Presidential Primaries

[sg1987]

Originally Posted by dmgedgoods

There are other more important factors to being POTUS than just putting faith in the Bible. No ideology is perfect, and for somebody to base their decision on who should be President solely on their ideological swing should reevaluate their situation. Look at the influence religion has had on some other countries besides the US (see Iran).
I am not a Christian bashing leftist; In God we all should trust. But let's not make it a deciding factor. Look at our current societal profile, and work with what you got. Politics are ugly these days...

Just my two cents...

Shawn

Please consider these words from the farewell speech of our first POTUS on 19 September 1796:

“Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.
It is substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who, that is a sincere friend to it, can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric ? “

Obviously, you are entitled to your opinion……however Mr Washington’s words seem to indicate that your view point does “attempt to shake the foundation of the fabric” as it were, and many do find it quite difficult to look with indifference!

[dmgedgoods]

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[Undisputed4]

One fact that people are overlooking is the fact that Obama and Huckabee are spectacular speakers. They seem genuine when they talk, while Hilary and others seem almost scripted. Huckabee will have hard time if he wins the nomination. Americans will be afraid of his religous background.

McCain is the one I would personally want to fight terrorism. While he is off on some of his beliefs, he wont tell americans just want they want to hear. Plus he was right on Iraq from the beginning.

I am 20 years old, and I will admit Obama is captivating. If I really didnt follow politics closely, I would prolly be gravitating towards him. Its amazing a black man can go in to a 95% white state and win. I keep hearing this is like when Bobby Kennedy ran, any first hand accounts on here?

[SF18C]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyBoarder

Historically, the Democratic Party never releases raw numbers for their Iowa caucuses.
Estimates show their voter turn out topped out over 200,000. Hope this helps.

Thanks, that clears that up!

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by Undisputed4

I am 20 years old, and I will admit Obama is captivating. If I really didnt follow politics closely, I would prolly be gravitating towards him. Its amazing a black man can go in to a 95% white state and win. I keep hearing this is like when Bobby Kennedy ran, any first hand accounts on here?

Maybe Americans (even white ones) aren't as racist as some would have you believe?

Obama is no Bobby Kennedy.

TR

[GratefulCitizen]

Just caught part of the Republican half of the ABC debates.

Romney hurt himself there. Came across as whiney.

Giuliani seemed like he was sitting at the kids table at Thanksgiving.

I disagree with some of his positions, but Paul aquitted himself well.

Huckabee was likeable and probably was helped by this debate. He did seem to play too much "follow the leader" on some of his answers.
(I'll take that billion dollar prize, though. 100mpg car designs are already out there. Good luck finding a market.)

Thompson came across well. My prediction: the media will say he looked like he didn't want to be there.

Mccain did very well, especially in a head-to-head comparison with Romney.
Seemed like a bit of a bully at times. (Nothing wrong with that.)

That's my take.
What did everyone else think?

[Pete S]

Originally Posted by GratefulCitizen

That's my take.
What did everyone else think?

McCain and Thompson did the best. Paul didn't take the offensive enough. Huckabee was just there, he really didn't take the initiative on any of the topics. Guiliani is getting tiresome to watch. Romney took a somewhat aggressive stance but he was eaten up by the more experienced McCain.

[REMFlt]

Originally Posted by Broadsword2004

A friend said something I thought was interesting to consider, which is does anyone think Fred "knows" he doesn't have much of a chance to win, but just basically tells everything straight in the debates and states the plainly obvious that the others seem hesitant to speak about, to at least wake people up to the real issues, sort of doing like Ross Perot did...?

Senator Thompson has stated (I believe on the Glenn Beck Show), that he intends to win, but on his own terms.

[Roguish Lawyer]

I watched the ABC debate, and I thought Thompson was too passive. Liked his answers, but in that format he needed to be more aggressive. I'll bet his word count was half that of Romney, Huckabee or McCain.

You don't come from behind this way. I am concerned that he can't win the primary, so I am getting close to supporting Giuliani. Still listening, though.

[The Reaper]

I now believe that the media wants a Obama-Huckabee (a bad match-up for the Republicans) or an Obama-McCain race.

Between Giuliani's personal baggage and former liberal social positions, and a strong Dem field, all it will take is for a few percent of the Republican faithful to decide that there is insufficient real difference between the candidates to justify even bothering to vote to decide the election. Obama will turn out his supporters in droves.

If Huckabee were to get the nomination, the media will paint him as a religious nut, and eliminate almost any independent support for him. I see no way for him to win, especially with his own political history.

While McCain is not without his own problems from campaign reform, illegal immigration amnesty, etc., I believe that he would fare better against the Dems than any of the other Republican candidates.

I do not think that Romney can buy his way into the general election. His past is all over the place.

Still holding out hope for Fred in SC, but the odds are looking very long and he is out of money. If he loses, he would make a good VP candidate for the eventual nominee, especially any who lack real conservative creds (which is virtually all of the remaining Republican field).

TR

[jatx]

Rudy looked very tired to me, and his answers were uninspired. His claim that Mayor of NYC is the "second hardest job in the United States" made me chuckle.

I agree that FT was a bit too passive.

I remain impressed by Huckabee's ability to seem out of his depth, regardless of the setting. This is perhaps his only exceptional quality.

McCain was clearly enjoying himself and his time in New Hampshire, which has been good to him in the past. He should try not to move his arms on camera, because his stiffness there makes him look old.

While I am not a huge fan of Romney, he was clearly the winner of the debate. He is extremely articulate and very compelling when speaking on issues of business and the economy. Especially when compared to Huckabee, whose participation in the economy seems to be limited to the checkout line at the market. This may be enough to give him the edge, since voters seem to have a hard time differentiating between the candidates on the basis of foreign policy.

[Undisputed4]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Maybe Americans (even white ones) aren't as racist as some would have you believe?

Obama is no Bobby Kennedy.

TR

I agree. It seems to me that my generation doesnt give a crap about race. IDK about other places in the USA but here there seems to be no racism.

McCain missed a chance at the debates last night where he could of crushed Romney. Mitt Romney said something along the lines that the next President would need courage under fire, McCain should of jumped in and immediately said I am the only one here who has been under fire. Then Romney said Governors have more leaderships then Senators, McCain mentioned his Navy career, but he didnt drive it home. He should of went along the lines that I have made decisions with people lives, and I was an Officer and leader in the greatest Navy in the world. Along with the fact of his family's history of leadership. And reminded Romney more that the last two Presidents have been Governors, he mentioned it but didnt drive it home.

If McCain gets the nomintation of his party, he needs to use his military record as his trump card against the democrats on the Iraq issue. He was spot on from the beginning we didnt have enough troops in Iraq. If the President would of went with want McCain said, Iraq would be less of an issue right now.

I understand that McCain doesnt like to talk about his time in Vietnam, but he could use it by saying, I am fighter and will never quit. He also gets alot of respect for refusing to talk about his son in the USMC, rumor is he is in Iraq.

Does anyone else think Romney comes off as an arrogant guy? The way he smirks at the debates rubs me the wrong way.

Thompson also seems to be aligning with McCain at the debates.

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Undisputed4

He should of went along the lines that I have made decisions with people lives, and I was an Officer and leader in the greatest Navy in the world. .

Yeah, and then he could have added that he has done everything he can to ignore the folks we left behind in VN. Read an Enormous Crime and then tell me what kind of a commander in chief leaves men behind. Officer is a title, leader is a skill developed and a recognition bestowed by those led upon those that would lead! In McCain's case, one out of three is not good enough for me-but then maybe I expect too much from those in whose hands I would place the lives of those that wear our country's uniform.

[Snaquebite]

Yeah, and then he could have added that he has done everything he can to ignore the folks we left behind in VN. Read an Enormous Crime and then tell me what kind of a commander in chief leaves men behind. Officer is a title, leader is a skill developed and a recognition bestowed by those led upon those that would lead! In McCain's case, one out of three is not good enough for me-but then maybe I expect too much from those in whose hands I would place the lives of those that wear our country's uniform.

Thank you Sir!

I don't trust the man. +10

He is not historically supportive of the military and his voting record shows it.

10/01/2007 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 NV
02/02/2006 Tax Rate Extension Amendment N
11/17/2005 Additional Funding For Veterans Amendment N
10/05/2005 Health Care for Veterans Amendment N

More here:
http://votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=53270

I agree with the Colonel and Snaquebite. McCain made his political career on his military time and then proceeded to join with John Kerry and turn his back on those left behind in SE Asia.