If your Democrat of choice loses the nominee; will you vote for the other?

[Pithy_Moniker]

I’m an Obama supporter but if Clinton gets the nomination, I will vote for her. Not that it matters, I’m in a deeply red state that has no chance of going blue in my lifetime.

[BobLibDem]

If Hillary wins the nomination, I’m voting for Nader. I can stomach four years of McCain (I figure the old fart would never run for a second term) more than eight years of The Cackler.

[What_Exit]

@BobLibDem

If Hillary wins the nomination, I’m voting for Nader. I can stomach four years of McCain (I figure the old fart would never run for a second term) more than eight years of The Cackler.

Aren’t you a liberal democrat? You do realize that McCain will appoint more conservative judges. Despite the fact that overall he will probably make a better President than Hillary, don’t you think that issue alone is worth choking down your bile and voting for the Cackler?

Please believe me, I am hoping for Obama to pull this off and then beats McCain, but should Clinton win even by underhanded means, I will still have to vote against McCain. If I could vote for Kerry/Edwards in 2004, I can vote for Clinton in 2008. I really disliked Kerry & I hate Edwards.

Of course I still have a bit of guilt for voting Nader in 2000.

Jim

[Gangster_Octopus]

Clintonin my mind just did the unforgivable and now I can’t vote for her no matter what. She basically said McCain was more qualified than Obama. I don’t care if it’s true, you DO NOT prop up the opposing parties candidate at the expense of your rival. To me it is just evidence that she doen’t care about the party at all.

[Fretful_Porpentine]

Yes, I’d happily vote for either (or both) of them.

[BarnOwl]

@Gangster Octopus

Clintonin my mind just did the unforgivable and now I can’t vote for her no matter what. She basically said McCain was more qualified than Obama. I don’t care if it’s true, you DO NOT prop up the opposing parties candidate at the expense of your rival. To me it is just evidence that she doesn’t care about the party at all.

Nor the country. IMHO, Hillary’s pathologically ambitious.

A monster, perhaps?

[BwanaBob]

Independent chiming in.

Obama/Clinton over McCain/?
Clinton/Obama over McCain/?

but

McGain/? over Obama/Edwards
McGain/? over Clinton/Edwards

[Knorf]

@levdrakon

I don’t think it’s a straw man unless I’m making up a position which hasn’t been stated, and people have said if Obama loses (i.e. Hillary wins) they won’t vote.

The straw man is saying that people are not wanting to vote for Clinton only because they’re crybabies who didn’t get their way, without acknowledging the concrete and legitimate concerns they have raised about her as a candidate.

[Guinastasia]

@E. Thorp

Whoever I have to vote for to get the Republicans out of the Executive Branch for awhile, that’s who I’ll vote for.

What he (or she) said. I’d prefer Obama, but if Hillary wins, I’m voting for her. No way I’m voting red.

[levdrakon]

@Knorf

The straw man is saying that people are not wanting to vote for Clinton only because they’re crybabies who didn’t get their way, without acknowledging the concrete and legitimate concerns they have raised about her as a candidate.

The onus is not on me to divine their well though out arguments when all they say is they’ll stay home if Hillary gets the nom.

[Gangster_Octopus]

I found this commentary by Andrew Sulivan interesting (just one man’s opinion of course):

The Clinton Rules

What I think this misses are the cultural and social consequences of beating Obama (or McCain) this way. I don’t mean beating Obama because the Clintons’ message is more persuasive, or because the Clintons’ healthcare plan is better, or because she has a better approach to Iraq. I mean: beating him by a barrage of petty attacks, by impugning his clear ability to be commander-in-chief, by toying with questions about his “Muslim past”, by subtle invocation of the race card, by intermittent reliance on gender identity politics, by taking faux offense to keep the news cycle busy (“shame on you, Barack Obama!”) and so on. If the Clintons beat Obama this way, I have a simple prediction. It will mean a mass flight from the process. It will alter the political consciousness of an entire generation of young voters - against any positive interaction with the political process for the foreseeable future. I’m not sure that Washington yet understands the risk the Clintons are taking with their own party and the future of American politics.

[What_Exit]

@Guinastasia

What he (or she) said. I’d prefer Obama, but if Hillary wins, I’m voting for her. No way I’m voting red.

I know I am getting repetitive, but good attitude, that is the way to look at it.

We don’t have to like Hillary to think she will do less harm and hopefully more good than another Republican.

[Skammer]

I’m an Independent looking forward to voting for Obama again (I voted for him in our primary).

No way in hell I’d vote for a ticket that included Clinton. Most likely I’d vote for McCain instead, who I found the least objectionable of all the Republican candidates.

The Democrats selecting Hillary would be shooting themselves in the foot (again). I know way too many moderates (like me) who like Obama but can’t stand the thought of Clinton in the WH. She’s the best chance the Republicans have to win.

[What_Exit]

@Skammer

The Democrats selecting Hillary would be shooting themselves in the foot (again). I know way too many moderates (like me) who like Obama but can’t stand the thought of Clinton in the WH. She’s the best chance the Republicans have to win.

Sadly, I have to strongly agree with what you say. I am afraid my vote for Hillary would be as worthless as my vote for Kerry.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that and Hillary & McCain just go back to the Senate.

[rowrrbazzle]

@faithfool

However, I will vote for Hillary if it comes to that simply so the reign of theocracy stops temporarily.

What is your evidence that she or Obama is not theocratic? What is your evidence that Bush is? Hillary said http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/us/politics/07clinton-text.html?pagewanted=print

Q: But, do you believe in this personal relationship with God that some people talk about?

Senator Clinton: Absolutely… I believe in the father, son, and Holy Spirit, and I have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit on many occasions in my years on this earth. I pray, I read the Bible, I read commentary on scriptures, I read other people’s faith journeys. That is, for me, at the real core of how I keep feeding my faith. And, I was lucky because, as I said at the faith and politics event, I was taught to pray and I inculcate it as a habit in my daily life… You have a faith center out of which the rest flows. But, for me, evidencing that and feeling called or pushed to act in the world would not have been possible to sustain without that sense of faith and the personal relationship that I have.

Q: Can I ask you theologically, do you believe that the resurrection of Jesus actually happened, that it actually historically did happen?

Senator Clinton: Yes, I do.

Obama said Obama: GOP doesn't own faith issue - CNN.com

We’re going to keep on praising together. I am confident that we can create a Kingdom right here on Earth

[Stuffy]

@What Exit?

I know I am getting repetitive, but good attitude, that is the way to look at it.

We don’t have to like Hillary to think she will do less harm and hopefully more good than another Republican.

No it isn’t! It’s precisely the same reason we’re now in our eighth year of a Bush administration. The only difference this time is that instead of running a candidate that with lukewarm backing, we’re picking one the republicans (and members of her own party) acitvely hate. No thanks.

[What_Exit]

@Stuffy

No it isn’t! It’s precisely the same reason we’re now in our eighth year of a Bush administration. The only difference this time is that instead of running a candidate that with lukewarm backing, we’re picking one the republicans (and members of her own party) acitvely hate. No thanks.

I can’t say this enough, I really don’t like her. I want Obama to win. But, I will hold my nose and vote for her over McCain as I fear another 4-8 years of a morally conservative administration.

Yell it from the rooftops, we have a candidate that can and is energizing young voters and black voters. This is great. This is the candidate we should have. The Dems finally found a good one. He is a great orator, he is brilliantly smart and seems to motivate people. He is a breath of fresh air we need.

All that said, if he loses the nomination, I will be compelled to vote against the Republicans and therefore for Hillary. The only thing McCain could do to win my vote at this point is to add someone like Mike Bloomberg or Olympia Snowe to the Ticket. I don’t see that happening.

Jim

[Stuffy]

Oh, I’m not arguing with you personally, I’m saying that’s a bad strategy to motivate people to vote. I don’t doubt that others will follow suit, but that will only bring out your typical democratic voters. I too voted for Kerry/Edwards, this time around I’d like us to nominate someone capable of winning on their merits rather than being Not McCain. Look, I have the luxury of living in Califoninia which will probably go blue no matter what happens, but what of those others. How is it going to work any better that the Not Bush vote, especially since their is guaranteed to be some anti-Clinton vote to factor in as well?

[Harborwolf]

@levdrakon

The onus is not on me to divine their well though out arguments when all they say is they’ll stay home if Hillary gets the nom.

So why assume one way or the other? This thread isn’t titled “Why won’t you vote for the other candidate if your preference loses?” I have to say I find it mildly insulting to hear that my not voting for Clinton is out of spite because Obama lost.

And to answer the thread, no I will not be voting for Clinton if Obama loses.

1. I just don’t like her. It’s simple as that, but I’ll add more so noone thinks I’m being a spoiled voter.

2. I can’t vote for someone who simply tossed out a vote to go to war seemingly without thinking about it. I don’t buy that she thought Bush would go through the diplomatic motions and I’m not happy about her skimming the intel. I’m even less happy with her even trying to hold Obama’s feet to the fire over his voting against the war but voting to fund the troops.

3. I thought her running for the senate in New York was just a stepping stone to the White House. Turns out despite her denials that it was. Then there’s her no holds barred campaign far more reminiscent of Karl Rove than Obama’s, despite her claims to the contrary.

4. I just don’t trust her vote. Whether it’s as big as voting for the war or as small as making it illegal for a store to sell an adult rated game to a minor (I guess it takes a government to raise a child and not a parent), I think her judgement as far as voting is based on what will make her look good as opposed to what may be right.

I’m not going to hold my nose and vote for random democrat because there’s “so much at stake.”

[Voyager]

I’d prefer Obama (by a lot) but I’d vote for Clinton because I don’t think this country could survive another 4 years of Republican mismanagement. I’m also liking McCain less every time he opens his mouth.

The only good thing about Clinton getting it - her using the dirty tricks on the Republicans. I’d love to hear them whining about how it’s not fair.