The backbone of the democratic Party

[Corey_Baker08]

Kerry,Clinton,Bayh,Edwards,and Obama in my OPINION are the backbone of the Democratic Party right now alongside Chairman Dean. Kerry and Clinton I BELIEVE- are gonna have an interesting duel for the nomination this time around and somewhere down the road I believe Bayh and Edwards and Obama will be at it for the nomination. I also believe Gen. Clark will make history somewhere along the way, and that Gov. Dean will take the Democratic Party to unprecedented heights.

I truly believe if we wanted to be completely safe Hillary should get the nomination because theres not a question in my mind she would win. Everyone wants to see a female President in their lifetime and are so eager to make history. Yet then again we have Sen. Kerry whom most-and I say most- of the Democratic Party fell in love with-with a compiled e-mail list of 3 million voters and $51 million in a war chest for his next run for office.

While I too would like to see a woman President someday before I die, I dont believe the time is now-my personal pick for 2008 in which I will be a first time voter is:

Kerry/Clinton
2008

I also believe the Republican base is scrambling right now to find a viable candidate for 2008. I saw in another post a fellow DUer saying the Republican base is so much bigger than ours-but its not. Right now the have only a handful of electable candidates that aren't even that popular, John McCain who let us not forget ran an unsuccessful attempt in 2000-he didn't even get the nomination, lets here him trash Kerry on dual runs- and also Rudy Guliana the hero of 9/11 and the leader of the new generation. As great as he is I don't think hes electable, his credits include the following-Mayor- and let us not forget Guliana has been called Liberal by his own base, he has no southern appeal and very little experience in foreign policy-Lets here him call Kerry a liberal now.

[Stand and Fight]

1. Good to see eager young Democrats.

Keep up your interest, continue to study the issues, read the news, get involved with your local political party, try to work on some campaigns... I commend you for your passion and I hope you stay interested and involved.

[applegrove]

2. I like the names on your list. Only Clinton/Kerry?

Actually I doubt either one of them would want to be VP. Why give up a big Senate career to be VP? I mean if someone as stupid and empty as George W. Bush was running as the pres..than the VP job is really good. But I doubt you'll every see Clinton or Kerry in the VP slot.

[iamthebandfanman]

3. lol

heres an idea... a name you know!

Gore/Clinton

[applegrove]

5. lol how about.....

Clinton/Clinton (can't he be VP?).

[AmericanDream]

4. Very optimistic

I like your enthusiasm... "clark making history," "dean taking the party to great heights".. hey, all's possible.. so why not dream big? I hope you keep yourself involved in the process. I would ask you to do some research before you designate hillary as a "safe" candidate, though... trust me, people don't vote to just "make history" they vote to get the issues of their lives and society addressed. Sorry, didn't mean to be picky... but just some friendly advice. I am glad more young people are getting involved in the political process early. Cheers!

[JNelson6563]

6. Shows what you know

It's the little people who are the backbone. Pull out all the "stars" you want, it's the voters who count. Unless these stars you think so highly of start doing something to firm up the Dem base and start growing it (instead of ignoring it to court Rethugs) we will never win.

Our base has shrunk due to neglect. Every vote where the Dems join the Rethugs against the will of our base it shrinks more.

Julie

[JI7]

7. he is 15 years old

and he did do a lot of volunteer work even though he wasn't old enough to vote in this past campaign.

[JNelson6563]

8. Then now is the time to learn!

Glad he's so young, that's about the only excuse to be so ignorant of who really is important. Unfortunately I see same attitude from many who are old enough to know better.

Julie

[JI7]

9. he is learning

he goes to a school with a lot of right wing Bush supporting assholes who give him crap for being a democrat and supporting Kerry.

but he isn't letting them get to him. he is going to continue doing volunteer work, especially for 2006 even though he wont be able to vote until 08.

[JNelson6563]

11. You forgot an important thing

Coming to sites like DU and some others will help too. Lots of info on the net he won't find elsewhere.

Maybe one day he'll run for office.....we can only hope.

Julie

[Corey_Baker08]

16. The Real Backbone of the Democratic Party

Your right the backbone of the Democratic Party is without doubt the voters all across America. But the people of the Democratic Party vote for a candidate whom best represents their values, their basic beliefs, and their ideals of thinking. Those candidates are in turn the backbone of the party because they represent the voice of the people-the real backbone of the Democratic Party, so in turn the candidates are the backbone of the Democratic party because they are the voice of the people

[tritsofme]

10. I don't think Kerry should be considered the backbone of our party

The others on the list I would agree with.

He had his shot last year, and he blew it.

The whole point of nominating him was the fact that he was "electable" and could beat Bush. With Bush out of the picture, and the ABB crowd no longer at his side, I don't see how he could wage another presidential campaign, let alone win the nomination.

I think we need some new blood, but I don't anyone will stop Hillary if she wants it.

On your other point, no way Hillary would sit #2 to Kerry, let alone anybody. And what we really don't need is two Senators on the top of the ticket, especially not two from the Northeast.

[karynnj]

12. But you said not backbone, NOT not nominee

If Kerry continues to speak out as he has and continues to work in the Senate, he does strengthen the party. If in 2007, it is obvious that he is not the right candidate, he may simply run for Senate again or if he does run for President and loses, I can't imagine he wouldn't support the candidate chosen as well as Clark or Dean did in 2004. He would have the time and energy as I doubt he will face much difficulty winning in MA (although I'm not from there so, but I'm just going by many people's comments.)

At any rate he has been a good Liberal Senator who certainly doesn't DESERVE the nomination - at this point no one does and no one will until one person wins the primaries. He does however deserve to be considered part of the backbone of the Democratic party.

[lojasmo]

13. Good christ. The DLC needs to be retired.

I'll give Obama some time, but the rest of those senators have bent over backwards for bush. They are NOT the backbone of the democratic party. They barely have spines themselves.

Try: Feingold, boxer, obama,

[Al-CIAda]

18. ...and Conyers -eom

[lojasmo]

19. Yes. EOM

[liberalitch]

14. The rethuglicans will put up McCain or G. Allen of Va.

Allen is my senator and he is an empty suit.... he will be a puppet of the extreme right.

I want to see Mark Warner and Wes Clark on the same ticket

In Va. we luv the guv

[liberalitch]

15. ooops dupe!

[leftofthedial]

17. Democratic Party? Backbone?

That's a good one!

Makes me nostalgic for the old days.

[Larkspur]

20. Russ Feingold has more backbone than Kerry, Clinton, Bayh, and Obama put

together.

Feingold voted AGAINST the Patriot Act. He was the lone vote against it.

Feingold voted AGAINST Bush's irresponsible tax cuts.

Feingold voted AGAINST the Iraq War Resolution, which Kerry, Clinton, and Bayh voted for.


Feingold/Dean '08!!!

[Corey_Baker08]

21. Kick

:kick:

[Withywindle]

22. Hey, hey

what are Boxer, Feingold, Durbin, Kennedy, Corzine, Lautenberg, Byrd...chopped liver? :hi:

(No, except for maybe Feingold, they're people unlikely to run for Prez in '08. We need them just as much as the big-election celebrities, though.)


And I agree with the poster that it's the people; the voters and volunteers, who are the real backbone. Leaders are more like...the skull, I guess. Thick, sometimes. Congratulations on your upcoming first election - it's always great to see young people so excited and caught up in the process. I hope you get a victory for your first time! (Mine was '88; that was depressing.)

[_testify_]

23. the Democratic what now? n/t

[peacetalksforall]

24. Your not going to get great support for Clinton, Kerry, Bayh, by many

on DU.

Stick around and hear all the reasons why as soon as the Republicans are totally taken down by their (Mrs.)Sciovo stunt.

Obama is too new as of today.

Edwards has a pretty good following.

I say NO to Clinton, Kerry, Bayh, Biden, Shirmer and many others.

I was a 12 year passionate defender and admirer of Clinton. Now - it's all down the drain. She is in the process of morphing to a Republican.

[libodem]

25. I envision Gore

he has the name recognition and the image..He just seems like a decent, intelligent guy, with a nice family. He's the kinda family values guy that I want to represent me. I loved Boxer for standing up to Rice....god that was refreshing....Somehow I felt let down by Kerry...I think he could have taken the anti-war theme all the way...Yeah, I threw my metals and ribbons over the fence and I'm proud. There will always be people who think we could have won Viet Nam if we'd just bombed Hanoi...maybe bombed all southeast Asia off the map...It was a stupid excuse for a war and so is Iraq...bring those boys and girls home NOW

[Corey_Baker08]

26. I like Gore too..

But I didn't put him on my list becuase I havent heard the hint of a fight come out of him since endorsing Dean in the Primaries

[sandnsea]

27. Boxer, Kennedy, Feingold, Clark...

Alot of Dems are fighting and doing a good job. We have to change opinion at the local level to give them the backup to fight for what we want in Congress.

[MsMagnificent]

28. Clinton/Clark

Clinton/Gore --how cosmic!

Clinton/Kerry --3rd choice.