First off, I'd like to say that I think the Democrats have a fine, depth-filled list of candidates, any of whom I'd be glad to support in the general election.
I'm not one to quickly jump on any bandwagon, and so far I've managed to steer clear of any and all diaries that were to 'sell' a candiate. Or, alternatively, to knock a candidate.
In the end, what we want is the candidate who is not only the best candidate to win the general election, but also the candidate who best carries the ideals of our community.
My vote goes to Barack Obama, and I'll tell you why.
Bill Richardson has the most experience of any of the candidates, so he was the one I wanted to watch the most. But Bill has turned into a very poor candidate, one unable to 'sell' his message, even to his own party. He's been lackluster, to say the least, in all the debates. So, scratch Bill.
I love Joe Biden's 'tell it like it is', and he does so, eloquently and not so eloquently. But Joe, I cannot forgive you that vote on the bsnkruptcy bill. I know, more than most people, Delaware's status with the banking industry, but I just can't put that one behind me. Especially after I learned the tactics the credit card issuers are using to grab assets. A president has to be president of us all, and that bill clearly benefitted the industry by screwing us all. But you'd make a good Secretary of Defense, which is maybe what you're running for.
I like John Edwards, especially his message about helping the poor. Well, I love Elizabeth while I like John. She's actually been a much better candidate than he has, with her fiery passion. John has a facileness on the issues that's kind of left me mildly iritated, but more than that, I think of all the major candidates, he'd be the most vulnerable in a general election. Sorry, John.
Then we come to Hillary. I've always admired her, still do, and I can't tell you how much I'd love to see the first woman president. I thought the community here unfairly criticized her for that vote for the war. I thought she explained it, and I could even agree with it. No, my problem with Hillary isn't the vote, it's that of all our candidates, she's the most palatable to the Republicans, and you have to ask yourself, WHY?
Maybe it's because she's the most DLCish of our candidates. Maybe it's because she's the most 'corporatist' of our candidates. The Republicans I know already know their goose is pretty well cooked for 08. So why are they lauding her as the only 'sane' Democrat now? That in itself should tell something. I loved Bill Clinton as president, but since he's left office, I've come to realize that he pandered to many of the same business interests as the Republicans, and Hillary will only continue in the same vein. Hillary, my friend, I'm not going to vote for you to satisfy my eagerness for a woman, and you remind me too much of what is wrong in Washington.
Barack Obama seemed to have cult status, so I bided my time looking at him. He's giving more nuanced policies as he's come along. But I'll tell you where he won me. During this last debate, where he was defending his statement about whether he'd attack inside Pakistan. He said that the American people have the right to know where a candidate stands. Hillary's answer was for the pundits, the analysts, the chattering classes, or however you want to phrase it. Obama's answer was for us. Us, as in the American people.
And that is what I want, someone who's going to talk to me.
I look at Obama as someone who is very smart, still a mite green, but someone who can best change the dynamics in Washington, and work for the ideals of this community. I may not like every one of his ideas, but I trust him, and he's got my vote.
Rather than try to convince me of the errors of my ways, I'd love to hear why you've chosen the candidate you have.