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Paul
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Stewart
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Lawrence, KS
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How can Obama be your first choice, and McCain your second choice?


I've heard several people say this, and it's absolutely ridiculous. McCain is the same republican candidate we've seen for years. He's a talking mouth for corporate america, with self admitted lack of economic skills. He believes America's number 1 concern is terrorism and security. Our health care system is broken, our economy is broken, our military is broken, immigration is broken, education is broken, and terrorism is our number one concern? We need someone in office who will focus on us! The american people. Because of the war on terrorism there are more active terrorists working to harm the U.S. today than ever before. So the real question is this, how can you believe we need change in Washington, then turn around and say your second choice is Bush endorsed ,McCain? ( I know bush hasn't actually endorsed him, but he's always talking about him and has plenty of good things to say about him.)


First, a disclaimer: I'm an Obama supporter, and my second choice is Hillary. I'm arguing this from a pure hypothetical perspective.

Obama draws a large amount of support from moderates: people who don't associate with any particular political party. Many of these moderates tend to lean more right than left.

In a national election, McCain represents strong military values of the far right, while Hillary, for better or worse, has the label of "far left" associated with her name. Many people who lean right will, by default, avoid her.

Obama, however, has been blessed to avoid the general "liberal" label with his change platform, which makes many moderates take notice and become supporters. However, if Hillary prevails in the primary and we are left with the typical "right vs. left" partisan election, these right-leaning moderates will fall back on McCain.

By the way, I think these right-moderates will determine who wins this next election. If they like the Democratic candidate they will swing the country for Obama (presumably). However, if Hillary wins the nod, I suspect they will end up swinging the election to, at least, a much closer race.


Let's establish some things. Conserving (conservative) means staying the same. Sometimes some other things are attached to it like fiscally conservative. But in general it means staying the same.
Liberalism ( liberal) means change. Obviously republicans like to attach some other meanings to it, but really, it means changing.
Obama is the ultimate liberal, and i'm pretty sure he's generally acknowledged as the most liberal candidate running. So to hope Obama (the most liberal candidate) wins, and then have McCain as your second choice makes no sense.
Obama's message is one of change. People don't want to hear the same strong military, strong values, fight terrorism, bull they've been hearing for 8 eyars, and that's why Obama is doing so well.
So really it comes down to the fact that Obama's ideas are almost opposite of McCain's.


Obama's ideas are for change. He's campaigned on change to the point where he's come close to defying traditional breakdowns between "liberal" and "conservative." People who would support Obama first recognize that something needs to change, and given both Congress and the White House's approval rating, that's a fairly substantial number.

Now, if Obama doesn't become the Democratic choice, then there is no longer that option for the "change" vote. There are many, many, many people who currently support Obama's version of change but would hate Hillary's brand of change, because she's viewed as too liberal, too communist, too feminist... take your pick.

I'm not claiming that these people understand politics. However, it's easy to see the line of thinking with so much anti-Hillary (or anti-Clinton) propaganda out there, and a relatively clean slate for Obama.


Then there's other candidates to support instead of McCain. Such as Ron Paul. If you're backing obama's brand of change and he doesn't get the nomination you shouldn't vote. Clinton is a much better choice over McCain. Voting just to vote isn't a vote at all.
McCain says himself "the economy isn't my strong point." The economy is going into a reccession, in no way should a person who says that be running for president. It's all about where you're priorities lay, not the platform of the person's campaign. If you're about war, more debt, and fighting 'terrorism' sure go McCain. If you want to address the real problems today, go obaam, clinton, or paul.


I've never said it was an intelligent choice. However, right now there are three legitimate contenders for the presidency: Obama, McCain and Clinton. Obama's appeal has converted many Republicans to him, but a deep-seeded hatred for all things Clinton would easily force these folks back to the McCain camp.

It's not logical based on policy, you're right. But it's entirely logical based on image and perceptions. And, let's face it, perception is 9/10ths of reality, at least.

In short, I've shown how easy it is for McCain to be many people's No. 2 choice behind McCain. Obama's change platform transcends left-right politics, and without him his supporters fall back in line.

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Paul

Who you choose for president should be based on policy. End of story. Not how much you like or don't like someone.

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Gravel-button

One can be for both. McCain was a maverick, and a person has the right to be a maverick politically.

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Paul

a maverick? what? Obama and McCain are two opposite people. With two opposite ways of governing. To support both of them is ludicris

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Vote

They are different people, but they are ALIKE in that they are not part of the status quo, established political machinery that has left this country deadlocked in partisan sniping for nearly 20 years. My gut tells me that's why they've both done as well as they have - the silent majority who view Moveon.org and Ann Coulter with equal distaste see an opportunity to get the country past the culture wars. I know I'm crossing my fingers . . .

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