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This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The next presidential election in the United States is in [?] of two thousand eight. But a crowd of candidates and possible candidates is forming [?] for what is seen as one of the most wide open [?] in many years.

The last election without a [?] president or vice president as a candidate was either in nineteen fifty-two or nineteen twenty-eight. Political experts [?]. In any case, President Bush is constitutionally [?] from a third term. And Vice President Dick Cheney says he will not be a candidate for president.

Every president and vice president has been white and [?]. The current group of candidates includes a woman, Hillary Rodham Clinton; an African-American, Barack Obama; a [?], Bill Richardson; and a Mormon, Mitt Romney.

The [?] may not mean much to people who are waiting to hear more about candidates' [?]. But others may feel conflicting [?]. A black teenager in Washington, D.C., is [?] that she will be old enough to vote in her first presidential election. She says that as a woman, she [?] Hillary Clinton will win. But as an [?], she hopes Barack Obama will win.

"I'm in, and I'm in to [?]," says Hillary Clinton. The New York senator and former first lady is the most [?] Democrat. But Senator Obama of Illinois has gained on her with a following that some call "Obamamania."

Another popular Democrat is John Edwards, the two thousand four vice presidential [?]. Also in the race are Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Biden, Representative Dennis Kucinich and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

In the [?] for the Republican nomination, some early studies show former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani in the lead. He gained national [?] after the September eleventh, two thousand one, terrorist [?] on the World Trade Center.

Other Republicans [?] Arizona Senator John McCain and Kansas Senator Sam Brownback. They also [?] former governors Mitt Romney of Massachusetts and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. Former House speaker Newt Gingrich is [?] among Republicans. But he says he will wait until September to decide whether he will run.

Chuck Hagel announced that he too will make a decision [?] this year. The Nebraska senator is known for his [?] of President Bush's handling of the Iraq war. Sam Brownback is the only declared Republican candidate who has spoken out against the recent troop [?].

The presidential nominating [?] involves state primary elections and party [?] known as caucuses. A lot of states are moving to vote [?] than they have, in an effort to [?] their influence.

California is the most populous state. Yet Californians were feeling [?] by candidates because of their June primary. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has just signed [?] to move it to February fifth, a day when many other states may also vote.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake. I'm Steve Ember.