Official 2008 Presidential Election thread - Discuss/Defend/Debate

[Booko]

After listening to Giuliani lecture Sean Hannity on respecting differing opinions and on his pressuring of Democrats and Republicans to take an actual stand on the Iraq war (like Obama has done and like Giuliani has done), I am throwing all my support behind Giuliani, until I know who the Libertarian Candidate is. Giuliani sounds unlike any politician I've ever heard going into an election. He actually has me excited!

He reminds me of Dole in some ways, and Dole didn't get elected because he was viewed as "too sarcastic."

Now, personally I thought his answer to "What would you do to help the Soviets get out of Afghanistan" was a bit refreshing common sense, but apparently most of America viewed it as "unhelpful" and "unPresidential."

His answer: What do they need -- a roadmap?

Sorry...I thought it was a stupid question to begin with, and deserved the answer it got. "Help" indeed! :biglaugh:

I can really see Giuliani having the same problem. But I do love watching him in action! He's pretty much the only one in this crew that I don't mute on sight.

Oh...I voted "other."

That can be translated as: Please wake me up in a bit over a year.

 

[Booko]

I thought it would kind of be fun to have our religion discussed so much if mitt gets the nomination. It couldn't hurt to clear up all the crazy idea's people have about our church.

I think this is enough reason for Mitt to run as well. :yes:

I agree about Utah. I didn't ever declare a party when I lived there.

In the Utah primaries, do you have to choose a particular party ticket to vote?

In Georgia, we have what's called an "open" primary -- though I think that's quite a misnomer. I'm not free to cross party lines and vote for candidates that I want. As the raging Independent I am, that offends me greatly.

As a Baha'i, our National Spiritual Assembly has said we can vote in the primary here without violating Baha'i principles, but it just plain bothers me too much to put my name on *anything* with a party designation, so I personally don't. The Baha'i Writings are not at all salutatory on the subject of political parties, and Baha'is cannot join political parties.

I vote for the "non-partisan" judges and proposals and leave it at that.

I'm unusual for a Baha'i in that I actually will bother to discuss political matters, but I aim to do so in the most general terms or address general workings of gov't without expressing any approval of any party or its platform. It's a bit of a balancing act, to say the least.

 

[Green Gaia]

I didn't read what Maize wrote about Romney, but she has been on a witch hunt regarding him for months. I understand why she doesn't like him (gay issues), but she has a lot of hard feelings towards him. I can imagine that she came up with some stuff that isn't so good.

Prehaps you should read what I wrote before you attack me as being a on witch hunt.

I checked and from what I can remember, I've only started two threads with Romney as the subject:

Will the real Mitt Romney please stand up?
"I'm anti-gay,"... "Oh yeah, well I'm MORE anti-gay!"

Now, can you please tell me how 2 threads constitutes a "witch hunt"?

ETA: My problem with him is not "gay issues" it's about respect.

 

[Green Gaia]

So who do you support? Why? Who is going to win?

Right now, Kucinich because he's the only one that I agree with on almost everything. I would support Gore too if he decided to run because the Environment and Climate Change MUST be a top priority for anyone to get my vote instead of ensuring big oil companies continue their big profits and creating more conflict in the world.

I'm looking forward to see who the Green party candidate will be, as well.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I think Gore would be a good choice, with his concerns about the environment. I would really like to see the next president pass laws allowing gay marriage, or at least leave it up to the states to decide, rather than pushing for a constitutional amendment banning it.

 

[Green Gaia]

I think Gore would be a good choice, with his concerns about the environment. I would really like to see the next president pass laws allowing gay marriage, or at least leave it up to the states to decide, rather than pushing for a constitutional amendment banning it.

Yes, stopping the GOP's campaign of hate against BGLT Americans would be a good thing.

 

[MaddLlama]

My vote goes to Rudy. He may be a Republican, but from what I've seen of him here in NY, it will be a cold day in hell before he's content to just tow the GOP party line. I think he would make an amazing president.
However, I do also think that most people who live in NY are incredibly biased in their support for him. =)

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

I support John McCain. I really need to research the other canidates more, but right now, this is where I stand.

 

[standing_alone]

I really don't have any idea who I'm going to support yet, though of course I lean Democratic. The Democrats aren't providing me with anybody that makes me jump up in support. For Republicans, I'm going to take a good look at Giuliani, though. I respect him.

 

[Booko]

I didn't read what Maize wrote about Romney, but she has been on a witch hunt regarding him for months. I understand why she doesn't like him (gay issues), but she has a lot of hard feelings towards him. I can imagine that she came up with some stuff that isn't so good.

A witch hunt seems a bit harsh, Jonny. I'd imagine you might not feel too keen about a candidate that said that your religion was a cult either, but I would not say you were on a "witch hunt" if you had huge policy disagreements with him.

And yes, I do know how rotten it is to have someone tell you you belong to a cult, because Baha'is get that all the time too.

I can only imagine, but I would think that's somewhere vaugely on the same level as having some politician tell you that your family has no right to exist, which is what Maize gets all the time.

Anyway, just a little food for thought.

 

[Booko]

Could someone PLEASE find me a pro life Democrat that I can vote for.:help:

It's an issue that can be very polarizing, and it tends to polarize to the two parties, doesn't it?

As a screaming moderate, I find myself too often in the position where my thought is: A pox on both your houses!

I'm seriously thinking...Pat Paulsen for President.

 

[Mathematician]

Well, Nader and other prominent Green candidates aren't up there, so I chose 'other', but a list of who I would vote for would go like this (the top being the most likely):

Kucinich (I would probably not vote for Nader/Greens if he ran)
Richardson*
Gore*
Paul*
Obama
Guiliani
Edwards
Vilsak
Romney*
Clinton*
McCain
Brownback
Gringrich

The starred names are about equal. I would never be caught dead voting for Brownback and Gringrich.

 

[Polaris]

Mitt Romney all the way. He has excellent managerial/leadership skills and is a very effective businessman. Politicians talk, good businessmen get things done. Mitt will get things done and he is fiscally brilliant, which is something we're desperately going to need in the next decade.

 

[jonny]

Could someone PLEASE find me a pro life Democrat that I can vote for.:help:

Harry Reid. Too bad he isn't running for President.

 

[jonny]

In the Utah primaries, do you have to choose a particular party ticket to vote?

Utah has a closed primary. Not only do you have to choose a party ticket, but you have to register with that party in order to vote in the primary.

 

[Ody]

I don't even support the office..

 

[Mathematician]

Wikipedia has a good article on pro-life Democrats:

Senators:
Ben Nelson of Nebraska
Harry Reid of Nevada, Senate Majority Leader[1]
Mark Pryor of Arkansas
Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania

Congressmen:
Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania
Marion Berry of Arkansas
Dan Boren of Oklahoma
Chris Carney of Pennsylvania
Ben Chandler of Kentucky
Jerry Costello of Illinois
Henry Cuellar of Texas
Lincoln Davis of Tennessee
Joe Donnelly of Indiana
Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania
Brad Ellsworth of Indiana
Baron Hill of Indiana
Tim Holden of Pennsylvania
Paul Kanjorski of Pennsylvania
Marcy Kaptur of Ohio
Dale Kildee of Michigan
Jim Langevin of Rhode Island
Dan Lipinski of Illinois
Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts
Jim Marshall of Georgia
Mike McIntyre of North Carolina
Mike McNulty of New York
Charlie Melancon of Louisiana
Mike Michaud of Maine
Alan Mollohan of West Virginia
John Murtha of Pennsylvania
Jim Oberstar of Minnesota
Solomon Ortiz of Texas
Collin Peterson of Minnesota
Nick Rahall of West Virginia
Mike Ross of Arkansas
Tim Ryan of Ohio
Heath Shuler of North Carolina
Ike Skelton of Missouri
Bart Stupak of Michigan
Gene Taylor of Mississippi
Charlie Wilson of Ohio

Governors

Joe Manchin of West Virginia
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Louisiana
Tim Kaine of Virginia
Bill Ritter of Colorado

None are currently running. I think all support the option of abortion in the case of the mother's life, thankfully.

 

[standing_alone]

Utah has a closed primary. Not only do you have to choose a party ticket, but you have to register with that party in order to vote in the primary.

While that sucks for independents that want to vote in the primary, it's kind of understandable because in some states where the primaries are open, you get members of the opposing party "raiding" the ballot, voting for the candidates they think their actual party has the best chance of beating.

 

[jonny]

Prehaps you should read what I wrote before you attack me as being a on witch hunt.

I checked and from what I can remember, I've only started two threads with Romney as the subject:

Will the real Mitt Romney please stand up?
"I'm anti-gay,"... "Oh yeah, well I'm MORE anti-gay!"

Now, can you please tell me how 2 threads constitutes a "witch hunt"?

ETA: My problem with him is not "gay issues" it's about respect.

It isn't just threads that you've started. It's comments you've made in threads in the past. Witch hunt was probably the wrong term. What I was trying to say is that you've been anti-Romney from the beginning so if you had made comments about him they were likely very negative and biased. That's all I was trying to say.

As for respect, you can't expect him to try to understand and respect you if you don't do the same. Respect, in my opinion, is a two-way street. You earn it by demonstrating it.

 

[Green Gaia]

It isn't just threads that you've started. It's comments you've made in threads in the past. Witch hunt was probably the wrong term. What I was trying to say is that you've been anti-Romney from the beginning so if you had made comments about him they were likely very negative and biased. That's all I was trying to say.

As for respect, you can't expect him to try to understand and respect you if you don't do the same. Respect, in my opinion, is a two-way street. You earn it by demonstrating it.

I respected him when was pro-gay, or was at least pretending to be. Why should respect someone who only sees us now as the whipping boy he has to punch to get elected?