My heart is with Hillary. My mind is with Obama.

[Onlooker]

I am so sick of the sexist attacks on Hillary from the right and left that my heart is with her. I'll be happy if she wins the nomination, and I think she has as much chance in the general election as any of the others.

I'm supporting Obama because I think he's more liberal, and I think he brings a lot of idealism to the campaign. I do think in some ways he's the reincarnation of Bobby Kennedy (and that makes me nervous for him), and if he won the Presidency, our nation would start investing in the needy (and the middle class to some degree) at the expense of the rich.

I would consider Edwards, and love his anti-corporate rhetoric, but with equally good candidates who are minorities and women, let's give one of them a chance. They'll bring something new to the White House, and make a bold, bold statement to the rest of the world, which is mostly far more bigoted than we are.

[PDittie]

1. Then go with your gut.

Stephen Colbert!

[ccpup]

2. I don't know

I think Obama is a creation of the media -- to some extent -- and people are seeing in him things that may or may not be there. Idealistic? More liberal? A look at what he's actually done in his short US Senate career -- and in his career as a State Legislator -- might shed more light as to whether he's either of those things.

I, myself, see nothing idealistic or liberal about voting Present as a political dodge on huge issues like abortion while in the State Senate. And I don't know, judging by what he's done so far for the people in his State as Senator, if more investing in helping the needy is a reasonable thing to expect. Has he done that for his Constituents in Illinois yet? (I'm asking because I'm not sure)

I do think you're right, in a way, about how exciting it is to have two "minorities" having a serious shot at the Presidency. Interesting times to live in, that's for sure.

[Egnever]

7. What do you see in this stuff?

Obama Bill Sets Date For Troop Withdrawal
Candidate Goes Further Than Rivals

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

Congress to Pass Obama, Coburn Legislation to Prevent Abuse of No-Bid Contracts in Wake of a Disaster

http://obama.senate.gov/press/060929-congress_to_pas /

Senate Passes Obama, McCaskill Legislation to Provide Safety Net for Families of Wounded Service Members

http://obama.senate.gov/press/070802-senate_passes_o_1 /

Obama/Reid Amendment
On Oct. 2, 2006, Sens. Obama (D-IL) and Reid (D-NV) offered a $20 million amendment to H.R. 5631, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act. The amendment allocated funds to support the African Union troops in Darfur.

http://www.darfurscores.org/darfur-legislation

[annie1]

25. to me, its more a creation of what's in my mind b/c...

i have not heard him say anything that woop-de-do to make me excited about him. so when i think of all the things i hope he could be, its all about what inside myself, and not much about him at all.

[K Gardner]

3. My mind and heart are with Biden.. but if I'm being totally honest,

I do see him as the dark horse candidate. I'll support him until such time as it's not viable to support him any longer and I hope he surprises all of us. That being said, I'm looking closely at Obama and Edwards and hope to be able to campaign for one of the three in my home state.

[flordehinojos]

4. the more i read about obama and listen to him on the television channels,

the more he strikes me as being another bush in make-over clothing.

[K Gardner]

5. Oh wow, I don't get this impression at all.. can you elaborate?

Seriously.. I'm interested in how he comes across to you.. thanks !

[flordehinojos]

8. Yes ... let me try.

I think that Obama has learned from the Bush Book of Dirty Politics quite a lot. For example,
when Hillary Clinton, or someone in his campaign brought up the apparent historical fact that he had used whatever drug in his adolescence ...his response seems to have been one of counter-attack of the clinton campaign. i don't know if he counter-attacked personally, or if he had a surrogate do it. the high road and honest response (and if he gave it then that speaks something for him) might have been, in my mind, at least, something like, "Yes. I did. I tried it and experimented with it for xxxx amount of time and then decided, or went through some rehabilitation, that the stuff was not good. did not want to do it any more and it is not for me and it has not been since ...' instead, he seems to have said, or said today, "The average American believes what someone does when they were a teenager 30 years ago probably is not relevant." to me this sounds that he is letting himself off the hook pretty easily and without assuming responsibility. he seems to be discounting something, like people like me, who might want to hear him say something more relevant and substantive about that particular situation.

i am not sure who started this war between himself and the clintons. in the back of my mind he seems to have started it by doing some research into hillary's eight years in the white house...
and again, he excuses his campaign's steps by making hillary responsible for his actions. he says,
it was legitimate to seek information on hillary's eight years in the white house because she, "has argued that her experience as first lady is relevant." he could have said, hillary is my opponent, and as her opponent, i have every democratic god given right to do research on her.

then, he says, "i recall the clintons themselves" and, he adds, "that is just not where the country is at right now." but it seems that in his view "that is not where the country is at right now" happens to apply when it comes to himself, in other words, it is an emotional appeal to the country in which he is saying, "look at what others are doing to me..." but he gives himself a free pass to use politics of gotcha cornered kidn of stuff when he turns around in a debate and tells hillary, "and yes hillary, i'll look forward to having you advise me when i am president." that was a put down and it showed the same cockiness and arrogance of a GWB drunk with power...at least to my ears that is what it sounded like.

And then, he continues to show his arrogance when in response to questions asked of him by reporters in terms of hillary's apology to him re-his earlier drug use, he says "i am not going to characterize it" ... leaving the book open for people to make of hillary's apology whatever they want to make of it. the honest and integral thing of him would have been to have said, "yes, i felt it was." or even, "no. i didn't feel it was."

.... all of these examples remind me of the debate between george bush and al gore (i think it was the second debate...there really weren't that many (weren't there only two debates? inthe 2000 campaign? anyhow, it reminds of when al gore is saying somethign that really is truthful and factual about bush and the falseness of bush's compassionate/conservatism, and bush turns to jim lehrer the moderator and says something about al gore judging his heart ... what a bunch of malarkey. that was bush's way of getting off the hook and making an emotional appeal that got him what he wanted. lehrer stopped right the discourse of whatever it was that gore was addressing and gave bush a pass: he channelled the debate into the next question and one which was favorable to bush.

therefore, and for all of the above reasons, barack obama to me is just another bush in make-over clothing.

[K Gardner]

9. Wow.. so this is about Hillary's attempt to characterize him

as a drug dealer. And HE comes off looking like Bush? At any rate, thanks for the explanation. :-)

[flordehinojos]

15. He does. But not because of anything Hillary has done or said. But because of the things HE himself

has said and done.

He claims to have the high road. I haven't seen it. I don't think he has been honest in her dealings with her and yet he projects himself (or tries to project himself) as utterly honest. so far. i don't see it. same bush story.

[sandnsea]

16. Let's insert some facts, shall we

First of all, Obama has already stated the "honest response" you desire. He did it years ago in his book, and he has done it when asked on the campaign trail. Exactly as you state.

So why would the Clinton campaign bring it up, since the historical fact is already out there? You think it was innocent?

Further, they didn't just bring up drug use, they went further. They speculated that he was actually a drug dealer, attempting to create the image of the scary black gangster of the 80's, dealing drugs on street corners. Disgusting.

Then, after they launch this disgusting attack, you think he's supposed to just graciously ignore it?

This kind of bashing is what is Bush in make-over clothing.

[Little Star]

18. One Question......

If the Hillary campaign did as you say speculated, that Obama was actually a drug dealer, (and I missed that part BTW). Why doesn't he clear up any of the untrue facts? He needs to say I never dealt or gave coke to others and I have not touched another drug since whatever age he quit using (I don't think that was in his book?). The people deserve a straight forward answer. If there is one bit of truth of dealing at any age or using cocaine as an adult then he should not be president, ever! He needs to answer the questions that are on the table now. Do we really want the Republicans asking these valid questions during the general election debates and campaigns. We Dems need the true answers now. I hope he is guilty of neither because if he gets the nod and there is any truth to those rumors the Dems will be sure to lose the general! Just answer the damn questions if you have nothing to hide. Put the rumors to bed so you don't sink our chance at winning the general. If they are not true he will become more beloved for answering. May dog help us all from another four years of republican rule.

[sandnsea]

19. Why? He sunk her. He's done.

This is the crap that "we Dems" spread during the swift boat shit. Go peddle it to somebody else, trust me, do not bring it back to me.

[Little Star]

22. No, these are valid unanswered questions. Would you

rather we ask then now because the repugs will as soon as the primaries are over. I'm not trying to be mean. I honestly believe this will be one of the swift-boat issues the R's will use if Obama gets the nod. And you don't have to be so dang nasty.

[sandnsea]

23. This is what Dems did to Kerry

I will be nasty when Dems are so stupid as to turn right around and do it again.

[Franc_Lee]

17. The more I see Obama and listen to his speeches the more I want him as my prez...

[Little Star]

21. The more I see and hear from Obama the less I want him.

Hillary-I'm not fond of but at least I can see her warts. Obama is to smooth and shiny by far for me. He needs some more years in the US Senate where we can see his warts. He needs to take his hits and bruises so that we can see who he really is. Gotta give it to him on being almost as good an orator as Big Dog.

[annie1]

26. The more I see and hear from Obama the less I want him too but...

b/c he just puts me to sleep. i try to just hear the words, b/c i don't like his speech or tone. he comes off a little haughty to me, but i think it's only b/c he's very young and being careful. i'll be so glad when he gets more experience. as of right now, he just bores me to tears.

[loyalsister]

6. I thought the DMR said the opposite

It was nice to see an article that spoke of strength of confidence in her. I agree about the sexism. There has been way too much. Sadly, it is way too accepted as well.

I have some intellectual pull towards Biden because of foreign policy issues, however I don't think that he is a candidate who would represent my interests best. I am not voting on foreign policy only.

Obama, Dodd, and Kucinich seem to be most compatable with my domestic concerns.

But Obama has the best disability platform I have seen.

He makes it clear in his language that he understands it as a minority model, and truly understands the intent of the ADA.

[Little Star]

10. I'm tired of being poor, so it's JRE for me.

He has worked for the people all his life, in the trenches of the court room! I can count on him for fighting for me and others like me.

[Bluebear]

11. My wallet is with Edwards.

[polichick]

12. "with equally good candidates"

I'd love to vote for a woman or a black, but I'm not sure Hillary or Obama is equal to Edwards when it comes to big policy changes.

[Onlooker]

13. Edwards is great, absolutely great, on corporate issues ...

... but he's roughly the same on everything else, and corporate issues don't fly with a lot of people because they have 401Ks, and want the stock market to climb. I myself have a love-hate relationship with the market. When it goes up, I'm happy for my retirement money, when it goes down, I'm happy those greedy corporate types are screwed.

[polichick]

14. I worry about corporate interests in deciding policies...

...like healthcare, energy and other environmental issues. People might have to adjust their portfolios a bit (I would), but we have to do what's right for the country as a whole and Edwards seems to get that.

[Think82]

20. Go for Biden. You get the best of all three.

[annie1]

24. The hil hate makes me like her more too. endears me to her. and she...

is hard as nails. love her.