Election musings and poll

[owlmoose]

So John Edwards dropped out. Since I had finally settled on him, and was actually looking forward to casting a vote that mattered for a candidate I liked, this throws me into a bit of disarray.


[Poll #1130367]

Comments

[parron.livejournal.com]

See, here I am, hoping to God that McCain actually does get the Republican nominee. Because I just plain like him, for one, and would vote for him. But also because I also really like Clinton and Obama (the former a tiny bit more), and I would love an election where I couldn't decide between the R or D nominees.

Obama is really charismatic and everything, but I think he just gives off an air of being too "new." And I also think that with Clinton, people automatically (of course) associate her with her husband--you know, "hey, it's like letting him back in the white house again." I think that she stands a better chance for those reasons... she comes off as more worldly and experienced, and Obama as more... naive, almost, you know, very new. So right now I'm thinking it'll be Clinton in the end (although who really knows).

But dammit, I do love McCain, too. *laugh* He's too old and loud-mouthed and I just don't know that he can realistically get the R nomination, but I hope he does anyway. *laugh*

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

I am torn about McCain. There's a part of me that's rooting for him to get the nomination, because he has the air of being actually competent, and principled, and all the things that GWB is not. And I like some of the stands he's taken (campaign finance reform, zero tolerance on torture, etc.). That's the part of me that wants someone who would seems able to do the job, no matter what their party is. And I have a lot more confidence in McCain being able to do that than, say, Huckabee. And I agree, there's a lot to be said about having interesting candidates on both sides of the ballot.

But he's said things about the war that concern me, a lot. And he's way more conservative on social issues than I like. And he's far more electable than any of the other Republican candidates. And maybe it's terribly partisan of me, but after how things have done down the last eight years, I really *really* want a Democrat in the White House. So it worries me.

[parron.livejournal.com]

Generally speaking, when compared to say Clinton, his stance isn't really all that different--a little more right, but, he's still pretty moderate (I mean, it says something when the R party's loudest complaint about him is simply "He's not conservative!"). My thought is definitely, "if there's going to be a Republican, he's the one to pick." And really, as nice as it sounds to say "let's run away from Iraq really face," it's just not feasible in any way at this point... in any case, those things that I don't like about him are inevitably balanced by things I do like about him. I'd rather have a candidate that I generally agree with and stands a good chance of being elected, I guess. (And: Dammit, he's just likable, even though he has a smart mouth. I read somewhere that most of McCain's voters "don't vote for his policies, they vote for him," which rings pretty true. *laugh*)

I'd like a democrat to win, too, but I guess to me it's "But if not, that guy's pretty cool." I was amazed that he actually became the front runner--who knows if it'll last, but I didn't expect him to do very well. My brother just turned 18 and he's apparently voting for Clinton if she gets it, though. I'll probably end up voting D too, but isn't it novel that the election could be "two decent candidates" versus "one good and one very bad?"

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

but isn't it novel that the election could be "two decent candidates" versus "one good and one very bad?"

Yes, absolutely. It is a very nice change, and more than I usually hope for from a presidential campaign. Not that there is any choice for me -- McCain or no McCain, I'll vote for whoever gets the Democratic nomiation -- but it's nice to think that I won't want to flee the country if the "other side" wins (which I was seriously tempted to do in 2000).