If Kerry's campaign were to collapse, how many Kerry supporters would

[kentuck]

vote for Howard Dean if he were the only Democrat left? I've seen this same nonsense for days. Some of the Clark supporters were badmouthing Dean after Iowa, even though the General was not involved in the Iowa caucus...They thought their man was going to win NH hands down. He didn't. He lucked up and came in third. Too bad they were so cruel to the Dean supporters, they may have turned just enough of them off to lose later down the road. Wasn't that real bright of them!

The same thing is happening now with other candidates. Some of the Dean supporters are so pissed off that they will not vote for Kerry no matter what. Of course, a no vote for the Democrat is the same as a "yes" vote for George W Bush. Hey! Are we a smart bunch or what! And we thought the freepers were dumb? Let's get a handle on it. I know nobody here is that stupid.

Let's have a little confidence in the people. They are the ones that will decide who the nominee will be. It may be our candidate or it may not be. This is hte reason the Party would like to have the process over as quickly as possible so as to prevent this type of division. But we need the debate to continue, because it is creating excitement and interest in our Party and we should look at that as a positive.

(edited first sentence for clarification)

[YouMustBeKiddingMe]

1. You are assuming Dean is the heir apparent if Kerry

doesn't get the nomination. I don't assume that.

[kentuck]

10. You obviously have misunderstood the post....

I am not assuming Dean is the heir apparent. Read a little more and you will see where I'm coming from.

[YouMustBeKiddingMe]

19. Okay. I apologize if I misunderstood.

I answered the question "If Kerry's campaign were to collapse, how many Kerry supporters would vote for Howard Dean?"

I did read your whole post the first time but I read it again. I agree with your comments about the divisiveness here. I don't think the general public probably takes it all as personally as people here though.

[kentuck]

23. My apology. I edited first sentence to make more sense...

I hope... :)

[YouMustBeKiddingMe]

25. Then my answer

Of course, I will vote for the Democratic nominee, whomever that happens to be.

[mb7588a]

2. I'd be in Edwards's camp faster than you can say, "YEAAARRRRRGH!" :P

But it'd have to be one HELLUVA collapse... like... death. ack.

[lastknowngood]

3. the sheeple still support the shrub

and think Iraq and Saddam had something to do with 911.
get a clue their being led like lambs to slaughter.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Dean's my least favorite Democratic candidate but

that doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to let Bush win.

[mlawson]

5. I think your question is moot.

Kerry's campaign is not going to collapse. Just a few more days, you will see, and it will all be 'official'.

[CalebHayes]

8. What if he got caught on the Boat??

[mlawson]

26. "Monkey Business"???

No, he is not Gary Hart. But funny you should allude to Mondale's rival..... I have been reminded of Mondale now, since Tuesday night.

[sandnsea]

6. Edwards

Clark still needs to explain about Ronald Reagan.

[kentuck]

17. And Ronald Reagan needs to explain about FDR...

FDR needs to explain about who? We cannot live in the past. He was in the military and maybe he thought Carter did a bad job in the Iran rescue mission?? Who knows? Maybe he was not a hardcore partisan but voted on who he thought was the best man at the time? I do not agree with that vote but I voted for Ben Nighthorse Campbell in '92 because I thought he was the best candidate against Dick Lamm. Nighthorse had picked lettuce and knew what it was like to work hard for a living and Lamm was more of a "limousine" liberal. I even raised money for Nighthorse. One of the biggest misjudgements I ever made. We all make mistakes. Shit! We probably have some people here that voted for Reagan??

[TakebackAmerica]

21. This explaines it for me!

George McGovern endorses Gen. Clark
Ex-U.S. senator was 1972 Democratic nominee



KEENE, N.H. (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark was endorsed today by former Sen. George McGovern, the party's 1972 nominee. He called Clark the "best of the lot" of candidates in the race.
"We're not going to lose this time," McGovern said at a pancake breakfast for Clark, recalling his landslide defeat by President Nixon.

The former South Dakota lawmaker compared his opposition to the Vietnam War to Clark's criticism of President Bush's decision to wage war in Iraq. He said Clark is the only candidate with a "success strategy to get us out of the war in Iraq, and get our servicemen and women home safely.''

Clark, a retired four-star general, has made criticism of Bush's Iraq policy a central theme of his campaign. Today, he repeated his assertion that going to war without broader international backing was "reckless and wrong.''

"I would not have gone into Iraq in the first place," Clark said in response to a question from the audience. "My position was that Iraq was not an imminent threat. I would have concentrated on Osama bin Laden.''

McGovern said any of the eight Democrats would wage a good fight against Bush but said, "I think the best of the lot is Wesley Clark.''

Of McGovern, Clark said: "The values we're talking about are the same values he's lived: patriotism, faith, family and inclusive leadership.''


Standing side by side, Clark and McGovern flipped pancakes. Over his trademark sweater, Clark wore an apron that said: "Rhodes Scholar. Supreme Allied Commander. Master of the Short Stack. And Four-Star General.''

Snip ..................

[JohnKleeb]

7. Well I support DK equally as much as I do JK now

so I would be in CAmp DK and possibly Edwards.

[bigtree]

9. I will vote for any Democratic nominee

Period. (beep)

[Johnyawl]

13. I'm with you, bigtree.

Kerry, Dean, Clark, or Edwards.

on edit:

or Kucinich or Sharpton. :-)

[Hav]

11. Kentuck

Kentuck, seems like you need to edit your post a bit some people will avoid honest replies by picking at semantics like in this thread where almost one third wouldn't vote for Kerry.
So I guess it has to be clear that in this hypothetical situation,Dean would be the one confronting Bush. (I assume that is what you mean by asking whether they would vote for Dean.)

I think it's sad that all these discussions here cause so many bad feelings.

[kentuck]

22. Thanks Hav !

I edited the first sentence for clarification. The point I was hoping to make, not too well it seems, is that this is not over yet and the person we kick today, we may need his support tomorrow. For example, if Clark is forced to withdraw and Dean is still in the race, don't you think Dean would want Clarks supporters, and vice-versa? The same applies to Kerry and Dean. Kerry is not invincible....yet. :)

[MaineDem]

12. I'm sure most Kerry people would back the nominee

Once he's chosen I'll work hard for him.

But Dean is not my second choice.

[cindyw]

18. You are absolutley right. Even if I don't get my choice, I don't buy into

that Nader crap that the cadidates are the same. Even Dean would move more in the direction of caring about the issues I care about. So because I care about the issues, I am Kerry first and then ABB.

[sistersofmercy]

14. I will vote for the nominee, not matter who it is, ABB here!

[sallyseven]

16. Any on but bush

I would vote for the nominee.

[seaglass]

15. I refuse to take responsibility for any Dean supporter who

cannot bring themselves to vote for Kerry if he's the nominee, especially if the decision is based on what anonymous posters say on an internet board.

I am firmly ABB. I will vote for Dean even though I REALLY don't like him. I know that this election is not just about me.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

20. If I must, I will vote for Dean...

even though I do not really like him.

[polmaven]

24. There is no way to save the country

from total annihilation but to vote ABB. JFK is my first choice, but for the sake of ...yes...literally for the sake of the world, I will vote for whichever Democrat is nominated.

[THUNDER HANDS]

27. yes, of course I'd vote for Dean

this is just politics right now, nothing personal.

[MajorFlaw]

28. Is this a sobriety test?

While Kerry is my first choice, I also like Dean, Edwards Clark and Kucinich, and would have no difficulty supporting them. If Lieberman, Sharpton or someone else gets the nomination, I will gladly vote for them.
And I haven't missed an election since I turned 18, more than 25 years ago. Staying home is not an option. I gave up on "statement making" votes a long time ago, and there is nothing short of Ashcroft literally pointing a gun at my head which could make me vote for Bush lite. As Gore said in his VP acceptance speech in 1992, "It's time for them to go." That statement is much more important now than at any point in my life. The D's nominee will get my vote absolutely, positively and with enthusiasm, even if my favorite doesn't get the nomination. ABB for real.

[curse10]

29. I'd vote for Dean if he happened to be the nominee

just like I'd vote for Clark, Edwards, Lieberman, DK, or Sharpton.

[mitchum]

30. ABB