The Official United States of America Presidential Race Thread

I'd like to start by pointing out that I am not the most educated in politics and am not completely clued up with the whole 'thing'. This, however, makes me like the average* American.

I do, however, believe that Obama would be a disaster of an appointment. McCain does not seem like an ideal candidate but he's a lot more suitable than Barack in my opinion. This makes me anti-Obama rather than pro-McCain.

What I am thinking, however, is this: has McCain not taken away one of his greatest arguments and advantages by choosing this woman as her running mate?

Views, please.

 

but obama make good speaches, he warms my heart.
He's well cool too

 

Obama reminds me of Boothroyd. Young, enthusiastic, black and with ambitious plans that will almost certainly never happen. For that reason alone I want him to win.

Tbh I don't know bugger all about the other guy apart from that he looks withered.

 

Nice intro, Y&P.

Your passport is in the mail.

Anyone would do better than the last/current asshole. A McCain presidency would be just "OK", but far far better than Dubya's reign. I wish he would have beaten Bush in 2000. Alas...we can never go back and undo all that has been undone.

I am voting for Barack Obama although I voted for Hilary in the Primary.
I think he'll offer perspectives on policy and actions that we don't typically get here. If he wins, he better be friggin good. It will set back the Democrats and black politicians a long way if he doesn't turn out well.

I am frankly very excited by his candidacy, but not enough to give any money. As those of you who campaigned for Forum poster of the year recall, it's not what I can do for you...it's how much you can pay me and when.

 

people who campaign for presidents/donate are just idiots

 

If I could go back in time, I would campaign so friggin hard for Gore in 2000 and Dukakis in 1988.

 

When McCain is elected, as is likely, and dies in office, Sarah Palin will be the leader of the free world.

 

I'd go to gitmo for her.

 

I can believe that. First impressions are she's bloody frightening. Hockey mom from hell?

 

I honestly would vote for Bob Barr but where is Pat Buchanan he would get my vote hands down.

 

One commentator called her GILF: "Governor I'd Like to F***"


I think this is very amusing, and to be honest, McCain screwed up big time picking her. This is not what Hilary voters will accept as a substitute.

 

Am I right in saying the problem is that is that she is really conservative??

I would much prefer (from an outside world point of view) Obama's more liberal approach.

 

I love the official comment from the Democrat campaign that this choice will make the election more 'interesting'. They must be laughing their socks off.

 

I always campaign at election time. It seems to make more sense than sitting on your ar5e and then complaining for the next five years.

 

definitely would

 

I'm like Y&P in that I don't know too much about the US Election, but from what limited knowledge I have, I'd like to see Mr Obama win. Reading some piece about him in the media he seems to have a plan and hes young and enthusiastic as Badger said.

Obama FTW

 

I think the whole Obama thing has been ridiculous.

He has gone around the world meeting all the world leaders and making speeches about this and that, before he was even the CANDIDATE for one of the POSSIBLE parties that would get elected.

It bloody insane. Imagine what would have happened if David Davis (Was he a candidate? I can't remember now) had done the same thing? Well, nothing. Because he is the candidate for the party...!

I think he will get elected purely on his wave of hype and his pointless speeches which only ask rhetorical questions, and appear to never give any answers.

He annoys me. Saying that, I do think a black President would be good for the US, but it shouldn't be at the expense of common sense. Saying that, McCain hasn't exactly filled me with confidence with his tiresome, Brown-esque speeches either.

So, as is the usual in all politics, you have to choose the lesser of two evils, rather than somebody you actively want.

Thank God for democracy eh?

 

i used to like mccain. but then came out the conservative moralistic social lines...

 

Expect more of the same. Sarah Palin is anti abortion, anti gay rights and same sex unions and anti gambling.

 

a purveyor of fine chips though

 

Pot Guy, you are right about the Obama hype being ridiculous. What I really don't like about his campaign so far is that he seems to be selling 'hope' and 'change' but is very very light on tangible plans.

On the other hand, the tangible plans of a candidate aren't worth a god damn except to convince you to elect him in the first place. Once you take office, most of the plans get tossed out the window for whatever new reality emerges.

In the end, I find myself wondering who will make the best decisions when confronted with incredibly difficult obstacles.

I don't like the predisposition McCain has. You know he wasn't able to recall how many houses he owns? He thinks people who make less than $5 million/year are middle class. That's just stupid.

If that post-cancerous septuagenarian gets elected and kicks the bucket, that girl who could be the chick I took to Junior Prom would be making decisions for the free world. Believe it or not, I think that would be worse than another Bush presidency, and I didn't think that could ever be a possibility.

Sarah Palin looks like the girl in the start of porno's that involve a teacher getting banged, and that's pretty hot. Politically she is the second coming of Dan Quayle. Can you spell potatoE?

 

That's exactly my gripe with Obama, he's all talk. It's one thing saying you have to move forward and change but I'm not sure he has any idea how he's going to do it. I don't know how well America is doing domestically but foreign affairs-wise they are up **** creek, and I don't know if he has the paddle to get them out of it, he certainly doesn't have the experience.

 

Really Y&P, did you never watch The West Wing?

 

The only thing going for her is that she is a GILF.

 

Right on afanof. The talk that the candidates do convinces you what kind of person and character they have, the plans are frankly bullship once they take office. The talk can get bills through congress, can get foreign policy worked out satisfactorily.

On our domestic situation, it is very dark here now.
Property values are 1/3 less than they were 2 years ago, folks are having their homes repossessed by the bank at record rates.

Here in California, wealth is generally expressed as the appreciation of your home value. You bought a home in 1996 for $280,000 that appreciated to $600,000 in 2005, but is now worth $400,000. You feel like you lost $200,000, right? That is nearly EVERY homeowner's experience in California, Arizona and Florida now, and many other places, too. Not to mention all the people who can't buy cars or get any credit because they had to give up their house...that's putting the hurt on businesses that rely on consumer spending. Nobody takes vacation, gas prices are so high, nobody drives except to work and back.

It's getting really tough, but the system hasn't completely collapsed yet.

Bush is getting the blame for the economy, and in my view most see McCain as another Bush as far as what types of policies he will propound, so he will need to get over that to win.

 

as corny as it sounds just talking about hope and change is sometimes enough. you need to shift the paradigms and talk is relatively cheap.

 

I'm going back into the shade to watch the informed discuss matter. Laters.

 

No, no. It's better to discuss and question and it's great we have Fitz to give the American perspective. Unfortunately for the rest of the world he's not a typical voter.

I read today that it was Rush Limbaugh who suggested Palin. I'm looking forward to the campaign.

 

I wish I was the laziest most apolitical person I knew. Alas, that will never be. That may be true among my sisters and parents though.

Absolutely, afanof, the more 'we, the people' talk, the better.

I learn so much from hearing you lot discuss things, and gain new perspectives from you all every day.

 

it fascinates me how an indusrialised nation can remain so deeply conservative in some places. nothing like the protestant work ethic to keep that shaky economy powering through

 

True that.
This is one case where I am glad people here really have no idea what's actually going on, else they may give up.

 

we gace the bank of england independance because of boom and bust election cycles. but it wouldn't entirely suprise me now if there was a bigger danger that boom and bust election cycles now emphasised the bust for governments who have served more than one term. with such short attention spans 'who can bring the good times back?' seems a more powerful question than 'who can keep these good times going?' austerity

 

Right I'm calling your bluff. WTF is boom and bust austerity?

 

oops. that should of said something else. i think i was thinking faster than i was typing. such is the danger of being a maverick

 

It's funny I understood what you meant by boom and bust austerity until it was pointed out it didn't make any sense. Wait I think I get it again. No...yeah, no lost it again.

Yahoo says there are six things McCain's choice of Palin say about McCain:
1) He's desparate
2) He’s willing to gamble
3) He’s worried about the political implications of his age.
4) He’s not worried about the actuarial implications of his age.
5) He’s worried about his conservative base.
6) At the end of the day, McCain is still McCain, he marches to his own beat.

The article is actually pretty good.