New Hampshire Primary Running Thread

I'd like to know what they plan to do after victory.

 

Not sure but I think I've been calling that for like two years now.

 

We had a rather prosperous bootlegger in my town. His favored candidate usually won. And it wasn't Louisiana.

I'll admit that Loosiana is a tough standard to approach.

 

Yup, Louisiana is its own deal. I grew up in the South and the first time I heard a real New Orleanian talk, I thought he was a Yankee. ;D

FWIW, I concur that Obama's schtick comes across as naive, though I wouldn't go so far as to say fluffy or hollow. I'm not one to think any big, sweeping change would happen if he were president. But I'd take him over HRC. Without much enthusiasm, really, but also without hesitation.

 

I was at dinner one night in college and we all started arguing about the proud history of political corruption in our home states. I stuck up proudly for James Michael Curley and Massachusetts. There were a couple folks from Chicago who mentioned about how their dead granddaddies were still voting.The Marylander in the crowd pointed out that Spiro Agnew -- brown envelopes in the OEOB -- was business as usual. The young lady from Louisiana got up and said, "When y'all stop talking about the amateur division, give us a call."

 

Was her name Tanka Rae? Did she offer to let Butt-head score?

 

Not bad, rook.
But, no.

 

I understand every word here Fen, and I have no doubt that you're right. And as I've said before, it's naive to think that you can change people's mind on personality alone. But there are some hard-core lefty issues I simply do not give a shit about. You want to offer school vouchers? Go right ahead. You want to own giant hand guns? I'm all for your right to own them. I'll punt on some of these issues if we can make some real traction on stuff that's important. I don't think a lot of those Republicans are really that invested in torture or The Patriot Act in general, which ought to scare the shit out of their small-government-loving asses. And I'll settle for a litle give-and-take. That's politics to me, not twisting arms to get a 51-49 victory. Maybe that's where I'm naive, because I'm sure that the lunatic fringe has posioned things to the point where any concession gets you labeled a pinko. (It will be interesting to hear Rush, Colter, Goldberg and the like get behind McCain if he's the nominee after all the shit they've poured on him and lies they've helped spread.) I think Obama will fight when it's time to fight. I really believe that. And I think on the things that truly matter, he'll be able to make his case much better than HC would. Both with the public and with the other side of the aisle. Again, that may be totally naive, but I want to try something different. Thera are a lot of people whose minds will never be changed. Their heads are filled with poison every day by people who would quickly install a dictator tomorrow if it served their immediate interests. But I think there are people in the red states who have gay friends and don't like federal agents poking around their libraries. And those are the people we need to reach out to, even if it's just a little bit, or it will be generation after generation of folks who think we're godless heathens who hate their guts. I'm a red state boy myself, and I know there is an opportunity for someone to get through to a lot of people by just making them feel like they've been listened to. And Hillary ain't that person.

 

I'd install a dictator tomorrow.

 

Would you prefer he had a mustache or no mustache? Please check the appropriate box.

 

DD --
Boy, it's a knot, ain't it? As for me, I'm willing to buy the fact that what I believe is a radical misinterpretation of the 2d amendment is likely to carry the day for the foreseeable future. (I'm less inclined on school vouchers as the son of a guy who did 35 years as a public school teacher/administrator. I know what's up with those.) I'm not irreconcilable. I just think "the center" has to come back to the middle, and I don't think that will happen until the national GOP reforms itself, or is forced to do so. Look at how they all went over the cliff on Schiavo. Look at how Huckabee's getting killed for making the very unremarkable claim that Bush has a "bunker mentality." Look at how none of the canddiates will mention his name, but none of them dare disavow him, either. (Don't tell me you can't do it. I lived through 1968.) All of the good-faith mechanisms by which we used to get 51-49 compromises were dismantled between 2000 and 2006. Debate left open for hours. Bribes on the floor. Nutcutting redistricting. D's not invited to committee deliberations. I hope Obama's ready for the legacy of all of that.

 

I think the dead ones have clearance, too. They just never get around to using it.