What do you want from our next Democratic Presidential Candiate in 08?

[mopaul]

i personally want the obscene war to end and i want our troops home.

[Melodybe]

1. Well, I want it to be either Clark, Dean, Boxers, or Conyers

I know I don't want them to be DLC.

[yurbud]

17. Conyers has one problem--he talks real slow.

I love the guy. He's up there with FDR & MLK in my book, and when I read the stuff he writes, it gives me hope for democracy.

But when he talks, even if he is being very direct and even funny, it's so slow you lose track.

I wasn't following him when I saw him in Fahrenheit 9/11, and he didn't make much of an impression then.

I think he would be the best president since FDR if not better, but presentation counts for a lot in politics today, and someone would have to help him with that.

Hillbilly Hitler art:



Blog:

[Blue_In_AK]

2. The "anti-Bush"

in every conceivable dimension.

[etherealtruth]

9. They'll have my vote! n/t

[pocket]

3. FULL and immediate withdrawal from Iraq

and war-crimes trials

[ElsewheresDaughter]

4. universal health care and free education

[mopaul]

5. Can I git a Witness!!!!

[wli]

6. a winner first, diametric opposite of Bush second

I'm not so sure about Clark anymore, but regardless. Conyers sounds pretty interesting.

[yurbud]

7. someone the DLC doesn't like or support (no more corporate whores)

Hillbilly Hitler art:



Blog:

[hobbit709]

8. I'd settle for some guts

and be willing to call out the pukes on their bs.

[queeg]

10. 40 acres and a mule

since I am a slave of facism now

[etherealtruth]

11. Honesty

[bj2110]

12. How about a victory? nt

[Ravenseye]

31. *touches nose*

Exactly. I read that and the first thing I though was...

"um...to win?"

[julialnyc]

13. Clark

there are a few others I like, but Clark stands out in my head.

[shireen]

25. me too!

Clark 2008!

[FtWayneBlue]

14. a truely progessive democrat, like Kucinich.

[LeftyMom]

15. a spine nt

[Just Me]

16. A REAL commitment to principles of democracy and INTEGRITY!!!

All those who reject the notion that "the people" have a RIGHT to make informed decisions about the policies of this country should be REJECTED before they can even run for office!!!!

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

18. A return to the Age of Reason... nt

[dave502d]

19. I want Presidential Candiate to put ** and other SOB in Jail.n/t

[julialnyc]

20. someone natural

I always liked Clark, Dean and Kucinich in the election because they weren't good at the sound bites and didn't come off as a sound bite robot.I want someone who is sincere so I don't think (he's just saying that to get elected, but will be different if he gets in......... which I find a bit of with Hillary and Kerry)

[LSK]

21. reduce Defense spending by at least 50%

That should take care of A LOT of problems.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

36. it will be a GREAT day when our schools.....

have all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold bake sales in order to raise moey for a bomber.

[jaysunb]

22. Jon Stewart

w/ Franken as VP :evilgrin:

[delhurgo]

23. I want a DLC- type.

Moderate/conservative on:
-taxes and spending
-national defense
-gun rights

Liberal on:
-abortion rights
-free speech
-sep of church/state
(essentially all civil liberties).

Sort of "libertarian lite" you might call it. I guess thats not exactly 'DLC-type', but they are an important moderating force inside the Dem party and I think get bashed way too much. They have the right idea if they just dropped the 'moral values' crap.

Mark Warner is who I like the best so far. NO to Hillary! She'll get killed.

On the war, it depends on what kind of constitution they end up with. If its Islamic then I'm for leaving as soon as possible. If it has actual rights/freedoms in it and is secular, then I'm willing to stay and help until they're able to govern on their own.

[XemaSab]

26. Sounds a lot like Dean

n/t

[delhurgo]

29. I think that's true.

Even though most people don't realize it, including most left-wing democrats, and many Deaniacs ironically.

I don't think he would be a good candidate though. He's been framed in the minds of americans as someone on the far-left, that would be hard to undo. And I do think he's sort of a loose cannon. But I like him, and I like his politics.

[LSK]

27. you just described Howard Dean

Fiscal conservative, social liberal.

[delhurgo]

34. If he has one weak spot it may be on Defense.

I'm not sure where he stands on the issue, although I expect he'd be reasonable about it. Ive never heard him say much about it.

He has no experience either, being a governor of Connecticut. That was why he was the wrong candidate for '04. That won't be a problem for '08 I don't think. But I'd say his time as a Pres candidate has passed. As I said, his persona as a leftist and someone that can be... unhinged is too set in voter's minds. Its unfair I know, but thats the way politics are.

Edit: oops, Governor of Vermont, I mean.

[LSK]

40. Defense is entirely overrated

We already triple the rest of the world in Military spending. And the only country in the world who wants war is the US. Terrorism has shown that defending this country does not involved building 50,000 tanks when we already have them, it involves INTELLIGENCE.

The rest of the world is done with war, the US has to get with the program.

So as far as Im concerned, gut defense all you want. But dont out CIA operatives.

[mixedview]

41. that's the only type of Dem I'd vote for - "libertarian lite"

and I'm not referring to a triangulating centrist, but someone who truly believes in libertarian principles, while also understanding that free societies and free culture sometimes need to be democratically regulated for the good of the community - but only before carefully considering the rights of individuals and businesses.

I could also vote for Hillary(who is a triangulating centrist) simply because I think a woman president would be a great step forward for America, and for freedom.

[Lefty48197]

24. Somebody with a wicked uppercut

God knows they've all earned a punch in the face.

[XemaSab]

28. Someone who is willing to stand up for

WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN.

Which is hopefully the constitution.

[Bill Bored]

30. For starters, I want someone who will challenge BOGUS ELECTION RESULTS!

I want someone who, if he or she wins the Electoral College and is criticized by the Repukes for losing the popular vote, will tell them to stick it up their butts and propose an amendment to do away with the Electoral College and who will tell them to put up or shut up about it after that!

I want someone who will NOT accept any unverified election results in any state that doesn't take the trouble to count, or recount, their fucking votes or allow everyone who's entitled to vote to do so.

I want someone who will ensure that the winner of the election is known with mathematical certainty without uttering meaningless platitudes such as "every vote will be counted."

I want someone who will hold the Bush Administration accountable for their actions before, during and after the campaign. Not someone who will merely say that Iraq was an inappropriate response to 9/11, but someone who will say that Bush ALLOWED 9/11 to happen because he didn't read the fucking memo!
<http://www.cnn.com/2004/images/04/10/whitehouse.pdf>

I want someone who will make it chrystal clear to the American people exactly what is being done to them by their government. Someone who thinks the people can handle the truth. Someone who understands peak oil and who can get us on the road to real energy independence.

Any volunteers?

[against all enemies]

32. victory

[LaurenG]

33. Lets start with a heart and they better be comfortable setting

boundaries and they need to understand economics and a compassionate but fair foreign policy. A litte like Carter and a couple pinches of Kennedy and throw in a few pinches of Coyers, Pelosi and Boxer. That ought to do it. :)

[darkism]

35. A socialist.

Sanders 2008!

[Catholic Sensation]

38. will never happen

[Pithy Cherub]

37. Courage, heart and brains...I'm off to see the wizard

The No List:
No slathered on corporate decals
No national security experience from reading books or committee reports
NO VOTES for IWR

[GreenPartyVoter]

39. Out of Iraw, Election reforms like

these put into place: http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[napi21]

42. Let me see if I can phrase this in a way the mods won't delete.

I want a hard a** bas***d who knows how to fight back quick and hard!

Someone who can speak as if he's talking directly to each individual person watching TV or sitting in the room.

Someone who thinks and acts using common sense.

[AtomicKitten]

43. I want a president with a brain

I loved the way Clinton used to answer questions. He'd say yes or no and I'll tell you why. You know who talks like that? Paul Hackett, the Iraq vet Dem running in the special election next week in Ohio. He answers loaded questions straightforward and doesn't back down. Like General Clark. That's what I want. I want a president with a brain and a set of testicles.

[WilliamPitt]

44. A win would be good for starters

[More Than A Feeling]

45. Someone who knows and respects their limits would be nice

in other words, no one who will think they are God. Also, someone who understands that in every moment, the potential to fulfill the highest qualities of human nature is unlimited. Finally, someone who begins with an end in mind, rather than blowing where they will all the time.

Do you think I am asking for too much?

[LaurenG]

46. Too much, no you're asking for integrity it shouldn't be an issue

This is what a human being is meant to be. I think yours is the perfect answer. :)

[Sapphire Blue]

47. The Democratic candidate who will take the oath of office on Jan 20, 2009

... and who will abide by that oath throughout his/her entire presidency... who will be a president w/a spine & cajones, who works for We the People.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

48. Bernie Sanders or Cynthia McKinney would be a good start.

[bribri16]

49. NO MORE LIES! Out of Iraq. n/t

[eridani]

50. That's easy

Out of Iraq
Renunciation of imperial domination and a switch to self-defense policy
Universal Health Care
Fair trade, not "free" trade
Serious penalties for outsourcing
A wealth tax
Restoration of environmental regulation
Full funding of the Apollo program
Raise income limit on FICA taxes
End the War on Some Drugs
International cooperation in preventing WMD proliferation and tracking down terrorists


I'm sure I could go on. All of this stuff is part of the Kucinich platform, of course.

[LWolf]

51. What I want from my candidate:

Walks what he/she talks; actually has a record of working for the issues espoused.

Universal single-payer health care

No more wars

No more high-stakes testing of any kind; no more NCLB

Universal preschool through college public ed

No more GMO foods

Supports sustainable farming practices and energy sources

Works for the people, not the corporations

Paper ballots

Public campaign funding

A new fairness doctrine

Tells the truth

No more privatization

End of CAFTA, NAFTA, and participation in the WTO

A living wage

Social and economic justice

Upholds and protects civil rights and the Constitution

Have I missed anything?

[slutticus]

52. Balls. I want Balls.

So..... Barbara Boxer obviously