Do you believe the current Presidential candidates are running because they: 1) Have something important they wish to do as President; 2) Just want to be President for the power, because they feel it is their destiny, etc.; or 3) Just happened to end up in this place at this time, or think now is their big chance because of an otherwise weak field?

Hillary—#2
Obama—#3
Giulianni—#2
McCain—#2
Paul—#1

Don’t really know enough about the others to give an opinion.

Dennis Kucinich: #1
John Edwards: #1
Barack Obama: a mix of #1 and #3
Hillary Clinton: #2 for sure

I don’t know enough about the Repubs to say.

I think some of the so-called underdogs want to get a focused, national stage on which to share their philosophies, like Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul.

I think some want the power and prestige, like most of the usual front-runners (Clinton, McCain, Giuliani, Edwards, etc.)

I like Ron Paul’s message most of all, being a Libertarian.

Do you think being a #1 is a disadvantage in a campaign?

Obama, definitely #3. Any other year and he would get nowhere—his résumé is too short to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate with experience.

Clinton, I would say #1 and/or #2.

McCain, #1. He’s been at this for a very long time.

**May I just add that I personally am incredibly disappointed in the choices this election. I don’t want to vote for any one of them. Perhaps I should move out of country for the next four years :) The fact that our next president will either be Clinton, McCain, or Obama makes me cringe. I never like voting for senators for president… they always have to settle scores.