US Presidential Elections 2008

[Queen Mum]

Just four more days and America will vote on who will run the country for the next four years. So I'm kinda kurious to see what you guys believe would be the better ticket to become the next President. Everybody looks at Obama vs McCain, but we should not forget the Third-Party nominnes as they might turn out to play an important role in the elections.

Opinion polls are still not yet clear on who will win, so I believe it will turn out to be a rather exciting election for everybody. I personally hope that these elections will be the beginning of a new era in US Policy. In what way we will see, I just hope for the better.

So who would you vote for next Tuesday?

 

[JenniferAlice]

I'm not an Americanion. But, if I was, I'd vote Obama.

 

[Perny]

Even though I can't vote at all (dane duh) I want Obama to win. I have followed his campain, and I really like what I see...
The time for change is now. Obama is that change

 

[Washburne]

I really don´t know enough to say for cartain. But considering some "big" issues for me and a test that got suggested to me in a thread earlier on this forum I can say that I would vote for Obama. But that of course isn´t the same as "everything Obama´s gonna do will be great".

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I will be voting for McCain. Neither choice appeals to me, but the views of McCain which I agree with are far stronger than the views of Obama that I disagree with. McCain gets my vote. It's the lesser of two evils, though.

 

[Crazy Flakes]

Obama. I don't agree with him on every issue, but I definitely think he's the better of the two choices.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

In the words of Henry Kissinger, that it's too bad they can't both lose.

I have never been a fan of Obama, and did like McCain for a time, but now I find him lacking.

I don't think anyone else is going to factor in this, it is a two horse race.

I wish wish WISH the Republicans had chosen Ron Paul.

EDIT: I would still vote McCain-Palin over Obama though

 

[Superstar]

Obama is a terrible choice.

I do find it curious as to why Europeans prefer him as a choice.
It seems to be more of an age issue for voters, and possibly those who have no understanding of basic economics.
I'm almost convinced he exemplifies and espouses European standards and why he has popularity there.
That, or Europeans really just don't like the United States and want to see it fall, badly.
For those in America the level of Chicago politics Obama exhibits is striking and disturbing; not surprising though considering his home base.
Is this something Europeans also espouse?

That said, McCain isn't much better but he has the advantage of an economic plan that is proven.

 

[ckg927]

Yeah.

Proven to not have WORKED.

I'll ask you this(Reagan did this back in the day): Are you better off now than you were in 2004? In 2000?

 

[slayerpower]

Obama, though I wish Hilary was the Democrat nominee instead of him

 

[yellowcrayon]

Not an Obama fan in the least, but I'm not all over the McCain bandwagon either. However, as scobro said, I firmly believe that McCain will be the lesser of two evils. I also believe that McCain will be more inclined to listen to the professionals (although they day a politician listens to the medical profession is probably the day that hell freezes over... or the Chicago Cubs win the World Series). I'm not entirely happy with McCain and I definitely think he could've run a better campaign, but... better him than Obama, says I.

I also don't think that the "other candidates" will come into play at all. Nader will, as usual, vote for himself... the Constitution Party is a laugh... and yeah. Who knows, though, maybe Ron Paul will make a miraculous comeback. Although I don't get why folks are still voting for him when he told them not too.... he's actually my favourite candidate, though I don't agree with his foreign policy. What can I say... registered independent with libertarian leanings. 😛

EDIT: Re: Reagan and being better... If McCain is one thing, he's definitely not Bush. McCain is most certainly not going to continue Bush's policies.

Of course, I'm not in favour of any bail out, so... what's my opinion worth? 😛 😉

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

Dare I say what I know alot of people have been thinking but refuse to say.

Is it because he is black?

Obama is not the best of the current group to be President, heck he wasn't the best in his own Party Nominations, BUT he is going for the election.

IF anyone else was running with the Manifesto as Obama BUT was white, would we not be ridiculing his absolute lack of understanding and short comings required to be an American President.

If everything else was the same except he was white, would it be a Hillary vs McCain run to the White House?

Is this not just some bastardised version of Affirmative Action?

I would like to say 'No', Obama's skin colour played no part in it, he is someone the People can get behind, but instead, I think it is probably Positive Discrimination (I have some gay Tory friends, they deal with this often) and no matter what word you place before discrimination, it still doesn't absolve the fact discrimination is going on.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I think that plays a smaller part than once I thought; I think more people were voting for Rodham-Clinton because she was a woman then voting for Obama because he is black. The fact of the matter is Obama gives you great speech and can be very uplifting. He has a personality, and I think that, moreso than policy is what people are voting for; it is a popularity contest and not whom will make the best President for some people. I do not see race as being the big issue.

 

[Washburne]

Is it because he is black?

I´m sure that plays a part for some people. No doubt in my mind. As I said, I don´t know enough to make a certain call. I won´t lie and say that I don´t like the idea of a black president but it has nothing to do with why he at the moment would get my vote if I could vote for him.

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

I think that plays a smaller part than once I thought; I think more people were voting for Rodham-Clinton because she was a woman then voting for Obama because he is black. The fact of the matter is Obama gives you great speech and can be very uplifting. He has a personality, and I think that, moreso than policy is what people are voting for; it is a popularity contest and not whom will make the best President for some people. I do not see race as being the big issue.

See, I went to a 'rally' (400 students in a London without any speakers so not really a rally) of Democrats and I had 4 separate conversations (I pretended to be a Labour supporter which almost instantly makes them believe you'd be a Democrat in the US - don't ask me, I only played along).

Only one of them seemed to understand anything about Politics and he was the one that gave the most telling comment of all. He said to me

'Imagine what the world will think of us then if we have a Black President'.

The other three skirted around the issue BUT you could see it was within them to entertain the same notion.

I honestly believe that Obama would have been stuck in the stalls if he'd been white and why he is popular now is more than a little based on his skin colour.

I feel I must place a disclaimer here:
His skin colour means nothing to me. I am not a racist, I have no prejudices against any one group of people, well except for Charmed Fans, I am just opening up a part of this discussion that I have often seen people WANT to discuss but don't want to say because if you're against Obama you fear you'll be branded a racist and if you're for him you'll appear to be using positive discrimination - neither of which is something to condone.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

'Imagine what the world will think of us then if we have a Black President'..

Yes, I heard that alot at first, as well. I think that is why he gained the momentum he got so fast; but not the reason he sustained.

I think the 'black thing' caught peoples attention to move him up the rung of recognition so he could work his charm and charisma on them.

I have no doubt his race was a boon to launch his run, but I do not see where it plays a factor any longer. The more people I speak with, they like his personality. Even my best friend who SWORE at first she would not vote for him, said he "won her over"

 

[SpikedBuffy]

I will vote for McCain. I am not a huge fan of either of the two candidates, but I am a Republican. This is not the only reason that I will vote for McCain though. I hate the whole 'share the wealth' thing... I know, I'm evil and greedy. So, just come out and say it. Whatever. 🙂

 

[Superstar]

Dare I say what I know alot of people have been thinking but refuse to say. Is it because he is black?

I try to refrain from this classification precisely for the reason you mention.
Anti-Obama = automatic racist
Anti-McCain = automatic racist
It's a no-win scenario.
What's troubling most is that the term racist really means anti-minority.
Hate crimes are not crimes against race but minorities.
If you are white, you are raceless and subject to abuses that would send minority groups into apocalyptic conniptions if it were reversed upon them for the same infractions. But, that is the way things are unfortunately; the world is over-compensating for its mis-perceived shortcomings.

Obama is not the best of the current group to be President, heck he wasn't the best in his own Party Nominations... If everything else was the same except he was white, would it be a Hillary vs McCain run to the White House?

The aforementioned black support is what carried him initially. I feel for the Democratic party: Black or woman. Which would be perceived as the most liberal.
The media made the safest choice and in order to avoid racist labels and appear enlightened went completely in the tank for Obama.

IF anyone else was running with the Manifesto as Obama BUT was white, would we not be ridiculing his absolute lack of understanding and short comings required to be an American President.

The real problem with his economic plan is that it was devised for a different economy which was better able to support his ideas.
That economy radically changed 180 degrees, but his plan did not. Continuing with it in spite of changes is beyond naive.
This is the ultimate litmus test for his economic plan.

If his plan was different he would get my vote despite the obvious corruption he extrudes.

 

[Tueuse de Vampires]

WHo would I vote? Well, I thought Hillary Clinton was the best choice, but pobviously she's out. So now..I'm not really a fan of either of them. So probably I would go for something completely different (can't make an informed choice here though; only know the 2 major American parties) or not vote at all.

This esser of two evil' is crap in my opinion. That's a really great way of keeping the whole country unsatisfied. And I personally would feel kind of hypocritical.
Maybe it's just because I'm not a big fan of Democracy in general, but I don't really like the concept of having to chose between basically just 2 unfilling options.

 

[Buffy Summers]

Yes, I heard that alot at first, as well. I think that is why he gained the momentum he got so fast; but not the reason he sustained.

I think the 'black thing' caught peoples attention to move him up the rung of recognition so he could work his charm and charisma on them.

I have no doubt his race was a boon to launch his run, but I do not see where it plays a factor any longer. The more people I speak with, they like his personality. Even my best friend who SWORE at first she would not vote for him, said he "won her over"

That is what bothers me - that people more often than not vote for a smooth talker instead of who they think will actually do the best job.