Why did Obama even run?

I can't figure it out. He must've believed that it was actually possible to win the nomination. And who knows - maybe he or his people know something I don't. Theoretically possible, I suppose.

97% of any election is name recognition. That is, people need to know your name. They need to be able to put a face to that name. It's one of the main reasons incumbents do so well - at least people know who they are. Voters would rather stick with the devil they do know rather than go with they devil they don't know.

Clinton. Everybody knows that name.

Obama. A few people now know that name. A few.

Getting name recognition is one of the toughest parts of being the new person - and it's just one of myriad obstacles a new person would need to overcome. You have to spend all this time and money just introducing yourself to people. What a time-sink. Meanwhile, your opponent is out there raising money, making promises, shaking hands.

So, with myriad monumental tasks in front of you that you would need to pull off to gain the nomination of your party, why go for it, anyway?

I just thought it would have been smarter of Obama to take the VP slot. He might have been able to work a deal with Hillary. That way, he's next in line for the Presidency. He's young enough - he can wait. And you have real power as a VP. Just ask Dick Cheney. He runs everything.

Hillary would rather have saved her funds for the general election, and not had to face any risk for the nomination at all.

I'm not suggesting to never go for 'the impossible' - I'm saying, it seems to me that it might have been more wise for Obama to just do his duty in the VP slot - pay his dues - show the people who own this country that he'd do their bidding appropriately, and he'd get his shot in eight years. And when his time came he could do whatever he wanted with the Presidency - whatever they allowed him to do.

I know lots of politicians try to get their parties' nomination and fail often - only to eventually win on the umpteenth try. Ronald Reagan comes to mind. But has anyone ever ran against 'the designated candidate' and won?

I think it's also important to consider how completely the corporations have taken over the process, now. It used to not be as bad as it is today. As an example, Rupert Murdoch has raised money for Hillary. He's officially seen as a bad guy and a member of the opposite team - the Republicans. But the truth of the matter is not quite that simple. He is a member of the opposing team - but it's not the team some people would like to think. He's one of them - one of the elite - one of the rich and powerful - one of the people who owns this country. He is against, by definition, all of us - and 'us' is all the people that work hard trying to make ends meet. We're Democrats, Republicans, and everything else. Do you really think Murdoch and crew are going to let some new guy into the White House without proving himself, first? A couple of years in the Senate won't cut it. You need to prove yourself like Hillary did - by voting to prevent poor people from declaring bankruptcy, while allowing rich people to declare bankruptcy and hold $5 million or more in a secure account, not to be diminished by any bankruptcy proceedings. That, my friends, is some hardcore, gangster shit. When Obama starts spending more time kicking it with his 'slum landlord' friends, that's when he'll see his road to the White House paved with gold.