When Did You Come To Your Decision About Which Candidate To Support?

[THUNDER HANDS]

Was it something that you had to agonize over for a while, or did it come pretty quickly to you?

I realized fairly quickly I was for Obama. I looked over the field and figured (a) there was nobody else who was viable, (b) I really loved the way he gave speeches, and (c) he was the most liberal of the bunch. So it was a pretty easy decision for me.

How about you?

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Just before Iowa

And as much of a Hillary defender as I am, I'm still at the 45/55 mark, maybe closer.

Both are such formidable candidates. We are TOO lucky!

--p!

[tularetom]

2. When Bill Clinton started to piss me off n/t

[FightTheRight89]

3. For me it was when I read Obama's book after getting it for Christmas.

His ideas were articulated well, he seemed to have passion for what he believed in AND most importantly, he turned out to be able to see both sides of the issues. I was almost positive he was my candidate 95/5, but then I saw him in NYC at the September rally in Washington Square Park and realized that he was my guy 100% of the way. Such a positive message.

When did I realize I was NOT for Hillary Clinton - that is the question. I used to love Hillary Clinton. She came to my town in November 2006 to speak on behalf of our Congressional candidate. I couldn't believe it and I was in such disbelief and so excited that I couldn't bear to shake her hand - I just extended a poster and mouthed "Sign this please..." And for crying out loud, I have a dancing statue of Bill Clinton on my desk right here.

But her campaign tactics of the past few months have really bothered me. It's not just her, it's her surrogates. I know that many of the remarks coming out of her campaign about OBAMA'S KINDERGARTEN AMBITIONS, OBAMA'S DRUG DEALING SHENANIGANS, or the OBAMA IS A MUSLIM rumours are simply not hers. But on the other hand, they weren't coming out of Barack's campaign. John Edwards wasn't making those remarks. The other candidates weren't doing that. The Clintons (and I say Clintons because it's really the two of them running) have treated Obama like a pretender to the throne that is "rightfully" theirs. He's not an enemy. He's a fellow Democrat. And they treat him like they would treat Republicans.

[stillcool]

4. The lawsuit in Nevada...

kind of sewed it up for me. That and I learned an a lot about his record and his history because of all the 'shit-flinging' going on here.
http://media.lasvegassun.com/media/pdfs/2008/01/16/OppoDemsMTNRelief.pdf

[andyrowe]

5. This confirms my belief that most of us have already

made up our mind. There's such fierce and nasty combativeness and intense lobbying but I don't think it really changes hearts or minds.

[Alexander]

6. I gradually went to Obama in Nov. '07 as I realized Gore wasn't running.

Without Gore, Obama was the best of the bunch.

In particular, I saw him here at ASU, met him and shook his hand. He's got incredible charisma and draws massive numbers of college students. He's both highly intelligent and an excellent orator, which is rare in politics.

If it's a deadlocked convention and we need a compromise candidate, I'll pull for Gore. But the chances of that happening are between slim and none. Obama's closest to my views and I think he will make an excellent president.