Dems only - Who do you like for Prez?

[Roxanne Appleby]

OH DAMN, I LEFT OUT EDWARDS! CONSIDER HIM A WRITE IN CANDIDATE, BELOW.
Or maybe we should consider a vote for "Mike Gravel" as a stand-in for Edwards, 'cause who ever heard of him? That's the ticket - any vote for Gravel will be considered a vote for Edwards instead.


(If any Lit moderator types have godlike powers, please add him to the poll - apparently users cannot do so.)

If I did this right this is a secret ballot.

Discuss below:

 

[Guest]

Not remotely interested in beginning an argument tonight, Roxy.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Who's arguing? (That comes later. )

 

[carsonshepherd]

Personally, I hope Al Gore runs. And wins (again.)

 

[Dar~]

I would like to see Barack Obama win. I'd say Hillary, but I don't think Bill should get to be anywhere near the white house...

 

[impressive]

I would like to see Barack Obama win.

Ditto.

 

[Dar~]

Bill Richardson is a decent enough guy too. He is Governor here in New Mexico and thanks to his newer laws, a lot of meth labs have been shut down and the education system here is much much better.

 

[Belegon]

Barack Obama is my choice.

 

[cloudy]

Barack Obama is my choice.

Ditto this.

 

[SimpleGifts]

Bill Richardson is a decent enough guy too. He is Governor here in New Mexico and thanks to his newer laws, a lot of meth labs have been shut down and the education system here is much much better.

I've always been impressed by him. I liked what he did as Energy Secretary and as UN Rep...I think his foreign policy experience will be a big plus. I just fear that he doesn't have the legs to make it to November of 2008...meaning, he'll never get enough money. But that's true of most of the people on the list. And as a denizen of DC (but not a politician), I can definitely say that in this town, money is EVERYTHING.

SG

 

[Dar~]

I've always been impressed by him. I liked what he did as Energy Secretary and as UN Rep...I think his foreign policy experience will be a big plus. I just fear that he doesn't have the legs to make it to November of 2008...meaning, he'll never get enough money. But that's true of most of the people on the list. And as a denizen of DC (but not a politician), I can definitely say that in this town, money is EVERYTHING.

SG

I don't know, he has a lot of backers and I don't know for sure, but he has that new book out too. He is a really smart cookie. If Barack doesn't take it (fingers crossed) I hope he gets it. It would be cool for someone who I have seen make a difference to so many lives actually become president.

 

[Disrupted]

Pardon my ignorance, but why is Edwards not listed?

 

[impressive]

Pardon my ignorance, but why is Edwards not listed?

Because he's so easy to forget. Nice guys are like that. *sigh*

 

[Riley_James]

Obama 08

I'm a huge Barack Obama supporter. I'm doing everything I can to get him elected. If you've read his books, it's almost a given that he's the right man for the job. Doesn't matter if he's a junior senator and only 45, I think Kennedy was 43 when he was elected. And like Kennedy, Obama has foresight.

The thing that scares me about Richardson is his 'gun-toting' position with the NRA. I'm completely anti-guns and anti-war. No good has ever come with either (in the last 100 years anyway).

I'm sure I'll hear a bunch of flack about Obama not being a supporter of same-sex marriage, but I don't see that as a deal-breaker this time. Now, it's only important to save the sinking ship that Bush has put us on.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Personally, I hope Al Gore runs. And wins (again.)

ditto.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Any non-Republican.
Except Lieberman, if you're getting technical. I think we've had enough Joementum to last several lifetimes.

eta: My first choice would be Gore/Obama. Failing that, Edwards/Obama. If it came to Hillary or Obama at the top of the ticket, I'm not sure.

I don't think Hillary or Edwards would take a VP slot, and I KNOW Gore wouldn't. I don't know if some combination of Hillary and Obama would be too polarizing or not, and either at the top of the ticket will need to take great care in choosing their VP. In times of unpopular war, we have an unfortunate record of shooting candidates who speak out against it.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

I think I'll most likely vote for Richardson, if Gore doesn't run. We need his diplomatic skills now more than ever. I just worry that he doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell against the big names on the list. I don't love his stance on gun control, but, where I come from, it's an asset for a candidate.

 

[impressive]

Any non-Republican.
Except Lieberman, if you're getting technical. I think we've had enough Joementum to last several lifetimes.

eta: My first choice would be Gore/Obama. Failing that, Edwards/Obama. If it came to Hillary or Obama at the top of the ticket, I'm not sure.

I don't think Hillary or Edwards would take a VP slot, and I KNOW Gore wouldn't. I don't know if some combination of Hillary and Obama would be too polarizing or not, and either at the top of the ticket will need to take great care in choosing their VP. In times of unpopular war, we have an unfortunate record of shooting candidates who speak out against it.

I'll vote *against* Hillary unless Obama's on the ticket with her.

 

[Riley_James]

I'll vote *against* Hillary unless Obama's on the ticket with her.

Preferably Obama/Clinton, but she'd never accept, she's too power hungry.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I'll vote *against* Hillary unless Obama's on the ticket with her.

How come? *Against* Hillary, I mean? I can think of lots of reasons, I'm just curious about yours.

 

[impressive]

How come? *Against* Hillary, I mean? I can think of lots of reasons, I'm just curious about yours.

Have had too many meetings with her staffers re special education issues. She's never followed through on a single thing she agreed to do in that arena.

Her ambition is her #1 priority. She's NOT a public servant in any sense of the word.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Have had too many meetings with her staffers re special education issues. She's never followed through on a single thing she agreed to do in that arena.

Her ambition is her #1 priority. She's NOT a public servant in any sense of the word.

Not to be overly cynical, but don't you think all the evidence indicates that this applies to BO also? I'm sure you woud agree that just having a more polished and calculated image doesn't change the reality. Doesn't the act of spending years creating such an image just confirm it more?

Perhaps this can be said about every candidate at this level - one reason I deliberately never get excited about any of them.

 

[impressive]

Not to be overly cynical, but don't you think all the evidence indicates that this applies to BO also? I'm sure you woud agree that just having a more polished and calculated image doesn't change the reality. Doesn't the act of spending years creating such an just image confirm it more?

Perhaps this can be said about every candidate at this level - one reason I deliberately never get excited about any of them.

Actually, no. Obama was accessible (in person, not via staffers) even though none in our cadre were his constituents at the time -- and he followed through, got us a meeting with the Kerry campaign that resulted in a significant impact on the disability policy announced shortly afterward. Then, he touched base (via staffers this time) to make sure that what he did was sufficient. I was WAY impressed.

 

[neonlyte]

Can't comment in case I reveal my political slant

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Actually, no. Obama was accessible (in person, not via staffers) even though none in our cadre were his constituents at the time -- and he followed through, got us a meeting with the Kerry campaign that resulted in a significant impact on the disability policy announced shortly afterward. Then, he touched base (via staffers this time) to make sure that what he did was sufficient. I was WAY impressed.

Hmmm - perhaps this is a case study for why motivation should not be a critical factor in assessing the value of an individual for a particular task. Let's say I'm right and he (and all of them) is all about image and ambition, but he has determined that the way to feed that is to be good manager in the way you describe, or at least he has the ability to select a good manager. At that point does it matter whether ambition or sincere concern was the motivation? Not really, and the same analysis could be applied to many other motivations and situations.