US Presidential Elections

[Angus]

i read this article by Bobby Kennedy in the Rolling Stone magazine, pretty scary stuff for "the greatest democracy in the world TM"

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics...the_vote/print

Nice job finding this

Normally this is a huge issue and definitely helped Bush in 2000 and 2004. On the flip side, JFK is widely accepted to have ahem...had connections with some er, people who may or may not be connected with certain organisations - allegedly.

The aspects of this race that gives me the sense that this will not be as critical factor as historically are:

African American turnout likely to be much higher than ever before

The Obama "ground game" - this essentially involves "get out the vote effort" but also is precision around voter registration and eligibility issues

The mid terms in 2004 flipped many states, gubernatorial mansions and state legislatures into Dem control


Clearly the core analysis is right - the US system is utterly corrupt and a part of election strategy is to "out - corrupt" your opponent

The Dems are vastly superior at this stuff than before, so I remain bullish for Dem hopes




ps - just finished Angler by Barton Gellman - a stufy of Cheney - umissable reading

[BohsPartisan]

Yeah, corruption pays. Wooo!

[Noelys Guitar]

Nice job finding this

Normally this is a huge issue and definitely helped Bush in 2000 and 2004. On the flip side, JFK is widely accepted to have ahem...had connections with some er, people who may or may not be connected with certain organisations - allegedly.

The aspects of this race that gives me the sense that this will not be as critical factor as historically are:

African American turnout likely to be much higher than ever before

The Obama "ground game" - this essentially involves "get out the vote effort" but also is precision around voter registration and eligibility issues

The mid terms in 2004 flipped many states, gubernatorial mansions and state legislatures into Dem control


Clearly the core analysis is right - the US system is utterly corrupt and a part of election strategy is to "out - corrupt" your opponent

The Dems are vastly superior at this stuff than before, so I remain bullish for Dem hopes




ps - just finished Angler by Barton Gellman - a stufy of Cheney - umissable reading

You left out Hispanic voters. They will have a big say in this election. The 44% who voted for Bush in the last election is now down to less than 30%. They are enraged by being sterotyped as all illegals by Fox, CNN (Dobbs) Coulter and various other right wing nutjobs on Talk Radio. They are moving to the Dems in large numbers.
http://hispanic.cc/hispanics_will_pu...er_the_top.htm

[SkStu]

You left out Hispanic voters. They will have a big say in this election. The 44% who voted for Bush in the last election is now down to less than 30%. They are enraged by being sterotyped as all illegals by Fox, CNN (Dobbs) Coulter and various other right wing nutjobs on Talk Radio. They are moving to the Dems in large numbers.
http://hispanic.cc/hispanics_will_pu...er_the_top.htm

there was a worry that the hispanic vote that went with Hilary wouldnt go with Obama but that fear appears to not have materialised.

I love watching CNN for political coverage, as i feel they are relatively impartial but i detest Lou Dobbs, the populist.... populist my arse. He'd vote Republican if he didnt think he should be president himself. The living embodiment of american fear-mongering. Brings on weak guests to shout down and passes smart arse remarks when someone catches him out. Cant stand the guy....

Angus, i read that article in the Rolling Stone and found it pretty easy online when i searched. Their political commentary, while naturally very pro-Democrat/Obama, is pretty good.

[thischarmingman]

i read this article by Bobby Kennedy in the Rolling Stone magazine, pretty scary stuff for "the greatest democracy in the world TM"

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics...the_vote/print

I'm just going to bed so haven't had time to really read that article, but just remember reading one dealing with ths issue in Time this week: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...853300,00.html

[pete]

Clearly the core analysis is right - the US system is utterly corrupt and a part of election strategy is to "out - corrupt" your opponent

Also ensures the 2 party state as almost impossible to challenge it.

Corruption is why we win!

[Newryrep]

I predict an Obama landslide - first indications should be about midnight our time when the first results from some of the Virginia counties come it. They are usually a good indication of which way the wind is blowing.

[SkStu]

Obama's granny just died. Take note Stephen Ireland.

[thischarmingman]

A couple of handy guides to the complexities of tomorrow night:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5003326.ece

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ame...08/7705795.stm

[strangeirish]

Obama's granny just died. Take note Stephen Ireland.

California GOP files FEC complaint over Obama visit to Grandmother.
Click

Nice timing

I hope they(GOP)get their ass handed to them tomorrow.

[dahamsta]

I do too. Is there any truth in the above though? I would have thought Obama would be clever enough - and wealthy enough from his book sales alone - to not need to put himself in that position.

[strangeirish]

I do too. Is there any truth in the above though? I would have thought Obama would be clever enough - and wealthy enough from his book sales alone - to not need to put himself in that position.

According to the article, his lawyers vetted the trip. There is nothing to say he didn't fund it himself anyway. GOP grasping at straws at this stage.

[ken foree]

According to the article, his lawyers vetted the trip. There is nothing to say he didn't fund it himself anyway. GOP grasping at straws at this stage.

pretty rotten straw to reach for if you're going to pick one eh? they've been grasping the whole time and have tried to paint obama as everything BUT american. except the fact is, conservative white men are a minority in this country and they don't seem to realize this. the combined voting power of liberal men, women, and minorities dwarfs them in scale and they are significantly leaning toward obama. obama's sh!t stinks too, particularly on the telecommunications immunity flip-flop and offshore drilling stances. all moderate b.s., time to hold the nose...

[lofty9]

I actually know some seriously level headed people in Boston who have been democrats a lifetime but are voting McCain (McCainocrats) . They do not trust Obama and his wealth. They are very suspicious of him and will not vote for someone they know very little about.

[jmurphyc]

I actually know some seriously level headed people in Boston who have been democrats a lifetime but are voting McCain (McCainocrats) . They do not trust Obama and his wealth. They are very suspicious of him and will not vote for someone they know very little about.

TBH I'm getting really sick of hearing his "change...change...change" manifesto. Instead I'd actually like to hear more about the policies that will help to implement this miraculous change. Surely that's the best way of proving to people that he will be a breath of fresh air. I'm surprised more Americans haven't got sick of hearing the same lines (then again, McCain is much the same). I'm sure he'll help to make America and the world marginally better, but that just isn't enough for me.

[strangeirish]

I actually know some seriously level headed people in Boston who have been democrats a lifetime but are voting McCain (McCainocrats) . They do not trust Obama and his wealth. They are very suspicious of him and will not vote for someone they know very little about.

On the flip side of that, there are a lot of republican women in our area who have been put off by the thought of Palin becoming President, in the event McCain kicks the bucket. Also, she has pushed independents to Obama.

[dahamsta]

They do not trust Obama and his wealth.

I don't even know how to respond to that.

[lofty9]

I don't even know how to respond to that.

Please respond, rather than making flippant remarks. They are suspicious of his odyssey and rise. They live in a city he was educated in and know a lot more about the judicial and political system there than I do. THEY DO NOT TRUST HIM!! Simple enough?

[dancinpants]

Really really tired of people saying "He doesn't talk about his policies" -WAKE UP FFS. Have you followed this race AT ALL. Did you watch the debates, did you watch the speeches, the interviews? Jaysus Christ its all out there FFS. On the other hand we have a McCain campaign that was to busy trying to smear to even bother there ass explaining their policies. "Cut taxes, stay the course," aye those are great policies .

Also really sick of people saying "We don't know enough about him". Are you for real? TWO autobiographies, and he's been under the media microscope for 2 years solid, and the media periphary since 2004. And yet you're all comfortable with Palin, who you've known since 3 months ago - barely.

[SkStu]

in my opinion, that excuse comes across as little more than thinly veiled racism. Obama is not wealthy, per se. Certainly not wealthy compared to Mr McCain and his 9 houses. Do your friends not recall the furore of a few weeks ago when John McCain, while trying to make himself out as "the common man" mentioned that he had 9 houses, but he wasnt sure - he couldnt remember the exact amount of houses he owns... LOL.

Obama has raised considerable money for his campaign, more than ever before, but he is not as wealthy as McCain. Your friends appear to have their wires crossed.

That said, i think McCain is a good person and would be a far better president than Bush was (not hard, i know). He just falls short on economic policy. Unfortunately for him, foreign policy is not the main issue this time round.

To the others who are sick of the Obama message, you need to research what he has said. He will bring about change in the medicare system, education system - by making them more easily available to all people. Regarding foreign policy, he intends to sit down and talk with Americas enemies, something that i think needs to be done. The hardline Bush stance has simply not worked on any level.

Obama as american president is a pretty exciting thing, in my opinion.