In the scope of national politics, it is never too early to start analyzing. The race is on already, and, at least for the Democrats, it will be a haphazard race – as chaotic as the state of the Democratic Party as a whole that has been widely publicized and ridiculed by media nationwide.

It may give a new meaning to the old saying, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”

The one-eyed man may be Joseph Lieberman, a prominent senator from Connecticut, who has publicly stated his presidential intentions and formally began his campaign at a ceremony on Jan. 16.

There are reasons to discuss him as opposed to others who are themselves equally hopeful, and who – in the crazy political climate this country is in now – may have as good or even greater chances of getting the nomination.

Like several others, he will be a front-runner throughout the wild and fast-paced race that the run for the White House always turns out to be. Though he was the other half of the depressingly uninteresting Al Gore presidential ticket in 2000, he has the name recognition other Democratic hopefuls desperately lack – a name recognition rivaled only by Al Sharpton, but with more acceptable political views.

He is well-supported – publicly by over 10 House representatives and by Democratic leaders across the country, and by default by countless active Jewish organizations. He will have the funding, too, from private resources and from donations that will be received from both secular and religious organizations. His political career has been extensive. He has served as a state and national senator, where he has initiated increases in block grants for social services and supported gun control and reproductive rights.

Yet, he is desperately conservative for a Democrat – symptomatic of the great Democratic shift to the right. He is a leader the Washington Post labeled “a moderate with hawkish views on Iraq,” even after taking great pains to neutralize himself in the Israel-Palestine dispute and pledge for peace early in his campaign debut.

Though his underlying political stance is somewhat confused, ambivalent even, he will progress to the forefront – a recognizable leader that may have as much going for him as anyone else, as the splintered Democratic party attempts to pick a rival to the powerful Bush administration.

His ultimate progression to the forefront remains interesting, though, because his nomination raises questions and presses issues that will plague Democrats until November and most likely afterwards. The points Lieberman raises are desperate questions for anyone with a vested interest in the Democratic Party and crucial ones to anyone looking for an alternative to American foreign dominance.

Followed by the economy, the war and its consequences will be the most crucial issues of the election, a fact conceded on both sides. Other conflicts – underscored by latent issues of security and terrorism – will be the most crucial points of the upcoming election.

On these issues, Lieberman may present another split in the left – both concrete and ideological – that Gore and Nader caused in 2000 between conservative and liberal Democrats.

It is obvious, in the Washington and New York protest movements, that there will be a hesitation for many activists and members of the Arab-American population to vote for a Democratic Jew – for someone running against Bush’s imperialism, but who is supported by pro-Israel lobbying interests and who may not stand strongly enough against Israeli occupation to be a compelling opponent.

In fact, the Democratic Party has opposed the bullying that President Bush has insisted on in foreign policy. Lieberman himself has stated that “the swarm of (Democratic) candidates probably doesn’t differ greatly on the Middle East issues.”

But the issue of Israel-Palestine may come to the forefront if he is nominated; an issue that hurt Gore in the last election and one that may push Lieberman too far to one side of a very delicate fence that may splinter off enough for far-left Democrats to make him a non-entity.

John Ross is a senior in comparative studies. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].