2008 Presidental Election

With only 2 and a half weeks to go until the US Presidential Election I’ve decided to start a thread to see how this forum swings when it comes to politics. I'm from Australia so I’m not quite sure what the sentiment amongst most Americans actually is apart from what has been reported to me by my media.

From what I have read and heard (Only watched 2 of the debates) I would (if I could) vote for the Democrats since I lean heavily to the left socially and am more or less on the middle ground economically. Obama is currently in the lead in the polls but during such an important election after the Bush administrations debacles anything is still possible.

These are my views on each candidate and respective running mate

Obama
He’s got a big mouth and is full of rhetoric, but I think Obama is a welcome change from the bush administration right wing policy's and actions before words ideology when it comes to foreign policy. Its also good to see that American is capable of electing a black president. At this stage "change" is definitely a good thing.

Mccain
It is a good sign that the republican party has produced a candidate who is more detached from the very conservative side of the republicans. However this doesn't mean that the conservatives will lose much power over the party if McCain becomes President. There is also the major problem that McCain health is questionable (I realise Obama is in danger of assassination) and that if he dies or is unable to perform his duties he may be replaced by....

Palin
Definitely a quick grab at the ultra conservatives and possible Hillary Clinton voters... Even though she seems to be slowly turning normal something about a moose hunting "hockey mom" in control of the most powerful country in the world makes me worried. As well as this you throw in the fact that she seems the sort of person to try to mix state and religion through her anti "pro choice" stance.

Biden
Not much to say about him. Good grasp on foreign policy and seems like a stable character. He’s a good running mate since he doesn't steal the spot light and he rarely screws up majorily.

This thread is just for discussion and giving your point of view on the election. Keep it clean boys and girls

 

aii dont know. So aii dawnt cware

 

I voted "don't care" since I cannot vote (I'm Canadian). If I was to vote, I'd go for Obama

 

LOL xD
i loved how you said good things about obama but then are like woo hoo McCain and Palin are okay, i guess xD

 

Kurai doesn't like Obama, I however, don't feel the same way.

I myself am old enough to vote. 95% chance I will vote for Obama.

 

I don't even know how anyone can consider McCain after Bush.

It's just sad that this is even a contest.

Then again I said the same thing in 2004 when Bush was up for re-election.

 

i agree, im an igloo dweller too

 

I'm voting for Obama.

I was pretty much in the middle, things I liked about both, things I didn't. However, when they chose their respective running mates, that did it for me. Cemented it. Biden is an excellent choice, I wouldn't mind him in office in the even that Obama is unable to. Palin....Holy effing crap. We do NOT need an utra-conservative, extremely religious - No, extremely CHRISTIAN person leading this country in the event of McCain's death (Cause honestly. He's 72 with heart problems.)

 

I agree. But is it not scary in 100 different ways that most people aren't scared by that possibility?

 

Yes it is scary as hell.

 

Exactly what Fenix said. McCain was doing decent until he chose Palin, which has got to be one of the least responsible things anyone's ever done in politics. She's just a publicity stunt with little experience and definitely not enough to be a potential President.

 

Ah Wick, not exactly. McCain was doing fine, even BEATING Obama, until the economy started going down south. Palin did her job well. Tactically, that was a good move, and give Palin another 4-8 years, she'll be a superstar in the Republican Party.

I do agree though...it did show McCain's irresponsibility by picking her, but realistically, would McCain have gotten such a huge boost from any other Republican running mate? I honestly think that the only two people who could even remotely beat out a Democrat this year are either John McCain or Condy Rice, and Condy Rice doesn't want to run for President ever. She wants to be Comissioner of the NFL. Which makes her that much more awesome

 

I'm not going to vote in this election, I dont care for either party.

-I don't like Obama, though I'm not sure why(im not racist, so dont throw that card at me)

- Palin is a joke(since when did seeing another country, Russia/Canada, account for foreign relations? By that logic, I'm better at foreign relations than her, I've seen Germany, Italy, France, etc)

 

McCain is too out of touch to be of any use to us, but I don't support the majority of the proposals of Obama. What I hate the most though is that neither side is willing to accept compromise in any policy.

Frankly I think the 2 party system is the most retarded political system ever, and the reason it exists is because campaigns are privately run and funded so the groups that aren't rich can't even get their foot in the door. I wish I had more choices since my only choice now is to kiss my ass goodbye as the country endures another 4 years of ****

 

i like mccain's policy more, i don't like obama's character, either.
however, even if i could vote, i wouldn't. mccain and obama obviously both had problems.

for example, obama has lied on occasion (especially about supporting his pastor) and i do not think he is trustworthy, and nor do i think he has quite enough experence of knowledge to pursue his goals, yet. maybe next election, but i don't trust his character.

mccain would be my choice, and i think palin was a good VP choice, as she hooked many votes. but she does scare me, really, with the way she works. fanaticism is a bad thing. back to mccain though, everyone keeps making the excuse he's old, which he is. but if we can't talk about obama being black what fairness is it if we call mccain useless for his age? he has good ideas, anyway. and he's not like president bush in a few rather good ways. just because he's a republican and bush's choice doesn't mean he's another bush.

still, i don't have enough of a grip on the issues atm. maybe i'll pay more attention to the news when i can vote.

 

Because age may cause functional troubles while the skin color may not?

I agree with the comment though. Somehow.

/voted

The thinking of most people I guess sadly...

Maybe because...

[_] ... McCain is not black?
[_] ... McCain wants some war?
[_] ... McCain will still massively promote firearms?
[_] ... Sarah Palin is hot, and promotes a 19th's style conservatism?
[_] ... I never heard about anything bad with Bush?
[_] ... democrats are gays?
[_] ... I may lose my job if democrats are elected?


I voted "other", as I can't vote.
Funny how we may be affected but we can't express our own opinion.
I would vote for Obama if I could, even if I am not 100% sure he may be really better than McCain...




Oh, and thanks for the crisis by the way.

 

i think Obama is the lesser of two evils here, mainly because of Sarah Palin being the running mate of McCain; she cant even friggin raise her own daugther. She also differs far too much from McCain to ever get a stable America when she needs to take over

 

I can't decide whether you're being an idiot or making a joke. LOL

Also, I don't see how Obama is "evil" at all. There's no evil involved with either of the candidates this time around.

Bush, Bush is evil. That guy is evil. I see strong parallels between him and fascist leaders from the 19th century (including Hitler and Stalin) because of his willingness to lie, subvert civil liberties, and then commit illegal acts.

Bush breaking the law:

- CIA leak (blame gets placed on Scooter Libby)
- Attorney General firings (Gonzalez takes the blame)
- Iraq war misinformation (blatantly fabricated documents)
- Wiretapping (blatant violation of even the Patriot Act which was designed to make this stuff easier)

If Bush wasn't protected by the office... these are serious crimes.

But McCain? He's no evil. He just has the wrong policies.

Obama may have the wrong ones too (can't tell before you try them) but I think he's more willing to change his options. McCain is 72 and thinks he knows everything to be learned. He doesn't even understand technology. I don't see how you can be a President in the 21st century without understanding technology at least in some manner.

 

BoP, there are more then 2 parties, Democrats and Republicans are the only ones that get federal funding, a party has to get 5% of the vote to get federal funding, and the two major parties are the only ones getting many votes at all.

 

Actually, dark, you can get federal funding as long as you are present on the ballot in 12 states.

It's a dollar for dollar match on all private funds you can gather and you can't accept private donations. There's also a limit on how much you can spend.