MONDAY
RECENT POSTS
- This Flu Kills
August 29, 2009 - Serious Doubts on Healthcare
August 27, 2009 - Ted Kennedy Dies
August 26, 2009 - Two and a Half Men: The Return of the Sitcom
August 24, 2009 - MJ's FBI File
August 24, 2009 - How Youth Make a Difference
August 22, 2009 - Hurricane Katrina Four-Year Anniversary: Have We Done Enough?
August 21, 2009 - Bringing Guns to Obama Town Halls
August 19, 2009
E-mail a friendYOUNG VOICES
Primary Popularity Contest
It has become abundantly clear that some people really, really don't like Hillary Clinton. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with her politics, but rather, her personality. During one of the New Hampshire debates, the moderator asked Hillary Clinton to address the voters who like Barack Obama better as a person, even though they believe she is more experienced and electable. Her answer, "Well, that hurts my feelings...But I'll try to go on..."
The likeability issue has become increasingly important this election. Clinton, the first female to have a serious chance of sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office, was not supported by a voter demographic in Iowa that seemed like a no-brainer—women. On caucus day, 35% of this group stood for Obama, while only 30% stood for Mrs. Clinton.
Isn't it ironic that even though many Democrats believe that Mrs. Clinton is the most qualified front-runner for the position of president, they are leaning toward the youthful and inexperienced Obama? It's enough to make any Clinton supporter cry . . .
Republicans do not face the same debate over whether to vote for experience or personality. All the legitimate Republican candidates (including Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain and Mike Huckabee) are perceived as qualified to hold this office. So, rather than coming down to the question of who they would rather have a beer with, Republicans are asking themselves who do they trust to represent their interests and values. These are questions Democrats just aren't getting to, and the answers may hurt whichever Democratic nominee comes out of this primary popularity contest.