The democrats came out full force with 2.8M votes. I think this was the same number that voted for Kerry in 2004. The primary is probably the only voting that counts for the democrats in Texas. When the general election comes, McCain is going to steamroll Obama or Clinton.
Jackie, one would hope that people would base their decision to vote on more than just personality. You're starting to sounds like one of the Obama "head in sand" drone voters over here
I just don't like Hillary at all as a person. There's something about her that makes me think there is something manic about her ambition and power hunger. Her latest proposal that she and Obama should run together is pure tactics...she has a mini momentum swing and based on that tries to suggest that she should be the presidential candidate and he should be the vice president - when it is pretty obvious that mathematically, she doesn't even have a chance anymore to cling the nomination. It's like that knight in that Monty Python movie who has no arms and legs anymore and then says "let's call it a tie". Obama, on the other hand, just seems like a good person and a leader to me. McCain seems like a likeable person as well. I agree that many more factors need to play into a voting decision.
We probably won't know until next week. Apparently precinct captains have until Friday to MAIL in their caucus results. TX is weird, go figure Anyway it will now be interesting to see how Obama takes the punch. He's got to show that he can push back against Hillary after being bloodied pretty hard. He’s got to show that he wants the nomination bad enough to fight for it. He doesn’t have to get nasty and dirty to do it. He’s just got to be forceful in showing their differences and how he will be a better candidate against McCain.
Clinton isn't totally out of it mathematically as given the Democrats proportional system she doesn't need to clinch but just keep Obama as reaching the threshold number. All she, or Obama for that matter, needs to do at this point is show who is the strongest going into the convention and then have the super delegates decide. I agree that Obama is more likeable than Hillary, I'm not sure about McCain given his propensity to blow up every now and then. That said I don't think likeability is the best issue to base a presidency off of.
He's got to start pointing out that experience as first lady doesn't count. yesterday I heard her saying that she was there in the white house when a crisis needed to be handled. that's a ridiculous argument for her, and it needs to be countered. its not negative. I understand that he wants to stay above the fray, but if this is the issue that's going to propell her, he needs to blow it up.
I read this article that explained that she would have to win pretty much every state with 60 % or more to still win, which is pretty unrealistic.
And apparently Obama is about to announce he's got a chunk of 50 or more in his pocket now. Hillary is trying like hell to freeze them from announcing. And last night will go a long way in them possibly holding off (at least until PA).
Most of the people I interact with have the same feeling. I dont have enough experience with or exposure to US politics to have one strong opinion or other. But I find it strange to see so many people hate her like she is their personal enemy. I think this is going to be a big problem for her in the general election. The way I see it, there are 3 people in race now to white house and each one of them have equal political ambition to get there. Why does she come out as a power hunger maniac ?
pgabriel, Hillary's case may be little different. I don't have absolute memory or links to it but a vague recollection.. when Bill Clinton was running.. Didn't they advertise as two presidents on one ticket or something like that.. Somehow that sentence struck with me for long time Hillary was more involved than other first spouses I think
hillary is not bill no matter what they advertised, she was not president, the one issue she was heavily involved in failed miserably. the only thing she can say is that she was a close advisor, other than that she had no official role, other than the one she failed on.
She never got any kind of security clearance, or anything like that. I think being first lady might help her understand the pressures a President faces, but doesn't give practical experience in running the office.
A possible positive is the turnout in the Latino community in this contested elecion. At work a Latina who perhaps has voted maybe once before and never had the much interest got fired up for Hillary, got her two adult sons and her parents to all vote for the first time. These folks can vote for Obama in November, assuming he wins. They don't hate Obama. I think the sons voted for Obama.
Nice post, and you are correct in people's reaction to her. She is just very, very low on the charm scale. The democratic party is *idiotic* when it comes to factoring in charm. Kerry? Gore? Dukakis? And in California, Angiledes? Are you kidding me? But the party keeps finding the biggest, most unlikable doof, who happens to be a policy wonk with deep pockets and influential friends, and trotting them out to slaughter. Hillary will get dusted easily in the general b/c she represents everything that Americans are sick of in politics. Why does she come off as power hungry? Part of it is just her personality. Literally her eyes make her seem a little manic, and she comes off as incredibly fake. In some sense, she has to be a little fake. I don't think her core personality is very warm, but she has to act like she is a smiley warm person, and it comes off (to some viewers) as sociopathic. Then, part 2, there are her techniques. This "who do you want receiving the phone call" at 3 a.m., her incredibly negative campaigning in the primary, her keeping herself on the ballot in states where all other major candidates had agreed to abide by the rules and not run, that all gives a "win at all costs" image. As BatmanJones calls it, the kitchen sink aspect of her personality, as in she'll use "everything but the kitchen sink" to get elected. Damn the consequences.
the one positive this whole process is people in general are interested in politics. the bush presidency has taught this country alot. what happens in washington does affect you. america does not run by itself, it takes competent people to make it run affectively.
To be fair (which is hard for me right now) this is child’s play and only a taste of what Barack can expect if he wins the nomination. win at all costs? Republicans invented the tactic
Sure. But I'm just trying to answer the guy's question. She's been more over the top than others in the primary cycle. People see her, rightly or wrongly, as incredibly power hungry.
