Why or Why Not?

12/10/2006 11:35:23 AM

yes, he's so well spoken.











now that i got that out of my system, i'd like to hear more from him. everything ive seen is positive and he's very charismatic, but the campaign trail usually is very telling.

12/10/2006 11:47:45 AM

White people love Wayne Brady, because he makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X.

12/10/2006 11:54:33 AM

Yeah, I haven't actually heard anything about him other than 1) He's charismatic and hell, and 2) He's got a strong narrative. Neither of those are that terribly important to me.

12/10/2006 12:19:48 PM

I like him just because about six months ago he was like "Why the fuck does everybody think I can be president? Who the fuck am I?"

12/10/2006 12:21:05 PM

Just like Ford lost in Tenn, too many racist for him to win...a person will not say it, but when they are in the voting booth, they will vote white.

12/10/2006 3:54:49 PM

Yes.

1. He seems like a centrist.
2. He seems smart enough to surround himself with decent people.
3. He's charismatic and well-spoken so I wouldn't be embarassed by him.

What else is there?

12/10/2006 5:44:29 PM

his father was a goat herder

12/10/2006 5:45:24 PM

honestly right now No.

I do not know enough about him, or his views to make an informed vote.

I would like to see his voting record and hear his view on things first

12/10/2006 5:59:28 PM

Quote :

"spöokyjon: I like him just because about six months ago he was like "Why the fuck does everybody think I can be president? Who the fuck am I?""

Agreed. It'd still be a frosty day in hell before I actually voted for him of course, but agreed.

12/10/2006 6:36:35 PM

yes

12/10/2006 6:50:09 PM

Quote :

"It'd still be a frosty day in hell before I actually voted for him "

12/10/2006 6:58:38 PM

if it was a choice between him and the other current democrat/rep frontrunners i would.

12/10/2006 7:28:56 PM

Sadly the country isn't mature enough to handle him as VP either.

But yes, I would vote for him based on what I have heard from and of him thus far. TGD, if I may ask, what problems do you have with him?

12/10/2006 7:40:52 PM

Quote :

"Just like Ford lost in Tenn, too many racist for him to win...a person will not say it, but when they are in the voting booth, they will vote white."

Unfortunately, this is true.

From what I've seen so far yes, especially compared to the other Dems.

12/10/2006 8:30:52 PM

I somehow remember him turning his back on some spending reform bill or something.

But, I would probably vote for him over just about anyone else's name being thrown around now.

12/10/2006 10:03:05 PM

You're still a light featherweight, kid... still too wet behind the ears.

First you need to fight out a campaign with someone tougher than Alan Keyes.

Next you gotta shake that junior senator thing. Americans don't like electing senators president too much.

Become governor of Illinois for awhile. Show us you can handle a large bureacracy.

Then come on back kid, and we'll talk.

12/10/2006 11:32:52 PM

Quote :

"HockeyRoman: TGD, if I may ask, what problems do you have with him?"

He's still a kook-fringe liberal, even if he is charismatic

Just using Americans for Democratic Action as an example, Obama earned himself a perfect 100% Liberal Quotient (their term). Ted Uncle Keg Kennedy only got 95% by comparison.

http://www.adaction.org/votingrecords.htm

I might not be a fan of the GOP, but I'm not really into statism nouveau either  

12/10/2006 11:48:41 PM

I can't figure out why I am supposed to be so excited. Is it only because he is half black/half white and gave a good speech at the DNC?

I am all for him running for president if he wants too. There really seems to be a positive excitement about his person, but I don't understand the hype, yet.

12/10/2006 11:54:27 PM

Who would be the best VP match up for him? Any of these guys & gals, or someone totally different?

Quote :

"Democratic Party Main article: Official and Potential 2008 United States presidential election Democratic candidates Official candidates who have filed with the FEC for the Democratic Party: Former Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska (Campaign Site) Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa (Campaign Site) Candidates who have formed exploratory committees: Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana (All America PAC)[4] Candidates who have expressed serious interest: Senator Joe Biden of Delaware (Unite Our States PAC)[5] Retired General Wesley Clark of Arkansas (WesPAC - Securing America)[6] Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York (HILLPAC)[7] Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut (Friends of Chris Dodd)[8] Former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina (One America Committee)[9] Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts (Keeping America's Promise)[10] Senator Barack Obama of Illinois (HOPEFUND PAC)[11] Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico (Moving America Forward PAC)[12] Reverend Al Sharpton of New York [13] "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Election#Potential_candidates

This link has little bio's & pics for most of the ppl mentioned above:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_and_Potential_2008_United_States_presidential_election_Democratic_candidates#Potential_candidates

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 12:54 AM. Reason : .]

12/11/2006 12:43:26 AM

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 12:55 AM. Reason : ]

12/11/2006 12:54:33 AM

Senator Barack Obama

Quote :

"Barack Obama, born August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Senator from Illinois. A "draft Obama" movement began with his well-received keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Neil Young mentioned him as a potential President in his song "Looking for a Leader". In September 2006, Obama's Senate primary opponent Daniel Hynes, in an open letter published in the Chicago Sun-Times, urged Democrats to draft Obama for the 2008 Presidential race.[19] Also in September, Obama was the featured speaker at Iowa Senator Tom Harkin's annual steak fry, a political event favored by presidential hopefuls in the lead-up to the Iowa caucus. He was endorsed by talk show host Oprah Winfrey in 2006.[20] Most recently, TIME Magazine ran a cover story by Joe Klein with the headline "Why Barack Obama Could Be the Next President."[21]. On October 22, 2006, he acknowledged he was considering a run for president, backing off previous statements to the contrary. He said he would make a decision after the November 7 mid-term elections.[22] On a November 7 interview on CNN, Obama said he was likely to go back and reflect, talk with his wife, and not make a decision until January, 2007. Senator from Illinois: 2005 - Present "

Mark Warner, former Governor of Virginia

Quote :

"Mark Warner, born December 15, 1954 in Indiana, former Governor of Virginia. Time Magazine rated him in November 2005 as one of America's top 5 governors and Governing magazine said Virginia was the best governed state in the Nation under Warner's direction. Warner's profile increased due to his help in securing Tim Kaine's election to succeed him, seen widely as a rare victory for Democrats in a majority-Republican state. There is also a strong Draft Mark Warner for President movement, and DemStore.com has already started printing Draft Warner campaign pins and bumper stickers. On October 12, 2006, Warner unequivocally stated that he will not seek the 2008 Democratic nomination, and stated that he wanted to spend more time with his family. After his statement, he was complimented on his efforts by Sens. John Kerry and Evan Bayh. It is speculated that he will still play a strong role in the 2008 election, with his fund-raising capabilities, and his Forward Together PAC. His record may suggest that he would be a frontrunner for the Vice-Presidential nomination, and at least one person close to the former governor has acknowledged that he may spend the next year quietly campaigning for the spot[35] Governor of Virginia: 2002 - 2006 "

These two both seemed to have the most drafting said candidates with Warner maybe aiming at the VP spot. Obama-Warner 08?

12/11/2006 1:10:19 AM

Why don't I see him as being wildly liberal?

I musta missed something.

As usual.

12/11/2006 3:08:04 AM

no, for the simple fact that not enough other will vote for him to make him president

same reason i'm not voting for hiliary...cause both of those 2 candidates will not win

ps- if democrats nominate one of those 2, i'm switching parties

12/11/2006 3:23:35 AM

something tells me you're not actually registered to either party to begin with.

12/11/2006 3:29:23 AM

i've been straight party ticket since 8th grade

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 4:05 AM. Reason : .]

12/11/2006 4:04:39 AM

12/11/2006 4:49:10 AM

I need to see his actual views on topics. I'd like to hear his platform and what he stands for.

But if I agree with enough of his views and trust him to do what is right, then yes I will vote for him. It is ridiculous for people to not vote for someone because of their color or the ethnic connotations of their name. I would vote for a mormon, a muslim, a jew, a christian, an atheist, and a pagan (the list goes on) so long as they respect our constitution and will attempt to uphold it in the way I believe it deserves to be upheld.

I feel the same way about Condy Rice as I do about Obama: I need to hear an actual viewpoint and not slogans.

12/11/2006 9:39:57 AM

Quote :

"i've been straight party ticket since 8th grade"

something tells me you didn't vote in the 8th grade


but for the thread...yes i will vote for obama. i'll vote for him long before i vote for hilary. he gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside when he talks; it's a good change from the nauseated one i get from bush.

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 9:48 AM. Reason : ]

12/11/2006 9:46:33 AM

Is Warner seriously in contention for the VP? I assumed that when he dropped from the Presidental race, a VP nomination would also be out of the question...

12/11/2006 12:41:44 PM

Mark my words, every RNC ad will refer to him as Barack HUSSEIN Obama.

12/11/2006 12:58:42 PM

his name sounds like a TERRARIST

12/11/2006 1:23:13 PM

I'm sure our objectivist friends here in soap box would assure you that his stances are, in fact, a form of TERRAR.

12/11/2006 1:26:38 PM

Quote :

"Sadly the country isn't mature enough to handle him as VP either."

Yeah, you have one group of people that would never vote for him because he is black and you probably have a few people that would plot to kill the president just so he could become the first black President.

To the topic: I'd vote for him. I'd much rather see him win the primaries than Hillary. At least that way I'd have something to think about come presidential election.

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 2:49 PM. Reason : -]

12/11/2006 2:47:57 PM

Im going to vote for whoever has a clue about foreign policy.

12/11/2006 3:27:09 PM

i'm not going to vote for him because he's not a decider.

12/11/2006 4:18:18 PM

^what in the world does that mean?

12/11/2006 4:35:14 PM

Representative Dennis Kucinich

Quote :

"Dennis Kucinich, Ohio Congressman, and 2004 Democratic primary candidate. Kucinich got the second highest number of votes at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Kucinich threw his support behind Kerry in 2004 although a sizable number of Kucinich's delegates refused to follow suit. There has been a strong movement to draft Kucinich for the Presidency in 2008. He has the most grassroots support of any of the 2008 nominees, with Democrats, Greens, and independents urging him to run for the White House. Dennis Kucinich led the opposition to the war in Iraq in 2003. He also led the fight against U.S.A. PATRIOT in the House of Representatives. Kucinich is currently leading the fight to end the war in Iraq by cutting all funding to the war. Kucinich is the leader of the opposition to war in Iran. Kucinich's proposed Department of Peace has widespread grassroots support of people across America. Kucinich has received a great many awards from a variety of groups for his courage and work for peace. He is also a popular favorite among youth activists. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported in December 2006 that there was talk on Capitol Hill about Kucinich jumping into the fray again. [4] Representative from the 10th District of Ohio: 1997 - Present Mayor of Cleveland: 1978-1979 "

Being anti-iraq (vs a pro iraq hillary) in the current political climate might help. Also carrying weight in a swing state like ohio could help too.



Mike Gravel, former Senator

Quote :

" Presidential bid in 2008 On April 17, 2006, Gravel became a declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election, announcing his run in a speech to the National Press Club. Gravel has said that, in addition to his stance on direct democracy (the National Initiative), he will also be emphasizing his support for the FairTax plan and withdrawal from the war in Iraq during his campaign."

No chance to win, but I think his running could shift the debates in a good way.

12/11/2006 4:37:38 PM

Well, what's the alternative? Whether I'd vote for him largely depends on who else is running both in the primary and, to a lesser extent(because I do like Obama an awful lot more than any Republican I can name) the actual election.

12/11/2006 4:40:38 PM

Kucinich brings nothing to a run to for the Presidency besides comedy value. it's beyond me how he could be elected to school board, much less Congress (or the Presidency).

12/11/2006 4:44:42 PM

Kucinich brings a guy to the primaries who knows he can't win and therefore can say pretty much whatever he things needs to be said. He was doing it in '04, but kept getting shown up by Sharpton.

12/11/2006 4:49:23 PM

Sharpton isn't as crazy as Kucinich.

Yes, you read that right, and no, I'm not saying that Sharpton isn't nuts.

12/11/2006 5:06:54 PM

No, just b/c he speaks well and went to Harvard doesn't make him a presidential candidate like all democrats beleive. Let's hear more views, see action, and then I can make a decision.

12/11/2006 5:26:06 PM

John Edwards, former Senator

Quote :

"John Edwards, born June 10, 1953 in South Carolina, former U.S. Senator from North Carolina and 2004 Democratic vice-presidential candidate. As a Presidential candidate Edwards was famed for his populist message in his "Two Americas" Speech and also for being one of the most optimistic candidates seen in a long time. This was evidenced by his refusal to attack his opponents. In the primaries Sen. Edwards had strong come-from-behind showings and nearly winning in the crucial states of Iowa, Oklahoma, Virginia, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Georgia. He also won the North Carolina and South Carolina primaries. And Edwards has kept his Federal Leadership PAC, the One America Committee [8], to help Democrats across the nation win elections in the future. On February 5, 2005, Edwards spoke at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's fundraising dinner. On August 18, 2005, Edwards traveled to Waterloo, Iowa to deliver an address to the Iowa AFL-CIO, a potential key supporter in the Iowa caucus. Officially, Edwards refuses to say whether he will run in 2008.[16] Senator from North Carolina: 1999 - 2005 Democratic Party Vice Presidential candidate: 2004 "

12/11/2006 6:12:26 PM

apparently, barack is ready for the bears to go all the way, baby.

DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUN

12/11/2006 8:32:08 PM

It's easy to be the most popular guy on the block when nobody knows where you stand on anything. I can't wait to see Hillary go after this guy's nuts in the primary (no pun intended).

12/11/2006 9:14:26 PM

^you don't know because you don't care. that doesn't mean no one knows.

he has y'know, been elected to the senate. you guys act like he's some unaccomplished nobody.

here's a short summary from his website (which, is also the first google hit if you search for his name):

Quote :

"Defense With the nation facing unprecedented threats, our military needs to remain the world's best. We must adapt the Pentagon to face 21st century threats such as global terrorists and loose nuclear weapons in the former Soviet states. Senator Obama is working to ensure that the nation's defense capabilities are strong, agile, and prepared and that our troops are provided with the equipment they need. Seniors As we transition to an increasingly global economy, many Americans are at risk of being left behind through no fault of their own. Among those most affected by these changes are senior citizens, many of whom are on fixed incomes. We need to modernize our social safety net to help senior citizens meet these new challenges, but we also must preserve those elements, such as Social Security and Medicare, that have enabled us to fulfill our moral commitments to our parents and grandparents. Crime Senator Obama is a strong proponent of tougher measures to fight crime, in particular the growing problem of methamphetamines, which has ravaged many communities in Illinois. He has also advocated providing more resources to local law enforcement officers. Environment As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Obama has worked to ensure our nation's environmental laws and policies balance America's needs for a healthy, sustainable environment with economic growth. Homeland Security Senator Obama believes that greater attention needs to be paid to the nation’s homeland security. To that end, he has supported efforts to distribute more funds to cities like Chicago most at risk of a terrorist attack. He has also introduced legislation to strength chemical plant and drinking water security and to enhance disaster preparedness. Immigration Senator Obama shares the growing public concern about illegal immigration in the United States. The challenge facing President Bush and Congress is how to effectively stop the flow of illegal immigrants across our borders, better manage immigration flows going forward, and deal with illegal aliens who are already living and working in this country. Education Senator Obama is committed to providing every American with the opportunity to receive a quality education, from pre-kindergarten to college or vocational school to job retraining programs. Health Care Promoting affordable, accessible, and high-quality health care was a priority for Barack Obama in the Illinois State Senate and is a priority for him in the United States Senate. He believes firmly that health care should be a right for everyone, not a privilege for the few. Veterans As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama is committed to helping the heroes who defend our nation today and the veterans who fought in years past. Ethics and Lobbying Reform Throughout his political career, Barack Obama has been a leader in fighting for open and honest government. During his first year as an Illinois State Senator, he helped lead the fight to pass Illinois' first ethics reform bill in 25 years. As a U.S. Senator, he has spearheaded the effort to clean up Washington in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal."

if you wish to find out more (which obviously you don't) you can go here:

http://obama.senate.gov/issues/

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 9:21 PM. Reason : bolds]

12/11/2006 9:20:17 PM

Fluff and more fluff. I'll wait until he actually, you know, accomplishes something until declaring him the next president.

12/11/2006 9:23:56 PM

*obama has been an elected official for 4 more years than hillary. and hillary has only been a senator since 2000. the only reason she's a senator is that her husband was president. what are her accomplishments again?

and if you ask "what legislation has he gotten passed etc?" i will remind you that he's been in a minority senate. one with a majority who wanted no part of talks with the minority.

^and if you actually go to the website, there is plenty of detail for each point made there. it would just pages and pages worth of posts if i put it here. of course you don't care about that. you just want to discredit all viable democrat candidates.

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 9:31 PM. Reason : .]

12/11/2006 9:29:38 PM

^ What's funny is that you openly ride this guy's nuts, knowing that he hasn't accomplished anything. Shows me exactly what you care about RE: viable democrat candidates.

He can say that he shits rainbow ice cream and invented a money tree if he wants, it still doesn't mean a thing until he actually does something and begins to show where he really stands on serious issues.

All I'm sayin' is that the Clintons will rip Obama a new one in the primary and I can't wait. Should be a real blood bath.

[Edited on December 11, 2006 at 9:33 PM. Reason : ]

12/11/2006 9:31:53 PM