Hillary. Obama. Others - I was thinking today about all this....

[The Straight Story]

I had just sat down to eat a Hungry Man XXL Backyard BBQ meal. While it was cooling I was having a smoke, drinking Diet Mt. Dew, and thinking of how nice those beers in the fridge were going to taste later. I was also reading DU.

And then it me. Creeping along like a caterpillar at first, and then like in a cartoon a big mallet came out and smacked me on the head.

I don't care if Obama is black. Or if Hillary is a woman. Or is Wes Clark is white.

I don't care how they grew up, what stupid or smart things they did in their youth.

I care about what their plan is. It does not matter jack about the rest of things, if someone can give me a good plan that is progressive and will make this country better they got my vote.

Of course one must always consider the swing voters. I have known many over the years, repubs who voted for JFK and Dems who voted for Reagan. And then there is Ahhnold in CA. How the hell did he win? He had an electable personality that got the swingers to vote his way.

All the idealism and plans don't mean jack if people simply do not like you. Yeah, it sucks. But there is plenty of evidence for it all around us.

We are a nation based a lot around entertainment. If you don't have the Charisma and the other person does, you lose. If you both lack it things can go either way. Bill Clinton had it, and some might argue that Obama has little experience but so did Bill really in the big scheme of things.

Look at ole Dennis K here in Ohio. That guy is so progressive he makes me look like a bush boot licker. If he and Obama mated their offspring would win two terms easily. People can handle 'kooks' as they see them, as long as they got charisma.

So who then in our party has it? Sure they may not pass our progressive 100% test but then JFK probably couldn't either. But man, he had looks and charm. You either hated him or loved him, people just weren't in the middle. Swing voters we either committed for or against.

If Brad Pitt ran as a dem, he would probably win because the dems would vote party line and the swing voters would vote on charisma.

No matter who we choose most all die hard dems will vote their party. Same with repugs.

We will argue for the next year+ here on DU about which candidate is best, and even if our favorite loses we are voting the party line mostly. We will tear em all apart piece by piece until a leader is chosen.

But who will the rest of the country want to vote for? Their is no anybody but bush this time around.

We wanna win? We have to think about who others would most likely vote for. The non-Du people out there we see at work each day or at the store.

When people are looking for the next American Idol to vote for, idealism is not the first thing on their mind. Damned sad but all too true.

Each candidate has their own charisma, who has the most though?

I guess the media will decide....

[illinoisprogressive]

1. Illinois is 2 states and the southern part is the south yet in 04

The white good old boys down there loved Obama. He seems to draw in everyone. This is why I think he can win. His color doesn't seem to be a factor and people of all walks of life like this guy. He can get the indies, the swing and some republicans. I've heard some repubs who have said they support Obama because they like his message and what he offers. They want change too.
There just are not many dems who attract people from all walks of life.
And if you can get the republican good old boys of the south excited about Obama, then why can't he win?

[The Straight Story]

5. Especially if you tell them:

Hey, he will be YOUR employee. Make em think they got the power ;)
:rofl:

[aquart]

2. Takes a lotta charisma to charm people out of money.

[waiting for hope]

3. I believe Edwards has it....

That's charisma...

On Edit:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

6. I agree with his charisma -- will his agenda be

progressive enough? :shrug:

[The Straight Story]

7. The question is:

Would we rather have a little bit progressive person with charisma run or a super progressive without any charisma run?

Swing voters ain't voting on policy a lot of the time :)

My mom voted mostly republican - but not always. Her brother was a dem she would vote for, and she voted JFK. She also voted Reagan, but not bush.

Most people don't spend all day and night on DU and debating issues, and just are not aware enough. So they vote on something other than we do. If they like you, they vote for you - does not matter as much about party to a lot of folks.

[waiting for hope]

8. I think so -

He's dedicated to helping the underprivileged - he's hired on Kate Michelman (former long time president of NARAL) to assist with Women's issue and he'll be smart enough to surround himself with people dedicated to taking this country forward in a progressive manner. I was hoping he'd get the nomination in '04 - I think it would have been a totally different race.

[havocmom]

4. Nail, hammer, WHACK!

K & R

[Nite Owl]

9. Obama probably does best in

the charisma camp. When he speaks people smile, I've seen it happen. I think he gives hope, makes people feel that things will be ok again. These have been a depressing 6 years and not just for those who are involved in politics--the news of the war, the constant corruption, the meanness. He has a sense of humor too, people like that. I'm not committed yet but I think he could pull it off.