i heart mike gravel, apparently

-
I am so valuable. So court-able. I am that beloved (yet usually idiotic-sounding) beast that reporters love to interview around election time.

I am an undecided voter.

Recently I took one of those perhaps-less-than-scientific online quizzes to find out which candidate best represented my views. Because historically, I have been an Issues Voter!

It turned out I should be stumping for Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich. But the quiz tracks content, not form, where both candidates and voters are concerned. So it doesn’t take into account, for example, that John McCain is a jerk (not that I’m saying he is—in fact, he probably isn’t) or that I’m a pragmatist and am not going to vote for anyone too Naderific.

So that left me with the big three, which are now the big two, and I agreed with all of them 80-something percent (I’m guessing I liked gay marriage and legalized marijuana a little more than Clinton, Obama, or Edwards). I was going to be forced to do what I usually try to avoid: vote based on personality and strategy.

But hey, that could be fun.

At first I was leaning towards Obama because he just seemed so damn smart, and we all know what kind of presidents America’s anti-smart/pro-drinking-buddy attitude has gotten us.

But then I read this article in The New Yorker about Hillary’s governing style (hardworking, pragmatic, cooperative, incremental, action-focused) versus Obama’s (visionary, sweeping, relaxed) and although I’m not sure it was supposed to make me like her, it did. Yes, she sounded a little Tracy Flick-ish, but I have a very big soft spot for the Tracy Flicks of the world, and I need to believe that quiet, hardworking types get shit done.

But, I don’t know, Obama has a slightly better track record with the gays and is maybe a slightly less dirty campaigner, although I’m not all hung up on the Sins Of The ‘90s the way a lot of Clinton-haters seem to be. Also, Obama probably stands a better chance of beating McCain.

Should I flip a coin? Vote for who’s prettier? Invite blog commenters to buy my vote?

Comments

Kat said…
I'm with you, Cheryl. Deeply...undecided.
February 1, 2008 at 8:21 AM
Jesi said…
check this out:

http://ontheissues.org/default.htm

it may help or it may not.
February 1, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Cheryl said…
I didn't catch the whole debate last night, but I liked what Obama said about not scapegoating immigrants.

When I thought Obama would win the nomination, I thought, Maybe I'll vote for Hillary just to show my support. Now that Hillary is (I think?) in the lead, I find myself thinking, Maybe I'll vote for Obama. So I guess I'm a pro-underdog contrarian above all else.
February 1, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Anonymous said…
As someone who lives in New York State, I can confirm that Hillary is hardworking. She studies her facts. I once heard her on local radio for about 5 minutes about violence against women. I thought I was listening to someone in social services (underpaid, overworked but passionate); she was *that* knowledgeable about the facts. When I learned that I had been listening to my senator, I was shocked.
February 1, 2008 at 3:12 PM
Cheryl said…
Caroline: I do hear she's wonky. I like my politicians wonky so I don't have to be.
February 1, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Anonymous said…
I’m convinced that Obama is good on gay issues and that the Clintons have a propensity to sell out their supporters or take a less vigorous approach then promised in the campaign. I also like the fact that Obama is considered a transformational leader. I think the Clintons’ baggage prevent Hill from rising to this level. Plus the idealist in me wants a leader who can actually bring people together And we need a little color in that white house!
February 3, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Jamie Asaye FitzGerald said…
I'm deeply undecided as well. I want them both on the ticket. Do you think that's possible? I like Hillary's pragmatism and Obama's idealism. I also like what he said about not using immigrants as scapegoats. He's in touch. But so is Hillary. And I think Hillary is a tough cookie. Obama is a soft cookie with lots of melty chocolate chips.
February 4, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Cheryl said…
As someone deeply fond of all types of cookies, it's tough. Obama has a lot of sparkle--of a pretty genuine variety, I think--but I'm world-weary enough to think we need more than sparkle.

I think he would go for VP because he's younger and greener, but I doubt she would. Nevertheless, as of this second, I'm leaning more towards him.

Thanks for weighing in, Tucki and Jamie.
February 4, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Claire said…
I've been having trouble deciding too, but I've come around to Obama. I think Hillary's stuck with too much baggage to win in Nov.

I agree with you in that I don't think she'll VP if Obama gets the nomination but he would. And I think that's probably a good thing strategy wise.
February 4, 2008 at 1:31 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

soleil for a day

-
Image
1. cirque love Since starting gymnastics at age five—or at least since reading Geek Love in college—I’ve wanted to run away and join the circus. Actually, the problem was that I wanted to join the circus but I didn’t want to run away. How fortunate, then, that AK found out about Cirque School , where you can lea rn the trapeze arts without ever leaving L.A. She gave me a class for my birthday, which I finally redeemed last night (after reading up on it, I decided it sounded kind of hardcore, and that I needed to build up some flexibility and upper body strength before going—I’m not sure that happened, but a month passed, I was a little closer to reuniting with my left splits and I was itching to take the class). The classes are held at Absolution L.A. , a small West Hollywood studio walled with honey-colored wood and stocked with pilates machines, trapezes, a climbing wall, red vinyl chairs and other items of expensive-looking fu rn iture. It reminded me, I told AK later,
Read more

seasons of love

-
Image
Everything Cheryl does, she’s totally joking and completely serious.             --AK 2,628,000 minutes 2.6 million moments so dear 2,628,000 minutes How do you measure, measure five years? In new jobs , in boob jobs , in blog posts, in cups of coffee In coffee, more coffee, in coffee, and tea In 2,628,000 minutes How do you measure five extra years? How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love Seasons of love 2,628,000 minutes 2.6 million plans gone awry 2,628,000 minutes How do you measure public places I’ve cried ? In grants that I wrote, and novels on the side   Facebook rabbit holes are no source of pride It’s time to kiss Dashaboo Though he’s sticky with jam Let’s celebrate, remember five years Of making people deal with who I am Remember the love Remember the love Remember the love Measure in love Rent rent rent rent reeeeennnnnnt! In diapers, in houses In homies , in couples t
Read more

tops of 2023

-
Image
Recently one of my therapists (plural) told me I talk too much. Well, technically she said that while doing EMDR, she needed to interrupt my highly intellectualized storytelling more, so that we could prioritize reprocessing rather than letting me tip into re-experiencing trauma. And she said it very nicely. But a little part of me heard "You're too much for your therapist, and now you have failed," and of course that kind of thinking is why I'm in therapy. Today I listened to this episode of This American Life, in which Yousef (above, with his family), an incredibly determined, kind, and good-humored Palestinian man, talks about how his two-year-old son wants "a thousand kisses" before going to bed. He laughs and says he doesn't mind. In nearly the same breath, he says he regrets having kids, because what's the point of having children if you can't protect them? I wanted to jump through my car radio and hug him, or some other useless action, be
Read more