2008 Presidential Race
May. 30th, 2007 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
csberryI'm very excited about Fred Thompson running for president. It's not that he and I have much overlap on our political views; it's the overlap of his time as a senator for TN and my producing in Nashville. He was always a very straight-forward, down-to-earth, and open person to talk to and interview. The personality he exhibits in interviews (and much of the guy you see on L&O) is what you get all the time you're with him.
He doesn't play games and just wants results. I think his practical side might have made him vote and say things to get bills passed that may be held against him out of context to make him seem more or less conservative than he is. That's part of the reason why I like the guy. He has his opinions but he acknowledges that compromises and agreeing to disagree have their place in the political realm.
I think his personality and platform are going to improve the situation in the GOP camp. It has basically been the centrist darlings vs the die-hard conservatives. But the centrists are looking goofy campaigning to the GOP conservatives in the primaries and the die-hard conservatives are merely the Religious Right variety. Thompson fits in a nice gap between these two large groups and his personality trumps the similarly positioned (but charismatically deficient) Tommy Thompson.
***
As far as my personal leanings right now...
I think the Dems are more likely than the GOP this time around based on who's in the field.
GOP: I expect either the centrists or the conservatives will dominate the primaries and think it's probably most reliable to believe that the conservatives will push Brownback into a strong 2nd place. It will likely be a very dirty place when it rolls around to Alabama's time to vote in the primary. Holding off on who I think I will end of voting for in the primary because I think I may vote Dem this time around.
Dems: I have no interest whatsoever with Hillary becoming president. Never cared for her, hoped she would have talked about the womanizing of Bill's past more frankly to Oprah/Barbara/Diane Sawyer already, and I have all expectation for her time in the White House to resemble the politics she advocated in the 90's as opposed to how she has worked as a senator.
Part of me is completely set to vote for Obama. Like some of my mindset in '92, this election is about America's Future; I want to have a president that symbolizes America's ability to unite our diverse citizenry toward common goals. I admit that race is a factor in this decision. If Obama was in Edwards' body, I think I'd find him charming but would shy away from voting for him. He has to lose my vote right now. While Obama has some liberal ideas that are just off the table for me, I don't expect Congress to bend enough over the first two years to make much of those concerns a reality. I fully anticipate the Dems having a strong 2008 but going back to a split Congress at 2010. Probably closer to my views and who I'll switch to if Obama pulls a Dean is Bill Richardson.
He doesn't play games and just wants results. I think his practical side might have made him vote and say things to get bills passed that may be held against him out of context to make him seem more or less conservative than he is. That's part of the reason why I like the guy. He has his opinions but he acknowledges that compromises and agreeing to disagree have their place in the political realm.
I think his personality and platform are going to improve the situation in the GOP camp. It has basically been the centrist darlings vs the die-hard conservatives. But the centrists are looking goofy campaigning to the GOP conservatives in the primaries and the die-hard conservatives are merely the Religious Right variety. Thompson fits in a nice gap between these two large groups and his personality trumps the similarly positioned (but charismatically deficient) Tommy Thompson.
***
As far as my personal leanings right now...
I think the Dems are more likely than the GOP this time around based on who's in the field.
GOP: I expect either the centrists or the conservatives will dominate the primaries and think it's probably most reliable to believe that the conservatives will push Brownback into a strong 2nd place. It will likely be a very dirty place when it rolls around to Alabama's time to vote in the primary. Holding off on who I think I will end of voting for in the primary because I think I may vote Dem this time around.
Dems: I have no interest whatsoever with Hillary becoming president. Never cared for her, hoped she would have talked about the womanizing of Bill's past more frankly to Oprah/Barbara/Diane Sawyer already, and I have all expectation for her time in the White House to resemble the politics she advocated in the 90's as opposed to how she has worked as a senator.
Part of me is completely set to vote for Obama. Like some of my mindset in '92, this election is about America's Future; I want to have a president that symbolizes America's ability to unite our diverse citizenry toward common goals. I admit that race is a factor in this decision. If Obama was in Edwards' body, I think I'd find him charming but would shy away from voting for him. He has to lose my vote right now. While Obama has some liberal ideas that are just off the table for me, I don't expect Congress to bend enough over the first two years to make much of those concerns a reality. I fully anticipate the Dems having a strong 2008 but going back to a split Congress at 2010. Probably closer to my views and who I'll switch to if Obama pulls a Dean is Bill Richardson.
