Some good things about our Presidential candidates

With all the bashing of many of the candidates (which is normal - after all, it is primary season), I thought it would be nice to take a moment to shed some positive light on each of them.

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Joe Biden, though not yet a candidate, can run on 30 years of Senate experience. He is the top Democrat (and former Chairman) of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Wesley Clark, though not yet a candidate either, is a retired general who served in Vietnam (winning several medals, including the Purple Heart). He led NATO’s Allied Forces in Kosovo.

Under Howard Dean, 92% of Vermonters (including 99% under 18 years young) have health insurance; that’s better than the national average. And, when he left office, Vermont had a $10 million surplus and a 3.7% unemployment rate. As a candidate, he is very energetic.

John Edwards is a young man with a lot of good ideas. He lives in North Carolina, a state which, despite Republican leanings, is trending Democratic.

Dick Gephardt has been a powerful fighter for working people – who make up much of the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. In addition, he is from the important swing state of Missouri.

Bob Graham could help us win Florida. (I don’t care what that poll says – it’s early!) He has over 35 years of political experience in the Florida Legislature, as Governor, and in the Senate. Some of that experience has been as former Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a Co-Chair of the September 11 Commission.

John Kerry served his country in Vietnam, even though he didn’t like that war. He, like General Clark, was decorated. Also, he has good plans to improve healthcare and the economy.

Dennis Kucinich has outstanding ideas (Department of Peace, for example), and he speaks VERY passionately. Just see him speak and you’ll know what I’m saying!

Joe Lieberman won the Vice Presidency of the United States in 2000! Or he would have, anyway. In his more than three decades of experience, he has been a fighter for the environment and against corporate crime.

Carol Moseley Braun has been a pioneer among women in recent years. She was the only black woman to ever have served in the Senate. She has championed such things as diversity in communities and rebuilding crumbling schools.

Rev. Al Sharpton is another great speaker. He energizes crowds wherever he goes. He also has a good sense of humor.

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So, there’s something good about all eleven of them. Please feel free to add your own positive thoughts! After all, this is a very incomplete list; these are only samplings of what’s good about them. Keep it positive, though: if you have something negative to say, say it on another thread. There are plenty of other threads on which you can bash candidates; this is not one of them.

Individually, each of them have their own positive aspects. And, when one thinks about it, that's more than one could say for Bush.

I think it is great that you are saying things that are good about all the candidates. Here's a couple of my thoughts:

I admire Wesley Clark for saying it like it is during the buildup of the war. He is a straight talker.

Dennis Kucinich stood up to the banks and saved Cleveland's power company for the people. He's got guts.

Kerry fought in Viet Nam. Not a false patriot, and definately not AWOL.

Carol Moseley Braun had some good progressive ideas as Senator from Illinois.

Howard Dean has sparked enthusiasm by telling us, the people, to take back our country, a theme that I hope the Democratic candidate (whoever it is) takes up in the main campaign.

Don't know that much about the others, so can't comment.

I watched most of the forum on CSPAN and thought how much I liked them all. Well, I wasn't nuts about Lieberman. The school voucher thing almost made my head explode, in fact, but even he would be a far, far better president than Bush. I went to a Dean meetup last night and am very interested in his candidacy, but the overriding concern for me is that one of these people should be elected. In my mind there are a few that really aren't electable but each one of them is bringing something to the campaign. To the list of candidates who aren't running as of now, I'd have to add Gore. Watching him speak on CSPAN earlier, all I could really think of was that he'd hand Bush his butt next time around. Anyway, regardless of wins the nomination, it will be very easy to support that person fully.

Heck, there are a number of Republicans I'd take over Bush!

ourse)

Biden has the respect of great deal of Senators on both sides of the aisle.

Kucinich: Help defeat many incumbant Republicans and has served as a Mayor of a large American City.(which has actually more power then that of the Governor of Texas)

Edwards: He looks a great deal like JFK, and has so much energy. Tom Tully supports him. He would bring in NC, his home state which could be key to winning 2004.

Sharpton: A major civil rights leader and brings the Democrats back to thinking like Democrats. It is people like him that make the real social progressive changes in the United States.

Kerry: A long time Democrat. Loyal to the party, a war hero, and great on education, civil rights, and could outspend the President :) if he wanted to.

Braun: A sweet gal. I would like to see here debate Bush. He is actually the goal of what Americans want, a Black Women in the White House. That will be the day we can say America has moved a long ways from its's humble start.

Graham: He is true leader. The people of Florida see this man for who he is, a true down to earth human that stands for what is right even when it is unpopular and may cost him in the polls.

Gephardt: This guy is the son of a milkman. OK, that is like about the most American as you can get. He rose to where he is today because of hard work and talent. He is still paying off his college education! That tells you something right there about this man.

Clark: Of course my favorite :loveya:. He is a genius. He rated 1st in his class from West Point. He is Rhoads Scholar and Oxford Graduate. He grew up poor. His father died when he was only 2 years old. He is from a Little Rock and is friends with Bill and Hillary. He is chair of Leadership for America. A group that helps young'uns with leadership skills. He has donated so much of his time to helping others. Oh, almost forgot, he also the "Medal of Freedom". That is not a military medal. That is a civil medal given by the President of the United States. Very few get this medal, even fewer while they are alive. He has also been knighted by the Queen of E. He is a handsome man with all it takes to be President. He is a handsome knight in shining medals ready to slay the evils of the civil rights burning Bush administration.

Go Dems!

:kick:
J4Clark

That was a breath of fresh air, thanks!

Dean was able to balance the budget without raising taxes. He has 16 questions for Bush. He also would implement a three-circle defese policy. And, most importantly, he stands up for what is right, regardless of what polls say. Take the gay rights issue: He risked his political career to do what he knew was right for Vermont.

"The American people would rather have a President who is strong and wrong than one who is weak and right," Bill Clinton said.

I could explain, but either you know and don't care that this was not a Dean thread or you wouldn't understand the explanation. I am not trying to be flip, but this thread was another great unifying idea spoiled by the usual DU spoiler these days.

What's wrong with giving good info on Howard Dean? That's the point of this thread: To share good things about the Presidential contenders!

Amn I bashing anyone? No; I'm just telling good things about Howard Dean! And, honestly, you're the spoiler here, IMO!

Edwards: A very handsome man. OK it is shallow but yikes the guys got the looks. He is also very smart and that just seals the deal!

Dean: Very innovative with approach to becoming a psuedo-front runner. I give him much respect for once polling near 4% to almost topping Liberman as the most popular canidate.

Liberman: He wouldn't be so bad if he would just change his party affiliation to republican and stop kidding himself. ;) But Joe is a good guy and was elected by the people to be our VP!

Kerry: A great speaker and a shocking liberal. It always lifts my spirits to see a person of great wealth and social standing can still have respect and care for those people who are ignored. His volunteer service in Vietnam makes Bush look like a Nazi, and rightfully so.

Mosley-Braun: What a great smile and genuinely nice lady. I don't think anyone can really not like her.

Clark: Another good looking man with the past history to impress just about anyone.

Biden: Don't know much about him except the great quotes he gave to Wolfowitz during a question session.

Sharpton: This is what being a social progressive is all about. He might not be the perfect person but he is definetly one of the models of being progressive and how to make positive change.

Gephart: Unions love him and they should. He is an asset to the Democratic party.

Kucinich: This little guy has some spirit. I'm proud to know that there are people with ideas like his in positions he can reach! Gives me hope that the liberal mind has not gone the way of the dinosaur.

:(

Senator Bob Graham is running, too.

Sorry about that, I was worried I'd miss one but didn't recount my original post.

Graham: I wasn't very interested or familiar with Graham at first in this race. But lately he has talked with much passion and courage to slam Bush on his accountability! We need more politician's with his kind of backbone not afraid of polls or being submissive to the right wing thugs! I easily see why he is so popular in Florida, he's got smarts, guts, and a down to earth attitude.

I'm leaving Biden/Clark out of the list, since they are not currently running.


John Kerry believes that free trade agreements should include provisions to protect the labor and environmental standards so that international agreements do not undermine our clean air and water.

John Edwards co-sponsored the Consumer Privacy Protection Act.

Dennis Kucinich: Universal Health Care. No NAFTA/WTO. No pre-emptive war. A living wage. Instant run-off voting. Campaign finance reform. Supports the needs and interests of all citizens before corporations. His vote does not belong to corporate donors; he doesn't take their money. Is dependable: 100% attendance/vote record this year in congress. Believes in solving problems by addressing the source, not the symptom.

Dick Gephardt opposes school vouchers.

Bob Graham supports affirmative action.

Joe Lieberman: he's not Bush. He has repeated one phrase numerous times that I appreciate; the quote is from memory, not verbatim: "Can we beat bush in 2004? Absolutely. I know, because Al Gore and I did it in 2000."

Carol Moseley Braun supports universal health care, the protection of individual liberties, and the rebuilding/repair of school infrastructure. She opposes the current use of standardized tests as weapons of mass destruction of public education.

Rev. Al Sharpton advocates the ERA. He also works to get the invisible, silent majority of our population heard, registered, and voting.

Howard Dean has generated a lot of energy and enthusiasm for the primary, which is good for the dems overall. He is pro-choice and supports affirmative action.

Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun---She always makes me smile when she smiles! A very charming persona. Her time in the U.S. Attorney's office impresses me as a notable quality, and she strongly believes in maintaining civil liberties in this era of Ashcroft.

Representative Richard Gephardt---I feel he's one of the better speakers in the running, and his health care plan clearly set the theme for the race. He's been in Congress for a long time, so I would assume he is more than knowledgeable of the many different areas of public policy.

Senator John Kerry---The military background is a solid credential.

Senator Joseph Lieberman---If you eliminate the war vote and voucher talk, and focus on his civil rights efforts in the 60s and his strong prochoice record, there are bright spots for sure.

Senator John Edwards---Southern charm captured voters in 92, and it can be a plus in 04 once again. Good message targeted toward "ordinary" working Americans.

Reverend Al Sharpton---He is an excellent speaker, in my opinion, and if you ignore the baggage you see a strong progressive who is out to preserve liberal politics.

Representative Dennis Kucinich---I like his attacks on the private sector, very genuine. He is a true reformer, with big sweeping ideas that are very appealing.

Governor Howard Dean---I definitely feel that Governor experience is very important in preparing for the Presidency, and his outreach efforts are superb without a doubt.

Senator Bob Graham---Well, I've written about this guy the most, but in sum I am supporting him because of his experience as Governor, his credibility on security, his candid remarks, environmental record as Governor, economic plan that raises taxes on the rich, and his ability to carry some swing states in the South.

As for the four main non-candidates, they are some of my favorites---VP Gore, Sen. Clinton, Sen. Biden, and Gen. Clark. When they announce, that is when I will comment on them :)

It really shines.