Last night there was a Democratic social hour on one of the commercial media networks that involved the two REMAINING Democratic candidates. It seems like only last month that there were seven Democratic candidates for President. Wait! It WAS only last month that there were seven candidates! WTF???!!! Is it possible that, with only four states having participated in an “official” caucus or primary that one of the two remaining candidates has already secured enough delegates to have the nomination within reach? Let’s look (Needed to secure the nomination: 2025)
CNN DELEGATE COUNT (actual vote counts only):
Clinton: 49
Edwards: 26
Obama: 63
CNN DELEGATE COUNT (including Super Delegates):
Clinton: 232
Edwards: 62
Obama: 158
Hmmm sure doesn’t seem like anybody has a lock on the nomination yet does it? So why drop out this early in the process? Can you say “SHOW ME THE MONEY!”? In years past candidates have had time between January and June to visit a couple of states each week, meet more voters and raise more money to help get their message out. However, thanks in great part to the growing American attitude of “I want it all and I want it now,” and fed by the commercial media’s desire to “move the story”; by February 5th over half of the states will have held their caucus or primary - with 22 states holding events on that one day! The impact of this condensed calendar on good candidates who are not “sponsored” by some big money interest or another is that they cannot effectively compete for the voter’s attention and are forced to drop out of the race as early as the votes can be counted in just one state.
And so, before I wake up on Washington State’s Caucus Day, Saturday, February 9th, I am left with a choice between a US Senator who voted for the invasion and the continuing occupation of Iraq and a US Senator who spoke out in opposition to the invasion of Iraq (when he knew he would not be saddled with a pesky vote) but, since his election, has voted for every dollar requested to continue the ongoing occupation of that country. My choice is between two US Senators who haven’t met a “Free Trade” deal that they didn’t like. My choice is between two US Senators who voted to build a fence between the United States and Mexico. My choice is between two US Senators who were not present to cast their vote for or against recent FISA legislation or the confirmation of Michael Mukasey as US Attorney General (who couldn’t say if waterboarding is torture). My choice is between a US Senator who voted FOR the Kyl-LIEbeman amendment declaring Iran to be a terrorist state or a US Senator who didn’t even show up for the vote (a problem that seems to have preceded his days in the US Senate.)
And so, because my “choice” is NO CHOICE I will be voting accordingly.
Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue
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