# What candidate would make you vote for the other side in the next election? (2008) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960 "2005-08-07T04:35:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/1 "2005-08-07T04:35:33Z")
A little pre-rambling: I put this in IMHO because I’m not looking to start any kind of heated political debate. I’m a democrat all the way and have always (Ha! “Always.” I’ve only been old enough to vote for like…two years, but that isn’t the point) voted- federally, at least- democrat. But I was just watching John McCain on CSpan (that’s right- us 19 year olds really do have CRAZY Saturday nights) and I realized something: if he ran for president on the Republican ticket, I would vote for him. Why? I’m sure someone could elaborate on this more eloquently than I, but McCain seems like a very decent guy-- which says a lot for a politician. He’s a republican, but he seems to care more about what is right than what is popular within his party.\* Anyway: _who could run for president in 2008 (or 2012, for that matter) that would make you vote for the other party?_ Democrats, Repubs, and everybody else alike 😉 \*I certainly haven’t followed the man TOO closely or read much on him, so I am speaking just from the shows I have seen him on/ interviews I’ve read/ etc. From what I’ve seen, he seems like an all around good guy. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/2 "2005-08-07T04:59:34Z")
I thought this thread would be about Hillary Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/3 "2005-08-07T05:25:54Z")
McCain would be the only 'pubbie who could win and not make me want to throw a brick through the television on election night. I await the onslaught of Republicans entering this thread singing the praises of Hillary…just as I await winning the lottery tonight. Probably equal chances. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/4 "2005-08-07T05:35:00Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > McCain would be the only 'pubbie who could win and not make me want to throw a brick through the television on election night… I would tend to agree with this, though it would depend on who he was running against. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/5 "2005-08-07T05:47:06Z")
I am a republican but a disenfrancised moderate Republican. The McCain, Guilliano ticket is my dream ticket. What would make vote opposite party. My party being taken over by Right Wing Religious scary people. I voted for Kerry (shudder) last election and I voted for Clinton second time over Dole. Even though Clinton was a sleazebag, he was a good president. (duck from rotten vegetables thrown at me as I offend everyone). I would vote for Hillary if Jeb was the opponent. If McCain runs, the Right wing will squash him. They hate him as much as any liberal. He threatens their agenda and control of GOP politics. They would rather lose to a Dem than let him take back the GOP towards the center. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/6 "2005-08-07T05:56:23Z")
It would depend who she ran against, but I would have tremendous difficulty voting for Hillary Clinton. 2008 will mark 20 years of the presidency being Bush, Clinton and Bush. I do not believe this country was ever intended to have a royal family, or even two of them. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/7 "2005-08-07T06:24:41Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > But I was just watching John McCain on CSpan (that’s right- us 19 year olds really do have CRAZY Saturday nights) and I realized something: if he ran for president on the Republican ticket, I would vote for him. Count me out; after the way McCain whored himself out to the GOP in 2004, I’ve given up any illusions that he’s anything more than another opportunistic Republican. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/8 "2005-08-07T06:38:15Z")
I think it would be a win/win if McCain and Joe Biden were the final candidates for their respective parties and I’d have a really hard time picking. It would be even cooler if they ran on the same ticket somehow. I think they’re making a mistake if they try to run hillary. She’s just too polarizing IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/9 "2005-08-07T08:13:04Z")
I can’t think of anyone. McCain says a lot of the right things, but he’s pro-life and I agree with **rjung** about his behavior. Colin Powell might be the closest, but he has the same issue and I think he’s done with politics. That’s what he says, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/10 "2005-08-07T09:11:26Z")
Didn’t Biden actually state on the Daily Show that his dream running mate (assuming he got the Democratic nomination in '08) would, in fact, be John McCain? ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/11 "2005-08-07T15:49:39Z")
I am another who thinks of myself more as a classic republican (closer to libertarian, now), and frankly I would vote for any Democrat with a pulse who can at least pretend to be fiscally/economically reasonable. I am not sure if I would vote for Hillary or not; like earlier posters, I think it would depend (probably too much) on who she was running against, and whether the Republicans could nominate someone who could show some signs of being socially reasonable. I actually think we could really, really use one term of medium to strong Democratic leadership. They could solidify (my stances on) some key issues like abortion and gay rights that the populace at large is pretty split on; they probably wouldn’t be able to push through any drastic changes in some of the other areas where I find Democratic policy more disagreeable; and they might force the Republicans to be a little more sane when they tried to take back what they lost. Of course, I don’t particularly think that scenario will _happen_ anytime soon :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/12 "2005-08-07T16:00:07Z")
Democrats like McCain right now because he’s a bit of a gadfly, and he’s a thorn in the side of Bush. But if he runs for president, you’ll all change your minds. McCain is very conservative. Once the Democrats get their talking points against him set up, you’ll forget about all the stuff you liked and focus on his conservative beliefs, and you won’t like them. On the Democrat’s side, I think some of the most appealing cross-over candidates are Joe Biden and Bill Richardson. And [here’s a good argument to use to get Republican votes](http://www.cato.org/research/articles/bandow-040420.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/13 "2005-08-07T16:06:18Z")
Evan Bayh and Bill Nelson also have significant cross-over appeal, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/14 "2005-08-07T16:06:30Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > Democrats like McCain right now because he’s a bit of a gadfly, and he’s a thorn in the side of Bush. > > But if he runs for president, you’ll all change your minds. McCain is very conservative. Once the Democrats get their talking points against him set up, you’ll forget about all the stuff you liked and focus on his conservative beliefs, and you won’t like them. I agree with this absolutely. As with **DMark** above, I wouldn’t throw a brick through the TV if he won, but I wouldn’t vote for him. He is a standard-issue Republican with standard-issue Republican stances. The saving graces for him are that he is honest, and he is not in hock to the religious right. Honestly, off the top of my head, I can’t think of a single Republican I would vote for. I just don’t agree with their stances on the issues. Even when I haven’t voted for a Democrat, I’ve not voted for a Republican. (Except for John Warner that one time in Virginia.) ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/15 "2005-08-07T17:23:13Z")
There is no one the Republicans could run who would make me consider for a moment voting Republican. It has nothing to do with the characteristics of whoever this hypothetical candidate might be and everything to do with the Republican Party having shown itself to be unworthy of holding control over all three branches of the federal government. Undoing the damage of the last eight years will take long enough without my voting to make it 12. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/16 "2005-08-07T18:05:28Z")
As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t an “other side” anymore. They’re all loons. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/17 "2005-08-07T18:31:14Z")
I’m another moderate Republican and nowadays I have a hard time figuring out what the other side is. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/18 "2005-08-07T18:35:04Z")
I would vote for Zell Miller in a heartbeat. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/19 "2005-08-07T18:59:29Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > It would depend who she ran against, but I would have tremendous difficulty voting for Hillary Clinton. 2008 will mark 20 years of the presidency being Bush, Clinton and Bush. I do not believe this country was ever intended to have a royal family, or even two of them. There has been a Bush or a Dole on every Republican ticket since 1976. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960/20 "2005-08-07T19:02:40Z")
**Ivylass** - You just want to see a presidential duel…don’t lie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-candidate-would-make-you-vote-for-the-other-side-in-the-next-election-2008/315960.md?page=2)