Okay, fine...

It's about time I comment on the hype around Barack and Hillary:

No. They won't win. Stop asking.

I mean, get real, people. First, Sen. Clinton, despite her commanding lead in polls, will fall as fast as Howard Dean did in '04 - and probably sooner, since Dean didn't peak until a little over a year before the election. Conservatives think she's too liberal. Liberal's think she's too conservative. She has crafted an a centrist approach on the Iraq War, an issue that brought down the GOP in '06. And if that wasn't enough, she will always be in the shadow of her husband. I have been lucky enough to attend speeches by both Hill and Bill in the past couple years. One of the two inspired me to want to go out and help our nation and the world. The other said very little of substance and - quite literally - almost put me to sleep. Anyone care to guess which one was which?

Now onto Barack. I love Barack Obama as much as the next liberal. His speech at the '04 convention was the first time I can ever remember feeling inspired by a politician who was not played by Martin Sheen. But he's too young. He's served a little over a term in the Illinois Senate, and now half a term in the U.S. Senate. The last time America elected a man to the White House who had not served a full term as either (1) a governor, (2) vice president, or (3) a U.S. Senator was Eisenhower, and he had previously worn the title "Supreme Allied Commander." Before that, you have to go back to Herbert Hoover, and that's not name with which anyone wants to be mentioned in the same breath. If he runs, he'll get destroyed.

Plus, Obama said it himself. In New Hampshire last week, he said, "People are very hungry for something new. I think to some degree I'm a stand-in for that desire." Couldn't have said it better myself. Once Democrats match that desire with a strong candidate, Obama's stock will plummet. Please, Senator, Russ Feingold stayed out of the race because he wanted to get something done with the tenuous Democratic majority. Have a heart and follow his lead.

Now, with Mark Warner not in the race and Evan Bayh having recently joined him, the right wing of the party has lost its two favorite sons (a good thing, all in all, I would say). Who will step up to the plate and unite the Democratic party? John Edwards is likely throwing his hat into the ring soon. On Tradesports, he is currently trailing only Clinton and Obama. And as I've written before, I think he legitimately has a shot.

As always, time will tell.