I thought the Bush voters who chose him based on their feelings were nuts.*

[mahina]

I'm becoming aware that my heart and visceral reactions weigh in at least as much as my impressions of our candidates that I'm processing from the neck up.

I liked Martin when I read what he said, but when I saw his first video I thought- bleh! When he speaks, I don't buy his rap. He feels phony to me. Please, MOM ohana, understand I'm not saying he IS a phony. But he reads that way to me.

When Hillary laughs it's worse than nails on a chalkboard. She just irks the hell out of me. (Insert obligatory of course I will vote for her if she is our candidate, here. Actually, I will work my butt off for her if she does prevail. Still.) I agree with many things she says. I do feel that she is sincere but I'm not persuaded that she's going to advocate for us, as much as for the big shots.

tl/dr: I've always thought of myself as a rational person. Turns out, not so much. I'll work on it.

* They really were nuts, though. The man was clearly in no way able to do the job.

[Kalidurga]

1. People hate me for saying this but meh IDC,

I like Hilary's laugh. I will even laugh along with her. She has a nice smile too. I just can't stand her it's personal. Martin doesn't come off as phony to me at all. He seems more like he is actually just uncomfortable in the spot light, but he is out their fighting for people.

Bernie otoh, I love his laugh and his smile and he really seems like he understands everything that needs to be done in this country. He will always have my heart. I love his hair best when it's a mess. I love it when he yells or when he is just speaking to my heart. It's not wrong to go with your gut feeling more often than not it's telling you what it needs. That being said there is nothing wrong with taking a step back and analyzing everyone in the race and making sure you are putting your time and energy in the right places.

[AZ Progressive]

2. People make decisions emotionally and justify rationally

This is common knowledge in the business world. The idea that people are rational beings is a very naive idea, although maybe because people pretend to be rational when they are not.

[6chars]

3. The R 08 voters who chose Bush were especially nuts

Since McCain was their nominee.

[mahina]

4. Rofl

Braindead! Yow.

[wildeyed]

5. Some of each.

I never liked John Edwards, either. He was my senator and ran to the left of Clinton and Obama in 2008. He should have been my guy, but he never was. And I was right. He would have been a catastrophically bad choice as the nominee. But I didn't support him at the time based on a feeling.

Bernie Sanders doesn't appeal to me either. He is def not too slick. It is more Oh, look, another white guy who is going to mansplain to me about ALL the important stuff and not give me a chance to talk. I work in a male dominated business, have almost only male employees and play sports at a high level, mostly with men. So I get enough of that in my personal life. It's just a feeling....

But compared with the feeling I get when I look at say, fucking Ted Cruz or fucking Donald Trump? I would take a bullet for Bernie Sanders. LITERALLY take a bullet if that was necessary, if he was the nominee and the hope to defeat those huge, flaming, gaping assholes who want to systematically discriminate against Muslims, women and blacks and then tear the IUD out of my living body.

It's all about keeping it in perspective.

[mahina]

6. Well said!

I never liked John Edwards either, and should have. What a lowlife, cheating on Elizabeth and risking everything that way.

[sufrommich]

9. I have a visceral reaction to Ted Cruz's face. I think even if he

was a liberal democrat I'd still want to slap the smugness out of him.

[wildeyed]

10. Pretty much everyone wants to slap the smug

off that guy's face. I read a thread a conservative friends FB and even a few of the evangelical voters wanted to do that to him.

Rubio is more dangerous. I don't have a visceral urge to grab his balls and twist every time he speaks. And then I read his policy positions.....

[MH1]

7. Look at MO'M's actual record as mayor and then governor.

Then let me know if you still think he's phony.

I think he has a tendency to be focused and matter-of-fact when addressing a problem (and solving problems is what he is about), in a way that would come off as low-key to some people. (I am the same way which is why I "get" Martin.) Low-key doesn't get it done on the campaign trail - ESPECIALLY when the powers that be are continually excluding you from consideration. So maybe he is straining a bit to play the campaign game, but it doesn't come across any more phony to me than any other politician campaigning.

[mahina]

12. I read you.

When he announced, and for a good while before, I was the one saying 'what about Martin O'Malley'?

Then I heard him speak, and I don't connect with his voice and speaking mannerisms.

As a coincidence I happened to be in Baltimore for a few days when he was running for office there, and I remember asking about the big black 'believe' banners and hearing about him. I do think he's running for us and I'm grateful to him for the sacrifice of so much time and focus.

He is a good man and I'd be ok with him as President if he were to win. Just reflecting on the gut reaction side of decisionmaking.

Good luck to all.

[sufrommich]

8. Campaigns know that even people well versed in the issues

will react emotionally to candidates,it's human nature and undeniable. That's why they manage optics whenever they can.

[wildeyed]

11. And focus on the art of persuasion.

Find people who basically agree with your candidate, but have some negative emotional reaction and slowly, gently PERSUADE them that your candidate is better.