Who cares that X endorses Y?

[bobbieinok]

Voting for Y because X endorses Y is as weird as going with the bandwagon and letting someone else do your thinking for you.

Re: after the media trashing he was subjected to in 2000, I don't think he'll ever be a viable presidential candidate.

In OK I hear over and over that 'Gore is a serial, pathological liar.'

[Walt Starr]

1. President Gore is very importnat to a lot of us.

I never expected any endorsement out of the President of the United States until after the Democratic Convention, but now, you have the President endorsing Dean.

I've got to back Dean because I back the REAL President of the United States.

[PissedOffPollyana]

11. a rose is a rose is a rose...

I can no more give blind approval & support of everything President Gore does/says as I would the Usurper-in-Chief. Not to single you out, just needing to say something after finally reaching my limit of One True Wayism for the day.

Seriously, is it any better when WE do it, just because we're on the left? I know knee-jerk exists on both sides of the isle, but it's no more attractive depending on the side.

Just sharing, but if need be, let the stoning begin...

[Walt Starr]

13. I've been floating from candidate to candidate, they're all good

Any one of them is certainly better than Whistle-Ass.

But the problem has been with nine seperate candidates, this party is splintered.

President Gore took real leadership to heart and made his decision known. I respect his position and will get behind the single nominee now.

[bowens43]

2. I care

[Bombtrack]

3. it just should be noted that X wants an open primary in 4 years

and an incumbent president of X's party would stop him from having that, which is where Y comes in to help him.

[nonconformist]

4. Gore is still widely respected by a great deal of Dems

So, this definitely helps Dean in his quest for the nomination. Will an endorsement like this make a difference going up against Bush? Maybe, maybe not... but it definitely helps for the primaries.

For the record, I like Clark too and I'm still hoping for a Dean/Clark ticket... I think it would be UNSTOPPABLE.

[Terwilliger]

5. you're a Clarkie, right?

This emotional outburst is getting really sad.

[JVS]

9. Remember how important it was when Clinton was said to be behind Clark?

[Terwilliger]

16. heh

and they're waiting for their dream notions to be reinforced by Clinton's actual endorsement of Clark...they may not get it :shrug:

[uberotto]

6. When X endorses candidate Y...

it adds some credability to candidate Y campaign. For instance, when Jessie Jr endorsed Dean, the people who respect Jessies opinions will give some of that respect to Dean.

Al Gore, however is a different level of endorsment. Much like Clinton (either one), Al Gore brings a much greater level of credibility to the candidate because of who he is and his connections to the "political pulse" of the democratic party. Secondly, like the Clintons, Gore is a money making and headline generating machine.

As for "going with the bandwagon and letting someone else do your thinking for you." I don't know how things are done in whatever country you live in, but here in America this is how most people choose a candidate. Most of the voters will know very little about any of the candidates when they go to vote. They will rely on "the bandwagon" to make their decision for them.

In America, popularity will always win out over issues.

[PissedOffPollyana]

7. Got to agree, to an extent...

It's great to look at Kucinich's site and see the list of intellectual and principled people who support him growing, but that's my limit. I suppose if I didn't actually read up on the candidates and scour all their platforms, it might be vaguely helpful but no more so than simply voting a party/candidate because your parents/husband/etc do.

Some folks give them greater stock in trade, especially when they are from other politicians, but I'm a big fan of making my own decisions and following my own ideals. Granted, I'm not big on blanket trust of most politicians' motives either, so there's THAT... **laughing**

But, you are right. This is not like student council elections, where it really doesn't matter if you just pick whoever everyone else thinks is popular... well, let me rephrase... it shouldn't be anyway. I get the feeling there are a lot of people who are swayed this way, not wanting to not hang with the "cool kids" in the "big group". I think endorsements feed into that emotion a bit. More is made of them than is really necessary overall.

[JVS]

8. Gore is the candidate that I voted for in 2000

His opinion matters to me

[loudnclear]

10. Sharpton said it best on Crossfire

Endorsements are not votes.

[PVnRT]

12. And yet

if Gore had endorsed Clark, I bet you would be jumping for joy.

[Don Claybrook]

14. Answer: $$$$$$$$$$

You may not care about Gore's endorsement. People in the fine state of Oklahoma may not care about his endorsement. But lots of liberal philanthropists with bags full of cash most certainly do. Al Gore's endorsement carries lots of weight with these people. Moreover, they want to pick a winner, and by-and-large, they'll go with the prevailing trend.

It's all about money, not your personal view or mine, or the fine voting populace of Oklahoma.

[arewethereyet]

15. I'm really quite surprised

very unusual as it throws a certain slant to that which is generally left to the people. I would love to understand his rationale. I have a guess but no more than that.

[bobbieinok]

17. I like Kucinich, Dean, and Clark

Sure I live in OK; I was born here and grew up here. I went to college in Houston for 4 years and grad school in CA in the 60s. Then I lived 20+ years in IA (like much better than OK) and have been back working in OK since 89.

From what I see here, Clark is the only democratic candidate who MAYBE could win states like OK. That's my opinion based on (too) many years of experience.

Each of us makes decisions on the basis of our experiences.

Since I've voted for the losing candidate for president most of my voting life, I just do not understand the band-wagon effect. I didn't understand it as a kid when I listened to the conventions and heard about states jumping to the 'winner,' and I don't understand it today.

[Skittles]

18. I don't give a sh** about endorsements either

I make up my own mind.

[Moderator]

19. Locking

Inflammatory.