I was eleven years old when Bill Clinton assumed the presidency. I remember the 1992 presidential election well –it was a choice between the tired old status quo and a fresh change and a new direction exemplified by a 46-year old saxophone playing baby boomer who could inspire hopes, dreams and visions through the power and magic of his words. I remember listening to his speeches and being absolutely mesmerized and inspired in a way that I never had been before. I remember the afternoon he was elected, I watched the live coverage from the news stations and I remember watching Tom Brokaw declare Clinton the winner. I was so excited, so enthused and so delighted. I had never felt that way about politics before, even as interested as I was in the subject from a young age

Over the next two years I watched as Clinton bumbled and stumbled through a whole range of domestic and foreign policy issues and grew disillusioned with him. He had let me down in my hopes and my expectations for him, although I still respected him and deep down I knew he was still the best choice for President. But then the Republicans won the 1994 midterm elections and that gave me a rude jolt of reality. I remember watching Gingrich and his sneering, condescending, arrogant extremism on television and remember being extremely disgusted with it. I also took a second look at Clinton and he won me over again. I never looked back from that point onward –at least not until the 2008 primaries.

Clinton was a passionate visionary in foreign policy. He thought it possible to bring peace to Northern Ireland and he took the steps to ensure that outcome was achieved. During the Clinton presidency, Israel and the Palestinian territories enjoyed seven years of relative peace. Clinton refused to allow the obstacles to peace in the Middle East to daunt him. There were several times during his presidency when the Mid-East peace process threatened to collapse but Clinton invested the necessary amount of personal diplomacy and conflict resolution skills to bring all the parties involved back to the negotiating table. He showed an interest in third world poverty and resolving conflicts in places in the rest of the world that we had never heard of

Bill Clinton inspired many of people of my generation (or should I say our generation since you think it has apparently befallen upon you to be a spokesman for those born in the 1980s). I went to university here with people the same age or younger than me from the 1980s and they spoke glowingly of Clinton and his policies and how much they respected the United States during his presidency. So no, Bill Clinton and everything he represents is not anathema to those of our generation. I hope that President-elect Obama will be even better and I think he will be but I certainly don’t think President Clinton is the embodiment of everything that I detest and I can assure you I’m not in the minority here

Now to the second past of your post –trashing baby boomers. Sure, there is a lot to criticize some members of the baby generation for –i.e. George W Bush, Joe Lieberman, Ted Bundy, Dick Cheney and likewise and sure many of them did lose their idealism during the 1980s and sell out and support Ronnie Raygun and the like. But is our generation any better? So far we’ve produced the Columbine killers, the Virginia Tech killer, the Young Republicans who think dressing up and lampooning African-Americans while denying global warming is hilarious and Paris Hilton. Should we be condemned and stereotyped on the basis of that then? Can we already conclude that our generation is inferior to those generations before us, a bunch of right-wing selfish ideologues who care more about their MySpace accounts than saving the world?

Or alternatively should we recognize that each generation has its good and bad? Where would our generation be had baby-boomers such as Bill Clinton and, yes even Joe Lieberman, not gone down to the South to protest against the racist policies and discrimination that had been imposed on African-Americans by their ancestors? Where would our generation be had it not been for the baby boomers who protested for greater rights for women, immigrants and the environment during the 1960s and many of whom have never given up the fight. Where would our generation be had it not been for people like Jesse Jackson, Paul Wellstone and yes even that evil old tail-end of the baby-boom generation President-elect Barack Obama? Just as how for our own generation we can look with pride at the fact that we voted in the largest numbers for the Democratic presidential ticket in 2004 and for Obama in 2008. We can look with pride at the large number of progressive young Democrats who were inspired to give their hearts and souls working for Barack Obama during this election campaign. We can recognize the immense good that exists in our generation while valuing the immense good that existed in the Baby Boomer generation, as well as learning from the mistakes that our generation and the previous generation made. And we can only move forward by recognizing the good that exists in both our generations and working together to make a better world for future generations

Clinton was a wonderful President. I miss him immensely, especially when you consider all that we've lost since his presidency. He lit up my world and ensured that my teenaged years were an era of hope, optimism, idealism, peace and prosperity. My life has never been better than it was during his Administration. I so wish that he could have run again -I'd love to have him back

While I am not an American citizen and have lived overseas for all of my life, I have nevertheless followed US politics closely since childhood.

Clinton was actually the one responsible for changing my views on American politics. Before Clinton came on the scene, I was quite sympathetic to the US Republicans. I considered George Bush Senior to be somewhat of a father figure and fervently supported his Administration. I supported the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court (keep in mind the past tense in that above statement) and I really wanted Bush to win re-election in 1992

Then Clinton came on the scene. Initially I didn’t know what to think of him –my first memories of the Clinton were from the whole Gennifer Flowers saga. But as I listened to his speeches and to him on the campaign trail, I found myself greatly awed by him. I greatly admired his passion, the sincerity in his voice and the fact that he seemed to have such a clear vision of how to make America and the world a better place. I had never felt so inspired and passionate about a candidate before and I was overjoyed when he won the presidential election.

During the first year he did much to make me disillusioned with his presidency –the “don’t ask, don’t tell” saga, Somalia (which was actually left to him by the previous Administration but I didn’t realize it at the time), Haitian refugees and a few other issues. I was drifting away from him but the Republican takeover of Congress quickly brought me back to my senses. I saw Gingrich and his cronies pursue their agenda of ideological zeal and hate and Ken Starr with his perverted witch-hunt against the Clintons and it truly disgusted me and increased my sympathy for, and affiliation with, President Clinton. I also saw how President Clinton deftly outmaneuvered the Republicans on the budget shutdown and showed Gingrich for the inflated ego that he was. And he kept exposing the Republicans for what they were during his presidency and I really admired him for the way that he did that. I also admired the way how, despite all the obstacles and ideological politicking that the Republicans threw at him during his presidency, he managed to accomplish so much in domestic and foreign policy

Clinton was a passionate visionary in foreign policy. He thought it possible to bring peace to Northern Ireland and he took the steps to ensure that outcome was achieved. During the Clinton presidency, Israel and the Palestinian territories enjoyed seven years of relative peace. Clinton refused to allow the obstacles to peace in the Middle East to daunt him. There were several times during his presidency when the Mid-East peace process threatened to collapse but Clinton invested the necessary amount of personal diplomacy and conflict resolution skills to bring all the parties involved back to the negotiating table. While I agree that his inaction to the crisis in Rwanda was deeply regrettable and a key mistake of his presidency –something even he now acknowledges –his subsequent interest in combating poverty and conflict resolution in the African region was taken to an extent that had never been seen before by an American President.

Clinton restored America’s image around the globe and took it to new heights. Believe me, as a foreigner I know. I personally witnessed people who had been hostile to America and American foreign policy for decades speak glowingly about Clinton and his foreign policy. I went to university during the final year of the Clinton Administration and I can testify that people of my generation –who spent their formative years growing up under a Clinton presidency –harbored none of the prejudices and negative attitudes toward the US that many of their parent’s generation (who had witnessed the Vietnam War, Nixon and Reagan did). The Clinton Administration fostered an amazing amount of goodwill and warmth toward the US

I remember when President Clinton visited Australia in 1996. Australia was at that time undergoing a period of underlying racial tension at that time and our right wing Prime Minister (who is unfortunately still in power but hopefully for not much longer) was engaging in his subtle encouragement of the racism and intolerance toward immigrants. During his visit President Clinton addressed a crowd in Sydney and he delivered one of the most passionate, eloquent and heartfelt speeches defending immigrants and pointing out how much they had benefited Australian society that I have ever heard. His speech was so beautiful that many people in the audience were moved to tears. I will never forget that speech and indeed the other speeches he made in Australia vigorously denouncing racism and how much that meant to me and a whole lot of other Australians at the time

Sure, Clinton committed mistakes during his presidency –DOMA, some of the bills he signed to appeal to the Republican Congress, the whole Monica Lewinsky thing and the like –but he did a whole lot of good and restored America’s reputation around the globe to an all-time high. I am profoundly thankful for him for allowing me to spend my teenage years in an environment of peace, prosperity and hope and idealism for the future and for showing me what a great President could be like.

preceding 9/11 than you and your entire team of morons are capable of doing even now Ms Rice. Remember how you and your husband spent the first eight months of his presidency pussyfooting around and trying to re-start the Cold War instead of concentrating on imminent national security threats? Clinton and his advisors warned you and warned you and warned you again about Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden and suggested numerous national security recommendations -some of which had been blocked by YOUR party in congress-all of which you ignored. You dropped the ball big time Condi

Condi's concerned because Clinton has come out with all guns blazing to defend his record. And she knows that the truth will prove her to have been an incompetent, inept, bumbling and arrogant buffoon who has consistently proved ineffectual and unable to do her job properly -although in fairness this seems to be a character requirement for employment in the current Administration

DEMOCRATS
SENATOR EVAN BAYH
Will run and will most likely do quite well –he has the potential to do well in the primaries and may even secure the nomination. I can’t help feeling, however, that he’ll probably end up as a potential VP nominee

SENATOR JOE BIDEN
Essentially yesterday’s man. Biden’s big chance of winning the nomination was during the 1988 Democratic presidential primaries –in the aftermath of his excellent work as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in vetoing some of Reagan’s key judicial appointments and when his profile was at its highest –and he blew his bid big time. He hasn’t had a high profile since Republicans took control of Congress and he doesn’t really have that much appeal to the core constituencies of the Democratic Party. I expect him be like Gephardt –his candidacy will fizzle out early in the campaign season

SENATOR BARBARA BOXER
Won’t run. I’ve read that she was actually intending to retire from the Senate in 2004 but reconsidered and ran for another term. I think she’d actually do much better than many people expect if she did run but I’m pretty sure she won’t

EX-SEN BILL BRADLEY
Won’t run unfortunately

GENERAL WESLEY CLARK
Most likely will run and definitely has a chance of winning. I think his chances of securing the nomination depend on (1) whether he runs a better campaign than he did in 2004 and (2) the national security situation we are in during the immediate prelude to and during the course of the election year. If the quagmire in Iraq continues and/or * gets us into a mess with Iran/North Korea/Syria/whoever else he can antagonize, I definitely see Clark as having a very serious chance of gaining the nomination. I also see him as a possible Sec of Defence in a future Democratic Administration if he doesn’t win.

SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON
Will probably run and has a good chance of winning. I think her prospects may depend on whether the early momentum for her campaign and her status as the frontrunner hurts or hinders her during the primary season and whether she can build up a viable candidacy.

CONGRESSMAN RANDY CROW
Whoever he is, I don’t see him having much of a chance of winning unless it’s a Jimmy Carter sort of year where an unknown emerges in front

CONGRESSMAN LLOYD DOGETT
See Randy Crow

SENATOR DICK DURBIN
Won’t run and will probably be overshadowed by speculation surrounding Obama

SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS
Will run and will definitely win a few primaries. I think he has a good chance of winning the nomination

SENATOR RUSS FEINGOLD
Dark horse. I think he’ll do very well in the primaries and has a very outside chance of securing the nomination –particularly if McCain is doing well in the Republican primaries

AL GORE
I don’t think he’ll run but, should he decide to do so, I see him having a very real chance of winning the nomination

SENATOR MIKE GRAVEL
(See Randy Crow)

SENATOR JOHN KERRY
Will most likely run but I don’t think he’ll get the nomination. His big chance was in ‘04’ –when he actually had the nomination –and I think that he’ll be unlikely to gain as much support as he did then. Having said that, I do think he’ll perform well in some of the primaries

DENNIS KUCINICH
May run but will only do as well as he did in ‘04’

SEN MARY LANDRIEU
Won’t run. Even picking her as VP would be problematic because of her senate race –although perhaps we can get Mitch Landrieu to replace her in the Senate

SEN BLANCHE LINCOLN
Won’t run. An outside chance for VP

JANET NAPOLITANO
Won’t run. A very possible VP choice though

SEN BARACK OBAMA
Possible VP pick but won’t run

GOV BILL RICHARDSON
Will run but I actually don’t think he’s in serious contention for the nomination –controversy seems to engulf him wherever he goes. I see him as a future Secretary of State though

GOV KATHLEEN SEBELIUS
Won’t run but may be a potential VP candidate. Perhaps the Democrats should field her as Brownback’s senate replacement in 2010

GOV BRIAN SCHWEITZER
Won’t run and even a VP pick would be problematic because it coincides with re-election year in Montana. I think his chances are much more likely in 2012 if the Democrats lose in 2008 (and I’m desperately hoping they won’t)

REV AL SHARPTON
May be under pressure to defer to Hillary. Even if he does run, he won’t come anywhere close to what Jesse Jackson did

GOV TOM VILSACK
May very well decide to run and may win in Iowa but I don’t see him gaining the nomination

GOV MARK WARNER
Will most probably run and I see him as the most likely to gain the nomination.

Republicans
SEN GEORGE ALLEN
In with a serious chance for the nomination unfortunately. I think he’ll almost certainly run

GOV BARBOUR
Not inconceivable that he will run. Dark horse but I don’t think he’ll come close to gaining the nomination. Possible VP pick

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG
A former Democrat who has a somewhat liberal reputation and is Mayor of one of the most liberal cities in America? Forget it. Won’t run and, if he did, he’d have no chance of gaining the nomination

SEN SAM BROWNBACK
Will run and won’t do well

GOV JEB BUSH
Probably won’t run but too early to tell. I think he’d be crazy to run immediately after his brother was President and particularly since his brother hasn’t been a particularly good President (and I don’t see this changing over the next two years). Possible VP pick but my guess is that * will have become even more of an embarrassment than he is now and the new Republican nominee won’t want to be tied too extensively to the * legacy

NORM COLEMAN
Hopefully he’ll face too competitive a senate race to run but I think he wants to run for the White House and he’s such an expedient opportunist that I think he’ll probably do quite well.

ELIZABETH DOLE
May run but I doubt she’ll win.

SEN BILL FRIST
Will run and will engage in enough dirty tricks to be considered as a serious contender for the nomination.

NEWT GINGRICH
Will run but his ego exceeds his popularity. Besides he’s like Biden –his day has long gone.

RUDY GULIANI
Will run. Has the potential to do well but won’t win the nomination

CHUCK HAGEL
Will possibly run. Will not do well in the Republican primaries but may do better if he runs as an Independent. Possible VP pick if McCain wins

MIKE HUCKABEE
Will run and has a good chance of being either presidential or VP nominee

JOHN MCCAIN
Will run and will be a serious contender for the nomination. But despite all his slavish devotion to * over the last six years, I get the impression that it won’t pay off and that the White House will be working behind the scenes to undermine his candidacy

GOV GEORGE PATAKI
Will run and may do well in isolated primaries in the Northeast but nowhere else

TIM PAWLENTY
More likely a VP choice


GOV BILL OWEN
Will probably run but I think his momentum is fading. Nevertheless he still has a shot of winning the nomination

CONDOLEEZA RICE
Probably *’s choice but I don’t see her winning the nomination even with White House support. There are too many Trent Lott types in the White House

MITT ROMNEY
I’ll spare you my personal opinion of this guy but I think he may actually do much better than expected among moderate GOP voters. I don’t expect him to win the nomination but I do consider him a potential VP

TOM TANCREDO
Will do well here and there on his anti-immigration platform but has no hope of winning either the presidential or VP nomination

My top 5 most likely for the Democratic nomination are:
1. Mark Warner
2. Evan Bayh
3. John Edwards
4. Hillary Clinton
5. Al Gore (if he runs)

Republicans are:
1. George Allen
2. Bill Frist
3. Mike Huckabee
4. John McCain
5. Mitt Romney

I see a Warner-Bayh ticket most likely on the Democratic side and perhaps an Allen-Coleman ticket on the Repug side. Or perhaps an Allen-Huckabee ticket or vice versa. Either way

of peace, prosperity and hope for the future. I thank him for that. It was easy to be idealistic and to reach for the stars during the Clinton Administration and it is a feeling that I wish the generation growing up today under a moronic and idiotic Chimp-in-Chief could experience. He gave the youth of that time a reason for hope, a reason for optimism and a reason to think that the United States of America was a great nation. I'm speaking from the perspective of a non-American DU'er who lives overseas. During the Clinton Administration, I saw many people who had held life long grudges against the United States because of their role in Vietnam/Latin America/whatever suddenly speak glowingly of the United States under Clinton. I don't think I'll ever feel the same kind of idealism, hope and optimism for the future that I felt under Clinton and I miss him.