How many of you have paid this much attention to a primary before?

[WilliamPitt]

I see a lot of threads about candidates, about Rove's all-encompassing power, about how we have no chance in 2004, about how we will definitely win in 2004, about Nader, about Democratic candidates cancelling each other out. I am wondering how many DUers are cutting their teeth on their first primary season here? Might explain the angst.

P.S. Honesty is the best policy.

[Capn Sunshine]

1. I'm a pol from way back -1st campaign worked, '64

But I tend to agree with your take Will.
Now, if we could harness that angst for GOOD instead of EVIL.....

[Cocoa]

2. how high were you in '88?

so to speak. :-)

[WilliamPitt]

9. 88 was my second n/t

[Walt Starr]

26. '86 was my first time as a Democratic Candidate

Of course, only in Wyoming can one go to a Democratic Primary, write in oneself for an office where nobody has filed, get five friends to register as Dems (which can be done at the primary in wyoming) and write you in, then win the Democratic Primary in a landslide (the closest guy to me got three votes).

:evilgrin:

[Bryan]

3. I've only been paying attention since '92

I suppose I was technically first aware of the primaries in 1988, when I was ten years old and Al Franken and the rest of the staff of Saturday Night Live mined the primaries for material (am I the only one who remembers the ongoing skit with Franken supposedly driving a moon buggy around New Hampshire with a "mobile satellite uplink broadcast antenna, broadcasting to a satellite in geosynchronous orbit 22,300 feet over Easter Island" strapped to his back?)

I first began paying real attention to the primaries in 1992, thanks to the general foment of the Clinton campaign and my excellent public school teachers. In fact, I date the beginning of my political education to my 8th grade history teacher's explication of the spin involved in Bill's post-New Hampshire "comeback kid" speech (The Lord bless and keep you, Mr. Irvine).

Ever since then, I've been following national politics with rapt attention, even though many factors keep me from participating as often as I'd like.

[CWebster]

4. lol

Ain't it the truth. Always vote in the primaries, but never waited with such anticipation as this before. ;-)

[TheBigGuy]

5. I used to pay alot of attention to KY primary fights.

.way back when I was involved w. Kentuckly politics.

The first primary that i really followed extensively on the internet was the 2000 Republican primary.

[Mz Pip]

6. I've always voted in the primaries

but never paid quite so much attention until 2000. I really did not like Bush, so I voted for McCain. I figured if it were the Repubs turn to sit in the WH, I'd much perfer McCain to Idiot Boy.

I rmember voting for Tsongas in '92. Can't remember what I did before that.

MzPip
:dem:

[LWolf]

7. Other than CA's experiment with open primaries,

this is the first primary I've ever had anything to do with in 25 years of voting. This is the first time I ever registered with a party. What does that say about my determination to evict *?

[LiberalLibra]

8. I've paid attention to primaries since Carter ran and.....

....did everything in my power to help him win a second term too. My first exposure to politics was under Kennedy but was too young to vote then.

[KittyWampus]

10. '92 Since Harkin didn't make it.

Clinton was anointed by the powers that be.

I remember very well how all of a sudden, as if on cue, the media agree "Clinton is the front runner".

[Eloriel]

11. Other -- I've paid attn since Gary Hart's candidacy BUT

never this intensely or this early.

Eloriel

[CMT]

12. I'm pretty political so this is not new to me

eom.

[Kanola]

13. I paid sharp attention to the 91-92 primary

and still remember most of the pundits saying that Clinton would never win. But that was late 1991 when the season kicks in after Labor day. I have never paid attention to a primary this closely, but Shrub 43 has to go.

[union_maid]

14. Never like this

I always pay some attention, but I don't consider myself very good at forecasting how things are going to go, so I just always observed them from a distance. I'm still observing. I have some preferences but I'm going to vote for whoever the Democratic candidate is with a lot of conviction. I'm observing differently this time though. It just matters so much more. I want to know each viable candidates strengths and weaknesses. I want to be able to discuss any one of them with intelligence, so that when the primaries are over I can explain to everyone who'll listen and some who won't exactly why that candidate is the most qualified person for the job.

[jpgray]

15. Paid attention throughout my life to the primaries

But circumstances this time make me more interested in the minutiae than previously--especially considering the extra tools available these days.

[revcarol]

16. Never this early.

It really seems funny to me to be paying such rapt attention to the candidates this early. Worked for Jesse Jackson in Texas.

[goobergunch]

17. 2000...

when I drove everybody nuts at school by reciting Bush v. McCain and Gore v. Bradley updates during homeroom...that was 7th grade for me.

[JohnKleeb]

18. heh

the primary is in the spring yeah. I was the only white dude to vote for Gore as was my little brother him in his whole grade and me in my civics class. Gore lost here.

[kayell]

19. I've paid attention to primaries before, but

the only other time it captured my attention to this extent (obsession) was leading up to the 1972 election. I've been politically obsessed in general since the 2000 selection.

[scottxyz]

20. (Off-topic) I love these polls

I love the new polling feature on DU!

With the login, it's unfreepable (or very time-consuming to freep so not worth it), so it's more accurate than CNN polls etc.

[leftofthedial]

21. been doing primaries since the early 70s, but

this is the closest attention I've paid for a long time.

[northofdenali]

22. Actually, knee high to a short duck -

I'm not as old as I look!

Great appearance on the Guy James Show today, Will, you were excellent.

[WilliamPitt]

24. Thanks

:)

[Scottie72]

23. This is such an important eletion

That I have really paid attention to the primaries this year.Our number one priority is to remove this selected administration. I do have my favourite canidate (actually recently changed loyalties) I went from Dean to Kucinich. Now this is NOTHING against Dean in the least. I still will gladly support Dean, and whom ever ends up being the Democratic Nomination. After reading up on Dennis he just is a lot closer to my views on all the issues than is Dean.

I am actually getting excited seeing all the excitement for all the Democratic canidates, we need to come together as one party and make it our goal to rid this nation of the hostile take-over that ocurred in 2000.

[Walt Starr]

25. I first paid attention to the Democratic Primary in 1968

I was five years old and solde on Bobbie Kennedy. I was heartbroken when he was shot.

[vision]

27. Voting since 1988 eom

[Walt Starr]

28. Cast my first vote in 1982 at the age of 19

Volunteered for my first campaign a decade earlier. Campaigned for Lee Hamilton in SouthEaster Indiana.

[Incognito]

29. I've never missed voting

in a primary....I like to feel free to *itch about the winner if I don't like them :-)......if you don't vote, you have NO right to complain (unless you were too young to vote). However, this is the first time I have been so involved. We can thank the shrub for that...my hatred of that man made it imperative that I help to get his ass voted out of office. :7