There's a lot more to it than race, gender, speaking style, or GLBT issues.

[dailykoff]

Not that these aren't important in themselves, but the reason Obama is far and away the best candidate has little to do with any of them, although they are clearly helping him win races.

A far more important issue is the gigantic global US military footprint -- an out-of-control military-industrial complex, to put it bluntly -- and the only one of the three Dem candidates who has given any evidence of actually reining it in is Obama.

Clinton: "I'm your girl" wink wink; IWR: yes; Kyl-Lieberman: yes; US-Mexico border fence: yes, repeatedly.

Edwards: Iraq: IWR co-sponsor; Iran: red-meat speech at Herzliya last January promising in no uncertain terms to nuke Iran, and he has not, to my knowledge, retracted it, not that it would really matter.

Obama: spoke out against the Iraq war; did NOT vote yes on Kyl-Lieberman; speaks against torture, renditions, and illegal detainment, and speaks reasonably about withdrawal; he is not Kucinich but as far as pulling out he's the best chance we've got.

And that I imagine is one very, very important reason intelligent Democrats like Kerry and Caroline Kennedy are backing him. And Teddy too if the rumor is right!

EDIT: changed "life style" to "GLBT issues" by request.

[maddiejoan]

1. "life style"?

what the hell does that mean?

[dailykoff]

9. I didn't say it was unimportant,

but it's not the most important consideration in this election.

[maddiejoan]

11. What does it mean?

explain "life-style"

[dailykoff]

14. It means gender-sexuality issues.

As if you didn't know.

[mondo joe]

15. Figures you'd use a smear word. GLBT people have lives, not a "life style".

[maddiejoan]

16. I knew what you meant

I just wanted to expose you for the homophobic bigot you obviously are.

"life-style"?

up your's.

[dailykoff]

19. If that's all you've got,

you can keep it.

[maddiejoan]

24. It's all I needed.

[dailykoff]

45. Well, I changed it, so now you need something else.

:hi:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

23. thanks maddiejoan.

:thumbsup:

[LittleBlue]

68. We want basically the same thing, yet we're still dividing this into GLBT, gender, etc. issues

This is all in an effort to illogically divide us, because it's the only way when we agree on most things. Don't play into their hands.

[maddiejoan]

71. I'm not the one doing the dividing

I'm the one being used as red-meat.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. i have a life and not a life style. something you and obama should consider. nt

[boston bean]

2. You're right about one thing, he speaks, but he never really means it.

He didn't bother to show up for the Kyl-Lieberman vote.

He is mr present or mr. not present

[Captain Hilts]

3. So, people who support Clinton or Edwards aren't "intelligent?" Fuck you. nt

[FreakinDJ]

4. Lets not forget the War on the Middle Class working stiffs

Who have been taking as many hits as an Iraqi Tank.

The voting public is more concerned about the economy now. Not like the huge debt spent in Irq isn't a large part of the problem, but it is only part of the problem

[Captain Hilts]

5. And all our candidates are addressing that. nt

[FreakinDJ]

7. BTW: Who do you trust to stand up to corporations

just wondering

[dailykoff]

8. Not the union-busting WalMart lawyer.

Not her NAFTA-loving twofer, either.

[FreakinDJ]

10. Easy now

I'm trying to cut down on my intake of candidate bashing

How about an honest answer

[dailykoff]

13. Obama.

To my knowledge he's never been a corporate lawyer or beneficiary of a Wall Street hedge fund.

[Captain Hilts]

22. All three. nt

[Armstead]

6. A thread I posted about this

It's gotten no response so I'll flagrantly push it here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4229968

[mondo joe]

12. What does "life style" mean?

[dailykoff]

17. You're trying to tell me "life style" is homophobic?

You're really scraping bottom my friend.

[mondo joe]

26. Yes, it certainly is. It's a favorite homophobe word. Would you say "The Jewish Lifestyle"

or "The Black Lifestyle"?

[dsc]

28. Yes, it is, as it implies choice

which is a very homophobic concept.

[dailykoff]

34. Fine, if you have a better word, let me know.

[mondo joe]

37. Your use of the word shows exactly what you mean. You might as well stick with it

rather than trying to camouflage your feelings.

[dsc]

49. ORIENTATION

or you could just try LIFE.

[maddiejoan]

33. It demonstrates

that you think being queer is a "choice".

Obama has demonstrated similar leanings. It's a big concern, and it indicates absolutely zero knowledge of LGBT issues.

[dailykoff]

40. Exactly what word or term would you like me to use, anyway?

Besides just ignoring what I'm saying?

[mondo joe]

43. Use the word you mean. I'd rather know who you are upfront. NT

[maddiejoan]

44. since you used race and gender

I'd expect you to use sexual preference.

There is little else in your OP to comment on --since it's mostly bullsh•t.

[krabigirl]

78. It is. It's not a life-style, it's one's sexual identity.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. what the fuck is a life style?

[dailykoff]

21. An issue of relatively minor relevance to this campaign

if you really want to know.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

25. yeah oppression and civil rights isnt a big issue to obama. i get that.

[dailykoff]

30. The important issues in this primary are international, not domestic.

All three candidates have identical positions on lifestyle or whatever you want to call it.

What DO you want to call it, anyway?

[mondo joe]

31. Way to go - just keep proving civil rights issues mean shit to you, and gays mean less.

!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

39. my life. sexual orientation. glbt issue. almost anything that doesnt minimize our lives?

:eyes:

[dailykoff]

42. Fine, I'll change it to GLBT issues.

[mondo joe]

27. While you've made clear the our lives are of minor relevance where you are concerned, they

still are pretty significant to us.

[dailykoff]

36. They are not terribly relevant in this primary as all 3 candidates have identical

positions.

[mondo joe]

38. They're identical - if you don't care. People who care about the issues will probe more deeply

to see what's up.

[dailykoff]

46. And find what? A has-been piano player?

Come on.

[mondo joe]

54. If you really cared you'd ask. Instead you choose to minimize or blow off the real

importance of it to real people.

You've made yourself clear.

[Evergreen Emerald]

29. hahaha: "did not vote yes on kyl-lieberman" DID NOT VOTE AT ALL

so he took no stand so he could later say anything he wanted...and remember he too called the guard terrorists and he too warned that Iran posed a nuclear threat.

More BS.

[ShortnFiery]

41. hahaha: Who voted "hell yes" for potentially nuclear armageddon?

Hillary essentially told Lord Pissy Pants "Hell yes!" you may wage war with Iran. :nuke: :thumbsdown:

[Evergreen Emerald]

50. If it was truly nuclear Armageddon, don't you think your candidate

should have stood up and fought it?

Common sense does not reign supreme on DU.

[dailykoff]

51. He's fighting it. Why the hell do you think he's running.

Hilly on the other hand let freakin' 911 go down in her own state without so much as a peep.

[Evergreen Emerald]

52. What ever. He said NOTHING when the vote was going on--hiding

waiting for the publics reaction before having one of his own. But, his words, the ones he tries to hide are there for you to see, if you really want the truth;

HE SAID IRAN'S GUARD WERE TERRORISTS HE SAID IRAN WAS A NUCLEAR THREAT. The very same things that were in the bill

And for you to characterize it as Armageddon, is not near reality.

[aquart]

53. Obama skates because he wasn't there.

We only know what he said he'd do. But once he got to Congress? What did he do to stop the war?

[Evergreen Emerald]

56. actions speak louder than words.

and his actions so far are lacking in bravery. He waits for the fall out and then takes a stand.

[dailykoff]

58. Hilly's had 35 freakin' years to take action and she's done ZIP

except run on her neocon-PNAC appeasement record. Well the winds have changed but her record stands, so now all she has is her pathetic swiftboat. Can't wait for it to sink, frankly.

[Evergreen Emerald]

60. "zip?" You might want to look over her history. You are conveniently

forgetting a significant amount of good she has done for America. It is a shame you do not give her the same benefit you give Obama...

backwards and in high heels. Her accomplishments are ignored, while one 1/2 of a bill and Obama is god.

[AlCzervik]

32. sorry, i don't speak jive so i don't understand what your point is.

[ShortnFiery]

35. I hope that Edwards has the insight to back Obama sooner rather than later.

IMO, John Edwards could be far more instrumental at achieving "Populist Objectives" within an Obama staffed Executive Branch than he would EVER be under The Clintons. :shrug:

[dailykoff]

47. Yes, that would be a huge endorsement.

And the tide certainly seems to be flowing in that direction.

[ShortnFiery]

57. My husband and I are "under truce" and splitting our donations between Obama and Edwards.

Yes, we live in interesting political times within our household.

However, he does concede that Obama, if he can fend off the amorphous "experience cloud," would prove to be the BEST selection for President ... well, second to his candidate, John Edwards. :blush:

The pundits are squealing with glee at the thought, but IMO, the LAST THING that The Average American Wage Slave wants is "a brokered" Democratic Convention. :shrug:

[dailykoff]

62. An Edwards endorsement would be a big asset to either campaign.

I can't imagine him endorsing Hilly at this point but I think it's all going to be over in any case very soon. Obama's got the momentum and unless there's big time funny business I think super Tuesday will be a sweep.

[cboy4]

48. Lifestyle? The apple doesn't fall far from the McClurkin

tree, does it dailykoff?

[ShortnFiery]

55. You don't have the capacity to forgive and realize that Obama cares about "all issues" ?

You just can't move on?

To me that reveals a hell of a lot about irrationally "nurtured resentments" and less about the true issues facing this campaign. :shrug:

Mark Penn is proud of you because while your brothers and sisters in The Military are continuing to be ruled under The Clintonian "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," you choose to hyper-focus on an SMALL issue that Obama has already cleared up. Obama does not agree with your nemesis. Yet you will not accept NOR forgive. How sad ... FOR YOU!

Wake up and smell the divisiveness: The Clintons have DEMONSTRATED that they only give a damn about minorities when it comes time to ask for their vote. In fact, regarding policy, the Bush Family and The Clintons are not all that much different, i.e., corporations rule, first and always.

[mondo joe]

59. We can't be expected to forgive if Obama doesn't recognize what he did was wrong.

So don't ask us to forgive until you've gotten him to apologize.

[ShortnFiery]

63. It's hopeless to reach you ... enjoy nurturing all those "imagined" slights.

:shrug:

[mondo joe]

64. They're real, no matter how you try to minimize them. Your antipathy for gay people is noted.

:hi:

[cboy4]

66. No, I don't have the capacity to forgive because I don't

believe Obama is sincere, and therefore I don't trust him.

It doesn't matter whether he agrees with McClurlin. He went ahead and allowed him to perform as part of his campaign.

Therefore, there's guilt by association.

Why is it you don't have the capacity to understand that?

[mondo joe]

69. I like how the poster wants us to forgive, but then claims the slights are "imagined".

Why would anyone expect you to forgive an imagined slight?

[cboy4]

76. I mean talk about people living in a dream world.

It's insulting.

[terrya]

80. The OP seems to be editing his post.

But it doesn't alter what I've seen here again and again. GLBT issues don't matter. And they don't matter because we say they don't matter. And that's patronizing and insulting. It's people patting us on the head and saying "there, there, you'll get your rights someday". This is basic equality we're talking about.

[terrya]

61. The fact that you changed "life style" only on request speaks volumes.

Sorry, but my second class citizenship in this country as a gay man is very important to me. We don't have full equality here, we're not even close to full equality here, and that IS a big deal to me.

[mondo joe]

65. It seems very easy for some of the 1st class citizens to tell the 2nd class to pipe down and

enjoy the ride.

[dailykoff]

67. What I'm getting at is that there's a lot more at stake than this country

or your particular problems, real though they certainly may be. Don't you get it? We just got through slaughtering a million Iraqis and now the neocons are drooling over Iran, and that's not even mentioning Africa, Central America, Indonesia, or all the other killing fields Hilly's been enabling.

Are you getting it now?

[mondo joe]

70. When you're a 2nd class citizen, or even show the least bit of awareness or concern

for our issues, you'll be in a better position to ask this of us.

[terrya]

73. "real thought they certainly may be"?

Yes, I am horrified over Iraq and our foreign policy. I certainly do get it.

But why is full equality for GLBT people something that is perceived as less than important?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

79. I Didn't Know Opposing Dumb Wars And Supporting GLBT Rights Were Mutually Exclusive

~

[ShortnFiery]

72. So people can't change without you "taking notes" that they were once "less than worthy"

of your respect? I was a much more prejudiced person in my teens than I am now. I still must reflect on my behavior and guard against complacency. Why? Because it's HUMAN to stereotype. However, it's only when we fully embrace those prejudices and ACT ON them does it make us a patently "deplorable person."

Everyone holds prejudices. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to THEMSELVES. We all must work to counter those basal influences.

In the same vein, if someone messes up with "inappropriate" terminology ... well, thoughtful people will cut them some slack.

Understanding and helping them to counter ingrained stereo-types is what we, as democrats, should be about. NOT labeling others mistakes and covert borderline "prejudices." It's only when we are made aware of our biases that we can change. :shrug:

p.s. Hating every "Patriarchal Asshole" was just not an option for me as I was within of the first groups of WOMEN Officers to be integrated into the Army, i.e., dissolution of the WACS. However, by doing my best to "serve my gender" in an honorable manner, I changed a few minds and turned around some of the more OPEN but sexist men's attitudes to the contrary.

You will IMPLODE from pent-up resentments if you continue to personalize everyone and every- slight, perceived and otherwise. :(

[La Lioness Priyanka]

81. i can remember bigotry w.out imploding. its your posts that sound like maybe you need

some time off.

:eyes:

[cboy4]

74. Yea Terry you dumb fuck....are you getting it now?

:eyes:

[terrya]

75. Just call me selfish and ignorant and whiny, cboy.

God. :eyes:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

83. It's The Lifestyle You Chose

:sarcasm:

[krabigirl]

77. It was easy to speak out against the war, but he wasn't in Congress to vote against it.

How many Congressmen actually did?

[Solon]

82. I find it interesting that when you think of GBLT issues, you think lifestyle...

which is a WELL KNOWN homophobic codeword. The fact of the matter is that you seem to be homophobic yourself. Its downright insulting, but also not surprising, especially coming from an Obama Supporter.