Guys really... I am soooo lost as to how to vote.

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

<a href="http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/06/27/mccain-vice-president-choice-is-his-toughest-decision-yet.html" target="_blank">http://www.usnews.com/articles...yet.html</a>

That is a good article about McCain's choice for VP and this

<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/05/obama.interview/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITI...dex.html</a>

is a good one on Barack, and how he knows how important his choice is as well.





Thoughts? Please? How about some "If - Then" speculation?

 

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

^ ^ ^ Oh sorry, let me give the headlines of each aritcle so if you don't want to click you will know what I meant.


First one:
<<<McCain Vice President Choice is His Toughest Decision Yet. McCain needs to excite the dispirited party with his choice for the bottom of the ticket>>>

Second one:
<<<(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama said Thursday that he's in no rush to pick a vice presidential candidate, telling CNN "everybody needs to settle down" and let the vetting process run its course.>>>


It't about the VP choices and how they will make or break..

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

Which person do you believe will better lead our country for the next four years?

THAT'S the question...whoever is on the bottom of the ticket is relevant ONLY if you really view both candidates as completely equal (meaning, the pros and cons on both leave you feeling that voting for one or the other makes no difference going forward, they are completely equal in terms of good qualities vs bad qualities and all that).

Seriously, if you are so on the fence that you need to hear who the VP is, that's a good indication that you should do more research. You should be able to decide who reflects your conscience best without the benefit of knowing who the supporting player will be. The VP should be WAY down low on the priority list, assuming of course that they essentially wish to represent the goals of the president and aren't complete mavericks who wouldn't stand up for the goals and aspirations that were important to the original candidate you voted for, or (far worse), are simply gimmicks (like Ferraro, as she herself admitted!).

Good topic though...much appreciated (gave my quick 2 cents, but I'm looking forward to what everyone else has to say).

 

Originally Posted By MissCandice

Mr X, do you still vote in US elections? I am just curious. Can you even vote in Japan?

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

MC, I'm still an American and I vote via absentee ballot.

 

Originally Posted By MissCandice

Cool. I was just wondering.

As for myself, dvc dad, I am most likely voting Obama unless he panders to the right for votes.

 

Originally Posted By DyGDisney

Want me to tell you how to vote, DVC_dad? I'd be happy to help!!

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

I am open minded to the election andthe VPchoice means a lot to me also for this reason.

Will either candidate go far left or far right respectively to attract those votes. Since I consider Obama a liberal in the old sense of the word ( not the berating sense of the last 20 years of elections) - I doubt he will - but giving any more say to people like Nancy Pelosi would keep me away for sure. McCain has a bigger bridge to gap in his party- as he does not appeal to the Christian far right except that he is not a Democrat. I want to see him maintain his distance from that group.

If either goes in that direction it would be a deal breaker for me.

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

Huckabee VP!



(wow, it even rhymes)

 

Originally Posted By SuperDry

<<< McCain has a bigger bridge to gap in his party- as he does not appeal to the Christian far right except that he is not a Democrat. I want to see him maintain his distance from that group. >>>

I'm in the same boat. At this point, I think I'll probably vote for McCain unless he chooses Huckabee or Romney as his VP. But there's still nearly 4 months to go.

 

Originally Posted By ecdc

DVC_dad, I'd look at it this way. I know you have concerns about Obama because you don't trust him. I think you can trust him, but for the sake of argument, let's say you're right. Do you think it will translate into his policies and decision making?

Take Bill Clinton. This is a man with (as has been clearly revealed this last election cycle) with some serious character flaws. He cheats on his wife, he lies about it and other things, he has a sense of entitlement and he struggles to understand why anyone wouldn't just let him have his own way. Yet, once in charge, he did very well. We can debate the finer points of his Presidency, but I don't see how a reasonable person can call him a "bad President." Sure, some will insist he was a mediocre President, an average President, etc. But a bad one?

Frankly, I don't see how a reasonable person can call George W. Bush a "good President." Like Clinton, we'll debate the finer points and decide just how bad - worst President ever? Maybe, maybe not. But a good President? No way.

Yet in some odd ways, many Americans still trust George W. Bush. They think he's an incompetent fool - but they probably don't see him as having the same kind of character flaws that Clinton has.

Fortunately, neither Barack Obama nor John McCain is George W. Bush. I'd jut caution you against an assumption that a lack of trust or a character flaw equates to a poor President. Who, among Obama and McCain, will be the better leader? The answer's pretty obvious to me.

 

Originally Posted By Mr X

***Yet in some odd ways, many Americans still trust George W. Bush. They think he's an incompetent fool - but they probably don't see him as having the same kind of character flaws that Clinton has.***

One more stain on a dress and a cheap cigar, and we'll be back on track.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

I plan to vote for Obama. The only thing that could change that would be if he selects Hillary as his running mate. That would be a disaster and I would either sit this one our or vote for McCain.

 

Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan

I tuned in to my local right wing radio screechers this morning. They were beside themselves railing about McCain "the liberal". That they feel shut out of this election tells me that we're already on the right track. So flip a coin! ; )

 

Originally Posted By DAR

<<As for myself, dvc dad, I am most likely voting Obama unless he panders to the right for votes. >>

I don't think it's been pandering but I've noticed a shift to the center lately.

Both candidates know that's what it takes to win elections.

 

Originally Posted By Dabob2

<Seriously, if you are so on the fence that you need to hear who the VP is, that's a good indication that you should do more research. You should be able to decide who reflects your conscience best without the benefit of knowing who the supporting player will be.>

X, normally that would be right for most people, but this year I have at least a couple of Republican friends who are anxiously awaiting McCain's choice simply because of his age. (McCain's mom is still alive, of course, but I believe his dad died when he was about the age McCain is now, and the parent of your own gender tends to be the better predictor).

They think there's at least a decent chance that he could die within his first term, and they think it's important that he pick someone they'd feel comfortable with as PRESIDENT, should that become necessary. Both of them can't stand Huckabee, so they say that would be a dealbreaker for them; one of them likes Romney and one doesn't; if he picks someone like Pawlenty, they could both probably live with that. But his veep pick is important to them for that reason.

 

Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan

>>Both candidates know that's what it takes to win elections.<<

Yep.

 

Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA

<I plan to vote for Obama. The only thing that could change that would be if he selects Hillary as his running mate.>

Why is this Roadtrip? What is it about Hillary Clinton that causes such a reaction in you?

Full Disclosure here: Had she won the Democratic nomination, I'd have voted for her.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

<<Why is this Roadtrip? What is it about Hillary Clinton that causes such a reaction in you?>>

Too much baggage in the form of Bill.

Once a president, always a president. I just cannot imagine that it would work to have Bill back in Washington... not even as the spouse of the Veep. As much as I loved him when he was president, let's face it -- the man has a HUGE ego. There is absolutely no way he could stay in the background.

You would have Bill constantly competing with and commenting on Obama's actions every step of the way.

That in the final analysis is why I decided I just could not support Hillary for president. Same reason holds for veep.

 

Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA

^^Fair enough. Thanks for clarifying.