In Good Faith Strategic Question for Hillary supporters

[CaptJasHook]

First, let it be known that I am a Democrat first, but that I am a supporter of JE with BO as my second choice.

Secondly, If I accidently say something that pushes anyone's anger button, that is not my intention. I fully respect Hillary and anticipate that she will make a great president. I will definitely vote for her in the general election.


I am assuming that a Democrat is going to win the presidency. My concern is about voter turnout and its impact on local and state elections. I am also assuming that a large Democratic turnout at election time will embolden Congress and the Progressive movement to get this country back on track. I know those could be erroneous assumptions.

Let me lead up to my questions. The media has a tendency to create reality. Currently their story about a Clinton candidacy is that it will bring out Republicans in droves and push away independents. There is now a concern that the Race/Gender battle, currently going on, will suppress the African American vote and their allies.

Questions:

What impact do you think a Hillary candidacy is going to have on overall turnout?

If you think it will impact, how do you believe Hillary is going to address the Media narrative?


Thank you for your time and support of Hillary and the Democratic party.

[creeksneakers2]

1. Democratic turnout will be incredible, no matter which candidate

Democrats are so fed up with the era of Bush they'll do anything to stop it. The frustration isn't just with regular or sometimes voters. People who never vote are angry at what Bush has done. The proof is in how turnout for Democratic primaries is about double what the GOP gets.

There's a good chance everybody will make up after the election. Nobody wants another two terms of GOP rule. Those who sit it out on the far left end up sitting out most of the time anyway.

The Independents may not choose Hillary but so far polls have shown she gets enough of them to put her over the top. Of the GOP candidates, only McCain is a serious competitor for Independent votes. The other candidates are trying to resell conservative ideas like even more tax cuts for the wealthy. That ideology has completely failed and everybody knows it but them. On issues Hillary will beat the GOP by miles and take a majority of the Independent vote that way.

I listen to the wingers on talk radio and read some of their net sites and lots of them say they'll sit out the election even if Hillary is the Democratic nominee. The right wingers are very angry with the GOP. Some even say they are more likely to sit out against Hillary, because they figure she's the easiest one to take out with the next election.

[CaptJasHook]

2. You know your candidate better than I

Any idea how she is going to bring everyone back together?

By the way, I am pretty far left (much farther than Hillary) and I vote every time.

[plantwomyn]

6. Here's hoping that whoever is the nominee

will run against their opponents record. If it McCann then it seems easy to shoe that he supported Bush's war AND the way he waged it. Most independents agree that the war is fucked up in more than one way.
If it's Romney, just read up on what McCann has said about him and say it again to the repugs. A lot of them believed McCann and so may vote against Romney again.
If it's Huck, well hell goody. Have a fucking fields day. Ask the country if they want a man who believes in creationism to be in charge of our health and science research and development. I mean come on lets get real. Do any of these guys wives have a diamond. If the earth is only 6000 years old they wouldn't exist, it takes 100s of millions of years. Repugs can relate to diamonds since they have a market value bases on their rarity and the TIME it takes for the EARTH to create them.

[rodeodance]

3. You called me a troll in your other post--now you want to make nice?? nah--I am not biting.

[CaptJasHook]

4. Why are you saturating the boards

with statements that blatantly cause negativity?

[rodeodance]

5. you need to look at what I am responsing to! .

[Clinton Crusader]

7. I'm at most distressed at the anger,

attitude and school yard bully tactics displayed by Obama supporters. They have taken over GD--P and make people afraid to open their mouths and if you say ONE thing against Obama, you're a racist, something similar to what the Obama Campaign is doing as a whole.

I am still searching high, low, up and down for all these Klan-like remarks by Bill Clinton and still haven't found a one. I STILL haven't the faintest notion of what everyone is screeching about as far as racism. I have been following the Clintons since 1991 and I have never ever ever known the Clintons to be racist in any way shape or form. To me, Obama has perfected the victim card and his campaign started this race thing and now screams racism at the other campaign.

Not even to mention how the MSM is spitting on Hillary every single chance they get. NBC/MSNBC being the champions of this. They have it so Obama is Jesus, Buddha, all four Beatles, JFK, MLK, RFK and whoever the hell else all wrapped into one person. PLEASE!

I'm sick of the whole election already and it's only January.

Point being, Obama people say they absolutely refuse to vote for Hillary. Period. Now that's being a good Dem, ain't it?

[CaptJasHook]

8. After reading DU solid for the last week or so

I can fully understand your frustration. I am a fairly neutral person and loyal to the Democratic party 1st and the progressive cause second. Therefore it is really difficult for me to see us tearing each other apart.

However, I don't believe it is as bad as you think. For one, I have seen much nastier things said on other blogs and forums. Though often petty, it is rare to find a full out bash. Some of the rants are a little long-winded and hyperbolic, but again, it is the rare one that I find completely offensive or off base. Essentially, I stick to the posts that are recommended, as that seems to be a firewall against insanity.

Secondly, I would caution you and everyone on these boards from refering to each other as these large stereo-types. Hillbots this... Obamaniacs that... Every support group has its share of meanness.

Thirdly, anyone who says they will not vote Democrat in the general doesn't belong in DU. Period. They need to be hit with the ignore option.

Lastly, from experience, I am very, very wary of outside provocoteurs. I have seen discussions sabotaged by outside posters on similar boards. Additionally, there is a new tactic by operatives from both parties to share online identities with which to troll opposing websites.


Remember, divide and conquer.

By the way,

I am still hoping someone will address my main concern. How do you believe Hillary's candidacy will affect the turn out of Democratic voters in the general election. The media narrative is that she will suppress Democratic turnout, switch Independents over to Republicans and increase the Republican turnout.

I am very happy with any of our candidates. They all have their strengths. But I feel any of them will be useless if we can't pick up seats in Congress, local and state elections.



(PS. I lead Edwards. Is it OK with all of you that I am posting here? As long as I'm not stupid and disobey the rules like in my A**wipe post against Rodeo. For which I apologize.)

[kerrygoddess]

9. The media narrative

CaptJasHook

The media narrative was similar for Kerry in '04 and yet for all intents and purposes there are many who believe he won the election. I don't want to and will not go down the road of discussing Ohio, or anything else here from the last election, I offer that as a response to the media narrative.

The Democratic turnout has been higher than usual in every primary race we have had so far. And I think we all know by now that those voters are not just turning out to vote for Obama, although that is his narrative. In her re-election campaign in NY in '96 she won I believe 79% of the vote thus some of that vote was indeed Republicans and Independents. She's shown herself as a Senator who transcends party lines to get things done in the Senate (and mind you, that's not really a unique thing as some claim).

Since '04 there has been an inordinate amount of voters remorse. The Republicans are having a problem raising money and many have switched out of the party to either become Independents or Republicans. I have no doubt that Clinton will win the GE if she wins the nomination and that is why I am backing her.

The narrative is BS in my opinion and the press has been far harder on her than Obama and his has been well documented by members of the media and Media Matters.

Tonight in FL with no candidate actually campaigning she pulled off a commanding lead in her win there. Watch for more of this on Super Tuesday. Hillary Clinton knows how to lead this country. She's tough, strong, competent, an awesome debater, incredibly intelligent and actually a very warm person, if you ever should have the chance to meet her, as I have.

Hope that helps answer your questions.

[CaptJasHook]

10. Thank you

As if you can't tell from DU lately, there are a lot of wounds to lick before the general election. A lot of people who will be upset about a win by the Senator from New York. I hope all of you Clinton Supporters are ready to take some heat and then come out shaking hands.

Mine is open.

Edwards today, Democrat all the way

[kerrygoddess]

11. I was in this forum

In the fall of '03 as a John Kerry supporter, when that was about as fashionable around here as it is now to be a Clinton supporter. The heat will be on here through out the General Election and then some. That's DU. :)

[rodeodance]

13. ok cap....I read you post all the way to the bottom. Welcome. Lets start over. but later

for now. I need to be elsewhere for a while.
rd.

[CaptJasHook]

12. By the way, Congrats last night, nt