01.04.08
POTUS 2008 - Iowa
EOW hasn’t said much, if anything, about the presidential race yet. After speaking with friends, family members, and many Democrats I feel like most of them do - we all have a favorite but feel no matter who wins the nomination on the Democratic side, that person will be a much, much better president than anyone on the GOP side.
Last night was, as many have said, an historic night and I sure hope this will be another nail in the coffin of our racist past. This from the Kos link:
It would be more than brazen to pat ourselves on the back because this year an African American might very well go from winning the Iowa caucuses to winning the Democratic nomination and, a little more than a year from now, be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. After all, legal slavery was done away with 142 years ago, and the Civil Rights Act was passed 44 years ago. “Overdue” scarcely covers it. Anymore than it does for the fact that a woman might win the nomination and the presidency this year. It was 88 years ago, after more than 70 years of activism, that women got the right to vote.
On the other hand, however one feels about the specific political views of either of the two candidates who could make an historic if belated breakthrough over the next 12 months, it is heartening that, finally, finally, finally, a majority of Americans don’t seem to have qualms about electing a woman or an African American to the highest post in the land.
May I live to see the day when we can add “gay” and “atheist” to that list.
Along that line Chris Matthews actually had an interesting historic parallel between black male suffrage (gained in 1870) and women’s suffrage (gained in 1920). It was 50 years between the time black men were allowed to vote and women were finally given the right. It seemed to me he was making the parallel that our country may be more willing to vote for a black man as president sooner than a woman. Don’t know if there’s any truth to that, just thought it was interesting analysis.
Personally I would have rather seen first and second place reversed. I love the Edwards populism and willingness to call out “greedy corporations” as he did several times in his speech last night. I don’t have an objection to Hillary other than I’m just tired of the Clinton’s and the Bush’s. (I’ve always liked this Booman post about the fact that we don’t elect a President we elect a gang, and my feelings are similar). There’s an ease and presence with Obama that is inviting, but would like to see more populism from him. All the speeches were great Edwards with his populism, Hillary and her ready from day one mantra, and Obama proving the cynics wrong.
Although the word is being worn out, Democrats and Americans overwhelmingly want change. Of the big three Obama is representing that the best. Edwards is close but his having voted for the war is hindering him a bit. Obama is the only one that never voted for Iraq. The war, along with health care, is where many feel we need to make the biggest change. It would be great if one of these candidates would embrace single-payer health care plan.
I think the most encouraging thing for Democrats is that a whole bunch of people showed up to vote for the Democratic candidates. Which is a very good sign for the party going forward. The Iowa winner sometimes wins the nomination and sometimes doesn’t so this isn’t over but if Independent voters keep showing up in this kind of numbers in Democratic primaries, and voting for Obama the he may damn well pull this out early.
As for the GOP well Mike Huckabee is an affable enough guy but now he’s going to have the weight of the national GOP elite power structure coming down on him, as well as the far-right, with all their might. If Romney can’t beat him back in New Hampshire it’s likely we’ll see the old guard, non-evangelical Republicans begin to rally around McCain. While Bush’s Texas accent was acceptable because they knew it was mostly an act, he’s really from Connecticut you know. They’d rather not have this compassionate conservative, Two-Buck-Huck, as their leader.
There’s still a long way to go and A LOT of money left to be spent. I think Edwards will make it through for a while, but if he doesn’t win something soon, then it will take a miracle. Hillary probably has to win New Hampshire or she’ll be in a pretty bad tailspin. If she does win, and with all the money she and Obama have, it should be a pretty long, fun, interesting, and historic primary battle. Maybe Texas will matter after all.
Please comment, we’d like to hear readers thoughts on the Presidential race.
dembones said,
January 4, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I have to admit, I did not see Obama’s win coming. Yes, he was polling well in the days leading up to last night’s caucuses, but I assumed that the younger voters and other first-time caucus-goers would do what they have always done and stay home. They didn’t. Fifty-seven percent of the Democrats in Iowa last night were first-timers, and twenty percent were young voters.
This is huge, folks. I have been impressed by Obama’s oration but worried by his lack of experience. Last night, I discovered that it is great to be for Obama! He can win. He can draw out the new voters and the disenfranchised because he is selling something that we haven’t seen from a Presidential candidate in a generation: HOPE. (Yes, Jesse Jackson had “Keep hope alive”, and Bill Clinton was from Hope, Arkansas, but this is different.)
If Obama continues to bring new voters into the polls, then all our cynical political arithmetic will have to be reworked. The skeptic in me who has been let down too many times to count, and has frankly been deeply concerned about the health of our democracy, may be stepping aside to make way for a new dembones, one with hope and optimism about the future of our government and society.
tweety said,
January 4, 2008 at 1:32 pm
One things forsure, it’s time for a change. Being the middle class barely able to make ends meet for the past few years, has opened my eyes. Not sure who I will vote for president, but I do know who I wont be voting for in our county election. They have proven what they stand for and it’s not for me or my fellow citizens. I’m just tired of being spit on.
remerson said,
January 4, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Sea Change
Hillary (if she gets credit for her co-presidency): Botched an opportunity to deliver health care, brought us a devastating trade program (China and Nafta), participated in a (very undignified) psycho-drama administration (read David Georgen’s account), co-opted the Republican welfare-to-work program that destroyed a lot of poor families and greatly benefited coroporations that enjoyed a burgeoned labor force and reaped tax write-offs in the process. And she voted, not once, but twice, to grant Shrub’s invasion permission. And her campaign tactics make her look like Rove in drag. Old Conventional Wisdom: She’s Inevitable. New Conventional Widom: She’s yesterday.
Edwards: Close your eyes and listen to his litigator- approach. Sounds like Bush with the cocky, “for us or against us” proclamations and refusals to engage in negotiations with anyone or group that doesn’t agree with him. Americans are tired of the tough guy talk. They recognize, and they value, brotherhood.
Obama: Not enough experience? Reformers don’t get the chance to build a long resume’ because the powers cream them quickly because they threaten their strangle-hold. And he takes the tough stands, doesn’t engage in the mud-slinging but doesn’t allow mud-balls to be ignored. He’s a judicious unifer and includer, giving every argument dignity and honor, but always coming down on the side of justice and right, without sounding holier than thou. And last night he proved that he is organized!!! He’s our only hope. In my view.
wcnews said,
January 4, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Good stuff, keep it coming!!