Currently, I am undecided about HRC. I still believe she would be the most likely to win of the current crop of Dem candidates, but we don’t know who might still enter the fray. My mind is still willing to be converted.
I have seen some pretty unsettling comments thrown at HRC, for what seems like some specious reasons. I’m trying to understand if this is because of the “inevitable” label or if there is some underlying belief in the RW stuff that is being broadcast. Are we helping or hurting the Dem chances by laying HRC’s dirty laundry out in the sun? Inquiring minds and all that.
Having said that, I have some questions for the anti-HRC, pro-Bernie (and with a more crowded field, all the others) crowd: (below the orange doodlebug)
1. Daily Kos, from what Kos has stated, is for electing better Dems. How is a professed independent suiting that mission statement? Are the other potentials better or the same as HRC, just not HRC so you can vote for them?
2. HRC has been accused of political expediency in some of her actions. How do you reconcile that with the fact that, for political expediency, Bernie changed from an independent to a Democrat? Wasn’t Joe Lieberman enough?
3. Some have complained about HRC’s “listening” tour. Would you rather have a candidate whose mind is made up, don’t confuse him/her by suggesting other possibilities? Or is this all a hoax? Just play acting on HRC’s part? And how do you know? Facts, not just opinions.
4. About that listening tour: Would you rather have a candidate who can learn from others by listening to what they have to say? Or are attitudes carved in stone better?
5. While learning and listening, your candidate has a change of position to better match what he/she is hearing: Is that being dishonest or would you rather have someone who never changes to match what the people are saying? Is it a flip-flop move if your candidate changes his/her opinion and keeps it at the new opinion?
6. We have almost a year until the first of the primaries. Is it better for your candidate to take a solid position now before finding out what people actually want, or is your candidate’s position more important than what people may be saying in the next 6 months to a year? Should a candidate be willing to listen and learn even if it goes against “accepted” wisdom?
7. What happens during the year is unpredictable – if your candidate takes a position now and things present themselves that might lead to a change, which is a more honest stance to take now: your candidate’s position strongly taken now, or a more flexible sort of attitude at this point? Would your candidate be able to change their stance quickly enough and confidently enough to withstand a “flip-flopper” accusation?
8. There are a lot of positions to take as a presidential candidate. Part of the problem we have with third parties is that many of them have a limited platform: Should your candidate have strong opinions on a select few issues, or a more moderate opinion on a wider variety of issues? Should those issues be selected by your candidate or by polls? Do you have a better way?
9. Does your candidate only rely on polls of what issues are important? Unless polls get everybody in the US (and only the census attempts to get everyone), how does your candidate know what the majority of people are thinking? What if there are some who are never included in polls (e.g., no landline, only Verizon customers, etc) who have a far different opinion on what issues are important? What if a large group has some real concerns not covered by polls or media coverage? How would your candidate address those issues?
10. Regardless of who gets the nomination, I will gladly vote for any Dem candidate for Pres. I will vote. Can you say the same thing or will it be “I’ll hold my nose to vote for HRC.” Or “I’m not going to vote if my candidate isn’t running.” Will you insist that Bernie run as an independent and give the election to the Repubs?
11. HRC has been through the Repubs lies and wars for years. She has had her competence, honesty, and integrity questioned, held up for ridicule and denounced for years. Can your candidate a) say the same thing and b) handle all of the above with a good attitude. Are you going along with the RWCW and denouncing her honesty and integrity too?
12. When Dems contribute more lies/attitudes to the general discussion about HRC, thus helping Repubs, if your candidate was faced with the same disgust, how would he/she respond? Is your concern more for your candidate than for the Dems in general?
There are probably more questions that could be asked. These are some that are of concern to me. Please, as an anti-HRC, pro-Bernie (and others) supporter, feel free to answer some or all of these of these for me.
Thanks for playing along.