I'm afraid that you don't understand my reasoning, Christopher Michael.  I respect the moderate portion of the party, but do not feel that they are the only answer.  The problem that we have is that no one will step up to the plate and be truly idealistic.  That's why people don't like the Democratic Party -- because why choose a wannabe Republican when a normal Republican will do just fine.

I am against moderation and am against centre politics.  It may not be a winning formula, but it is what i believe in.  Strong ideals, strong dedications and strong action.  In my opinion, we shouldn't sacrifice the principles of the party just to unite it.  Liberal idealism is present the whole world over and America needs to catch up.  We need to stand up against this conservative tide and not join with it.

I think its important to realize that Gore wasn't the only person to win states by a narrow margin.  Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and Louisiana were all fairly close.  Nevada too for that matter.

There's always room for growth, on both sides.  But you're right, this will be a very different election.

The Democratic nomination should be won by the person who best reflects the Democratic party -- Howard Dean.  None of these diet republicans that they've got out of there.

But no matter.  Whoever wins will be a better President than Bush ever could hope to be...in my humble opinion, anyway.

Wouldn't it be beneficial for Dean to nominate someone from the Mid-West?  

The South is Bush territory.  Florida is NOT in play, especially with the Bush re-election victory in 2002.  Arkansas is out, Louisiana may be a swing, but not likely.  Kentucky and Tennessee are also pushing it.  SC, NC VA, WV are all out (well, ok, maybe not WV).

The Mid-West is the key.  Sweep the NE, pick up OH and MO and then you're talking.

The South is never gonna cave or even help.

You're probably right. I thought Missouri was in the south, but I'm a foreigner....

Still, if you pick up Ohio, and loses NM, you will still lose the election. If you lose OR, IA, WI and MN you could lose the whole thing if you don't have anything to make it up with.

I guess Missouri can be said to be in the south, but it all depends.  Most people say that Maryland is in the north east, although technically it is a southern state.

1. What's your name?
Mike
2. Where do you live?
Toronto, Ontario
3. What's your political affiliation (Rep, Dem, Ind)?
Technically Liberal (but I'm an adopted Dem)
4. Who's your favourite President of all-time?
FDR
5. Who's your favourite international leader of all-time?
Trudeau (PM of Canada)
6. How did you get interested in politics?
HOurs and hours of debating with my father
7. How did you discover this forum?
Yahoo! Search (I think)
8. What do you like most about it?
What don't I like about it?
9. What are your other interests, apart from politics?
There's things other then politics?  Damn, why didn't someone tell me!
10. What's your favourite movie?
Jurassic Park
11. What's your favourite song?
Hanging by a Moment -- Lifehouse
12. Anything else you'd like to mention?
I am a Canadian with an unusual fixation with Rhode Island (I really don't know why).  So, I've decided that Rhode Island is my adopted state and the Dems are my adopted party b/c they resemble Canadian socialism to a certain degree

Wouldn't it be beneficial for Dean to nominate someone from the Mid-West?  

The South is Bush territory.  Florida is NOT in play, especially with the Bush re-election victory in 2002.  Arkansas is out, Louisiana may be a swing, but not likely.  Kentucky and Tennessee are also pushing it.  SC, NC VA, WV are all out (well, ok, maybe not WV).

The Mid-West is the key.  Sweep the NE, pick up OH and MO and then you're talking.

The South is never gonna cave or even help.

Cool. that's what i thought, just wanted to be sure

Is there a list of everyone running and their platforms? Or is this all informal?

Ah, it all makes sense to me

*bows anc crawls*

But have we already agreed on the format?  One primary per party? I hear people all talking about organizing it differently.

The only reason I endorsed NYM90 w/out seeing anyone else was b/c he was the only one running who i thought appealed to the liberal base of the party.  Asking the foreign party questions only sealed the deal... ;-)

I have a question -- exactly where do we stand with this fantasy elections and when will it be conducted (or is this all on the drawing board right now)

Are the polling samples on the previous boards what you guys are using or is there more with the primaries?  

Just curious / excited...I'm a nerd, what can i say?

Dean has the north east in the bag (including PA).  All he needs to do is to concentrate in the Mid-West and some of the swing souths to win.  

The Dems will never again sweep the south.  I think we need to let that dream die and fight the good fight in the north.

A liberal interventionist!  What a breath of fresh air.  

You've got my vote.

Although I am a newbie, and my endorsement may not mean much, I would like to support NYM90 for the Democratic nomination.

I would rather lose a general election than sell out the principles of liberal values that the Dems truly stand for.  Better to lose a fight than to lose your self if you ask me.

The Democrats cannot always race to center every time there is trouble.  America doesn't need two Republican parties.  Diet REpublicans are still Republicans

Good answer.  But if the United States had credible evidence that a pre-emptive attack is neccesary, would it not be able to convince the United Nations to authorize such a use of force?

But what would you say about cases in which US peacekeeping is neccesary to prevent genocide?  For example Bosnia / Somalia / Liberia?

Would you have America rever to an isolationist mentality dating back to the pre-FDR days?

Wow!  Realpolitic has my total respect as an international observer.  Anyone who can take interest in THAT much politics is good in my books

If I may throw my hat in as well...

Personally, I would like to know where the candidates stand on foreign relations and American intervention abroad.

Fair enough.  Personally, I wish things were a little more mixed up here, but we can't have it all.  

ru from Canada, or just an observer?  

That's certainly true of Ontario.
But in Saskatchwan the NDP think that the Liberals are the vote splitters(!)

As a native of Ontario, I can't help but reiterate the importance of Ontario in winning the federal elections.  No offense to the West, but all the liberals need to do is keep Ontario strong and all the NDP need to do is to split the vote in Ontario.  Nothing else matters...sorry if I'm sounding contemptuous to the rest of the country, but it's a sort of dry realism that I've developed over the years.

It will be Graham or Clark most likely.  Both have strengths  and weaknesses.

I agree Dean cares about Dean, not the future of the party.  He is running vs the party now and blasting Terry McAuliffe and calling DLC Democrats Republicans.

It all comes down to a question of saving face now.  I think there is too much bad blood between Dean and Clark, so Dean will most likely turn to Graham as his choice in order to not be eclipsed.

As for Terry McAuliffe and the DLC Dems, I like to refer to them as nothing but Diet Republicans (whether that be a good thing or not is a matter of perspective I guess)

Yes she will, if she survives Rudy in 2006.

With the Clintons, there is no such thing as being sure...at least, in my humble opinion.

Thanx.  My two loves made one -- politics and family guy !

She will run.

She won't run against him.  She would opt out.

I agree with you.  The Clintons know when not to fight, and she knows that she couldn't defeat Rudy.  If he actually does consider the run seriously, I suspect some back room deals to give him something better...what the Clintons could offer him is another story...(my conspiracy theory at work)

The NDP never have been anything but a vote splitter.  It is possible that they could take away some federal support for the liberals across the country and help the Conservatives down the road by damaging the liberals (for example, in interior Toronto).

However, I still think that Canadians will soon get tired of the Liberals and move to the Conservatives (as much as I'd hate to admit it).  They won't care how right winged Martin is, but rather just turn for a fresh face.  Martin will be the death of the liberal party, mark my words.

I still maintain that Graham would be the best candidate for Dean.  Dean won't be thinking about how old Graham would be when he himself ran for President, but rather how he would help.

And I don't care what anyone says, Vice President's DO help with Electoral Votes and public image.