I Need Your Suggestions DUers, Sincerely

[Dinger]

Everyone here knows I support General Wesley Clark. To me, he is the best hope for the future of this country.
His leadership, diplomatic experience, intelligence, compassion, heroism, integrity, character, among other things, are the main reasons I feel this way. To say I want him to run for President in 2008 is an understatement. I am thrilled that he is at MSNBC as an analyst. I think he will reach a wider audience. His time at faux was very important as well, although the audience there are bu$hbots, I believe he gained important ground for the Democratic Party, and promoted progressive issues to a following that would never have heard them.
O.K., now for my "problem." I am well aware that I need to learn as much as I can about all the candidates, even the repukes (know thy enemy & all that). I am having a very difficult time motivating myself to even consider other Democratic candidates (I will never consider a repuke), because I feel so strongly about Clark. I imagine this could be a problem for others here as well (You feel so strongly about your candidate that you're not exactly thrilled about considering others). If your candidate is already "in the race," you will be lucky enough to have the opportunity to support them in the primaries, so maybe my problem isn't your problem. If they drop out before the primaries, or before your primary, you might have a hard time considering other Democratic candidates.
So far, in a weak effort to learn more about the others, I have: read Hillary's book (Living History),
logged on briefly (once or twice) to the campaign websites of: Hillary, Obama, Kucinich, and Edwards. I subscribe to The American Prospect & Newsweek, and have only scanned articles on the other Democratic candidates. I have some guilt about that, but again, I am not to motivated to look deeper into the campaigns of the other Dem candidates. What the hell is my problem???
Oh boy, am I ever rambling here. What I'd appreciate from my DU family (That includes non-Clarkies) is some positive support and suggestions to help me get rid of the tunnel vision I have.

Thanks,

Ding

P.S. Clark will always be #1 to me. It does not mean I have ZERO interest in other good Democratic candidates.
I just have to get my ass moving!


:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[wyldwolf]

1. Dinger, you've moved beyond supporting Clark to championing him

Even though, of late, Hillary has been my odds-on favorite, I have found many things to like about Obama and Edwards. Richardson has a top-notch resume and we could do a helluva lot worse than Joe Biden in the White House.

If we find our perfect candidate and exclude the others, our hearts will be broken everytime.

[Dinger]

2. "If we find our perfect candidate and exclude the others, our hearts will be broken everytime."

That's for sure:patriot:

[librechik]

3. Theres' nothing wrong with you being a Clarkie--the other folks don't lack support

just be happy who you are, and learn as it comes to you. It'll happen.

It's a long time til the primaries and we choose The One. Theres' no need to change until then, anyway.

[valerief]

4. Write comprehensive obituaries for all of them. You'll force yourself

to recognize their achievements and failures.

[davidwparker]

5. I'm supporting Edwards because he has put alot of ideas forward that I

like. I believe his is the best as far as universal health care. I need to hear the next debate because I think Kucinich has stated that it still gives too much money to the corporations; he is arguing for non-profit health care.

I really dig Kucinich too.

That said, I'm still hoping Gore enters the race.

[frazzled]

6. It's still very early to feel you have to make a choice

I haven't made one yet, and I hadn't by this date in 2004. The choice became apparent to me over time, but I had the advantage of being able to feel out most of the candidates in person by going up to New Hampshire (less than a half hour from where I lived). I ended up supporting and working for Clark then, but for as much as I like and admire him, I don't know that I think he's the right person for now (and I don't think he will run anyway).

I'm not sure magazine articles or books will be your only source. Nor do campaign-issued policy statements mean everything either (policy has to get enacted, so leadership and ability to bring people, politicians, and corporate concerns along is more important than the details of the policy itself). I don't discount character and appeal as a legitimate measure to consider: you've got to like this person.

But maybe you don't even need to choose at all just yet. Maybe you don't need to choose a primary candidate at all. I'm serious. Here's some questions to ask:

1. Do you live in an important primary state? I guess this time around this might be any state that has a primary on or before Super Tuesday in March. The primaries in my state (Illinois) have just been moved up to February 3, so they will have more impact than I initially thought. If I'm still not super decided by then, I will probably vote for Obama as a favorite son. This is because I am hoping that the primaries won't be locked up by the Iowa and NH caucuses this time. I'd like to see lots of different winners in different states to keep the thing going ... possibly even right up to the convention. I think the early lock last time hurt the discussion and the party. So strategy closer to primary time may be an issue you'll want to consider.

2. Do you plan to actually work on a primary campaign as an on-the-ground volunteer? In that case, you'll need to choose by October or November. If not, maybe it's not so crucial to choose anyone. That will leave you less wounded if your candidate doesn't win, and leave you more open to really throwing yourself behind the eventual Democratic candidate. If you feel they all are pretty good, this might be a decent strategy.

All I'm saying is, don't feel pressured. There are benefits to waiting, even up to the walk to the voting booth. Lots of things will happen between now and fall, or now and the first primaries, that may help you make up your mind or decide to save your energies for the general. You don't have to suit up for battle if you're not fully committed. You can wait and look and listen (and feel) and look to help change the general direction of things rather than be a full-fledged partisan for any individual.

Hope some of this is helpful. I'm sure there will be criticisms of my newly-found laid back attitude. But the passion and hard work I put in last time has taught me some important lessons.

[Mz Pip]

7. I was a Clark supporter in '04

Was part of the Draft Clark group and spent many hours distributing literature.

I don't think he'll run. I know he says he hasn't ruled it out but unless the other top tier candidates tank and no one else rises to the top I just don't see him putting himself and his family through another campaign.

I don't have a favorite now either. I don't think I need to at this point. I'll see how all of this plays out. In a way it doesn't matter that much to me; I don't think I've ever voted for someone in the primaries who went on to be our candidate. I doubt that will change! Whoever gets picked I will support.

Most people aren't paying that much attention now anyway - except for us political junkies. 08 is ours unless we blow it big.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[some guy]

8. a suggestion

I would start with finding out where the candidates stand on issues, and see who is the "next best fit" with where you stand on various issues.

So, here are links to the issues page of all the Democratic candidates currently running. You're on your own for R candidates :)

Alphabetically list by last name...

Joe Biden
http://www.joebiden.com/issues/

Hillary Clinton
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/

Chris Dodd
http://www.chrisdodd.com/
(issues link on the right side of the page)

John Edwards
http://johnedwards.com/about/issues/

Mike Gravel
http://www.gravel2008.us/
(issues on main page)

Dennis Kucinich
http://kucinich.us/issues

Barack Obama
http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/

Bill Richardson
http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/issues/

Happy reading :hi:

[Dinger]

12. Thanks some guy! I'm Saving This Thread! : )

:)

[welshTerrier2]

9. Plan B

i'll "answer" your question by not answering your question at all. or, perhaps i should say i'll provide an indirect answer.

i've always been much more focused on issues than on candidates. i don't dismiss some of the fundamentals like whether a candidate can win or whether they are "people of substance" or whether they have a clear view of what's going on in the world. looking at the traits any given candidate possesses is, to be sure, an important aspect of making a candidate selection.

HOWEVER, i think that aspect should be the LAST STEP in the process and not the first as it seems to be with far too many people.

for me, it should all begin with your values and your knowledge of the issues. what do YOU consider the key issues to be? how well informed are YOU? are your values "selfish" values (i.e. which candidate is best for me?) or are your values non-selfish in the sense that you are dedicated to your belief of simple right and wrong regardless of whether a given policy helps you personally. too many voters vote their own interests. some believe that if everyone does that, we'll produce the greatest good for the greatest number. i disagree. i think selfish voting just makes it easier for people to fall for all the candidate marketing gimmicks. that's the "promise them everything" school of campaigning. it leads to tragedy. it leads to where we are now. it leads to a system where the tough choices and informing the voters about "bad news" never happens. it leads to a lack of real leadership.

my "in a nutshell" view of where we are at is that big money has poisoned our electoral and legislative processes. what's the point, given that view, of supporting any candidate who has not made that a central focus. Has Clark? Has Clinton? Has Obama? If so, i'm really glad to hear it.

and if you deeply understand the corrupting influence of big money on national policy, e.g. the military-industrial-Congressional complex, e.g. on our imperialistic foreign policy in the Middle East and in Central and South America including all sorts of assassinations and worse, e.g. rolling back pollution laws and preventing the real development of alternative fuels, then again I ask you, which candidate is really making a fight on these issues? Clark? Clinton? Obama? I haven't heard it. Am I just not listening carefully enough? Truly, I hope I'm dead wrong.

What would it take to start hearing the kinds of solutions I believe this country desperately needs? I think we should cut the defense budget by 50% or more. Is that politically risky? of course it is. I also believe it's the right policy. To pad the wallets of the MIC, we are killing this country's infrastructure. How about real mass transit to cut down on auto use? Maybe we should try for a 50% reduction. Why? BECAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING, THAT'S WHY!! any candidate calling for that? yeah, right ... that will happen. I believe it's critically necessary.

instead, what do we get? we're offered a bunch of "safe little" incremental proposals. raise CAFE standards a bit. well, that's good. Develop alternative fuels. that's fine too. 15% renewables by 2020. some want 25% by 2025. all are good ideas ... no one is willing to say they are SUFFICIENT to save the planet though. We're looking at the very real possibility of a major global environmental disaster. is this the time for REAL LEADERS to play it safe with their politically safe proposals? the glaciers are melting; the fish are dying; the food chain is being badly disrupted; they're predicting major coastal cities may become uninhabitable; they're talking about no water to supply major cities in the American West ... how bad does it have to get before someone will stand up and tell us the truth and offer radical changes in policy and mandates for a more energy-restricted lifestyle. Clark? Hillary? Obama? yeah, right ... it just ain't going to happen ...

so, the truth is, I have no candidate and I have no answer for you. I don't say that you shouldn't pick a candidate; i say that it's more important to learn and get passionate about the most critical issues. and then i say that we all need to demand of any candidate that they start answering the real questions instead of the milquetoast pablum that passes for discourse on the campaign trail. sorry to be so negative but i believe our entire political process is badly failing the real needs we have.

[snowbear]

10. It does my heart good to ((HOPE)) that he's our next Vice President..

It's not where I want him.. but if he's not going to run, there's no better running mate for any of our candidates IMO.

[JNelson6563]

11. My advice

Dinger I am not connected to any of the campaigns either, I'm holding out hope President Gore will run. With that said, my advice to you is to hang in there, keep learning all you can about all of 'em and see who Gen. Clark endorses. I betcha he will support someone before the end of the year (could he be holding out for Gore too??).

Until then you can also do what you can for the fine candidates Clark is supporting for Congress.

:toast:

Julie, who knows how ya feel

[MadMaddie]

13. Even if Clark doesn't run for President......

if a Democratic nominee...let me rephrase that when our Democratic Nominee wins...Clark will play a vital role in rebuilding our relationships around the world....Maybe Condi's current position.

[Eurobabe]

14. I supported Clark in '04 too, wholeheartedly

At this time I am still window shopping, learning as much as I can, sitting back and letting things play out. There is no hurry, it's EARLY!! If my state allows a primary write-in candidate and my conscience dictates that I utilize that option, it will probably be Clark. If that option is not available, I think I know who will receive my primary vote.

But in the 'general election' (love that pun!) I will support whoever gets the Dem nomination, the country has suffered too much damage at the hands of the CONS since 2000. We need to right this ship, it's listing severely and taking on water.

It should be an interesting Fall of 2007.

:patriot: :patriot:

PS. I remember the despair I felt in 2004 for Clark, by the time he came to Virginia, he looked like a tank rolled over him, and we all knew he was pretty much done (thanks in large part to the marginalization of the media and some awful campaign mistakes) In my heart Dinger, I really just don't think he is going to run. He may think about it everyday, but thinking and doing are two different things, and I wonder if his heart is really in it this time after what happened in '04. This guy is just too damn smart to be made a fool of by the MSM twice! JMHO, and I say this as a Draft Clarkie from way back.