point I was trying to make is irrelevant.

[sybylla]

3. We're talking a single presidential candidate - no first lady & 2 divorces

The morality belt won't be happy with that.

[zbdent]

5. You think Liddy Dole was Bob's first wife?

[ewagner]

4. You all know my position

on Feingold's possible bid for the Presidency because I have stated my opposition to it before...

IMO this puts him at odds with the "family values" crowd and just gives them more fodder to throw at him in a campaign. I hope Russ reconsiders...at least for '08.

[stpalm]

13. why?

why do you oppose him? just wondering.

[ewagner]

14. I really like Russ

as a person and as a Senator. I worked for him in the last campaign and strongly supported his candidacy for the Senate.

But President is something altogether different. In my opinion it requires a completely different skill set and character traits. I personally don't believe that Russ has those character traits for the Presidency. I'll support him in the Senate until the cows come home but I'm not comfortable with him as a Presidential candidate.

[pansypoo53219]

6. problem is the D

divorce is only ok for retardicans.

[RevCheesehead]

7. Sorry to hear about the divorce.

But, on a positive note, there will soon be a very attractive, single 52-year old man available for the women of Wisconsin to pursue.

I'd suggest me. As a pastor, I can help bridge the concerns about faith matters. I would be an asset. O8)

[Broca]

8. WI Public Radio to discuss this April 13

www.wpr.org

8:00 AM Joy Cardin - 04/13C
After eight, Joy Cardin and her guest discuss whether Russ Feingold's
divorce could dash his plans for the White House, and how one's
personal life could affect a candidacy.Guest: Joe Heim, professor of
political science, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

[ewagner]

12. Caught part of the broadcast

Prof Joe Heim from UW-LaCrosse Pol Sci Dept was the guest expert with Joy Cardine. Callers were all over the place. One woman called in who is an ardent supporter of Feingold and wants him to run for the Presidency but noted that American's like to hold their Presidents to a higher standard than they would hold themselves to....

Mixed bag really...lots saying the divorce means nothing, some saying it's a character flaw ect....

nothing conclusive imo....

anybody else hear it?

[BrainRants]

9. List of Prominent Republican Divorces

Bob Dole - Republican Party Nominee for President
Newt Gingrich - Speaker of the House
Dick Armey - House Majority Leader
Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas
Ronald Reagan - whose daughter was born seven months after he married his second wife Nancy (Ronald Reagan, divorced from his first wife, actress Jane Wyman, had two young children at home, both under ten years old.)
Gov. John Engler of Michigan
Gov. Pete Wilson of California
George Will
Sen. Lauch Faircloth - probably the most conservative member of the U.S. Senate.
Rush Limbaugh - Rush and his former wife Marta have seven marriages and five divorces between them.
Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia - Barr, not yet 50 years old, has been married three times. Barr had the audacity to author and push the "Defense of Marriage Act." The current joke making the rounds on Capitol Hill is "Bob Barr...WHICH marriage are you defending?!?)
Sen. Alfonse D'Amato of New York
Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee - now a bachelor
Sen. John Warner of Virginia - once married to Liz Taylor.
Gov. George Allen of Virginia
Henry Kissinger
Rep. Helen Chenoweth of Idaho
Rep. Sonny Bono of California
Sen. John McCain of Arizonia
Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina
Rep. John Kasich of Ohio - Chairman of House Budget Committee.
Rep. Susan Molinari of New York - Republican National Convention Keynote Speaker. (How appropriate.)
Rudy Gulianai - Former Mayor of New York


Non Issue, I disagree it's the end of his '08 hopes. If he courts the "Divorced" crowd he could sew it up!

[safi0]

10. If hes not married

By 2008 I think it could hurt him, forget the family values nonsense and all that stuff, people will look at his judgement in his personal life and things like that.

[safi0]

11. One more thing I want to add

I think its really quite funny that his divorce is being talked about as ending his Presidential ambitions. The reason I see humor in this is because I think him and his wife are getting divorced because he has presidential ambitions. I think he wants to be on the 08 ticket whether it be at the top or as VP and his wife does not want to be a first or second lady