USA Politics

Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

In my opinion, the United States needs a black man as president more than they need a white woman. So yes, while I don't know nearly enough about any of the candidates to make an informed opinion, I would vote for Obama if I could.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Mitt Romney won Michigan tonight.

So that's one win for each of the major candidates (Huckabee, McCain, Romney), and Romney has Wyoming which doesn't count for some reason.

Hillary Clinton "won" Michigan, but Obama and Edwards weren't on the ballot, and it means nothing.

Next caucuses are Saturday, when the Democrats have Nevada and the Republicans have South Carolina and Nevada.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Natalie said:
In my opinion, the United States needs a black man as president more than they need a white woman. So yes, while I don't know nearly enough about any of the candidates to make an informed opinion, I would vote for Obama if I could.

Aside from the U.S "needing" x or y candidate, I believe the people will elect a black man before they elect a white woman...
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

<*Sigh>  All this talk about black man/white woman is really rubbing me the wrong way.  People should *not* vote for someone because of their skin colour or gender.  I know you folks know this, so why do you talk about "need" in this regard? 

The only thing, with 100% certainty, that USA (or the world) does not need is another president like George W. Bush.  I am not totally comfortable with any hopeful candidate, but I do think change is needed in the White House.  A Democrat will need to bring that change; Republicans are becoming more and more militant and mingling with the religious right.  Too bad I cannot vote -- and most Canadians too, as we would certainly bring the Republicans down.  :D
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Genghis Khan said:
<*Sigh>  All this talk about black man/white woman is really rubbing me the wrong way.  People should *not* vote for someone because of their skin colour or gender.  I know you folks know this, so why do you talk about "need" in this regard? 

Let me clarify that I agree with you, at the end what any country needs is a good leader. However people do think in said terms and I think what Natalie meant by "needing" a certain person of specific color and gender is after all to raise a positive awareness to end such ridiculous claims. Granted it usually doesn't do that, after all Kennedy didn't exactly make it all homey for Catholics with his election. But it does show social progress that people are open enough to elect a minority. My comment is highlighting the sad fact that people are still racist and sexist and would rather elect a black man rather than a white woman, because though black, he's still a man and any man is better than a woman in office... catch my drift? 
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Genghis Khan said:
<*Sigh>  All this talk about black man/white woman is really rubbing me the wrong way.  People should *not* vote for someone because of their skin colour or gender.  I know you folks know this, so why do you talk about "need" in this regard? 

The only thing, with 100% certainty, that USA (or the world) does not need is another president like George W. Bush.  I am not totally comfortable with any hopeful candidate, but I do think change is needed in the White House.  A Democrat will need to bring that change; Republicans are becoming more and more militant and mingling with the religious right.  Too bad I cannot vote -- and most Canadians too, as we would certainly bring the Republicans down.  :D

*Hands down, well spoken*

Onhell said:
My comment is highlighting the sad fact that people are still racist and sexist and would rather elect a black man rather than a white woman, because though black, he's still a man and any man is better than a woman in office... catch my drift? 

That's not what I have noticed. A lot of people in the south (I believe I saw something from South Carolina, but probably there are more states) won't vote for Obama, you can count on that. Racists won't vote for a black man, sexists won't vote for a woman. Most of those narrowminded people will vote for a Republican.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Forostar said:
That's not what I have noticed. A lot of people in the south (I believe I saw something from South Carolina, but probably there are more states) won't vote for Obama, you can count on that. Racists won't vote for a black man, sexists won't vote for a woman. Most of those narrowminded people will vote for a Republican.

Kind of a shame that Condie didn't give it a try- two for the price of one, and that in the Republican camp!
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

I regret that I never heard of this name before. A black woman?
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Condoliza Rice, the most powerful woman in U.S government, is indeed a black woman.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Heh, OK, I know her of course. Never heard of the abbreviation, sorry.  :blush:
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

H. Clinton is ahead in the race.  M. Romney won for the Republicans.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7197484.stm

Clinton wins tight Nevada caucus

Hillary Clinton has won a close-fought US presidential caucus in the state of Nevada, according to projections with 95% of the Democratic vote counted.

Those figures show Mrs Clinton with 51% of the vote, to 45% for Barack Obama. She told cheering supporters: "I guess this is how the West was won."

In the state's Republican contest, a big win was projected for Mitt Romney.

The party's Nevada contest has been overshadowed by a closely-fought primary being held in South Carolina.

Polls closed at 1900 local time (midnight GMT) in the first southern state to hold a primary, where Republicans John McCain and Mike Huckabee, who appear to be the frontrunners in a very tight race, have focused their efforts.

Mrs Clinton hailed her win as "an extraordinary success for Nevada and the Democratic Party", and lauded turn-out of more than 100,000 voters.

"I want to say that we will all be united in November to beat the Republicans," she said, and vowed to "move with confidence and optimism into the future".

In the state's Republican contest, Mr Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, had captured 52% of Nevada's vote with 98% of precincts reporting, with rivals John McCain and Ron Paul tying for second place with 13%.

In a statement after his projected win, Mr Romney said: "Today, the people of Nevada voted for change in Washington.

"Now Washington must act and take the steps necessary to strengthen our economy."

Analysts say Mr Romney, a Mormon, may have benefited from the support of the nearly 7% of Nevada voters who share his faith.

Meanwhile in South Carolina, pre-vote polls suggested Mr McCain - who lost the state to George W Bush in 2000 - might hold a narrow lead there.

Observers said unusually wintry weather, particularly in the north of the normally balmy state, might affect turn-out.

The result is being keenly watched because the Republican winner in South Carolina has gone on to become the party's nominee in every presidential election since 1980.

Hispanic vote

Following news of her projected win, Mrs Clinton's campaign manager Terry McAuliffe told US network MSNBC: "This is a huge win for Hillary. This is big, this is a big day."

Going into the vote, Mrs Clinton was backed by influential politicians in the state's Hispanic community, which makes up about 25% of the population, while Mr Obama had the support of a powerful local union organisation.

Many of their target voters work in the casinos and resorts of Las Vegas and for the first time, nine casinos held Democratic caucuses to try to make it easier for workers to vote.

The BBC's Lourdes Heredia, at a caucus in the Luxor casino in Las Vegas, said the atmosphere was like that of a football match.

Supporters of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards were grouped on different sides of the room, exchanging loud cheers and shouts, waiting to be counted - the way each candidate's support is calculated.

The Obama campaign had handed out red T-shirts saying "Make the Vegas dream the American dream", our correspondent said.

Mrs Clinton's supporters all wore white T-shirts saying "I support my union, I support Hillary" - a reference to a row over union support in the run-up to the vote.

Maribel Suarez told the BBC: "I have always supported Hillary because she's a woman and it's time we had a woman president.

"I feel Bill Clinton was a good leader for the Latino community and even though my union supports Obama, I haven't changed my mind. My vote is my vote and I'm proud of it."

'Embarrassed'


In Nevada's Republican caucuses only Mr Romney had done any serious campaigning, with the other front-runners instead preferring to focus on South Carolina.

Like their Democratic counterparts in Nevada, the Republican presidential hopefuls have focused on the economy in their final campaigning in South Carolina, which is losing many manufacturing jobs.

Mr McCain, who won in New Hampshire, partly blamed his party for America's woes, saying to voters: "As a Republican, I stand before you embarrassed. Embarrassed that we let that spending get out of control."

The other main contenders in South Carolina appear to be the other two men who have already won a primary - former Arkansas governor Mr Huckabee and Mr Romney.

Correspondents say Mr Huckabee is hoping for the support of the 53% of registered Republicans, who describe themselves as white evangelical Christians - a group that was instrumental in his victory in the Iowa caucuses last month.

However, Mr Huckabee has been under fire for remarks apparently equating same-sex marriage with bestiality.

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, who has been focusing heavily on South Carolina, is trailing Mr Romney in fourth place in the opinion polls.

Observers say Mr Thompson needs a good result in the state to have a chance of remaining a viable contender for the Republican nomination.

The former New York mayor, Rudy Giuliani, has virtually ignored the early races to concentrate on the bigger prize of Florida at the end of the month. The Democrats will hold their primary in South Carolina on 26 January.

The ballots precede Super Tuesday, when 22 states will hold polls on 5 February.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

It looks like McCain has won S.C.-- yahoo has him listed with 33% an Huckabee with 30% (that with 92% of precincts reporting).  Its funny, to me, to see how this race is being run/won.  I remember during the last race, in '04, there were many that called for McCain to be a running mate for John Kerry ( a Republican VP for a Democrat Pres).  The last election seemed as if the country was leaning heavily to the right and the 'christian right'.  However, McCain is percieved as a Republican that runs more to the center.  To me, living in the States, I like that thought!  It will be an odd feeling to be able to choose between two good choices for a President.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

It all depends on what you're looking for in a POTUS.  I respect John McCain and the man is a hero.  But honestly, I don't agree with his politics.  However, I might vote for him over Hillary.  Assuming I suddenly became eligible to vote.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Here's the effects of yesterday's primaries.

On the Democratic side:

Hillary Clinton is once again the clear frontrunner.  After a series of doubts following Iowa, Clinton has regained the lead with close wins in New Hampshire and Nevada.  Neither state is indicative of the entire USA.  Both are very white and only have a few urban centres.  Obama remains the frontrunner in South Carolina, where around 50% of registered Democrats are African-American.  South Carolina is the last Democratic primary that counts before Super Duper Tuesday (remember, Florida was stripped of its delegates and no serious campaigning has occurred there), so if Obama wins it handily, as polls suggest he might, he will have the last big PR boost going into Feb 5th.

On the Republican side:

Duncan Hunter, who's best showing was an extremely distant third in Wyoming and never placed higher than 7th anywhere else, has ended his bid to be the Republican nominee after two more dismal placings.  Romney gets the moral victory of Nevada, but South Carolina was the state the Republicans were watching, and John McCain managed to squeak out a victory there by about 3.5 percentage points over Huckabee.  Only Florida remains in the pre-Feb 5th primary schedule for the Republicans.

However, Florida has an interesting tweak - Rudy Giuliani.  Giuliani has been campaigning only in Florida the past weeks, ignoring all six primaries that have already happened.  Florida is worth about as many delegates as all the other states combined, so Giuliani believes that by winning the big states that happen during and before Feb 5th (New York, Florida, and California, all of which he is polled in the lead with) he can present himself as the clear frontrunner.  However, he needs to win Florida for it to work.  McCain was polling around 2-3% points back of Giuliani, which is a statistical tie, and also before the big PR win of taking South Carolina was registered.  However, if Giuliani wins Florida, we hit February 5th with a major divide in the Republican party.  Romney's won three, Huckabee one and very close in another, John McCain with two, and Giuliani with the biggest one of them all.  It'll be a wild night.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

LooseCannon said:
It all depends on what you're looking for in a POTUS.  I respect John McCain and the man is a hero.  But honestly, I don't agree with his politics.  However, I might vote for him over Hillary.  Assuming I suddenly became eligible to vote.

OH, I agree, he's not in line with my personal views, exactly. I just like the idea of having him as a choice, vs. some of the others that seem far more 'right' (read: conservative) to me (in the republican party that is).  But, obviously, thats just my opinion.  I live in an area where I am surrounded by 'red' and I just keep my mouth shut.

I have to admit, however, there are many here that seem to know far more about our politicians than the people around here that are 'eligible to vote'.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Fred Dalton Thompson has stepped out of the Republican race.

This is a major victory for Mike Huckabee, who is likely to gain almost all the Thompson votes in Florida, which makes him very likely to rival Romney and Giuliani in the polls, and eventually the riding.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

You know, on first blush, Huckabee seems like an ok guy.  He appears on the Colbert Report on comedy central and carries on a comedic and interesting conversation.  But, and not to bash, it seems that any one that holds the 'christian' banner towards an election doesn't have my best interest at heart.  However, thats just my opinion.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Yeah, I agree.  It's just that he is a crazy Christian, who believes that his morals should be the morals of a nation.  That's a hint scary.  Aside from that, he's a very likable guy.
 
Re: USA Elections: Candidates Comparison

Onhell said:
Let me clarify that I agree with you, at the end what any country needs is a good leader. However people do think in said terms and I think what Natalie meant by "needing" a certain person of specific color and gender is after all to raise a positive awareness to end such ridiculous claims. Granted it usually doesn't do that, after all Kennedy didn't exactly make it all homey for Catholics with his election. But it does show social progress that people are open enough to elect a minority. My comment is highlighting the sad fact that people are still racist and sexist and would rather elect a black man rather than a white woman, because though black, he's still a man and any man is better than a woman in office... catch my drift? 

For a change we agree Onhell :P. Although I was thinking more in terms of improving international relations especially as regards the current situation in Africa.
 
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