[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Bellamy, you crack me up. That was funny.

I don't like McCain. I used to really, really like him and if he'd been the candidate in 2000 I was going to have a tough choice. But the past few years I've watched him bend over and take it up the patootie from Bush on every major issue-- tax cuts for the wealthy (opposed in 2001, voted for this year), religious extremism (called Falwell an "agent of intolerance" some years back, then this year he spoke at Falwell's "university"), and most importantly to me, torture (pushed through the legislation then stood by silently while Bush gutted it). And if I'd been McCain I'd never, ever have forgiven Bush for the dirty tricks pulled in the South Carolina primary. But McCain clearly wants to be President so bad that he'll do anything to get the nomination, even tacitly endorse racism and torture. And that's not okay with me. Hell, the Times printed an article about how he and Hillary have a pretty good working relationship and even played a drinking game together (he was quoted as saying she can really hold her liquor) and now he's frantically denying the evening ever happened, despite the witnesses and fellow participants ("I did not do shots with that woman."). He's scared to say, yeah, Hillary and I hung out? WTF?

I'm not opposed to politicians changing their position if it comes out of a genuinely honest place (Truman was once a racist but later became the first President to address the NAACP), but McCain isn't showing me anything other than a man who will say and do anything to be President. And that's what made Kerry such a crummy candidate. Thanks, but no thanks. To borrow from John Stewart, McCain's hopped off the Straight Talk Express and boarded the bus to Crazytown.

And Giuliani's no better-- gone from supporting the assault weapons ban to embracing it's repeal. Dear lord, will we ever get out from under the Bush cabal? What next? Kissinger in '08?

I like Hillary. She's hawkish on defense, sure, but she's generally pretty moderate on most issues, willing to engage the other side on the abortion debate (which both sides desperately need), religious but doesn't let that influence her voting, and frankly, probably smarter than just about anybody else around (I watched some of the candidate's debate last night- woman's not exactly charismatic, but she knows her stuff-- especially farming issues for upstate New Yorkers) and she works really, really hard. And I think the major issues coming up for America, really, are going to be health care and energy and I can see her being willing to tackle those issues, which I can't really picture any of the Republican candidates doing.

But you never know. It'll be an interesting '08, anyway.

All good points GR, Truman is one of my favorite Presidents, perhaps the last one to really stand out imo. He grew so much in his political career, something that usually works in reverse for most! A plain spoken man with a temper who could be amusing but with a steel will...he made what to date is the hardest decision ever made by a US President...folks can agree or disagree with it but it had to be made and he alone could make it...and he did! Since him, we've had...well, we've had politicians but not statesmen, Ronnie came close, Tricky D-ick could have been great except for a "minor" character flaw or two, Clinton had his moments and the rest, yuck! I think Hillary is the most intelligent and hard working potential candidate, I'm still not sure what exactly she did that was so bad...a strong woman supporting her husband and willing to stand behind him in the shadows...seems like she acted with class and dignity despite some personally devastating events...yet people seem to hate her???