I am a pretty old timer who lurks more than posts anymore. I have live the flame wars of 04. The pre-Scoop day around here when Markos had to ask us to help him keep the site going by helping with a new server. The Site has grown to an establishment and it has taken a lot of hard work to do it.
So since we are involved in what will one day be seen as the flame wars of 08 by those who choose to stay on for the long haul at least as lurkers like me. I propose a sorta thought experiment on a couple of questions. I understand the fact that some candidates for what ever reasons people identify with and have strong emotional ties to. This IMHO is normal and good. It shows that you care about the future and the countries direction. It shows that you have certain priorities that one candidate address better than another.
More below the fold...
I would like you to make your points just on the positives without spinning or degrading your competitors.. The questions are below a bit of copy and paste issue with the intro length has lost a bit of my introduction please forgive...
I will give you what I think are the strengths of each candidate.
John Edwards..Former VP nominee, Former US Senator, very good and successful Plaintiffs lawyer in many types of law suits..
Very committed to working class and poor issues. Brings a strong anti-establishment voice to the process and is everything I could hope for in a candidate. He is honest and eloquent and passionate. He and I could be wrong but gets a lot of support from traditional conservative democrats.
Hillary Clinton Former First Lady of Arkansas, Former First lady of the US, Current Junior Senator from New York..
Has worked on women's and children's issues since before she was a senator and as first lady. Has White House experience by being involved in policy matters to one degree or another. Has lived with the attack politics of the GOP for along time. Has big support from Over 65 group, White women and non-college educated white voters.. Has at last counting some good support among Hispanic voters and their representatives.. Was also on the armed services committee and has crossed party lines in the senate to get things done...
Barack Obama..Community organizer, State Senator of Illinois, Current Junior Senator of Illinois. Has worked on many different issues in Illinois, worked across party lines to pass common since stuff in the US Senate.. Has large AA support, college educated voters and 18-27 year olds.. Has some major endorsements from former Presidential candidate Kerry and the part of the Kennedy family. Along with some Hispanic support and many Red/purple state Senators and Govnor's.
Not a complete list for sure but the guts IMHO...
For the record I am an Obama supporter... The most important choice for me is the health of the party moving forward. The young generation is the largest since the boomers and young voting and party ID change politics for generations.. Not that the first Women IMHO would not have an impact that is also lasting but IMHO just different than the health of the party.
For the record the civility around here is short lived and will not live past this dairy but might live in it.
The questions I would like each of you to address are why you think that your preferred candidate is the best choice as president. What they offer that the others do not. How they are the best for the parties future. How they will fair in the general election.
Please state your case on these questions being positive to your candidate or any you would like to comment on. Be civil at least in this thread to each other. I will re-post the questions here that I am interested in..
Thanks to all who take the time to have a common dialogue if we can not debate honestly with each other how will we come together to change our country. I apologize for any errors or short sightedness on anyone candidate and hope that this is a positive learning experience..
Now the questions.. The questions I would like each of you to address are These.
Why you think that your preferred candidate is the best choice as president.
What they offer that the others do not.
How they are the best for the Democratic parties future.
How they will fair in the general election in comparison to the other choices.