For Democrats, Too Many Good Picks; For Republicans, an Easier Path

[rodeodance]

January 3, 2008
For Democrats, Too Many Good Picks; For Republicans, an Easier Path
By JODI KANTOR

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/us/politics/03voices.html?pagewanted=print


AMES, Iowa — If conversations with undecided Democrats here were turned into a play, it would consist of the same dialogue repeated over and over again, with slight variations:

Q. Are you leaning toward any candidate?

A. Well, I really like (Voter mentions one). President Bush has led this country in the wrong direction, and he (or she) could be the best person to fix it.

Q. You sound pretty committed.

A. Heavens, no! I might vote for (Voter mentions one or two other Democratic candidates)...

Q. The caucuses are about to happen. How are you going to decide?

A. Wait, I’m not done. I also really like Joe Biden.

For months now, many Democrats here have been in a state of happy paralysis, luxuriating in what they say is an unusually strong set of candidates and plenty of attention from them.

Instead of the usual voter complaints about choosing among unattractive options, there are meditative conversations about Senator Barack Obama’s freshness versus Gov. Bill Richardson’s international résumé versus John Edwards’s commitment to the underprivileged versus the historic prospect of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s becoming the first female president.

In recent days, all of these candidates and more have passed through Ames. But rather than settling their choices, several voters said, the thrill of seeing the candidates up close, of hearing their appeals in person, has only made their decisions more labored.

“There are so many options,” said Julia Zaffarano, a counselor for homeless youths.

Republican voters, by contrast, sounded more decisive.

[L84TEA]

1. Repug choices =scary, scarier... and scariest

eek... everyone of their choices gives me the WILLIES!