Well, I just did the previously unthinkable to me: voted for Hillary in the primary. It felt SO bizarre actually doing it, like I was somehow STILL waiting for Al Gore to stride into my polling place, tap me on the shoulder and say "Wait, it's all right now, I'm here to save you. I'm in the race afterall...but I really had you going there for a while, didn't I?" ...But I waited and waited...and waited...and no Al.

So, there I was, just me and the electronic voting machine with no paper trail, and the knowledge that my own party chieftans have decided that my vote won't count anyway, and that we need "2000 Election II: The Sequel - This Time, It's Your Own Party Taking Away Your Vote!". But I showed up at my polling place in the cold, black morning ANYWAY. I am NOT going to let the Grinch (Yeah, I'm talking to YOU, Howard Dean, and YOU, Donna Brazile) steal Christmas. NO ONE disenfranchises me EVER AGAIN. Me, and millions of other Florida Democrats are voting today in record numbers because we WILL be heard...somehow.

And of the choices on the ballot, I HAD to go for Hillary. :read:

And it gets even worse. Then I felt compelled to THANK HER for showing respect to Florida Democrats. I wrote her the following e-mail:

"Hillary, I just voted for you in the Florida primary. There were several reasons for this (you are the most experienced, you have the best, most specific plan on health care, etc.), but I really want to take this opportunity to thank you for showing respect and concern for the four million Democratic voters of Florida (and the millions in Michigan, too), who have been wrongly disenfranchised by our own party as punishment for something that the REPUBLICAN-controlled state legislature initiated, namely, moving up the primary date to today. I truly appreciate your efforts to get our delegates seated, and that you are coming to the state tonight to thank your supporters and to draw attention to Florida's Democratic primary and the situation. I could choose to be cynical and think it is all because you know you will win here and you want the delegates. But, while I'm sure that fact is not lost on you, I really believe you sincerely care that millions of Democratic voters, who were so traumatized by the 2000 election travesty already, not be disenfranchised again. I know there is probably less than a snowball's chance in you-know-where that you will ever actually see this e-mail, but I wanted to say THANK YOU, from a Florida Democratic voter. I hope my fellow Florida Democrats turn out in record numbers today to show Howard Dean, the DNC, and everyone else that we will NEVER be disenfranchised again as we were in 2000, especially not by our own party. We will vote ANYWAY. I know I did. I voted for the candidate who respects me as a Florida Democrat: you."

Meanwhile, I am sitting here in my cubicle at work trying not to burst into tears. You'd think that, by now, I would have accepted that Al Gore is not running. I mean, look at the quote I chose to place in the bottom of all my posts, for God's sake! Yet...in my heart of hearts, I'm so heartbroken over what I just had to do today. It all came back to the surface for me and, seriously, I was so hoping for Gore to just show up and physically stop me from voting for any of the candidates on the ballot. Like, I think it didn't really hit me until just today that he is REALLY not running. He is not getting in at the last minute. The last minute is over. Even if there is a brokered convention, Edwards delegates will break the tie. It is going to be Obama or Hillary.

:unsure:

I'm just so heartbroken over everything right now. I mean, it just today has hit me that I am now expected to somehow circle the wagons for the Democratic nominee, once that person is determined, yet for me it feels SO truly awful and hollow to do so. Like, I'm doing it because I'm a good Democrat and because, I mean, what else is there to do, but all I can think about is: It should have been Al Gore.

I tried to tell myself last night, look at all the profoundly important things Gore accomplished in terms of awareness and action on global climate change during the past 7 years, and he probably couldn't have done the same in his role as president, so it's all good. It's all good. Keep telling yourself that, Edna, it's all good.

But when I look at the choices: Obama or Hillary...it's not all good, dude. Obama is nothing but slogans and Hillary actually could be a very good president but there is so much baggage about the Clintons (mostly unfair) that she won't have a shot out of the box before the repug attack machine creams her. And even though she is good in some ways, she isn't Al Gore. She has no real plan to combat global climate change, for example. And that is only the most important issue facing us and the most important issue ever to face humankind. I mean, they are all talking about implementing new standards "by 2050", etc. 2050?!!!! By then the polar ice caps will be long gone and we just might be as well!

Did I mention the heartbrokenness?

Gore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY, why, WHY?!

I can understand your voting for H-rod over the Florida thingy?

However, I made a promise to Prof Gore that I would never vote for H-rod unless he asked me too!

I will vote for Obama today or tomorrow early in TN!

My son already voted for Obama.

Well, it was partially that and partially that, in my opinion, Obama seems to be mostly sloganeering, mostly "fluff". If I hear the word "change" one more time, for example, I may just LOSE IT. What are you going to raise CAFE standards to and by when? Give me SPECIFICS!!!!!!!!!!!! Al Gore was all substance, yet he also was very idealistic. He backed up his visionary ideas with substantive specifics. Obama to me is a poster saying "Change we can believe in." Okay, what change? Change to what? We all want change from the shrub administration, God knows. And any of the Democratic candidates would bring that. Tell me what yu are going to DO! Substance! My kingdom for some substance!

And I say that as probably one of the most idealistic human beings you could ever meet, but even this idealist knows that, at this crucial juncture for our country and the world, the idealistic slogans and flowery speeches need to be backed up with specific IDEAS. Put the "idea" in "idealism", for God's sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry, but I'm just not "feeling" Obama. Mind you, though, if he becomes our nominee, I am going to circle my wagon around him, big time. If he is the nominee, he is the nominee, and I will hope that there is substance behind his "Change" mantra.

God, why isn't Gore in the race?

I think today is the worst day, for me anyway, of this entire years-long horror show that commenced, roughly, on election day 2000. I feel hopeless. When I felt that Gore would run in 2008, I could maintain a shard of hope as all the horrors of the shrub administration unfolded. But today I feel a total loss of hope.

I cannot express how awful I felt casting my ballot, or how I feel right now. Our country, our world, the survival of our species, I mean, EVERYTHING is at stake, and our candidates are ....NOT GORE?! Why, why, why, why:

WHY?

Oleblueraider,
Please don't vote for anyone in TN. Mark undecided or write in Gore or vote for Edwards. If we want a brokered convention we have to vote for the underdog in order to keep the delegates free to vote for our guy at the convention.

Oh! By the way, for anyone who doesn't ALREADY know...Senator Obama isn't squeaky clean... :dripple:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080128/ap_on_...raiser_indicted

Expect THIS man to become very prominent in GOP smear campaigns should Barack Obama win the nomination! :!:


Also to note: Is this the ONLY skeleton in Senator Obama's Closet? :?:

This isn't so much to denegrate Obama as it is to show people who THINK Hillary Clinton is the ONLY one with a 'checkered' past here to know that everyone has SOMETHING to hide...The benefits of Clinton is NOTHING that she has been accused of in the dirty laundry bin hasn't already been washed out and AIRED in public countless times already! What do we REALLY know about Barack Obama? :?:

I would be willing to do that too, Patsy, but I'm so confused. I was one of the now regretful votes for Nader trying to send a message. I think it worked, but it also backfired BIG time. Would a write in for Gore help in any way at all? I'd really prefer to vote FOR a candidate, but I want to be sure and vote AGAINST Hillary....that is unless a vote for Hillary in some way could help Gore. I don't hate Hillary, she's just not electable in my opinion. (And she's become like nails on the blackboard to me.) :?:

That's my feeling, too, TNBlue. I would like to vote in a way that would make a brokered convention more likely. But what way is that? :?: I DON'T want to vote for Hillary unless it would benefit Gore. She doesn't impress me much and I don't like her tactics. But if we can't have Gore, then what? I am ready for a change - just as long as it's a change for the better. :unsure:

I really haven't heard anything much negative about Obama. He was against the war in the beginning. He has spoken on the issue of global warming and I also think he could bring about some unity in the party and mend relationships with other countries. I am willing to give him a chance if Gore doesn't get in. But we'll have to see what happens at the convention first.

Just my two cents...

Good comments, all.

I don't get why the media and so many people seem to think Obama is the next JFK or the next MLK. He is soooooooooo not, imho. MLK, for example, was an idealist but he put so much action behind his ideals. I just want to be so clear that **I** am an idealist, I love idealists, I mean, back to MLK, he is my hero (along with Al Gore, another idealist). But, when it comes to Obama, I think it is like that old quote about suburbia: "There's no there there."

I feel he is all slogans and nice oratory without any substance behind it.

It isn't that I detest the man or anything. Should he become our nominee, then I will commence praying that I am wrong about him and that he really is as inspirational as other people seem to find him. Frankly, I think the younger pups find him inspirational just because we've had 7 devastating years of shrub and Obama is like the anti-shrub, which is VERY appealing and refreshing...but is there much behind the slogans? I don't think so.

As for Hillary, she's good, but she isn't Gore. She isn't even Bill Clinton. She does have a lot of excellent qualities, though, don't get me wrong. But, as has been said eloquently by others, she will be very difficult to get elected, and if she is elected, the repugs will go after her as they did Bill: relentlessly. That said, there is a lot to be impressed with about Hillary.

My problem is, I guess, that I just can't get past the fact, try as I might, that none of them are Al Gore. None of them are in his league. He's in a league of his own.

I actually like Edwards and have since 2004 when he impressed me a lot in a Q & A shown on C-SPAN when he was running for prez (before Kerry got the nomination). What impressed me initially was that he was asked a question by a citizen in the town meeting style gathering, and instead of giving an answer that would have clearly satisfied and played to the mood of the room, he gave an answer that the questioner clearly was not going to like, but which was his real opinion and, imho, the right answer (this was about the middle east, so there really are no right answers, but his answer was as good as it gets). At that moment I knew that Edwards had integrity and leadership ability, as well as a good understanding of at least one important issue. And all that in a room where the a/c was clearly broken or non-existent and the poor guy was perspiring his head off *lol*!

So (due to that initial good impression and many other things since then) I was all set to go for Edwards, but since then he has managed to dis Florida Democrats a bit (but then, all the candidates are in a weird position there...still, he has said some things that bug me on that one) where Hillary is not doing that. Plus, her health care plan is better, imho. However, he was a little better on the environment, which is actually my most important issue, personally. But I have to admit, his dissing of FL Dems hit home. I guess in the end, that is what put me over the top for Hillary, oddly enough. I wouldn't have thought it would affect me like that, as logically I know that they (i.e., all the Democratic candidates) are all in a tough position with the DNC and with Iowa and NH voters being so important initially, but...what can I tell you? The reality is, I was all set to go for Edwards but, in the end, I felt alienated by him.

I voted for Hillary and it should have been Gore and at this point I've given up all hope of EVER awakening from the nightmare that commenced on election day, 2000. It is never going to end, is it?

Who is???? Have you ever checked out Bush and his family's past as well has his crimes in the present????

http://www.new-enlightenment.com/bush_expose.htm

I am going to be voting for Barack Obama in the Washington State caucuses. For months I did not "get" it. Now I think I do. I respect other people's choices as well...
In Obama I think we have the best chance of putting a Democrat in the White House and getting over the bitter divisiveness of the last 25 years.

$0.02

:Y:

I have a policy of not interjecting my thoughts when it comes to how other people should vote. But I will say this: Writing in Gore's name on the TN ballot (or any ballot), doesn't make sense, at least not this year. For the write-in votes to count, he'd need 15% of the total votes, and of course, that's not going to happen. If you want a brokered convention, probably your best bet is to vote for Edwards. He takes votes from both Hillary and Obama and can help keep both from getting enough votes to take the nomination on the first ballot. Voting "uncommitted" isn't a bad strategy. The trouble there is that you don't know that an uncommitted delegate will be Gore-friendly (unless you're the delegate, and quite a few of our people are going to Denver as uncommitteds).

I plan to vote for Edwards in NJ on Super Tuesday. I can't vote for Hillary, and while I think Obama's a nice guy and is very charismatic, etc., I have my problems with him, least of all being that I agree he's more fluff than substance.

It's a tough decision. But I just wanted to warn against writing in Gore's name. I did that in NJ in the 2004 primary, just as a protest (although I voted for Kerry in the general election). Which brings me to another comment: Someone above said they regretted having voted for Nader in 2000 and what that brought about. Yes, screwing around with protest votes in the general election can definitely backfire and make it so the Republicans win. But in the primary, it's a matter of which Dem. will win, and unless you've got a strong affinity for one of them, voting to make a protest or to try to make a brokered convention probably won't throw the election to the Republicans. Unless, of course, the person who ends up getting the nomination as a result is a total loser . . . :rolleyes:

EM, thanks for the input. That is really helpful in trying to decide which route is best to take. In the primaries, I think all three of our candidates are good ones and could readily take on the Repug nom in November and win. So it should be safe trying for that brokered convention scenario...

In November, it will be a different story. I'll vote for whoever is the Dem nom, and if it's not Gore, I'll vote for my 2nd, 3rd, or 4th choice, whomever that may be.

The problem is whomever is the nominee will be slimed by the media while they tell glowing tales of Saint John McCain. And I'm not talking about just Rush and FAUX News but people like Maureen Dowd, Chris Matthews, Frank Rich and Tim Russert. They all slimed Gore in 2000 and will slime this year's Democratic nominee. If it is Hillary, they will dig up everything from Whitewater to Vince Foster. If it is Obama, they'll do the same.

And they'll do that while turning their backs on McCain's lies and flip-flops. Just this week McCain lied about Romney's position on Iraq. While I'm not a fan of Romney nor agree with his position on Iraq, no one in the media called McCain on his lies. To quote Rolling Stone reporter Matt Taibbi, "McCain gets a bus and he paints “Straight Talk Express” on the side of it. Five minutes later, every reporter in the country is like, “He’s a straight talker.” You know, I mean, you can send any shit up the flagpole, and all these reporters will just f*ckin’ salute".

When I hear Obama supporters say he will 'turn the page on the old politics of misrepresentation and distortion' or he won't demonize those who hold a different view' or 'engage in tactics of division', all I can think is how damn naive are these people. The right and their partners in the media will attack, distort, demonize and do whatever it takes to remain in power. This is the same naive thinking that sunk Kerry in 2004 by not attacking Bush or the Swiftboat vets. This is not the Harvard Debating Society where everyone plays by gentlemanly rules. The GOP will get down in the muck and smear their opponents, tell any lie and break every rule. Say what you want about the Clinton's but they understood this because they were victims of it and gave as good as they got.