Clark and The Republican Vote

[Saint Marcus]

Here in the media, we at times hear about Republicans trying to get Democrats to vote for them.

Say Clark wins the Democratic primaries...will traditional Republicans (veterans, soldiers, etc) be inclined to vote for Clark, considering the Ret.Generals background. Will he be able to steal away votes from the Republicans?

[chequita guevara]

Depends on the state. Some, like mine, have closed primaries, which means only registered memebers of the aprties can vote.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Veterans aren't a monolithic voting bloc at all - that's just a myth, but none of the Dem candidates are going to pull votes in from committed Republicans, including Clark.

Most likely, the election will come down to how well things are perceived as going in the few months before the election. If the economy is good and we're not getting blown up, Bush has four more years locked up.

[Saint Marcus]

but none of the Dem candidates are going to pull votes in from committed Republicans, including Clark.

why not?

Aren't politics in the US mainly person-orientated, and not party-orientated?

[Timexwatch]

Candidates are important, by in the U.S. voters haven't decoupled from parties as much as Europeans have. Party affiliation is still one of the most important elements in predicting how a person will vote.

[MichaeltheGreat]

That's why I said "committed Republicans" - all of the Dems positions on a number of social issues are unattractive to the majority of registered Republicans, and if the economy is ok, and people's sense of security is ok, there's not going to be much rocking the boat.

The Dems have had too abysmal a failure of leadership for too long, and most have never gotten over the whiny rhetoric of entitlement that just buries the party deeper and deeper in the hole.

[Timexwatch]

At least from where I'm sitting, Terry McAuliffe has done a pretty piss-poor job of heading up the DNC. He's done nothing to give it a consistant voice or done anything to make the primaries a smoother going process. He's also been pretty impotent in reversing Republican gains over the past few years. I recall he was brought on board because of his ability to raise money, but has he even been exceptional in that.

I wonder how much better the DNC would be doing if the placed their God-Emperor Clinton blatently on the phone instead of having him run things behind the scenes...

[GePap]

The only advantage Clark has to draw moderate voters is that accusations he knows little about FP or national security given the positions he has held.

But his is fuzzy on his domestic agenda, and of course, the also opposed the war in Iraq (that left-wing hippie!)

[GhengisFarbâ„¢]

I have heard any positive comments at work about Clark, his political history, and why he entered this primary seem to be pretty common knowledge amongst military personnel.

[Ned]

Republicans and pro-right moderates are concerned about our security and probably will never vote for a complete anti-war type like McGovern. But Clark is a four star general. This gives everyone on the right pause.

I think Clark can win the election if he is nominated. I actually think he is the only Democrat that has a real shot.

[Jaguar]

I hate Wesley Clark even more than Howard Dean.

As someone who supports Republicans more frequently, I would vote for Lieberman, Kerry, or Edwards.

I do think Clark has a better shot at winning the presidential election than any of the aforementioned four democrats though. Most people don't know that he's a ****ing idiot.

[Seeker]

Lieberman is too 'Jewish' to be elected President of the USA or even VP I believe.

So what if that's bad, it's the truth.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by Saint Marcus
why not?
Aren't politics in the US mainly person-orientated, and not party-orientated?

And this person, Clark, is widely viewed as a Clinton crony and surrogate.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Timexwatch
Candidates are important, by in the U.S. voters haven't decoupled from parties as much as Europeans have. Party affiliation is still one of the most important elements in predicting how a person will vote.

Spoken like a true poli-sci. Cheerings colleague! :beer: