Dem debate open thread

I'm watching

with my 12 yr old son. We're undecided so far on the announced candidates. Personally I'm waiting for Gore and I think Pelosi should be the first woman Pres - preferably this year.
So. Guys and gal.....convince me you have the ovaries to fix our democracy.

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by: Carolyn in Baltimore @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 17:36:42 PM CDT

I'm watching.

I just wish that Wes Clark were in the race and participating.

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by: Peg @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 17:45:37 PM CDT

Mostly

We'll probably watch most of it.  But I have to bow to the less than wonky household members and turn on Jeopardy at 7:30.  :-)

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by: Zorya @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 17:56:56 PM CDT

It will be on my TV

  I am not impressed with any of the choices we have at this time, and I fear I will be taken as a token vote again. 

 

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 17:59:38 PM CDT

The Senator from Alaska

I know he doesn't have a snowball's chance in the neatherworld of getting the nomination, but I liked former Sen Gravel.  My husband and 21 yr old son both found him interesting.

If he makes it to the Ohio primary I might just vote for him.

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by: Zorya @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 21:05:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

i'll be watching piecemeal

unfortunately I have to work till 6 and then cook dinner which means i'll miss most of it.

but I'll keep it on in the bedroom to sneak a peak at.

I really don't know who I will vote for at this time

Daddy, Papa and Me, two men, their daughter, creating a family and the politics of it all.

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by: Trey @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 18:07:55 PM CDT

I Don't know who will win the debate

I don't know who will win the debate but, tragically, I think it will be futile, regardless of who wins.  I'll bet my bottom dollar that Giuliani becomes the next President of the U.S.  Given the general electorate's political stupidity and gullibility, he'll still (erroneously) be viewed as the "hero of 9/11," and his "winning smile" will have most voters vote for him.  As McCain and the other Repubs self-destruct (perhaps deliberately so so as to be stalking horses for Giuliani so as to make him look good), most of the electorate will vote for Giuliani.  I'm sickened by this reality, but, as H.L. Mencken once said, "You can't go wrong underestimating the stupidity of the American people.

"A Church that doesn't provoke any crisis, a gospel that doesn't unsettle, a word of God that doesn't get under anyone's skin, a word of God that doesn't touch the real sin of society in which it is being proclaimed, what gospel is that? Archbishop Oscar

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by: Jerry Maneker @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 18:15:23 PM CDT

Edwards and Richardson in my opinion

7:50PM
In my opinion so far Edwards is doing well, he hasn't hit anything out of the park though. 

I have been most impressed with the Alaska Senator Gravel who I'd never heard about.  He said that the front runners frightened him and I agreed with him. 

I think Richardson has done better than any of the other candidates.  I like his ideas and plans and his honesty.

As far as Obama is concerned he's been stiff and repetitive. 

Clinton, I'm sorry as long as my best friend is in the marines I will never vote for her until she admits her vote was a mistake.  When asked about mistakes she blew off Iraq.

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by: Ivy Gort @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 18:57:21 PM CDT

She gave a half-apology

when she was asked specifically about her pro-war vote she said if she knew then what she knows now she never would have voted that way. That is more than our curren president will say.

I'm lukewarm

What the hell was I doing in Oaxaca in 1992, on the eve of the Zapatista revolution?

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by: Cambridge Kid @ Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 09:37:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

My Confession

I must admit it- here goes: It actually DOES stick in my craw that John Edwards spent $400 on two occasions for a haircut and charged it to his campaign (he has since reimbursed it).  Yes, I am fully aware that there are more pressing issues, and the War on Iraq is the biggest issue of our time, at least of MY time.  But I must confess that yes, I have to wonder what kind of person Edwards is to have this thing about his hair, relentlessly primping it (I've seen it when he was caught unaware), and heaping money upon it.  Yes, dammit, I admit it- I wonder what kind of dingbat he is and what galaxy his brain is on because of those $400 haircuts, and it makes me question his character and his priorities and his fundamental tenets of what life is about, because of his damn hair. 

Since I'm in the confessional, I'll go a step further.  It did occur to me that Coulter was right about him.  His poofter status, I mean. 

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 19:12:34 PM CDT

Dennis, my vote

  He hasn't retracted from what he believed in,  and none of the rest willing to impeach Cheney, and none of the rest will stand with him.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 19:19:39 PM CDT

Not a Chance In Hell

Kucinich is my choice also, but he appears to be 5'3",
looks like he's wearing a doll's suit, has real hair that looks like a wig, and a Polish name.  He was right about Iraq all along, and is the only candidate who openly endorses marriage equality (Edwards is secretly for it).
His articles of impeachment of Cheney are the cake's icing.
He is, to me, the real giant among the candidates, and it is saddening that the most presidential candidate just doesn't look presidential and so won't get anywhere.

=>The truth usually isn't pretty. Don't blame me for telling it.<=

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by: Chadster @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 20:36:28 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sad but true

  The presidential look means so much these days.  Honesty and integrity went out the window.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 22:35:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Dodd loves those civil unions!

. . . but marriage, not so much.

I'm amazed that he actually referred to 'tradition' in his remarks. The United States has had a long history of 'traditions' that didn't work out so well:  slavery, the oppression of women, the internment of Japanese-Americans.  Brave men change unwise traditions, and make new ones worthy of the country's character. 

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by: SteveR @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 19:43:14 PM CDT

I missed it all

Was at the hospital, so I missed the whole thing tonight. Forgot to record it, so I'll have to watch the replay later.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 19:52:50 PM CDT

Sorry Pam

Hope you feel better

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by: h3986 @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 20:19:01 PM CDT

I'm fine

Family member in the hospital.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 20:22:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Confess to not giving a crap

Really...what's the point?  We know we have to settle for a tweedle-dee to avoid a tweedle-dum.  Saying this chaps my ass, but I see a Congress opening up debate on ENDA and Hate Crimes legislation knowing that even if they pass it, it'll get vetoed.  Hell, Iraq is getting vetoed so you KNOW anything doing with helping queers will get vetoed.  I doubt we'd stand a snowball's chance with the likes of chickenshits like Clinton, Jr., Obama, or Edwards on our rights, but at least then we'd have false hope for improvement like with Clinton Sr.

Okay, my bitchy negativity is done for the night.  Go back to your regularly scheduled naive democratic programming.

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by: callie @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 21:17:52 PM CDT

We shall see

They had a tough time getting George Bush to come out against gay marriage, and he endorsed civil unions right before his re-election. Remember his high profile meeting with the Log Cabin Republicans?

If he doesn't veto, the fundies will feel even more betrayed and will be that much less motivated next voting day.

What the hell was I doing in Oaxaca in 1992, on the eve of the Zapatista revolution?

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by: Cambridge Kid @ Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 09:44:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Me, too

What IS the point?  We always just settle ... usually for whoever spends the most money and tells better lies.

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by: Jami @ Fri Apr 27, 2007 at 09:45:51 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

On ENDA

It's good to know where the votes are.  It will be very interesting to see how Norm Coleman will vote.

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by: lloydletta @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 21:44:55 PM CDT

Giuliani will bulldoze.

I'm pulling for Kucinich, however to most voters he's too short. Obama is too Muslim, Hillary is too female, Edwards is too feminine. Guiliani however as someone else already commented earlier is seen as the "hero of 9/11". That's not how I see it but then again I can't vote so it doesn't matter what I think.

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by: Dr. Chan @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 21:59:20 PM CDT

Richardson

Richardson really lost me when he said that Byron White would be his model for a Supreme Court justice.  White wrote Bowers v. Hardwick, and generally opposed the idea of substantive due process.  Hardly a model for Democratic judicial appointees. 

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by: coffeehousesoapbox @ Thu Apr 26, 2007 at 22:13:11 PM CDT