Archive for the ‘Electoral Process’ Category
You are currently browsing the archives for the Electoral Process category.
3
Aug
2008
Are you electable?
Do you think YOU could do a better job in Congress? Perhaps you have ambition to be a Senator or Congressman?
Take this quiz to see just how electable you are! Do you have what it takes to be elected representative for your district? The Austin American Statesman put this quiz together for you.
31
Jul
2008
No Veep for Romney or Clinton???
One month ago a McCain/Romney vs Obama/Clinton presidential race seemed plausible.
Today, this seems less likely.
Mitt Romney seems to believe that the animosity between himself and John McCain is enough to keep him off the Republican presidential ticket. In an interview on WILM-AM he said,
“I think there’s some great people he could choose from and I expect he will do that. But I don’t plan on being part of the ticket.”
Perhaps he is being suave, but I believe he really thinks he will not be chosen.
In addition, the advocacy group established to pressure Barack Obama to pick Hillary Clinton as his running mate has shut down.
“Because it seems that Senator Obama has made his decision to offer the slot on the ticket to another candidate, we believe that continuing to ask him to pick Hillary is no longer helpful to our party’s chances of winning in November,” two former Clinton staffers wrote in an e-mail to the group they started, ‘Vote Both.’
It appears Mitt Romney MAY not be McCain’s running mate and Hillary Clinton WILL NOT be Obama’s running mate.
Hopefully VP announcements will be made in the next week.
26
Jul
2008
McCain Ready to pick his Veep?
John McCain is “in a position to make the decision [about his VP] on short notice if he wanted to.” according to one of McCain’s top advisers, Charles Black.
I’m reading from this that McCain has picked his VP choice, but hasn’t asked him or her to actually be his running mate. But perhaps he’s already asked and is waiting to announce his choice.
There’s a big issue of timing here.
The Olympics start in twelve days (08.08.08). The Democratic Convention starts the day after the Olympics end (08.25.08). The Republican Convention starts four days after the Dems end (09.01.08).
Insiders are saying Barack Obama will announce before the Olympics start, and John McCain will announce soon (maybe before Obama announces).
All-in-all, we don’t really know when either candidate will announce, but it will be sooner rather than later.
15
Jul
2008
Wesley Clark – Right After All?
Does Serving in the Military Really Make You a Better President?
A few weeks ago, former General Wesley Clark got himself into some trouble over a careless comment he made in an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation:
Bob Schieffer: Well you, you went so far as to say that you thought John McCain was, quote, and these are your words, “untested and untried,” And I must say I, I had to read that twice, because you’re talking about somebody who was a prisoner of war. He was a squadron commander of the largest squadron in the Navy. He’s been on the Senate Armed Services Committee for lo these many years. How can you say that John McCain is un- untested and untried? General?
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Because in the matters of national security policy making, it’s a matter of understanding risk. It’s a matter of gauging your opponents, and it’s a matter of being held accountable. John McCain’s never done any of that in his official positions. I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands and millions of others in Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn’t held executive responsibility. That large squadron in Air- in the Navy that he commanded, it wasn’t a wartime squadron. He hasn’t been there and ordered the bombs to fall. He hasn’t seen what it’s like when diplomats come in and say, ‘I don’t know whether we’re going to be able to get this point through or not. Do you want to take the risk? What about your reputation? How do we handle it publicly.’ He hasn’t made those calls, Bob.
Bob Schieffer: I have to say, Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down. I mean-
GENERAL WESLEY CLARK: Well, I don’t think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be President.
As you might imagine, this raised a few eyebrows and more than a few temperatures over at the McCain campaign. But after the initial outrage over General Clark’s statements wore off, I took another look at them and tried to place them in the greater context of the point that he was trying to make. The more I mulled it over, the more it really got me thinking:
What is it about military service that makes someone so qualified to be president?
Seriously, what is it exactly – does the simple act of serving in uniform somehow bestow upon you all knowledge, judgment and experience needed to run the United States of America?
Or is it something more than that – do you have to serve during wartime? Do you have to be in combat? Do you have to earn a Purple Heart? The Silver Star? The Medal of Honor?
At what rank are you sufficiently qualified? Sergeant? Captain? General?
What if you only serve in the National Guard? Does that make you any less qualified?
I ask these questions because I believe they are important to ask, and because I’m not sure how many others have actually asked them. Americans are preparing to pass judgment on one candidate for president based in very large part, if not entirely, on his record of military service to this country. A majority of voters in this country believe that John McCain is the candidate best suited to handle with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just what are they basing that evaluation on?
14
Jul
2008
Cell Phones, Polling and President Truman
Why Obama Could Be Winning by a Lot More Than You Think
Not everyone will agree, but for a number of reasons, this election seems like its Barack Obama’s to lose. He’s been routinely giving speeches to enthusiastic crowds of 50,000 or more, he’s been raising money faster than any other candidate in American history, and perhaps most importantly, he is a youthful, exciting, energetic candidate that represents a change in a change election.
John McCain on the other hand has struggled not only to keep pace financially, but also to inspire the same kind of enthusiasm in the electorate that Obama has demonstrated. With the faltering economy, an increasingly unpopular war, and close ties to an incumbent president with some of the lowest approval ratings in recorded history, it certainly seems like McCain would have his work cut out for him. In fact, all conventional wisdom says this should be a slam dunk win for Obama…
However, today’s Gallup tracking poll has Barack Obama listed with a mere three-point advantage over John McCain, 43% – 46%. Three points – that’s all? Can that be right? With everything that’s going on, how can it be that Obama’s only up 3 points in the polls?
In fact, most of the major tracking polls – Rasmussen, Newsweek, CNN, McLaughlin, – have the race at only a 1% – 5% point lead for Barack Obama; most are basically within the margin of error. How can it be that this seemingly lopsided race is so close? One shudders to think – but is it possible that all these polls are just plain wrong?
Maybe.
In 1948, President Harry Truman defeated Republican challenger Thomas A. Dewey by, what was at that time, the slimmest margin in the history of American politics. This narrow and frankly unexpected victory by Truman was forever immortalized by the photograph of Truman holding up the early edition of the November 3rd Chicago Tribune, bearing now-famous headline – “Dewey Defeats Truman”
How did the Chicago Tribune get it so wrong?