The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
We now return to our regularly scheduled PA Forums. Please let me (Hahnsoo1) know if something isn't working. The Holiday Forum will remain up until January 10, 2025.

American Primaries: How dumb are the Democrats?

13468964

Posts

  • zakkielzakkiel Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    On that note, Gallup has Clinton's national lead down to 6 points, from 16 points ten days ago.

    zakkiel on
    Account not recoverable. So long.
  • ThanatosThanatos Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I think everyone needs to take a step back. Every day I come into this thread and it's dispair and anguish.

    We have a fight ahead of us. Super Tuesday is coming up. Sitting here talking does nothing. What can you do to help? If it's just donating money, so be it. If you're in a state which has already gone but live near one that's going, look to see if there's some sort of calling center near you that you can volunteer in. Call up friends and family who live in states which are going to go and try to get them to get word out.

    The general election is in November. It's January now, and there's a lot more to focus on. If Obama's not the candidate, then you have plenty of time to come to terms with how things are and determine which vote is most acceptible to your sense of ethics, even if that vote happens to be leaving the ballot blank. While we can't lose sight of the big picture, the next step is far more important.

    I'm going to be phone banking Saturday. It's looking like I've convinced one of my coworkers to come out and join me with that, and I know some other Arcadians are going to be as well. Want to help? http://my.barackobama.com On the right, click on Events and then Find Events Near Me. Put in your zip code. Find someplace you can help out. But sitting here and worrying will only make you feel worse. Might as well go out and try to make an impact.
    I live in an irrelevant state, next to a bunch of other irrelevant states. Goddamn primary system.

    Thanatos on
  • HarrierHarrier The Star Spangled Man Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    mtvcdm wrote: »
    It is tomorrow. GOP goes tonight at the Ronald Reagan Library, they draw Anderson Cooper. Dems go tomorrow at the Kodak Theater, they draw Wolf Blitzer.
    FUCK

    Harrier on
    I don't wanna kill anybody. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from.
  • HozHoz Cool Cat Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    zakkiel wrote: »
    On that note, Gallup has Clinton's national lead down to 6 points, from 16 points ten days ago.
    And that's with Edwards in the poll.

    Hoz on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2008
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I'm going to be phone banking Saturday. It's looking like I've convinced one of my coworkers to come out and join me with that, and I know some other Arcadians are going to be as well. Want to help? http://my.barackobama.com On the right, click on Events and then Find Events Near Me. Put in your zip code. Find someplace you can help out. But sitting here and worrying will only make you feel worse. Might as well go out and try to make an impact.

    Let it be known I will be phone banking that day, as well. Me. For a Democrat.

    If I can do it, y'all better fucking do it, too.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • TarranonTarranon Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Irond Will wrote: »
    Carter all but endorses Obama:
    CNN wrote:
    Jimmy Carter says he's not formally endorsing any candidate, but in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the former president lavished praise on Barack Obama, calling his campaign "extraordinary"

    "Obama's campaign has been extraordinary and titillating for me and my family," Carter told the newspaper in an interview published in its Wednesday edition. According to the paper, Carter was particularly praiseworthy of the Illinois senator's rhetorical skills, comparing them to those of Martin Luther King, Jr.

    Carter also said Obama "will be almost automatically a healing factor in the animosity now that exists, that relates to our country and its government."

    Not really sure who this might push over the line. Carter seems to have little influence outside of older liberals and maybe religious dems.

    I lived in Georgia for ten years yet I'm not sure of this, but do democratic Georgians still have a soft spot for him?

    Tarranon on
    You could be anywhere
    On the black screen
  • One Thousand CablesOne Thousand Cables An absence of thought Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'd phonebank, but I don't have a reliable phone. However, I'll try to get in contact with the campus Obama nut, and maybe he'll have something for me to do.

    One Thousand Cables on
  • DerrickDerrick Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I'm going to be phone banking Saturday. It's looking like I've convinced one of my coworkers to come out and join me with that, and I know some other Arcadians are going to be as well. Want to help? http://my.barackobama.com On the right, click on Events and then Find Events Near Me. Put in your zip code. Find someplace you can help out. But sitting here and worrying will only make you feel worse. Might as well go out and try to make an impact.

    Let it be known I will be phone banking that day, as well. Me. For a Democrat.

    If I can do it, y'all better fucking do it, too.

    I'll be doing it as well, while my lady love actively campaigns for the other side. If I can risk the strife that can cause, you can go out too.

    Derrick on
    Steam and CFN: Enexemander
  • JragghenJragghen Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Moe Fwacky wrote: »
    I live in an irrelevant state, next to a bunch of other irrelevant states. Goddamn primary system.

    Your primary is a scant 4 days after Super Tuesday, and it might not be decided that day. Not to mention Washington has more delegates than 18 of the states on Super Tuesday. There's a slew of canvasing activities planned for Seattle. You can look into one of them, time permitting.

    Jragghen on
  • imbalancedimbalanced Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'd phonebank, but I don't have a reliable phone. However, I'll try to get in contact with the campus Obama nut, and maybe he'll have something for me to do.

    When I was doing the phonebank stuff, I was using Skype which is infinitely easier than typing in the phone number for every person anyway. Just get like $10 Skype-out credits and go nuts.

    imbalanced on
    idc-sig.png
    Wii Code: 1040-1320-0724-3613 :!!:
  • saggiosaggio Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I'm going to be phone banking Saturday. It's looking like I've convinced one of my coworkers to come out and join me with that, and I know some other Arcadians are going to be as well. Want to help? http://my.barackobama.com On the right, click on Events and then Find Events Near Me. Put in your zip code. Find someplace you can help out. But sitting here and worrying will only make you feel worse. Might as well go out and try to make an impact.

    Let it be known I will be phone banking that day, as well. Me. For a Democrat.

    If I can do it, y'all better fucking do it, too.

    Aren't you supposed to be a staunch Republican?

    saggio on
    3DS: 0232-9436-6893
  • HarrierHarrier The Star Spangled Man Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Fuck fuck fuck motherfuck, if Blitzer causes an Obama gaffe with his asinine questions in the debate before Super Tuesday, I may just actually, not-on-the-internet, go out and kill him. I will find him in the open fields and I will rip off his lower jaw.

    Harrier on
    I don't wanna kill anybody. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from.
  • GoslingGosling Looking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, Probably Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    jotate wrote: »
    As if Hillary needed less of a chance to win against McCain.

    Darth Nader is back.

    Oh fuck

    It has to be too late for him to get in the running, right? I mean, didn't the Green Party already have its primaries?
    The race appears to be between four people:
    *Cynthia McKinney, Georgia. She of the airport crazy.
    *Kat Swift, Texas. Trying to raise $5,000 by Friday to remain in the race. Has half of that.
    *Kent Mesplay, California. Main page of campaign site can be described as 'manifesto'.
    *Jesse Johnson, West Virginia. Entire online presence consists of one YouTube video.

    So... yeah. It's the usual mess.

    Gosling on
    I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
  • fightinfilipinofightinfilipino Angry as Hell #BLMRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Harrier wrote: »
    Fuck fuck fuck motherfuck, if Blitzer causes an Obama gaffe with his asinine questions in the debate before Super Tuesday, I may just actually, not-on-the-internet, go out and kill him. I will find him in the open fields and I will rip off his lower jaw.

    Harrier


    successful assassinations happen with two-man teams. i'll come out and help you. it's time Wolf paid for his crimes :x

    fightinfilipino on
    ffNewSig.png
    steam | Dokkan: 868846562
  • ClevingerClevinger Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Harrier wrote: »
    Fuck fuck fuck motherfuck, if Blitzer causes an Obama gaffe with his asinine questions in the debate before Super Tuesday, I may just actually, not-on-the-internet, go out and kill him. I will find him in the open fields and I will rip off his lower jaw.

    "Senator Obama, recently you rejected a handshake from Senator Clinton. There are now rumors going around on the internet that you hate women. Is this true, Senator?"

    "Wolf... Are you seriou-"

    "Yes or no, Senator."

    Clevinger on
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2008
    I'd phonebank, but I don't have a reliable phone. However, I'll try to get in contact with the campus Obama nut, and maybe he'll have something for me to do.

    I'm actually going to a physical place. I presume it is not BYOP.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • an_altan_alt Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Well, we agree on the first bit, so I'll skip that.
    My point is that it doesn't matter if she makes most conservatives and many liberals angry or not. The real issue is whether or not she makes them so angry that they will void all of their reason and normal voting habits just to spite her or not.

    While I have learned not to underestimate humanity's capacity to hold a grudge, and I don't deny that it could affect the general election, but I personally have more faith that the majority of people who dislike her are greater than mindless "Kill Hillary" robots.

    Keep in mind that not everyone votes. The whole "getting out the vote" is a huge part of every campaign with 1/2 to 1/4 of eligible voters not making the extra trip. If you were a social conservative and McCain didn't do much for you, then you might not show up to vote for him even though you hoped for a republican win. Throw Hillary into the mix and there's an extra bit of motivation to get to the voting station. It's not so much about being a robot, but rather a slightly stronger push. The reverse would happen if Rudy was the republican candidate.
    I have trouble seeing her keeping it with a Democratic congress. She's going to have to make concessions when she gets elected to prove that she's beyond the dynastic power plays of the previous administration. If she wins, I expect that McCain will revert to watchdog status to build cred for a 2012 run, and he and Feingold will team up to repair the executive branch excesses (I don't think McCain would try to fix them if he got elected; he's far more comfortable taking power away from a Democrat... and a Democrat who beat him in particular).

    I'll agree somewhat with McCain, but I think Clinton would spend more time talking about the issue than really doing anything of substance. A Democratic congress would certainly be less concerned with curtailing the power of a dem president than a pub.

    an_alt on
    Pony wrote:
    I think that the internet has been for years on the path to creating what is essentially an electronic Necronomicon: A collection of blasphemous unrealities so perverse that to even glimpse at its contents, if but for a moment, is to irrevocably forfeit a portion of your sanity.
    Xbox - PearlBlueS0ul, Steam
    If you ever need to talk to someone, feel free to message me. Yes, that includes you.
  • jotatejotate Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I've talked at least three people that I work with into registering and voting for Obama. But I get the feeling that Ohio doesn't pull much weight in this process. :|

    jotate on
  • HarrierHarrier The Star Spangled Man Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Harrier wrote: »
    Fuck fuck fuck motherfuck, if Blitzer causes an Obama gaffe with his asinine questions in the debate before Super Tuesday, I may just actually, not-on-the-internet, go out and kill him. I will find him in the open fields and I will rip off his lower jaw.

    Harrier


    successful assassinations happen with two-man teams. i'll come out and help you. it's time Wolf paid for his crimes :x
    We'll set up an ambush. We can tell him that Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama have agreed to an informal discussion with each other. He'll be on it like a fly on shit.

    Harrier on
    I don't wanna kill anybody. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from.
  • ElkiElki get busy Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    So, Edwards' demographic consists of Hillary people. Fine.

    Who, then, inherits his activists? Is it safe to assume they've been paying to his message closely, and will drift to the Obama camp?

    Elki on
    smCQ5WE.jpg
  • HarrierHarrier The Star Spangled Man Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    jotate wrote: »
    I've talked at least three people that I work with into registering and voting for Obama. But I get the feeling that Ohio doesn't pull much weight in this process. :|
    161 delegates!

    Last poll had Clinton up 45 points to Obama's 19, but it was taken in the first half of December. It's surely changed by now.

    Harrier on
    I don't wanna kill anybody. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from.
  • GoslingGosling Looking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, Probably Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    jotate wrote: »
    I've talked at least three people that I work with into registering and voting for Obama. But I get the feeling that Ohio doesn't pull much weight in this process. :|
    Every little bit helps. You never know, this might feasibly reach you guys.

    It might reach me two weeks after Super Tuesday, and I've swung my parents around. It appears that they may be needed.

    Gosling on
    I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
  • TarranonTarranon Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    saggio wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I'm going to be phone banking Saturday. It's looking like I've convinced one of my coworkers to come out and join me with that, and I know some other Arcadians are going to be as well. Want to help? http://my.barackobama.com On the right, click on Events and then Find Events Near Me. Put in your zip code. Find someplace you can help out. But sitting here and worrying will only make you feel worse. Might as well go out and try to make an impact.

    Let it be known I will be phone banking that day, as well. Me. For a Democrat.

    If I can do it, y'all better fucking do it, too.

    Aren't you supposed to be a staunch Republican?

    Let's be honest here. Jeffe hasn't been a 'staunch republican' for four years. Any struggling kicks you might see from time to time are just the effects of 20 years worth of cognitive dissonance.

    Tarranon on
    You could be anywhere
    On the black screen
  • SentrySentry Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Tarranon wrote: »
    saggio wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I'm going to be phone banking Saturday. It's looking like I've convinced one of my coworkers to come out and join me with that, and I know some other Arcadians are going to be as well. Want to help? http://my.barackobama.com On the right, click on Events and then Find Events Near Me. Put in your zip code. Find someplace you can help out. But sitting here and worrying will only make you feel worse. Might as well go out and try to make an impact.

    Let it be known I will be phone banking that day, as well. Me. For a Democrat.

    If I can do it, y'all better fucking do it, too.

    Aren't you supposed to be a staunch Republican?

    Let's be honest here. Jeffe hasn't been a 'staunch republican' for four years. Any struggling kicks you might see from time to time are just the effects of 20 years worth of cognitive dissonance.

    He's just a republican with a heart of gold...

    like a hooker...
    only cheaper

    Sentry on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    wrote:
    When I was a little kid, I always pretended I was the hero,' Skip said.
    'Fuck yeah, me too. What little kid ever pretended to be part of the lynch-mob?'
  • ege02ege02 __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2008
    Obama should go and form his own political party.

    ege02 on
  • an_altan_alt Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Tarranon wrote: »
    saggio wrote: »
    ElJeffe wrote: »
    Jragghen wrote: »
    I'm going to be phone banking Saturday. It's looking like I've convinced one of my coworkers to come out and join me with that, and I know some other Arcadians are going to be as well. Want to help? http://my.barackobama.com On the right, click on Events and then Find Events Near Me. Put in your zip code. Find someplace you can help out. But sitting here and worrying will only make you feel worse. Might as well go out and try to make an impact.

    Let it be known I will be phone banking that day, as well. Me. For a Democrat.

    If I can do it, y'all better fucking do it, too.

    Aren't you supposed to be a staunch Republican?

    Let's be honest here. Jeffe hasn't been a 'staunch republican' for four years. Any struggling kicks you might see from time to time are just the effects of 20 years worth of cognitive dissonance.

    Jeffe is the finest of true conservatives. The problem is that Republicans haven't been conservative in anything other than rhetoric for a while now and even that's debatable.

    an_alt on
    Pony wrote:
    I think that the internet has been for years on the path to creating what is essentially an electronic Necronomicon: A collection of blasphemous unrealities so perverse that to even glimpse at its contents, if but for a moment, is to irrevocably forfeit a portion of your sanity.
    Xbox - PearlBlueS0ul, Steam
    If you ever need to talk to someone, feel free to message me. Yes, that includes you.
  • ege02ege02 __BANNED USERS regular
    edited January 2008
    CNN wrote:
    Some political pundits predict Edwards' supporters are more likely to lean in Obama's direction.

    "The conventional wisdom is that Barack Obama will pick up maybe 60 percent of them, and in some places, that makes a huge difference," former presidential adviser David Gergen said.

    Time magazine journalist Joe Klein said, "I don't think he endorses Hillary Clinton. The question is whether or not he endorses Barack Obama."

    Klein contends that Clinton "represents a lot of the things that [Edwards] campaigned against, you know, the old Washington Democratic establishment that he believes got too close to the corporations in the '90s."

    Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, the people who are not traditionally given a voice in Washington, and that he would do more to fight special interests.

    ege02 on
  • Shazkar ShadowstormShazkar Shadowstorm Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I saw flyers on campus for phonebanking for Obama. I've never done that before... but I think I might. I've also never donated to a political candidate before, but yesterday I did. This is also my first chance to vote in a presidential election, and for some reason I really give a shit now when before I was only mildly interested. Maybe it's because I finally have a say now... but goddammit do I want to see Obama win.

    Shazkar Shadowstorm on
    poo
  • Sword_of_LightSword_of_Light Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    ege02 wrote: »
    CNN wrote:
    Some political pundits predict Edwards' supporters are more likely to lean in Obama's direction.

    "The conventional wisdom is that Barack Obama will pick up maybe 60 percent of them, and in some places, that makes a huge difference," former presidential adviser David Gergen said.

    Time magazine journalist Joe Klein said, "I don't think he endorses Hillary Clinton. The question is whether or not he endorses Barack Obama."

    Klein contends that Clinton "represents a lot of the things that [Edwards] campaigned against, you know, the old Washington Democratic establishment that he believes got too close to the corporations in the '90s."

    Edwards had campaigned on the message that he was standing up for the little guy, the people who are not traditionally given a voice in Washington, and that he would do more to fight special interests.

    Oh yeah, and we saw what a bang-up job the pundits did in NH with "Obama Wins By Landslide"

    Sword_of_Light on
    "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. "
  • ElkiElki get busy Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    A bit optimistic about Obama's chances, aren't we?

    Elki on
    smCQ5WE.jpg
  • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Elki wrote: »
    A bit optimistic about Obama's chances, aren't we?

    Gotta have faith in something.

    Dracomicron on
  • Shazkar ShadowstormShazkar Shadowstorm Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Ooh, people are doing things 3 blocks from my room, handing out stuff and telling people to vote. Maybe I'll go join them.

    Shazkar Shadowstorm on
    poo
  • ElJeffeElJeffe Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited January 2008
    an_alt wrote: »
    Jeffe is the finest of true conservatives. The problem is that Republicans haven't been conservative in anything other than rhetoric for a while now and even that's debatable.

    Yeah, conservatives don't really have a home. Maybe the Republicans are technically more conservative than the Dems, I don't know. Doesn't matter. The actual policies they endorse are stupid and will not push us towards anything approximating conservatism. And to the extent that they do, it's conservatism at the expense of betterment.

    I have no great love for ideology qua ideology. I don't love the free market because it's free, I love it because I think that it results in a better society. Making a particular element of the market more free does not entice me if it will make life worse for more people on average. Yeah, I like the idea of free-market health care. But you know what I like better? Functional health care. Something that works, something that allows people to actually acquire care. I'll take UHC over the clusterfuck we have now. It may be less conservative, but it's more practical than what we have now, and that right there adds an element of conservatism itself.

    A large part of conservatism is a willingness to deal in pragmatism, to toss aside wide-eyed idealism in lieu of what works. What the Republicans are preaching right now? That doesn't work. We've seen most of what they're peddling in action, and it doesn't fucking work. The tax cuts they offer us don't make our economy super-wonderful. The health care reforms they offer us don't result in better or cheaper care. The foreign policy they offer us doesn't make us safer or more prosperous. So yeah, maybe we should give the Dems the ball, see what they can do with it.

    ElJeffe on
    I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
  • Sword_of_LightSword_of_Light Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I saw flyers on campus for phonebanking for Obama. I've never done that before... but I think I might. I've also never donated to a political candidate before, but yesterday I did. This is also my first chance to vote in a presidential election, and for some reason I really give a shit now when before I was only mildly interested. Maybe it's because I finally have a say now... but goddammit do I want to see Obama win.

    I used to volunteer at the polling places near where I lived.

    Until 2000, when my vote didnt matter. When the popular vote was discounted for some antiquated fraud called the Electorial College, where the members of the highest court of the land got to vote twice, once at the polls, once with a gavel.

    Call it a crisis of faith, but I'll wait and see if this election restores my sense of faith in American democracy. You folks hit your phones and plant your signs, and I'll cast my vote come election day, and then we'll see if any of this actually maters.

    Sword_of_Light on
    "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. "
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Ooh, people are doing things 3 blocks from my room, handing out stuff and telling people to vote. Maybe I'll go join them.

    DO IT

    KalTorak on
  • TarranonTarranon Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Elki wrote: »
    A bit optimistic about Obama's chances, aren't we?

    Sith Drummer is so optimistic that he put a check on every box.

    Tarranon on
    You could be anywhere
    On the black screen
  • HarrierHarrier The Star Spangled Man Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Ooh, people are doing things 3 blocks from my room, handing out stuff and telling people to vote. Maybe I'll go join them.
    FEEL THE OBAMAMENTUM

    Harrier on
    I don't wanna kill anybody. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from.
  • DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin
    edited January 2008
    So seriously, I thought Elki and Thinatos would have Political Machine for sure!

    None of you guys have it? Go buy it for $5 off Amazon or something.

    Unknown User on
  • SeptusSeptus Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Can anyone direct me to a good site displaying a collection of poll information? The longer this goes, the more I think that Texas could actually have a say in this thing. I think McCain probably has the nomination locked up, but I don't know what Obama's chances would be here, now that Edwards who I think had the best support, is out.

    I'm definitely betting that Clinton would lead on the Dem side here, but I don't know by how much.

    Septus on
    PSN: Kurahoshi1
  • ElkiElki get busy Moderator, ClubPA Mod Emeritus
    edited January 2008
    Elki wrote: »
    A bit optimistic about Obama's chances, aren't we?

    Gotta have faith in something.

    The American voters?

    Elki on
    smCQ5WE.jpg
This discussion has been closed.