No one should drop out. A brokered convention is exciting!

[Toucano]

Personally, I reject the claims that Obama and Clinton are hurting each other by continuing to campaign for votes. There's nothing either one can say about the other that McCain or a McCain surrogate won't say in September and October. It may seem distasteful to hear negative things about your candidate from another Democrat, but that's politics.

With all the interest and energy being put into the process on both Obama and Clinton camps, this convention will be the experience of a lifetime!

Move over, Superbowl. I predict record television ratings. How is McCain's "sewn-up" victory and the Republican convention going to compete with that? It'll look like a napping competition at the country club.

[Hugabear]

1. You don't see how this hurts us?

Instead of focusing on ISSUES - like health care, Iraq, the economy, etc - our candidates are spending time attacking each other and defending themselves. How much time has Obama had to spend talking about his pastor, or Hillary talking about her '96 Bosnia trip?

The only thing you're right about is the fact that the media loves a good fight. So instead of focusing on McCain's "Hundred Year War", they're busy trying to get our candidates and their supporters to say nasty things about each other.

[Toucano]

14. The candidates never fail to speak about issues.

At every stop, Obama and Clinton both speak about health care, Iraq, and the economy.

The media chooses not to focus on the issues, and they won't focus on the issues even after we have a nominee. Issues are BOORING!

We currently have TWO voices that can attack McCain. It's a net positive.

[MNDemNY]

23. It is our ONLY hope. Neither of these two can win the GE.

[Hugabear]

25. I categorically reject your assumption

McCain is the best the GOP can offer up, and you don't think we can win? Hell, half of the GOP can't stand McCain, they consider him to be their version of Lieberman. He's talking about 100 more years in Iraq, and you don't think we have a chance?

What kind of magic do you expect to come out of a brokered convention? Who's going to come riding in on their white horse to carry us to victory? Sorry, but this isn't Middle Earth, and there is no King Aragorn to come riding in to save us. All you people who think that Al Gore is going to step in and save the day are sorely delusional, he has repeatedly stated that he DOES NOT WANT TO BE PRESIDENT. The sooner you folks start realizing that, and start supporting whoever our nominee is, the better off we'll be.

[MNDemNY]

27. Good for you.

HRC and BHO = President McLame.

[Hugabear]

31. You didn't answer the question

Please tell us who this Messiah is, the one who is going to save us from ourselves? All I keep hearing is Gore Gore Gore. The man has repeatedly said that he has no interest, yet you keep clinging to him.

Who do you think is going to emerge from a brokered convention?

[MNDemNY]

32. A Democrat.

[Hugabear]

34. Really?

Obviously whoever comes out of the convention is going to be a Democrat.

If you want to have this discussion, however, be serious about it. If you don't think that either Obama or Hillary can win in November, who do you see coming out of the convention that could? Keep in mind that whoever that person is would have to be able to win over both candidates' supporters, most of whom will likely feel disenfranchised. You think there's controversy now regarding Michigan and Florida? How do you face the entire nation, and tell them that NONE of their votes counted, that they were too stupid to pick a contender?

Gore's already out of consideration.

There is one candidate that I think might be able to pull the party back together, and trounce McCain in the general election.

[thoughtcrime1984]

40. I think you are very wrong.

Just because you may not care for our candidates, do not assume that everyone else feels the same. I'll do what I can to help Sen. Obama become President, as will millions of others! Whoever votes McCain deserves what his Presidency would bring.

[MercutioATC]

2. It isn't about tearing each other up, it's about not concentrating on McCain.

McCain has almost no money. This is the perfect time to make him dodge attacks. He won't be able to adequately respond because he doesn't have the cash to air ads.

Sadly, this isn't happening. McCain is just coasting.


We need to start focusing on McCain, but that can't really be done until we have a candidate.

[shaniqua6392]

10. Why aren't Obama and Clinton just focusing on McCain?

They could both do that. They do not really need to be fighting only each other. They are both benefiting from the rancor right now. I agree with your assessment of how McCain is coasting though. But our candidates could also be mentioning their differences with McCain and campaigning individually against him.

[MercutioATC]

20. It's strategically impossible.

By concentrating solely on McCain, both candidates leave themselves open to attacks from the other which would go unanswered (or not sufficiently answered). That could cost them the nomination.

We need a candidate before we can really focus on dealing with the opponent.

[rainy]

3. What would make it the most exciting is if neither have enough delegate votes

and Al Gore gets chosen by the supers and is told by the party to choose Obama as his vice since Obama has more delegates than Hillary. Do I have my head in the clouds?

[elocs]

18. Yes, you have your head in the clouds. How do you force Gore to run?

How do you force Gore to give up on his dream and what he sees as his life's calling to run for president, a job which would distract him from what he believes is not only of utmost importance for this country, but also this planet? In your scenario will the elected supers go back home and explain to their constituents how they disenfranchised them by voting for a person who did not put in the work and effort to campaign for the nomination?

Also, the thought of losing in November is not exciting.

[goldcanyonaz]

4. I'm hell excited about it too.

[Hugabear]

8. I bet you are...

Your fucking sig line says it all.

If you would have to "think about" supporting the Democratic nominee, you're in the wrong fucking place.

[goldcanyonaz]

11. My signature line came straight from the horses mouth. That horse is Michelle Obama.

Do some homework.

[azmouse]

5. If this goes all the way to the convention,

the convention will be all the excitement you'll get.

The Dems will lose in Nov should it go that far.

[KingFlorez]

6. A brokered convention is a bad idea

The race needs to end when the last primary is over, no later than that. A brokered convention could cause a serious divide.

[Hugabear]

12. Thanks - nice to see we can agree on something

n/t

[marshall]

16. From a dispassionate standpoint, yes, it is exciting

But if you are concerned at all about the party, then no, it's just a disaster.

It's like watching your parents' go through a messy divorce. It's exciting in a soap opera way to see them tear each other apart--until you realize it's your family that is falling apart and it is affecting you as much as them.

[Vinca]

7. You must work in the MSM. They're the ones chomping at the bit

for a brokered convention. Nothing like shouting, name calling and riots in the street to boost ratings. Meanwhile, McCain and Leiberbush are holding hands while they run around the country playing president.

[Toucano]

21. "You must..."

Oh, my cover's been blown. Drat! :crazy:

[twiceshy]

9. I agree, remember how exciting '68 was.....

.....of course that ended with Tricky Dick Nixon's Ascension to the White House. (May you live in interesting times.)

[WillyT]

24. Yep !!!

Link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4583316

:shrug:

[Toucano]

35. 68 wasn't a brokered convention

Humphrey secured the nomination on the first ballot.

And of course, the rules are different now.

[twiceshy]

37. Good point - all that chaos and not even brokered...

Imagine if it had been on top of everything else.

[Toucano]

46. A brokered convention does not equal blood in the streets.

That conclusion is completely unjustified.

If the first ballot fails to produce a nominee, candidates will be forced "off message" and away from their handlers. No more scripts and stump speeches.

Passion, persuasion, and maybe a little horse trading will likely be employed. It could produce a really successful ticket.

[MonkeyFunk]

51. the '68 convention wasn't brokered

Humphrey won easily on the first ballot.

[Seabiscuit]

13. A brokered convention that leads to a deadlock and a draft of Al Gore is the stuff dreams are

made of. And imagine if Gore accepted and picked Edwards as his running mate?

[JayFredMuggs]

17. Just that! DREAMS

Al Gore has made it abundantly clear that he's not interested. What are you going to do, arrest the man and FORCE him to campaign?

DUH

[Seabiscuit]

19. Of course I know he's not running, and I seriously doubt he'd accept a draft.

That's why my post used the hypothetical "if" and refered to the "stuff dreams are made of".

Duh.

Al is leading a far more productive and satisfying life then he ever could during his years in politics, which were not kind to him.

[dragonlady]

26. His remarks on 60 Minutes show why he's going in a different direction

His PR campaign for the planet is going to ask Americans to radically change their lifestyles in order to slow down climate change. It's hard for a politician to do that and expect to get elected, so Al is taking responsibility for telling us the hard truths and will let somebody else be president.

[Seabiscuit]

36. I saw him on 60 minutes too and got the same impression.

Without specifically saying so, his overall message and demeanor seemed to indicate he was far more comfortable doing what he's doing now than he ever was as a politician, so it's highly unlikely he'll ever hold public office again.

[twiceshy]

38. Yeah right! Obama & Clinton supporters would...

...be soooo thrilled to have 9 months of effort, hopes, expectations flushed down the toilet by the great and powerful Al Gore.

[Seabiscuit]

43. So what's wrong with that? If it's brown, flush it down, I say!

Take out the trash and let a real leader take back the White House.

McCain and the Repukes wouldn't know what hit them.

What are they going to do then? Go back to "Al Gore claims he invented the internet"? That's about all they've got in their arsenal against him. They've got dozens of quivers full of poison darts just waiting for Hillary or Barack to carry our banner.

You should never disrespect the most universally respected man on our planet today.

Of course, it's highly unlikely Gore would accept such a draft.

[chimpymustgo]

44. But we can all get behind Gore and fight to the finish! Go Al!

[UALRBSofL]

15. Don't you know I would love to go to this convention

Think about it, when was the last convention where we had this much build-up going into august? Does anyone remember?

[dogday]

22. I am with you and I get to teach it all to my child...

I really think this is Democracy in action.. I will vote for the Democrat who will be chosen when it is all said and done.... It is exciting and I too wish I could attend... Going to be one of the most exciting, historic conventions in our lifetime... I truly believe that....

[Coexist]

28. You and Bill Kristol!

[Lucky 13]

29. No. It's suicide.

How bout you crack a history book to see how brokered conventions were so great for us in the recent past.

She doesn't care about the party. It's all about her right now and you have been suckered into buying it.

[susankh4]

30. Damn straight it is!

We are seeing REAL politics in action, for a change!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[RiverStone]

33. It would be drama alright , but it...

...would be very bad for the party.

Imagine this trenchwar going on another 5 months!

What a waste of energy, focus, money, and strategy. All the while McLame is coasting on his war mongering ass doing nothing but getting a free ride via the press.

A floor fight means Hillary is trying to over-ride the will of the pledged delegates - if that were to happen - 1/2 the convention and many voters would walk away from the party in disgust.

Ya want drama, go see a great movie. We don't need no stinken drama at the convention.

IMO, Obama will have it wrapped up way before then anyway. :)

[Ichingcarpenter]

39. Yea, Repuglicans think it is exciting too

Why do you push this shit?

[Toucano]

45. "Conventional wisdom" that a brokered convention is bad is shit.

Having people involved in the process is great.

There hasn't been a brokered convention - in either party - since 1952.

Since it's a mathematical possibility, I think it's interesting to consider the possibility in contrast to knee-jerk reactions. It could end up being the most democratic experience in America in modern history.

Je pense, donc je suis.

[anonymous171]

41. Let's just promise to boycott convention coverage.

Is there any way we can watch without giving money to the Big Media that has created this horse race?

[Toucano]

49. IIR, it was on CSPAN in 2004.

No commercials there.

[Erin Elizabeth]

42. A Hillary-brokered back room deal, however?

Not so exciting.

[GoldieAZ49]

47. I agree, I look forward to a kick ass convention!

let 'er rip

[hfojvt]

48. Did you forget the sarcasm smiley?

it's colon "sarcasm" colon, like this :sarcasm:

"There's nothing either one can say about the other that McCain or a McCain surrogate won't say in September and October."

Ah, but there's two things there. First, the more negative things are said, the larger group of voters who hear it and who believe it. Second, when a Democrat says it, then it looks less like partisanship. That was how Lieberman was so damaging. "Even Democrats think (insert Republican spin point)" The honest ones, that is. The sensible ones. The ones who care about their country and aren't just playing politics.

Record ratings won't help if the convention itself is a brawl full of shady deals and hurt feelings and negative statements.

[depakid]

50. I don't think anyone can deny that it beats the snorefests we've had the past several times around

It's also a GREAT opportunity for the Democrats to get the country focused on OUR issues....