Straw poll

[Incyte]

Not that it really matters I suppose because any republican that gets the nomination could be beat by Kucinich. I hope Bush is happy he sunk his own part pretty much by himself.

There is 15 months between now and the general election which is an eternity in political circles. The Dem candidate may indeed win but I don't think I would be that certain about it. I believe many of the republican condidates poll at about even with or above Hillary.

 

[EggMcClone]

I read that at this same time in 2003 Joe Lieberman had a huge lead on the rest of the field and John Kerry was barely cracking double digits. Obviously things can change...a lot.

 

[ornryactor]

Where's Ron Paul. He will never make it, but at this point he is the least of all these evils.

I'm not so sure... He seems to have an absurdly large amount of grassroots support in the state, totally independent of his organized campaign in Iowa (which is also going strong). I don't see any flyers, chalk, announcements or anything else for any presidential candidates around campus or Ames, but stuff for Ron Paul is EVERYWHERE.

He's also my choice for this poll. I think I'd be okay with Brownback or Romney, but Paul seems to have the best (and most realistic) solutions to a lot of our problems. He seems like he should be such an underdog, but I'm starting to think otherwise.

On a different note: the title of this topic is "Straw poll". Why are there Democratic candidates listed? Or are we not discussing the straw poll happening this weekend?

 

[Kyle]

I'm curious to hear from the people that are supporting Romney. What about him do people like?

 

[tigershoops31]

I'm curious to hear from the people that are supporting Romney. What about him do people like?

For me it's been the late night phone calls...the offers to give me a ride to the straw poll...etc :yes4lo:

 

[Cyclonepride]

I read that at this same time in 2003 Joe Lieberman had a huge lead on the rest of the field and John Kerry was barely cracking double digits. Obviously things can change...a lot.

Joe Lieberman was doomed by the fact that he is a moderate democrat. There's not really any room on the party ticket for a guy like that right now. I actually liked some of the stuff he said, which means he was way too conservative.

Mitt Romney was on the Michaelson show the other day, and Jan really took it to him, to the point where the conversation ended abruptly, and Mitt was complaining about it to the national press. He's too inconsistent for me.

I really like Duncan Hunter too. That was my vote. I think it's his only vote so far! He really supports the fair tax and he sponsored the bill that got the wall built in San Diego that is the model for the rest of it. He is also strong on national defense. His son has served tours in Iraq and Afganistan, and if I remember right, he is also a veteran.

Incidently, when I was double checking this list, and missing Ron Paul:baffled5wh:, I noticed there is some scruffy looking guy running for president from the Fascist party. I think he formed it. Dude looks like someone you would see at a Metallica concert. Interestingly, there were no communist party candidates that I could find.

 

[thakeepa14]

I think the next Secretary of State may have the most important non-presidential role since Vietnam or the Cold War. Our problems extend way beyond the Iraq/Afghanistan/N. Korea situations. The Chinese really, really need to open up a genuine dialogue. They need to stop oil trades with the people responsible for the Darfur atrocies now. Shady dealing like that absolutely can't happen if there to be the second superpower, the world simply can't afford it. People like Chavez have got to shut their d@mn yappers. Appropriate talks with nations tend to quiet these idiots. The list of problems goes on and on. This horrible mess one of these individuals is inheriting shouldn't be forced upon ANYONE, so I hardly blame for all sane persons from withdrawing their nominations. (Maybe that's the root of the problem with our leaders...)

I really believe what we've lacked for almost a decade now is someone like Madaline Albright. Someone to negotiate the crap out of the pressing issues, win the battles and make some new allies in the process. Understand when it's time to take down the Milosevich's (sp?) of the world. Go after those guys hard and fast, but don't act like you've got a pistol in your back pocket when someone is willing to talk. Yes, post-Sept11 is a scary world, but the pre-Sept11 world was too. Politians can't stop telling us otherwise. I tend to fall in the center on most issues but feel a shakeup in the cabinet (i.e. NO carryovers from this administration whatsoever) may be the best asset for our next Commander and Chief. Perception around the world is important to me as I'd like to be at least somewhat proud of our leaders when traveling abroad. This, like many Americans, has me currently looking a little further left than usual.

 

[thakeepa14]

Here is an article from Albright for the Washington Post. Future presidents should take note. I almost forgot how beautifully pointed she can be.

Madeleine K. Albright - A Realistic Idealism - washingtonpost.com

 

[alaskaguy]

At this point the front runner in the poll is Obama. On most economic issues he's a big-government liberal; he opposes the Bush tax cuts, supports a rollback of the capital gains tax cut, and calls efforts to kill the estate tax "the Paris Hilton tax cut." He's the most charismatic politician to seek the presidency since Reagan. But where Reagan's priorities were crystal clear, Obama's are obscured by beautiful, meaningless rhetoric. What is the "audacity of hope," anyway?

 

[alaskaguy]

One area that Ron Paul tops all other presidential candidates is in campaign contributions from employees of the armed services, at 26.2 percent.Among Republican contenders Paul has at least 49.5 percent of polled military support or nearly as much as all others combined.

Link: Ron Paul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Incyte]

I really believe what we've lacked for almost a decade now is someone like Madaline Albright.

Wasn't Madaline Albright SOS for 4 of the last 10 years? Maybe we lacked her when we had her.

If Madaline Albright is the solution to our problems we are in a world of hurt.

 

[bawbie]

Who do you think is the best candidate for president? I had to leave off a couple options, so I guess write it in if you have one not on the list.

Could you at least please spell Barack Obama's name right?

 

[bawbie]

I voted Fred Thompson because of his fiscal responsibility stance and he is not a career politician.

I see:
career politician = bad.

career lobbyist = good!

 

[abcguyks]

I think the next Secretary of State may have the most important non-presidential role since Vietnam or the Cold War. Our problems extend way beyond the Iraq/Afghanistan/N. Korea situations. The Chinese really, really need to open up a genuine dialogue. They need to stop oil trades with the people responsible for the Darfur atrocies now. Shady dealing like that absolutely can't happen if there to be the second superpower, the world simply can't afford it. People like Chavez have got to shut their d@mn yappers. Appropriate talks with nations tend to quiet these idiots. The list of problems goes on and on. This horrible mess one of these individuals is inheriting shouldn't be forced upon ANYONE, so I hardly blame for all sane persons from withdrawing their nominations. (Maybe that's the root of the problem with our leaders...)

I really believe what we've lacked for almost a decade now is someone like Madaline Albright. Someone to negotiate the crap out of the pressing issues, win the battles and make some new allies in the process. Understand when it's time to take down the Milosevich's (sp?) of the world. Go after those guys hard and fast, but don't act like you've got a pistol in your back pocket when someone is willing to talk. Yes, post-Sept11 is a scary world, but the pre-Sept11 world was too. Politians can't stop telling us otherwise. I tend to fall in the center on most issues but feel a shakeup in the cabinet (i.e. NO carryovers from this administration whatsoever) may be the best asset for our next Commander and Chief. Perception around the world is important to me as I'd like to be at least somewhat proud of our leaders when traveling abroad. This, like many Americans, has me currently looking a little further left than usual.

You are kidding I hope. Madeline Albright was sorriest excuse we've had for a secretary of state since Alexander Haig. Look at what happened (and did not happen) in the Mideast under her watch. she was under the delusion that we could negotiate with the thug dictators running that part of the world and they took advantage of this whenever they could.

 

[cycloneworld]

I see:
career politician = bad.

career lobbyist = Better!

Close. I fixed it.

Like I said in the Ron Paul thread...the guys who I think would make the best President (Duncan Hunter, Huckabee, ) will likely be who I vote for in the caucus although I haven't decided for sure but realistically they have no chance at getting the nomination.

As for Fred Thompson, as a lobbyist he hasn't been working in the national spotlight making decisions and posing for an audience like many of the "big time" candidates have been.

And if Jack McCoy trusts the guy...how can you not trust him.

 

[cycloneworld]

Question: What draws people to Obama? Is it because he's young? Black? Uber-liberal? Charasmatic? (This is a serious question)

The more I read about Obama, the more I don't like (as a conservative). He is a conservative AND a moderate's worst nightmare. The guy wants to tax about everything humanly possible.

 

[Incyte]

You are kidding I hope. Madeline Albright was sorriest excuse we've had for a secretary of state since Alexander Haig. Look at what happened (and did not happen) in the Mideast under her watch. she was under the delusion that we could negotiate with the thug dictators running that part of the world and they took advantage of this whenever they could.

Are you trying to tell me North Korea broke their promises they made to Madeline Albright? I don't believe it.

 

[SuperCy]

You are kidding I hope. Madeline Albright was sorriest excuse we've had for a secretary of state since Alexander Haig. Look at what happened (and did not happen) in the Mideast under her watch. she was under the delusion that we could negotiate with the thug dictators running that part of the world and they took advantage of this whenever they could.

She's probably the only one that could look Kim Jong Il II straight in the eye. :rolleyes5cz:

 

[jdoggivjc]

Question: What draws people to Obama? Is it because he's young? Black? Uber-liberal? Charasmatic? (This is a serious question)

The more I read about Obama, the more I don't like (as a conservative). He is a conservative AND a moderate's worst nightmare. The guy wants to tax about everything humanly possible.

Taxing everything wouldn't bother me so much if we dropped the Federal Income Tax and went with the 22% National Sales Tax. Do this and everyone ends up paying proportional to their income (something the current system would never be able to do). However, with Obama, I don't see him dropping income tax. In fact, I see him increasing it even higher than what Bush cut if from.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Question: What draws people to Obama? Is it because he's young? Black? Uber-liberal? Charasmatic? (This is a serious question)

The more I read about Obama, the more I don't like (as a conservative). He is a conservative AND a moderate's worst nightmare. The guy wants to tax about everything humanly possible.

I have no idea either. He will tax everything he can. He obviously does not understand that people that keep their money create more wealth, thus increasing the tax base. Government takes the money and wastes it. If he is nominated, I would vote for almost anyone with the chance to beat him. Much like I felt with Kerry.