The good fight
By Libby
I've been saying this for weeks now, but nobody listens to me. I'm glad to see more prominent voices taking up the call and speaking for those of us who aren't rabid supporters of either candidate.
I've been saying this for weeks now, but nobody listens to me. I'm glad to see more prominent voices taking up the call and speaking for those of us who aren't rabid supporters of either candidate.
There are too many references to list here of what I haven't liked about the way Hillary Clinton has run her campaign. And yet, I still like her as a candidate. I still think she would make a great president. But the campaign bothers me.Read the whole thing, it's short enough. I don't really like either of them and I'm not sure either would make a great president, but they still would be far preferable to the alternative and here's the point I've been trying to push.
Oh, it's not different than most campaigns we have seen. And that's the sad part. Still, she has still treated Obama better than George W. Bush dealt with McCain in 2000. But that isn't a threshold that inspires pride. Speaking as someone who honestly isn't rooting for either one, I do like the overall positive nature of Obama's campaign. It's not perfect, but compared to what we've seen for the last 8 years, it shines in comparison.
* Tell us why you would make a great president. Don't tell us why the other one wouldn't be a great president. The truth is that both Obama and Clinton would make great presidents. Run a positive campaign focused on yourself.The last point is the most critical and Avedon in a rare appearance at the great orange Satan, lists the compelling reasons that it's not which Democrat wins that matters. Our future literally depends on any Democrat taking back the White House. We forget that at our own peril.
* Run as if you are the Democratic presidential nominee. Tell the voters who aren't sure which way to go why it's important to have a Democrat in the White House. We know why, but they don't.
Labels: Democrats, Election 08
posted by Libby Spencer at 7:52 PM
9 Comments:
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Well put, LIbby. I'm not crazy about either of them, either. The only precision I can inject is that I dislike Obama less than I do Clinton.
However, I would make the point that the next president BETTER be a great one. Not just to repair the damage done by George W., but to halt the slide this nation has been in for a long time....decades, really.
Hey Michael. At this point I dislike Obama less myself but I'm open to being convinced otherwise.
As for greatness, we need it for sure, but I don't think we should get our hopes up. Competent will probably have to do.
Libby, I have said many times in this blog and others that I would support any Democrat in November. After last night, I am not so sure. I am not willing to reward the politics of smear any longer. If we do not eradicate this cancer from our political culture, it will metastasize further. I am inclined to sit out this election. I am very angry.
I'm pretty angry about it too SC, but I think we'll both get over it by November. Indeed we must. Allowing McCain to get in would be a disaster.
Why do you dislike Obama? And just as a curiosity question, who would your "perfect candidate" be?
O-08, I dislike them both because they're professional politicians and I don't think either either of them are going to do much to change the status quo. I have less gripes with Obama than I do Hillary these days, but one thing that has really rankled me about Obama lately is his conscious effort to distance himself from the label of Liberal. It shouldn't be treated as a shameful thing and he should be making the case that Liberal policies are what made this country great in the first place.
My ideal candidate would do that and would be much stronger on drug policy reform for starters. They would strongly be running on a platform highlighting how destructive the conservative agenda has been for America. Probably not a realistic wish, and maybe it's not even a winning strategy, but that would still be my ideal.
Libby:
Any specific names in mind? Kucinich perhaps?
I see what you're saying, though.
And, ironically, Obama could take a lesson from Reagan. I was only 11 when he was elected, but I certainly recall him not being afraid to call himself a conservative. I also vividly recall how much my parents hated his conservative beliefs. I also remember in 1988, when Dukakis finally admitted he was "a liberal." He actually ROSE in the polls, but it was way too little too late.
Ironically Kucinich would fill the description but he was just too goofy to pull it off. Obama's strength is his gift to inspire with words and his stage presence is impressive.
I won't vote until May so I haven't been keen to endorse anyone, but if this continues to play out as it has so far, it seems likely I'll vote for Obama when the time comes. In the end, I think the most important thing is to repair our foreign relations and I think he's the best stateman of the bunch.
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