2008 Election Talk

[maggiethecat]

What's your method of voting?

This year they did away with the antiquated voting machines here in Connecticut and went back to paper ballots. IT's not exactly "green" but it does cut down on fraud. It's like the SATS -- you fill in ovals with a pencil or pen -- and then the ballots are fed into a scanner.

I'm just back from voting and was amused to see those who've dropped out of the race are still on the ballot. So I could have voted for John Edwards . . . or Dennis Kucinich.

[inuvik]

maggiethecat said:

What's your method of voting?

Every election I have voted in--federal, provincial, municipal--uses paper ballots. You mark an "X" next to your choice.

I do think it is simpler this way. I have yet to hear of a controversy like the Florida chad ones.

[Chris]

inuvik said:

maggiethecat said:

What's your method of voting?

Every election I have voted in--federal, provincial, municipal--uses paper ballots. You mark an "X" next to your choice.

I do think it is simpler this way. I have yet to hear of a controversy like the Florida chad ones.

Same here.

- Chris

[hoosier]

We actually have electronic voting machines here. The state mandated that we all go for them though I notice they still do the butterfly ballot in some places in Indianapolis. The first time was a nightmare because some of the machines went down and the lines were winding out the door. Since the machines are expensive, they had all four precincts where I live voting in the same place and the repair guys had to cover the entire county! Some of the bugs were eventually worked out and the next time was smoother. I don't know why we couldn't have kept to paper. I, for one, always checked my ballot for any elusive hanging chad!

[Colorado girl]

One of the caucuses is actually taking place in my art room at school. I stayed after school and got the counters, sinks and tables really clean so all the people could go in there. It feels kind of cool to have presidential politics so close to home (or work ) for that matter.

[matilda]

Oh for heaven's sake will you people PLEASE post, I am like hanging on your views/takes on latest developments.

Thanks in anticipation

Matilda

[maggiethecat]

Oh, all right! Where the Democrats are concerned, Matilda, we're still pretty much in a dead heat, but with more delegates going to Clinton last night. (The Democrats have this insanely convoluted manner of awarding delegates proportionately -- it's not winner take all in most states.)

Anyway, what I found the most interesting was that apparently endorsements mean squat -- either that or the people of Massachusetts have finally wearied of Teddy Kennedy. 'bout damned time, too.

Best line of the night was an off-the-cuff remark made by one of the CNN pundits about Mike Huckabee. "He's so conservative, he doesn't believe in evolution . . . or gravity . . . or photosynthesis."

For me, the two big surprises of the night were Massachusetts and California. ;D ;D

MODIFIED TO ADD:

Like Matilda, I too am anxious -- Jonesing, as it were -- to get the take of my fellow politicos on Super Tuesday. You bet I stayed up to wait for California. Shmeep, did you? Mouse, when do you vote? Mlm828, share your voting experience with us, please. Barbara Ann, did you vote in NYC or were you at the Giants parade?

Old political hack that I am, like Jeff Greenfield I long for an open convention. I have this fantasy that neither Hillary nor Barack will roll into the convention this summer with enough votes to clinch (or clench, as Katie Couric would say the nomination. Aaaah, what bliss! Wrangling and impassioned speeches and back room deals -- better theatre than Hamlet.

It just doesn't get less interesting, does it? ;D

[housemouse]

I'm going to see Barak tomorrow! Very cool!

[mlm828]

For some reason, I didn't see this thread until this evening. There was a lot of interest in the primary here in California. There was actually a line at my little polling place, which is almost unheard-of for a primary.

I think a lot of independent voters wanted to vote in the Democratic primary (which is allowed), but apparently there were problems with this, so I'm not sure how many of those votes were actually counted. The man in line in front of me thought he had registered as an independent, or "nonpartisan," voter, but he was listed as having registered as a member of the American Independent party. He protested he had done no such thing. Apparently the local election officials put everyone who registered as an independent into that party, so he had to vote with a provisional ballot, which may or may not be counted.

While I was waiting to vote, a Republican fellow was quizzing the poll workers to make sure they knew only registered Republicans were allowed to vote in their primary. Why does it not surprise me that the Democrats welcomed independents, but the Republicans wanted to make sure only "true believers" were allowed to vote in their primary?

In San Diego County, we voted using ballots where you fill in the oval next to your candidate's name. They are counted by optical scanners. We used electronic voting machines in one or two recent elections, but the California Secretary of State de-certified all electronic voting machines used in the state. Apparently the companies which make the machines won't provide the information necessary to determine whether the machines are in fact secure, claiming it's "proprietary information." In other words, the companies' profits are more important than our right to vote -- and have our votes counted. Again, why am I not surprised?

If I needed any more reasons to want a Democrat in the White House instead of McCain and his hundred years in Iraq, I only have to remember the following story in our local news today. A Marine was awarded a Silver Star posthumously. He was killed on his third tour in Iraq. He was sent back twice after being wounded in the engagement for which he was awarded the Silver Star. He was twenty-three years old when he was killed.

[inuvik]

mlm828 said:

For some reason, I didn't see this thread until this evening.

Actually, you have the 5th post on page 1! Jan. 4.

[mlm828]

I meant I hadn't seen yesterday's new posts until the evening.

[mlm828]

housemouse said:

I'm going to see Barak tomorrow! Very cool!

Please be sure to give us a "review"!

Since no one else is posting here (where is everyone???), I wanted to mention what may be the great unmentionable issue of the campaign, if John McCain is the Republican nominee. McCain is too damn old to be President. (I can say this, being no spring chicken myself). If elected, he'll be 72 years old when he takes office. Yes, a 72-year-old can be healthy and vigorous, but we're talking about the most demanding job in the world. Just look at how much the Shrub has aged (and not well) since taking office, and he was in his early fifties at the beginning of his term, almost twenty years younger than McCain would be. No doubt part of the Shrub's aging is the consequences of his terrible policies and decisions, but still. . . .

If McCain is the Republican nominee, his choice of a running mate takes on added significance. Some are talking about a McCain-Huckabee ticket on the GOP side. Given McCain's age, that is a truly frightening prospect.

[housemouse]

Unbelievable. The man is ridiculously charismatic, he had the crowd on their feet most of the time. I loved what he had to say and how he said it. I am really glad I went. Our seats weren't that great, but it was an amazing time. He was an hour late in taking the stage, but when he did the energy in the place was almost overwhelming.

Barack will get my vote.

[shmeep]

I've been very behind this week. Sorry! I guess I actually worked at work so I didn't have time to do more than check the board from my phone from time to time while my co-interpreter was doing her twenty minutes.

I'll try to catch up a bit. Um...my method of voting...I'm trying to remember! I've only voted once in Maryland and I think it was a touch screen. In California I punched the chads and found it very rewarding. Well...maybe not, but it never struck me as odd until the 2000 election. I think my part of California (The San Fernando Valley) was transitioning to touch screens around the time I left, but they may have gone back to the old way in light of the problems so many have had with the touch screens. I'll ask my Dad what he's using these days. Now I'm curious...

And yes, Mouse, I was anxious to hear about Obama too! I'm so excited for you. I would love to see him live. I sent an email to his campaign, volunteering my interpreting services when he's in Maryland/DC/Virginia, but I have yet to hear from him. I have a friend who I know would do this with me. We're both Obama supporters. He may have some lucky interpreter or two who travels to events with him. I have no idea. I saw one on TV during his rally and when I saw Gore in 2000 in Westwood, LA, he had an amazing interpreter signing the rally (that was a really cool event, by the way. Gore was also an hour late, but Jewel sang and Martin Sheen spoke for a while and I made friends with these two gay guys so it was all good).

And Mags...I stayed up as late as I could on Super Tuesday. It was very exciting and I got a kick out of all the high-tech stuff going on on all the cable news channels. And Karl Rove on Fox! Ewwww! I mostly watched Keith Olberman on MSNBC and he was cracking me up because he's the only one who cracks jokes about what's going on as it happens. When he was introducing Lester Holt, who was doing a special demographics report based on exit polls throughout the night, Keith said, "And now we'll turn to Lester Holt, coming to us from what appears to be the set of the movie 'Tron.'" Hee. That one was my favorite, but Keith kept them coming all night and I was very amused.

I was nodding off as the California results came in, but my husband kept running into our room and giving me the latest about how well Hillary was doing and I'm afraid I got very cranky with him because I already knew what has happening and I felt like he was rubbing it in.

I knew the night would end up about as it did (Connecticut was a pleasant surprise and California disappointed me because I had allowed myself to hope...) but it would have been nice to have had a front runner emerge. Hillary is perceived as being the front runner because of the important states she won, but Obama is holding his own. The interesting thing is that Hillary went straight into challenging Obama to five debates and he talked her down to two. I keep hearing that the underdog is generally the one who goes after debates and that the front runner generally tries to avoid them so it's hard to say if this is showing how each candidate is perceiving his/her own candidacy at this point or if Hillary just knows she can kick ass in debates and this is why she wants to do it.

Last night, a Ron Paul guy knocked on our door. I felt bad for him. First of all, he didn't know my husband is Deaf and he kept talking and my husband kept trying to figure out what he was doing here and finally I jumped out in my pajamas and interpreted and we were all clear. He asked who we are supporting and was very surprised when my husband said, "Hillary" and I said, "Obama." We politely took his flyer and he left. I wish someone would poll me! I've been dying for that! I mean, someone on one of the big polls, not a Ron Paul guy at the door. And why is Ron Paul the only one sending people to my door? My area doesn't seem very political at all. When I was in Beltsville, MD, there were political posters and signs up everywhere. Now that I'm in Columbia, nobody puts any signs up anywhere. Once the Dems finally agree on a frontrunner, I'll put up signs. I don't want to do it now, since we don't support the same person.

I agree that a brokered convention in Denver would be fascinating, but I don't think it would ultimately be good for the party. It would give the Republicans an enormous head start heading into the national election. Howard Dean has said he is against it going that far, but if things keep going on as they are, who can he convince to step down? I don't see it happening. Obama will win next Tuesday here in Maryland/DC/Virginia. I don't doubt that. And I think he'll do well on Saturday too. Hillary will do well in Texas. They may never be able to beat one another so I wouldn't be at all surprised if a brokered convention is what comes of it all.

[shmeep]

PS I'm going to see Obama on Monday! Woohoo! Of course they didn't ask me to interpret (that would be too good to be true, of course). But...I'm going. He'll be speaking in College Park that morning and in Baltimore that afternoon. I live about nineteen miles north of College Park and nineteen miles south of Baltimore so I think I'll just go with the earlier one. Should I pretend to be Deaf so they'll have to let me go up front near the interpreter? I'm tempted...