mixing pop and politics

"…Mixing pop and politics he asks me what the use is, I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses…" I always think of that line from Billy Bragg's the "Great Leap Forward" when I think about American politics, and I wonder if it is soda pop that he is ambiguously mixing.

It may only be that week before payday signaling ending the end of longest month of the year, but January 07 has already created a buzz about the next US elections. Candidates on both sides have declared their intent to join the race for the next American president, a race which does have the making of an interesting and tough fight. The Democrats have Hillary and Obama, there supporters are already suggesting a Hillary-Obama coalition while the Republicans or should that be the 'new' Republicans have John and Rudy in what order only time will tell. And lets not forget Senators John Edwards and Bill Richardson in the potential matchups.

Already the Bookmaker Betting Exchange is offering the following odds:

Clinton, Hilary 5/2
McCain, John 9/2
Obama, Barack 11/2
Edwards, John 8/1
Giuliani, Rudolph 10/1
Gore, Al 14/1
Romney, Mitt 18/1
Brownback, S 33/1

While the press are asking whether Americans are ready to elect a Female or an African American or a Hispanic president. Democrat, Bill Richardson who recently entered the race made the following interesting observation on that question and of his own candidacy in an interview on the ABC's 'This Week,' - “I believe this country is a very tolerant, positive country. I believe the country would be ready for a woman president, an African-American president, Hispanic president.”

Further adding, “But I wouldn’t run as a Hispanic candidate. I would run as an American, proud to be Hispanic, proud of my heritage.”

Irrespective of heritage, “Running for the presidency is a profound decision, a decision no one should make on the basis of media hype or personal ambition alone,” stated Barack Obama in his video address while concluding that he certainly didn’t expect to find himself in this position a year ago.

How Americans are enticed vote, with campaigns expected to cost more that George Bush's $300m winning effort, will make for interesting observation but I can only hope that a 'humanitarian of sorts' is elected because US politics touches us all and in reality even in this depressing last week of January, one year prior to its conclusion I am already captivated hoping that it will end with a 'first of sorts' as we wait for that 'great leap forward.'