About the Florida Primary, and beyond
Written by Michael Vass
Wow. Senator McCain stomped all over the news of Senator Obama winning in South Carolina. The Governor of Florida has endorsed McCain, and the live coverage just before 8pm on Saturday stepped right into the discussion of the numbers from South Carolina.
John Edwards is done. He just couldn’t match the numbers. Especially the Black vote. Obviously his cry or 2 Americas has not met with agreement of the public. Perhaps his huge mansion, and $400 haircuts, not to mention work in hedge funds that took advantage of the poor, caught up with him. Again I say, he will make a deal with Clinton to give her his support.
The pundits are finally acknowledging the serious racial diversity that the Clinton’s have injected in the race. They are stating that the South will follow the trend of South Carolina. But the North and California is another question.
Hispanic/Latinos are a huge question. If this is about race, then Obama is in trouble in the Southwest and West coast.
But with Republicans we will see Rudy Giuliani getting crushed. Expectations are that he will get 3rd, possibly even losing to Mike Huckabee. Considering that Florida has a huge transplant population of New Yorkers, which is the backbone of Giuliani’s 9/11 fueled campaign, this bodes poorly for Rudy. I expect him out of the campaign shortly. His support probably goes to McCain, much as does Fred Thompson’s.
IF I am correct, and after Tuesday we will see, then I think McCain runs with the nomination. Huckabee is going to stick around, and while he will take several mid-west states, but will not amount to better than 3rd. Mitt Romney is capable of fighting to the end. Given a few swing votes and endorsements in critical states, its real close.
But the deciding vote is as biased as it is in the Democratic nomination. Whereas there a woman and a Black man are not seen as being viable, nor a Black man [according too many pundits, and honestly is indicative of the subliminal racism that pervades in America today], for Republicans it’s about religion. Mitt Romney has the hurdle of being a Mormon to overcome. It’s been an issue that has dogged him from the start and continues to come up constantly. And the longer Mike Huckabee is in the race, the more it is at issue.
In short order, the Presidential nominations are all becoming questions of what prejudices and biases are we as Americans willing to overcome. Fear of non-Christian religions, women as authority figures, or African Americans. This could be a great thing for the future, if these issues are dealt with without malice. But so far (as the Clinton campaign has made clear for months) that is not the case.
My biggest question is the one I have asked since early 2007. Without question of any other factor, who is the best person for the issues and status of America going forward? Nothing else is important to me.
If America votes, in large numbers and with clear conscious I believe we will get the best option for the nation. If we stand back, mired in historical prejudices and with intent to maintain status quo, we won’t.
I don’t care if Obama, or Romney, or a woman were to win the Presidency. I don’t care if it’s McCain, or even Edwards. Not if the choices are about who is best. And if I can do one thing it is to encourage everyone to vote, for the best of all our choices.
Your vote counts and it’s important. Too important to not be involved. Get out there and be heard.
admin @ January 26, 2008