The 2008 Primaries

Bush was just inaugurated and the field is off and running. The Washington Jewish Week comments on the field of 2008 in both parties.

Candidates will profess their love for Israel -- some even have solid credentials to prove it -- but 2004 showed Jewish voters now consider both parties pro-Israel. The Jewish vote will be won or lost on domestic issues.

In 2004, it was popular to claim Jewish ties, at least for Democrats. Sen. Joseph Lieberman is an Orthodox Jew, Gov. Howard Dean is married to a Jew, Gen. Wesley Clark's birth father was Jewish, John Kerry's paternal grandparents were Jewish and Dennis Kucinich was dating a Jewish woman. So far, none of the 2008 wannabes is flaunting Jewish roots, but it's early.

The only Jewish candidates mentioned so far are extreme longshots -- Sen. Norman Coleman (R-MN) and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI).

Coleman is virtually unknown in the Jewish community although he spent lot of time last year campaigning around the country for Republican candidates among Jews.

Feingold is an outspoken critic of the Iraq war and advocate of campaign finance reform. If he runs, he'll be tagged another blue state liberal at a time when his party seeks a more moderate image.

Republicans mentioned with regards to seeking the nomination: Florida Governor Jeb Bush, soon-to-be former Secretary of State Colin Powell of New York, retiring Tenneesee Senator Bill Frist, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich of Georgia, National Security Advisor and Secrtary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, California actor-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Arizona Senator John McCain, Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, and Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel.

Other Republican wannabes include Sens. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and George Allen of Virginia, and Govs. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, George Pataki of New York and Mark Sanford of South Carolina.

Missing from this list of wannabes is Dick Cheney. Normally, the vice president would be a virtual shoo-in for the nomination, but Cheney, who has a history of heart problems, has taken himself out of contention.

Democrats mentioned with regards to wanting the 2008 presidential nomination: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (2004 Presidential nominee), polarizing New York Senator Hillary Clinton, former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, and often-mentioned Illinois Senator Barak Obama.

Other possibles -- Govs. Mark Warner of Virginia, Tom Vislak of Iowa and Rod Blagojevich of Illinois, and Sens. Joseph Biden of Delaware and Evan Bayh of Indiana. Look for return engagements by Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rev. Al Sharpton, the also-rans of 2004 who went nowhere but made the race more interesting.

It's only natural for so many lawmakers to have presidential ambitions, but the last sitting member of Congress to go directly from Capitol Hill to the White House was Sen. John F. Kennedy in 1960.

Still, even unsuccessful runs can propel ordinary lawmakers into the national spotlight, and that translates into influence back on Capitol Hill. And power is the name of the game.

I like Senator Evan Bayh but also like what I see in Senator Feingold and Governor Mark Warner. That said, I wouldn't mind a Bayh/Feingold or Bayh/Warner ticket. Liberals and Moderates both need to have a voice in this party.