hsapiens | Next round of primaries and making my own choice

If you live in a Super Tuesday state and haven't already voted: please don't forget to go and vote!

For the first time since I started voting at age 18, I might cast a presidential ballot that counts -- assuming that the Democratic party primaries go as expected today. I might have to choose between Hillary and Obama. Since neither lines up more directly than the other with my politics, I'll probably end up choosing based solely on electability.

For now, I think Obama is more electable. He seems to wear well with the electorate (the more time he can spend with a group of voters, the more his poll numbers go up) and he doesn't inspire the rabid, frothing-at-the-mouth opposition that Hillary does. It annoys me greatly that the latter is a concern but I'm nervous about running Hillary. I really, really, really don't want another round of Republican presidents, their Supreme Court nominees, their judges, their handling of the economy, their profligate spending and graft, or their flavor of foreign policy.

Happily the Democrats have an amazing wealth of talent. I'd have preferred to vote closer to my morals and had the chance to vote for Kucinich but he has withdrawn. I think Obama would make an excellent Democratic president so, as much as it annoys me that I have to consider the unreasoning and unrelenting hate of the talk radio/right winger branch of the opposition in my vote, it isn't as if I'm having to choose someone I have serious reservations about.

I know a lot of people said they were turned off by the way the two campaigns went at each others' throats in South Carolina but I'm one of those voters who wants to see some toughness in a candidate. I don't ever want to send out a candidate against the Republican machine who refuses to fight or correct gross mischaracterizations. I *liked* seeing Obama stand up for himself. He challenged the much liked former president when he got it wrong. I don't want another guy who will stand for president rather than run. I don't want another Swiftboat election.

I'm still livid at Bill Clinton for injecting race as an issue -- and incredibly disappointed in him -- but I'm glad Obama got the chance to show me the stuff he's made of as a candidate.

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To be honest, given Bill Clinton's political genius, ya gotta wonder if that was calculated. Not quite sure what his motive might be, except that he might not think Hillary Clinton is electable in the grand scheme of things.

Or he just screwed up. ;-)

I, too, would have preferred Kucinich or at least Edwards. Clinton and Obama are both far to conservative for my tastes, but I could vote for either one without feeling like I'm grossly violating my principles.

Of the two, I'd rather see Clinton stay in the Senate... and I agree with you on her electability. I fear Rethugs who might stay home if Obama was our candidate might move heaven and earth to get to the polls to vote against Clinton.

I totally could not figure out why Bill Clinton pulled that shit. It made no sense in terms of what I've come to expect from him. It was not only wrong, I think it stands a good chance of hurting the Dems should Hillary be the nominee.

I'm with you in that both Clinton and Obama are too conservative for me but neither pings a political distress alarm for me. It's just weird to consider the possibility that my vote might actually count for something. The candidates might have to come to town and ask for my vote. Huh.

Exactly. It's very weird. And ya know, given where you and I live, there's a decent possibility they might even be around our area some, liberal hotbed that it is. :-);-)

Hey... you interested in working on a campaign? I was just thinking I might be up for it. I worked on my now-state reps campaign and it was fun. (Who knew there were all those Democrats over in West U!)

I'm almost giddy at the prospect of my vote counting for something. :)

I'm never adverse to helping a campaign I believe in, though I won't ever do phone calls because I hate talking on the phone. What campaigns do you have in mind?

I've never done anything for a presidential campaign. I was thinking of trying to hook up with the Obama camp and see what they needed. I'm not interested in phone calls, either. I helped do yard signs for Ellen Cohen and that was great.

After the candidates have been chosen, I figure I'd try to do the same for the regular election, regardless of who the democratic candidate is.

I haven't volunteered for a presidential campaign since Dukakis** -- this could be fun! I wouldn't mind joining the Obama campaign at all. Being in a red state, I've limited myself more to local elections where there's a real possibility of affecting change. Since my November vote won't count, maybe I can own a part of the process by volunteering in the campaign.

**I've been voting against "George Bush" since I came of age politically.

I voted against Reagan first, but yeah, I've voted against Bush every single time I've seen his name on a ballot.

Sadly, I was born too late to get to vote against Reagan. But I was there in spirit!

LOL! I was taking government at UH at the time. I still remember my prof deconstructing Reagan's campaign in class. It was highly educational to see the house of cards *he* was standing on. Bush's is even more transparent.

Man, I wish I'd had that class. It sounds like a good one.

Listening to people talk about voting for Bush in 2004 because he was such a good leader made me feel like I was from Venus.

I kept TELLING them what an empty suit he was, but no one would listen!

I must have reread "The Marching Morons" a dozen times during that election cycle. It was so fitting.

I haven't read that. I made the mistake of reading Molly Ivins's book on Shrub prior to the national election and I found it just made it all the more depressing when his homies stole the election for him. :|

Yep.

I miss Miz Molly.

I really miss Molly and Ann. They were the bright spots of being Texan.

Talk about a dream team. :-)

Yeah, we need 'em now.

Next round of primaries and making my own choice

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