Could Feingold be the next JFK?

[Pryderi]

Do you think the US is ready to elect a Jewish president, as it was ready to elect a Catholic president in '60?

[mdmc]

1. I think that he would make an good veep in 2008

I think Hillary would also make a good veep in 2008 also.

[still_one]

6. I think Feingold would make a good President or VP

Hillary I do not think would make a good President, and therefore not a good VP, because any VP could be a president

[DainBramaged]

2. There will NEVER be another JFK, ever

we cannot go back 50 years, and the age of Camelot is dead.

Russ Feingold will be the next Russ Feingold, that's all.

[fooj]

4. the age of Camelot is dead.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Pryderi]

5. I was talking in terms of religious beliefs. Would Americans elect a

Jewish president. I'm not talking policies or charisma.

[DainBramaged]

11. I understand, but I never look at politicians and their religion

The thought never occurred for me to look at Russ Feingold as a Jew. Makes no difference. That said, JFK was unique to our history, and was President at a time when his charisma and strength took us past one of the most dangerous episodes in history.

Each one of our Presidents are unique. There have been only 43. I hope Russ Feingold is 44th. Religion may be a part of it in the Red states, but for those of us who celebrate America as a Nation not as Red or Blue, I hope Blue out votes red this time.

[Clark2008]

30. If you truly celebrate the nation not as red or blue

why did you separate out "red states?" That's hypocritical.

There are no "red states." There are no "blue states." The issue is urban vs. rural and there are more rural areas in the so-called "red" states; therefore, the red rurals out-number the blue urbans.

The issue is how to win over the rural voters, not how to win over so-called "red" states.

That said, I'm not sure Feingold can win the rural voters over - either because of religion or because he's been twice divorced, but he has a chance with his populism.

Personally, I'm for a Clark/Feingold ticket. Clark could win those rural voters and then, in turn, "introduce" Feingold to the population, at large. People will become more comfortable with him - no matter his religious or marital background - and are more likely to overlook any prejudices they might have had. It always works that way - folks aren't nearly as prejudiced once they "know" the object of former bias.

[DainBramaged]

33. (Sigh) Whatever.you think I think about thinking about the subject

is fine with me. :eyes:

[ladjf]

17. And that ain't bad. How about a Gore/Feingold ticket?

[hippiechick]

41. Yes!

:applause: I'm in !

[rzemanfl]

3. My first thought when I saw this was not about religion, it was

about "a lone gunman."

[Greeby]

7. When 31% of the electorate land us with Shrub

It's a stretch to say that America elects ANYBODY

[babylonsister]

8. Conventional wisdom at the time said a Catholic couldn't be

elected, and look what happened.
I'd vote for anyone, regardless of their religion, if I agreed with them, but that's me.

[AndyTiedye]

9. I Thought You Meant…

…would they assassinate him if he got elected? It all depends on who the Vice President is.

In that sense, Gore would have been the next JFK if he had beaten the fraud.
President Lieberman would have been perfectly happy to start PNAC's wars for them,
just as LBJ was perfectly happy to escalate the Vietnam war.

I think this was made clear to Gore some time after the Democratic convention,
and that is why he seemed to lose interest in the campaign and did not fight
the blatant Florida election fraud.

Never pick a warmonger as a running mate!!

[shoopnyc]

10. He's the real thing. Really. eom

[Placebo]

12. Nope.

[dogman]

13. Stevenson might have been the first Catholic President but

his divorce was a large factor in many Catholics rejecting him for Ike. I think the question for Feingold is not his religion as much as his divorce. I think the combination of the two factors will prevent his election. I would love to be wrong about this however. I just think that is today's reality.

[Pryderi]

14. Reagan was divorced.

[dogman]

16. That's true.

Maybe divorce is only taboo for Catholics. I think back then divorce was only legal in a couple of states for reasons other than abuse or infidelity. But then again Reagan was a convert to the GOP and got to play by different rules.

[Ignacio Upton]

31. Reagan was only divorced once

and he ended up happily married with Nancy. Feingold is TWICE-DIVORCED, and we don't know if he had a messy marriage or not.

[Hippo_Tron]

37. Stevenson stood no chance against Ike

Eisenhower was an incredibly popular and well known national figure who happened to run with the Republican Party because that was the easiest way to the presidency.

[Clarkie1]

15. Only if he changes his name. n/t

[incapsulated]

18. The fact that he is single bothers me a lot more than that he is Jewish

Honestly. If he could stand there with the wife and kiddies, the family values man, blah, blah, blah, the fact that he is Jewish would matter less. Now, it's just one more of a list of things that the media will rattle off over and over and over as proof of his "electablity problems" until everyone in America knows that Russ Feingold is Single, Twice-Divorced AND Jewish.

I could deal with any one of those three, but all together he has a problem. But I still think that 'Murica wants the image of the First Family there, they don't give a shit about divorce it's all about the image. The image of a single Jewish guy with a "liberal" record is going to be a tough sell, indeed.

That said, I like Russ a lot and should he get the nomination I'll work my guts out for him.

[WestSeattle2]

19. No, don't think so for 3 reasons....

3/4 of the world would believe we did it to inflame the Middle East....ugly backlash there
Those who support us now in Iraq, would turn against us in a heartbeat....ugly ramifications there
republicans would engage in a nasty, subtle anti-semitic smear campaign....ugly, but typical r-values

[Telly Savalas]

22. If the American electorate is so concerned about not inflaming

the Middle East, then how the hell did Bush get re-elected?

[Ignacio Upton]

32. The Evangelicals still hate Jews

they're just crowing about how they're "Pro-Israel" in order to bring about the apocolypse. Trust me, the same bigoted types who claim support for the War on Terrorism and for Israel will not vote for a Jew, regardless of what they claim.

[Telly Savalas]

42. But these are people who wouldn't vote for a Democrat anyway

so what does it matter?

[WestSeattle2]

34. Because the cost had not risen high enough...

imho.....the cost in both blood and treasure had not risen high enough in 2004. By November 2008, the country will be so sick of this, they'll do anything to avoid raising the stakes any higher.

Even r's are beginning to grumble about the first trillion, and we still have 2 to 3 times that to go before we finish cleaning up w's mess.

Intentionally inflaming the Middle East will do nothing but send the cost to American's higher and higher, in both blood and treasure.

I think that reality is beginning to sink into even the most ardent "gunslingers", or wanna be gunslingers.

[Rowdyboy]

20. Yes, Feingold could do it, but it would be VERY tough.....

Things would have to fall just right and with the BFEE running the govt, the "October Surprise" could be anything! I wish him luck because I sense a basic honesty in the man. He's very plain-spoken and comes across as a regular guy. I LIKE Feingold and would support him happily, even though he's more liberal than I. I believe in his integrity 100% and I respect his intelligence. There are DAMN few senators of either party I can say that about.

[Telly Savalas]

21. People who wouldn't vote for somebody because of anti-semitism

wouldn't vote for a Democrat to the left of Zell Miller anyway.

It's a moot issue.

[paul_fromatlanta]

23. Yes, but not Feingold. Leiberman would be my best

for having the best chance.

[Hippo_Tron]

38. Do you have evidence of that

Considering that Joementum did a wonderful job in the '04 primaries.

[paul_fromatlanta]

39. The question was about electing a Jewish President

Feingold is not, IMO, electable even if he gets the nomination while Lieberman would have a hard time getting the nomination but would be a strong general election candidate.

And no, I don't have evidence beyond my experience observing elections.

[Hippo_Tron]

40. So how is Lieberman more electable than Feingold?

Considering Lieberman's stunning record in national elections.

[Sugarcoated]

24. They're gonna attempt to smear the hell out of anyone we put up there

My feeling is we need to stop over thinking this and go with the right person. It's looking like it's the Repubs who have the bigger candidate conundrum. Let them over think, let us just for once, go with the person who would be right.

[Telly Savalas]

43. No. Feingold is the only Democrat they could possibly smear.

All other Democrats have perfect records, and since Republicans never lie about anything, this means such Democrats are immune to negative campaign ads.

Russ, on the other hand, is Jewish. Since anti-semitism is the cornerstone of political thought for those in the center and on the left, it's reasonable to assume that about 85% of potential Democratic voters would either vote Republican or stay home if Russ gets the candidacy.

If you want to get hung up on irrelevant details like Feingold's integrity, charisma, vision, and ability to appeal to voters in red areas, then be my guest. But expect to lose in 2008.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

25. I didn't even know/realize that he was Jewish.

Do Americans really care?

It just boggles my mind that it would actually affect voters' choices..

[Telly Savalas]

44. Most Americans don't care.

The few that do wouldn't vote Democratic anyway.

The main reason you're seeing such criticism of a Feingold candidacy is because in the absence of reasonable grounds for objecting to him, the anti-Russ crowd has to rely on this sort of thing to try to undercut his support.

[Vidar]

26. Lacks a a murderous bootlegging father, therefore won't be nominated.

[Le Taz Hot]

27. That won't be what brings him down

it will be the party bosses. If he avoids Iowa he MIGHT have a chance to stay around long enough so the people of New York and other more populous and more diverse states will actually get to have an input as to who the nominee is (CA is a distant dream at this point).

To address the OP: Subsequent posters are correct on this, people who wouldn't vote for him because he is Jewish or divorced wouldn't vote for him or any Democrat anyway.

[Vidar]

36. You're right. Feingold is too good of a man for those hypocrites.

[APPLE314]

28. They elected JFK and he was Catholic.

I voted for him. I was at sea (Navy) at the time and it was talked all over our ship that he was Catholic and a lot of the guys were against him because of that. It was all over the news at the time that he would never make it because he was Catholic. But, he got elected in spite of that.

And just for the record ---- Dubya, you ain't no JFK.

[Atman]

29. We'll drive off that bridge when we come to it

Ba-doom.

(sorry)

[SeaBob]

35. President

I think in todays America most people look at the person and hopefully his or her voting record. call ne pollyanna, but i think the only people who make a big deal out of religon are those with the brain the size of a pea and probably dont know how to spell religon. just one mans opinion