Submitted by gibbs a williams, May 5, 2007 11:20

IF ONLY.....

What a welcome relief and a distinct pleasure if we Americans had a candidate for the Presidency who would meet the standards of the following criteria:

• Sound character
• Unquestionable integrity and honesty
• So rich we wouldn't worry about him or her being bought off
• Imaginative
• Both pragmatic and visionary at the same time
• A good sense of humor but sophisticated not sophomoric
• Firmly flexible - the emphasis on more firm than flexible
• Truly compassionate but organically compassionate not just when the photogaphers are near
• A good manager
• A person who plans, executes, and follows up
• Is transparent and accountable
• Surrounds him or herself with people who are the best and the brightest in their fields
• Really cares
• Always shows up but is not intrusive
• Is fair and reasonable all the time not just when it makes for good press
• Can admit when he or she is wrong and has no difficulty changing policy if it is off course
• Has a wealth of experience governing
• Is wise and speaks in plain but lofty language
• Speaks when he has something to say - if not - listens carefully
• Is a man or woman for all the people
• Is non partisan
• Unafraid to deliver bad news
• Is a thinker
• Meets crises head on with strength, resolve, determination, and good sense
• Has a common touch
• Hard to find anything seriously wrong with him or her
• Seems remarkably unaffected
• Not initially charismatic but grows on you
• Conveys a feeling of trustworthiness
• Is consistent, reliable, relatively free of debilitating contradictions
• Says what he or she means, and means what he or she says
• Doesn't change positions to curry the favor of the latest poll majorities

I suppose there are more traits I could think of but you all get the point. This would truly be a dream candidate. No?

Looking over the current group of Presidential contenders in both parties I think all of them - some much more than other - fail to score very high in matching this dream candidate criterion.

So perhaps we need to think out of the box this time around and draft a true independent.

Now let's see - anyone I am familiar with that comes close to filling this ideal bill.? Yes, in fact there is. If I were in charge of nominating such an ideal candidate I would choose Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City. In my book he seems to have it all.

Anyone think of a better choice?

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.