Comments on: The Ideal Candidate http://jlynne.exit-23.net/2008/01/07/the-ideal-candidate/ Displaced. Dysfunctional. Discombobulated. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:48:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: J. Lynne http://jlynne.exit-23.net/2008/01/07/the-ideal-candidate/#comment-877 J. Lynne Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:41:30 +0000 http://jlynne.exit-23.net/2008/01/07/the-ideal-candidate/#comment-877 I don't watch the ads. Can't stand them. The closer it gets to an election, the more agitated I get and the more stuff I record so I can fast-forward through the commercials. I tend to agree with you about the "mud-slinging". To me, it's useless bickering generally over things that don't have to do with the campaign. Stuff like the attacks on John Kerry's military career or his wife's fortune or Chelsea Clinton's awkward childhood appearance or how old Barbara Bush appears or Nancy Reagan's astrologers. It's also niggling nitpicking over so-called half-facts that aren't the whole truth and only serve to call the other person into question and in a sense dishonor him or her. I do think it's appropriate to hold our candidates responsible for their legislative affairs and even to their promises, but I also think it's important to hold our candidates to the standards they set for each other. For example, if Obama says Edwards is "unelectable" for some reason, then he better make certain that he doesn't also fit the bill. I think it's not only time for responsible legislators, but non-hypocritical ones. Unfortunately for me, I've been listening to the all-politics/all-the-time that's been on t.v. the last few days. I'm far more impressed with the candidates when they aren't in the same room together. I kind of have to admit that while I still plan to vote for a Democrat who's pretty much not even showing in the polls if he makes it to our primary, I no longer feel like I might be physically ill should Hillary Clinton or Obama get the nomination. In fact, I would prefer Hillary over Obama at the moment and I certainly would prefer either of them over Edwards (if he would just stop saying the same thing over and over...), but that's if I had to pick a front-runner. I don’t watch the ads. Can’t stand them. The closer it gets to an election, the more agitated I get and the more stuff I record so I can fast-forward through the commercials.

I tend to agree with you about the “mud-slinging”. To me, it’s useless bickering generally over things that don’t have to do with the campaign. Stuff like the attacks on John Kerry’s military career or his wife’s fortune or Chelsea Clinton’s awkward childhood appearance or how old Barbara Bush appears or Nancy Reagan’s astrologers. It’s also niggling nitpicking over so-called half-facts that aren’t the whole truth and only serve to call the other person into question and in a sense dishonor him or her.

I do think it’s appropriate to hold our candidates responsible for their legislative affairs and even to their promises, but I also think it’s important to hold our candidates to the standards they set for each other. For example, if Obama says Edwards is “unelectable” for some reason, then he better make certain that he doesn’t also fit the bill. I think it’s not only time for responsible legislators, but non-hypocritical ones.

Unfortunately for me, I’ve been listening to the all-politics/all-the-time that’s been on t.v. the last few days. I’m far more impressed with the candidates when they aren’t in the same room together. I kind of have to admit that while I still plan to vote for a Democrat who’s pretty much not even showing in the polls if he makes it to our primary, I no longer feel like I might be physically ill should Hillary Clinton or Obama get the nomination. In fact, I would prefer Hillary over Obama at the moment and I certainly would prefer either of them over Edwards (if he would just stop saying the same thing over and over…), but that’s if I had to pick a front-runner.

]]> By: Thud http://jlynne.exit-23.net/2008/01/07/the-ideal-candidate/#comment-876 Thud Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:23:23 +0000 http://jlynne.exit-23.net/2008/01/07/the-ideal-candidate/#comment-876 I kind of like watching the horse race, at least from afar -- I read transcripts and watch the occasional speech and give the debates a miss as they're all mostly fluff. I think the really important thing is not to look at the ads or the campaign but what people have actually done. It's kind of funny -- maybe it's because I don't watch the performances -- but I get a different opinion of Hillary Clinton. She may have tweaked her campaign style here or there, but she hasn't tweaked what her stand is. So far, though, I've been impressed at how substantive the discussions I've heard have been. (That's comparatively substantive.) "Mud-slinging" I tend to think of not as criticizing your opponents but criticizing them for trivial and unfair reasons. I think it's appropriate to hold our candidates responsible for their legislative affairs, but if, say, Obama started making snide remarks about Clinton's marriage -- that would be mud-slinging. <em>Thud's last blog post..<a href='http://www.thudfactor.com/blogosphere/if-you-are-new-here/' rel="nofollow">If you are new here?</a></em> I kind of like watching the horse race, at least from afar — I read transcripts and watch the occasional speech and give the debates a miss as they’re all mostly fluff. I think the really important thing is not to look at the ads or the campaign but what people have actually done.

It’s kind of funny — maybe it’s because I don’t watch the performances — but I get a different opinion of Hillary Clinton. She may have tweaked her campaign style here or there, but she hasn’t tweaked what her stand is.

So far, though, I’ve been impressed at how substantive the discussions I’ve heard have been. (That’s comparatively substantive.) “Mud-slinging” I tend to think of not as criticizing your opponents but criticizing them for trivial and unfair reasons. I think it’s appropriate to hold our candidates responsible for their legislative affairs, but if, say, Obama started making snide remarks about Clinton’s marriage — that would be mud-slinging.

Thud’s last blog post..If you are new here?

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