FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Right now, it's all about the 2010 midterm elections... or is it? As soon as the polls close on November 2 and the winners are announced, the focus will shift to the presidential race of 2012.
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Even though that may seem far away... for some, the presidential campaign has already begun.
Potential Republican hopefuls are already logging multiple visits to key early states - like Iowa and New Hampshire.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.... he's set to make his fifth visit to Iowa next week... he's also made three trips to New Hampshire.
Pawlenty insists he won't decide whether or not to run until early next year. Maybe… but in the meantime he's working it.... big-time. Meeting local politicians, shaking hands with voters, making speeches about how to fix the country, talking about his blue-collar background, raising money for his political action committee... you get the idea.
And Pawlenty is not the only one. Far from it.
According to Radio Iowa, since the 2008 presidential race ended, the following politicians have been to Iowa multiple times: former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Also, former Governors Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney and George Pataki have each been once.
It could very well be one of this crop who hopes to unseat Pres. Obama.
For the rest of us, this means before you know it… we'll be bombarded daily with polls and television ads and fund-raising pleas and debates... and all the wonderful things that go along with a presidential campaign. Wolf is positively giddy in anticipation.
Here’s my question to you: How early is too early for another presidential campaign to begin?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Jason in Birmingham, Alabama writes:
American politicians spend too much time running and not enough time governing. A short election cycle – say, no longer than a few months – would allow more time to get to the business of making this country work for real people, not just political pundits.
Tom in Iowa writes:
I live in Iowa and I have to put up with these ads and visits from the campaigns for almost 3 years out of every 4. I am sure I speak for many Iowans who would say, stay the hell out of our lives until at least February of 2011.
Cindy in Texas writes:
I actually think there should be laws about this like they have in England, where campaigns cannot last longer than 90 days prior to Election Day. This long, endless campaigning is a whole lot of what is wrong with our political system. It takes too much money, and big money corrupts the process.
David writes:
Considering the current occupant in the White House, not soon enough!
Ron writes:
October 2012 is too soon. Each 4 years we start earlier and produce less and less competent candidates and presidents. Long campaigns only bring increased mediocrity.
JC writes:
Since the incumbent is running all the time, it is never too early for the opponents to start.
Gordon in Las Cruces, New Mexico writes:
Never too soon, especially on slow news days. It's like a soap opera without the distracting commercials.