Monday, May 22, 2006

You Heard It Here First

Apologies for my many months of absence. Real life has rather distracted me from blogging, but I did want to pop back briefly to note---

You heard it here first. Well, almost.
Posted by at

12 comments:

dcat said...

Roger --
You are a freaking genius! Good to see you back.
I too do no see the disdain for Gore. It makes no sense, especiually if one considers that he was one of the true legitimately prescient voices on terrorism among politicians pre-9/11.

dcat

Mon May 22, 12:23:00 PM CDT
dcat said...

Ooops. Well, then Roger is a moron. Richard is a God to me.

dcat

Mon May 22, 02:34:00 PM CDT
Ritmo Re-Animated said...

I'm wondering if you guys shouldn't just come aboard with all the other subtle voices of the left who secretly hoped that McCain would find a way to clinch the 2000 nomination. Maybe not now, but...

I know, a partisan's gotta do what a partisan's gotta do. Until 2008, then!

Mon May 22, 11:12:00 PM CDT
dcat said...

I second Cram. For those of us for whom domestic issues matter, McCain would be simply unacceptable (Many of us feel the same way about Lieberman), and as he appears set to veer right for the purposes of the primaries, he becomes less so. I STILL do not see the problem with Gore. As I said earlier, his warnings on terrrism in the mid-90s were as good as we were able to get. Only biden, Hart, and Rudman are even especially close among politicians.

Tue May 23, 08:19:00 AM CDT
Ritmo Re-Animated said...

I actually don't think I would have much of a problem with Gore; I might like him as a candidate and even president, but until his self-journey/"reinvention" is complete it's hard to know how his convictions will settle on other issues and governing style generally (although maybe it's better in the age of the single issue voter for a candidate to honestly say: here are two or three things I really care about and will stand and fight for, and the rest I'll be more open-minded about).

Although Russ Feingold seemed to be making a name for himself as one of the more stallworth (and consensus-capable) voices and potential nominees of the left, at least one political scientist thinks his recent second divorce will be too much of a liability. Personally I find him a bit abrasive, but maybe that's just me. (At one point I used to not mind separating personality from other considerations in a candidate).

Tue May 23, 10:21:00 AM CDT
dcat said...

MUL --
I like Feingold in many ways, but he is unelectable. His impeachment talk is too spinnable into radicalism. It is red meat for the base, but at the same time, relying on that base an be poiuson for a nominee's chances to go further.
The idea of Gore reinventing himself is interesting, but I think overstated. To me he is a far more real person than most of the automotons that run for office. And for all of the mockery of his movie trailer, by most accounts it is quite good. certainly there will be a lot of wattage in the Democratic primaries if Gore, Hillary, Kerry, Biden, and Lieberman all run.

dcat

Tue May 23, 10:30:00 AM CDT
Ritmo Re-Animated said...

Let's hope the reinvention talk is overstated, as it's easier to claim that the murkier aspects of his political demeanor were simply a by-product of having to spend 8 years relegated to just administrating under the leadership of a political genius, and that the Real Al Gore has now decided once again to please stand up, please stand up, please stand up.

Plus the wisdom of years might make him more attractive in ways, but I prefer the firebrand who could basically tell Dan Quayle to take his administration and shove it in the 1992 debates.

Tue May 23, 10:46:00 AM CDT
dcat said...

MUL --
That Gore was good. This one might be better, though he is easier to pillory. But the Republican spin mnachine will pillory whichever candidate wins the nomination. Look at how they shamelessly useed the liars and ignoramuses of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The current national GOP is utterly shameless.

dcat

Tue May 23, 11:05:00 AM CDT
dcat said...

Cram --
Intellectually, Feingold might be ok voting against the Patriot Act. Remember that Bush opposed it at first too, until he coopted it for political purposes. But Wisconsin isn't particularly reflective of the rest of the country. I think he would get smashed in the South and West. He would not carry a state.
I agree with your assessment of Gore. I think an honest, straightforward, less (seemingly) political Gore candidacy would be refreshing. After eight disastrous years of Gore, he also would have a pretty powerful way to evoke the 2000 election without being specific.

dcat

Tue May 23, 11:25:00 AM CDT
Ritmo Re-Animated said...

Cram - I'm still going through yours and Dcat's posts, but should just point out that Feingold's second divorce occurred (I believe) after 2004, and that this might be more of a liability at the national level than at the senate level in a small Midwestern state.

Tue May 23, 11:30:00 AM CDT
Ritmo Re-Animated said...

Although I read an interesting article last week covering Feingold's recent journey through Alabama as part of the Democrats' recent musings at not so easily writing off the South, I think his stance on the Patriot act would - as I believe dcat suggests - be played there disengenuously, though effectively, as a weak point in his position on national security.

Of course, on that other note, if he finds a third wife - and quick - I think voters would be more gracious about making personal judgments regarding his electability. I don't think a bachelor would make the cut today though.

Tue May 23, 11:40:00 AM CDT
Richard H said...

Hm, I'd never previously suspcted I might be Roger. I've not seen us both together in the same place for ages, adding to the theories...

Richard.

Sun May 28, 01:25:00 PM CDT

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