The Times They Are A'Changing
Food for thought: When JFK and Nixon faced off in the 1960 presidential election, many were concerned that JFK's Catholic faith would sabotage his chances. Now, however, it appears that not being Catholic will hurt the candidacy (think Mitt Romney). As Obama and Clinton vie for the Pennsylvania Catholic vote, they proudly wear their Catholicism on their sleeves.
Misc.
With the Democratic Primary ceasing to simmer, Clinton and Obama supporters are getting vicious. So I'm just here to remind all of you die-hard Clinton or Obama fans out there: it doesn't matter who wins. It may seem like it. But we all must remember that the Democratic Presidential Candidate is just that - a Democratic Candidate. He (or she) is elected to represent and uphold the values, morals, and ethics that all Democrats support. So no more of this, "if Obama/Clinton doesn't get the ticket, I'm going to vote Republican." It's about the Democratic policies, not the person.
Speaking of policies...can we start focusing on them again? Please? No more of this "Obama's an elitist because he said etc." or "Clinton lied about being under gun fire in Bosnia." No more. It's petty and unimportant. It doesn't matter if Clinton cried during a New Hampshire meeting. What does matter is what her policy is on health care, the economy, the Iraq War. The same goes for Obama. I don't care how long he attended Muslim school for, or what he might say behind closed-doors at a Pennsylvania fund-raiser. I care about the issues.
News media needs to make a profit. It's a business, I get that. But infotainment has got to stop. Journalists - our gatekeepers of information - need to redirect the public's eye. We need to start focusing back on the issues at hand. How are the candidates (Democratic or Republican) going to handle the current home mortgage crisis? What about the impending credit crisis? Any thoughts on global warming? Darfur? China? I want to turn on the television or open a newspaper and see those questions answered.
'A More Perfect Union'
I've been a Barack Obama supporter from day one. But as campaign politics reared its ugly head, I became cynical and disillusioned. I lost faith in Obama, in the Democratic party, and the electoral process itself.
But then the speech came. Yes, the speech.
Obama's speech, entitled "A More Perfect Union" came in response to the brash and racially dividing comments made his pastor, Jeremiah Wright, one who could be considered the antithesis of Martin Luther King Jr.
His speech, so eloquently written and spoken, dealt with one of the many hot-button issues within 21st century America: race.
When dealing with race, whites react in two distinct ways.
The first is ignorance. "Racial discrimination doesn't exist. That ended with the Civil Rights Movement."
The second is indignation. "Why should they receive more money and better jobs? My (grand)parents immigrated to this country and were met with just as much discrimination. And they worked hard to fight this discrimination. I never owned slaves, I'm not racist. My kids and I shouldn't suffer for things we never did.
He addressed the race issue in the way than any smart politician should. He addressed race in terms of socioeconomic status. When trying to pass any bill or law dealing with past racial discrimination, the most successful way is to put a Robin Hood spin on the bill.
Obama isn't advocating giving African Americans special treatment, he's advocating taking from the rich and giving to the poor. It just so happens that the majority of the poor are African Americans - who are poor not because they're 'lazy,' but because of racial discrimination.
Race is a difficult pill to swallow, for everyone. It makes people uncomfortable in mixed race company. But our country must become comfortable being uncomfortable. We must create a nation-wide racial dialogue.
Some of us have the privilege to ignore racial discrimination. We don't have to worry about a banking loan getting denied. We don't have to worry about our children's health because we live next to a nuclear power plant. We don't have to worry about representing our race. We can turn on the television or go to the movies and see our race portrayed in a positive light. We can buy 'nude' colored bandages.
Others cannot. Others are falsely and unfairly labeled because of their skin color. Others are denied jobs and adequate housing and loans because of their skin color. Others are ignored because of their skin color.
But it's time for this to change. It's time for the United States to walk the walk and not just talk the 'freedom, equality, and justice for all' talk.
Thank you, Mr. Obama.
McCain Gaining Democrats?
With the deomcratic field narrowing down, I'm on the edge of my seat. I'm an Obama supporter, but if he gets kicked to the curb at the end of primary season, I'll be facing a really tough choice between Clinton and McCain. It will, of course, be the lesser of two evils that I choose. But I'm not necessarily sticking democratic just because the person I support is a democrat. And I'm not alone .
A recent poll shows that 20% of Obama supporters will switch to McCain if Obama doesn't get the nomination. I have to wonder... are those the so-called "Obamicans" (republicans supporting Obama) running back to their party, or are those 20% of Obama's voters that can't stomach Clinton?
Another poll shows that voters consider McCain more trustworthy than either Clinton or Obama. He's riding straight from the Grand Old Party on the Straight Talk Express, and apparently voters like that.
Prediction-wise, I'm going to say that if Hillary wins the democratic nomination, McCain will win the White House. But if Obama wins the nod from the dems, he has a great chance at winning the entire election.
Oh, Irony
Does anyone else find it slightly ironic that, suddenly, both the Michigan and Florida primaries are put in the hot seat?
A mere two months ago, I and other students lamented over the anti-climactic feel of the primary, because the Democratic National Party took away the Michigan delegate seats. Essentially, the Democratic National Party told Michigan that any and all Democratic votes will not affect the Democratic Presidential nomination. This, along with the snowy weather, created more voter apathy than usual for the Democrats.
But now, with the Democratic nomination still up in arms, both the Clinton and Obama campaigns re-focus their attention on these primaries.
While I cannot speak for Florida, I know that in Michigan the Democratic primaries were a far cry from an accurate representation of the Michigan Democrats.
Many Democrats - especially younger ones, new to the voting scene - simply chose to vote Republican. The open primary in Michigan allows voters to vote without declaring party affiliation beforehand. So those voters, wishing for their vote to count for something, voted for McCain, the most moderate out of the top four Republican contenders - McCain, Romney, Huckabee, and Ron Paul.
But should Michigan and Florida hold a 're-do' primary? Personally, I feel they should not.
For one, the atmosphere has changed significantly since January. Edwards has dropped out of the race, Ralph Nader has decided to run (possibly taking away votes from the Democratic party in the national election), and the rivalry between Clinton and Obama has heated up - allegations about race, religion, and gender flying from both sides.
For another, initially, all candidates agreed that the votes in Michigan and Florida would not count in the national nomination. The Democratic National Party should not and should not be expected to take back their initial statements.
Either way, this debate over the Michigan and Florida primaries should be put on the back burner. The Democratic party - already known for its fragmentation - needs to create stronger cohesion within the party itself. Adding another controversial issue - these primaries - would not help the Democratic party. Already violently fragmented due to the unresolved Democratic nominee, the Republican party is gaining headway with their unofficial nomination of McCain. While Democrats continue battling, McCain can focus on creating a strong Republican coalition.
Who knows?
27
Clinton only leads Obama by 27 delegates. In other words, not much.
After Obama took Louisiana, Nebraska, Maine, and Washington last weekend, the race is tighter than ever. Last weekend's sweep is a great boost for Obama after falling short to Clinton on Super Tuesday. He will certainly have momentum going into this week's primaries in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.
Clinton seems to be be shook up after failing to win any of last weekend's states. The firing of her campaign manager shows that she is concerned. But she has proven her strength before and has shown that she is a fighter.
As the days roll by, we are still unable to see a winner. Will the excitement never end? As the anticipation builds, America must wait in suspense a little longer to find out who the Democratic candidate will be.
And they will wait. The competition between Obama and Clinton has peaked American interest in politics. I think the competition has been great for America by causing more citizens to become more aware and involved in our government, something our nation needs.
The Race
With the race so close between Obama and Clinton campaigning is going to be crucial in Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Without those states neither Obama nor Clinton can secure a nomination. I am excited to see how the campaigning is going to go in those states, also more debates have to happen to keep the issues fresh on everyone's mind. It will be great to see Obama and Clinton debate for the nomination and really prove who will be the best person for the job.
P.S.
I'd like to interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for this rant. *Ahem*
I'm going to be really disgusted if it comes down to Clinton v. McCain and Democrats switch over to McCain, as some have been claiming they will do.
Yeah, it wouldn't be fantastic, Clinton beating out Obama. But get over it. If anyone actually looked at their policy viewpoints, he or she would see that their policies are very, very, very close. Very. Don't be immature and vote for a Republican, please. And if you're so willing to cross over party lines, maybe you should rethink your beliefs to begin with.
I'm still a Democrat no matter who my presidential candidate is. And if this current administration has done anything useful, it's reaffirmed my commitment to the Democratic Party.
If Clinton does win the ticket, I will - once again - be disappointed with the youth. Because for once, we have a candidate who is - more than any candidate in the past - catering to the youth. Our disgustingly low voter turnout has scared off every candidate in the past. But now, finally, we have Obama. Our white knight. But because we are a lazy and apathetic and self-centered and stupid generation, we don't care. And we need to. Elections - politics itself - transcends interests. It affects everyone, no matter if you're an artist or an engineer or a professional athlete. All changes go through the political system. There's no way to get around it. And these changes will affect you - you lazy teenager, you - even if you don't vote.
The Morning After
"It's been a hard day's night, and I've been working like a dog." Ah, the Beatles. Always necessary. And never in a presidential primary have their lyrics rang so true to these candidates.
Super Tuesday has come and gone. Like most things in life, it's over-hyped anticipation led to a disappointing let down in the end. For either party, no victor has been declared. For the Democrats, it's closer than ever before.
McCain solidified his title as front-runner, meaning he's going to have to find himself a new slogan. Romney and Huckabee are busily climbing on top of one another, vying desperately for second place.
As far as the Democrats are concerned...who knows?! The only reason I was embarrassingly excited for Super Tuesday and fell asleep watching CNN was so that I, like the rest of America, would finally know . The uncertainty is killing me.
Above all else, though, I think this primary proves that it ain't over until that fat lady sings.
Suprise from North Dakota
Anybody notice anything strange about North Dakota these days? Like, say, that Ron Paul wasn't on the bottom of their list? I've always considered Ron Paul a lost cause, and I still do. He's a Libertarian running on the Republican ticket, and Republicans were bound to figure that out sooner or later. Plus the media's been ignoring him and his polling stats are dismal. Except, for some reason, in North Dakota.
In North Dakota Ron Paul came away with 21% of the vote, beating Mike Huckabee.
I'm suprised that he reached double digits in a few states, but to not come in last in one? Woah. I'm not going to lie, if I were Huckabee I'd be in a fetal position endorsing McCain and looking to be his running mate right about now. You got beat by RON PAUL. I understand you had your little showing in the South, but... YOU GOT BEAT BY RON PAUL. Resign.
