Gretchen's Take: I'm not sure next president will actually be a politician

Gretchen's Take: Will this election cycle be different?

I'm not so sure the next president will be a politician

Polls will determine who makes it into the top 10 for the GOP presidential debate Thursday night -- and we should all take that as just a snapshot in time for this particular moment -- what's going on politically this week in 2015.

As we all know -- each candidate's performance Thursday could completely change the way the polls look today by even next week. Who will come across as authoritative? Who will come across as a leader? Who will come across as cutting through all of the political red tape? Who will have the best ideas for America?

It's interesting to note who was on top of the heap the last few times around at this same point in time. in 2003 - Howard Dean. In 2007 -- Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton - and in 2011 -- Rick Perry.

In fact, the last time a candidate leading in the August polls the year before the election won, was 2000. so will this election cycle be the same or different? I think we as a nation have changed who we want to be president and I'm not so sure the next president will actually be a politician.