Super Tuesday Scoreboard

[musicman]

Am I reading you correctly? You are saying that the cause of some people's beliefs that Obama would be assassinated is because a couple of staffers put up a Che Guerra flag in his Houston office that opened on Saturday?

i said "not that he himself supports the cubans but it sure doesn't leave a good impression for some." some older cubans i know will tell you that disliking guevara is an understatement. they said he was involved in executions and other horrific acts. his persona incites lots of negative feelings in some, esp from the older generation.

[RedScare]

i said "not that he himself supports the cubans but it sure doesn't leave a good impression for some." some older cubans i know will tell you that disliking guevara is an understatement. they said he was involved in executions and other horrific acts. his persona incites lots of negative feelings in some, esp from the older generation.

OK, so let me ask the question again. Are you saying that the reason some people believe that Obama may be assassinated if elected president is because a couple of staffers put up a Che Guevara flag in his Houston office ON SATURDAY?

[musicman]

OK, so let me ask the question again. Are you saying that the reason some people believe that Obama may be assassinated if elected president is because a couple of staffers put up a Che Guevara flag in his Houston office ON SATURDAY?

i said guevara's depiction stirs up negative feelings. beyond that you never know what an unstable person can do.

[RedScare]

i said guevara's depiction stirs up negative feelings. beyond that you never know what an unstable person can do.

Well, you quoted BryanS's question...

I am hearing this in some circles in the office... why do you think people are saying this? Doesn't anybody find this disturbing? Somebody, please enlighten us...

and followed up with your statement...

i think some have been looking at his houston office and seeing this.

So clearly, you were inferring that the picture of the flag...which was only depicted on late Saturday or Sunday...was the cause of these assassination comments, which have been made for months. Since I know you are not suggesting that a picture that came out Sunday is the cause of statements made PRIOR to Sunday, one can only surmise that you were itching to make a political statement without appearing political....and, I am simply calling you out on it.

...then again, maybe you really DO believe what you typed.

Moving along, it appears musicman's attempt to derail the Barack Obama campaign has failed, as Obama is predicted to win Virginia overwhelmingly. While polls in Maryland and DC have yet to close, predictions are that he wins both of them easily as well.

[musicman]

Moving along, it appears musicman's attempt to derail the Barack Obama campaign has failed

LOL i'm not trying to derail anything. certain things instill anger in people. it's like the picture going around where they say obama's not putting his hand over his chest during the pledge. i got an email on this subj from a friend who's a wwii vet and he sure was angry! later he asked whether i received his email i said yeah and he immediately raised his voice about the entire situation. last thing i want to do is give an 80-something a heart attack. there are surprisingly a lot of unstables out there.

[memebag]

Interesting concept that a failure to divorce is now considered a character flaw. Are you Baptist?

I must be missing that joke. I'm an atheist, and that criticism of Hillary isn't mine. Is there something Baptist about it?

[HtownWxBoy]

While I may not be the fondest of Hillary (personality-wise) what is this dislike. I mean, when people say they don't like Hillary, can they name three politically related things they don't like?

Or is it just a jump-on-the-Rush-Hannity-bandwagon of dislike for woman.

Most people I hear say they dislike her cannot name one reason why...

So true... I hear people say they don't like her b/c of her voice (that's a good reason)... I heard one guy say he didn't like her b/c she wanted power (what presidential candidate doesn't... talk about being afraid of a woman in power). Most people are morons who base their opinions on what others like Rush and Hannity say b/c they can't think for themselves.

[TheNiche]

So true... I hear people say they don't like her b/c of her voice (that's a good reason)... I heard one guy say he didn't like her b/c she wanted power (what presidential candidate doesn't... talk about being afraid of a woman in power). Most people are morons who base their opinions on what others like Rush and Hannity say b/c they can't think for themselves.

Perhaps he meant to imply that Hillary seemed excessively power-hungry. I'm not sure what that might have anything to do with talk show hosts.

[CDeb]

I'm not sure what that might have anything to do with talk show hosts.

Because they are convenient boogeymen.

[Mark F. Barnes]

Well when Florida and Michigan announces they were going to hold there primary early, Hillary was one of the loudest screamers to have their delegates stripped from them prior to the Primaries. I assume she did this because she hadn't made any campaign trails through there and feared she was behind Obama in polls, and didn't want to have that loss, straight out of the box. Well She Actually wins both Florida and Michigan, so no harm no foul, no big deal, she's ahead of Obama and all is good.

Fast forward to today, she's losing, Obama is on a roll, and now she's screaming to reinstate Florida and Michigan's delegates. Imagine that and to top that off it seems that the nut case Howard Dean is the key figure in this move. Who knows who he endorses. Him and Kerry are cronies and Kerry endorses Obama, this could get interesting.

[BryanS]

Well when Florida and Michigan announces they were going to hold there primary early, Hillary was one of the loudest screamers to have their delegates stripped from them prior to the Primaries. I assume she did this because she hadn't made any campaign trails through there and feared she was behind Obama in polls, and didn't want to have that loss, straight out of the box. Well She Actually wins both Florida and Michigan, so no harm no foul, no big deal, she's ahead of Obama and all is good.

Fast forward to today, she's losing, Obama is on a roll, and now she's screaming to reinstate Florida and Michigan's delegates. Imagine that and to top that off it seems that the nut case Howard Dean is the key figure in this move. Who knows who he endorses. Him and Kerry are cronies and Kerry endorses Obama, this could get interesting.

You know there is trouble when her campaign starts saying things like "but we won Michigan, and Florida" as a counter to Obama's recent wins... uh... yea... but there were no official contests in either of those states. The DNC needs a major overhaul. Not seating delegates, from any state, is a problem. Punishing states in that way seems... dare I say... undemocratic (ignoring/not allowing voters/votes in those states)... and then to top it off... they guy who may get the most popular votes, may not win the thing because of super delegates. Sounds like the nightmare of the 2000 presidential election is being replayed in the 2008 democratic primaries...

Not sure if it will matter in the end... I watched McCain's victory speech.... and looking at the people to his left and right, not to mention him, I thought I was watching nursing home event.

[musicman]

I thought I was watching nursing home event.

...and they are the ones that vote.

[RedScare]

You know there is trouble when her campaign starts saying things like "but we won Michigan, and Florida" as a counter to Obama's recent wins... uh... yea... but there were no official contests in either of those states. The DNC needs a major overhaul. Not seating delegates, from any state, is a problem. Punishing states in that way seems... dare I say... undemocratic (ignoring/not allowing voters/votes in those states)... and then to top it off... they guy who may get the most popular votes, may not win the thing because of super delegates. Sounds like the nightmare of the 2000 presidential election is being replayed in the 2008 democratic primaries...

Not sure if it will matter in the end... I watched McCain's victory speech.... and looking at the people to his left and right, not to mention him, I thought I was watching nursing home event.

I would not be so quick to use Clinton's excuses for losing as DNC opinion or policy. No one outside the Clinton camp has said the delegates will be seated, and most of the super delegates are undecided. Florida and Michigan may not matter.

As for punishing the states for intentionally trying to subvert the process in their favor, remember that they were warned of the consequences before they moved their primaries, and further remember that the GOP also punished those 2 states for their actions. No one complained about the punishments (except Fla and Mich) prior to knowing the effects on their own campaigns. I don't blame Clinton for now wanting the delegates, but I further do not think the rules should be changed midstream.

[west20th]

Perhaps he meant to imply that Hillary seemed excessively power-hungry. I'm not sure what that might have anything to do with talk show hosts.

No one that runs for president is not excessively power hungry. Some hide it better than others.

[TheNiche]

No one that runs for president is not excessively power hungry. Some hide it better than others.

Thompson was widely criticized for not being all that motivated. It was a major reason that I really liked him.

Did he hide it excessively well? Even when that was identified as a large part of what was holding him back?

[BryanS]

Thompson was widely criticized for not being all that motivated. It was a major reason that I really liked him.

So you want an unmotivated person as President? Someone who needs their noon-time nap or else they turn into Mr. Grumpy?

[KinkaidAlum]

I bet Clinton wishes to now count Michigan! How convenient considering Obama wasn't even on the ballot in that state.

As of today, surprisingly, Clinton has more votes than Obama. She has 9,594,849 to his 9,541,701. However, it can't be ignored that he received ZERO votes in Michigan whereas she received 328,151. Take that * off the board and he's up in the popular vote.

However, the good news for the Dems is that people are NOT voting Republican in the same numbers. Even if you add every McCain and Huckabee vote together, you only come up with 8,014,427.

As of right now, 20,273,024 votes have been cast in Democratic primaries while only 13,386,428 have been cast in Republican primaries.

Additionally, states that have voted Republican for President over the last few years are seeing a surge in Democrat/Indie voters. Virginia is the latest example. Over 970,000 votes were cast in the Democratic primary last night. A little less than 482,000 were cast on the Republican side. That has to be troublesome to the RNC. Arkansas, Georgia, Lousiana, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia are all states that voted for Bush (N.H. only in 2000) but saw more people participate in the Democratic primaries than the Republican. The difference in those states is now up to 1,373,117 votes cast.

For the Republicans to have ANY chance at the White House, they cannot lose a populated Red State like Virginia or Georgia because they have ZERO chance to pick off a state like California, New York, or Illinois in return.

[TheNiche]

So you want an unmotivated person as President? Someone who needs their noon-time nap or else they turn into Mr. Grumpy?

I want a cool-headed administrator that doesn't make a lot of noise, very coldly trims fat from government, and isn't remembered almost at all by grade-school kids taking American history in 100 years.

A far-right activist President would likely just haphazardly slash budgets without regard for the merit of the program (insofar as it wasn't a hot-button program (like border fencing), increase government debt, declare an economic victory, and then declare war as re-election nears. A far-left activist President would do the opposite, increase taxes, and then also declare war as re-election nears.

[Jeebus]

However, the good news for the Dems is that people are NOT voting Republican in the same numbers. Even if you add every McCain and Huckabee vote together, you only come up with 8,014,427.

As of right now, 20,273,024 votes have been cast in Democratic primaries while only 13,386,428 have been cast in Republican primaries.

I keep hearing this point EVERYWHERE I turn.

But will primary voting numbers translate to election voting numbers? I don't think they will. I think the Democrats are coming out in record numbers because for the first time in a long time they have a polar choice to make: a black man or woman. The Republicans are not as enthused as their choices are too similar to matter. Republicans know that it doesn't really matter who wins the primary, as the election is what's going to count.

I think we'll see the republican numbers at a much greater percentage at the election.

[memebag]

But will primary voting numbers translate to election voting numbers? I don't think they will. I think the Democrats are coming out in record numbers because for the first time in a long time they have a polar choice to make: a black man or woman.

... who say fundamentally the same thing on every issue. I don't think their sex and race make them polar opposites. I think people are voting in Democratic primaries because they plan to vote for a Democratic candidate in the general election.

There's more difference between McCain and Huckabee than there is between Obama and Clinton (unless sex and race are all you look at.)

[TheNiche]

... who say fundamentally the same thing on every issue. I don't think their sex and race make them polar opposites. I think people are voting in Democratic primaries because they plan to vote for a Democratic candidate in the general election.

There's more difference between McCain and Huckabee than there is between Obama and Clinton (unless sex and race are all you look at.)

I tend to agree that the most compelling polarizing factor isn't race/sex, but policy-oriented vs. personality-oriented. They don't fundamentally say the same thing on every issue because one talks about the issues and the other just talks, with both doing reasonably well in their approach even if it appeals to different types of people. About the only thing they do alike is make fun of George W. Bush at every opportunity.

The Democrats have had effectively a two-way choice from start to finish, and that stimulates turnout. The Republicans never really had that advantage. The incentive for massive turnout later in the game just isn't there because their vote may as well not count anymore; McCain won, game over. Granted, turnout wasn't all that great even when there were many viable candidates, but then again, having many viable candidates also tends to depress turnout because voters have difficulty making a big emotional or financial investment in a candidate when the odds are so low of that candidate's survival.

[Jeebus]

There's more difference between McCain and Huckabee than there is between Obama and Clinton (unless sex and race are all you look at.)

You're absolutely right that there is a night and day difference between John & Mike. The thing is that the average republican isn't content with either choice, and has consoled themselves to just vote the ticket just to keep either Obama or Hilary out.

Every democrat I've talked to can't tell me the difference between Obama and Hillary's stances on any of the issues. All they can talk about is Black Man vs. White Woman and which they think would make a better president - all still while not basing their opinion on any of their issue stances.

[westguy]

You're absolutely right that there is a night and day difference between John & Mike. The thing is that the average republican isn't content with either choice, and has consoled themselves to just vote the ticket just to keep either Obama or Hilary out.

Every democrat I've talked to can't tell me the difference between Obama and Hillary's stances on any of the issues. All they can talk about is Black Man vs. White Woman and which they think would make a better president - all still while not basing their opinion on any of their issue stances.

So when the general election comes you won't just vote your party's ticket?

[TheNiche]

You're absolutely right that there is a night and day difference between John & Mike. The thing is that the average republican isn't content with either choice, and has consoled themselves to just vote the ticket just to keep either Obama or Hilary out.

Every democrat I've talked to can't tell me the difference between Obama and Hillary's stances on any of the issues. All they can talk about is Black Man vs. White Woman and which they think would make a better president - all still while not basing their opinion on any of their issue stances.

The Democrats I've been talking to just recently are split. They're either just going to vote the party line or go McCain because they like McCain better than their own candidates...which I suppose would be scary if you're a Huckabee supporter.

[CDeb]

Ask the New England Patriots about primary turnout as an indicator of general election results.

[Jeebus]

So when the general election comes you won't just vote your party's ticket?

No. Based off what I have said, why would you assume that?

Ask the New England Patriots about primary turnout as an indicator of general election results.

So are you hinting that the democrats don't have it "in the bag", as they seem to think they do?

[CDeb]

So are you hinting that the democrats don't have it "in the bag", as they seem to think they do?

I'm saying that primary turnout shouldn't be used to predict general election results. Primaries are very different animals than general elections.

So yeah, I guess I am.

[Jeebus]

So yeah, I guess I am.

I agree with you. As usual, the 24 hour news networks, with nothing else to talk about - and the evening news shows foolishly trying to compete with the 24 hour news networks - are beating this dead horse to a pulp.

[WesternGulf]

I agree with Jeebus that part of the reason that red state Dems are coming out is because of the historic race dealing with an African American and a woman, but the oher thing people are ignoring is that many Republicans do not know who to support yet or atleast they have not found their candidate despite McCain's overwheliming lead. Hell, even Sugar Land has raised more money for Democratic candidates than Republicans and I cannot even say the same for Houston.

[houstonmacbro]

I think we need a change in Washington. I am not sure if Hillary or Barack are that change we need, but I think after 8 years of GWB we can safely say America needs a new directions. I am definitely not sure McCain is a change, as he seems like more of the same.

Our foreign policies are joke around the world, our economy is tanking, and there is more division in this country than I can remember (I grew of age under Reagan and even he wasn't this divisive).

I dunno ... something's gotta give.