Hinesville, U.S.A. — Disguised as a work of fiction, the novel The White House Games accurately predicted the choice of Paul Ryan as the GOP vice-presidential candidate.

What will be even more intriguing for readers is that the same book has already revealed who will win the coming U.S. Presidential elections.

In the novel, the vice-presidential candidate character is named Paul-Mark Rubyan, a minor alteration of the actual candidate’s name.

“I made the prediction using elements of computational statistics,” said author Say Dozeman. “Specifically, I used a math technique known as the Bayesian Information Criterion. But in the final analysis, it all boils down to the propensity of human beings to choose those with whom they have the deepest affinity. Thus, all the data pointed to the fact that Paul Ryan would be the best fit as Romney’s vice-presidential pick.

“If anyone suspects that I changed the character’s name after Ryan had been selected, he or she can check my novel’s date of registration with the Library of Congress. It was registered months before Ryan was selected, when even the closest associates of Romney had no idea who would be chosen, and at a time when I suspect that even Mr. Romney himself wasn’t entirely sure.”

Dozeman continued, “The VP and presidential predictions aren’t even the biggest bombshell predictions in my novel. The biggest prediction is something way more revolutionary; something on a much grander scale; something that will be like the second coming of the Founding Fathers. The biggest prediction is of something that will change the nature and character of American politics forever.”

The first in a planned series of political novels, The White House Games tells the story of a group of ex-Navy SEALs who take matters into their own hands in order to change the direction of American politics. Taking a leaf from the Arab Spring movement of 2011, the SEALs embark on a once-in-a-lifetime mission. Combining special operations tactics with social-media power, the SEALs launch a revolution against the powers-that-be in a high-stakes game to create America 2.0.

“If I had to describe the flavor of my book, I’d say it’s like a combination of The Hunger Games, “Survivor” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” all played out in a political arena,” said Dozeman.

The novel is available through Libboo.com, a digital platform for publishing and selling books. Dr. Chris Howard and Dr. Fernando Albertorio, two of the leaders of Libboo.com have developed and patented a “buzz-and-influence” computer algorithm to incubate and hatch the next generation of major league authors. Libboo.com is home to many mega-hit books including The First Secret of Edwin Hoff by A. B. Bourne, Chocrotes and the World Without Question by Steve Berkowitz, and Kun Lun by Liisa Pasila.

Since Libboo.com picked up The White House Games, the novel has been receiving a heady dose of buzz in the media.

Dozeman has also created a game called “The White House Ops.” Freely downloadable from the Apple App Store, the game is a cartoon adaptation of The White House Games, and it features a fast-paced race combined with a fight for survival as players steer major characters from the novel through a dangerous experience in the Amazon jungle, through Hell Week at the Navy SEALs BUD/S facility in Coronado, culminating in a fight-to-the-finish mixed martial arts tournament at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Unlike the novel which tells the outcome of the elections, the app allows players to enjoy alternate outcomes.

The White House Games is now on sale at Amazon.com

The book is also on sale now at Barnes and Noble online.

Image Courtesy of  Barack Obama

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New York, U.S.A. — NewsOne.com, an urban digital media company, Interactive One’s African-American news website, published on October 23, an exclusive op-Ed penned by First Lady Michelle Obama that speaks directly to the country’s nearly 39 million Black Americans. The op-Ed addresses the importance of every vote in this November’s presidential election and Mrs. Obama encourages those who can, to vote early this year for her husband President Barack Obama.

“Now that so many states have early vote—including Ohio, North Carolina, Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida, New Mexico, and Iowa—we can make our voices heard well before Election Day,” explains First Lady Michelle Obama. “So, if you live in a state with early voting, pledge to cast your ballot early—and then reach out to everyone you know and make sure they vote by November 6, too.”

Before reminding voters of the close results of the 2008 presidential election, the first lady recalls the long strides previous generations made to ensure the civil liberties all Americans enjoy today. She makes clear, however, that it “doesn’t mean our work is finished.” Mrs. Obama states, “Make no mistake, here in our time, it’s more important than ever that we show up to vote, not just this year, but every year and in every election. Every voice must be heard and every vote must be counted.”

Mrs. Obama’s op-Ed comes on the heels of an exclusive story published by NewsOne on October 11 where the first lady addressed issues affecting Black female voters. In the story she discusses President Obama’s latest debate performance, what’s at stake in this year’s presidential election, and whether the president has the support of Black women.

“NewsOne.com is the definitive source for news most relevant to the African-American community and our recent exclusives with First Lady Michelle Obama demonstrate that fact,” said Tom Newman, President, Interactive One. “The importance of Mrs. Obama’s message cannot be overstated. All of us at Interactive One eagerly encourage our readers to make their voices heard by voting and encouraging others to vote in next month’s election.”

To read First Lady Michelle Obama’s op-Ed, and for more information about NewsOne.com, visit their website.

Image Courtesy of Joyce N. Boghosian, White House photographer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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As the US election for president draws closer, dirtier the debates become. This does not only extend to President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, but to the voters themselves. Since this election is so important to the United States, people who have not previously paid much attention to politics–myself included–have been roped into the huge battle for control. The battle has now been dragged into cyberspace.

Facebook has exploded with status and picture updates about the election and who individuals support, which creates tension among friends who are supporting different candidates. I know some of my friends are hardly talking to one another strictly because of fights they have had about politics.

My family and I have an agreement to not discuss politics because we support opposing candidates, and the fights would always turn ugly when the subject came up. However, the rest of the country is letting everyone know their position for the election; political conventions and rallies are happening left and right because everyone wants to get support for their candidate. In other elections, people were not as passionate about who they planned on voting for.

Sure, the election campaigns were aired on TV and everyone was subjected to the annoying phone calls sponsoring a candidate, but friends and families were not torn apart because of politics. Meanwhile, both candidates are trying to make themselves look as saintly as possible while simultaneously trying to make their opponent seem like the anti-Christ. The presidential debates have been the most public display of this goal. The debates have caused a huge stir with voters with trying to determine who “won” the debate.

Romney had better stage presence while Obama looked like he did not want to be there. Obama kept trying to play off of Bill Clinton and emphasizing how horrible George W. Bush was while not taking ownership of any of his own shortcomings. During Obama’s reign, the country’s deficit tripled and he added more debt than any other president combined.  But none of this is his fault, only Bush’s. Obama kept twisting Romney’s plan for taxes, which Romney defended and said that Obama was purposely misleading the public.

Romney continually challenged Obama, who never really defended himself fully. Since the debates, others have tried to make excuses as to why Obama did not seem to be present and involved. However, all the debates have done is created more of a gray area while the public decides which candidate is the biggest liar.

With the debates over, political commercials are always on TV. It has gotten to the point that I refuse to watch any TV until after the election craziness is over. Neither candidate is perfect, and it gets to be very depressing watching Romney have commercials saying how horrible President Obama is while Obama projects the opposite sentiment.

The election is a month away, and it is sure to get much worse before the ballots are collected and tallied. November is guaranteed to be a political bloodbath.   Image Courtesy of   new-york-city

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Chicago, U.S.A — There are truisms, and then there are “really truisms.” And one of them is the notion that a person doesn’t have the right to complain, if he or she didn’t bother to vote. Democrat, Republican, or fiercely Independent – it is a rally cry that transcends political affiliations. And yet while the number of complainers continues to increase, those who express their feelings in the voting booth continues to decrease.

It is with this in mind that Chicago-based “Attention Agency” Third Street conceived the idea of launching a national, multimedia campaign entitled Real Complainers Vote – a non-partisan effort designed to encourage young registered voters to embrace two American privileges: Voting and Complaining. To achieve this goal, they teamed up with frequent collaborator, Foundation Content as well as acclaimed street artist Ray Noland and comedian TJ Miller.

Real Complainers Vote takes a “seriously humorous” look at how our nation isn’t just comprised of complainers; it was founded and built by them. Through a unique viral video, social media and street-level campaign materials, Real Complainers Vote seeks to motivate young voters to express themselves where it matters most – in the voting booth — on November 6.

Third Street Chief Creative Officer David T. Jones sums up the essence of the campaign: “We know that we don’t need to convince Americans to complain. We only need to convince them that complaining has a cover charge. And that cover charge is voting.”

Foundation Content’s Kyle Shoup, who served as Creative Director for the Real Complainers Vote project, said, “We wanted to take the opportunity to make something fun, but unique. The result was a piece that incorporated stop-motion, handmade, 2D & 3D design and animation. Mixed media is really what this piece became, and it gives the message an unusual and compelling look.”

To view the animated, viral video within this campaign, please see: http://realcomplainersvote.com/ and follow the Griping on twitter at: @complainersvote

Image Courtesy of  Mark Scott Spatny / Shutterstock.com

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The most popular buzz in the political world this weekend has to be the revealing of Governor Mitt Romney’s Vice President pick, Paul Ryan. Ryan, Wisconsin’s representative, has been one of the many who were being vetted for Romney’s VP in the past few months. People and the media have been wondering who Romney would pick, whether it would be Paul Ryan, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, Marco Rubio of Florida, or Rob Portman of Ohio. In the end, on August 11, Romney tweeted:

“I am proud to announce @PaulRyanVP as my VP. Stand with us today. http://mi.tt/Romney-Ryan #RomneyRyan2012″

Ryan, also know as the chair of the House Budget Committee, is known for his fiscal policy. His personal website says that “He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over tax policy, Social Security, health care and trade laws.” With a strong background in economics and budget plans, he is a smart addition for the Romney team.

However, the media has much to say about Romney’s decision. Obviously, not everybody is going to love Paul Ryan. Some are saying Ryan is good for the Democrats, that he is “bad for women,” and hates medicare. Many Americans are worried about Ryan’s Medicare plan. Ryan’s budget plan, which is somewhat controversial, intends to to make Medicare something called “premium support,” meaning that the government will offer seniors a set amount of money to spend in a health insurance exchange. This would allow seniors to choose their own private insurance, or use the government-run insurance. Once the senior has a plan, they would have to pay more out of pocket.

Current Vice President, Joe Biden, recently said that “Ryan’s plan to privatize Social Security was irresponsible.” Along with this, CBS news said that, “Ryan, a seven-term congressman and chairman of the House Budget Committee, wants to slice away at Medicare, food stamps and virtually all domestic programs, with military a notable exception.”

Besides fiscal policy, budget plans, and Medicare ideas, the media has also been showing another side of Ryan. Ryan is young, smart, and apparently a fitness buff. The ever so popular internet meme of Ryan has gone viral. Based off of the Ryan Gosling meme, that often starts off with “Hey Girl..” to melt women’s hearts, the Paul Ryan meme is very similar, having some that say “Hey girl, unlike the debt, our love will never hit a ceiling.” The memes have gone viral, and are the topics of many Ryan headlines.

Also headlining for Ryan, is his physique. Politico recently published an article called, “Forget the budget, Paul Ryan is hot.” It details how Ryan is included in the Hill’s top 50 Most Beautiful List and one of the top suggestions for google when one types in Paul Ryan, is “Paul Ryan shirtless.”

Romney’s decision has caused a spark in the political world. Paul Ryan’s budget plan, fiscal policies, internet memes, and pictures of him shirtless will definitely keep him in the media for a while. The question is if his budget plan and six pack will help Romney win the election in November.

Image Courtesy of  monkeyz_uncle (Flickr: DSC_6842) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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Newark, U.S.A. – Today’s Presidential primary election is meaningless for citizens living in New Jersey, California, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota. “This creates an alienated and cynical electorate that is becoming more disenfranchised with every election cycle,” says Jim Lynch, author of “The 2020 Players: A Futuristic View of the 2020 Presidential Election.”

Lynch asks, “Can you blame Americans for tuning out? This is not democracy; in fact, it just may be as bad as the backroom politics back in the old days of bosses and political machines.”

“As a result, millions of Americans had absolutely no voice in the Presidential selection process. Let’s face it; the primary system is broken,” says Lynch.

After today’s vote, which involves some 299 uncontested electoral votes, only Utah has yet to weigh in and they’ll hold off until June 26.

“Voting in America should be cherished as a sacred right, as a meaningful experience to every American. But voting has become totally meaningless for almost a third of the states participating in 2012 Republican primary balloting,” says Lynch.

“This flawed process is a ringing endorsement of the reform proposal to have a National One Day Primary on the same day in all 50 states for all presidential candidates. The single day primary would bring an end to local pandering to voters – like Newt Gingrich telling the people in Cape Canaveral ‘We should build a moon base’ – and to months of negative campaigning on TV and radio, one harmful and nauseating attack after another, without end.  And it would be far easier for both parties to unite behind the winners who emerge from the one day balloting,” says Lynch.

Lynch believes Americans must overhaul the political process and the insidious role that media advocacy plays in this process. “In my novel, The 2020 Players, I also advocate a viable three-party system, a single six-year term for President, and a ban on any political campaigning while in office.”

Jim Lynch is a native New Yorker, married with eight children and four grandchildren. His parents worked for the FBI. He spent eight years as an investigator and was an executive for AT&T. Lynch is a full time novelist.

Image Courtesy of  Jim Lynch

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The economic crisis batters a great part of the world. Countries that used to live the “American dream” now witness how the extensive wave of revelry and happiness has come to an end. Spain is one of the many countries that lived above their possibilities. The Spanish downturn has given rise to an excessive increase of unemployment and has been the perfect excuse for politicians to pull out their scissors and begin cutting public spending from their welfare state.

The Spanish people, who watch how the youth unemployment is more than 50 percent, have not taken long to point their fingers at the politicians. Spanish citizens accuse politicians of being responsible for the country’s irreversible state, which they believe is inevitable as a result of the electoral system, where only two teams play.

It is quite the opposite in the United States. Criticisms about the political ‘duel’ have not yet arrived. As a matter of fact, some citizens are proud of it. They say that in the United States, presidential elections gather the many political and social aspects that characterize this country. However, critics against the electoral system, such as Occupy Wall Street, have indeed begun to be heard and could amplify if the situation worsens.

Since George Washington set the foundations, the United States has visibly favored a two-party system, made up of two blocks in Congress. Supporters of this system see it as a way to preserve the democratic health of the country. Perhaps they may be right, but it is also true that reducing the possibilities to solely black and white might not be the best example of a democracy.

It is inarguable that in the elections more than two candidates are represented. However, these dissidents are hardly given any voice in comparison to the two giants. As if that were not enough, their campaigns seem ridiculous when judged against the big parties’ greatly funded campaigns.

In previous elections, most of the media hardly had any say about third party candidates, such as McKinney, who was parliamentary of the United States for many years, or Nader, the activist who presented himself as independent and who ended up being attacked about his credibility and pride.

The media should try to balance the budgetary instability of the current plutocratic regime and avoid instructing anyone with phrases like, “Voting for a candidate that is not a Democrat or Republican is a waste of your vote.” Let us remember that democracy is not a political calculation, but simply a way of expressing one’s support for a leader. Journalists, who are guarantors of freedom, should attempt to treat all parties fairly.

Image Courtesy of  Pete Souza (Source; Story) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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Washington, U.S.A. – Family Research Council (FRC) said that President Barrack Obama’s endorsement of same-sex “marriage” is disappointing but not surprising.

In an interview with ABC News, Obama announced that he now supports legalizing same-sex marriage. It was the second time in his career that Obama has appeared to reverse course on the issue. In 1996, as a candidate for the Illinois State Senate, Obama endorsed same-sex marriage. But since winning national office – first as a U.S. Senator, and then as President Obama had said that such couples should have access to all the legal rights and benefits of marriage through “civil unions,” but that “marriage” should remain defined as the union of a man and a woman.

“The President’s announcement that he supports legalizing same-sex marriage finally brings his words in sync with his actions.  From opposing state marriage amendments to refusing to defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DoMA) to giving taxpayer funded marriage benefits to same-sex couples, the President has undermined the spirit if not the letter of the law,” FRC President Tony Perkins stated.

“As demonstrated by yesterday’s overwhelming vote in North Carolina, redefining marriage remains outside the mainstream of American politics, especially in the critical battleground states and among minority voters. In North Carolina, the amendment received more than 60% of the vote in majority-black counties.

“Considering that ten of the sixteen battleground states have marriage amendments that could be overturned by the President’s new policy position on marriage, the announcement almost ensures that marriage will again be a major issue in the presidential election.

“The President has provided a clear contrast between him and his challenger Mitt Romney.  Romney, who has signed a pledge to support a marriage protection amendment to the U.S. Constitution, may have been handed the key to social conservative support by President Obama.”

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Richard A. Viguerie, the Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, along with conservative activists Bill Wichterman and Rebecca Hagelin, hosted a luncheon and hour-long question and answer period for 90 national conservative leaders at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, D.C.

“Four weeks ago, a large group of national conservative leaders met in Texas and came to the consensus that we should back Rick Santorum’s campaign for President,” noted Viguerie. “With relatively few resources, but lots of grassroots conservative support, Rick went on to win the Republican contests in Minnesota, Missouri, and Colorado,” observed Viguerie.

“Today’s meeting will build more grassroots conservative momentum behind Rick’s campaign.” “Rick Santorum is the only reliable conservative left in the race.  Whatever others may say, no other candidate can be counted on to populate his administration with conservatives the way Santorum can be.  No other candidate can be depended upon to govern as a conservative the way Santorum can be,” said Viguerie.

Santorum’s unscripted remarks at the luncheon focused on his commitment to the conservative agenda, the importance of the conservative movement in winning the 2012 election, and the important role conservatives will play in a Santorum administration. “Conservative principles are the things that win elections,” said Santorum, who also noted, “Conservatives aren’t merely a wing of the Republican Party–they are the Republican Party.”

Santorum’s biggest applause came when, in a not-so-subtle reference to Mitt Romney, he promised the conservative leaders that, if elected, he “would not walk away from the conservative message. It is who I am.  I do what I do from the heart, not because some consultant or focus group tells me this is what to do or what to say.”

“Rick Santorum is no stranger to the conservative movement.  We know Rick Santorum.  He walks with us, eats with us, and prays with us. He has celebrated our victories and mourned our losses,” concluded Viguerie.

Image Courtesy of    http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrickgensel/

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ConservativeHQ.com Chairman Richard Viguerie announced the first group of conservative leaders to join him in endorsing former Senator Rick Santorum for President:

“…Some 150 conservative leaders gathered at Nancy and Paul Pressler’s ranch in Texas to discuss the Republican presidential campaign”.  There was an overwhelming 75 percent consensus to support Rick Santorum for President. ”The group of conservative leaders named…includes Dr. James Dobson, Gary Bauer, Joseph Farah,Foster Friess, Elaine Donnelly, and many others representing all four segments of the new conservative coalition who are coalescing behind Rick Santorum’s candidacy.

“I’m pleased that, so quickly after Rick Perry suspended his campaign, I was able to announce the firstbloc of conservative leaders who have come forward to endorse Rick Santorum. ”This list of endorsers demonstrates that Rick Santorum is the best candidate to bring together social conservatives, national defense conservatives, economic conservatives, and the newly energized constitutional conservatives of the Tea Party.

“Rick Santorum is the only reliable conservative left in the race.  He has a long involvement in the conservative movement, and he has demonstrated his commitment to hiring conservatives on his Senate staff and in his campaign.  On the issues of vital importance to conservatives, such as the right to life, the pro-family agenda, national security, and fighting the growth of government, he has walked with us even when the path was hard.

“If conservatives want a conservative, not just another establishment Republican, nominated in Tampa and elected in November, it is time for us to start concentrating on consolidating that winning four-part coalition behind one candidate.  The candidate who best appeals to all four segments of the winning 2010 coalition, with the fewest negatives, is Rick Santorum.

“This is an encouraging sign that movement conservatives are finding their natural home in the Santorum campaign and are in fact coalescing behind Rick’s candidacy.”

The text of the endorsement and the list of endorsers released today follows:

“Conservatives are the largest ideological bloc in the American electorate.  In this election cycle, a number of candidates with legitimate claims to conservative support have considered or sought the Republican nomination for President, but this has left the conservative vote divided, empowering those who do not share our views and values.

To defeat Barack Obama, now is the time for conservatives to rally behind the most electable conservative candidate, and we believe that candidate is former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.

“In recognition of Rick Santorum’s character, judgment, and especially his commitment to institute an administration that will govern according to conservative principles, we the undersigned endorse former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum for President of the United States and pledge to advance his candidacy.”

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As the Republican primaries near, Zoosk, a romantic social network, recently surveyed more than 4,000 U.S. singles to gather their thoughts on the presidential candidates.  Questions ranged from which candidate has the best hairdo, to which contending couple would make for the best double date, and to who has the best sense of humor.  The survey findings resulted in the following:

Singles say the Obamas would be their first choice couple for a double date.

• 38% of singles say they would choose a double date with the Obamas over any of the other presidential candidate couples.
• 16% of singles would choose to enjoy an evening out with the Bachmanns for a double date.
• 9% of singles would pick the Pauls.  The Gingrichs, Perrys, and Romneys each received 8% of singles’ vote for double date companions.

Michele Bachmann and Mitt Romney have the “best hairdos” among the Republican candidates.

• 35% of singles give Michele Bachmann their vote for best hairstyle. She is followed by Mitt Romney (21%) and Rick Perry (15%).
• Rick Santorum received the fewest votes for his “do,” nabbing just 4% of the vote.

Republican men prefer Newt Gingrich, while Republican women prefer Mitt Romney for the GOP nominee. When asked, “If you were to vote today, who would receive your vote?”…

• Republican men gravitated towards Newt Gingrich with 33% of men saying the former Speaker of the House is their top choice compared to 18% of men who would choose Romney.
• Republican women have a slight preference for Mitt Romney with the former Governor of Massachusetts gathering 25% of the Republican female votes compared to 24% of women who would chose Gingrich.

Who is the “sexiest” candidate?

• Clearly, Michele Bachmann gets the sexiest female candidate vote, but 41% of single women say President Obama is the sexiest candidate among the 2012 contenders.

Singles vote President Barack Obama as having the “best sense of humor” among the candidates.

• 30% of singles say President Obama has the best sense of humor among all the presidential candidates.
• 15% of singles prefer Newt Gingrich’s humor.
• Tied for third place with 12% each of the “best sense of humor” vote are Rick Perry and Ron Paul.

Singles wish Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were on the ballot.

• When asked who they wish were on the ballot in 2012, 57% of singles who identify themselves as Democrats and 30% of singles who identify themselves as Independents say Hillary Clinton.
• 30% of single Republicans say they wish Donald Trump were running for president in 2012.

More singles than ever plan to vote in the 2012 presidential election.

• Compared to 64% of Americans who voted in the 2008 presidential election, singles are a politically active group. An equal percentage of single men and women (87%) say they plan to vote next year.

The data for this report was conducted online in December 2011 and fielded 4,218 responses from singles in the U.S. who use Zoosk.  Respondents were equally divided among political parties with 30% being Democrat, 34% being Republican, and 36% being Independent.

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Herman Cain informed his aides on Tuesday that he was going to reassess his campaign for presidency after yet another woman stepped forward with allegations of improper sexual conduct. Cain said that the accusations created too much of a cloud around his campaign. He has acknowledged the turmoil the allegations have caused and will only stay on schedule for the next few days.

“If a decision is made, different than to plow ahead, you all will be the first to know,” Cain stated. This is the first time since accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct began that Cain has reconsidered being a part of the presidential race. On Tuesday morning, however, a spokesperson for the campaign explicitly said that Cain would not drop out of the race.

Ginger White, a Georgian woman, came forward with allegations of a 13 year extramarital affair with Cain. The potential presidential candidate denied this, just like he had denied previous accusations of sexual harassment from other women. “It was just a friendship relationship,” he claimed.

“That being said, obviously, this is a cause for reassessment.” Cain continued, “With this latest one, we have to do an assessment as to whether or not this is going to create too much of a cloud, in some people’s minds, as to whether or not they would be able to support us going forth.”

Claiming the firestorm caused by this episode has taken a toll on Cain and his family, he told his aides that the people will have to make a decision about whether or not to believe him or the women speaking out against him. Even though the fundraising for his campaign has begun to fall, as the public’s opinion of him has, Cain was still determined to continue with his bid for presidency.

However, in a conference call, he only said he would keep certain, imminent commitments. This includes delivering a speech regarding foreign policy at Hillsdale College in Michigan. Cain did cancel one previously planned event and withdrew from a party where he would meet with journalists, Matt Lauer and Barbara Walters.

Representative Scott Plakon, one of Cain’s Florida campaign chairmen, said the woman accusing him of having an affair should produce more evidence. Plakon said that if Cain did have an affair, Republican voters would be turned off. “That would be very problematic,” Plakon stated. “There’s the affair itself, and then there’s the truthful factor. He’s been so outspoken in these denials.”

Darren Brode / Shutterstock.com

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The @GuateSinHambre twitter page was opened on October 5 to bring awareness to the 6000 people who have died in Guatemala from causes associated with malnutrition last year. Also, to the 18 people that die every day, including children and the elderly.

In one night, @GuateSinHambre gained over 300 followers and is aiming for thousands more in order to present this issue to the presidential candidates in Guatemala. This movement is trying to gain support, not only from people who reside in Guatemala but also support from people around the world, using every media outlet possible to spread the news.

The project was created on the initiative of Luis Enrique Monterroso, head of the Right to Food Department of the Human Rights Office in Guatemala, Jose Luis Vivero, chief of the Central America Mission Against Hunger and pharmacy and nutrition students at Galileo University, who want to do something to help their country.

#GuateSinHambre will be the official twitter hashtag for an upcoming event taking place on October 16, 2011, in Obelisco, Guatemala City, in hopes that it will become a trending topic. During this time, people won’t be eating during the daytime and at six o’clock, participants will gather to mourn the 6575 people who died last year from malnutrition, by fasting and lighting a candle in their memories.

The event will showcase Guatemala’s unity as a country, and how it is time for a change, particularly through the eyes of the young people that inhabit the country. The goal of the event is to pressure two presidential candidates that are running for a second election, to include an agricultural strategy in their plan to reshape the country.

It will show what a significant issue this is, and that it needs to be dealt with immediately. The citizens of Guatemala are coming together with the intention of no longer keeping quiet about the major issues in the country. They are sharing their voices in unison, fighting against injustice.

Another goal of GuateSinHambre is to organize a watch group with which to keep an eye on the 33000 villages in Guatemala, and to gather information from them. The sponsored families will be responsible for maintaining their “centinela site”. These families will also receive an introduction to how the system works, which will take up to two days.

A watch group will record information in an excel sheet on a monthly basis, to report to the human rights prosecutor and the ministry of Food and Nutrition security in case action is needed in a certain village.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/diskmix/

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States are now clamoring to move the Republican primary up early, leaving the traditional first states left in the dust. Florida Republican presidential primary is likely going to be held five weeks earlier than normal, moving the primary to January 31, 2012 instead of early March.

The Florida GOP has selected the early date by a vote of 7 to 2, according to GOP insiders. This move is in violation of Republican National Committee guidelines. It also upsets the traditional standards that allows the states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina to be the first primary states in every presidential election.

Although Florida may be sanctioned by the RNC, Florida’s Republican officials seem to be looking past any punishment. They believe by moving up their primary, they will be the fifth and deciding primary of the season. Early primary states are upset by Florida and other states leapfrogging moves.

Arizona had previously announced that they were moving their primary up to the same day as South Carolina’s primary. South Carolina has asked that the Republican National Convention be moved out of Florida where it is scheduled. New Hampshire is also unhappy since they have a state law mandating that the state have the first primary in the nation.

Officials in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina and Nevada have already said that they will be moving their contests. When Chuck Todd played this out on MSNBC last week, he anticipated that the Iowa caucuses, the first contest of the season , would be moved to Jan. 5. But by the time this all shakes out, it could end up being worse.

As CNN’s Peter Hamby tweets this morning: “NH Sec of State does not rule out holding New Hampshire primary this year. As in, 2011.” This means those potential candidates that are still lingering in the dust better start to announce their candidacy if they are interested. Yes, I am talking to you Sarah Palin, Chris Christie or even Mr. Huckabee.

The chance to build up a campaign was just shortened by a month.
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Fox News and Google teamed up to add an interesting twist in the GOP debate that took place in Orlando, Florida. The debate included some interactive aspects which made it nothing like any previous debate. Google allowed the opportunity for citizens throughout the country to participate in the debate first-handedly and ask questions to the nine GOP presidential candidates via YouTube videos.

A total of 18,000 questions were sent in as text messages as well, according to the Official Google Blog. Some questions that many wanted answers to but which were excluded from previous debates were topics such as the education system, Palestine and Israel, and the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy. These questions were aimed at challenging the candidates and getting them out of their comfort zone.

A former teacher from Georgia sent in a video that addressed the problem with the education system and all the candidates had the opportunity to expand on their views on this issue. Another question came from a gay soldier serving in Iraq who asked Rick Santorum if he would reinstate the ban on openly gay service members during his presidency.

A different video asked, “If you were forced to eliminate one department from the federal government which one would you eliminate and why?” Other questions were simply added in hopes to spice up the competition and add humor to the debate.

Maybe one of the most surprising questions of the night came from a citizen in a YouTube video who asked each candidate whom they would pick as their vice president if they were elected in 2012 for president.

Other features introduced by Google were elements such as showing the most searched trends, which were the platform for discussion within the debate. The most researched words were then presented in a “word cloud” that included words such as illegal, Israel, and economy.

During breaks between the debates, Google also had a feature that illustrated what people were searching for most while using the Internet. It demonstrated that coupons were being heavily searched for, most likely because many people are trying to save money wherever they can. Foreclosures were another highly searched topic and was searched much more than home loans.

This new interactive feature introduced in the Orlando debate allowed for people across the nation to present personal questions and also challenged the candidates to think on the spot. Overall, Google allowed for an out-of-the-ordinary debate, one of my personal favorites thus far.
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Just weeks after Rep. Michele Bachmann won the Ames Iowa straw poll, her campaign has seemed to fallen apart. The latest Power Outsiders poll conducted by The Huffington Post and Patch found that Bachmann is losing credibility.

Nearly half of the influential local Republicans were surveyed in the early primary states, including New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina, report a negative impression of Bachmann, and more than two thirds see little or no chance that Bachmann can either beat Barack Obama or win the Republican nomination.

This week, the HuffPost-Patch Power Outsiders poll of 160 political activists, party officials and officeholders in the early primary and caucus states focuses on Bachmann. The poll does not survey all Republican voters, but focused on influential local activists and political insiders that have historically driven the outcome of party nomination campaigns.

This week, we heard from 38 Power Outsiders in Iowa, 57 in New Hampshire and 65 in South Carolina. The poll first asked respondents to use one word to describe their impression of Bachmann. Unlike with the two frontrunners, nearly half the words (48 percent) to describe Bachmann were negative, including “inexperienced,” “crazy,” “lightweight” and “scary.”

Fewer words (43 percent) were unambiguously positive, including “passionate,” “energetic,” “principled,” “determined” and “feisty.” Although we classified 8 percent of the comments as neutral, these included words like “conservative” (mentioned by 4 percent) that could have either a positive or negative connotation for the respondent.

The comparison between the one-word reaction to Bachmann and the two front-runners is stark. The influential local Republican activists we talked to were nearly twice as likely to use a negative word to describe Bachmann (48 percent) as Romney (28 percent) or Perry (24 percent) on previous surveys.

The Power Outsiders do express affinity for Bachmann’s issue positions. Nearly four out of five (78 percent) describe her as someone who “takes stands on issues you agree with,” although less than a third (29 percent) say that phrase describes Bachmann “very well.”

Respondents gave far more negative reactions to Bachmann when asked about other characteristics. Only 40 percent describe her as someone who “would make a good president,” and her ratings plunge on matters of viability. Only 29 percent describe her as someone “who can beat Barack Obama in the general election,” and even fewer (26 percent) say she can win the Republican nomination.

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The rift between Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Perry seems to widen. The Romney campaign stated on Wednesday that they have considered Perry’s idea about allowing states to run social security. “We reject turning the program over to the states,” Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom told The Huffington Post in an email.

The Romney campaign issued six detailed questions for the Perry campaign about how a state level social security program would run. Gail Gitcho, communications director for Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, said Perry wants to “dismantle” Social Security.

“He has refused to answer questions on what the Social Security program would look like at the state level,” Gitcho said in the campaign’s release. “Governor Perry has the opportunity to clarify his proposal while he is in Florida — a state with an extraordinarily high number of retirees and near retirees.” The six questions take Perry’s idea seriously, raising logistical issues about the change.

Some of the questions include,  ”Would individuals retain national Social Security numbers or would each state administer its own system?”  or “What would happen to the Trust Fund that accrued while the [federal] system was in surplus? … How would those funds be equitably allocated to the states?”

A Perry campaign spokesman has not yet responded to a request for comment Wednesday. Although Romney also does not have any specific plan for social security, he has offered more details than Perry. In his 2010 book, “No Apology: The Case for American Greatness,” Romney said he would consider raising the retirement age at which Americans become eligible for Social Security, with exceptions for those physically unable to work.

He also said he would be willing to reduce benefits for “high-income individuals” by using the consumer price index rather than the wage index to determine payouts, and to give younger workers the option to “direct a portion of their Social Security tax to a private account.”

Perry has called social security a “Ponzi scheme” and a “monstrous lie.” These bold statements have won him some fans with members of the conservative grassroots. But, these statements have also opened him up for criticism nationally.

Romney’s campaign has tried to go after the substance of Perry’s past comments about moving the program to the state level and the questions about Social Security’s constitutionality that Perry raised in his 2010 book, “Fed Up.” The two will meet again in a scheduled GOP debate on Thursday in Florida.

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With the 2012 election already off to a competitive start, many presidential candidates will continue to battle for the lead in the upcoming months in several scheduled debates. Many events come next for the leading GOP Presidential candidates, and job creation will be a fundamental topic surrounding each debate.

A forum, which was funded by Senator Jim DeMint, of South Carolina on Labor Day, allowed candidates the opportunity to discuss their prime issues as well as make an appearance and get some camera time.  Within the next six weeks, a total of five debates will also take place.

The upcoming debates include a CNN/Tea Party Express GOP presidential debate in Tampa on September 12^th, and in Florida on the 22nd. Following in October will be one in New Hampshire and Las Vegas. After a lifeless August, in which there was no improvement of unemployment at all, job creation is being made an even more crucial issue for not only the president but for all of the GOP Presidential candidates running in the 2012 election.

Job Creation is Obama’s most challenging problem and topic that could either get him reelected or could destroy his chances. He has put a super committee in place to reduce 1.5$ trillion in deficit spending. President Obama also made a speech on Thursday night to a joint session in Congress about his American Jobs Act, which also makes for a topic in upcoming debates.

The debates will inevitably question the president’s plans, and offer a prime occasion for each candidate to propose their own job creation plans and how to rebuild the economy. Many have already proclaimed their plans for job creation, such as Mitt Romney on Tuesday, two days before the president even announced his American Jobs Act.

These debates are critical for each candidate’s survival and support, and will be an opportunity to challenge each other’s stances. This was seen in last week’s debate when Perry and Romney challenged each other’s record on job creation. These debates are also events that can make or break candidates. Perry the front-runner will have to watch his every move to make sure he stays in the lead.

Perry’s communication director Ray Sullivan even said, “It’s not his preferred venue.” He continued on to say, “But we respect the process and intend to participate and are confident that he will have a solid performance.” Being that there are five different debates spread out enables candidate’s time to make up for weak debates, but also facilitates them to flip-flop on issues.

The debates could very well be the best way for voters to see who has the most solid answers to many of the burning issues, job creation in particular. These debates will also give the public the ability to see which candidates will stay true to their message and which ones may change throughout their campaign.

To throw yet another curve ball into things, Palin could even enter the race in late fall, which would be interesting to see how this affects campaigning for all candidates. What comes next for the already intense 2012 election? Only time will tell.

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The disastrous debt ceiling debate is not going well for anyone. Eric Cantor looks like a spoiled brat; President Obama appears like he cannot force Congress to get this simple thing done and the rest of Congress looks relatively incompetent as well. However, the debt ceiling debacle is helping out Obama’s image with one highly sought after group-independent voters. And Obama knows this.

“It’s important for the American people that everybody in this town set politics aside, that everybody in this town set our individual interests aside, and we try to do some tough stuff. And I’ve already taken some heat from my party for being willing to compromise,” Obama said Friday as he delivered a message to Republicans worried about angering the GOP’s right flank. “My expectation and hope is, is that everybody, in the coming days, is going to be willing to compromise,” he said pointedly.

Over the past week or so, Obama has continually pointed out that he is willing to compromise to solve the debt ceiling debate, even offering up Medicare and Social Security as sacrificial lambs, angering the progressives.

Republicans have been insisting on no tax increases at all as part of a debt-and-spending deal. Critics call it an extreme position, noting that U.S. tax revenues are at near-historic lows as a share of the overall economy. Meanwhile, top Democrats have opposed Obama’s proposal to scale back cost-of-living increases for Social Security recipients, among other changes to entitlement programs.

People following the debate know that Obama “has been more than willing to make hard sacrifices to reach a compromise,” said Matt Bennett of Third Way, a Democratic-leaning group that pushes for bipartisan accords and moderate policies. Although Obama will take some of the blame if a debt crisis occurs, independent voters will be more likely to side with Obama. “They say polarization is bad for the country,” Bennett said, “and extreme ideology is a road to nowhere.”

Polling by the Pew Research Center suggests that independent voters are more concerned about the inability to raise the debt ceiling by the deadline. This could serve to help Obama next year for re-election, especially when compared against the Republican field of candidates who offer no solution on the debt ceiling.

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Another Republican candidate has officially stepped into the ring.  Former Governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty is expected to announce his candidacy on Monday in Iowa according to the Associated Press.  The announcement or the location of the announcement should come as no surprise to anyone.  The first state of the primary season, Iowa is a crucial win for Republican candidates.

Advisers admit that Pawlenty must win or at least have a strong showing in Iowa to have any chance at becoming the Republican candidate that will challenge President Barack Obama next November.  After the announcement on Monday, Pawlenty is expected to head to Florida, New Hampshire, New York and Washington, D.C.

Pawlenty has been long expected to enter the race.  He has been working in some form on his campaign since he was passed over for the 2008 vice presidential nominee by John McCain.  Pawlenty has been attempting to increase his national profile, hired a staff, traveled the country, and started to fundraise.  He resigned as governor in January and set up an exploratory committee in March.

Pawlenty has struggled to attract much attention or increase his standings in the polls.  Republican voters seem to gravitate toward big names such as Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee, who both since have stated they will not run.

Even though the Republican field is still wide open, Pawlenty may have some difficulty.   He is super boring and nearly unrecognizable to casual voters.  He will be running against some much more well known candidates such as Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.  And that is against the known candidates.  Include Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann and Pawlenty is even in more trouble.  Pawlenty may be wasting his money for this bid.  Or maybe he is secretly hoping for a vice president nomination.  Either way, he doesn’t have a chance.

Not everyone is counting out Pawlenty though.  He does have a fan base, especially in his home state of Minnesota.

“He is doing the soft sell and the soft sell works in the long run,” said Andy Brehm, a Republican strategist in Minnesota. “This is an entirely self-made guy. I don’t think you could ask for a better spokesman for the free market ideas. He’s worked himself up really from nothing.”

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No major candidate has publicly announced his or her decision to seek the GOP presidential nomination in 2012. However, there are plenty of folks that have been hinting at a possible run, so many in fact that it has turned into a series of articles just to discuss the options.  In part one, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Mike Huckabee, and Newt Gingrich were all featured.  In the second part, we focused on Gov. Haley Barbour, Gov. Mitch Daniels, and Jon Huntsman.  Article three was about Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and Donald Trump.  Here are some more possibilities.

Former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Rick Santorum is almost certainly going to run for the GOP nomination.  Since 2009, he has made 32 visits to the three states that hold the first votes during the primary–Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.    Santorum has also been busy criticizing the president and possible other contenders, such as Mitt Romney.  The former Senator was suspended from his gig at Fox News, along with Gingrich, because the brass there feel he is going to make a run at challenging President Obama.  Santorum is a social conservative, loudly outspoken on his anti-abortion and anti-gay stance.  He sparked controversy in 2003 when he told an interviewer that he had “a problem with homosexual acts” and seemed to compare homosexuality to incest and polygamy.  But, compared with the other possible contenders, it is unlikely that Santorum has much chance.  He is not as boring as Tim Pawlenty but he does not have the star power of Palin or Donald Trump either.

Rep. Ron Paul from Texas is a fan favorite, but has never been taken seriously from the Republican leadership.  Paul made a bid during 2008 and the libertarian leaning congressman was all but laughed out of the race by the other contenders and the media.  But, Paul began the real Tea Party—not the one being orchestrated by the Koch brothers.  Paul also won the straw poll during the Conservative Political Action Conference this year.  Paul is raising tons of cash.  His Liberty PAC raised $1.1 million just in the last month.  Rep. Paul may not be taken seriously by the establishment but he has a huge fan base and it is way too early to count this dark horse out yet.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani also might just take a stab at the GOP nomination again.  He holds the record for using Sept. 11^th for his own personal gain the most often and is looking to beat his own record.  According to Republicans close to him, the former mayor is seriously considering another try at the highest office.  Giuliani made a trip up to New Hampshire mid-March but denied that it was “a presidential consideration fact-finding mission.”  He said he has no timetable to make up his mind.  So, in the meantime, we will all wonder if Rudy will say 9/11 over and over if again involved in the debates, or will we have to find a different drinking game?

Stay tuned, there are still more.  The unknowns, the dark horses, the surprises…

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As of now, no major candidate has publicly decided to challenge Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States.  However, there is buzz surrounding numerous GOP hard hitters, suggesting that they may try to capture the GOP nomination in 2012.  There are so many possibilities, that this has turned into a series of articles.  In part one, we discussed Palin, Bachmann, Huckabee, and Gingrich.  In the second part, we focused on Gov. Haley Barbour, Gov. Mitch Daniels, and Jon Huntsman.  In part three, there are even more possibilities.

Would it be a real list without mentioning Mitt Romney?  The former Governor of Massachusetts may be the front runner in the list of potential candidates.  He is part of the establishment, sure, but many Republican voters are still fans.  He has a better track record, keeps his mouth shut and doesn’t embarrass himself the way most of the other likely GOP contenders do.  But, Romney has one large problem.  The Commonwealth Care reform that gave the state of Massachusetts health care for practically all is very similar to the Affordable Care Act that Republicans hate.   That will pose the biggest hurdle for Romney.  Other problems could be that he is too “elite,” he is from New England, and he is Mormon—all things that the Republican base doesn’t really like.

Also, the list must include Donald Trump.  That is right, The Donald is pretending he might run.  Trump recently spoke at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference suggesting that if he ran and won, “America would be respected again.”  Trump, like so many others in this wide open field, says he will make his decision in June. In a March WSJ/NBC poll, Trump had “an approval rating higher than better-known political quantities Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty.”  That makes two reality stars possible GOP contenders.

Speaking of Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota is also on the long list of possible presidential GOP nominations.  Pawlenty, like the others, has given no indication either way whether he will run or not, but he may be closer than most.  Just this week, he announced his intention to form an exploratory committee.  His website also has Pawlenty for 2012 all over it. He did not seek a third term for governor of Minnesota, leading many to speculate that he will mount a presidential bid.  In January 2011, Pawlenty told the College Republicans group at The George Washington University “If I decide to run it would be for president, not vice president.”  Pawlenty has been making some trips to Iowa, also leading more to believe he will likely run for president.  Pawlenty, like Romney, is good at not making headlines.  The biggest problem with Pawlenty is that he is boring.  No one is excited about him.  The party may settle for him, but no one is enthusiastic about his candidacy.  That doesn’t count him out though.  No one was very excited about McCain either.

There are still even more possible candidates.  Check out part four in this series for other primary potentials.

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The GOP playing field is wide open.  There is plenty of speculation and many Republicans have provided hints or expressed the possibility of running against Barack Obama in 2012, but no one has officially made any type of announcement yet.  In Part I, we discussed possible candidates, Palin, Bachmann, Gingrich, and Huckabee.  Here are some more of the potential candidates.

The beltway press has speculated that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour would run for president days after Obama was sworn in.  And Barbour has never denied his ambitions.  In March, Barbour’s political action committee made an important hire– former RNC communications director Jim Dyke.  Dyke will serve in an adviser role on communications for the PAC and many experts believe this hire is a clear intention of Barbour’s ambition.  Barbour has also long told reporters to judge his political ambitions by his weight.  Unsure of exactly what that means, it is interesting to note that Barbour appears to be losing weight.  Good or bad, I am not sure.  Barbour has made some controversial remarks about growing up during the civil rights era, which he described as “not that bad.”  Although most minorities don’t vote for Republicans, his comments still could pose a problem.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has also been flirting with the idea of a potential presidential run.  Daniels has stated he is considering a bid for the GOP presidential nomination and will announce his decision before the end of April unless he has to call the Indiana General Assembly back for a special session.  A poll of “political insiders” has suggested that Daniels is the frontrunner.  Maybe the insiders think he is awesome, but many people in his own state want him out.  Thousands of workers have gathered at the Indiana capital to protest Indiana’s version of a union busting bill, chanting catchy slogans like “Ditch Mitch.”  Does anyone really believe this man has a shot at the White House?

Finally, we have Jon Huntsman—the man you have likely never heard of.  Huntsman, a former Utah governor and current U.S. ambassador to China, is leaving his ambassador role on April 30^th.  Huntsman has hinted about a possible presidential bid earlier in the year and many feel he could be a strong challenger to Obama if he got past the primaries.  Of course, Huntsman would have a huge uphill climb if he were to mount a presidential bid.  He served under the enemy—the Obama administration.  President Obama has also sung Huntsman’s praises, which would not look good to the hard core right.  And Obama knows that.  “I’m sure that him having worked so well with me will be a great asset in any Republican primary,” Obama joked in January during a joint news conference with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

We still have more.  Check out the next part in our series for even more possible Republican challengers.

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No major GOP candidate has officially announced any intention to run for the presidential nomination in 2012.  However, the field of speculation continues to grow.  It is so wide open that this has grown into a series of articles instead of just one on the topic.  In the first article, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Mike Huckabee, and Newt Gingrich were all featured.  In the second part, we focused on Gov. Haley Barbour, Gov. Mitch Daniels, and Jon Huntsman.  Article three was about Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and Donald Trump.  The last installment of this series examined Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, and Rudy Giuliani.  And now we have the relative unknowns that may be jumping in the race or are have already made the jump.

One such unknown is Buddy Roemer, former governor of Louisiana and a former congressman.  Roemer served as governor from 1988-1992.  He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party in 1991.  In March of 2011, he announced that he had launched an exploratory committee for a potential run at the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. And he promised to be like Mike Gravel was in the Democratic primary last time—he will be the one making everyone else uncomfortable and will likely be ignored by mainstream media and shunned by his own party.  Roemer has stressed that campaign finance reform would be a key issue in his campaign. Pledging to limit campaign contributions to $100 per individual, Mr. Roemer promises to ask big money raisers Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman a single question at the presidential debates. (He’s still waiting for the invitation to the opening debate on May 2.)  “I’m going to ask, ‘Where did you get your money?’” he said.

We also have Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza.  Cain has suggested he might run and if he does, he will likely be entertaining.  He is known for his inflammatory remarks, but may just be the most honest of all potential contenders.  He spent 2010 addressing 40 Tea Party rallies and visited the early presidential states.  He set up an exploratory committee in January when he announced his potential presidential bid. Cain told the Union Leader in New Hampshire that if he does follow through in mounting a campaign, he’ll rely on his business credentials and radio talk show host experience to advance his ambitions.

Last but not least is Jimmy McMillan.  You may remember McMillan from the New York State governor’s race.  He ran on the Rent is Too Damn High Party and became an internet sensation.  McMillan was a registered member of the Democratic Party but in December of 2010, he said that he would run as a Republican in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, to avoid a primary challenge from President Barack Obama. He believes that his greatest political strengths include a mastery of social media, an ability to pinch pennies, and inimitable political vision. McMillan appeared at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2011.

These are the likely candidates for now.  There are also those that say they aren’t running, but some have their doubts.  And there very well may be some other contenders that crop up.  After all, it will be a long 18 months until the presidential electionin2012.  Stay tuned.

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