I’ve decided whom to vote for

Posted by Greg Laden on February 5, 2008
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This has been a difficult decision. Clinton or Obama, either one, is a good candidate and would make a good president. McCain will be the Republican nominee. Clinton has been leading in the polls all along, but Obama is surging. In the last few days I’ve spoken to a dozen people who each know four or five people who will vote for McCain against Clinton, Clinton against Romney, Obama against either Romney or McCain.


Sorry Hillary. I truly, honestly mean that. I have to do what is most likely to result in a win in November. On the other hand, I’m not at all regretful to vote for Obama. That works for me as well.

If you’re reading this blog and are planning to vote for Clinton now or a Republican in November, please don’t vote. I like it when my vote counts for three or four other people’s votes. Thank you very much…

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Comments

  1. #1 Mike Haubrich, FCD
    February 5, 2008

    I agree that Obama polls well against apathy. I am starting to see a groundswell of intelligent people towards Obama.

  2. #2 Karen James
    February 5, 2008

    Me too (Greg), and me too (Mike). I was leaning for Hillary for a while but then realised after talking to lots of people from both left and right wings that people are more likely to vote for Obama than McCain, and McCain than Clinton. I really want to vote for Hillary actually, not least her (more vociferously) championing of science and the environment. I vote in the state of Washington, so our primary is two weeks away. I will watch with interest what happens Super Tuesday (today!)

  3. #3 RK
    February 5, 2008

    Hmmm…which tax and spender to choose?? Great choices. I wonder if all of these promises will actually be kept once they realize that it could actually backfire when they start taking money out of the middle-class pocket – because, ultimately the rich know how to put their money away.

  4. #4 Karen James
    February 5, 2008

    Okay, not wanting to just rely on anecdote (because isn’t that what creationists do?), I looked up the most recent poll on this issue. The Washington Post reported the results of a poll conducted yesterday in which respondents were asked, if the election were held today and the Republican was “R” and the Democrat was “D”, who would you vote for? Here are the data:

    If R = McCain and D = Clinton:
    McCain 49%
    Clinton 46%

    If R = McCain and D = Obama:
    McCain 46%
    Obama 49%

    So, looks like our anecdotal evidence does indeed speak to a more statistically substantiated claim, that as of now, Obama would beat McCain but Clinton wouldn’t.

    Here’s the poll:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_020308.html?hpid=topnews

  5. #5 Isaac
    February 5, 2008

    RK, it’s funny you use “tax and spender” as a slur. More thoughtful people accept that it’s how government revenue is supposed to work.

    I guess George Bush’s “fiscally conservative” borrow-and-waste policy is a touch too responsible for you.

  6. #6 iRobot
    February 5, 2008

    RK, tax and spend. Where have you been for 28 years. Repubs tax the middle class plenty, they just cut taxes on the rich and they spend way, way plenty. Whats the national debt at now? BTW taxing and spending is the way it should be done. See you get the money, then you spend it on things like roads, schools and medical insurance for all. We dont do that in this country, thats why our roads are a disaster, our schools are crumbling and millions dont have health insurance. Thats why the EU will eat our lunch as we slowly sink into disrepair.

  7. #7 J-Dog
    February 5, 2008

    Ha ha! I live in Chicago, so I get to vote for both of them, plus I am going to vote Rep and vote for Huckabee, just to really stick it to those Bush-loving losers.

  8. #8 rev_matt_y
    February 5, 2008

    I’ve been trying to work out the math on this as well. While I think Clinton is more qualified, the right wing smear machine has such an unbalanced and irrational hatred of her that there’s no way she’ll survive the general election. Frankly I am quite sure McCain will win in Nov because he’ll be a white guy running against someone who is not a white guy. This is America, after all.

  9. #9 CS
    February 5, 2008

    I get the feeling that Obama might do better than Clinton at getting apathetic voters to actually show up and vote. On the campus I work at, the Obama supporters are out in force today, but I have yet to see a single Clinton supporter. Are those polls comparing Clinton/Obama vs. McCain/Romney telephone polls that poll everybody (including those who have an opinion, but won’t actually make the trip to the voting booth)?

  10. #10 Leon
    February 5, 2008

    Hmmm…which tax and spender to choose?? Great choices. I wonder if all of these promises will actually be kept once they realize that it could actually backfire when they start taking money out of the middle-class pocket – because, ultimately the rich know how to put their money away.

    Nice one, RK. A tax-and-spender as opposed to a borrow-and-spender? Remind me which is the party of fiscal responsibility?

    As for taking money out of the middle-class pocket–the Republican administrations starting with Reagan have been doing that very handily.

  11. #11 Anne Gilbert
    February 5, 2008

    Greg, you’re my man! I mean, you were sensible and decided to vote for Obama because of the problems with the “Billary hate machine”(not that they won’t try something on Obama).

    As for RK and his “tax and spend” nonsense, he should take a real good look at the current deficit, particularly when it started. It was not with Clinton and the Democrats. I seem to recall we had a surplus then.
    Anne G

  12. #12 Chris Hanson
    February 6, 2008

    I’m glad to see that you’re voting Obama. He’s the real hope. When it comes down to it, the politics today is about the future. It’s about my generation. That said, I’ll let a song from the sixties make my point for me:

    Come mothers and fathers
    Throughout the land
    And don’t criticize
    What you can’t understand
    Your sons and your daughters
    Are beyond your command
    Your old road is
    Rapidly agin’.
    Please get out of the new one
    If you can’t lend your hand
    For the times they are a-changin’.