US Features
ANALYSIS: Dissatisfied US voters embrace Obama, Huckabee
Jan 4, 2008, 22:18 GMT
Des Moines, Iowa - Riding high at the start of the US presidential race, African-American senator Barack Obama and socially conservative pastor Mike Huckabee provide evidence that many voters feel the country is on the wrong path.
Change - some kind of change - was the winning theme in the first electoral test of 2008 in Iowa, handing Obama the resounding opening victory in his quest to win the Democratic Party's nomination and become the first non-white president.
As candidates and staffers dashed eastward to the next battleground, Obama's momentum - and the sense that, yes, he is electable - ratcheted up pressure on Hillary Clinton to win Tuesday's New Hampshire primary as polls say she should.
Clinton is banking on her ex-president husband, her experience as first lady, a bulging campaign war chest and female voters. But after eight years in the White House with Bill Clinton and another eight as a US senator from New York, she can't offer voters Obama's soaring message of change.
Among Republicans, Huckabee's upstart campaign struck a chord with evangelical Christians and other voters inspired by his unpretentious style and firm stands against abortion and gay marriage.
That formula won't work as well with the more centrist voters of New Hampshire, where 2000 presidential candidate and Vietnam war hero John McCain leads among Republicans.
But a good showing would keep Huckabee credibly in the race for the long run of state-by-state presidential preference votes ahead of the November 4 election.
Notably absent in Iowa was former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is gambling on big states voting in late January and early February - notably Florida, New York and California - to lift him to the Republican nomination.
Then there's President George W Bush, sitting out the race because he can't run for a third term. As Bush enters his last year in the White House, even his own Republicans have plenty of reasons to talk about change.
The Iraq war is less in the headlines these days, but still on voters' minds. Fiscal conservatives and the religious right often feel betrayed by Bush.
In such a climate, running against Washington politics-as-usual yielded dividends for both Obama and Huckabee.
Obama, 46, generated huge excitement with his youth, charisma and an inspiring vista of halting ideological warfare to prove 'that we are one nation, that we are one people.'
His heritage - Kenyan father, white American mother - also implies a healing of the nation's lingering racial divide. In that sense, Obama's victory Thursday was even more remarkable because Iowa is far more white than the US as a whole.
At one Democratic caucus in the state capital Des Moines, only two blacks were among the 122 supporters whose votes gave Obama the edge in that precinct.
Huckabee, 52, engaged centre-right voters with strong moral convictions, one-liners and anecdotes about his modest origins, all delivered like the Southern Baptist preacher he once was.
Heavily outspent by rival Mitt Romney and less well-known than Giuliani and McCain, the former Arkansas governor presented himself as a fresh force with a feel for ordinary Americans' problems.
At one rural Iowa campaign stop, Huckabee said Americans help 'terrorists' by filling their petrol tanks with imported oil, pledged to cut down bureaucracy for small business and touted a plan for radical tax reform.
Along with change, he offered certainties to his conservative supporters.
'When you start changing the definition of things like life and marriage, you're getting into trouble,' Huckabee declared.
© 2008 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Vote for Hillary, because we already know how we are going to defeat her.
Every time I watch the news I worry that the Washington DC water supply has been heavily contaminated with mercury--or lead. Either way, our leaders have become as mad as hatters. Given what just happened in Iowa I'm starting to worry about the country at large, but maybe not. What choices did Iowans have?
On the Democrat side they had Hillary Clinton, which is really Bill Clinton running for a third term and, I'm sure he is hoping for a fourth term. I don't think anyone stops to consider this finds it very palatable. And they had John Edwards whose main claim to fame is that he is a nice guy (not) and a Democrat (is) and he's NOT a Clinton. Trouble is, he's a trial lawyer. So much for Edwards being anything like a nice guy. Then we had Barak Obama who is, to all outward appearances, a nice guy and is exceptionally well-spoken. The trouble is, he's as green as a gourd. Many of his policy statements make that overwhelmingly clear. Who ya gonna call?
On the Gooper side, we have a long list of --well-- hasbeens and nutcases. They were confronted with Ron Paul, a fellow Texan, who's belief in free markets is so profound that he believes free market economics is a panacea. Free markets are NOT a panacea. They never have been and never will be. Then we have Mike Huckabee who is, in my carefully considered opinion, the absolute worst of BOTH major parties. He is a leftist on economics and a rabid right handed wingnut on social issues, which suits the Bible Beaters right down to the ground.
In the middle we have John McCain who has been a kind of 'Clinton Rescue Service' whether he meant to be or not, and who zig-zags so violently that hardly any of us lifelong Goopers can figure him out. And then there is Mitt Romney, who every time I look at him and listen to him I am reminded of Richard Nixon. We are better off with a true liberal than we are a liberal who is masquerading as a staunch conservative. And then there is the ever volatile, sometimes--what's the word I'm looking for, effervescent?--Yeah, effervescent--Rudy Giuliani who's main claim to fame is how well he stepped up to the plate during the World Trade Center Atrocity. Oh, and there is the fact that he ran New York City for a number of years, but that has about as many drawbacks as it does advantages and then there is his womanizing and cross-dressing. Then we have Fred Thompson, the guy I started rooting for before he got into the race. He's letting his ass drag out his tracks.
Let's face it, the Iowans, particularly the Goopers in Iowa, were in a bind this time around. No wonder Huckabee won.
Who's running on the Libertarian ticket this time around? Where is Unka Ralph when you really need him? Oh, that's right! I nearly forgot about Michael Bloomberg! Is he actually going to run?
Yep! It's got to be mercury in the water. We've GOT to stop burning coal, folks. It's already killing us.
Not entirely tongue in cheek:
news.monstersandcritics.com/health/news/article_1384928.php/Feed_small_ kids_small_fish_say_Australian_experts
If you think mercury contamination will always be a problem with water and water alone, you are dreaming.
'Rudy Giuliani who's main claim to fame is how well he stepped up to the plate during the World Trade Center Atrocity. Oh, and there is the fact that he ran New York City for a number of years, but that has about as many drawbacks as it does advantages and then there is his womanizing and cross-dressing.'
To be fair, Rudy did an excellent job running NYC. The mess that Dinkins, his predecessor made was absolutely incredible and no one thought it could EVER be cleaned up. Rudy turned it around in short order.
'In the middle we have John McCain who has been a kind of 'Clinton Rescue Service' whether he meant to be or not, and who zig-zags so violently that hardly any of us lifelong Goopers can figure him out. '
John McCain doesn't zig zag, he is bull headed. A little judicious zigzagging would have served him well. What did him in with the GOP base was his support of the miserable immigration bill. Seeing Teddy Kennedy, the AntiChrist himself endorse it was enough to sour the average voter on that and McCain for supporting it.
I don't suppose I am being entirely far with Senator McCain. Zig-zagging and jinking around comes naturally to a Navy man and Fighter Jock, and for good reason, but man! He gives me the willies sometimes. I'm still rooting for Fred Thompson, but I ain't holdin' out a lotta hope.
Yeah, they have a plan:
Do nothing. Hillary will do it all for us!
'Zig-zagging and jinking around comes naturally to a Navy man and Fighter Jock '
That was the whiskey... Trust me.
Yes, I can believe it was the whiskey, that makes perfect sense!:)
Here's another interesting development. The GOP has snubbed FOX!
www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080106/NEWS01/80106 0442/1043
Rudi was a terrific Mayor for New York. He did New York a lot of good.
Barack wants to take our money and give it to the black dudes who chose a life of crime. He wants to give them job training. Is Barack even aware that there are 12 million Mexicans here, many of whom do not even read English let alone speak it, who have jobs? They got jobs. And very good paying ones too. They work hard. Why should I have to lose even more of my income to help criminals? He seems biased to me. Oprah too. Other than that his concrete proposals are few and far between. We are really screwed if he wins. I refuse to vote for him.
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/7174868.stm
for some comments from Larry Wilkerson,former chief of staff of Colin Powell on the present situation of american politics .He is a respectable republican speaking on the danger of some of your politicians,especially Giuliani,harboring the remnants of the neocon movement,now looking to operate in stealth mode since their catastrophic failure in Iraq.
'He is a respectable republican speaking on the danger of some of your politicians,especially Giuliani,harboring the remnants of the neocon movement,now looking to operate in stealth mode since their catastrophic failure in Iraq.'
That you would call Giuliani a 'neocon' just shows how out of touch you are. Iraq is not a 'catastrophic failure' by the way.
AS I said the remnants of the neocon lobby are now operating in stealth mode ,but you'll find the mstacked up behind Giuliani who is still the most frenzic in advocating their ideology;the paranoia about terrrorism .Just take the points of view of Podoretz for instance ,the next Rumsfeld if you care to give your voice to Giuliani.
To understand the vcabale of neocons and the true nature of the Bush presidency you might want to read this:
www.truthout.org/docs_2005/102505L.shtml
Apperently the previous link I 've given to Larry Wilkerson is broken now,too bad as I've never read anything from inside the White House that fits the facts of your recenr history so perfectly.However here is some more for those who want to study how power is distributed in the White House and who profits from it.At least it helps you understand why things happen the way they do.And that is something different than the Walt Disney version of your politics as described by SP4.
Larry Wilkerson NEVER worked for the White House. In Condi Rice's words: '...who is he...?....is he an aide?.....for...Powell?....he said what?.....
If someone wants to ask King Larry something, ask him why his Boss, Powell, had his ass boy Armitige out Val Plame. Go ahead Tonny, and, by all means, get back to us!
One other thing: We're now WINNING in Iraq!
Saddam's gone
The nation is pacified...as much as most Islamic countries
The political and tribal entities are dealing
Get some new rhymes Tonny, we're moving on.
Larry VWilkerson was the chief of staff yo Colin Powell,a brilliant and honest person.Of course šP4,as usual does not address a single issue but due lack of comprehension limits himself at ranting .You have nothing to oppose SP4,zilch....
It's a little late for THAT old chestnut...let's take a look at the CURRENT dem candidate and HER past:
FBI record scandal
Chinese and Russian campaign funds then greenlighting NAFTA, GATT, WTO, and of course MFN for China!
Travel office scandal - Dead Vince Foster
White Water
Greasy Tyson/ Commodity Trades
The mysterious Mr. Hsu and his interesting bundling scheme ( he got 3 years!)
Now, Tonny, go dig on that and see what comes to the surface. By all means get back to us ASAP.
Meanwhile studies conducted revealed that at least tenthousands of american lives could be saved per year if only the USA was equipped with a better healthcare system .I would think that such a major discovery was worth to be introduced in the presidential campaign,bur unfortunately on the republican side of things silence is the only tactic due lack of propositions .Lifes are less important than the big profits your insurance companies are making
from the WAshington Post:
A separate study by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine provided further evidence that the United States often falls short on health outcomes despite spending more per capita on health care than any other country. That research, also published today in Health Affairs, found that the United States ranked worst among 19 countries in the number of deaths that could have been prevented through better access to timely and effective health care.
Had the United States performed as well as the top three countries -- France, Japan and Australia -- it would have seen about 101,000 fewer deaths per year from conditions such as hypertension, appendicitis, tuberculosis, and colon and cervical cancers.
Will the Washington Post now receive the libnazi award from SP4 ?See our next episode entitled ;SP4 will rant about Hsu,Randy Berger.....
no doubt to be continued in such a matter
page: 1
RonJan 5th, 2008 - 01:06:12
Some choice the voters have. Vote for a blackberry or a huckleberry.
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