Need some more thoughts thanks

[crazycanuck]

Umm I'd like to ask some folks in the US about the current results from the recent caucus' etc. I'd like anyone who can give me a better insight on what the current feeling from the normal folks in the US is, that would be great.

It would be cool if folks both in the East, West, South & North threw me their thoughts.

I'm not going to post my questions here as this isn't the place.

Thanks

[kelownagirl]

Don't you wish the rest of us in the world could vote in that election?

[crazycanuck]

Umm part of me says Yes, especially now. On the other hand, we need to somehow trust the Americans to swear in a person that will improve the country's image.

Off soapbox..Do i need to hide under my desk?

[Velobambina]

I think there's a lot of optimism, knowing change is coming. Voting turnouts for the primaries say it all.

I have had my favorite for about a year and I'm glad to see he's now the front runner for his party!!!

[OakLeaf]

Don't you wish the rest of us in the world could vote in that election?

As an American, I wish the rest of the world could've had a say in who the candidates are. And monitor the polling process. Don't be fooled... and don't get me started.

[bmccasland]

Some of the interest, or the lack thereof, in the primaries - as in how many people show up to vote has to do with party affiliation. I live in a state with closed primaries, and since I'm registered "independant", I can't vote.

But I'll be there in November. I've voted ever since I was 18. My rule is, if you don't vote, you can't complain. Voting is the chance to make your voice known. Now I admit, I have voted for the "lesser of evils" quite often. I don't really remember being enthused about any presidential candidate.

[Blueberry]

Hey CC - PM me with your questions, and I'll try to answer them

My state has a really late primary, so chances are the national races will all be decided before we get a say so - but maybe not this year.

CA

[tulip]

I voted in my primary this week. I was somewhat undecided until a few days before the primary. The person I voted for won the primary by alot. It's nice to have this air of optimism around. I hope it lasts.

[mimitabby]

CC,
in the state of Washington, it was awesome. Voting caucuses (where people come together by precincts (neighborhoods) and talk about candidates and vote face to face) were PACKED, there were LINES into some of them because the facilities rented were too small. Example, my precinct 4 years ago consisted of me and some lady.
This year we had 43 people show up, including 8 of my neighbors (that i know by name) and their 3 kids. It was awesome. People are turning out in droves mostly for Obama (in Seattle)
There is hope in the eyes of the youth that I have not seen since I was in my teens.

[roadie gal]

California also had a very large turnout. It's great to see people fired up about this election. 4 years ago it seemed there was no interest at all.

You can PM me with your questions and I'll try to answer. I'm not the most politically involved person, but I have opinions , and I've voted religiously in every election since I was 18.

[Pax]

California also had a very large turnout. It's great to see people fired up about this election. 4 years ago it seemed there was no interest at all.

Same here in Illinois

You can PM me with your questions and I'll try to answer. I'm not the most politically involved person, but I have opinions , and I've voted religiously in every election since I was 18.

Again, same here. CC feel free to PM with questions.

[OakLeaf]

You can PM me if you want some far more cynical opinions from someone who's about to not vote for the very first time since I became eligible 30 years ago.

Well that's not entirely accurate, I am going to vote for the school levy. If more people did that, maybe I wouldn't have to be making that other decision.

[Crankin]

You can PM me.

[VeloVT]

my predictions

McCain takes the Repub nomination. He's already got it wrapped up.

Obama wins the popular vote in the dem primary. I am crossing my fingers that superdelegates do not overturn this if it happens. If they do they will alienate a whole bunch of people who vote dem because of one or two issues but don't have strong party ID. And this would be BAD (in my opinion, hope that's not saying too much here). Personally I am not a huge fan of the institution of superdelegates, I think it's really undemocratic.

If Obama-McCain, I predict an Obama win.

If Clintion-McCain, a likely McCain win. Not that I'm in love with Hillary, but I think a lot of the negative sentiment towards her stems from vague, irrational, unexamined "feelings" people developed while Bill was in the WH. The press was brutal to her when she was first lady (her makeup and hair were mocked, one minute she was too feminist and the next too "little woman-y", etc), and the republicans in Congress did a great job convincing the American people, who by and large don't have a very clear understanding of how Congress actually works (and how the party in power controls committees and procedure & thus the entire legislative agenda), that Hillary was meddling in a way that bordered on illegal. I think it's a sad fact of American life that most people don't think about the news in more than a peripheral way, and so that spinning was fairly effective, in the same way that negative campaigning is often effective. I think she's gotten a bit of an unfair shake. (BTW I'm sure everyone here DOES read & think about the news so please don't take offense at that comment. I think the fact that turnout in national elections is so low (even when it is **relatively** high) shows how tuned-out much of America is to politics).

Anyhoo...

personally, I have never been undecided this long. I would love to be able to vote for a dream candidate, but practically speaking in this election I want a democrat, and I will vote for the democrat who appears to be most likely to win the general election. (I really liked Chris Dodd. Too bad nobody knew he was running for president).

And don't get me started on that... because I really have issues with the primary system in general and also the way the press tends to distort the process. We get this artificial "momentum" that affects voters in a non-rational way. And the current primary calendar gives some states far too much influence. Why should Iowa be so much more important, over and above population size differences, than Vermont, for instance? I think we should have a national primary day the same way we have a national general election day. I hope that doesn't make me sound too much like a crackpot .

[mimitabby]

Liza, well said, I agree with you on all points.