This poll is far too early to predict who will be the Democratic Party's choice to run against Mr. Bush in 2004. But it will be interesting to see which of 9 candidates is gathering popularity. Please post why you like the person you picked and try not to bash the others listed.

(Apologies to non-American members, since this is country specific. Feel free to choose a candidate if you like and state why as well!)

Mark

I chose Howard Dean.

It could be said that it is because I live in Vermont and he's my boy. But that is not always so. Some Vermonters do not like him very much.

I like his views on Civil Unions, balancing the budget, health care and his thoughts about the Iraq War.

He appears to be gaining lots of money and support and raised the most money in the 2nd quarter this year with an average contribution of around $112.00. He also raised twice as much money as a recent Cheney fundraiser over a weekend. Cheney raised just over $250,000 at $2,000 a head and Dean raised over $500,000 at $53.00 a head. That's fundraising.

He sometimes appears stiff on TV and can be abrasive at times, but I think he will smooth his message, given time.

http://www.deanforamerica.com/

Mark

[edit] Typos

[ 08-12-2003, 06:21 AM: Message edited by: skywalker ]

Amen, Skywalker, go Dean! Attalus tells me he hope Dean wins, so it will shore up the Presidency for Bush, though. ;) For me, I think Bush is a two-termer no matte what, so I'd like to see Dean shake the cobwebs out of the Democratic party. Even the environmentalists in VT are hard-pressed to complain about him -- their strongest slander is he was "pro-business" -- well, thank God, so are we all, if we want jobs. If you can be pro-business and still come out with your nose clean on enviro issues, you are my man.

I hear his health care reform ideas are very good, too. I'd love to see a Doctor get his hands on the HMO/Hospital oligopoly industry. [img]graemlins/biglaugh.gif[/img]

But, Lieberman will win. *ballon pops* Sorry. :(

Dean in a Wrangle with the Democratic Leadership Council:

DLC | New Dem Daily | May 19, 2003
DLC To Dems: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Anyone who doubted Al From and Bruce Reed's warning in their memo last week about the dangers of Democratic presidential candidates speaking only to party activists should take a look at Saturday's AFSCME candidate forum in Iowa.

Democratic pollster Celinda Lake hooked up 30 union members to dial meters to measure the intensity of their favorable reaction to the seven candidates who appeared. (Sens. Joe Lieberman and John Kerry were present only by video, and were not "dialed.")

The results speak for themselves, and show why we've never been big fans of focus groups, which encourage politicians to tell audiences exactly what they want to hear: According to the Des Moines Register, Kucinich was first with a score of 78 on a scale of 1 to 100. Sharpton was second with 76. Gephardt was third with 75. Dean was fourth with 73. Edwards was fifth with 69. Graham and Mosley-Braun trailed with 66 each.

Call it a psychic flash, but we somehow doubt this will be the order of finish at the Democratic Convention in Boston in July of 2004.

Unfortunately, party nominating caucuses are a lot like focus groups, with their tendency to put pandering first. And like the Iowa AFSCME audience, they reflect views that are vastly different from those of rank-and-file Democrats around the country, not to mention the Independents who often dominate not only general elections but even primaries.

As From and Reed wrote in their memo: "Democrats who champion the mainstream values, national pride, and economic aspirations of middle-class and working people are the real soul of the Democratic Party, not activists and interest groups with narrow agendas."

The campaign of Gov. Howard Dean took great umbrage at this memo, urging supporters to "annoy the DLC" at the same time it was denouncing us for being "divisive." As The New Republic pointed out, the whole episode only underscored our point. In the past, we sometimes praised Gov. Dean's record in Vermont. If he were running for president the way he governed, we would be praising him now. But you don't have to be a centrist to grow weary of a campaign so quick to attack others' views and scream foul whenever others challenge its own.

Every time Gov. Dean suggests that unlike his opponents, he represents the "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party," he's being divisive. Every time he denounces his opponents as "Bush Lite" and suggests that only a Republican would support education reform or stand up for America's interests in the world, he's being divisive. And ironically, he's doing this in a transparent effort to appeal to the same fringe activists who used to do the same holier-than-thou number on him in Vermont.

We hope other candidates will have the courage to tell the American people what they need to hear, not simply promise activists what they want to hear. We don't need a focus group to know they call it the beaten path for a reason.
__________________________________________________ ___
Dean's response:

Monday May 19, 2003
By: Communications Office

DLC Owes An Apology to 1.3 Million Members of AFSCME (May 19, 2003)

"Once again, the DLC has chosen to put their own political agenda ahead of the progress needed to unite the Democratic Party. This election has barely begun, and the DLC has repeatedly dismissed people who attend caucuses, who get out the vote, and now the 1.3 million members of AFSCME as 'fringe activists' who do not reflect 'the mainstream values, national pride and the economic aspirations of middle-class and working people.'


"The DLC staff can say what they want about me, but they owe an apology to the 1.3 million members of AFSCME. Our teachers, our health care workers, and our state and local public servants don't need a lesson from Washington insiders about the needs and concerns of middle- and working-class families. What they need is a Democratic Party that will stand up for them."

I guess it is a bit too early for this poll ;)

Mark

God help us if Bush gets in again!

If Perot runs then I'm hoping for a Dean\Clinton ticket. They would make it in with 47% of the vote. Have you seen Bush's latest poll numbers? The post-war slide is starting.

I do agree with TL though. It there is any justice in the world Bush will be a two term president. 4 years in the White House and 40 years in federal penn ;)

Well based on my "pet" issue, Medical Marijuana, I chose Kucinitch:

http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v03/n1207/a03.htm?134

Although I wonder what made him come "full circle" on the issue, facts or needing all the votes he can get.

In reality, I don't know enough about the candidates yet to make any real informed opinion.

[ 08-13-2003, 11:57 PM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]

Go with Dean, Chewie, he may not make mary-j legal, but at least VT has the good sense to barely enforce it (from what I know). ;)

However, I predict Lieberman.

I wonder if Clinton can run for VP????? Hmmm.... I'll check the Constitutional Amendments tomorrow and see. [img]graemlins/1ponder.gif[/img]

Yeah, Dean would be my early second choice. He may not be down with medical chronic, but his stand on other issues, like war in Iraq, is appealing to me. Still too early though and I dont know enough to make a firm commitment.

I would love Bill Clinton as V.P. if only that it would make conservative talk radio a sheer joy to listen to! :D

[ 08-14-2003, 12:53 AM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]