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On these threads, posts can get heated and people can be labeled to extremes out of political disagreement. I'm interested to see everyone's reactions to the candidates if we break things down into categories. Please indicate whether you like the candidate as a person, respect them, and finally, whether you agree or disagree with their positions. I know that this is a very simplified exercise, but I'm curious to see the results. I'll go first.
Obama - I don't know that much about him, but from what I've seen, I like him. I also have respect for him. I tend to disagree with a lot of what he says, but certainly not everything.
Clinton - From what I've seen, it's hard for me to like her, although my perception of her is that I probably have not seen what she is really like personally. I respect that she is very bright, but do not respect her on other "character" issues. I disagree on many things, but probably agree with her a little more than Obama.
McCain - I'm pretty indifferent to McCain on a likeability scale. I do respect him, but lost some respect for him based on the way he obvioulsy and continually mischaracterized Romney's point on timelines. I have disagreements with him as well, but tend to agree with him more than the other two on issues that I find significant.
On these threads, posts can get heated and people can be labeled to extremes out of political disagreement. I'm interested to see everyone's reactions to the candidates if we break things down into categories. Please indicate whether you like the candidate as a person, respect them, and finally, whether you agree or disagree with their positions. I know that this is a very simplified exercise, but I'm curious to see the results. I'll go first.
Obama - I don't know that much about him, but from what I've seen, I like him. I also have respect for him. I tend to disagree with a lot of what he says, but certainly not everything.
Clinton - From what I've seen, it's hard for me to like her, although my perception of her is that I probably have not seen what she is really like personally. I respect that she is very bright, but do not respect her on other "character" issues. I disagree on many things, but probably agree with her a little more than Obama.
McCain - I'm pretty indifferent to McCain on a likeability scale. I do respect him, but lost some respect for him based on the way he obvioulsy and continually mischaracterized Romney's point on timelines. I have disagreements with him as well, but tend to agree with him more than the other two on issues that I find significant.
pretty much ditto on what your posted here.
I get the impression that Obama is visonary and idealistic but lacks in experience. Clinton appears to be more opportunistic and carries a feeling of entitlement or something along those lines. McCain is far different today than he was in 2000, and while I respect the man for his service, I get a sense of diminishing mental capacity as it seems he can't even distinguish Sunni from a Shiite. Add that with his hot temper and views of foreign policy and I see trouble.
I get the impression that Obama is visonary and idealistic but lacks in experience. Clinton appears to be more opportunistic and carries a feeling of entitlement or something along those lines. McCain is far different today than he was in 2000, and while I respect the man for his service, I get a sense of diminishing mental capacity as it seems he can't even distinguish Sunni from a Shiite. Add that with his hot temper and views of foreign policy and I see trouble.
I agree with what you posted. I give McCain a pass on the Sunni/Shiite confusion though because I'm sure he knows that (I hope) and consider it a legitimate example of "misspeaking." I agree that he's the most diplomatic guy.
Obama - his lack of Washington experience is a good thing for me. I find his judgement on the major issues facing America to be better that either Clinton or McCain, that's more important to me than the length of time he's spent DC. I think the way he has run his campaign and the way that he has inspired people to participate in his campaign is a good sign as well.
Clinton - I never had a great impression of her, but I was definately willing to give her a chance, however, my feelings have changed througout the past few months. She seems very calculated and politically motivated in her decisions. I don't like the whole "fighter" mentality, I don't think that's what we need, I think that calmer more rational and dignified discussion and compromise is what is needed in Washington ( and America ) today. At this point, I think she is really doing herself a disservice by continuing her campaign.
McCain - I had a much more favorable view of him in 2000, he seems to be really trying to mold himself into something that he is not, which I think is a shame. He seemed much more genuine back then. I don't agree with him on social issues, he has said that he would like to appoint Bush like justices to the Supreme Court and I think that could have an impact on abortion & civil rights issues. Most important, his Iraq position would make it impossible to vote for him.
Of all three candidates, Obama is easily the guy you can have a beer with at a barbecue on a Saturday afternoon. He doesn't talk down on you despite the criticism that he is "elitist". On the contrary, he's a down-to-earth guy, a natural. He is very Reaganesque - a quality which even George Will recognizes washingtonpost.com
McCain is also likeable. I would vote for him in a heartbeat if Hillary is the Dem nominee. He is basically a decent guy.
Hillary is a fake: she drinks beer to show she is one of the boys; she pretends to be a gun-toting mama. She confabulates about sniper fire. She'll say anything to get your vote. Hillary can talk to you non-stop for 24 hours, and you still won't be sure if she is telling you the truth.
Obama - I like him. He has class, manners, a calm demeanor, and sound ideas. We need to have the world see us with a classy leader, after 8 years of being led by an "ugly American." I especially like that Obama's contagious. When he's around, people become energized, optimistic and act more "civilized." So far, anyway.
My respect for Obama is growing. He seems to have the right stuff. However, I am nervous about the inexperience factor. If he demonstrates an ability to build a team of good advisors and listen to them I will respect him even more.
I mostly agree with his positions, but disagree with some. However, I wonder if his administration can accomplish
some of the ideas that I agree with.
Clinton - She was a personal hero for me for many years, so it has been heart breaking to watch her fall off the pedastal. I very much want to see her reclaim her dignity. But right now I find it hard to like her. I particularly do not like the fact that she stooped to being phony and dishonest just to win primaries. (Of course, 90% of politicians are dishonest. She's just more blatant about it.) When this campaign is over I suspect she will redeem herself with whatever job she takes and I will find many reasons to like her again.
I respect and admire her for being a tenacious fighter, and for sticking with the campaign. But I do not admire a "dirty" fighter. And I don't admire a fighter who cannot stop when it's time to stop. She has become Tonya Harding. That's not the sort of person who can get us out of Iraq.
I don't know if I agree with her policies or not--it's hard to know exactly what her positions are when she plays word games. I do not agree with her tax ideas.
McCain - I like the McCain that is portrayed by the media. But.... I also had a personal encounter with him about 6 years ago. He was an angry jerk who threw a hissy fit. So--no I do not like him.
I respect his war record, and I respect the positions he had before becoming the nominee. I do not respect the way he has changed since becoming the candidate. When people change dramatically just to please the republican party, it strikes me as hypocritical.
I agree with him on some issues. I do not like his Iraq policies or his economic policies.
It seems we are all basically in agreement here so far.
Indeed, Obama is interesting and likable, McCain is at worst neutral, maybe somewhat likable though boring, and, finally, in tune with probably 50% or more of the electorate, I find Hillary's personality loathsome. Unfortunate, but that's the way it is.
I would look forward to an Obama/McCain contest because it would offer the electorate a clearer difference in choice than Obama/Clinton, on the one hand, and Clinton/McCain on the other. In theory, Clinton offers a middle ground between the two, but the personality is so loathsome that it scuttles the whole thing. I am disappointed that the democrats did not nominate Joe Biden.
I would hope that during the presidential campaign Mr Obama has a chance to spell out his fiscal policy proposals, both taxes and spending, in detail.
Monetary policy has already been a disaster for the US economy, and will continue to be so under any of the three candidates, and I am concerned that further hair-brain fiscal policies would only exacerbate the situation, perhaps erode the economy's competitiveness for decades.
Though many would disagree, one of the few things that the Bush Administration got right was taxation policy, though not spending. With McCain, there is a good chance of nothing doing on taxation policy, which is good, and a small chance of restraint on spending, but I would like to see Obama given a fair chance to spell out his proposals, and then have the chance to compare and contrast those with the two candidates' approaches to foreign policy.
Obama - his lack of Washington experience is a good thing for me. I find his judgement on the major issues facing America to be better that either Clinton or McCain, that's more important to me than the length of time he's spent DC. I think the way he has run his campaign and the way that he has inspired people to participate in his campaign is a good sign as well.
Clinton - I never had a great impression of her, but I was definately willing to give her a chance, however, my feelings have changed througout the past few months. She seems very calculated and politically motivated in her decisions. I don't like the whole "fighter" mentality, I don't think that's what we need, I think that calmer more rational and dignified discussion and compromise is what is needed in Washington ( and America ) today. At this point, I think she is really doing herself a disservice by continuing her campaign.
McCain - I had a much more favorable view of him in 2000, he seems to be really trying to mold himself into something that he is not, which I think is a shame. He seemed much more genuine back then. I don't agree with him on social issues, he has said that he would like to appoint Bush like justices to the Supreme Court and I think that could have an impact on abortion & civil rights issues. Most important, his Iraq position would make it impossible to vote for him.
Beautifully stated. Wish I could write as well as you do. I have many of the same observations about Clinton and McCain but couldn't find the words to express them.
McCain - respect his service and what he went through while fighting for this country - this cannot be overstated. However don't like him as a politician for a number of reasons such as the McCain-Feingold bill which is a direct assault on freedom of speech, the Gang of Fourteen, and how he went out of his way to slander and destroy Mitt Romney, a decent and respectable man, in the primaries, to name but a few.
Clinton - cannot stand her. Has shown that she will do and say absolutely anything in the name of gaining power, and has no shame about it.
Obama - do not like or trust him. For one thing, like Hillary, and to a lesser extent McCain, he is a big government socialist. In fact, even moreso. Also, I don't appreciate the fact that he has, for a large part of his life surrounded himself with people who make no secrets about their hostility towards this country and/or an entire race and then expecting me to believe that he hasn't been influenced by this.
Obama- He is an excellent speaker and can really give a good speech, but his lack of judgment and lack of accomplishments are not good enough for the next president.
Hillary- I didn't liked her, too arrogant but the way she fights and the way she showed this side of herself made me change my view on her, although I don't agree with the dem.
McCain- I have a lot of respect for him and what he went through and think he knows what to do in case of an attack and he is against mortgage bail outs which I agree on with him. I really liked another rep. more but since he quit I have to go for McCain.
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