We're all gonna rock to the rules that I make -- Election 2008

[Lightnin' Rod]

In case anyone's interested, this is an Election '08 thread, celebrating first and foremost, Rudy Guiliani dropping from the race!  Yay!  Not that I ever thought he was going to be elected, but now he won't for certain.

Also, farewell to Mr. Edwards, whom I could have lived with.


"And if I am elected
I promise the formation of a new party
A third party, the Wild Party!
I know we have problems,
We got problems right here in Central City,
We have problems on the North, South, East and West,
New York City, Saint Louis, Philadelphia, Los Angeles,
Detroit, Chicago,
Everybody has problems,
And personally, I don't care."

[ggould]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

[John@10]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

They just count up his votes and give them to him, but they don't result in anything. The delegates he's already won are likely pledged to him through the first ballot in most states. He'd pull some numbers in the first ballot at the convention, and then they're free to vote for someone else the second ballot - if necessary. Some states don't obligate the delegate to vote for him even on the first ballot.

Even if the actual show is a total bore, the mechanics of a political convention can be pretty interesting. Well, at least once.

//John

[Gazoo]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

If it's any consolation, we can look forward to him having a role of some influence in whichever administration arises.  I assume we'll now get either an Obama-Clinton or a Clinton-Obama ticket, but I suppose it's possible that if either of them pulls away, they could pull out a wild card from inside their ranks.  Either way, I hope Richardson gets a key role.

As for the Repos, McCain is an honorable person who's hanging with a bad crowd.  I was pulling for Giuliani just because he'd be the most likely to lose.

[RGMike]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

If it's any consolation, we can look forward to him having a role of some influence in whichever administration arises.  I assume we'll now get either an Obama-Clinton or a Clinton-Obama ticket, but I suppose it's possible that if either of them pulls away, they could pull out a wild card from inside their ranks. 

I don't think O/C or C/O is a likely ticket at this point -- too much bad blood there. Things have gotten nasty if you hadn't noticed.

[Gazoo]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

If it's any consolation, we can look forward to him having a role of some influence in whichever administration arises.  I assume we'll now get either an Obama-Clinton or a Clinton-Obama ticket, but I suppose it's possible that if either of them pulls away, they could pull out a wild card from inside their ranks.

I don't think O/C or C/O is a likely ticket at this point -- too much bad blood there. Things have gotten nasty if you hadn't noticed.

It's a temporary nastiness, I feel; eventually their pragmatic sides will recognize that they need each other.  Now that is love.

[RGMike]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

If it's any consolation, we can look forward to him having a role of some influence in whichever administration arises.  I assume we'll now get either an Obama-Clinton or a Clinton-Obama ticket, but I suppose it's possible that if either of them pulls away, they could pull out a wild card from inside their ranks.

I don't think O/C or C/O is a likely ticket at this point -- too much bad blood there. Things have gotten nasty if you hadn't noticed.

It's a temporary nastiness, I feel; eventually their pragmatic sides will recognize that they need each other.  Now that is love.

Sorry, I'm feeling pessimistic this week. I think Obama would kick MCain's ass; but I think McCain would beat Hilary. And it's really looking like Hilary right now.

[Lightnin' Rod]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

If it's any consolation, we can look forward to him having a role of some influence in whichever administration arises.  I assume we'll now get either an Obama-Clinton or a Clinton-Obama ticket, but I suppose it's possible that if either of them pulls away, they could pull out a wild card from inside their ranks.

Maybe, but when Jesse Jackson won S. Carolina in 84 and 88, Bill didn't seem to need Jesse as a running mate.

I can't believe he said that...

I don't think O/C or C/O is a likely ticket at this point -- too much bad blood there. Things have gotten nasty if you hadn't noticed.

It's a temporary nastiness, I feel; eventually their pragmatic sides will recognize that they need each other.  Now that is love.

Hmmm, what's happening to posts... mike's was wierd a minute ago too.

Anyway, what i tried to say was:

When Jesse Jackson won S. Carolina in 84 and 88, Bill didn't seem to need Jesse as a running mate.

[mshray]

I got real emotional when  I read about Edwards' withdrawl.  I was really looking forward to voting for him, as he's been pulling no punches about corporate influence in our country, and now he's out.  I guess he's still on the ballot.  Does anyone know what happens to votes for him in this primary?

If it's any consolation, we can look forward to him having a role of some influence in whichever administration arises.  I assume we'll now get either an Obama-Clinton or a Clinton-Obama ticket, but I suppose it's possible that if either of them pulls away, they could pull out a wild card from inside their ranks.  Either way, I hope Richardson gets a key role.

As for the Repos, McCain is an honorable person who's hanging with a bad crowd.  I was pulling for Giuliani just because he'd be the most likely to lose.

My folks told me last night that they're hearing Edwards is angling to be the Atty Gen in either a Clinton or Obama cabinet. 

No way there's a C-O or O-C ticket, the Reagan-Bush thing in '80 was a huge anomaly, it has almost never happened in US history otherwise.

[RGMike]

Did anyone else see Peggy Noonan (former Reagan speechwriter and all-around Republican excuse-maker) on yesterday's Daily Show? I just caught the replay. Jon Stewart asked her why Giuliani's campaign imploded and she expressed puzzlement: "here's a man who never made a gaffe, who never had a scandal..."

Never had a scandal ?!? What planet has she been on the past 4 or 5 months?  I've always hated her, but jeez. Oh, and she also (at this late date) still mispronounces Obama's first name as "barrack" (like where they make you live in the Army) rather than "ba-ROCK". What a moron.

[SFGuy]

As many of you who read some of my political posts, you know I'm probably furtherest to right of any of you. That being said, I'll celebrate when Mike Huckabee gives up the race. He's very dangerous. I used to like John McCain until he decided to follow that prick in the White House. I'm not likely to vote. I would of accepted John Edwards because he is the most honest of all of them. I hate Clinton and Obama. I can't stand Romney either. McCain is the "least offensive" to me but I can't get past his big support for the ass. Personally I liked Ron Paul but he has zero chance.

[RGMike]

As many of you who read some of my political posts, you know I'm probably furtherest to right of any of you. That being said, I'll celebrate when Mike Huckabee gives up the race. He's very dangerous. I used to like John McCain until he decided to follow that prick in the White House. I'm not likely to vote. I would of accepted John Edwards because he is the most honest of all of them. I hate Clinton and Obama. I can't stand Romney either. McCain is the "least offensive" to me but I can't get past his big support for the ass. Personally I liked Ron Paul but he has zero chance.

Sounds like you're more of a Libertarian.  We welcome your opinions! I see a lot of Ron Paul signs around SF, actually -- if he does well in any primary it'll be California.

[Gazoo]

----------------------------------
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0147632420080202

Grateful Dead to reunite for Obama concert
Sat Feb 2, 2008 1:26am EST

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Life!) - The Grateful Dead, the San Francisco
cult rock band that has played at political events since the 1960s,
will reunite on Monday for the first time in four years to rally
support for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, a
spokesman said on Friday.

Band leader Jerry Garcia died in 1995. Surviving members have played
together occasionally since then, most recently in 2004. On Monday,
original members Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir will play at a
San Francisco theater a day before California's primary.

"They have agreed to reunite for this one-time-only event in order to
lend support to Senator Obama leading into the crucial 'Super-Tuesday'
series of primaries held on Tuesday, February 5th," the band said in a
statement.

The band gained fame with its free-form psychedelic music when the
counterculture movement flourished in San Francisco in the 1960s, and
they attracted many loyal fans who came to be known as "Deadheads."

(Reporting by Adam Tanner)

(c) Reuters 2007. All rights reserved.

[SFGuy]

----------------------------------
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0147632420080202

Grateful Dead to reunite for Obama concert
Sat Feb 2, 2008 1:26am EST

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Life!) - The Grateful Dead, the San Francisco
cult rock band that has played at political events since the 1960s,
will reunite on Monday for the first time in four years to rally
support for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, a
spokesman said on Friday.

Band leader Jerry Garcia died in 1995. Surviving members have played
together occasionally since then, most recently in 2004. On Monday,
original members Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir will play at a
San Francisco theater a day before California's primary.

"They have agreed to reunite for this one-time-only event in order to
lend support to Senator Obama leading into the crucial 'Super-Tuesday'
series of primaries held on Tuesday, February 5th," the band said in a
statement.

The band gained fame with its free-form psychedelic music when the
counterculture movement flourished in San Francisco in the 1960s, and
they attracted many loyal fans who came to be known as "Deadheads."

(Reporting by Adam Tanner)

(c) Reuters 2007. All rights reserved.

It's at the Warfield apparently and steaming at www.iclips.net at 7:30 p.m.

[Gazoo]

More love for Obama, this effort from Will.I.Am and several others is quite impressive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY#