I love reading political blogs for up-to-the-minute news about the presidential campaigns. I read the New York Times' The Caucus, the Washington Post's The Trail, CNN's Political Ticker, MSNBC's First Read, USA Today's On Politics, Slate's Campaign Junkie... Sometimes I feel like my eyes are going to pop out of my skull, but I can't get enough.
When I've read all the blogs, I check for campaign analysis in The New Yorker and The Atlantic. And I like to see what's on BBC News too, for a European perspective.
I like to see how different news organizations portray the same story, and how the candidates portray themselves. I like to get a feel for who's making what kind of news -- who's leading what poll, who's embroiled in what scandal, who's getting endorsed by what union.
And while I like reading about all the candidates (the scary Rudy Giuliani, the awesomely knowledgeable and unfortunately ignored Joe Biden, et al.), it's fun to have a horse in the race. When I stuck my Obama sticker on my car last February, I did so with an audacity of hope. But at this point I believe with my rational senses that he'll be the Democratic nominee. (For the record, watch to see John McCain pull out the Republican nomination after all.)
But let's not get ahead of ourselves.
This year, screw Christmas -- I'm waiting for the Iowa caucuses.
6 comments:
Ben, it's also fun to watch the 'second tier' candidates to see who'll get the VP nod, no? I'm thinking Bill Richardson for the Dems and Mike Huckabee for the GOP. But who knows?
And, yes. Joe Biden is totally ignored. But I think that's because he's a Scranton native.
Hey Keith! You're right, I should've mentioned the "veepstakes." Bill Richardson is tops on my list, too. As for Huckabee, for a while I thought he was gaining momentum, but those Club for Growth people have a mad-on for him. Will it stall him?
Have you noticed Edwards and Obama getting friendly? Do you think they'll cut a deal for VP if they can both beat Hillary?
Whenever some commentator speculates about someone other than the current presidential crop for VP, I get offended because I know everyone else less. Evan Bayh? Who's that??
Ben, I saw Dennis Kucinich this weekend at a protest in Georgia. The crowd was definitely full of Dennis-heads and I found myself becoming oddly caught-up with them among the sea the hippies, dredlock wearers, and tie-dyed pro-legalization of weed supporters.
He's so pro-peace, pro-diplomacy, anti-corporate, etc. I feel drawn to him.
It's too bad that no one takes him seriously.
His line in the last debate about having actually read the PATRIOT ACT was a humdinger, too.
Keith,
According to a site called Glassbooth.org (check it out), Kucinich the Spinach is my #1 candidate -- Dennis and I share 91% of the same views (compared with a 78% similarity between Obama and me). Does that mean I'm nutty?
That's exciting that you got to see him! Have you seen any others?
What a crazy debate that last one was, huh? The audience was bizarre. The questions were weird. And Clinton and Dodd saying security trumps civil rights gave me the heebie-jeebies.
BM--
I have a 89% similarity with Mike Gravel, 87% with Dennis Kucinich and only 83% with John Edwards.
Great site!
KM
Keith,
My similarity percentile with Mike Gravel was actually the same as yours... I was just too embarrassed to admit it. ;-)
I don't know who you're backing at this point, but I tend to think it's not Gravel. Any thoughts on why we both are going with someone we agree with less often?
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