Key Nevada union to endorse Obama - and Q of the day

My Republican brother in law from Arkansas...

...and his son, who are both moderate Republicans and gay friendly, would indeed vote for Huckabee, because they think he was a good governor and they don't think he's that extreme in his actions, only in some of his words.  So I don't think we can assume that Huckabee will turn off everybody.  For many Republicans the religion issue is no big deal.

The big question is indeed the Democratic turnout and whether they are inspired or not.  I would vote for any Democrat myself, and think it is important that we do so, but I have gathered that many posters here at the Blend are pissed at the Democrats and could sit the election out.  Schade.

Maybe we could do a mini-poll here.  Would you go out and vote...if Obama/Clinton/Edwards were the nominee?

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by: Tomistocles @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 10:07:40 AM CST

I have to agree

I'm in PA so, due to this ridiculous primary/caucus system we have, I really have no say in who the candidate will be.  I think all of the dems in the running have their pros and cons (a big concern I, personally, have with Obama is that he will cowtow and placate the religious right).  I wouldn't sit out the election as I think anyone who does so is helping the democrats defeat themselves and running the risk of the fundamentalists doing significant damage to the country that will echo own many generations.

I think a more interesting question is what would happen if Bloomberg's coalition meeting comes to the conclusion he should run as an independent?

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by: ol cranky @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 11:39:29 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Mini poll

In response to your mini poll, I will be voting (that's WILL BE voting) for whoever gains the Democratic nomination. I have stated the reasons why numerous times here at PHB:

The supreme court is the big prize of the presidency. I believe most of our battles will be won or lost at the supreme court level (think Lawrence v. Texas). And there is no Republican I trust to nominate replacement justices that are not homophobic and/or theocratic.

I don't have to love the Dem nominee. I just have to understand that whoever it is, they will be a damn sight better than any of the clown car boys.

"The right most treasured by civilized men is the right to be let alone."--Justice Louis Brandeis

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by: Sadness @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 12:19:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

My vote goes to Willard

Romney's moving platform will turn off many Republicans and be br great fodder for the Democrats.  Early polls tend to show the same.  

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by: Herb @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 11:22:39 AM CST

A Huckabee vs. Clinton Election

Would be very interesting to see which way Arkansas would go, but it's certainly not worth the national risk to appease my own personal curiosity.

I really don't have an answer to this question because I'm not sure many Republicans would sit it out if Hillary is the nominee.  I think there would be a lot of teeth-gritting votes being cast -- the old hold your nose and vote routine.

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by: konagod @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 11:58:01 AM CST

The GOP's problem is...

...that all of their candidates come with problems much bigger than any of the Democrats.  To wit:

Huckabee: insane anti-corporate fundie

Romney: Conservative Christian evangelicals will never support a Mormon.

McCain: not anti-immigrant enough, too anti-torture

Thompson: too tired

Rudy: not Republican enough

Hunter: who the hell is Duncan Hunter?

Paul: anti-establishment.  Possibly insane.

This leaves them in the position where there's not a candidate among them who won't alienate a chunk of their traditional base, save for Thompson, who won't inspire anyone.

A lot of republicans hate Clinton, but they don't hate her more than they hate the people who they feel have betrayed their own.

I'm only a click away.

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by: JulieWaters @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 12:05:20 PM CST

an addendum

If someone were to decide to run a 3rd-party campaign, the math above changes considerably.  If it's Ron Paul, that's an entirely different story if it's a Bloomberg-fueled candidacy.

I'm only a click away.

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by: JulieWaters @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 12:07:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

How very wrong you are...

A lot of republicans hate Clinton, but they don't hate her more than they hate the people who they feel have betrayed their own.

This is a serious misreading of the Republican pulse. I'm quite serious when I say that most of them would vote for the Devil himself if it meant keeping her out of office.

A Hillary nomination will serve to galvanize the right like nothing else could. Furthermore she will send many centrists who are otherwise left-leaning solidly to the right.

<3 Sam

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by: Samie D @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 14:42:52 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I don't know about "many" centerists, but some,

which would be too many. And the correlation on the Democratic side is, I'd vote for any of the top three, but I'd drive to Reno, the Central Valley, into, well, purple country to canvas for Edwards, and probably for Obama. For Hillary, I'd vote.

I go along with Chris Rock, "America is ready for a woman President. But this woman?" The Rethugs spent the 1990s building a moat of hate around Hillary, they still vote. Hillary hasn't helped herself with the left-of-center, most likely to walk the streets, (well, not walk the streets, but, you know...) and the DLC doesn't supply enthusiasm, just $$$.

Full disclosure: Yes, I'm for Edwards. I like Obama just fine, but he's a little too civilized for me. Given a choice between two lawyers, I want the one who will cut the other guy's heart out. Our Constitution is in tatters, and I'm for the guy who will TCOB.  

Remember what FDR said, "I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it." Have you written/called a congress-critter today? 8.25, 6.21

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by: Jacques @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 19:40:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

As an Edwards supporter...

...I am disappointed that the big unions decided to go for the political capital of endorsing one of the two big corporate candidates as opposed to the only populist pro union candidate. Suck are the things of politics.

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by: chandler in lasvegas @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 12:54:11 PM CST

That should have been SUCH,

but the typo works too.

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by: chandler in lasvegas @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 12:54:57 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Which Democrat...

would inspire enough Republicans to make them get off their ass and vote, just to vote against them? And what other offices might be at risk as a result?

Here in Texas, Obama on the presidential ticket might give us a better chance at booting Cornyn from the senate. If all the Republicans come out to vote against Hillary, they'll surely pull the lever for Cornyn, where as without that negative sentiment of riding on the presidential nominee's coattails, Noriega might actually have a shot.

It worked with gay marriage in how many states last time around?

Steve

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by: Stevious @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 13:04:54 PM CST

Rudy

He has too many skeletons and many republicans barely even consider him to be republican too.

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by: HPRIC @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 13:10:03 PM CST

Romney

I think Mitt is probably the candidate that would turn off enough Republicans.  The evangelical base won't like him because he's a Mormon (but would probably vote for him anayway against Hillary), and I'd wager a good swath of centrist Americans won't for the same reason.  And his Massachusetts ties and record will probably turn off true conservatives.  Especially if Hillary (were she the nominee) can make an effective case of him being a flip-flopper.  Use the same tactic the Repugs used against Kerry, and I think she wins it against Mitt.

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by: SuburbanHomo @ Wed Jan 09, 2008 at 13:10:24 PM CST

Such Concern is Underwhelming

I have finally read once too many times that Dems would be stupid to nominate Hillary because the GOP will unite and rise from their graves to vote against her. It has become such a bromide of conventional wisdom, that I now reject it and suspect it is concern trolling.
If a majority of the Democratic party wants to nominate Hillary, then I think we should do just that. Let the Republicans nominate whoever they want. And then let's vote. I expect Hillary will still win.  

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by: myroro @ Thu Jan 10, 2008 at 01:09:50 AM CST