h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F19585?thread=5203458 I thought you might help me defend Obama.

Thanks!

No problem. I usually hate getting involved in American political discussions on h2g2, because I really feel like there's no point to it. I mean, 90% or more of the people reading it won't be able to vote in the US. It's interesting that so many hootooers are Hillary fans. I don't know why that is. I have no idea how the British media reports these things, but it seems like their perceptions are colored by the media presentation more than usual. Or maybe it's the pseudo-intellectualism which pervades on this site. I don't know.

Which state are you from, by the way? I'm from Ohio, which just failed to end Senator Clinton's campaign.

I'm from Tennessee, which also went for Clinton. I wish Tennessee were divided into two states, because the conservative middle and east Tennessee voters outnumber us in Memphis. They always pull the vote to the right.

Yeah, Ohio's segmented like that, too. I'm from one of the, what, five counties in Ohio (out of 88) that went for Obama though

Cool. Yes, my county was for Obama too. I've added you to my friends list by the way -- anyone supporting Obama, and so eloquently, can't be half bad.

I'm not that worried about Senator Clinton's supposed comeback, despite Ohio. There's no way for her to win that isn't 1) ugly and 2) very unlikely. I'm just not looking forward to waiting for her to realize that.

Agreed.

I've had my eye on Obama for a long time. When he's given speeches in previous elections, I kept thinking, "Dang, I wish he was running." And now he is! Yay! He strikes me as sensible and compassionate, fiery yet cool, and very intelligent. A real contrast to *cough* what we have now.

Have you seen him speak in person yet? I saw him when he came to Dayton - it was great. He was much funnier than I expected. I don't know why people think he's all flash and no substance - he was fairly detailed in policy proposals, for a stump speech.

I remember when I was watching the DNC convention in '04, I was having a conversation with Hypatia here on h2g2. We were both blown away. I'd like to find that old convo...

No, I haven't seen him in person. I remember when Edwards came to Memphis for a rally in the last election. It was on Beale Street, and on both sides on the roofs were numerous police with machine guns. Kinda spooked me. And you couldn't get anywhere close to the podium to really see. So I've avoided rallies since, but try to convince my friends to vote for Obama.

Here in Memphis we had a tornado the day of the primary.

Must head to bed soon -- I've made a pact with myself not to stay online late this week.

Me too, really. Wouldn't be able to sleep anyways. Daylights Savings Time is messing with my already unhealthy sleep schedule.

I wish Edwards would have stayed in long enough to come to Ohio Well, maybe not, but I sure wish he'd come to Ohio.

If you actually find that conversation with Hypatia, I'd like to read it too!

G'night.

Can I be rude and butt in- since I'm an Obama supporter as well? He's been instrumental in helping pass several important bills here at home, so I'm really pleased with his legislative background.

Something I posted elsewhere in another convo with JEllen, that I'd like to repost here:

>>Obama was key in orchestrating videotaped police questioning and confessions in the state of Illinois. Cook county- which contains Chicago and numerous outlying suburbs- has historically had very serious problems with corruption amongst its police departments. Videotaping interrogations meant that police were less likely to beat confessions out of suspects- a measure that protects not only the accused, but the honest police officers, too.

Obama has also assisted in passing an Earned Income Credit (tax deduction for working poor parents) and campaign finance legislation.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...cle/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303.html


In regards to his position on the abortion issue, in an email I received from Obama yesterday (in response to my email about the potential nomination of Honaker), he describes himself as "someone who views the choice of whether to have an abortion as a deeply personal one that should be left to a woman, her family, her doctor and her conscience".<<

Quite honestly, I resent the insinuation that white people like myself would only vote for Obama out of "white guilt" or whatever nonsense people are saying. He got my vote in the Illinois primary because I think he has more integrity than Clinton, because he and I share the same position on crucial issues that Clinton does not (Iraq, and underperforming teachers, for example), and because I can *see* positive results from legislation he's helped put through.

And please forgive my intrusion!

Not at all, you're certainly welcome pc

That's good to hear from someone in Illinois - that you can see the positive results of Senator Obama's work.

I didn't vote out of any kind of white guilt. Like I said in the thread mentioned earlier, I was initially a supporter of John Edwards. I think it would be very cool to have an African-American as President, and I think it would be very cool to have a woman as President. Those are not just symbolic milestones, they would have a measurable impact on peoples' attitudes and perceptions of America. That's very cool. But if the choice is between a better prepared white man with more integrity and a lesser choice of a woman or minority candidate, I'd choose the white man every time. As it happens, Senator Obama is the best candidate left to vote for, and that is why he's going to win the nomination.