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[Bruzilla]

So Larry... if you wouldn't vote for Bush, who would you vote for?

Do people really vote for people because they are charismatic? Is this a "chick" thing? Speaking for only one male here, I would never vote for someone because they are charismatic, and it makes me ill to say this, because they do "adorable" things on TV. Is this just me? How about it guys... would you overlook some politician's faults because they are charismatic?

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by Bruzilla
So Larry... if you wouldn't vote for Bush, who would you vote for?

Do people really vote for people because they are charismatic? Is this a "chick" thing? Speaking for only one male here, I would never vote for someone because they are charismatic, and it makes me ill to say this, because they do "adorable" things on TV. Is this just me? How about it guys... would you overlook some politician's faults because they are charismatic?

Not only no, but Hell No. "Charisma" means nothing to me at all with regard to politicians.

 

[Larry Gude]

Comments...

...ST...

Now, one minute you care about the difference, the next...

No, they were equally in the toilet.

there is none.

Sr. was a lump on a log publicly.

Bru,

I voted for Alan. He is the only one, any party, who has offered up THE solution to campaign finance, to wit:

If it can't vote it cannot donate. Bye bye Unions. Bye bye corporations. Go appeal to the people, as you should. If a voter donates, they can do so until the cows come home but it MUST be disclosed immediately.

Also, he is the only one to say explicitly that the WTO, World Court etc cannot bind the US as it is un-Constitutional for the US to be bound by any treaty outside the political process of the US. W is doing good on this (Kyoto, START II(?)).

Also, idiotic stuff like 'profiling'. Would he be mad if he was motoring along in his cool ride, gold chains and designer sweats and pulled over by John Law because he fit a profile?

Paraphrase: "No. I would have a problem with those who create the profile, criminals. How can we expect law enforcement to thrw common sense and experience out the window when trying to do their job?'

Alan stands very firmly for common sense, experience and for right, against wrong. I can find little fault with the guys public policies.

Had Clinton or either Bush stood for these things I'd support them all I could.

As it is, I am with Dick Morris on W: He is one of the greatest Presidents we have ever had in terms of leadership. That is, by the way, the job, leadership.

 

[SmallTown]

Re: Comments...

Originally posted by Larry Gude
...ST...

Now, one minute you care about the difference, the next...
there is none.

I never said anything before about clinton's education record as governor, so yes, it is hard to draw a comparison when none was made.

 

[Bertha Venation]

Can't spend much time here today but in a quick perusal of comments I see I might've been misunderstood. I didn't vote for Bill Clinton because of his charismatic personality. Take another look at my comments for clarification.

 

[Bruzilla]

You're quite right Bertha, and I stand corrected. What you said, and Vrai echoed, is that charismatic candidates get your attention and then their policies either make them attractive to you (in your case) or turn them off to you (as in Vrai's case.) Is this a more correct reading of your comments?

The reason that I'm locking onto this subject is that I've heard a lot about women who voted for Clinton over Bush Sr. and Dole not because of policy or past history, but because of charisma. I mean, what did Clinton ever do for women during his first term except for protect abortion? He was an acknowledged womanizer on a level with Sen. Bob Packwood, yet women voted for him in droves and the conventional wisdom was that Clinton cared more about women's and children's issues than Bush or Dole, even though Clinton hadn't delivered on anything he had promised. So why were Soccer Moms so willing to hitch their horse to Clinton's wagon? Charisma?

Maybe I'm cynical, but I look at all the flag waving, fist pumping, and sax playing of any candidate as a lot of popularist BS. Same goes for wearing plaid shirts, riding motorcycles, and all other "I'm Just a Regular Guy" nonsense politicians use. I never saw Clinton, or Bush, or Dean, or anyone else as charismatic. I saw them as hucksters and I wanted to get past the "aw shucks" crap and find out what they stand for.

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by Bruzilla

Maybe I'm cynical, but I look at all the flag waving, fist pumping, and sax playing of any candidate as a lot of popularist BS. Same goes for wearing plaid shirts, riding motorcycles, and all other "I'm Just a Regular Guy" nonsense politicians use.

I about fell out of my chair the other day when I saw a picture of Bush from (I think) his quantico trip... Holding a baby in his arms and giving it a kiss.

But we like to have people who have the look (key word: look) like they are in control... Clinton had that. Dubya... Well... He was pretty much a lug until the "We're going to kick a$$" speech he gave after 9/11. Just watching him walk towards the podium, we saw a man on a mission. This lasted for awhile, and now he's back to his usual self.
Some have "it", some don't.

 

[Larry Gude]

So, why would...

...the current President of the US's record as a governor be of any interest to you...

As we have discussed on many occasions, education is a very important aspect that too many politicians talk about, but rarely focus on.

...and yet a rather obvious and educational comparison, the previous POTUS and his education record as a governor, is of no interest?

Both Southern. Both 2 terms. Both profoundly wrong about the impact of the Federal government in terms of local schooling.

I guess we could discuss W in a vacuum but the issue boils down to choosing. Clinton gets hailed as being very smart and very educated. W as being a dim bulb who skipped everything but 'party 101' yet he outperformed the 'smart' guy in the manner you brought up as a guage, national ranking.

Maybe you could cut me some slack and see how I would have been confused into thinking you wanted to discuss W and education?

 

[SmallTown]

Actually Larry, I was looking into Bush's record because all I heard during the campaign was how he was the "education candidate", and for me that was the biggest pro for Bush. I looked up his record as an example of people looking at past records when they vote. I was going to point out his good record as governor as an explanation of why people would vote for Bush. Much to my dismay I found his record wasn't nearly what the media claimed it to be. Damn liberal media not giving us all the facts again.

But if you think Bush outdid Clinton, you might want to read the news articles that were mentioned to see just how Texas was able to "up" their scores. Sounds a lot like the maneuvers clinton used to show us we had a strong economy.
Damn politicians.

 

[Bruzilla]

Damn politicans is right!!! Without reading the articles I would guess that Texas used the same tricks that the administrators here in Maryland use to get the test scores up.

What gets me is todays headlines are no different on social matters than they were in 1992...

"Disparagies between white and black schools..."
"Blacks still feel effects of discrimination..."
"Teachers still not making enough money..."
"Schools are falling apart..."
"Welfare families need more help..."
"Record numbers of unwed mothers..."
"Black student test scores still suck..."
"AIDS still a threat..."
"The Middle East still a disaster..."
"N. Korea with nuclear arms..."

For a president who was supposed to have been looking out for Joe and Jane Six Pack, and had such a great tenure as POTUS and accomplished soooooo much, it sure doesn't look like much has changed.