2+2 Presidential Primaries

[Poofler]

Six quick polls. Please only answer if the affiliation descriptions in the title fits you. The first four polls are matchups, the latter two are comprehensive candidate fields. If you are AC, don't believe in voting, or never vote for the big two parties, scroll to the bottom.

[Moneyline]

Are you asking who we prefer, or who we would vote for?

For example, I am a registered independent. In the Clinton vs. Edwards question, I suppose I would prefer Edwards. However, if it came to a vote between the two, I would abstain.

EDIT: I would not, however, abstain from voting entirely.

[Poofler]

Who you would prefer to represent the party in the general election.

[Moneyline]

Poker is the dominant issue for me, so I picked Gingrich from the general field because I'm guessing he'd be the least likely of all the candidates to attempt to ban it.

I picked McCain over Giuliani because Guiliani seems the most likely to want to sign poker legislation into law given how he governed NYC. That vote is not an endorsement for McCain, because I am deeply troubled by his intention to increase American involvement in Iraq.

For the Dems I prefer Gore because I think he's the most likely to take positive steps on global warming and not escalate the Iraq war. However, I wouldn't support him over Gingrich if he came out in favor of further poker legislation.

[Poofler]

Right, those probable matchups are very much a "lesser of two evils" for many people. Like for instance: I dislike Kerry, but in the 2004 elections I was still supporting him just to get rid of Bush, and voted that way.

[peritonlogon]

That was the precise reason(getting rid of Bush) I did not support Kerry in the '04 primary, despite what every other New Hampshire voter was saying in the news.

I think Kucinich would have had a better chance to beat Bush.

[Poofler]

Yeah I didn't support Kerry in the primaries either. I thought Edwards and Clark had a better shot at Bush. Clark specifically. Once Kerry was the nominee, I had to bite the bullet and support him.

[goofball]

I voted:

Clinton
Gore
Obama
Obama

[peritonlogon]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah I didn't support Kerry in the primaries either. I thought Edwards and Clark had a better shot at Bush. Clark specifically. Once Kerry was the nominee, I had to bite the bullet and support him.

[/ QUOTE ]

The question that boggled my mind then, and has boggled my mind ever since, is how did people come to believe that Kerry was the "most electable" candidate? The notion popped up and it was never really questioned in a meaningful way. It really proved to me that if there's one thing Democrat's have no clue about it is what other people are thinking (I think this explains their reliance on polling). Almost Democrat I talked to said garbage like, "well, I like Dean (insert any candiate) but I don't think he has a chance in the general, so I voted for Kerry." And "well I'd vote for Kucinich but in the general, but I don't think anyone else would." Instead they picked the only candidate that could not, on his merrits or personality, get voters to vote against their party and did not exite the Democratic base....genius.

[Poofler]

I'm going to be very interested to see if the moral right screws the Republicans over this year in that same fashion. I think Giuliani or McCain eats any Democrat for breakfast. Time to donate to Romney and Brownback!