The multiple disasters of the Bush administration threaten to peak in a perfect storm in 2008: the U.S. overextended and isolated in the world arena, its hard and soft power both steadily shrinking, failed military occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, a threatened constitutional crisis between Congress and the executive branch, the possibility of a serious economic meltdown due to growing inequality, a large overhanging debt structure, an out-of-control balance of payments deficit, weak dollar, and the ongoing mortgage and financial debacle. The current political stalemate within the government means that the next president and Congress will have to clean up the mess created by imperial overreach. It is abundantly clear that a new direction must be set for the nation. The 2008 election thus promises to be more volatile and important than most, with the likelihood of multiple foreign and domestic crises maturing while the candidates debate. With no incumbent president or vice president running this year for the first time in over a half a century, this should be the most open race since 1952, but it does not feel that way. Instead, a near invisible selection process has been underway for well over a year. Members of what is often called the "establishment"--in reality a plutocracy, the corporate-based ruling class-- have conducted a "hidden primary." This ruling class operates through such bipartisan, establishment organizations as the Council on Foreign Relations. The hidden primary involves funding, advising, and advertising preferred candidates so that whoever emerges from the process and is elected president next November is more than acceptable to the powers that be, and will rule from the center or center-right.