Letters to the Editor
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Sweep?
From The Nation's John Nichols...
To recap: Obama should win California and Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota and North Dakota. Then, out of the northeast, he needs another state, preferably New Jersey. Out of the middle of the country, he needs Missouri. Out of the southwest, he needs Arizona. If he gets these, and if the delegate distribution plays right, he can claim to have dominated the day. If he adds New Mexico in the southwest and Connecticut in the northeast, and perhaps a surprise -- like Tennessee or Oklahoma -- he'll no longer be merely claiming a sweep. He'll have it, and a clear road to the nomination.
Pro-Obama voters should be sure to get to the polls tomorrow, get their friends on board and get everybody who's not already drunk the Clinton Kool-Aid to vote for Obama. There's a real chance for something decisive tomorrow. Here's to hope!
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Anon @ 9:56
Ah, Jonah Goldberg strikes again. Obama is really Hilter and the Dems are the true fascists.
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anon -
you really compared Obama to "Adolf" - you must be a true
Republican and thank you for your help you made my Republican aunt vote for Obama too!
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Calculating vs. Bold
Recent polls have shown that 80% of likely Democrat voters rate their choices very good or excellent (vs. 60% for Republicans). So, yes, most of us would be content to vote for either Clinton or Obama when it comes down to it.
But I can't help thinking about the time just after 9/11 when the drumbeat to the war in Iraq was being sounded. It was incredibly obvious that Hillary's vote to authorize the war was a calculated move, along with many other senators, so as not to appear weak on national security. Obama did not jump on that bandwagon. He stood up against the war from the beginning and did what was right.
Maybe the war has taken a back seat to the economy temporarily, but it is inextricably linked to the campaign and will assert itself again. I would rather see Obama, with his consistent anti-war stance stand up to McCain with his consistent pro-war stance, and give the country a clear choice. Above and beyond that, Obama is the bolder, less calculating candidate. To me, that is refreshing. Let's move ahead.
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Let November be your guide
Ms. Traister, the best way to get past your indecision about the primary is to look toward November. Think about the likely Republican nominee (probably McCain, but don't ignore Romney). Which Democratic candidate is going to fare best?
Here's how I see things. You may see them differently.
I love Hillary. It breaks my heart, however, what the GOP noise machine has done to her, tearing her down since 1992 (or before), demonizing her to the point where she's probably the single most polarizing political figure in the country. I believe Hillary would be a terrific president, but I don't believe she can win, especially against McCain. McCain has enormous appeal to independent voters, and without a major meltdown on his part, those voters are not going to break for Hillary in November. This is not her fault -- it's due to her treatment by the right-wing propagandists over the past fifteen years. People who might not otherwise vote will trip over themselves to vote against Hillary. I don't think Obama is anywhere near as polarizing, though the noise machine has only gotten started on him at this point (e.g., the currently circulating propaganda that he's some kind of radical Muslim).
Obama is enormously charismatic, and while charisma can't run a country by itself, I think it's more important right now to elect a Democrat -- ANY Democrat -- than to extend the GOP's grip on the White House. If for no other reason, we must elect a Democrat to maintain (and hopefully improve) the balance on the Supreme Court.
Obama may not have the experience, but I think he's sufficiently competent for the presidency -- let's face it, the presidency is not a one-person show. If Obama chooses the right set of advisors, his presidency will go fine, and his charisma will be a boon to Democrats at all levels of government.
But that's just my take. If you see something that I don't that suggests that Hillary can beat McCain (or Romney), by all means vote for her. I just don't think she can do it, sad as I am to say it.
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Don't vote for either one - do as your grandmother did
If you have such angst about which candidate you'd like to support, follow your grandmother's advice. Write in the name of your cat or dog or...
...maybe you could feel no guilt at all (because of your dilemma) by voting for the Republican nominee. That solves your problem about the decision between a woman and a black man.
When in doubt, drop back and punt!
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McCain
Re: "McCain has enormous appeal to independent voters,"
Says who? I don't think Independents wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years. I think Hillary can easily beat him. He's a fossil who does nothing but talk about war and more war and more war.
As for Hillary, she's been vetted. They can't throw anything else at her. But Obama's background is still unknown and they can start fresh Swiftboating him. Especially with Rezko.
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Fear is for small minds
How sad that "anonymous" Clinton supporters resort to comparing Obama's electrifying message of hope to Hitler. Also ridiculous. This is exactly the mentality that has kept the Bush & Clinton families in power--a fear of moving out of the status quo, a fear of reaching for a better way of doing things. "Anonymous" says be afraid--be very afraid. Hardly. I'm hopeful small minds like this don't squash the best chance we have to put this country back on high ground! Obama supporters get out & work today!
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@Abbybwood
Don't believe the hype about Ron Paul. Yes, he's taken a few principled positions that go against the grain of the Republican establishment, but aside from those positions, he's just another Republican, and he'll take this country further down the path that Bush has established. It's currently quite "cool" to support Ron Paul, but I'm not sure many of his supporters have taken a close look at his actual positions. He's managed to build up a cult of personality around himself, but that cult is pretty clueless.