Posted by Joel Mathis August 31, 2004 at 7:41 a.m.

President Brownback?

Is Sam Brownback running for president?Well, no, not this year. President Bush of course, will be the standard bearer for the Republicans during the November election. But you already knew that.However Brownback, Kansas' senior senator, is on a long list of candidates who might be interested in making a run in 2008, according to [Knight Ridder's Steve Thomma:][1]"They're talking 04 at the Republican National Convention, but just below the surface, they're thinking08. "Keenly aware that George Bush and Dick Cheney will never run again, a slew of Republicans are using the convention to start angling for the party's 2008 nomination. "Their opportunities to schmooze ranged from prime-time speeches Monday by former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain to a get-acquainted lunch with the press Thursday by Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney."In between, a dozen or more potential candidates are taking every chance to impress the delegates, activists and donors who could propel one of them to the nomination four years hence. Thoma adds: "Many featured speakers at the convention include potential 2008 candidates in addition to Giuliani, McCain, (New York Gov. George) Pataki and Romney. Among them: Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee and Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania."[The Washington Times adds:][2] "Some (GOP) delegates noted that Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, a favorite of some conservatives, has been quietly traveling abroad to burnish his foreign-policy credentials and is working closely with the Christian conservative community."The Times suggests that McCain or Giuliani are the early leaders in the race for 2008, "although activists generally agreed that there was no obvious star on the bench, as Ronald Reagan was in the late 1970s."If Brownback runs in 2008, the state would keep an odd streak alive. A Kansan has run for president or vice president in every decade since the 1970s -- that Kansan, of course, being Sen. Bob Dole every other one of those times. No Kansans ran for the highest offices in the 1960s, but President Eisenhower, during the 1950s, was of course a native son of Abilene.Don't forget about 2004. But the 2008 race has already begun.More Brownback at the conventionSen. Pat Roberts was honored last night during a party thrown by General Motors. Tonight, Brownback gets his chance.[Catholic News Service reports][3] "Other events of special interest to Catholics during the convention were to include a 'Family, Faith and Freedom Rally' at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Aug. 31, with Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, who became a Catholic in 2002, as a featured speaker."Brownback will reportedly also be honored Wednesday at a "Life of the Party" luncheon celebrating pro-life candidates. Pro-choice protests are planned outside that event.Other links:Dennis Moore-Kris Kobach links[Kobach tackles Moore in GOP speech][4]Todd Tiahrt links[Atheist group behind Tiahrt fliers][5]How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][6] [1]: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/special_packages/election2004/thomma/9538400.htm [2]: http://washingtontimes.com/national/20040831-122327-6058r.htm [3]: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0404746.htm [4]: http://www.ljworld.com/section/citynews/story/180039 [5]: http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/state/9539916.htm [6]: http://ljworld.com/extra/where_to_write.html#fed