Comments on: Will Joe Andrew’s Audacity trump Jeremiah Wright’s hold on the pundits attention?

By: huntingdonpost

huntingdonpost — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:02:47 +0000

I also like it that the electorate is fired up. I like that tons of people seem want to vote, rather than feeling it’s a useless exercise. At the same time, I have never felt so exasperated with my party. I hear it from Obama’s side too–everyone feels that they are being hard done by, in the media, from the DNC. I don’t know whose pin you were wearing, but that is a pretty hot reaction. Of course, my partner was afraid to put a Gore poster in our yard because we live in a Republican neighborhood. I could never figure out why people hate Gore, but there are some.

I don’t usually feel like someone who disagrees with me is stupid or crazy if they present their ideas in a reasoned way. I don’t feel like I know what’s best for everyone. In this election, I have been lectured at more than ever. Maybe just my circumstances.

By: obamesque

obamesque — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:51:54 +0000

Well, hunt, I think you’re encountering a very normal spin – I’ve been following elections for decades, and whenever I disagree with somebody else’s candidate preference they seem to imply that I “just don’t get it” – that if I was paying more attention, or maybe just a little smarter, I’d see it the right way.

That’s a fairly normal human reaction: we all do what we believe is best, and smartest. We invest, in a sense, in our positions even though it’s often not in the financial sense… but people tie themselves to the candidates. I’ve had supporters of another candidate (in a previous election cycle) literally rip a campaign button off my jacket and stomp on it. That didn’t change my political opinion, but it surely lowered my estimate of the open-mindedness of that particular supporter.

Personally, I’m delighted to see the electorate so fired up, I just wish there was such a thing as objective reporting. Even PBS seems unable to avoid injecting spin lately, and if that last bastion of journalistic integrity has crumbled it’s no wonder that we have CNN, a network that was built on sensational war reporting, covering Wright’s grandstanding.

By: huntingdonpost

huntingdonpost — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:26:41 +0000

Yeah, I supported Howard Dean too, so I helped make my own bed. I thought he’d fight back against Republicans and I was tired of a weak DNC. I don’t understand what he is doing now.

I have read Obama’s positions, but I appreciate the links. I have read his books. He just doesn’t win me over. It’s not a big deal ordinarily–I have voted for Democrats who have underwhelmed me. I get put off by the arrogant tone (not accusing you of this) that I am less than smart if I don’t adore Obama.

By: obamesque

obamesque — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:22:53 +0000

I think that’s part of the point, with the so-called news media pandering for ratings, real issues are being marginalized or ignored.

Obama’s positions are well documented here: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/ and his plans are well-articulated here: http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf

Can’t argue for or justify the DNC actions you report, although I’ll note that they are largely a product of Clinton personnel choices.

By: huntingdonpost

huntingdonpost — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:09:36 +0000

Barack Obama’s Democratic Party, whatever he may have said about it, is becoming one that does not want me in it. I don’t care much about the Rev. Wright. I care about policies, and was certainly prepared to have those debated in a reasonable fashion. But I don’t feel included in Obama’s party. I respect your difference of opinion, and maybe I am one of those cynics, but I am not inspired by Obama in the least. And when I tried to talk to the DNC about an issue, as soon as they found out I was a Hillary supporter, the person hung up on me. I called back, same thing. So much for non-divisiveness and civility, etc.