Handicapping Iowa (part 2)

I see the site is back up. I tried to check in last night and got an interesting HTML error. I thought, “Ah, Adam’s fighting with the elves again.”

My feminist leanings tell me I should be voting for Hillary; but Hillary just gives me too much of the feeling that she thinks we should vote for her because it’s her turn. This is the attitude that turned me off the Democratic candidate in the last California gubernatorial election. This isn’t something you get a “turn” at.

And I’ve had a strong feeling that I should vote for Obama; and I still like him. His major plus is that he isn’t an insider; he’ll give us a fresh point of view. Also he appears occasionally actually to use the brain he was born with. But he’s starting to waffle too much, and sound too much like everybody else. His position on health care assumes he can stick to the existing system and yet still offer affordable coverage to everybody, and it ain’t a-gonna work that way; the insurance companies will simply refuse to sell coverage.

So after following up this link, which Anonymous David posted on my site last night, and reading the articles on Obama and Edwards, I find myself leaning once again toward - John Edwards. Whose populist, progressive positions I’ve always agreed with. Who is the only one of the “front four” honest about single-payer health insurance. But I’ve always said Edwards couldn’t possibly win; and I’m SO tired of voting for someone I liked and then finding I’ve just split the Dem vote and let in the other guy. (To be honest, Jesus Christ couldn’t have won the 1980 election against Reagan - or at least, I don’t think so. But I still regret that vote for Anderson.)

The ultimate dilemma, of course, is that the U.S. presidency is much too important a position to allow it to go to someone who wants it badly enough to campaign for it…

Well, it’s a toasty 25 degrees and 50 mph winds here. Iowa is being blown up to me whether I want it or not.
The part of me that wants to feel some connection with the candidate (the little bits of a person that allowed Schrub to get elected by those craaazy Republicans and independents) loves to listen to Edwards and look at Obama. If I read what Hillary says, I like her too. Anyway, I’m with Hedera, but I’ll take anyone of these three Nehi’s (remember, that was Radar’s favorite too, and he was from Iowa) over whatever it is that gets nominated by those fun lovin’, whacky Republicans.
P.S. Do not mix Cherry flavored Diet 7-up with rum. Icky.

Whatever happened to Mr. Pibb, man?

Happy New Year to one and all!

Yeah, Boomer, and NPR just called for Obama. The times they are a-changin’.

Am I the only person who finds it frustrating that this country treats the presidential race exactly like a sports event, where the competition is all the ¨fun¨ and the object is just to win? I have heard ten times more stories about strategies and polls and the contest itself than about candidate positions on actual issues. When a team wins the Superbowl, that´s it, they won, it´s over. Last I checked, the point of being elected president was not to be elected president, it was to make a positive change in this country and the world. The election should just be a means to that end, and the campaign a means to that means.

IMGO (in my grumpy opinion).

Dale, you’re not alone in your frustration, and not necessarily grumpy (or alone in your grumpiness). Rather, you seem to be looking for actual substinence from the candidates and fourth estate as opposed to finger-food.

The results of the Iowa caucuses tonight seem to indicate that (at least in Iowa) the average Democratic voter is more interested in electing someone who does not have the appearance of supporting the status quo (unlike the Republic voters who apparently are trying to maintain their strangle hold status quo).

That said, Am I the only one who finds it frustrating that nobody else has invoked Fanta soda as a metapor?

No? Oh…then nevermind……

You’re definitely not alone, Dale.

Make that an RC Cola and a Moonpie, cooper. In my case, also make that a drop-trow moonpie for Cheney, his sidekick Bush, and that fundie goof Huckabee, and for that matter the entire Republican national machine, which I think of as our Godzilla, but without any of Godzilla’s redeeming qualities.

Also, Thank Lobster FA is back up! That was a rough couple of days.

Fanta? Fresca? I know what they are (I think), but it is hard for me to imagine them as a metaphor for anything, but maybe that’s the point. They seem like something until you discover there’s nothing there but bubbly water and fake sugar. They are nutrition-devoid diet sodas, aren’t they? Oh, I think I just babbled my way into getting it.

Oh, and another thing…

Hillary’s biggest message lately seems to be: you need a candidate who has the experience, who is “ready to be president day 1″. You don’t want to take a leap of faith, etc. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I do believe her husband (while having more background than Bush in terms of int’l awareness at least) was also viewed as someone with not much relevant experience (only been gov of a small state), someone much like what she’s portraying Obama to be, and he turned out (in my opinion at least) to be a pretty darn good president.

Does that irony never occur to her or her campaign? Or does she just assume (like most politicians) that the voters have a very short memory?

Though I make my so-called living as a writer, my vocabulary cannot adequately express the joy of being a registered NH voter on this particular morning. To say I’m giddy at the outcomes of the Iowa Caucus is a massive understatement. Oh, are we going to have fun here in the Granite State over the next 4 days!

And then, after hanging on our every twitch, nod, handclap, shudder, smirk, and shrug, the press and staffers and volunteers and vote-seekers will depart for warmer climes and leave us alone in our mountains of snow and suck up to other folk. And it’s about time. For us, this presidential campaign started the day after Inauguration Day.

Ann, I think the fair answer is, “No. No one can explain it.”

I’m a fellow flat-lander, one state over, and I’ve never been able to understand why the first few primaries have such an impact on the outcome of the overall race. I never understood why Howard Dean dropped out in 2004 after Iowa. He had a huge following here in Illinois and although he may never have won the nomination he certainly could have influenced the debate on the Democratic side if he had stayed in through the end.

Mind you, I’ve got nothing against the Hawkeye State. I’ve run 4 or 5 Dam to Dam races over there in that Des Moines in my day, so I kinda like the place. But no one state, or handful of states, oughta have that kind of impact on the nomination process. ‘Course, I like me some Obama … but that’s a whole ‘nother matter.

Happy Birthday, Sharon! It sounds like you and I are about the same age. I don’t remember HST as President, but he was serving when I arrived in this world.

As to Iowa/New Hampshire, it isn’t particularly fair to the rest of us. I did like Dodd, and now I won’t be able to caucus for him here in Washington. Mind you, there isn’t a Democrat candidate that I would feel uncomfortable voting for come November. But I sure would have liked to have my say in the selection process.

PhDale, I think that would have to be Kucinich. Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale is vegan, right? Ann?

Margaret, enjoy the circus while it’s in town.

Happy Birthday, Sharon. I’m one of the last of the ‘49ers myself. It’s good to be nearing retirement.

Hey, wf. Actually, I’m somewhat satisfied with the Democratic candidates, though I’m with Zee Man - Dodd should not have been culled so quickly. But, then again he’s got important work to do in the Senate, keeping the telecoms’ feet to the fire as far as the wiretapping immunity goes.

WF, I’d be willing to bet that you are a lot more unhappy with your choices than we in the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party are with ours. At least we have one guy who was smart enough to see through the smoke and mirrors about Iraq, and tough enough to vote against a war of aggression which, as I understand it, is considered a war crime by the rest of the civilized world.

Love the Ale-8-One, Dave (I was born in Covington, Kentucky, although I was never a resident - mother returned there for my birth because she knew and trusted the doctor who delivered me - in a blizzard). I would like to suggest Squirt as a contender in this choose-a-soda political metaphor-off http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirt
but I beg to differ with Wikipedia on one important point. It was my Uncle Jack Schwartz who originally suggested the name for precisely the reason attributed to the founder of the company. My sources are my mother and my Aunt Mildred. Unfortunately, none of my sources is still alive, so I can’t use them for verification, but I am going to ask my cousin Jackie. I really do remember being told this as a child, and am seriously considering correcting Wikipedia on this point, although I might have to concede that only the founder could actually name the soda. But Uncle Jack came up with the name.

Also, Happy Birthday, Sharon, you youngster, you. FDR was elected to his third term two years before my birth. I remember Harry Truman, and I remember the day the Korean War ended.

Happy Birthday Sharon. Depending on when you read this, it might be my birthday as well, January 5th during the second Eisenhower administration. I’m hoping that there is a different winner every time for the next couple of primaries. That might keep it competitive long enough for the upper left hand corner (assuming a north up, west to the left map) to make a difference.

Jay

Links, if I’m not mistaken I was born right about the time the Phillies got swept.

Why, I remember it like it was yesterday…. the pitch from Ford, swung on and popped up by Seminick, Berra’s under it, and it’s over folks, the Yankees are the 1950 World’s Champions, sweeping the Philadelphia Whiz Kids in a four game series….

Well, I made that up. But it’s close to reality.

Oh thank Lobster there are a few people here older than I. The boys came home from Korea the year I was born (and I highly recommend “The Coldest Winter” for a great read about that war.) So happy birthday to Sharon and Just Jay.

Obama gives a damn fine speech. His victory speech on Thursday night had me shouting “Amen!” even though I’m not a big fan of his. I can third or fourth what hedera said above. I really liked Dodd, but I’m glad he’ll be in the Senate fighting for us. So Edwards is my choice now, and it really frosts my cookies that Kucinich told his Iowa supporters to swing over to Obama if they were at less than 15%, when Edwards more clearly aligns with him politically. I’m not sure what that was all about but he lost a lot of respect from me with that move.

And in other important choices, it’s a toss-up between Vernor’s Ginger Ale and Faygo Rock-n-Rye. Guess it all depends on where you were raised.

Happy Birthday. JJ!

Re “carbonated prune juice”–hey! Some of us like prune juice! Having been born and raised a few miles from the primary DP bottling plant in Dallas, I had the stuff in my blood for many years. I’ve cut back–as I have on all soda–but I still enjoy an ice-cold bottle of DP now and then, especially when I go back home to visit.

Dave VE,

Thanks for providing the link to the Ale-8-One website. I was particularly amused by the (unintended?) irony of the camouflage cap emblazoned with the screamingly loud company logo advertised in the company store.

Oh, c’mon. Old, schmold. If you know what they say about life beginning in the mid-40’s. Or is it 50’s? I dunno.

Alls I know is, the music I listened to in college was called “punk rock” back then; it’s “classic rock” today. Sigh.

But it puts me in mind of my fav-o-rite Clash song:

From every dingy basement
On every dingy street
I hear every dragging hand clap
Over every dragging beat

It’s just the beat of time,
The beat that must go on
If you’ve been tryin’ for years
We’ve already heard your song …

‘Course, that was, like, 30 years ago.

“Death or Glory,” indeed, my friends.

Yeah, David … only now it’s, um, never trust anybody over 70 …. Or something like that.