It's been four long years since the 2004 Primaries. Back then we had ten candidates on the debate stages. This year we started out with eight but are now down to two (or three counting Mike Gravel). How many remember that John Kerry had to mortgage his Boston Townhouse to continue his bid in Iowa? The Gephardt ads in Iowa attacking Dean? Wes Clark winning Oklahoma? Kucinich taking his delegates all the way to the 2004 Convention before releasing them to the floor? Many of you may have seen the junior senator from Illinois speak for the first time at the 2004 Convention.
Your poll on the flip...
So where did everybody go after the 2004 Election? Since 2004 many Kossacks worked to elect the Fighting Dems or other Dem candidates from their state. Many worked for issues. Many closed up shop completely after Kerry chose not to spend his extra $10 million to contest Ohio. In 2006 grassrooters of all colors and stripes helped the Democrats regain control of the US House of Representatives and squeak in six new US Senators for a simple majority.
By 2007 we all turned our attention to the 2008 race, with Mike Gravel being the first to announce his candidacy. Soon the better known names entered The Race, even a couple from the 2004 field (Edwards and Kucinich). With each successive announcement, supporters took sides and signed up to their respective candidate's campaigns. Some went to Iowa, some to New Hampshire to campaign for their candidate. Slowly the field sorted itself out. Chris Dodd went back to DC to fight against Telecom Immunity (FISA VOTE TOMORROW! See mcjoans's diary FISA Fight: The law means something.) Biden dropped out, then Richardson, Kucinich and lastly John Edwards.
So here we are with two front-runners, that junior senator from Illinois Barak Obama, and the junior senator from New York Hillary Clinton. Kossacks have been defending both candidates vigorously these past few weeks, as delegates get assigned and caucuses and primaries take place.
So, as a retrospective, after four long years, where did you come from politically?
This poll is for OBAMA supporters ONLY, please.
I'll put up a similar poll for the Clinton supporters tomorrow.
--> UPDATE!: Clinton supporters can now vote HERE!
If you want, explain how you got from Point A in 2004 to Point B today.
And NO PIE THROWING! :-)
(Me? All my favorite candidates are out now. And I'm probably going to make my decision on Election Day March 4th. So I'm not voting here!)
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