Just in case the Democrates, under the stewardship of former Govenor Dr. Dean, can not find a gay black muslim woman with mob ties to run for President, 2008 will be the year of the dark horse, strange bedfellows and a flood of candidates creepier than the crew who ran for Govenor during the great California recall vote.

Like stink bugs coming out of the wood work most of the politicians are announcing via a non announcement announcement merely to pad their war chest, collect funds for an exploratory commission or just help people remember thier name. Who now will ever forget John Vilsack?

There are the serious long standing candidates along with their huge piles of TV ad cash, but they are all destined to sink before the finish line.
Like Guliani going in circles with one oar in the water, and Hillary who will turn off voters after a picture of her in a two piece swim suit is released. Then there is Nascar Mc Cain in the Bob Jones car who crashes into the swift boat of Mitt Romney and last but not least, Barak Obama who may have the misfortune of finding an actual Rock Star found dead of an overdose in the bathtub of his hotel room.   

There will be a WILD mix and match game pairing Hillary and Gore until wife swapping charges are leveled. Some will even try to float serious trial balloons of a Kusinich Nader ticket, not to mention running mates like Cheney-Gingrich 08 and GHWB-Quayle redux.
On the lighter side, at certain Washington parties when neo cons have enough cocktail courage they titter over the joke of a Rumsfeld-Poindexter ticket but sober up immediately at the mention of Jeb/Rove in 08.

Wha... Did you hear that? It was the whispering campaign of Schwartenegger/Maria Schwartzenegger for President with their slogan "Damn the Constitution, full speed ahead". Only people with Hummers could actually display their bumper sticker.

We may have all expected that the next Presidential candidates would be either an actor a Govenor, a Congressman or a Senator,(or any combination therof) but no, in 08 I predict a magnificent dark horse.

I forsee the Republicans pairng a rocket scientist for President and to appease their base an evangelist for Vice President.
The Democratic Party will try to block with a former Southern Republican turned Democrat for President and a Hispanic for Vice President. Something equivelent to; Bearded Bruce / Falwell vs. Little Hawk / Mark Richards