Democrats only please...

[Ebowed]

Senator Evan Bayh - 4
Senator Joe Biden - 4
Senator Russ Feingold - 6
Senator Hillary Clinton - 1

Governor Mark Warner - 5
Governor Bill Richardson - 5
Governor Tom Vilsack - 5

Former VP Al Gore - 4
Former Senator John Edwards - 4
General Wesley Clark - 6

Please look at the votes on S. 397 (Roll Call votes 215, 217 and 219).

Bayh, Biden, Clinton and Feingold all voted against the right to keep and bears arms (they were in the 31).

I wouldn't be surprised at any of them being anti-gun rights.  I don't like Bayh or Biden that much, and I loathe Clinton; the only one I would support with some degree of enthusiam is Feingold, although he is obviously considerably more liberal than I on many social issues.

[TheresNoMoney]

Russ Feingold was one of the only Democrats to vote against the renewal of the assault weapons ban. He has moved to the right on gun issues during his time in the Senate.

[Ebowed]

Russ Feingold was one of the only Democrats to vote against the renewal of the assault weapons ban.

Really?  That's a pleasant surprise.  Now if only he'd get rid of the pro-affirmative action stance...

[MissCatholic]

Evan Bayh = 3 (was 7 yesterday)
His vote has really got on my nerves. He is panderring to the left wing interest groups. The reason people want him to run is for what he did prior to his voting record after the 2004 election.

Joe Biden = 2
He makes alot of good points. But he is a senator and doesnt have the qualities i feel that are needed to become a president.

Russ Feingold = 9
I am down to four candidates now and hes my pick at the moment. He had the best arguement for confirming roberts. Yes Roberts is a conservative but he voted yes so that republicans will find it harder to vote against a progressive judge. He is a maverick. He is well-respected across the board and i think could turn alot of independents his way.

Hillary Clinton = 7
One thing she does have that alot of people in the bush administration dont have is balls. No person in America takes more unjustified abuse than hillary. Every week FOX finds a way of doing a segment about her. She has alot of money and she could be one of the few democrats that could do well with rural voters. I think alot of people are under-estimating her just like we did with bush.

Mark Warner = 8
He has everything the democratic party needs except the legislative expeirence. He can be president. He can win the nomination and it would a great day for the party if he were to get the nomination. If he does then i really hope he picks another person from the centre (kathleen sebelius, blanche lincoln or mary landrieu)

Bill Richardson = 2
I understand that he can offer the hispanic vote. He could win CO,FL,NV and NM. But something about him makes me feel cranky.

Tom Vilsack = 2
His wife will destroy him. She cant keep her mouth shut. I blame him also for losing iowa.

Al Gore = 4
His rants have really hurt the party. He generates alot of money but i dont want him to be the nominee. its time the party moved forward.

John Edwards = 0
Wizard of oz.

Wesley Clark = 7
I do like him. but i think he will be a better vp than a nominee.

[TheresNoMoney]

Really?  That's a pleasant surprise.

It's true.

Now if only he'd get rid of the pro-affirmative action stance...

Do you really consider affirmative action an issue anymore? It basically isn't even dealt with in legislative bodies and used very sparingly in the real world. I have no idea what Russ's views are on it and I don't really care.

I consider affirmative action about 50,292nd in the list of most important issues.

[ian]

Senator Evan Bayh-5
Senator Joe Biden-5
Senator Russ Feingold-8
Senator Hillary Clinton-5

Governor Mark Warner-2
Governor Bill Richardson-5
Governor Tom Vilsack-5

Former VP Al Gore-0
Former Senator John Edwards-10
General Wesley Clark-3

[TheresNoMoney]

I'm not meeting Senator Feingold today. I was told a few days ago they were holding the press conference right outside the building I work in, but they moved it to the city Democratic headquarters (just two buildings away). It's going on right now but I wouldn't be able to get in.

I'm definitely going to head up to his listening session tomorrow at Dartmouth College. His speech at the Rockingham Country Democrats dinner in Epping, NH is being aired on CSpan tonight at 7:30 EST.

[© tweed]

Senator Evan Bayh -- 8
Senator Joe Biden -- 7
Senator Russ Feingold -- 8
Senator Hillary Clinton -- 5
Senator John Kerry -- 4

Governor Mark Warner -- 8
Governor Bill Richardson -- 6
Governor Tom Vilsack -- 7

Former VP Al Gore -- 9
Former Senator John Edwards -- 9
General Wesley Clark -- 0

[jokerman]

Senator Evan Bayh 8
Senator Joe Biden 6
Senator Russ Feingold 7
Senator Hillary Clinton 5

Governor Mark Warner 9
Governor Bill Richardson 6
Governor Tom Vilsack 5

Former VP Al Gore 7
Former Senator John Edwards 6
General Wesley Clark 8

[Speed of Sound]

Senator Evan Bayh-7
Senator Joe Biden-6
Senator Russ Feingold-10
Senator Hillary Clinton-6

Governor Mark Warner-8
Governor Bill Richardson-7
Governor Tom Vilsack-6

Former VP Al Gore-6
Former Senator John Edwards-3
General Wesley Clark-5

[Ebowed]

Now if only he'd get rid of the pro-affirmative action stance...

Do you really consider affirmative action an issue anymore?

Well, I doubt affirmative action is much of an issue in New Hampshire, but in the South, where qualified people are regularly rejected because someone chose a minority instead, it's still an issue.

[Flying Dog]

Senator Evan Bayh-9
Senator Joe Biden-4
Senator Russ Feingold-6
Senator Hillary Clinton-3

Governor Mark Warner-8
Governor Bill Richardson-9
Governor Tom Vilsack-4

Former VP Al Gore-5
Former Senator John Edwards-3
General Wesley Clark-5

[True Democrat]

Senator Evan Bayh: 5
Senator Joe Biden: 1
Senator Russ Feingold: 3
Senator Hillary Clinton: 5

Governor Mark Warner: 5
Governor Bill Richardson: 6
Governor Tom Vilsack: 3

Former VP Al Gore: 6
Former Senator John Edwards: 2
General Wesley Clark: 5

[Platypus]

I ranked them instead

Mark Warner
Joe Biden
Tom Vilsack
Russ Feingold
Bill Richardson
Evan Bayh
Hillary Clinton
Al Gore
Wes Clark
John Edwards

[Ben.]

On a scale of 1-10, how do I view ‘em well…


Senator Evan Bayh – 8 – lacks charisma, compromised himself with the Roberts vote IMHO, but has the record, experience and message to make him a very strong candidate.
 
Senator Joe Biden – 7 – Zero geographical pull (DE can hardly be called a ‘swing state’ any more, nor does he really have a pull to any neighbouring state), however he’s perhaps the Democrat’s best authority on internal relations and while that could make him an excellent running mate, I don’t see him as an exceptionally strong presidential candidate, though he wouldn’t be a dud. 
 
Senator Russ Feingold – 7 – All in all the most principled and decent Senator in office at the moment if you ask me, he is articulate, even charismatic… however his progressivism could place him to far to the left to be viable nationally.

Senator Hillary Clinton – 4 – Divisive, North Eastern, Liberal, Careerist; its not all true but that is the popular perception and it would be close to impossible IMO to reverse that. She is phenomenally bright, with a respectable record in the Senate, but she has so much been defined by the media and by her opponents that I doubt she could win nationally, it would not be impossible… but she would probably have no greater chance than Feingold, although for different reasons. 
     
Senator John Kerry – 4 – ‘Been there done that that’ If he was to stand any chance of winning, he would have to be a different candidate to the one who ran last fall, and I really don’t see that happening.



Governor Mark Warner – 8.5 – Able and an accomplished governor, but with only one term in office he could risk the same fate of the less talented John Edwards last time around. He is as I say able, articulate with a solid record from his time as VA governor, but with only four years under his belt the issue of experience could cripple him in a national race, though it would probably not, with a combination of the right campaign, the right running mate and indeed some ‘luck’ he could be a formidable candidate, yet in the end I don’t think 2008 is his year, and I get the sense he knows it.       

Governor Bill Richardson – 5 – Los Alamos, that alone would seriously damage any Richardson lead campaign, maybe he would have some pull in the south west and amongst Hispanics but at the top of the ticket he would not succeed, perhaps the vice presidential nomination but nothing beyond that.   

Governor Tom Vilsack – 7 – Excellent record, good credentials, Stupid Name, its ridiculous I admit but I don’t think people will vote for a President Vilsack, if he was called Smith or Davis, I think he’d be a very very strong candidate, he’s got very good running mate potential and when Grassley retires he might decide to run for Senate, but he would have to make the idea of “President Vilsack” seem credible… and perhaps I’m overacting.     



Former VP Al Gore – 6 – I like Al Gore, I really do, but another reinvention in order to facilitate another run for the presidency? I don’t see it, he support for Dean and courting of the progressive left of the party are nothing that Nixon didn’t mirror during his ‘wilderness years’ but beyond the fact that he’s effectively ruled out another run I have nothing more to add than that it a real waste but I think he’s had his chance first in 2000 and then in 04 and blew it. 
 
Former Senator John Edwards – 4 – A liberal one term senator from the south and a failed vice presidential nominee, it isn’t going to sell I’m afraid, had he been sensible he would not have run in 04 would have concentrated on being a good senator with a solid moderate record, won re-election in 04 and been the presumptive nominee for 08 by now, that has not been the case… another presidential run would destroy what little is left of his credibility if you ask me.

General Wesley Clark – 0 – Potentially a fairly reasonable pick for Defence were a Democrat to win in 2008 or even 2012, but as a presidential candidate he just would not succeed, if he was serious about politics he would have considered a gubernatorial run, as it was he passed on such a run, nuf said. 

[danwxman]

Senator Evan Bayh: 5
Senator Joe Biden: 1
Senator Russ Feingold: 3
Senator Hillary Clinton: 5

Governor Mark Warner: 5
Governor Bill Richardson: 6
Governor Tom Vilsack: 3

Former VP Al Gore: 6
Former Senator John Edwards: 2
General Wesley Clark: 5

Funny that you dislike Biden when he is closest to your PC score.

[TheresNoMoney]

Senator Russ Feingold – 7 – All in all the most principled and decent Senator in office at the moment if you ask me, he is articulate, even charismatic… however his progressivism could place him to far to the left to be viable nationally.

How is he too far to the left? I think his positions would be extremely popular with the American people.

[jokerman]

Senator Russ Feingold – 7 – All in all the most principled and decent Senator in office at the moment if you ask me, he is articulate, even charismatic… however his progressivism could place him to far to the left to be viable nationally.

How is he too far to the left? I think his positions would be extremely popular with the American people.

If he moderates his social views a little bit, Absolutely.  However, I do commend him for his principled stand on the PATRIOT Act.

[TomC]

Now if only he'd get rid of the pro-affirmative action stance...

Do you really consider affirmative action an issue anymore?

Well, I doubt affirmative action is much of an issue in New Hampshire, but in the South, where qualified people are regularly rejected because someone chose a minority instead, it's still an issue.

This assumes the job was the white's to begin with and a black came along and stole it. Affirmative action merely requires an employer to publically announce a vacancy and then consider a variety of applicants, including qualified blacks if any apply. Since the late 1970s, it has been illegal to hire an applicant based only on race. Your wording above implies people are being hired only because they are black, and not because they are also qualified. I'm surprised someone as intelligent as you is falling for the assertion that unqualified blacks are stealing jobs from whites. In fact, the opposite is sometimes true that well-connected whites are getting jobs because of their connections and not their qualifications, thus denying a qualified minority applicant a real opportunity to compete for it.

[ian]

Now if only he'd get rid of the pro-affirmative action stance...

Do you really consider affirmative action an issue anymore?

Well, I doubt affirmative action is much of an issue in New Hampshire, but in the South, where qualified people are regularly rejected because someone chose a minority instead, it's still an issue.

This assumes the job was the white's to begin with and a black came along and stole it. Affirmative action merely requires an employer to publically announce a vacancy and then consider a variety of applicants, including qualified blacks if any apply. Since the late 1970s, it has been illegal to hire an applicant based only on race. Your wording above implies people are being hired only because they are black, and not because they are also qualified. I'm surprised someone as intelligent as you is falling for the assertion that unqualified blacks are stealing jobs from whites. In fact, the opposite is sometimes true that well-connected whites are getting jobs because of their connections and not their qualifications, thus denying a qualified minority applicant a real opportunity to compete for it.

Thank you.  I'm so glad there's another A/A supporter on this board.  I'm tired of being one of two who speak out in its favor.

[Democratic Hawk]

All, I'll say is from those there are three candidates whom I'd gladly throw my full weight behind: Evan Bayh, Mark Warner and Russ Feingold (despite the latter's dovishness). Being a member of the Labour Party, as well as my ancestral ties, predisposes me to the Democratic Party

It's possible I may be in the states for a month or two in 2008 - were any of these the party nominee - but that depends on my own political aspirations coming to fruition in 2007

Dave

P.S. I trust I wouldn't be barred from supporting Democrats

[Jake]

Senator Joe Biden – however he’s perhaps the Democrat’s best authority on internal relations. 

Very unfortunate IMO

[big bad fab]

Senator Evan Bayh                       6
Senator Joe Biden                        7
Senator Russ Feingold                  4
Senator Hillary Clinton                   1

Governor Mark Warner                  5
Governor Bill Richardson                6
Governor Tom Vilsack                    5

Former VP Al Gore                         2 
Former Senator John Edwards      0
General Wesley Clark                    3

Hope you wille give us results....

And what about Kerry ?

[jokerman]

Now if only he'd get rid of the pro-affirmative action stance...

Do you really consider affirmative action an issue anymore?

Well, I doubt affirmative action is much of an issue in New Hampshire, but in the South, where qualified people are regularly rejected because someone chose a minority instead, it's still an issue.

This assumes the job was the white's to begin with and a black came along and stole it. Affirmative action merely requires an employer to publically announce a vacancy and then consider a variety of applicants, including qualified blacks if any apply. Since the late 1970s, it has been illegal to hire an applicant based only on race. Your wording above implies people are being hired only because they are black, and not because they are also qualified. I'm surprised someone as intelligent as you is falling for the assertion that unqualified blacks are stealing jobs from whites. In fact, the opposite is sometimes true that well-connected whites are getting jobs because of their connections and not their qualifications, thus denying a qualified minority applicant a real opportunity to compete for it.

Yes, but the black is still getting some benefit from it.  Consider if the black and white had equal qualifications, or even near equal qualifications, then the black would get it because of affirmative action.  It's unconstitutional and wrong.

[Beet]

Senator Evan Bayh-- 6
Senator Joe Biden-- 6
Senator Russ Feingold-- 9
Senator Hillary Clinton-- 3

Governor Mark Warner-- 8
Governor Bill Richardson-- 6
Governor Tom Vilsack-- 5

Former VP Al Gore-- 5
Former Senator John Edwards-- 3
General Wesley Clark--7