This is only my second election—I’ll let you know in a couple of weeks.
Technically, my last vote lost, but I chose by flipping a dime…so it’s FDR’s fault, there.
I’ve never voted for the winning candidate.
Obama probably would have paid me big money to stay home.
1988 - Bush
1992 - Bush
1996 - Dole
2000 - Bush
2004 - Bush
2008 - McCain
3 for 5 so far.
Anytime a Democrat won since 1978. So … I picked the winner all of twice.
1980 - Anderson (L)
1984 - Reagan (W) - God forgive me!
1988 - Dukakis (L)
1992 - Clinton (W)
1996 - Clinton (W)
2000 - Gore (L)
2004 - Kerry (L)
2008 - Obama (?)
Going waaay back…
1964-Johnson
1968-Nixon
1972-Nixon
1976-Ford
1980-Reagan
1984-Reagan
1988-Bush
1992-Bush
1996-Clinton
2000-Bush
2004-Kerry
2008? I’m thinking writing in Giuliani and Lieberman
Yes, I know; I’m politically harmless.
I’m fascinated by the number of people who voted for Ralph Nader. Granted, it’s a small sample, but I’m shocked. I just assumed most votes for him were done by accident.
I mean, Ralph Nader was a principled man who did a lot for consumer safety, but the guy is about as suited to be the President of the United States as he is to be the starting center for the Boston Celtics. Do people actually think “that guy would make a great President”?
The people I have known that have voted for him say they do it to protest the two-party system, not because they think he’ll actually win or make a good president. I think it’s rather futile since throwing away your vote every four years isn’t much of a statement. If you want to change things you need to spend more time working on it than once every four years.
2004 - Kerry
0-1
2004: Registration wasn’t turned in by the people at the voter-registration booth at college orientation
2008: Obama (?)
Exciting stuff, I know. If it helps, I picked a loser in the mayoral election this year, and I’m probably going to pick a loser for the Congressional seat–the Duncan Hunter name goes a long way around these parts, and the far more honorable Mike Lumpkin has a dirt-broke campaign with no name recognition.
As for the primary, I was a member of the Green Party on Super Tuesday, and I voted for Nader.
If you’re really a Libertarian (big or small L), please consider that voting for Democrats in general and Barack Obama in particular is the quickest and most efficient way to begin reversing the trend of losing our civil liberties. With his approval of the controversial FISA bill that actually limited the government’s ability to spy on its citizens, and his entire voting record, Barack Obama has demonstrated a dedication to civil liberties that transcends politics. The (unfortunate, if you’d prefer Barr) fact is that either Barack Obama or John McCain is going to be President come January, and you and I both know this. As a former Green Party member, I am all for supporting minor-party candidates, but our country is in a crisis right now and it’s far more important for us to take immediate steps toward ending the GOP’s massively destructive reign. I wouldn’t have blamed you in 2004 (not knowing then what we know now), but this election is just so important.
Sorry, I had to say my piece.
My record exactly
It may be an byproduct of the electoral college system. I cast my vote for Nader in Texas, where a Bush win was a foregone conclusion. He had “my” electoral vote no matter how I voted, so… why not?
I have never voted and never plan to.
That way if I choose the fuck-up and he wins by one vote I can sleep at night.
I’m just along for the ride.
1980 – Carter (L)
1984 – Mondale (L)
1988 – Moving to Georgia; failed to register in time
1992 – Clinton (W)
1996 – Clinton (W)
2000 – Gore (L*)
2004 – Kerry (L**)
2008 – Obama
I live in a Republican county in a Republican state – but, things might be different this year.
When it comes to the primary, when I’ve voted, it tends not to be the nominee (e.g., Bob Kerrey in 1992; John Edwards in 2008).
- Stolen
** Questionable
This seems a bit hard to swallow, coming after a line of Republicans all the way. Is he really “anybody but Obama”, or is it just that he’s the Republican candidate? You would have voted for Clinton or Edwards if one of them had won the nomination?
1984-Reagan (W)
1988-Bush (W)
1992-Clinton (W)
1996-Clinton (W)
2000-Gore (L)
2004-Kerry (L)
2008-Obama (?)
So I’ll either be 5-2 or 4-3 by electoral collage results
and 6-1 or 5-2 by popular vote.
1996 - Clinton
2000 - Nader
2004 - Kerry
2008 - Obama
So if Obama wins next week, I’ll be .5! But man the other .5 was PAINFUL!