2004 Elections: Democratic Party Contenders

It was especially significant because they were members of the renowned Sayeret Matkal elite unit of commandos - a unit that enjoys particularly high respect among the population.

Also, of course, the fact that this is the third time in a row that a group of soldiers has declared to refuse to fight in the occupied territories any longer. The last time it was a group of pilots that refused to do any more air attacks on the Palestine areas.

Furthermore, the retired general Danny Rothschild, who used to command the troops on the West Bank, has expressed his support for the dissidents. They have now united, it seems, in a group called "The Courage to Refuse".

All very interesting. These are hardly the ever-softie "Peace Now" folks - this is a whole new thing ...

I'm having trouble determining whether this statement is smart-alecky or just plain ignorant.

Were you serious or were you joking?

Considering the source.....

On second thought, never mind, McG.

Let's try to get back on topic (again).

Newsweek gives Lieberman the bad news -- the crocodile tears over the Gore endorsement are helping him no longer. Poll conducted 12/18-19. MoE 6%. (12/11-12 results in parenthesis) From Polling Report:

Dean 26 (24)
Don't Know 20 (14)
Clark 15 (12)
Lieberman 7 (12)
Sharpton 7 (5)
Kerry 6 (5)
Gephardt 5 (10)
Edwards 5 (5)
Braun 1 (3)
Kucinich 1 (2)

Clark, as predicted for some time, is emerging as the ABD candidate.

and I see my main man still on the bottom, how could this happen?

That's okay, dys, nobody will ever beat you in a trivia game. :wink:

I would like to see Kucinich win the nomination. I think Dean is capable of defeating Bush. Ifear Kerry or Gephart will get the nomination.

Ehmmm ... there's yet a newer poll in ... (they just wont stop, huh?), this one by ABC/WaPo - numbers compared to just a week ago:

Dean 31% (20%)
Gephardt 9% (6%)
Lieberman 8% (12%)
Kerry 8% (7%)
Clark 7% (7%)
Edwards 5% (2%)
Sharpton 4% (7)
CMB 4% (3%)
Kucinich 2% (2%)
Other / None / Wouldnt Vote / No Opinion 21% (34%)

Guess my earlier theory about the choice thinning out to just Dean, Clark and Lieberman goes out the window again ... the only thing thats clear is that Dean is still way on top - Saddam capture or no Saddam capture.

Oh, and according to the same poll:

Bush Vs Democrat
Bush 51% (48%)
Democrat 41% (47%)

Bush Vs Dean
Bush 56% (53%)
Dean 38% (39%)

Just a quick item of note: So far I've only seen/herad TV or radio ads from Dean, Kerry and Lieberman here in the greater Boston area. Since most of southern NH (where most of their population is) gets a majority of their TV from Boston it doesn't look like the others are even trying so a respectable showing in the NH primaries.

For some of the candidates that's expected. For others it seems odd...

ABD is anybody but Dean?

I am seeing so much mean-spiritedness from each of the candidates. Instead of attacking each other, or Bush, where is the statesmanship that is above all of that and puts forth positions and ideas as if the presenter were above the fray?

Dys, I could cosy up to Kucinich if he would at least talk about free trade. He is so closed on that issue. I can talk about and discuss the fringe issues of free trade, but he will not even talk about it. And immigration. Whew, is that a huge issue or what? I can talk around and about that issue for hours and wonder where I am and what I believe.

I had the same problem (as Kucinch) with Ralph Nader four years ago. The guy is brilliant. Have you ever heard him talk? Especially in a forum...he is awesome. But he is uncompromising. You cannot run this country if you are unwilling to talk to and talk with opposing views. I bow down to statesmen. But even statesmen must confer from their on-high positions with those who are the down-and-dirty politicos.

I read so much nonsense every day. I have no real brief for Dean. I am not sure he has the spine to be prez. But I was outraged when his statement that 'We are not safer now that Saddam is gone 'was attacked over and over again. We are indeed not safer, and anyone who posits that is in cloud-cuckoo land. His opponents are using this to make him out soft on defense. What absolute rot.

What are views here on Hilary Clinton? What hope has Gephart? Is the problem with the Dems that they have no strong, almost fanatically radical, support wing as the Repubs do with the right-wing religio-fervents?

If Dean isn't telling the truth about our security, I wonder why we're on "HIGH" alert status? Can't anybody think any more?

You said it c.i.

It's early
Kucinich, my pick, is just too truthful and way to left. His msg. is being ignored because it is to foreign. He has spoken about Free Trade, saying the NAFTA and any variations along with the WTO should be abolished.

It seems that Dean will get the nomination. When will we know or sure?

The Dems are making a huge mistake by the infighting. The Neocons will fight furiously once a candidate is chosen. This is going to be a down and dirty election. I am in the Green Party but will vote for any Dem. this time. I will probably get drunk which is rare for me, if they don't win. Then I will sober up and probably work on moving to another country if that is still allowed.

Much ado about nothing.

The Dems will unite behind their candidate -- whoever that may be -- and oust the Squatter-in-Chief in November.

A Merry Christmas to all (and a merrier one next year, even for the right-wing fringe. It will be good medicine for our Republic that they will no longer be in charge of it).

I'm with pistoff; the infighting is going to screw things up for the dems. The fickle characteristic of the party just goes to show they have no agenda. Who in their right mind is going to vote for any candidate that degrades their own party, then all of a sudden have a "change of heart?" I'd say about ten percent. bye, bye, dems..... However, HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A HAPPY, HEALTHY, NEW YEAR FOR ALL! c.i.

I am still hopeful that after the primaries are over, democrats will come together and the eventual nominee (probably Dean) can win.

...However, I am troubled by the virulence of the attacks on Dean and the potential effect on supporters of the defeated dems and on undecided voters.

I also fear that several of the disappointed dems will give only a perfunctory endorsement of the nominee and them retire to the sidelines and sit on their hands.

IMO Lieberman in particular is likely to do this. In fact I think Lieberman is capable of witholding even a perfunctory endorsement if the nominee is Dean.

Kerry has mortgaged half of his home, $6.5 million, to stay in the race. If he made that kind of decision as president, he'd be making Bush like decisions.

brand X exactly

Agreed: If he is not responsible in his own financial management, we can't expect him to be responsible with other people's money. ;(