People Keep Yammering About '08 Candidates And Their Positions On Issues

[ruggerson]

Which has absolutely nothing to do with what wins presidential campaigns.

Nothing.

Of course, your stances on issues have to be reasonably within the bounds of generally accepted thought.

But what really decides Presidential elections is personality traits.

How you are perceived by the voters.

To the extent that issues betray personality traits, they matter.

But, in the final analysis, it's all about the person. Not the issues.

[Mass]

1. No surprise this country does not go anywhere then.

It is definitively a sad day for democracy if the US democracy becomes a cult of personnality.

This has given us Bush and Reagan. So sorry, I will look where they stand on issue, whether you like that or not.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. It already has.

Bush is the guy they said people would rather have a beer with, so of course that's who they voted for.

[ruggerson]

11. Knock yourself out

Did you see me write that you shouldn't?

I'm just commenting about how most people decide and how the process works.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

2. I'm In The Opinion That It Is FAR Too Early To Be Yammering At All

I'd rather everybody be yammering about all the damn congressional candidates running for the election THIS year.

How many even knew who Bill Clinton even was in late 1989 and early 1990?

Almost all of our efforts right now should be about getting our candidates into office to take back control of congress, period.

[Chipper Chat]

3. I'm in such a tizzy trying to decide

which candidate I wanna sit down and have a beer with.

[TayTay]

5. Depends on the year

There are serious election years in which the issues do matter and years in which other things come to the fore. I think this is a serious election year. It's too soon to tell about '08.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Cone back in November and we'll talk about who should run in '08

Maybe we'll want to stick with President Pelosi.

[Minnesota Libra]

7. UNFORTUNATELY there is a lot of truth in your words but.......

.....I'd like to think the average voter out there in middle America is finally waking up to the fact that ISSUES DO COUNT. Guess we have to wait and see but I won't be holding my breath anytime soon.

[JI7]

8. Bush's personality of being a regular guy and whatever else

was a media creation.

anyone who actually saw him saw him for the joke he was. and i'm excluding the ignorant right wing crowd here.

the polls right after the debates showed there was a difference in how people viewed the candidates than the polls before.

[Swamp Rat]

9. Right now, I am focused on the Congressional elections of 2006 and

impeachment.

So much for personality:

[Clarkie1]

10. A provocative post. There is an over-analysis of issues during primaries.

In the final analysis in 04', for example, the major contenders agreed essentially on everything.

The voters in the General Election are not going to be moved by different stances on issues that are negligible. They are looking for character, leadership skills, honesty, integrity, and someone they can relate to. Someone they would like to have as their president.

They aren't looking for someone who is good at being a politician and playing the "game." Unfortunately, that's exactly what most Democratic primary voters were looking for in 04'...the best politician, a proven winner.

In short, they were afraid.

Good topic for discussion.

[karynnj]

13. Am I reading this right?

Kerry and Bush agreed on almost everything??? That is beyond bizarre.

Also Kerry had as much or more ( character, leadership skills, honesty and integrity. ) than Bush and any of his competitors. He certainly beat Bush on them!

[Clarkie1]

14. No, you are not reading this right!

Kerry, Edwards, Dean, Clark, agreed on "almost everything."

[karynnj]

15. Glad to hear that

They were more in line, but there were differences in positions. I suspect that each candidates supporters posit that their candidate excels in the qualities listed and "beats" the others.

To be serious considered for President on the Democratic side - you need these qualities.

I see them most in Kerry - in your post, you see them most in Cark.

[Telly Savalas]

12. But it has quite a bit to do with how the run things after they win.