Should Gary Hart be considered as a candidate for US Senate of CO?

[Hawkeye-X]

Poll question: Should Gary Hart be considered as a candidate for US Senate of CO?

A few weeks ago, there was an article in the local rag (Rocky Mountain News), and the Dems are asking Gary Hart to consider running against Nightmare-Campbell to unseat him. He's been right about his papers on national security and terrorism along with Sen. Rudman that Chimpy completely IGNORED.

[goobergunch]

1. I'm not sure what the question is

I'd love it if he ran, but I'm not sure that he will.

[burr]

4. neither was I...

So I slightly doubted that Gary Hart should be considered as a candidate for US Senate of CO. :shrug:

[Kolesar]

2. I thought he already was Senator

He would be too old to serve two terms also. (Helms and Thurmond notwithstanding)

[NewJerseyDem]

5. He isn't that old

He's 66 so that wouldn't make him that old. He could certainly serve two terms so he would be about 80 in 2016. A lot of senators serve into their 70's and many into their 80's like Robert Byrd and Daniel Inouye. Whild most people think of retiring in their 60's it is very rare for a senator to truly retire completely from work until they are at least 70.

Helms wasn't that old. Didn't he retire at age 80?

[mndemocrat_29]

12. He could easily serve two terms

Possibly even three. He seems in really good health, and there are several senators serving who are in their eighties.

[Kolesar]

13. It would be nice to have someone young who will be around for sure

Of course it would be best to have a Democrat in any case, and if Hart can win that is fine.

Good old Frank Lautenberg came back into the Senate last year for the sake of the Dems because Toricelli was toast. Mondale tried to do the same in Minnesota to keep that creep Coleman out of the Senate. They are both noble men.

[mndemocrat_29]

15. I agree that I'd rather have someone younger

That's why I was supportive when Michelle Nunn considered a Senate run in Georgia. At 36 (I believe), she could serve many terms. However, in the case of Colorado, if I were faced between the choice of Gary Hart or Ben Nighthorse Campbell, I'd choose Gary Hart any day of the week. The same could be said of Mondale and Lautenberg, both of whom I admire very much.

[ButterflyBlood]

6. there's no rule he has to serve two terms

he can retire after only one (that's what Mondale said he'd do.) Since Ben Nightmare Campbell is older than him you can't say he's too old to run for one term.

[CMT]

3. sure he should

he would be a good candidate.

[blm]

7. He should...he's one of the smartest people in this country

and certainly one of the most competent.

Why ANYONE would ignore warnings from Gary Hart is beyond belief. Bush is SO stupid. Voters can be SO stupid.

[David__77]

8. ... this would be a DSCC coup.

I would hope that he would run. Polling I believe would show him to be a very strong contender. We need to hit the GOP where they don't expect it. "Switch-horse" can be defeated.

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. His election would not be a slam dunk

It's been about 20 years since his name has been on the ballot. the only thing that younger poeple know about his is the whole Donna Rice thing. In addition, Campbell is rather popular.

I am not saying that he could not win. On the contrary, he would give Campbell the fight of his life. But is he a shoe-in? Ask Fritz Mondale.

[Chris R.]

10. Why stop at the Senate?

I favor anything that keeps Sen. Hart in the public eye. If the party wants to beat Junior, they will run Gary Hart for PRESIDENT! He is without equal in the party on the war on terrorism. A modern day Paul Revere, Hart rode out to sound the alarm on the terrorist threat to a complacent government and media. The Canadian press printed the warning, "thousands will die", when the the U.S. media was too busy with Gary Condit's sex scandal to worry about the security of the homeland. Imagine Hart on the stage with Junior in a nationally televised debate asking, "Why didn't your administration heed the warning of the Hart-Rudman Commission, and my personal warning to your National Security Advisor Condeleezza Rice on September 6, 2001 to do more to protect the homeland from the terrorist threat?" None of the current field of dwarves has the gravitas to call Junior on his incompetence. This election is about national security and the war on terrorism. Hart is the best nominee to beat Junior, hands down.

[mndemocrat_29]

11. Fritz Mondale would've won without the memorial outlash

and the last minute Repuke surge. In fact, without that surge, Roger Moe would probably be governor and Carol Johnson our state auditor.

However, I think that voters would be willing to forgive Hart for his indiscretions. They forgave Clinton, and would probably just focus on the issues. Gary Hart is a former senator and remember, he was very, very popular. I'm not saying that Campbell would simply fade into the background, but it wouldn't be impossible.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. It is not a matter of forgiveness

Most voters don't care if their leaders are unfaithful to their wives. But what I am saying is that this is what Hart is best known for. So he would have to work extra hard for people to know about his accomplishments for them to take him seriously.