Coming off the Edwards fence

[Yael]

Sorry folks -- but he has coattails and no matter the quibbles between policies -- it will be the strength down ticket that will get things done.

Gobama!

:patriot:

[oldtime dfl_er]

1. And I'm off the Edwards fence

and headed to my caucus this afternoon, as a Hillary supporter. :)

[Yael]

3. I wish we could caucus

Have fun! GO EARLY. Turnouts are blowing my mind!

[oldtime dfl_er]

24. They were pretty crazy 4 years ago

And I expect insanity this time. I'll bring my camera and post pics if I can.

[Yael]

26. Excellent!

I have been enjoying the pics and crowd reports out of Nebraska.

[surfermaw]

4. Go Hillary ....welcome aboard : from day one Edwards

[Guava Jelly]

2. welcome aboard

glad to have you

[ecstatic]

5. That's interesting. So all the cult accusation threads didn't scare you?

I wonder if those threads scared anyone away.

[Yael]

9. Apparently not!

The challenger to our (R) seated congressman was an Edwards Democrat. I have to think about his race and I think Obama has the 'tails in this area to go dem.

We have to get that guy OUT of congress where he has been planted the last 20 years. He voted against S-CHIP for cryin' out loud.

:patriot:

[Labors of Hercules]

15. Sure as hell didn't scare me away!

:Hi: Hi Y'all!

[sam sarrha]

18. hell no, these folks are real nice, and they gave me all this free incense to give away...

[melody]

22. All I got was the introductory head cloth when I joined :(

Someone needs to improve the welcome basket!

[alteredstate]

28. You get a better welcome basket

if you agree to the "O" tattoo.

[maximusveritas]

30. Man, I got ripped off! I agreed to the Obama microchip

and all I got was a stupid shirt.

Strangely, I still love Obama. Weird.

[melody]

42. Does that come with or without the complimentary Obama Stupa?

:)

[grantcart]

6. welcome

[CountAllVotes]

7. I was going to vote for Edwards too

and then he dropped out so, GOBAMA!!

:dem:

[The empressof all]

8. I refuse to give away my vote to anyone...Even Edwards

The one thing I have in common with Bush is that I'm the Decider. Therefore I will not give Edwards my vote today in Caucus. :cry:

I will defy stereotypes and stand for Obama.

[Yael]

11. Caucus sounds like a blast

Have fun -- and tell your story when you get back!

[davidwparker]

10. I made the same decision as you. I hated to see JE drop out, but, I would

have voted for him Tuesday had he been in. Now, I'm voting for G'Obama.

This was, IMHO, the reason he dropped out. He'd be pulling votes away from Obama and the Clintons would then win the majority of the states/delegates.

[Yael]

12. That was in the back of my mind too.

I am willing to give BO a shot at this. There is more at stake than who wins the nom -- it is about driving people to the polls and the consequence of that down ticket.

I think Obama can do that.

[truedelphi]

41. Me too. n/t

[Renew Deal]

13. Let me get your shots ready.

:rofl:

:hi:

[DS1]

14. As did I

[sam sarrha]

16. it is a long fall which ever way you fall.. hope you have insurance

[jgraz]

17. Yep, pragmatism is all we have left at this point

Gotta go with the guy who can actually win.

[midnight]

19. Still on the Edwards fence.

[Yael]

21. I came to my decision based on the local house seat that is being contested

We have a 20 year-sitting (R) that almost lost in the last round.

We have an Edwards-backing Democrat challenging him. :patriot:

I want that man in that seat -- and I think Obama has the leg up on getting people to the polls to make it happen.

Check your local and state-wide races. Just another angle to look at in this.

[mopinko]

20. 1st rule of politics, excite your base, lull theirs to sleep.

don't know how there could be any question.
and i tell you what else- obama has made it a practice to nurture those coattails. i predict that the road to victory for him will be the campaign trail of down ticket dems. just plain good politics.
welcome aboard.

[lame54]

23. I'm not on the fence

Neither one appeals to me

[The River]

25. Same Here

Corporate approved, media driven choices.
Regardless of who "they" pick, the media will
then crucify the nominee to the point where
another e-voting theft won't be questioned.

All the talking heads will say:
"Well folks, it looks like American voters are
still too ________ to vote for a _________."

We're throwing it away in 08 to prove what a "big tent" we have.

Enjoy!

[Yael]

27. You apparently don't have any contests down ticket that could swing the house and senate?

[The River]

43. How is that "apparent"?

This will be my 10th Presidential election.
I always vote a straight ticket...
even if I have to hold my nose.
I'll vote for JE this coming Tuesday...guilt free.

The point is after 10 cycles, I know a set up
for a train wreck when I see one.

enjoy!

[Blue_In_AK]

29. People that I like here are breaking both ways.

I'm not jumping on anyone's bandwagon. I caucused for Hillary just because she was so far behind here (Obama got 75%), but I'm not an enthusiastic Clinton supporter. On the other hand, things about Obama still trouble me.

So I'm just going to wait for November and vote for our candidate. Democrats for Congress here will have to run on their own merits anyway, so I don't think the presidential candidate is going to make much difference to their chances.

[Yael]

32. I support you in that, Blue

:hug:

We are going to have a slug fest here to get that (R) out of his seat and as we don't vote until April, I think it is the best move for the challenger.

[Blue_In_AK]

37. I understand that.

We just have Ted Stevens and Don Young up for re-election to national office this year, and both of them are particularly vulnerable on their own merits (or lack of merits, I should say), so I don't think presidential politics will play any role at all. Republicans here hate John McCain anyway ... he came in dead last in our caucus with only 1800 supporters (out of about 12,000 participants). Mitt had 44%, so the Republicans here are pretty down in the mouth. McCain's opposition to drilling in ANWR pretty much dooms him here with the pubbies. They may just stay home in droves, which would be fine with me.

[thoughtcrime1984]

31. Nice to see that, Yael

You have always seemed like a level-headed poster, and I hope Obama can get to the WH and help us out of some of W's mess.

[Yael]

33. I don't know about level headed -- but thanks!

:hi:

[cooolandrew]

34. Welcome to team Obama next stop a bright future. =)

[David Zephyr]

35. HI Yael. Welcome to our camp. We need your voice and intellect.

I have always found myself identifying with the majority of your threads and comments.

I'm very proud to have you with us. We certainly need you.

I didn't make up my mind until last month, but I know in my heart and mind I did the right thing.

:hi:

[Yael]

45. You are too kind

:hug:

[Tatiana]

36. Good for you!

I voted for Edwards, but like you said, it's about the coattails. Unless the Constitution has been amended recently, Congress still makes the laws. We need to elect more progressive Democrats if we are hoping to have any sort of national progressive agenda implemented. I'm thinking a strong candidate with wide national appeal that can really tip the close elections of our candidates down the ballot is the way to go.

Look at this list of Blue Dogs:

Mike Arcuri (New York)
Joe Baca (California)
John Barrow (Georgia)
Melissa Bean (Illinois)
Marion Berry (Arkansas)
Sanford Bishop (Georgia)
Dan Boren (Oklahoma)
Leonard Boswell (Iowa)
Allen Boyd (Florida), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Administration
Dennis Cardoza (California)
Christopher Carney (Pennsylvania)
Ben Chandler (Kentucky)
Jim Cooper (Tennessee)
Jim Costa (California)
Bud Cramer (Alabama)
Lincoln Davis (Tennessee)
Joe Donnelly (Indiana)
Brad Ellsworth (Indiana)
Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona)
Kirsten Gillibrand (New York)
Bart Gordon (Tennessee)
Jane Harman (California)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (South Dakota), Blue Dog Whip
Baron Hill (Indiana)
Tim Holden (Pennsylvania)
Steve Israel (New York)
Nick Lampson (Texas)
Tim Mahoney (Florida)
Jim Marshall (Georgia)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Mike McIntyre (North Carolina)
Charlie Melancon (Louisiana)
Mike Michaud (Maine)
Dennis Moore (Kansas), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Policy
Patrick Murphy (Pennsylvania)
Collin Peterson (Minnesota)
Earl Pomeroy (North Dakota)
Mike Ross (Arkansas), Blue Dog Co-Chair for Communications
John Salazar (Colorado)
Loretta Sanchez (California)
Adam Schiff (California)
David Scott (Georgia)
Heath Shuler (North Carolina)
Zack Space (Ohio)
John Tanner (Tennessee)
Gene Taylor (Mississippi)
Mike Thompson (California)
Charlie Wilson (Ohio)

We're never going to get progressive legislation passed electing Democrats like those. Of course, the party establishment says that progressive Democrats can't get elected in red states. (Curious, all those Californian Blue Dogs on that list...)

But think how a candidate with broad appeal can help someone like Rick Noriega:

Will Texas Democrats finally start winning statewide elections again? State Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston — who wants to deny U.S. Sen. John Cornyn a second term — is betting on it.

Wednesday, he ended a three-day tour that took him through the Coastal Bend to the Valley, the Laredo area and the Wintergarden before ending at his San Antonio campaign offices.

It was packed with a diverse crowd that included many office-holders. But also there were many dipping their toes into political waters for the first time.

On the tour, a staffer said, crowds varied from a few dozen to several hundred, but enthusiasm is high, and small contributions already total $1 million.

"People are fed up with leadership that keeps telling them that things are fine, the economy is great and the war is going well," Noriega says. "It's transparent, and someone has to say, 'The emperor has no clothes.'

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA013108.01B.guerra.367ae38.html

[K Gardner]

38. Yael !! My buddy ............

:thumbsup: :toast:

Come on over and have some KoolAid my friend !

[Yael]

44. ...

:toast:

[fadedrose]

39. I'm a die-hard...

As long as there's a teensy bit of hope, I still back Edwards - as president, preferably,....

Obama is 2nd choice and I can't think of anybody I like after him.

[jefferson_dem]

40. Welcome aboard, Yael.

Obama will make us all proud!