I see Hills is back in the running again. Good, it would be so boring if Obama won by a landslide, this way it keeps it interesting. I still say Hillary will triumph in the end.
You know, it pains me to say this, but I think that regardless of who wins the Democratic presidential primaries, John McCain is a shoe-in to be the next president.
Why?
Because if Hillary wins, I think the people who can’t see beyond her gender will vote for John McCain because he’s a man, and if Obama wins, the people who can’t see beyond his colour will vote for John McCain just because he’s white.
I know it’s a terribly simplistic view, but I bet I’m right. I hope I’m wrong, but we shall see.
Scott
March 5
11:59 am
I actually think there is a lot of support for both, regardless of gender or race. I don’t put a lot of faith in polls that are shown on TV or on the internet, but Obama is doing really well with the white vote. In some respects, it seems that Hillary has the bigger hill to climb regarding prejudice, but still fairing very well, as the primaries in Texas and Ohio proved.
Also to note, and this doesn’t represent the nation as a whole obviously, but I know a few people that consider themselves Republicans that don’t like McCain. It is all adding up to be a very, VERY close vote in November.
sula
March 5
12:39 pm
Oh lordy, politics…such a dangerous topic. I have to say, I grew up in a very conservative household and moved in conservative circles for most of my young life. If there is one thing that will get the voters to the polls, it is the chance to vote against Hillary. There is a sort of hatred there that you would have to see to believe. Funny thing is, as a Dem, I have gone from being pretty happy with any of the top three candidates we had (Edwards included) to absolutely disgusted with the depths to which the Clinton campaign is willing to stoop. These last two weeks have been amazingly awful. I started off being ready to throw my support behind her should she win the nomination. Now? Definitely not.
Shiloh Walker
March 5
12:41 pm
I dunno. I’m pulling for McCain or Obama. It’s going to be interesting though. But I dread the coming months. I had political commercials.
Anon
March 5
1:03 pm
// I think that regardless of who wins the Democratic presidential primaries, John McCain is a shoe-in to be the next president. //
A lot of conservatives despise McCain, however. And the Republicans are coming off one of the most disastrous administrations in American history, just short Warren G. Harding, and morale in the country is at an all-time low.
Realistically, I’d say if a woman or an African-American ever had a shot at the American presidency, the time would be now. Personally, I like Hillary, but Obama has a great deal of charisma and a huge following. Either one, at least, would be much better than John McCain.
Eve Vaughn
March 5
1:09 pm
I was hoping the democratic race would be decided before it got to my state in April, but it looks like Pennsylvannia will be the state to watch now. Oh, the pressure.
Eve Vaughn
March 5
1:11 pm
It’s too damn early in the morning. I do know how to spell Pennsylvania, lol
sallahdog
March 5
2:02 pm
I actually think for the first time in a long time, you have democrats who would vote for either Hilary or Obama if they are the candidate. I also note, amongst my republican family, that they are not that thrilled with McCain, and are rather apathetic…
I don’t know Karen, we may just have the first woman or black president yet in this country.. Maybe they might even swallow their egos and whomever doesnt get the presidential nod, will take the vice president position and we would really be making history…
Teddypig
March 5
2:47 pm
I honestly do not think Hillary has stooped any lower than Obama has during this election. It’s just shes a women and women are not supposed to compete against men as equals and when they do they are called bitches.
I liked what she had to say in one of her recent speeches.
That’s simply the truth of the matter and McCain will use the same point of view of Obama’s inexperience and inconsequential “woulda shoulda coulda” rhetoric to defeat Obama if the race comes down to that.
Obama is simply a pretty face with a lot of promises and no experience.
What few records of his political experience you can actually find is not good.
He currently has the worst attendance record in the Senate due to his obsessive presidential campaigning by his own admission. He is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Senate Foreign Relations responsible for NATO and Europe.
Meanwhile Senator Clinton chaired extensive hearings of the Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health and attended several as a member of the Armed Service Committee while also vigorously campaigning she does not have to make excuses.
I don’t think Obama is a horrible person. I just want someone who’s priorities are not the next election but actually doing the job.
bam
March 5
2:48 pm
Karen, there are record democratic turn-outs for the first time in years. I don’t think the Dems should be counted out just yet.
I think one way or the other, we will be ushering in either a black man or a white woman for a president.
Amie Stuart
March 5
3:15 pm
I HOPE You’re wrong π (and agree w/Bam) That said, McCain lost me when he said he wouldn’t stop until Osama was caught. Um hello dude in case you didn’t get the memo, we all know that’s just a really bad joke, what makes you think you can do any better a job than Bush and last but not least, we’re sick Sick SICK of this war.
I was actually going to blog about this today but I think I’ll clutter up your blog instead *ggg*. I was laying in bed last night watching TV w/#2 son and keeping an eye on the primaries and we were talking and I realized (what lots of other people have probably already realized)…I mean fully realized how BIG this election is. Regardless of who wins, we’re seeing history in the making, we’re watching something take place that our grandchildren (or children depending on your kids’ age) will learn about in a history class someday, and I think that’s something we don’t always see or realize the fullest extent of. Ya know?
Dee Tenorio
March 5
3:37 pm
I can honestly say I won’t vote for Hillary, not because I care that she’s a woman. More cause I can’t stand her and don’t trust her. She spends too much time saying what people want to hear and not enough saying what she actually thinks.
I’d actually consider voting for Obama. I don’t think about if he’s black. I think about what he’s saying. But I admit, that makes me one very weird voter.
Interesting note: My artist husband who doesn’t like politics, doesn’t pay attention to it and doesn’t care about it…is actually getting into this race and wants to vote. At least there’s that. π
Barbara B.
March 5
3:47 pm
I totally agree with what you said, Karen.
BTW, I don’t know why people think that the Republicans won’t steal the presidency again. Are our memories THAT short in America?
Sam
March 5
4:56 pm
I had a dream that Hillary and Obama got together on the same ticket.
But they had trouble deciding who would be on top.
π
PS – I would love to see that ticket!!
Rosemary
March 5
6:03 pm
I don’t think Hillary can win the presidency because so many people hate her because of Bill. It’s not that she’s a woman, it’s that she’s Hillary Clinton.
Besides, looking at the history of America (and the world for that matter) and using the constitution (ability to vote) as an example, men of different races get things before women of any race.
It’s easier for men to accept a man in power before they can accept a woman.
Jaci Burton
March 5
6:19 pm
I agree with what a lot have said. Many Republicans are not that fond of McCain, but would rather vote for McCain than Clinton. If Obama gets the Democratic nomination, many Republicans will vote for him.
I really hope it works that way. I’d love to see Obama in the White House, but I’d vote for Hilary if she gets the nomination.
This is the most interesting slate of candidates we’ve had in years. It’s going to be a great election year π
Rosemary
March 5
6:27 pm
I should have used the phrase “right to vote” as opposed to ability.
The phrasing was bothering me.
rae
March 5
7:07 pm
I’m sick of this so called experience that Hillary keeps touting. Just because you’ve been married to a politician for 35 years or whatever does not make you an experienced politician. It makes you an experienced political wife. It’s like saying that a woman who was married to a surgeon for 35 years before studying medicine has lots of experience. Would you want her operating on you?
Anyway if Hillary wins the nomination the Democrats will lose for sure. She’s still got that 50% hate rating. It might even have increased. I’ve heard of Democrats who will go out and vote republican rather than see her in.
Karen Scott
March 5
7:07 pm
I hear that McCain said that he wasn’t that clued up about the US economy. That would worry me slightly as a Republican.
I bet he’s wishing he’d kept his mouth shut now.
Anne
March 5
7:51 pm
No matter what, I will NOT vote for McCain. He’s a twit… no a dumbass twit.
I don’t think that people hate Hillary because of Bill as Rosemary said, I think they hate her because she was too damn vocal when Bill was in office. The American people like a strong First Lady, but no one who borders on taking over for her husband.
As for Obama, I’m not much for him either. He’s a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical companies so we know in the 4 or 8 years he spends in office that the freaking price of medication will not go down, and paying more than $10 for ONE pill is just fucking ridiculous. For the love of Pete, there is no way in hell it costs that much to make ONE pill. No way.
So, between Hillary and Obama I am torn. I like Hillary but I think she’s a lot of bluster and wind, but there is something about Obama that rubs me wrong. (NO IT’S NOT THAT HE’S BLACK because I could give a rat’s ass if he were purple… just heading off those who were going to jump on that). For some reason he comes across as sneaky, like he’s got a hidden agenda that he’s not revealing… though the same could be said about any politician as none of them ever tell you the whole story…
Even gut-checking I still can’t decide right now. Sheesh!
And wouldn’t that be a freaking awesome ticket??? Man, Hillary and Obama on the same ticket, but I just don’t see that happening.
Stella Price
March 5
8:37 pm
As a native New Yorker, i cant STAND Hillary. And as many before me have said, this “experience” that she seeps jawing on and on about isn’t valid. being married to Bill as long as she has should get her a nomination for sainthood, but not the democratic nomination. Shes been making a play to get back into the White House ever since she left and she will do anything to do it. I’m registered as an independent,and while I don’t like that war monger McCain, I would probably vote for Nader before i voted for Clinton. At this point its the lesser of two evils really, and the Democratic party is grabbing their ankles on the lawn as it is because while they might have two candidates that could really do something for this country, most wont look past the gender issue and the race issue as Karen said. After two terms with Lil Bush with his finger on the button, and the world at large losing a ton of respect for the good old US of A, we are now faced with this dilemma. Though Truth be told, I do like Obama, and I hope he is our new president. Hill looks like the Joker in all her pictures they keep flashing on MSNBC and I dont tryst anyone that could pull off a large amount of purple and not be grimace. Still waiting on the green hair though.
Stella Price
March 5
8:39 pm
and as usual, my bad spelling strikes again. it should say keeps instead of seeps and trust instead of Tryst… See what happens when you take allergy meds?
Shannon Stacey
March 5
9:32 pm
One thing I’ve noticed in the many, many political discussions amongst friends is that very few people mention Clinton being a woman or Obama being black, but almost everybody has reservations about McCain’s age.
Marianne LaCroix
March 5
10:40 pm
I don’t think it comes to race or sex. I’m not looking at that. I don’t like any of them, truth be told. I haven’t decided yet who to vote for. I need to hear them out a bit.
I do hate the endless commericals that come with election year. The nasty ones really make me cringe. I hate mud slinging too. How about the one that Hilary said Obama wet the bed when he was a toddler? Guess my kids will never qualify for president….
Lleeo
March 5
10:43 pm
I just think it would be so much more interesting if either Hillary or Obama were Republican. Then you’d really see a huge political race to the finish line. π
I really don’t know much about their policies, so don’t feel informed enough to make a judgment but it’ll definitely be interesting to see who wins. This race certainly has piqued interest in the political arena, which is always a good thing IMO.
Kat
March 5
10:54 pm
I read this article on Clinton a few days ago, and I think it’s spot on for the most part (page 1 has the juicy stuff, page 2 has the analysis). As an impartial observer, I listened to a few of the debates between Clinton and Obama, and I have to say that while I thought Obama was better at coming across as a visionary, Clinton sounded like she knew how to get things done.
I don’t agree with this analogy. Surgery has a physical component that you can’t learn by osmosis. Politics, however, can be learned on the fly. (One of our former prime ministers only finished high school, for example.) Other skills, such as running a business, can also, to some degree, be picked up through osmosis. So I don’t discount Hilary’s experience as the first lady, particularly if she was involved in Bill’s decision-making process. That said, I’m surprised at some of the turns her campaign has made. I expected fewer blunders given her experience.
Ann Bruce
March 6
12:36 am
But McCain knows enough that the world is moving towards a global economy and the US cannot shut itself off from the rest of the world. The Dems, unfortunately, have been paying lip service to “rethinking” free trade. Sheesh.
Still, I’m hoping Clinton wins because Obama seems like a very slick operator to me. But today, Clinton did concede the possibility of a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket.
MistyG
March 6
1:45 am
Maybe if it were any other woman than Hilary running that person may not get the nomination because of her gender. In Hilary’s case, I don’t think it’s because she’s a woman, there are many “middle of the road” people who would not vote for Hilary based on the fact that she is Hilary Clinton and married to Bill.
I can say this, from what I have noticed living in the bible belt for the last 4 years, there are many republicans who would rather vote democrat than vote for McCain. It really could go either way.
I don’t think Hilary has the deligates to take over Obama, though. She seems to have the popular vote by a small margin, but that does not mean she wins.
Lori
March 6
5:50 am
Intereting discussion. I tend to be a fiscal republican and a social democrat, so I just go with whomever stands with me on the issues. I did like McCain 8 years ago, but he completely lost me with his stance on the war. I like where Clinton stands on the issues, but I tend to believe that Obama is more electable due to the “Clinton factor”, and he’s pretty close to Clinton from what little he’s actually said on his stance on the issues. And I kind of have to admit, I never thought I’d be able to say that I thought a black man would be electable in my lifetime, so I’m extremely happy to be able to say it.
Frankly, I’d really love to see whomever wins the nomination get Edwards back on the ticket. He was my first choice. He’s the only candidate in either party who was talking about poverty which I think is the root cause of so many of our problems, and he’ll bring the “respectable white man” mentality back to those freaked out voters who don’t want to vote for a black man or for a woman. Hate to say it, but yup, we are still probably one of the most prejudiced first world nations around.
laura
March 6
7:16 am
I think you’re wrong about McCain, Karen. Most of the people I know are sick of what a Republican-led government has done to our country. War, massive debt, recession on the horizon-not a few of our favorite things.
I stood in line for over an hour yesterday to vote in the primary; a record turnout in my very politically oriented city. Went back to caucus; it took almost two hours and a fire marshall to get everyone signed in. I think these are signs that we are fed up and want change.
(Me, I voted for Hillary. That experience isn’t all as first lady. I like Obama, but he needs some seasoning. As one of the pundits put it on CNN last night, Obama is the future, but Clinton might just be the now.)
katiebabs
March 6
1:27 pm
I think I will vote for Obama. It was because of that picture Sula posted on her blog with Obama wearing that cowboy hat. π
Patrick
March 7
3:32 pm
Interesting that someone said that HRC only says what people want to hear. Have you read the speech she gave in Beijing in 1995, standing up for women’s rights despite the wishes of her husband’s government that she not “rock the boat?” A speech where she condemned customs and practices in use in China (and around the world) at that time, and still in practice today?
How does that kind of courage compare to the “change, dream and hope” speeches of an opponent who did not take a principled stand, but voted “present” on women’s issue legislation in the IL state senate on numerous occasions because “that’s the way things are done in IL.”
As someone said, “Give me a break.”
Ima J
March 7
8:40 pm
My Grandfater is/was a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat but I know, just like I know that a fat kid loves cake, there is NOOOOO way he’d ever vote for a woman and/or a non-caucasian.
Please note, those are HIS views, not mine.