A Kucinich-turned-Edwards Supporter's Painful Decision

[Emit]

As a caucus goer in NV, I was met with a painful decision on January 19th. Going into the caucus, I was optimistic that, in our working class neighborhood, Edwards' populist message would win him votes. Sadly, in my precinct, Edwards lacked enough voters to make him a viable candidate, even with combining the Kucinich and Edwards groups.

For fifteen agonizing minutes, I deliberated between joining Obama's group, Clinton's group, or simply declining to indicate a preference, thereby forfeiting my right to cast a preference vote at all.

I was not alone in this dilemma. Most of the Edwards and Kucinich folks jumped right into the Obama camp -- two went to Clinton. Two others left the building, declaring that if they can't vote for their guy, they won't vote at all. My spouse and I were the two final voters who could not be easily convinced by either of the remaining viable groups, Obama or Clinton.

As the time came closer to make a decision, I walked over to my spouse, who, by the way, had just changed voter registration from Republican to Democrat that same day to vote for Edwards. He was deep in discussion with a group of Clinton voters on one side and Obama supporters on the other. I overheard him asking both Obama and Clinton supporters how they could defend their candidates on the issue of corporate control/moneyed donations (I had recently showed him some of the charts from DU and elsewhere showing Clinton and Obama neck and neck in donations from corporations, for example). He gave specific examples of how both were guilty of garnering much money from corporations. He pointed to Obama's hypocrisy on the matter and 'the Hillary corporate machine' (my interpretation not his words). One Hillary supporter rationalized it by saying, "At least Hillary isn't denying she does that!"

"Well, who are you going for?" I asked.

"I don't know," my spouse responded with irritation, probably because I had interrupted, but also likely because of the immense dilemma before us.

I said, "Well, I'm leaning toward Obama."

My spouse responded, "Obama?! You just told me no less than 24 hours ago that if it came to this that you would vote for Clinton ... "

"Well, I might just not vote!" I steamed back.

"Not vote?! What good is that?! You can't just not vote!" he replied.

Mind you, this is in a room full of neighbors -- some complete strangers but many whom I know personally. The room got really quiet. They all stared at us in anticipation. I could feel their questioning eyes on us: "Which group will they go for?"

Then, my spouse and I burst out in laughter together, both likely aware of how this heated exchange looked to our neighbors and friends, both aware of the pressure we were under. Finally, my spouse said, "Yeah, I'm going with Obama, too."

It is true that I had said just a day or two earlier that I felt Obama had some powerful folks behind him whom I did not trust fully and I was concerned whether he was being used. I had said that Hillary is pretty damned smart and at least with her, she seems a known quantity. My visit with Bill Clinton left me feeling more positive about going with Hillary than before, too.

I was also worried about the corporate influences of both Obama and Clinton. For over the past two years, I had complained about Hillary being more of the same, representing the status quo -- that she's a DLCer and voted for the war, etc.

But when it came down to the wire -- when it was time for me to cast my vote, I couldn't go with Hillary. I just couldn't do it. I was very much bothered by the fact that we have had a Bush/Clinton/Clinton/Bush/Bush White House (As Rocca says, "Isn't this all slightly unAmerican?...") -- and that is the last thing I recall before I walked over to the Obama crowd and said, "Okay, I'm going with Obama."

And so while I still have concerns about Obama, and while I remain saddened and still cynical that candidates with sincere and important messages have been virtually shut out of this race by the media and other powers that be, in that split second, he was the one I chose.

[sueh]

1. I'm right there with ya, Emit...

Illinois primary is Tuesday and I am torn between voting for Edwards anyway, or voting for Obama.

Thanks for sharing. :hi:

[Emit]

2. Good luck, sueh

If you're like me, you'll be making your final decision as you walk into the voting booth!

[neutron]

7. You'd better look at this

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/us/politics/03exelon.html?ex=1359694800&en=f2cec53f8b5de3bc&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

And this

Responding to Recession
by Paul Krugman

<snip>
Since this is an election year, the debate over how to stimulate the economy is inevitably tied up with politics. And here’s a modest suggestion for political reporters. Instead of trying to divine the candidates’ characters by scrutinizing their tone of voice and facial expressions, why not pay attention to what they say about economic policy?
In fact, recent statements by the candidates and their surrogates about the economy are quite revealing.
<snip>
On the Democratic side, John Edwards, although never the front-runner, has been driving his party’s policy agenda. He’s done it again on economic stimulus: last month, before the economic consensus turned as negative as it now has, he proposed a stimulus package including aid to unemployed workers, aid to cash-strapped state and local governments, public investment in alternative energy, and other measures.
Last week Hillary Clinton offered a broadly similar but somewhat larger proposal. (It also includes aid to families having trouble paying heating bills, which seems like a clever way to put cash in the hands of people likely to spend it.) The Edwards and Clinton proposals both contain provisions for bigger stimulus if the economy worsens.
And you have to say that Mrs. Clinton seems comfortable with and knowledgeable about economic policy. I’m sure the Hillary-haters will find some reason that’s a bad thing, but there’s something to be said for presidents who know what they’re talking about.
The Obama campaign’s initial response to the latest wave of bad economic news was, I’m sorry to say, disreputable: Mr. Obama’s top economic adviser claimed that the long-term tax-cut plan the candidate announced months ago is just what we need to keep the slump from “morphing into a drastic decline in consumer spending.” Hmm: claiming that the candidate is all-seeing, and that a tax cut originally proposed for other reasons is also a recession-fighting measure — doesn’t that sound familiar?
Anyway, on Sunday Mr. Obama came out with a real stimulus plan. As was the case with his health care plan, which fell short of universal coverage, his stimulus proposal is similar to those of the other Democratic candidates, but tilted to the right.
For example, the Obama plan appears to contain none of the alternative energy initiatives that are in both the Edwards and Clinton proposals, and emphasizes across-the-board tax cuts over both aid to the hardest-hit families and help for state and local governments. I know that Mr. Obama’s supporters hate to hear this, but he really is less progressive than his rivals on matters of domestic policy.
In short, the stimulus debate offers a pretty good portrait of the men and woman who would be president. And I haven’t said a word about their hairstyles.

[neutron]

8. NYT SCANDEL: Obama Lied to Iowa Voters Claimed he Passed Legislation

See above post

[Emit]

9. Do you have the link to the Krugman piece? n/t

[dpbrown]

10. I would definitely kick and recommend this post if it were an original post

This is good information to have going into the caucuses on Tuesday.

[Emit]

11. It's a tough decision either way -- It was for me, at least ...

... each has his/her faults and each has his/her strengths.

Bottom line, however, is the fact that our Dem candidates beat the pants off the Repugs, hands down.

[PassingFair]

3. K & R

When it comes right down to it,
what ELSE is an erstwhile Edwards supporter
to do?

[Diane R]

4. Yea!!! Good choice, you won't regret it. (GObama!)

[Emit]

5. The crowds of thousands that are flocking to him are amazing

He seems to be touching a great deal of people with his message.

[Emit]

6. shameless kick n/t

[troubleinwinter]

12. There isn't caucus in my state. I will vote Edwards on Tuesday.

[Emit]

13. Honestly

I would've done the same.

[LWolf]

14. As a Kucinich supporter

who very briefly considered a compromise vote for Edwards, I relate.

The difference being that I will write in DK rather than vote for either Clinton or Obama.

I knew that, frankly, before the primary season kicked off, and nothing has happened to change my mind. To the contrary, I'm more convinced now than ever that I cannot, in good conscience, vote for either of these people, primary or GE. :(