Presidential primary choices still lacking

Had a chance over the weekend to mingle with some folk across the state and the discussion turned to the political circus known as the Presidential primary.

Though the majority of those gathered were of the conservative bent, both major parties were represented with ample diehards on both sides of the aisle.

From those discussions, two distinct impressions dominated the coffee-fueled conversation.

First, there is an amazing lack of passion stemming from this year's crop of candidates from both political parties.

And secondly, were the election held today, none of the above would fare well.

Come to think of it, a third underlying theme to the conversation was the agreement that this current President was an utter failure and the next President will be saddled with a host of disasters created by our current administration.

I found it sobering and somewhat frightening that with just over a year before America makes one of the most important decisions in our political process, there remains such a lack of quality choices.

The Democrats involved in these conversations were vocal in their concerns about Hillary Clinton and tried their hardest to put a positive spin on a possible run by Vice President Joe Biden.

The current surge by Vermont's resident socialist Bernie Sanders was dismissed as clearly an anti-Hillary approach that is likely to fizzle in the weeks ahead, especially if Biden enters the race.

The Republican side of the discussion was a bit more lively.

Without exception, the Trump campaign was viewed as a media creation with no substance and even less style.

Even among those conservatives involved in the conversation, Trump's stated positions on immigration were embraced but his ego-driven manner was sufficiently off putting that the Donald found little favor whatsoever.

Dr. Ben Carson was universally praised by the crowd but questions remain on his ability to be tougher than his personality shows on the campaign trail.

Ted Cruz was mentioned favorable; Jeb Bush not so much.

But while the discussion ticked name after name of announced or potential candidates, the recurring theme was that the current crop of candidates on either side of the aisle was lacking.

We've been here before.

From George McGovern to Michael Dukakis, history has given us some terrible candidates. You can clearly put Bob Dole or even John McCain on that list as well.

Yet it's somewhat beyond imagination to consider a Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders match-up -- even though today in some primary states that would be the outcome.

Politics has a way of self-correcting. Today's rising stars can and will burn out as voters begin to focus more closely on policies and not personalities.

The sole agreement to come from these weekend political discussions is this: regardless of who emerges as the next leader of this great nation, it will mark the end of the Obama nightmare and hopefully usher in a return to the values on which this nation was founded.