It may be my blue collar upbringing, but I like fighters. I like Gandhi and I like Martin Luther King Jr. Among politicians, my favorite president is "Give them hell, Harry" Truman. I can't get enough of Jim Webb, and I can't get enough of Edwards.
Edwards knows what the middle class is up against because his job was to protect the middle class from getting ran over by the powerful.
Edwards is my guy.
But what would happened, lets say, if for some reason Edwards does decide to drop out of the race?
Well, if Edwards indeed drops out, which many are predicting, then we Edwards supporters would have to decide who to vote for.
Most Obama supporters seem to believe that we Edwards supporters would naturally gravitate towards Obama. But will we?
True, many among us do feel that Hillary is closely connected with corporations and the power elite. This gives many of us a tug towards the Obama side.
However, if we conclude that most Edwards supporters will do this, we are forgetting that Edwards supporter are economic realists. We like Edwards because Edwards accurately points out economic problems and gives a realistic program on how to solve them.
Obama has come across many Edwards supporters with two defects: fuzzy on policy and too ready to give in to corporate wishes in the name of national reconciliation. I personally believe that this is unfair, but each person is entitle to their opinion.
So, when we are faced with two candidates, Obama and Hillary, both committed to the status quo, many of us may in fact lean towards Hillary. Why? given two corporate choices, we may go with the one that has a proven record of pragmatism. No one can say that she isn't a realist.
So what should a Hillary or Obama supporter do to win those Edwards supporters that they are so convinced will be up for grabs?
It is easy: Listen to Edwards message seriously, and share that of your candidate that is the most like him.
It's the Clinton style of politics that I want out of our government. Multinational corporations have way to much power. Hillary Clinton will continue that cozy relationship with big business, and I just can't vote in support of that.
I have serious doubts that Obama can win a general election. But I'd rather risk picking a loser than picking a someone I feel has sold out. I can live with that - voting for what is right instead of for who I think can win. And yes, I think Hillary Clinton has better odds of winning nationally than Obama, but if left between those two choices I'll still go with Obama.
Earlier this week I remarked that I see similarities between Obama and McGovern back in 1972; a lot of hope and appeal to people who share the values of those who voted for Nader in 2000, but little chance of winning the general election if McCain, or even Huckabee is the republican nominee.
Oddly enough, Nader knows this as he endorsed Edwards. I guess he was on his meds and finally "got" the military teaching point that: "When you piss into the wind, the only thing that will happen is you're going to get your pants wet." I think Ralphy finally tired of trying to purify the democratic party of moderates.
My republican and "allegedly independent"friends will never vote for Hillary and will surely vote for whomever the republicans nominate. They don't care much about Obama and will stay with the republican nomimnee if they vote at all. On the other hand, they are sick of Bush's mismanagement of everything and except for a few whose children a far up the economic ladder, are worried that their children and granchildren will be deprived of the chance to do anything but tread water as the middle class slowly sinks down the drain.
They can vote for Edwards, McCain being the only republican that might draw their vote. You probably have guessed by now that none of them are Robertson or Falwell republicans.
If Hillary wins, they will vote for anyone but Hillary.
If Obama wins, they will sit out and do something else on election day.
If Edwards wins, most, if not all, of them will vote for Edwards while telling their friends they voted for the republican.
If Hillary wins, they will vote for anyone but Hillary.If Obama wins, they will sit out and do something else on election day.
If Edwards wins, most, if not all, of them will vote for Edwards while telling their friends they voted for the republican.
That is about how I see it as well. Just like we were saying "ABB" in 2004, they will be saying "ABH" in 2008. Thats anybody but bush/hillary if you don't remember.
Obama, and I hate repeating this, will not carry socially conservative states. I am surprised he carried Iowa - so that gives me some hope for our nation on the race issue - but I remain unconvinced that he can win a general election for the sole reason he is not white. If he is our nominee I'll be voting for him do doubt about it. But the fence sitters/indepedendents/moderate Republicans - I don't think they will. Well, short of a very bad Republican nominee who gets caught in a scandal.
I predict that Bloomberg will be running as an independent. He makes Ross Perot look poor - and he can outspend all of the candidates with personal money if he so chooses. We should also be thinking about who will do the best against Bloomberg - and position ourselves so that Bloomberg is drawing more Republican votes than independents and Democrats.