Are you really ready for all this?

[Blue_Roses]

Sure it's a rhetorical question and once this head cold of mine is cleared up, I'm sure I will feel differently. I hope.

I don't know if it's Bush fatigue after all these years, or what, but I just don't have the momentum right now to think about who I want as the nominee. I've always been one to jump out of the starting gate, with hair a blazing, but for some reason I just can't muster the energy to get excited and this definitely should be one of the most exciting times--the time when we can actually see a Democratic President sitting in the White House in two years.

The last six years with Bush has worn me out. Usually, when an election cycle rolls around, I have energy to spare, but because we have to constantly have our "alert" buttons on with this administration, I'm just not feeling it. Then to throw in the many candidates we have running and wow, somebody just pick one for me:crazy: Wouldn't it be nice if it was that easy.

All the candidates running bring something interesting to the table:

Bill Richardson--great knowledge and experience with diplomacy...

Barack Obama--fresh face with awesome ideas...

John Edwards--fights for the "little people" and has a wonderful wife who would make a great first lady...

Hillary Clinton--experience in the political arena...

Kucinich--innovative ...

Joe Biden--experience and good "gabber"...

Dodd, Vilsack--don't know enough about them yet to respond.

And then of course there are the "cons" with each one of these candidates. I'm just not ready to go there this morning. (head cold and all:eyes:)

It seems that we threw so much into the last two elections and it HAS paid off, but damn, I don't ever remember feeling this kind of "political fatigue" when I worked with the Dukakis (tells my age) Clinton and Kerry campaigns. The energy was over-whelming. I was so pumped watching the last Democratic primary debates and would stay up for hours afterwards discussing here the "who's" and "what's" of each candidate. It just seemed that the playing field was more level.

Maybe this boils down to Hillary throwing her hat in the ring--even though I saw it coming. I've been a Bill Clinton supporter from day one. Just to hear him talk always gave me hope. Even when I was mad as hell at him, I still supported him and knew he was right for this country. But now, I just don't know if I want to go through more of the same. I saw a clip of Jerry Falwell talking to a reporter and he said, "as a group, the Christian right will mobilize against Hillary the way they did against Kerry, gay-marriage, and abortion and they will win." Well, Mr. Falwell, we'll see, however, the sentiment of fighting you --well, right back at ya.

Fighting the same issues just gets so old and I guess that's my problem. I was fighting for abortion rights twenty years ago and we still have to fight this. Enough. This shouldn't even be an issue. When will we be past this old mentality and when we will FINALLY embrace the fact that times have changed. We have moved forward with technology, so why do we still stay stuck in those same old burned-out philosophies and prejudices?

I know I will get my head back in the game, (probably when the head cold is gone) but for today, I just want to rant.

:rant:

[vote 4 democracy]

1. I'm not even thinking about it until Gore announces . . . one way or another. n/t

[Blue_Roses]

2. I don't look for him to run.

[Justitia]

3. I'm kinda w/you. I don't have the stomach for the primaries just yet.

The last ones were a real bruiser, we had so much at stake.

Now we have a (slim) majority and I don't want to kill the momentum via the circular firing squad.

I feel the same way about the Clintons, I loved Bill for the intangibles he brought to our party and got pissed with him over policy that always seemed to disappoint me. I don't want to have to defend Hillary (but, as a Dem, I will) because I think she presents the same policy problems w/out the benefit of the intangibles.

I'm jazzed about our opportunities in Congress and all our new Dem mbrs and I'd rather focus on that over the primaries - I'm not ready for them either.

[Blue_Roses]

4. the "defending" is exhausting

and for the same issues.

[Nite Owl]

5. I know what you mean

I want at this point to sit back and watch what Congress does, we just had a momentous election. It just seems so early to be thinking of '08, maybe after a few debates I can decide but not now. I like quite a few of the candidates but which one would be best? I don't have a clue right now.

[peacetalksforall]

6. I never go overboard early - I observe. I've already observed Gore

and I approve wholeheartedly. So, I try to put myself in the shoes of the candidates and where else to gain some tidbits of feedback than on DU (make that tidbits relative to the big money feedback they need which might be miles and miles separated from us given my lack of knowledge about DU readership and involvement). If I were a candidate I would probably be using DU to measure and gain. So, I don't mind what's going on.

Stars rise and dip.
Some stars start slow.
Some come out of the gate rising.
And then -
blip boom bah
the DLC decides.

Watch the DLC, folks. Compare what they say and do relative to what you know to be the truth coming out of the States.

Right now, I hope they decide for Gore and that we speak out about the DLC.

I'd like to read a good piece of writing that presents their defense to all our claims here and on other forums.

Remember, loss of energy from a cold can cross over to loss of energy about interests.

[crispini]

7. It's early, and also, even if you don't have energy, others do.

Rest, take care of yourself, take a break from DU. Do some yardwork or something you like that restores yourself. You'll have more energy soon.

I do think, though, you're right -- it takes a connection. I am working hard right now gambling on that 5% chance we'll be able to convince Al Gore to run ... I know it's a longshot but I just can't help myself. If/when he definitely decides to sit this one out, I'll be pretty deflated for awhile myself.

You do what you can, when you can. :hug:

[Blue_Roses]

8. I have to say, after reading this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=12472&mesg_id=12472

head cold or not...:bounce:

[crispini]

9. hahahahahaha.

does do your heart good, doesn't it? :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Heh