I consider myself something of a presidential historian. This fascination with U.S. Presidents started in grade school when I picked up my first book on past leaders. Jump forward forty years and I still am a sucker for books on the past leaders of the free world. My last such read was The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey which provided additional information on Teddy Roosevelt that I didn't already know.

One would think that all this knowledge would mean I can really pick 'em when it comes to voting in our presdential elections. Nothing could be farther from the truth. At great risk of embarrassing myself, here is my past voting history:

1980
Ronald Reagan - Republican
Jimmy Carter - Democrat
John B. Anderson - Independent

In my very first vote for president, this 19-year old know-it-all voted for the peanut farmer from Georgia. Hey! The man had seen UFO's. I was sold and I was 0-1 out of the chute. And I was not even close.

1984
Ronald Reagan - Republican
Walter F. Mondale - Democrat

Four years wiser and went to the polls and voted for the guy from Minnesota. Seemed honest, but maybe too honest.

And I found myself 0-2. After moving to metropolitan Washington D.C., I came to appreciate Reagan and consider him one of the three greatest U.S. presidents.

1988
George H. Bush - Republican
Michael S. Dukakis - Democrat

I was now living in Texas and should have known better. But in my third time at the polls I stayed true to my democratic upbringing and voted for Dukakis. I mean, the man looked pretty good riding around in that tank.

I was starting to think I might not ever vote for an actual presidential winner. I now stood at 0-3.

1992
William J. Clinton - Democrat
George H. Bush - Republican
H. Ross Perot - Independent

I was now living in Minnesota. I was married. My positive feelings about the Democratic party were beginning to unravel. I found Bush to be dull and he wasn't giving me the answers I was looking for. I was very, very angry at both parties. I revolted. I placed my first and only "protest" vote and voted for Perot. I mean, the man had charts. Very nice charts....and a crazy aunt in the attic.

I was now 0-4 on the loser scale.

1996
William J. Clinton - Democrat
Robert J. Dole - Republican
H. Ross Perot - Independent

In 1996 I was firmly turning conservative. I was now thirty-five years old and I was tired of having to pay for every damn program the liberals could think of. So I placed my first vote for the Elephant candidate. I mean, Bob Dole had that presidential quality, right?

0-5 for presidents. I was starting to laugh about it.

2000
George W. Bush - Republican
Albert A. Gore - Democrat
Ralph Nader - Independent

I now had a child. I was listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio. I wanted the Dems out of the White House. I voted Bush. I was now 1-5. It remains to be seen if I actually "won" or not.

2004
George W. Bush - Republican
John F. Kerry - Democrat

There was no way I was going to vote for Frenchy. I kept true to the Republicans and voted for Bush a second time. I recall staying up very late to watch the electoral totals in Ohio. Can I get back to .500?

It is now 2008. I am back to being disgusted with both parties and the state of politics in America. I'm not sure when I'll make up my mind on who I'll vote for but it is wide-open currently.

It is early yet, but by all accounts Hillary Clinton and John McCain are starting to get hot. Sort of like the Giants heading into the playoffs. You want to be on a roll when it counts and Super Tuesday is right around the corner.

And maybe a Clinton vs. McCain race wouldn't be a mud-slinging type of affair and bring a presidential campaign back to respectability, which would be refreshing for America....don't you think. The two certainly admire each other.

So, leave a comment and help me decide. Swing me one way or the other. If you force an answer from me at this very moment I would commit to Rudy-Rudy-Rudy Giuliani as he is at least promoting some new ideas rather than just the typical non-answer blather we're getting pre-convention at the moment. Giuliani has a plan for the largest tax cut in American history that will simplify the tax code, allowing tax payers to file on a single piece of paper and create new jobs.

My 2008 and future presidential predictions? Here you go. Lock these in. I mean, look at my track record!!!

2008 - Hillary Clinton
2012 - Hillary Clinton
2016 - Jeb Bush
2020 - Jeb Bush
2024 - Chelsea Clinton
2026 - Chelsea Clinton

Have a good one! We'll shoot for some football talk soon.

Posted by briankeithmaas@msn.com at January 26, 2008 12:05 PM