Diversity has suddenly become the name of the political game in the United States—at least for one party—as a woman, an Afro-American and a Hispanic state governor have all jumped into the fray to become the next president.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson announced he’s among those challenging Hillary Clinton to be the Democratic Party candidate for president in 2008. Senator Clinton, best-known of the three new candidates, announced, one day later and to the surprise of no one, that “I'm in and I'm in to win.”

But for many, the most exciting prospect in the race is Barack Obama. Since he announced his candidacy in early January, the black first-term senator from Illinois has been mobbed by crowds wherever he appears. Obama wowed the 2004 Democratic convention when he delivered an inspiring keynote address.

While the race hasn't formally started, Clinton is still regarded as front-runner. American political pundits think the former first lady, however, may carry too much political baggage, partly because of her support for the war in Iraq, for her liberal-left policy positions and even for her association with her husband, former president Bill Clinton.

There are six others in the race too, all white males who seem to have attracted less attention—among them, John Edwards, the 2004 vice-presidential candidate. But even leading Republicans openly say that unless the New York senator stumbles badly, Clinton has an unassailable lead.

Some believe the dream-team for the Democrats would be a Clinton-Obama ticket. But many still wonder if the enough American voters are ready even yet for the first female or the first non-white face in the White House.