I'm very happy tonight--for myself and our country. After last week's presidential caucus in Iowa, the pundits and predictors pretty much declared that the race, especially on the Democratic side, was over. Gentle readers, I don't know about you, but I say hold your horses. Apparently the primary voters in New Hampshire felt the same and demonstrated, by the decisions they made in the voting booths today, that they weren't going to be shut out either.
Last Thursday Iowa voters started the primary process with some bold, unexpected choices. They also gave a couple of the front runners a much needed reality check about inevitability. Now tonight, New Hampshire shuffled the cards again--big time. They gave first prize to the Old Veteran McCain and changed the lineup for Republican runners up. On the Democratic side, they gave Clinton a chance to get over herself and show that she's a human. With Obama, New Hampshire voters calmed his "wave" a bit and let him know that he needs to prove that he has substance and stamina in addition to charisma and hope.
I personally love politics--as a spectator sport. I've tried to watch all the presidential debates, Sunday morning talk shows like NBC's Meet the Press, and cable news. I'm studying all the candidates to see who most consistently speaks truth to me and in May I'll vote for that person.
With all this scrutiny of the candidates I'm collecting a list of comments or scenarios that either amuse or concern me. Here's a sampling:
1. Chris Matthews, moderator of MSNBC's Hardball, had this lead in to the first Democratic debate: "Let's see who can beat the pants suit off Hillary Clinton!"
2. Obama told a NH rally: "You're the wave and I'm riding it." Uh Barack, remember what happens to surfers when the waves get high and rough. . .
3. Question: Who's the gorgeous blond standing on-stage beside Chuck Norris at Mike Huckabee rallies? His Hucka Hucka Girl?
4. McCain: "You can't hike the Grand Canyon and not believe that God had a hand in creating our world." His response to a debate question about candidates' beliefs in evolution.
5. Ann Lewis, senior advisor for Clinton: "It's gonna be real." Her response to Dan Abrams of MSNBC about whether the Clinton campaign was going negative after the New Hampshire primary.
Now the candidates go on to the other states to make their case for being their party's nominee. That's how it should be. We all deserve a chance to study the candidates and then make our decision about which one more closely reflects our individual beliefs and priorities when our state primaries roll around. In the meantime, I'm very content to still be straddlesore.
(Photo credit: Tom Chambers, File Magazine)
Here in Hull I got a paper Obama was a dead cert, but I see on this morning's TV news that Clinton got it. Good for her, though a shame it had to be a choice between a black guy and a woman.
ReplyDeleteThere's not time or space to tell you how juiced I am about this election and I just hope we can keep the pundits from declaring a winner prematurely.
ReplyDeleteJust a few remarks.
•FIrst my favorite rehash was The Daily Show, of course, which ran a series of clips of all the newscasters and pundits making their incorrect predictions about New Hampshire ending with that grating phrase from Wolf Blitzer - brought to you by THE GREATEST POLITICAL TEAM ON TELEVISION! pfffft
• Speaking of political pundits, one of my least favorites is Bill Bennett. Could someone remind me which chapters in his "The Book of Virtues" cover gambling, gluttony, and hypocrisy?
•I miss Mollie Ivins. She would be having such fun in this primary season!
• I'll just sum up my delight that we're going to have a new prez Jan 20, 09 with a quote from another Texan who knows his fellow Texans:
"I mean, think about it. Other than the war in Iraq , the Katrina disaster, the deficit, the CIA leak, torture, stopping stem cell research, homeland security, global warming and undercutting science, we've yet to really feel the negative effects of the Bush administration." —Bill Moyers
Heh heh heh...
On to Michigan for the Repubs. McCain is the only one of that bunch that could keep me from giving up my U. S. citizenship if he's elected.
By the way, Faye, I love that web site with the artsy photos. I particularly like the girl with cow. I've always heard of cow tipping but never saw the girl get tipped, too! LOL
It is fascinating to watch, isn't it? Like the world's biggest carnival, side show clowns clearly in evidence.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a wild ride...