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Here's what I'm thinking:
Kucinich has the issues as far as I'm concerned. His plan is for universal health care -- not some mealy-mouthed "insurance" plan that will entail yet more paperwork and ways to qualify and ... well you get the idea, he is pretty direct in his positions and is not afraid to just take the leap. On the downside, he seems to get a rap from some on his ability to form consensus -- i.e. to get support for his positions. Maybe that is because he is more of an executive than an administrator -- which would be a good thing in a president. But then there is the "electability" factor -- and as much as we don't like it, we do have to consider it. Not only that he's short. Not only that the media persist in treating him and others as "third tier" candidates, therefore helping to perpetuate that state. But that he will be painted as a socialist, why almost a commie, by the rabid right wing and their compliant media echo chamber. So there's risk there.
Edwards is sounding great, it's terrific that he is bringing the issue of poverty to the forefront. And admitting he was wrong in his Iraq war vote is also a good thing. I don't care about the big-house issue, about the expensive-haircut issue, nor about the should-he-run-when-his-wife-is-sick issue, except insofar as any of these affect his electability, which we must consider as one of the factors when we choose a candidate. On the downside, the fact that he admits he was wrong about the vote is one thing; but his stance on the Iraq war, while critical of Bush and his administration, is not the one I want to see, which is: America withdraws, handing the reins to a peacekeeping force (U.N. preferably). Is this possible? I don't know -- but I think we must withdraw because our presence is the focus of the unrest. But I digress. I do not completely trust Edwards, unfortunately. I do trust his intentions but I do not trust his ability to stick to his guns in promoting his stated agenda. Also his health care proposal still contains the word "insurance". No compromise on this for me: we need single payer universal health care, no strings attached.
Clinton is a great campaigner. Good for her. She has been political all her life, but put her own ambitions on hold in the traditional way of politicians' wives. So now she's had a chance to spread her wings, getting elected as a Senator from New York, and has done very well in that position by all accounts. I'd like to see us have a woman President; however, being a woman running for the office is not enough. Clinton is on the right side of the Democratic party by my lights, and she is deeply embedded in the corporate money game. Therefore she does not represent my own positions on most issues. Although there are some bedrock issues like abortion rights where she is right there with me. So I'm torn but not that torn. She is definitely not on my list of favorites in the primaries, but if she is nominated then I will support her easily over any of the republican crop.
Obama is still an enigma to me. He handles himself well. I do not see a lot of substance. Maybe it is my own ignorance, I will admit to that up front -- this is just where I am right now. He is a little green, that's all -- and we cannot afford to give the republics any edge at all, they are masters at exploiting others' weaknesses. In fact, with Rove at the helm they have been masters at exploiting others' strengths and turning them into liabilities (we need to figure that tactic out BTW -- at least so we are better at deflecting it). For some reason I think Obama will be more susceptible to the attack dog politics than the other candidates, and that his overly conciliatory approach to politics will sink him in his dealings with the rabid republics, both during the election, and if he still got elected, then if he was in office I think he'd cave when he shouldn't, trying to reconcile with people who despise him and us.
The rest of them I do not see them as serious contenders -- that doesn't mean I don't like them -- I like every single one of them a lot better than any of the republic candidates.
My dream ticket: Kucinich/Clark, with Clark's VP role to start out in an ambassadorial role, helping to refurbish our international relationships, while Kucinich begins by pushing for universal health and begins troop withdrawals from Iraq, with Clark helping to get UN and/or NATO troops in to assist with stabilization.
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