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Dems not supporting Obama?
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Anonymous
| In the last two weeks I have met several lifelong Dems who are not sure they will vote for Obama. Two are liberal 40 something scientists at NIH, concerned about experience. One is a grandmother who is worried about Israel. And two more are early thirties worried about taxes/the economy. I worry this is an unusually high number of folks questioning Obama. They all voted for Kerry, Gore and Clinton. Is anyone else experiencing this? |
Anonymous
| No, in fact, there seemed to be more apprehension about Kerry last time around. Lifelong Dems will not vote for McCain. Now the flip side is true for McCain, many conservatives will not come out for him. They would never vote for Obama but they will not bring in the dollars or the votes for McCain. |
Anonymous
| If Bob Barr would make a few ripples I would wonder if he could be choice C ("non of the above") for many voters as it seems like the folks I know are choosing the lesser of the evils. Being a third party didn't work well for Nader though, so not likely I guess. |
Anonymous
| I too know many lifelong Dems who will not vote for Obama and at least 2 have said they have no problem voting for McCain. I totally disagree that lifelong Dems will not vote for McCain. |
Anonymous
| I'd add that not voting for Obama and voting for McCain are two different things. Even if people don't vote for McCain, not showing up at all still hurts Obama. I know a lot of people who are ambivalent and may not show up to vote. I'm worried. |
Anonymous
| Are there specific reasons Dems are not voting for Obama? Just curious; is it his race, where he stands on specific political issues, or the fact that he beat out Hillary for the nomination? |
Anonymous
| Over the weekend I was with my husband's Ohio relatives. All lifelong Dems. All voted for Hillary in the primary. Although they did not come out and say it, it was pretty clear that they are queasy about Obama because he's African-American. Not thrilled that I am related to these people by marriage, but there it is. They are not idealogues so it would not shock me if they voted for McCain. |
Anonymous
Thanks for the honesty. |
Anonymous
There is no reason that fits all. For some, it is lack of experience. Some don't trust him to defend Israel. His race is an issue for some. Some have hostility left over from a rough campaign. And some just have a gut reaction they can't even explain to themselves. Then there are people like me who have liked Obama all along, but who have the gall to try to explain how others feel. Above all, don't listen to shnooks like that! RH 
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Anonymous
| OP here. none of the people I was talking about resisted him because he is African American. I think chalking it up to racism will not help Dems win this race, and is short sighted. Three of the five people I was talking about are Arab immigrants, and really wish they could support someone of Obama's background. As I mentioned, it was experience and economy that concerned them. |
Anonymous
| Unfortunately, one of my family members who is 82 yrs old, life long dem, is for the first time voting republican, soley based on Obama's race. She is old, set in her old stubborn mentality and hates every ethnic group, and she is a minority herself (Asian)...I went with her to vote, rolled my eyes and bit my tongue all morning. I suppose there are many out there like her, and it's a pity there's no getting through her ancient racist attitude. |
Anonymous
|
Lack of experience -- several friends, acquaintances have remarked that Osama Bin Laden is rubbing his hands together with glee at the prospect of an Obama Whitehouse.
His comments about primary voters, their Bibles, and their guns really took the breath away from a couple of my lifelong Democratic voting friends I have also heard concerns that he won't defend Israel There are many reasons to not vote for him if one is looking for them. Should be an interesting November... |
Anonymous
| I have voted Republican in the last couple of elections, and will vote for Obama this fall, primarily because of his race. He will be such an example of the freedom in our country -- that no one is limited by race. He is already serving as such a wonderful role model to African-Americans (and all Americans). |
Anonymous
The craziest part of this, to me at least, is that reelecting Bush was the best possible thing we could have ever done for Bin Laden - it certainly got more people on his side and has helped Al Queda with recruitment. I think Obama would really help our image abroad, certainly in the Muslim world. I don't understand people who think that Obama would just sit back if there was another terrorist attack. Just as when 9-11 happened and all those people said "Oh, I am so glad Al Gore is not President" - what did they think Gore would have done? Invite Osama over for tea? We now know in retrospect that in the very least, Gore would not have invaded Iraq, thereby creating more terrorists and deflecting our attention away from Afghanistan, where Al Queda and the Taliban are. |
Anonymous
| I am one of those lifelong Dems who is not waxing enthusiastic about Obama. I'll vote for him, I'm sure, come November, but I might come across now as the OP's friends do. 1) I'm not over Hillary's loss. It's like a mourning period, and I need a little longer. 2) I'm a free-trade enthusiast, and I hear only bad things from Obama 3) His association with Reverend Wright tarnished his image with me. Of course, I know I agree with Obama much more than with McCain, but I feel a distinct lack of enthusiasm. |