2008 Presidential Announcement Thread.

[NorthSideSox72]

I just think you guys are all underestimating the racist tendencies of America. Not just in the South but in Ohio and Pennsylvania (the first being the most Republican swingstate the other being the most Democratic one) and of Missouri, Iowa and Florida, too.

 

If Obama runs he will be trounced. That's about all I've got to add on the matter.

If you are focused on racist tendencies in America, then you should take the whole picture into account. There are plenty of racists out there who will vote for Obama BECAUSE he is black. Remember that Bush carried a pretty decent percentage of that segment in 2004, in fact more than any Republican in some time, if I recall. Many of those voters would not have even considered Bush if the Democrat running was black, instead of the whitest of white men.

 

 

You can put a good chunk of Indiana on that list as well IMO...

I'd in fact say Indiana is much more socially conservative than Iowa. Iowa, despite being mostly rural and lilly white, has tended to be socially moderate. Indiana is trending the other way.

[Heads22]

I just think you guys are all underestimating the racist tendencies of America. Not just in the South but in Ohio and Pennsylvania (the first being the most Republican swingstate the other being the most Democratic one) and of Missouri, Iowa and Florida, too.

 

If Obama runs he will be trounced. That's about all I've got to add on the matter.

 

We're racist against people from Missouri, but the percieved racism is more or less belonging to conservative voters that wouldn't vote for a guy like Obama anyways rather than those dems and swing voters who would actually matter. Iowa's not spectacularly racist, so I don't know what you're talking about.

 

FWIW, this state likes Edwards.

[Balta1701]

FWIW, this state likes Edwards.

IIRC, until the last few months of the campaign kicked into gear in 04, the leaders in Iowa were Gephardt and Lieberman, mainly because those were the guys that people had experience with due to Joe running in 00 and Gephardt being from the state. Edwards just polls well for now because of leftover from 04. He may hold onto that lead, but right now, I don't put any stock in that.

[Heads22]

IIRC, until the last few months of the campaign kicked into gear in 04, the leaders in Iowa were Gephardt and Lieberman, mainly because those were the guys that people had experience with due to Joe running in 00 and Gephardt being from the state. Edwards just polls well for now because of leftover from 04. He may hold onto that lead, but right now, I don't put any stock in that.

 

Gephardt's from Mizzou.

 

I agree with you, but I could see either him or Obama or Clinton, and not really anyone else.

 

BTW, Vilsack is expected to get crushed unless things changed.

[NorthSideSox72]

Gephardt's from Mizzou.

 

I agree with you, but I could see either him or Obama or Clinton, and not really anyone else.

 

BTW, Vilsack is expected to get crushed unless things changed.

I watched the rerun of Vilsack's appearance on the Daily Show yesterday. I have to admit, I was fairly amused - he does seems to have a good sense of humor, and a quick wit. But, he also managed to avoid direct answers to almost all the questions asked of him. And he doesn't come off as terribly Presidential. I agree - not going to fare well.

[Rex Kickass]

To be fair to Vilsack, TDS isn't exactly the place to answer a direct question.

[NorthSideSox72]

To be fair to Vilsack, TDS isn't exactly the place to answer a direct question.

Yeah, but in this case, there were at least 2 questions that should be pretty easy to answer, and he didn't. For example, he was asked something like, "Our current President was a governor like you, and was questioned on his lack of national stage experience, what new do you bring to the table?", and he answered with what his Iraq policy would be. ???

[HuskyCaucasian]

Fox News, NOT "fair and balanced"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200612200003

Because anybody who thinks about Obama for five minutes knows the guy's never introduced a bill. He's never been important. He's spent 100 weeks in the Senate. He's basically a -- no foreign policy experience. And she'll knock him apart.

 

All this jackass needed to do was pull up Obama's Wikipedia article. Oh wait, Fox news is all about "truthiness".

[NorthSideSox72]

Dems are having a hard time deciding on a spot for the 2008 convention - Denver or New York. Given that Colorado and the mountain west generally are the new frontier for the Dems, and NY is either a given for the Dems or a given for Giuliani, I think Denver is the better choice for them. Plus after the GOP had it in the Big Apple in 2004, it seems like the Dems are just following them around.

[Heads22]

Dems are having a hard time deciding on a spot for the 2008 convention - Denver or New York. Given that Colorado and the mountain west generally are the new frontier for the Dems, and NY is either a given for the Dems or a given for Giuliani, I think Denver is the better choice for them. Plus after the GOP had it in the Big Apple in 2004, it seems like the Dems are just following them around.

 

They should do it in Des Moines and get back a state that should be blue.

[jasonxctf]

Denver.

 

The southwest has to be the big target of the party. Growing population= growing electoral votes.

 

Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado... go get 'em!

[Balta1701]

Dems are having a hard time deciding on a spot for the 2008 convention - Denver or New York. Given that Colorado and the mountain west generally are the new frontier for the Dems, and NY is either a given for the Dems or a given for Giuliani, I think Denver is the better choice for them. Plus after the GOP had it in the Big Apple in 2004, it seems like the Dems are just following them around.

Denver is BY FAR the better choice, but there are a couple things in the way, most of them stupid. The party insiders seem to have a habit of favoring New York, because a lot of them are there anyway, and a lot of them could make a lot of money on it. Denver also has had a bit of a problem with not-having enough Union hotels or something like that, which would certainly annoy some Dems.

 

If they don't wind up in Denver, they're out of their minds. The West is where the future of the Dem party lies right now. If they're not holding it in New Orleans, then Denver is the obvious other choice.

[NorthSideSox72]

Denver is BY FAR the better choice, but there are a couple things in the way, most of them stupid. The party insiders seem to have a habit of favoring New York, because a lot of them are there anyway, and a lot of them could make a lot of money on it. Denver also has had a bit of a problem with not-having enough Union hotels or something like that, which would certainly annoy some Dems.

 

If they don't wind up in Denver, they're out of their minds. The West is where the future of the Dem party lies right now. If they're not holding it in New Orleans, then Denver is the obvious other choice.

Actually, that reminds me. Another interesting choice might be New Mexico, specifically Albuquerque or Santa Fe. NM is going blue, there is a huge Hispanic population, its a border state where immigrant policy is a hot topic, one of the candidates is Governor (which may be positive or negative), its a growing state... might be a good choice for them.

[Balta1701]

Actually, that reminds me. Another interesting choice might be New Mexico, specifically Albuquerque or Santa Fe. NM is going blue, there is a huge Hispanic population, its a border state where immigrant policy is a hot topic, one of the candidates is Governor (which may be positive or negative), its a growing state... might be a good choice for them.

It'd be a good idea in principle, but if nothing else, Denver is significantly larger than Albuquerque, and I'll almost guarantee that the convention-facilities in Denver are going to be several steps above those in Albuquerque. Just did a brief bit of google work, and we're talking about a convention hall with over 3x as much space in Denver, 7300 hotel rooms within walking distance as opposed to 900, etc.

 

If the facilities aren't there, that makes it really hard to hold a convention.

[NorthSideSox72]

It'd be a good idea in principle, but if nothing else, Denver is significantly larger than Albuquerque, and I'll almost guarantee that the convention-facilities in Denver are going to be several steps above those in Albuquerque. Just did a brief bit of google work, and we're talking about a convention hall with over 3x as much space in Denver, 7300 hotel rooms within walking distance as opposed to 900, etc.

 

If the facilities aren't there, that makes it really hard to hold a convention.

That's true. I've actually done conventions in both cities, and both have god facilities, but I am not surprised that ABQ is smaller. ABQ also has a much less condensed downtown area, few hotels within a few blocks as you said. Denver, in the last decade or two, has really ramped up its downtown area.

[NorthSideSox72]

Combined updates on Brownback and Richardson (sort of a funny combo).

 

Dear Sam: There is room at that end of the spectrum because no one can win from there.

 

Dear Bill: Please run.

[Balta1701]

Combined updates on Brownback and Richardson (sort of a funny combo).

 

Dear Sam: There is room at that end of the spectrum because no one can win from there.

Except George W. Bush.

 

Dear Bill: Please run.

So let's see, high-ranking aide to the Senate Majority leader launches a "draft" campaign a few weeks before the guy was certain to declare he was in, and you read that as something other than an attempt to get in on some of the positive press that guys like Obama, Clark have gotten from "Draft" campaigns in the past?

[NorthSideSox72]

Except George W. Bush.

 

Bush is NOT on Brownback's end of the spectrum. Bush is not, and never was, far right on social issues. He catered to the far right, but if you look more closely at his actions, he is just not that far off to the right socially. Brownback is waaaaaaay out to the right.

 

So let's see, high-ranking aide to the Senate Majority leader launches a "draft" campaign a few weeks before the guy was certain to declare he was in, and you read that as something other than an attempt to get in on some of the positive press that guys like Obama, Clark have gotten from "Draft" campaigns in the past?

WTF are you talking about? I just said "please run", as in, I want him to run. ??? I make no allegations of any kind.

[Balta1701]

WTF are you talking about? I just said "please run", as in, I want him to run. ??? I make no allegations of any kind.

I'm 100% convinced he's already running, and so therefore I just see this as a means to drum up media attention before the official "announcement" season starts next week with Edwards. In other words, I don't even see any reason to ask him to run because as far as I'm concerned he already is.

[NorthSideSox72]

I'm 100% convinced he's already running, and so therefore I just see this as a means to drum up media attention before the official "announcement" season starts next week with Edwards. In other words, I don't even see any reason to ask him to run because as far as I'm concerned he already is.

OK then.

[NorthSideSox72]

Biden is officially in the race. He had all but said so before of course, but this was his coming out party.

[southsider2k5]

Looks like John Edwards is going to officially announce his run for President from the 9th ward in New Orleans.

[NorthSideSox72]

Looks like John Edwards is going to officially announce his run for President from the 9th ward in New Orleans.

We talk a lot in here about Pelosi's 100 hour priorities, but it seems the real push from the Dems in 2008 is going to be as crusaders for the poor and the middle class. They plan to use the expanding wedge of rich and poor in this country and paint themselves as the best hope for working folks. Not sure if that will work, but that does seem a major theme for them, and especially for Edwards.

[Balta1701]

Looks like John Edwards is going to officially announce his run for President from the 9th ward in New Orleans.

No one ever listens to me...

[Rex Kickass]

It makes sense for the Democrats to focus on it over the next two years. In the last year, the Democrat fundraising apparatus has moved from big donors and corporate interests to more small donations from ordinary citizens. It's been a focus of Howard Dean's 50 state strategy.

 

It's also a smart move because focusing on middle and working class families helps to counter the "liberal elite" persona that the right wing noise machine has created so effectively.