by Carolyn Tytler

Created on: May 31, 2008

With the popularity rating of the proverbial skunk at a garden party, George W. Bush cannot help but have a tremendous influence on the election of 2008. His many mistakes, misdeeds and acts of mismanagement have made him the most disliked president since Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace in 1974. With the economy in recession, the nation embroiled in senseless and seemingly endless war in Iraq, gasoline prices at a record high, and America's reputation among the nations of the world at an all time low, voters must decide who is best able to extricate them from the disasters this president has caused to be heaped on their collective heads.

John McCain, senator for Arizona, is the likely nominee of the Republican Party. He has received the dubious honor of being endorsed by President Bush. McCain comes from a military family and has an outstanding record as a naval officer. He was a courageous prisoner of war in Vietnam. He has declared his intention to keep American forces in Iraq until the war is won, even if it takes one hundred years. With the cost of the war already at about five billion dollars, and climbing steadily, and the economy at home in recession, the country just can't afford to sink any more money into the Middle East quagmire.

It's very questionable whether the war can ever be won anyway. The Americans succeeded in setting up democratic elections in Iraq in 2005, but the three warring factions, the Sunnis, the Shia and the Kurds kept right on fighting each other, and they all kept trying to kill the Americans.

Lately, it's been revealed that Iraq was initially invaded on the basis of false information. Obviously, the honorable and sensible thing to do would be to admit a mistake had been made and withdraw. John McCain will not do that. Voters must decide if they want him making decisions on their behalf, until 2012.

The likely Democratic nominee is Barack Obama, the senator for Illinois. His stated intention is to bring Americans in Iraq home again as fast and as safely as possible. He is running on a platform of change. He does not come from a wealthy or politically-oriented family. He appeals to young, idealistic and working-class voters. His critics complain that some of his methods and targets for change are unclear, but then again, many feel any change from the present administration's litany of disastrous policies would be an improvement.

Senator Hillary Clinton, of New York, is also a Democratic candidate but, at present, she is running far behind Senator Obama. Because of President Bush's unpopularity, the people are eager for change. Unfortunately for Hillary, she cannot credibly claim to be an agent of change. She has already been in the White House as First Lady for eight years, 1993 to 2001. Her husband, Bill Clinton, embroiled in sex scandals, was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice by the U.S. House of Representatives. It is doubtful that the American people are ready to take a chance on another Clinton in the Oval Office just yet.

President Bush will indirectly exert great influence over the 2008 election. His influence may be negative, but it will certainly be felt. It is as if he has become the horrible example. Many of the voters seem to be saying, "Our next president must be as different as possible from George W. Bush." It is quite possible that the nominee whose policies and promises diverge most from those of Mr. Bush will be the next president. And that is a sad legacy for any president to leave. It's not at all the way in which Mr. Bush would wish be remembered by future generations.

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