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Unity Among Democrats or Realignment?
2008-06-01 20:34:00 Despite all the protests seen from the most rabid Clinton supporters, most likely after the final primaries are over Hillary Clinton will realize that further fighting is futile and will accept a dignified settlement from the Obama campaign and begin unifying the party. To partisan Democrats that is the only rational outcome. To an independent such ...
By: Liberal Values
Clinton Is The One Dividing The Party
2008-05-12 01:37:00 Donkey Dish has a similar take as I have on the manner in which the Clinton campaign and supporters are dividing the Democratic Party by dismissing liberals, especially affluent white collar ones, as elites whose votes do not matter. They write: Grasping at straws as she continues to stay in the contentious Democratic race, Hillary Clinton ...
By: Liberal Values
Indiana Independents and Republicans May Decide Primary
2008-04-30 06:28:00 The Howey-Gauge Poll suggests that the Indiana Democratic primary will be decided by independents and Republicans as Democrats are evenly split, with independents favoring Obama and Republicans backing Clinton: There appears to be two kinds of Republicans: the “Obamacans” as the Illinois senator likes to call them - earnest Republicans deeply disappointed in their own party?s ...
By: Liberal Values
Voting Behavior and The Losing Candidate
2008-04-27 22:42:00 Megan McArdle and Arnold Kling consider voting behavior by Democrats should their candidate lose the nomination. Megan writes: Arnold thinks that as soon as the dust has settled, the party will unite behind the nominee. I would guess that this will be less true of a Hillary Clinton nomination than of a Barack Obama ...
By: Liberal Values
Obama More Electable As Appeals to Independents
2008-04-27 22:14:00 John Avlon, author of Independent Nation: How Centrism Can Change American Politics has an op-ed in The New York Post explaining why Obama is more electable that Clinton. (Hat tip to Joe Gandelman). It’s electability, stupid.That’s what Hillary Clinton and her surrogates have been spinning to super-delegates and anyone else who will listen since she lost ...
By: Liberal Values
Electability And The People Each Candidate Attracts
2008-04-25 02:32:00 Prior to the 2006 election the Democrats had been a minority part for quite a while. They often managed to come close in presidential elections and when out of power in Congress often only needed a handful of seats, but the Republicans edged them out most years. To become the majority party did not require ...
By: Liberal Values
Sen. Dodd Says Obama Will Attract Republicans and Independents
2008-04-06 22:14:00 During an appearance today on CNN?s ?Late Edition? program, Barack Obama supporter Chris Dodd made the case that Barack Obama?s lack of experience could help instead of hurt him in the general election.
2008Central.net Presidential Election Podcast (04/05/08)
2008-04-06 21:59:00 During this show, the gurus discuss the state of the race, the Clinton tax returns, Obama’s strategy in Penn., McCain strategy, a general election preview and much more…. Download audio file (2008PresidentialElectionPodcas-t_04_05_08.mp3) [Subscribe to 2008Central.net’s Presidential Election Podcast] Feel free to email us questions/suggestions for our next podcast (you can also email an audio file of your question ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "2008Central.net Presidential Election Podcast (04/05/08)", url: "http://2008central.net/2008/04-/06/2008centralnet-presidential--election-podcast-040508/" });
By: 2008 Central
W.Va. Dems Reaching Out to Independents
2008-04-01 13:14:00 For the first time, West Virginia's unaffiliated voters can cast ballots in either major party's primary on May 13.Following the GOP's lead, the state's majority party has opened their primary, and as The Associated Press' Tom Breen reports, "Democrats expect to draw a large share of those votes because of the close contest for the party's presidential nomination between U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama."As previously noted, "While Democrats still make up the largest share of voters in West Virginia, independents are steadily growing, with their numbers increasing at a higher rate than voters in either of the major parties," the article said.
Give It Up For Mike Bloomberg?
2008-03-27 14:30:00 He certainly knows how to keep his name in the news, as he is introducing Barack Obama today for an economic speech in NYC. I’m not expecting him to formally endorse, but he’d probably consider it if he were otherwise going to get ignored. Photo Credit: Flickr User Piano Lady SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Give It Up For Mike Bloomberg…", url: "http://2008central.net/2008/03-/27/give-it-up-for-mike-bloombe-rg/" });
By: 2008 Central
Hillary Clinton: Unhinged
2008-03-25 21:06:00 Hillary Clinton is unhinged. She is also very convincing and calculating, but not this time. Now Clinton is forced to retract her ‘misleading’ statement regarding the Bosnia sniper story. Boo hoo hoo………. Hildabeast is at it again. Desperate or not, this is so stupid and inane. How desperate is Clinton? For that matter, how desperate ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Hillary Clinton: Unhinged", url: "http://thehillchronicles.com/?-p=1697" });
Clinton vs McCain Would Not Be A Choice Worth Voting On
2008-03-23 07:56:00 Josh Marshall has posted a number of emails from supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton who say they will not vote for the other should they win the nomination. He has given this response to the question of not voting for the opposing candidate: Whichever you prefer, they’re actually very different candidates. What I ...
By: Liberal Values
Notes From The Rest Of The Campaign?
2008-03-18 08:10:00 Virtually all the coverage is focused on John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. So, what else is going on in Presidential Election land? Some notes… Politically irrelevant (and justifiably so) candidate, Daniel Imperato draws the ire of a librarian. Apparently, Imperato has been placing press releases framed as news stories in foreign ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Notes From The Rest Of The Campaign…", url: "http://2008central.net/2008/03-/18/notes-from-the-rest-of-the--campaign/" });
By: 2008 Central
Homeless Moderates and Nomadic Independents
2008-03-16 06:30:00 Imagine you are a middle-of-the-road or unaffiliated voter.You think abortion is morally wrong but should be legal at least in some situations, you have less sympathy for illegal immigrants even though you also realize most of them are otherwise law-abiding people, you want to resolve the Iraq situation quickly and without a rapid pullout, you would accept paying higher taxes if that's what it takes to balance the budget or fund social programs, you do not view the government as an enemy so long as it functions efficiently, you think religious groups have too much influence over the government even though you are religious yourself, you support entitlement reform, you support workers' rights and consumer protections, you strongly believe in personal accountability and condemn handouts, you don't care about identity politics, you think affirmative action should be based more on class rather than race and not be scrapped altogether, you respect the Second Amendment so long as it do...
By: The 7-10
The Impact of Tuesday?s Primaries
2008-03-06 01:25:00 With the strange ways that delegates are distributed, looking at various estimates from the media, bloggers, and the campaigns it looks like Clinton will probably net between four and ten delegates more than Obama in yesterday’s vote. This would be the only day in which there has been a vote that Clinton received more delegates ...
By: Liberal Values
The Impact of Tuesday?s Primaries
2008-03-06 01:25:00 With the strange ways that delegates are distributed, looking at various estimates from the media, bloggers, and the campaigns it looks like Clinton will probably net between four and ten delegates more than Obama in yesterday’s vote. This would be the only day in which there has been a vote that Clinton received more delegates ...
By: Liberal Values
Obama?s Record on Bipartisanship and Defending Liberal Principles
2008-03-02 21:36:00 David Igantius has bad timing with today’s op-ed. He accuses Obama of being thin with regards to being a bridge builder, taking a selective view of his record to support his premise. Today’s news provides one of many examples to contradict his argument as The Times of London reports on Obama’s plans to consider Republicans ...
By: Liberal Values
Clinton to Appear on SNL Tonight and other notes.
2008-03-02 03:54:00 Let’s hope she’s funnier than in the debates. Video will be posted as soon as it’s available. In other news: The Texas caucus has disaster written all over it. There needs to be some sort of permanent leaders in these from now on who know what they’re doing. It’s ridiculous to elect a chair and secretary every ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Clinton to Appear on SNL Tonight and other notes.", url: "http://2008central.net/2008/03-/01/clinton-to-appear-on-snl-to-night-and-other-notes/" });
By: 2008 Central
Bloomberg Officially Rules Out Run For President
2008-02-28 17:59:00 In an op-ed published in today’s New York Times, Mayor Mike Bloomberg officially rules out a run for president, writing: I listened carefully to those who encouraged me to run, but I am not ? and will not be ? a candidate for president. He ads some optimism about the remaining candidates and hints at the ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Bloomberg Officially Rules Out Run For President", url: "http://2008central.net/2008/02-/28/bloomberg-officially-rules--out-run-for-president/" });
By: 2008 Central
Will Independents Vote For McCain In Nov?
2008-02-28 05:17:00 The Economist predicts that independent voters will make all the difference in the 2008 presidential election. This could mean good news for John McCain since he is a Republican who is attractive to independents. Over the past decade or so, independents have been forced to act like either “soft” Republicans or “soft” Democrats—reluctant conscripts into one or other of America’s armies. But in this election the opposite is happening—more and more partisans are thinking and acting like independents. Polls show that at least two-thirds of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction. A Washington Post poll last year showed that 77% of voters would consider voting for an independent. By a chapter of accidents the Republicans have ended up with their one presidential candidate ideally suited to attracting independents. The party’s thumping in the 2006 mid-term election was almost entirely due to its waning fortunes among independent voters. Conserv...
Ralph Nader?s In, Obama And Clinton React?
2008-02-25 21:04:00 Yesterday, on Meet The Press, Ralph Nader announced his candidacy for president this election, saying: Let me put it in context, to make it a little more palatable to people who have closed minds. Twenty-four percent of the American people are satisfied with the state of the country, according to Gallup. That’s about the ...
By: 2008 Central
Who Is Picking the Democratic Nominee?
2008-02-25 03:12:00 I’ve already commented on one weak argument from the pro-Clinton blog, Talk Left, yesterday. There is yet anther related argument posted there. Jeralyn, like many other Clinton supporters, tries to make a case that it is bad that so many independents are supporting Obama. She quotes The Washington Times: [recent] polls showed Mr. Obama was leading ...
By: Liberal Values
After Losing Ten In A Row Clinton Tries To Change The Rules
2008-02-20 19:49:00 Obama beat Clinton in a landslide in Hawaii, making it ten in a row. Steve Benen is back at The Carpetbagger Report and looks at Clinton’s options. There is one more option left to add: change the rules. If this post was for the regular SciFi Friday feature I might note that part of the legend ...
By: Liberal Values
Triumph of The Independents, And of Reality Based Voters
2008-02-14 04:14:00 It is probably safe to say that John McCain will win the Republican nomination. While the Democratic nomination battle is certainly not over, the momentum is going in Obama’s direction. Assuming that these trends continue, the primary battles in each party can be seen as a triumph for the independents and the more reality based ...
By: Liberal Values
Independents: The Swing Vote in 2008
2008-02-05 03:08:00 PerryScope: Perry DiazRecently, the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) released its study, "California's Independent Voters" which showed that between the 1988 and 2004 presidential elections, "decline to state" -- or independent -- registration doubled from 9% to 17.7%. Conversely, Democratic registration for the same period fell from 50.4% to 43% and Republican registration fell from 38.6% to 34.7%. In terms of actual numbers, Democratic registration shrunk from 7.1 million in 1988 to 6.6 million today while Republican registration shrunk from 5.4 million to 5.2 million. On the other hand, the independents have grown from 1.3 million in 1988 to 3 million today and their share of the electorate has increased to 19.3% -- that's one out of five California voters.The PPIC survey showed that independents are politically "flexible." They can either vote Republican or Democrat. It also showed that 39% of independents considered themselves politically moderate while 31% consid...
Obama Defends Freedom of Choice in Health Care Reform
2008-02-01 23:45:00 Many on the left claim there is not much difference between Obama and Clinton’s policy views, but there are differences which explain why Obama has the support of many libertarians while Clinton never will. While I think it is an exaggeration to label Obama a left-libertarian as some have, there are significant differences between Obama ...
By: Liberal Values
Independents on Super Tuesday
2008-01-28 00:45:00 In the early primaries both Barack Obama and John McCain have benefited from votes from independents in states where they are allowed to vote in the party primaries. I’ve seen a number of articles claiming that they would lose this advantage as the upcoming primaries are closed, but not it appears this does not entirely ...
By: Liberal Values
Independents to Help Pick Nominees on Super Tuesday
2008-01-27 20:58:00 More than half the states holding presidential contests next month on Super Tuesday allow unaffiliated voters to participate, giving millions of independents a chance to shape what is usually an insider affair among Democratic and Republican loyalists. Two of those states - California and New Jersey - together have nearly 6 million unaffiliated voters who will be allowed to cast ballots. Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts and Alabama are among other prized catches with millions of independents eligible for the Feb. 5 contests. The open voting is widely considered to benefit Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain, who have fared well among independents in recent polls and primaries. It also is reflected in Obama's words, from his outreach to Republican voters to his recent credit to Ronald Reagan in the context of elections that represent shifts in political direction. "Obama's trying to do two things at once. On the one hand, energize the liberal base, but a...
Why Is Bloomberg Not Considered In Electability Scenarios?
2008-01-24 01:17:00 Mike Bloomberg has dropped hints of running as someone who can fix bipartisan bickering and get things done. He gave a major economic speech in Washington today. People are more than happy to cover what Bloomberg is doing. But no one, and I mean no one, looks at Bloomberg in the context of election scenarios. He’s ...
By: 2008 Central
Bloomberg Talks Economy In California; Takes Additional Steps Toward Run, M
2008-01-22 17:47:00 Mike Bloomberg, who continues to deny that he will run for president, visited the electoral college rich state of California this past weekend to discuss the economy. Appearing with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Bloomberg announced the creation of a nonpartisan coalition, focused on infrastructure projects across the US, called ...
By: 2008 Central
Last Day to Register to Vote in California - All Voters, Independents and G
2008-01-22 07:09:00 For those that have yet to register to vote OR would like to change their party affiliation, voter registration should be post marked no later than January 22, 2008. You can download and complete a voter registration form here. Voter registrations must be sent to your local county recorder’s office. You can find their address ...
By: What's Going On
Independents and Democrats less than 1/2 of what they were in 2004
2008-01-16 14:34:00 The biggest difference in Michigan is that Independents and Democrats stayed away from the GOP primary even as the Democrats effectively had no race. Voter turnout (likely pushed by snowstorms) was incredibly weak and likely had the most effect on those who were not as committed to any particular candidate. The crosstabs from some of the polling seemed to be back asswards with how the exit polling came out. Romney actually won every age range except those over 60, when cross tabs suggested that over 60 was his strength. Also the amount of Independents and Democrats were significantly higher then the polls were suggesting, even as they were significantly lower than they had been in the past. In what has to be the biggest shocker of the exit polling... those who cited electability chose Romney by 53%. That means one of two things: 1) Michigan voters were smoking crack instead of looking at the polls that show Romney being crushed by any Democrat this side of Dennis Kucinich... or...
By: Coldheartedtruth
Bad news for McCain(Updated)
2008-01-09 03:10:00 Last night I asked the question, can McCain and Obama both win in Hew Hampshire since they are both depending on Independents for a win? This may be a bad sign for McCain:New Hampshire Turnout 'Absolutely Huge' ABC News' Karen Travers Reports: New Hampshire Deputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan told ABC News that turnout among primary voters today is "absolutely huge" -- and there are concerns about running out of ballots in towns like Portsmouth, Keene, Hudson and Pelham."Turnout is absolutely huge and towns are starting to get concerned that they may not have enough ballots," Scanlan said. "We are working on those issues. Everything else seems to be going smoothly."Scanlan said that the Secretary of State's office is sending additional ballots to Portsmouth and Keene (traditionally Democratic strongholds), Hudson (Republican leaning with significant numbers of independents) and Pelham (large number of independents).According to Scanlan, the ballot strain seems to be on Democr...
Granite State Blues (and Reds...and Independents) - 1.8.08 Editorial Budget
2008-01-08 18:38:00 In case you haven't noticed, it's Primary Day in New Hampshire. You know what that means - half of half of the people in tiny, insignificant state are currently deciding who the next president is going to be. Ain't democracy grand? Homepage featured stories- Walt Mossberg is very, very excited to be at CES (Wall Street Journal)- Put on a coat and go find a nice doctor to marry before you watch this video about Jewish mothers (Expanded Books)- Sweet lord, will this Presidential campaign never end? (CBS News)- McDonald's to take on Starbucks. In related news, Arby's to take on the snack bar in the front of Target (WCBS - New York)- Gay men can no longer donate organs in Canada. That's right - Canada. Where you gonna flee now, hippy? (CBC News) Editor's Picks- New Hampshire Primary - Evan, Senior Editor
The Power of Independents
2008-01-08 17:56:00 Yesterday’s primary in New Hampshire – a state with one of the highest percentages of independent voters – was a prime example of the unpredictable and often decisive impact of swing voters. While conventional wisdom predicted that New Hampshire’s independent streak would mean victory for the bipartisan-minded Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton secured a narrow victory in the Democratic race. On the other side, Senator John McCain, known for his “maverick” status within the Republican party, easily bested the other GOP candidates. The results, which leave both races uncertain, suggest that the eventual nominees and the next president will be decided by swing voters in the middle of the political spectrum.
Bipartisan Forum Meets Without Feared Third Party Campaign
2008-01-08 16:38:00 There have been numerous reports on yesterday’s bipartisan meeting at the University of Oklahoma, including on NPR’s Morning Edition, the New York Times, and the New York Daily News. Despite all the vitriol addressed towards this meeting by partisans on both sides, the sun still rose today despite this meeting. The media, always overly expressed with ...
By: Liberal Values
Michael Bloomberg, Centrist Democrat?
2008-01-06 19:28:00 The New York Times looks at Michael Bloomberg’s views and find that he falls right in the middle. Middle of the Democratic Party that is. Many have gone ballistic over the upcoming bipartisan meeting have centered their attacks on a straw man argument that then are all supporters of a mushy center position on all ...
By: Liberal Values
New Hampshire Independents
2008-01-06 16:54:00 You’ve already heard it a hundred times if you watch TV, but here it is again, New Hampshire has more voters registered as Independent than either Democrats or Republicans. What will that mean in the upcoming election? It will probably mean a real freedom of choice for the residents of The Granite State. For the ...
By: Daily Nonsense
Don?t Listen To The Moderates
2008-01-05 23:21:00 “Don’t even think of listening to what those centrists have to say” is the message which keeps coming from parts of the blogosphere. I continue to be amazed by vitriol expressed regarding the upcoming meeting which includes Michael Bloomberg and a number of both Democrats and Republicans. Via The Carpetbagger Report I read of ...
By: Liberal Values
Independents Embrace Liberal Values to Propel Obama to Victory
2008-01-04 22:02:00 Obama’s victory has been described as a victory for independents, but he also won narrowly among Democratic voters. His support among Democrats also appears falsely low as many of the independents would probably be registered Democrats if they lived in states which did not allow participation by independents. To a considerable degree, Obama’s victory was ...
By: Liberal Values
Ron Paul Wins Independents
2008-01-04 06:20:00 Andrew Sullivan points out that these are the people you need on your side to win a national election. The Christian evangelical base can make you shine in Iowa as it did for Pat Robertson in 1988, but it cannot deliver a general election. A much, MUCH broader coalition is needed for that, and (forgive the pun) Huckabee hasn't got a prayer.
The Nature of Independents
2008-01-04 03:18:00 If Obama wins the Democratic caucus as many polls suggest, or if John McCain has a decent day, the pundits might designate independents as tonight’s big winner. There has been a lot of talk in the blogosphere today about independents–most of it unfavorably. What is also rather contradictory is that on the one hand many ...
By: Liberal Values
Elite VIP Courtesans: Pearl Elite Independents
2008-01-03 22:25:00 Pearl Elite Independents (PEI) is a unique concept. It is a professional association of independent companions who hold high standards and wish to establish these standards as the norm. Pearl Elite International is an association of elite independent travel, dinner, and sports companions dedicated to providing the highest quality luxury companionship available. They have formed this association to elevate standards in the profession, and to ensure that they remain high. Their members are exquisite in every way. They have been carefully selected from among thousands around the world for their beauty, personality, comportment, presentation, selectiveness, and good name in the professional companionship world. All have a minimum booking time of at least three hours, most have minimums of several hours, and are available to travel to you. Many have advanced degrees and high-level education. All are familiar with and adhere to the strictest standards of modern etiquette, not the least of...
S&R Independent/3rd party straw poll results
2008-01-03 20:56:00 We?ve completed our latest S&R election reader poll, and here are the results. 1: Sam ?Dr. Slammy? Smith, Independent (14) 2: Cynthia McKinney, Green (10) - Ralph Nader, Independent (10) 4: Cris Ericson, Marijuana (3) - Gloria LaRiva, Peace & Freedom (3) - Other independent or 3rd party candidate (3) 7: George Phillies, Libertarian (2) 8: Brian Moore, Socialist USA (1) - Wayne Allyn Root, Libertarian (1) Candidates receiving zero votes: Gene Amondson, Prohibition Orion Karl Daley, Balanced Charles Jay, Personal Choice Our new poll, up now in the column to the right, asks S&R readers to identify what they see as the most important issue of the 2008 presidential election cycle.
Bloomberg Criticizes Potential Opponents
2008-01-03 17:53:00 Despite his denials of plans to run for president as an independent, Michael Bloomberg sounded like he was campaigning against his potential opponents in a press conference yesterday: With unusually dismissive language, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg offered tart assessments of his potential presidential rivals at a news conference on Wednesday, suggesting they are offering meaningless bromides ...
By: Liberal Values
Building A Democratic Big Tent
2008-01-02 01:46:00 Big Tent Democrat has done the math and calculated that, assuming that the numbers from the final Des Moines Register poll are accurate, a majority of Obama’s support comes from non-Democrats. The poll shows Obama with a comfortable lead based upon their predictions of who will attend the caucus. They found that among those likely ...
By: Liberal Values
Quote of the Day
2008-01-01 07:00:00 “Given the North Carolina Democrat?s rhetoric and agenda, an Edwards Presidency would likely rip the nation apart ? even further apart than Bush has torn it.” –Stuart Rothenberg, The Rothenberg Political Report Maybe not. The most likely result of John Edwards being elected president in 2008 will be the landslide election of a Republican Congress in 2110, ...
By: Liberal Values
Paul Krugman Misses His Own Answer To His Question
2007-12-31 08:18:00 Paul Krugman has asked a question he did not believe there was an answer to and then, without realizing it, answered it twice. At his blog he links to Chris Bowers’ dismissive post at Open Left on the contemplated presidential run by Michael Bloomberg and then asks, “Seriously, why does anyone think this makes sense? ...
By: Liberal Values
New York Times Provides Further Information on Potential Independent Campai
2007-12-31 05:54:00 The New York Times reports further on the Michael Bloomberg’s possible bid to run for president. They report that a decision won’t be made until February but a bipartisan group is “positioning themselves so that if the mayor declares his candidacy, a turnkey campaign infrastructure will virtually be in place.” The Times reports: On Sunday, ...
By: Liberal Values
Liberal Hostility To Bipartisanship
2007-12-30 19:09:00 Earlier I commented on the report of Michael Bloomberg meeting with members of both parties to consider alternatives to our current hyper-polarization. Most expect this to lead to a third party candidacy by Michael Bloomberg. While I would need to see the actual positions that this group takes before deciding upon support, I see something ...
By: Liberal Values
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