A Feast of Friends

[H2O Man]

I will support the democratic nominee for president in 2008. There have been a couple of threads on DU:GD-P that have briefly mentioned concerns some folks have with different candidates, so I shall not focus on the "negatives." Here is a list of some positive qualities that I like about each of them.

{1} Senator Joe Biden: I think that he offers a good plan for ending the US war of occupation in Iraq. The truth is that, as LBJ found out, the country cannot fund a "great society" when it is investing its money and youth in this type of war. Also, Senator Biden has been on target on issues involving Pakistan.

{2} Senator Hillary Clinton: I liked her work on the Watergate committee. I also think her opposition to the NYRI power line, which was a project involving one of Karl Rove’s close friends from upstate NY, shows that she is an advocate for the environment.

{3} Senator Chris Dodd: In the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations, then-Representative Dodd added to the HSCA’s conclusions that he was "convinced that the preponderance of the evidence …. That a gunman fired from the grassy knoll." I am impressed by a politician who will step outside of the "group" in order to tell the truth.

{4} John Edwards: The former senator offers our nation the passion that RFK expressed in his 10-22-66 address at the Berkley campus, University of California: "… We dissent from all these structures – of technology and of society itself – which strip from the individual the dignity and warmth of sharing in the common tasks of his community and his country."

{5} Rep. Dennis Kucinich: He offers an alternative to the madness that people have been programmed to accept. As James Douglas Morrison wrote in "An American Prayer": "Did you know that freedom exists in a school book …. We’re trying for something that’s already found us."

{6} Senator Barack Obama: Much like Edwards reminds us of RFK, Senator Obama holds the promise of JFK in 1960. He understands the Power of Ideas, and has the ability to repair the severe damage that the Bush-Cheney administration has done to our nation’s image.

{7} Gov. Bill Richardson: He has a wide range of experience and accomplishments that show he would be a very capable president.

I think that democrats have a strong group of candidates to chose from. On the other hand, the republicans are having to select the least damaged candidate from the weakest field since at least 1964.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. Kick And Happy New Year

~

[H2O Man]

4. Happy New Year. n/t

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. Well-done watermeister

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I hope for the best for y'all down there,

what happens down there affects us

Hope we don't hafta come down there and burn ur WH again!

[H2O Man]

5. I'm confident

that the democratic party will do well in November '08. It is going to take a long time to repair the damage that the Bush-Cheney administration has done to this country, and internationally. It will take a cooperative effort -- which is a main reason I would prefer democrats consider different tactics for deciding the primaries than the vicious attacks.

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. I hope your confidence is not misplaced

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and that the Dems rise above the mud-slinging tactics

It will take many years to undo what the Bush gang has done

I wonder if I'll live long enough to see the USA as a respected nation again

[H2O Man]

13. Any democratic administration

will have to spend its full two terms doing the hard work needed to repair the structural damage that Bush and Cheney have done to the foundation of our democracy. It's no easy task.

One of my best friends moved from NJ to Toronto, years ago. He travels internationally. He has told me that it is difficult to appreciate the amount of dislike and distrust for the USA these days.

[H2O Man]

3. I think that

without an attack on a candidate, threads like this sink like a rock. Gracious!

Earlier today, due to weather, I had a limited choice of channels on DirecTV. Thus, I watched Fox News. The mannequins and womannequins that deliver the news were talking about a 4th grader who is working as a journalist. Apparently Chelsea Clinton had refused an interview. The Fox crew acted like Chelsea had channeled a young Mike Tyson, and the girl had been crushed, and required emergency surgery and a lifetime of therapy.

At mid-morning, they interviewed the little girl live. It was a mistake on their part. When they pressed her to say she had at least been disappointed, she said no, that Chelsea Clinton had been really nice to her.

I wish more DUers took the approach that 4th grader took.

[JeffR]

7. Much of the political, ahem, discourse here recently is way below

4th grade level. Thanks for a great post.

[JeffR]

6. Fifth rec

and if I'd read this sooner in the day, I wouldn't be in such a crappy mood right now.:)

[H2O Man]

8. I'm going to try

to not say anything bad about any of the democratic candidates in '08. That shouldn't be hard, because I really like them all.

[JeffR]

9. It's a strong and diverse field of candidates

though I wish the "second tier" were the top tier, generally.

[H2O Man]

10. I think that

Richardson, Biden, or Dodd would defeat any republican in the general election. I consider each of them to be not only qualified to be president, but more, they are capable of beginning to repair the damage the Bush administration has done to the foundation of our democracy.

[JeffR]

12. Agreed

[mzmolly]

14. Lovely!

I think that democrats have a strong group of candidates to chose from. On the other hand, the republicans are having to select the least damaged candidate from the weakest field since at least 1964.

And, isn't it fantastic?! I've also noticed a bit more rancor on the part of Republican Primary Candidates than I have in the past. Gotta say, I'm not hatin' it. ;)

Off to enjoy an evening of Chinese food and family flicks. Happy New Year my friend. :hi:

[H2O Man]

15. Happy New Year! n/t

[Catherine Vincent]

16. I'm with you, Patrick!

I will support whomever wins the nomination.

:kick:

[H2O Man]

17. Let's hope

that they select Mr. Fitzgerald for Attorney General.

[brer cat]

18. That would be so nice!

Thanks for a very positive post. I'm ignoring most these days.

Happy New Year, H20 Man!

Recommend.

[H2O Man]

21. Thank you.

And a Happy New Year to you and yours!

[Catherine Vincent]

19. That would be splendid!

[H2O Man]

22. Will ....

I think there is a good chance it will happen. And it will be splendid, indeed.

[NanceGreggs]

20. Amen - and then some, my friend!

:kick: and REC'd!!!

[H2O Man]

29. Thanks!

And a Happy New Year to you and yours!

[NanceGreggs]

30. Right back at ya!

:hug:

[bleever]

23. Happy New Year!

I have high hopes that at this time next year, we'll be three weeks away from a Democratic president.

No matter which candidate it is, it's going to be like the sun coming out again after eight years of growing darkness.

Thanks for shining your light, H20 Man.

:toast:

[H2O Man]

28. I think that

a lot of us will be playing one of George's great songs, "Here Comes the Sun."

[bleever]

32. Some of us

on vinyl. ;)

[Patsy Stone]

34. Hey there, DUer!

Happy almost New Year!

:toast:

[bleever]

35. Happy New Year to another person

who makes DU and the world better.

:toast:

:hi:

[Patsy Stone]

36. Me?

No, you!

(Thanks!)

:hi:

[bleever]

38. This isn't the time for this argument.

Still: You.

We're all going to have a better country, again, in 2008.

(And thanks for all the energy and intelligence you bring.)

[Horse with no Name]

24. Happy New Year waterman!

While I respectively disagree with some of the points...I applaud the effort that you were able to pick out some fine character points of each candidate.:toast:

[H2O Man]

26. I often

disagree with myself, so I can appreciate when others do, as well.

Happy New Year to you and yours!

[Horse with no Name]

31. Thanks!

and another :kick:

[Sparkly]

25. That's a great post!

Best thing about this election: NO MORE W!!! I can't wait to be free of that asshat pretending he's our president.

And that's the best thing I can say about the Republican candidates -- they aren't George W. Bush. They don't have the blank slates to draw a fictitious image on.

I'll be there to support whoever our nominee is! :toast:

[H2O Man]

27. Bush and Cheney

leaving Washington, DC, will be a special day for the United States of America and the world. We will still have our work cut out for us, even if there are big victories in both the executive and legislative branches. But that day will be one to remember.

[Patsy Stone]

33. Thanks, H2O Man

Sometimes we need to be reminded how fortunate we are to have such a talented group representing us. Personally, I'd be fine with any of them. But what I really can't wait to see is George and Laura hittin' the road, never to return.

Here's to you, H2O Man for what you do. I'm looking forward to sharing the new year with you. And to my fellow DUers in this thread and all of the others on this ride, a happy, healthy 2008!

:toast:

[H2O Man]

39. Thank you.

This will be an interesting year. We have an opportunity to work towards resolving some of the many problems that are dividing the human family. This year provides us with options that we will never have again.

Happy New Year!

[eridani]

37. Are the Repubs even holding a presidential campaign?

Looks a lot more like a traveling insane asylum to me.

[H2O Man]

40. The republican candidates

seem not to reflect everything that is wrong in America -- Bush and Cheney do that -- but rather they show what could keep our country from working to repair the damage done in the past 7 years.

As flawed as each of them are, the republican machine is still a powerfully destructive force, and cannot be taken for granted.

[Flabbergasted]

41. kick

[FlyingSquirrel]

42. A kick...

and a hope that no one will be complacent as a result of the final sentence.

The best team doesn't always win.