This presidential race has provided the U.S. the most diverse choices in the history of its elections.
    Barack Obama is the first viable African-American candidate in history.  Jesse Jackson was the last African American to show strong numbers in receiving a presidential nomination (1200 Delegates in the 1988 Democratic Convention).
    Hillary Clinton is the most recognizable and highest profile woman to have ever run for the presidential nomination.  Elizabeth Dole in 2000 and Margaret Chase Smith in 1964 are the only other two women to have even a considerable chance to receive their party’s nomination.  However, they both fell drastically short with poor early showings.
    Mitt Romney is attempting to follow in the steps of John F. Kennedy by running for president as something other than a Protestant.   A feat that has seldom been seen.
    Democrats have so far shown their acceptance of non-tradition candidates by selecting Obama in Iowa and Clinton in New Hampshire.  However, the GOP has been reluctant to tread the new grounds.  Romney was unable to lock up either of the two big primaries (Iowa, New Hampshire) but was able to win the less publicized, influential, and for lack of a better term important Wyoming primary.  So why has the GOP been so reluctant to embrace diversity?
    Many might argue that the GOP's motives might be covertly draped in racism and discrimination.  However, I feel their reasoning may be much less villainous than it appears.
    The Democrats feel that this election is the closest thing to a shoe-in they have seen in decades.  They figure that G.W. Bush has done so much damage to the GOP's image that they can take the chance of running a more non-traditional candidate without fear of alienating their base.  On the other hand, the GOP finds themselves in a public opinion hole.  They do not have the opportunity to be groundbreakers in this election.  They must resort to their old safety blankets of middle-age, white, protestant war veterans (McCain), or middle age, white, Baptist preacher (Huckabee). 
    But, are the swing states ready to be so open to the changes that the Democrats are throwing at them?  In Pennsylvania and Florida, Clinton is the leader in Democratic polls; however, she still trails her GOP counterparts.  In Ohio, Clinton has a small lead over her Republican counterparts, but has a much higher amount of negative tallies.  John Edwards is the only Democrat according to Quinnipiac University polls to have an edge over any of the GOP candidates. 

    Are the Democrats making the right move?  That has yet to be seen.  But, the Grand Ol' Party are still up to thier usual tricks, and are doing quite well at them.