The Republican Debate last night revealed something everyone on this Board should know

[TomClash]

No matter which one you choose, the best Republican candidate is ideologically far worse than the worst Democratic candidate.

That's the best reason in the world to vote for whoever the Democratic nominee is. I'm sold - I'm working hard for whoever that person is.

[Adelante]

1. Indeed, TomClash

It was my first time and it was too scary for words.

[0007]

2. That wasn't a debate, that was a first class circle jerk. It was bad!!

[TomClash]

4. Maybe a half circle jerk :-)

Though, I don't know if any of them would really be up to the task - if you catch my drift.

[H2O Man]

3. I agree 100%

nominated

[cboy4]

5. That's true that the Republics are worse....although that

doesn't necessarily mean I won't be holding my nose with both hands voting for the Democrat (depending on who he or she is).

[mtnsnake]

6. Anyone who doesn't agree with that philosophy by now is simply being selfish

and needs to realize that the overall choice we have to make is going to be between a Democratic president who will be great, good, or fair...and a Republican president who will be a fucking nightmare and set us back further into the Dark Ages than we already are.

[CrispyQ]

19. Well said.

I completely agree.

[Clark2008]

24. Not entirely...

There's one Dem I cannot vote for should he be the nominee. I can't trust him; therefore, I can't vote for him. Of course, that also rules out voting for ANY Republican, too.

I don't think it's selfish to vote third party if you can't trust either of the two big parties.

[Lasher]

7. Amen brother!

Recommended.

[gordianot]

8. To the Greatest you go.

[Tarc]

9. Damn straight

Not 100% sure of who I'm writing down in January yet, but any of our bunch is head and shoulders above the GOP rabble.

[tom_paine]

10. K & R for the unvarnished truth.

[dmallind]

11. correct. And welcome to the "loyalty oath club"

Otherwise known as those pragmatists who rationally view avoiding outright disaster as more important than dreaming about getting everything our pure little hearts desire.

[TomClash]

39. This pledge applies to everyone

If an ideologue wins I'm there. If a pragmatist wins I'm there.


That "Debate" was too much. How can these people exist?

[rateyes]

12. True, but...

why don't we nominate the best Democrat instead of settling for the worst of the best?

[dmallind]

14. Well the thing is we will, by definition.

We will pick the nominee who is preferred by more Democrats than any other. It probably won't be my choice, and probably not yours I'm guessing based on this post. But by definition it will be the one that most of us (the larger us - those Democrats who care enough to vote in primaries) want.

[rateyes]

16. I respectfully disagree.

With 8 candidates, we could nominate a person with a plurality rather than a majority of the vote. Someone is going to win Iowa, perhaps, with less than 30% support of Democrats. That's not a majority, and therefore means that we could nominate a person that the majority of Democrats don't want as the standard-bearer of the party.

[dmallind]

17. I don't think we disagree really

I was more making a prediction to be honest - and one I think I can be quite confident in - that by the time the primaries across the nation are over, the majority will have voted for one candidate. Of course it most certainly could be a plurality, but I suspect it will not be. I expressed myself poorly in the statement above.

[TomClash]

22. That's probably right

What I'm getting at is the stark contrast last night's debate brought out between the two parties. I will forget about my differences with any of the Dems running - those differences pale in comparison to the nonsense I saw and heard last night. I

[Kucinich4America]

30. Yeah, just like in 2004, right?

When the best candidate was crucified in the whore media, and the McAwful regime didn't lift a finger to stop it?

[dmallind]

33. We still talking primaries here? NT

hjh

[Kucinich4America]

35. So was I.

If I say the word "YEEEEEEAAAARRRGH" does that refresh your memory?

[dmallind]

49. Didn't need it refreshed but not the point

The point is DEMOCRATS voted for the candidate we collectively thought was the best. We - not you or I or DU but we the party and its supporters - decided we didn't think Dean was the best. Would he have been given the chance? Nobody but nobody can do anything but guess.

[TomClash]

38. Agreed but who did you vote for in the general election? nt

[Kucinich4America]

40. I voted for Kerry, despite his horrible rightward pandering from 2000-2004

And I did so with one hand holding my nose shut. And went into a rage when he conceded Ohio before the goddamn votes were counted.

Hillary has pandered to the lunatics far more than Kerry did, and I will not make that mistake again.

[TomClash]

42. I went into the same rage

And I had just worked an 18 hour day for him in Florida.

But I'd sure as hell would rather have him than Bush*t.

[TomClash]

25. I'd love to nominate the best Dem

But my choice might not be the one who wins. In the end, I'll help whoever wins.

[bowens43]

13. I agree 100%

I will support the Democratic nominee.

[Bitwit1234]

15. No matter who....fellow democrats...we better vote for them.

this group has shown from the get go what they have in store for us.

[woodsprite]

18. My coworker and I were just discussing that this morning.

He's a Hillary person and I'm a Biden or Richardson person. I told him my reason why HRC falls to the bottom of my list, and we both agreed that whoever gets the Dem nomination is lightyears beyond any Rep candidate. Unfortunately, the freeper in the next cubby still is one of those - what is it now? Twenty-four percenters? Or are we down to 21%?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. It Put A Lie To The Canard There's No Difference Between The Two Parties

DSB

[info being]

21. Is there some doubt whether every DU'er will vote Dem?

Fill me in...

[TomClash]

23. I was having misgivings about some Dems

and I was foolishly thinking of voting for a third party candidate . . . but after watching that debate last night . . . no more. No way.

[FatDave]

28. See post #24

Apparently John Edwards once spat on Clark2008's grandmother or something. But he's nothing compared to the "I'll never ever ever vote for Hilary" people.

[Dawgs]

26. This is why the Obama "embraced a homophobe" talk drives me crazy.

Yes, he was wrong. But, knowing that Obama supports gay rights is all I need to know when watching these bigots try to explain to a career military man that he should have been kicked out.

[dmallind]

34. But I see that as just primary pissing matches

I don't see too many - and don't believe most of the few I saw - declarations that anybody would withhold support for Obama in the GE if he were nominated over that issue, or any other. If they did I wonder exactly how much less homophobic they think the alternative's buddies will be.

[progressoid]

27. I didn't have to watch the debate to know that.

But a K&R just the same!

[glowing]

29. Yes and no... Problem is that the Republicans are expecting to lose

They have put out their worst... and the money is going to the DLC candidates this time around. I think it is really important to recognize who is going to make things better on the democratic side and who is going to continue the status quo. I think there are a few who would work to restore the constitution, work to restore worldwide opinion, and work for the American people. I think there is one candidate in particular who is not going to do a lot, other than make it feel better. I think we know which one that is. Obama is iffy. He is taking a lot of money from corporations. I think he is divided in his own head and heart. I think he'd probably make a great V.P. for someone who is progressive so that he will continue the progressive agenda knowing that it is ok and it is the good thing to do.

I have been stuck between voting for Edwards and Kucinich. Edwards bothers me because when he did go into politics and was in the senate, he seemed to give in and sell out to the DLC. Kucinich bothers me because he thinks Ron Paul would make a good running mate. I don't want a Republican agenda in the white house. I don't believe in that, which is why I'm a Democrat.

For what its worth, I don't believe half the lies that are spread around Ron Paul. MSM is scared of him like they are scared of anyone telling the truth. I don't like Ron Paul because I want social programs, and I don't believe that corporations and mom and pop should have to function by themselves without anything, I believe in schools, and I believe I should be able to pick any Doctor I want and have the medical treatment paid for by the govt program that I have helped to fund through my taxes.

Anyway... I think that a ticket with Edwards/ Kucinich or Edwards/ Obama would be a fine match. Probably, Edwards/ Obama would be ideal because the numbers are there. It will be interesting to see the match up after the big 4. After the big 4, it would be the ideal time for the tickets to align themselves so that we can align numbers better to defeat Hillary. I don't want a Republican and I definately don't want her as our next president. Those scenarios are bad for the country.

Edit: By the way, I think that Edwards is being honest with himself and us now. I don't think he's going to sell out again.

[DeepModem Mom]

31. K&R

[IronLionZion]

32. Over the past 100 years, the worst Dem was better than the best Repub

there's a graphic of job creation by president over the last 100 years. Kennedy was the worst Dem but he was killed in his first term. Nixon was best Repub and he was a crook.

[K Gardner]

36. That's the bottom line, simply put. n/t

[trashcanistanista]

37. I am watching the rerun of their debate now.

I would support a hamster if it ran as a dem. I will never, ever, vote rethug.

[FiveGoodMen]

41. Well, yes. Being shot in the head is generally better than dying of cancer, too.

Just about everyone here will end up voting for whichever Dem gets the nod.

But the country could still be completely fucked if that person doesn't undo Bush's damage.

Every time we crow about how any Dem is better and we'll support any of them, we reassure Nancy Pelosi that impeachment can stay off the table. We tell every Dem everywhere that there's nothing they can do to lose our support so they might as well please as many neocons as they can to stay in office.

It's extremely counterproductive.

[AtomicKitten]

43. It also reinforced that our nominee should be familiar with religion.

I know that suggestion will send some here into convulsions, but the truth is a vast majority of Americans are believers. It is what it is.

As an agnostic, I bristle at some of the hardcore anti-religious anger here, not because I don't understand and agree with the basic premise (I do), but because of the caliber of nastiness. A harsh comparison needs to be made here and that is that level of nastiness mimics (reads mirror image) the level of explosive rage spewed from the wingnut section of America, and that's not good for a lot of reasons.

This is an election and we really need to be smart about this. It's all a dog and pony show to be sure, but the winner takes the helm of this country.

[mzmolly]

48. "I bristle at some of the hardcore anti-religious anger here"

Agreed. Where is the "tolerance" on that issue? I understand legit critique when religion is used to justify ill will, but when it's used for positive things why the beef?

;)

[AtomicKitten]

51. "why the beef?"

I haven't expressed one.

[mzmolly]

53. I know "you" haven't AK. I was agreeing with you and asking a general

question to the intolerant among us. :hi:

[AtomicKitten]

55. D'oh!

[BornagainDUer]

44. The Evil of the Two Lessers syndrome. nt

[mzmolly]

47. Ah yes, the Gore V Bush claim. How bout one is evil the other is imperfect syndrome.

I dont feel any of the Democratic candidates are "evil." Gore was not "evil" in spite of the claims he was the "lesser evil" in 2000.

[BornagainDUer]

52. The choice is evil not the people being chosen.

The choices are the "lessers"

[mzmolly]

54. I disagree. I think the choices are between evil "in the name of God" and basic good

in the name of the people. :hi:

[eridani]

45. I wouldn't even call what the Repubs are doing a presidential primary

Looks more like a traveling insane asylum to me.

[mzmolly]

46. HEAR HEAR!

:toast:

[opihimoimoi]

50. This crop of Pubs are NOT Their BEST...The GOP knows the 08 thing is futile

These guys are the Wannabe Second, if not, 3rd TIER.....

The GOP is in turmoil and are a flummoxed group.....

Smart money is building a new home somewhere high and dry, enjoying the last days of a Good Earth...dire times are coming..

Soon, we will be back on the farm raising crops by hand....as described by Pearl Buck in 1931

[Auntie Bush]

56. Spoken like a REAL Democratic. nt

[beaconess]

57. Excellent point

One that bears repeating again and again.