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first Woman Presidential candidate (Hillary) or first Black candidate (Obama), heal the wounds of infighting among them and get one to support the other. Then there will be question of selling this ticket to the average conservative American after eight years of being fed on fear and apprehension, Iraq and Iran blunders and the seeming the arrogance that has spurred the growing anti-American sentiment the world over.

Combining the two will be giving the Presidency away to Republicans. Too radical a ticket. So they should settle for a safe' running mate. John Edwards comes to mind because he has the experience and is not controversial.

In the meanwhile, the Republicans seem to have settled for the most electable Republican across the board bearing in mind their conservative leanings- John McCain. The 'Huckabee factor' seems to have messed up the other serious candidate, Mitt Romney.

Despite playing a good spoiler role, Huckabee is not going to do much else well. McCain has it sewn up.

After both parties settle on candidates, the real race will begin. The Republicans will portray a Hillary candidacy as a return to the Clinton Presidency and this will definitely not appeal to the conservative votes.

An Obama candidacy might be equally hard to sell. The Republicans are quite adept at fishing out colourful pasts; Obama's smoking habit and alleged substance use will be thrust on our faces. Remember the "Willie Horton" affair in 1988? Obama will be portrayed as shaky, not reliable enough. The fear factor scaring the American into voting for them, be it against USSR or Terrorism- has been the hallmark of Republican campaigns, quite successfully at times.

McCain will be portrayed as stable hands. His war veteran credentials will be used to boost his image as a patriot in these troubled times, coupled with the hyping of Terrorist fears, of course.

His moderate views will be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, some Democrats might find him electable yet among the Presidential candidates, he will still come across as conservative enough compared to whoever wins between Obama and Clinton.

It does not look like the Democrats will amicably settle anytime soon. In that case and especially since Romney stepped out, prepare for a McCain Presidency.

Learn more about this author, Peter Ndoria..
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