One school of thought holds that the right endorsements from the right people can make or break a presidential candidate. Whether or not this is true is debatable, but playing the role of Kingmaker for a moment, I'd like to share my thoughts on the candidates currently running.

This particular election is very peculiar for me. For the first time in a while, there is no frontrunner that I truly despise. I don't hate any candidate and each has strong qualities, some more than others. None scream, "You'll really regret it if I'm in office." As a moderate, this election in general seems like a victory over ridiculously stilted and extremist politics.

First, I'll look at Hillary Clinton. Some on the far right might think I'm crazy for even mentioning moderate and Hillary in the same column, but I doubt they've ever actually listened to what she has to say. I will say that when she speaks she gives details and a coherent argument for why she believes something rather than just vague generalities. She is not as communistically liberal as some might have you believe. Unfortunately for her, she also has plenty of faults.

She has run a campaign that has been arrogant and squandered her initial lead. She hardly comes across as friendly, likable or anything other than a word that rhymes with witch. I didn't mind the first Clinton, but something rubs me the wrong way about having two families run the country since 1988.

Next up is Mr. Feel-Good himself, Barack Obama. He is definitely charismatic and runs a very positive campaign that people can believe in. I think that the criticisms of his experience are a bit foolish. He seems like he would be someone who could bring people together, have a pretty good domestic agenda and get along well with our allies to help rehabilitate our image abroad.

This brings me to what bothers me about him: image. So far the style has overshadowed the substance. His speeches are uplifting and persuasive, but what is he actually saying? Not much of real value. His proposed foreign policy concerns me. Sure, he might be popular in Europe, but it's not our friends that worry me, it's our enemies. His policies seem a bit naive and his proposals for Iraq seem foolishly short-sighted and based on what is expedient rather than right.

For Republicans, John McCain has established himself as the man to beat. Right now, I couldn't be happier about that. Republican politics have been so far to the right of late, it's good to see someone who isn't in the pocket of big businesses or the religious right. I loved McCain in 2000, but only like him in 2008. Even though he is moderate and his own man, I think being associated with the ruling party of the past eight years can't help him in the general election.

What I like most about McCain is his foreign policy experience. He seems to possess the most pragmatic approach to helping right the ship. He realizes that mistakes have been made and that simply pulling out right away would be yet another one. He is also the only major candidate with military experience, which is important for our commander-in-chief to have in a time of war.

So who am I going to endorse for president? Who do I think is the man best suited for the job of running the most powerful nation on earth? The answer is easy. Vladimir Putin. Oh how I wish this man were running for president here. Here is a true leader: strong, competent, intelligent and a man of vision. Putin has it all.

He has managed to take an economic basket case and make Russia relevant again. Putin is the kind of leader who won't take anything from anyone and will own you if you cross him.

Alas, he isn't and can't run for president here in the U.S. and I suppose I'll have to endorse one of the above three.