As an independent voter, I’m leaning towards Obama. I agree with a lot of what you’re saying here, Jason. Senator Obama has a much better chance of winning in November against Senator McCain. Also, if Senator Clinton is the Democratic candidate, her presence in the election alone will energize the right wing base of the Republican party which otherwise might vote in lesser numbers since they aren’t totally sold on Senator McCain as their candidate.

Jason,
While I respect your opinion I have to disagree with you. I am not a supporter of Obama or Hillary and I think that to beat McCain the Dem candidate is going to have to be well worn and up on everything in all of the issues. I just don’t see Obama having that. While he does have the hype behind him he doesn’t have anything to back it up! What has he done to deserve to be the president? Hillary and McCain have been doing this for ever which gives them more knowledge and know how to get things done. Obama may preach change but saying it and doing it are two different things when you are new on the scene and the “old” people are still running the House and Senate. You can’t do anything on your own. You have to know how to get in there and work between the party lines and get it going. Hillary and McCain have already proven they can do that. Has Obama? If so I haven’t heard of it. Honestly I haven’t heard much on anything from him.

Cynthia, Covington, Ga.

If Senator Obama can withstand the scrutiny. That’s a big if.

Don’t get me wrong; if he’s the nominee he’ll have my vote. But he’s a comparative rookie and McCain is not. Whoever is left standing after Pennsylvania had better be able to take the heat. I’d rather see them slug it out now than wait for the other side to do it in August.

Mr. Rae,
Thank you for making an intelligent choice. I’m sure it was a hard decision but you have shown courage in not going along with the status quo. Good luck in the future with your own political endeavours.
Patrice

Cindy,

What does anyone have to do to “deserve to be president”? You don;t get the presidency by deserving it. You have to earn it and you do this by acquiring enough votes from the people you want to SERVE. Barack has repeatedly stated and reminded us that he wants to serve American. He wants everyone to have a voice in our government. He reminds us that he woudl be working for us, not us working for him. He understands the concept of “service”.

Bravo, Jason. It is time to shut down the divisive slash and burn by the Clintons which could ruin the Democratic Party. We don’t need a dynasty or any third term for the co-presidents.

If the press were really impartial they might stop endorsing Hillary’s soap opera; her narcissism permeates every public speech. We need to talk about the country and what it needs now.

Incidentally, since she wants to run on the Clinton record, why has no one asked about the judgement shown in the massacre of the families and children in David Koresh’s religious compound in Waco during Bill’s watch? As to feminism, how about the utter political extinction of Nita Lowy who was legitmately pursuing the Senate seat in NYS in 2000? Or the destruction of Jeanine Pirro’s bid for higher office after a solid job as Westchester County DA with a great record on domestic violence and sexual abuse crime cases? Jeanine and her husband were crucified by the CLinton machine. SO much for sisterhood.

Jason:

I am an independant voter. In reference to your opinions, I must disagree wholeheartedly. There is a much bigger chance that McCain will wipe the floor with Obama. At least with Hillary, we have a strong person who can stand up to McCain in only the way she can.

Hmm.. it got me thinking. A good friend of mine mentioned something to me that was very interesting. The young voters of this country, particularly young men, in all probability would not want to vote for a woman because they’re still too ticked off at their moms..

I agree 100% for several reasons. Literally most of the rhetoric from all the candidates is little better than a hallmark card. Lets face it politicians say what their advisors tell them to say to get votes. Most of it has no practical meaning in reality. For example none of the candidates have experience or have been tested with a hypothetical 3:00 AM phone call. Trips to foreign countries and membership on senate committees have no impact on such a scenario. I have worked for the past twenty years as an anesthesiologist and sleep in a hospital next to a phone that can ring with all sorts of emergencies at any moment. There are no classroom meetings or discussions that will make a person proficient. Thus, the candidates are equal with respect to their experience concerning this scenario. This is a scare up the vote with a lie tactic.

The only thing that really counts is whether the candidate by virtue of their character and temperament can inspire a group effort toward a common goal. Hillary Clinton is a long time proven polarizing force. This was evident with her first attempt at health care reform. She is liked by some and hated by others. The republicans should have no problem defeating her. Their real fear is Obama.

Thomas Gregus, MD

Jason,
I hope each and every American just votes. Vote for whomever they choose and not be swayed with any group think pressure, from anyone. No testing the breeze for who’s in and who’s out. Just vote on who we believe is the best and let the votes fall where they may.

Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.

After reading and hearing so many opinions concerning the obligation of the super delegate to vote his conscience or the will of the majority, the consensus seems to be that whatever your motive it’s okay provided that you vot e for me.

I respect your opinion but it seems that your decision on who to back is based on various factors and not strictly who will be leading in pledged delegates, who won your state, or who won your congressional district. What I wish to ask you is should all super delegates be allowed to form their own opinions on this nominatin process and who they think has the best shot at winning in November (as you seem to have) or if they should be bound by something else. It seems that the Obama campaign wants the super delegates to be controlled by some number or set of facts rather then any process they (and you) have come up with. So the question is which should it be? An independent and thought out decision or one controlled by numbers and a set of “rules”?

Hi Jason, yes, I do hope we have a nominee by April 22. That way you superdelegates will not be burdened with this huge responsibility!

Lilibeth
Edmonds, Washington

Jason–Energy and hope aren’t enought to get this country back on track. Please, no one knows whether Obama or Clinton can beat McCain–I think either will. Either way this is not good criterion upon which to select a president. I am disappointed that Americans judge a leader based upon whether someone is a good speaker, whether his/her spouse said or did something wrong, whether someone dresses “wrong”, etc. How shallow. I believe that we need to use our intellect to determine a candidate’s qualifications and quit being so emotional. The country has big probems and needs a leader with clear solutions–like it or not Hillary is very clear. Compare the plans on the Obama and Clinton website. I like them both, but after doing my research, I believe that Senator Clinton is the best choice. Please research some more and give us more clarity on why you support Obama versus Clinton. I appreciate your work and representation. You are a very important part of the process.

Jason:
It appears that you are connected to the “CHANGE” word. Obama continues to stress “CHANGE”, what these changes are going to be is still unknow nor is how he going to make these changes known. My overview of Obama, he is a charmer, a man of many words (even when many have been borrowed from others). As I have been told over and over, words are dime a million, actions are very hard to come by. As a democrate, I must sadly say, that if Obama is “our” choice, I will have to swing my vote to McCain. We need someone with experience to take us through the tough changes we will be faced with during the next few years.

Give me a break ! Are you even old enough to vote? Do your homework junior, Obama, is a product of the IL. Legislature, one of the most incompetent and corrupt goverment bodies in the United States and you want him to run our great country?

Jason,

I thought you were still undecided until reading this, however great choice! The country has been run by a Bush or Clinton for the last 20 years. It is time for change!

I agree with you completely Jason
what a wonderful opportunity to be a super delagate at such a young age in such an engerized election season .It says a lot about you !!This election truly has the whole world enthralled!
I think the reason for that has a lot to do with Obama
there is just something wrong with this Bush Clinton Clinton Bush Bush and maybe Clinton again!
it jumps out at me and says this is not really democracy!
I hope Barack comes back forcefully and I hope no one counts him out because he is still ahead in the delegate count
good choice Jason and gl!!

I am registered as a Republican voter, but fully support Hillary in this election. I am a young voter but realize that experience holds more weight in Washington than a great speach. I went to an Obama rally in SC and do not believe he has a clue what it really takes to accomplish everything he preaches about. I will vote for Hillary in November but I will return to the Republican side if Obama is the nominee. And this is how McCain will win!

Jason — you in no way convince me that Obama is the best candidate and future President. You use terms such as “strongest possiblity to beat McCain, ” “win support of new voters,” and “best to lead the country.” However, every utterance is based on opinion. I want facts. I want to know that my President can make hard choices and make the best choices for the people of the U.S. without hem-hawing around waiting for others to actually tell him/her what to say. I want a President that has really worked in the trenches and made choices that were not just based on what is popular to say at the time. You seriously need to place your emotions in check and take a look at the deeper issues. You may just change your mind. Oh yes, I will not vote on a candidate just because I believe he or she will beat John M.; I will vote on a candidate that will help me have a better standard of living and get back some of the discretionary spending that I once enjoyed. Now, my income cannot keep up with the costs of my health insurance premiums. I am tried of the national debt increasing and the numbers of the hungry and homeless in the United States increasing while more and more money is being spent for other countries. I want to vote for a candidate that has her heart in the right place and her eye on the ball. You should too. Talk is cheap, and i want results. Hillary can give us those results.

Jason,
Its about time I hear some good news about Obama. Since yesterday I have heard nothing but negativity from fellow Obama supporters some people are acting like the ” Jig is up ” or something my daddy use to tell me when we were watching the football games “The Game Ain’t Over Till Its Over” people are acting like she won already.. Oh whoopee she won what 3 states to Obama’s 12 in a row she has to do a lot more to convince me that the game is over. I will not stop supporting him until he is sitting in the oval office. The time for old politics is gone. The time for change IS NOW!

Chanel Mcknight San Antonio TX

aw…jason…you’re really starting to grow on me. though i’m probably very biased because of my devotion to obama; i honestly appreciate your candor as a ‘person of power’.

in this very close race, i fear it will fall to people like you to make the right choice to save our party. still, i hope with all my heart, it doesn’t come to that. obama has a better shot at beating mccain if for no other reason than the fact that clinton is polarizing. and while i will vote for clinton if i have to in the general election to keep a republican out of office; i won’t be happy about it, and i know people who will jump ship to the other team or who won’t vote at all.

whether or not people agree with who you are voting for, and why you are voting for them, i appreciate your willingness to talk about it. i think every super delegate should have to voice their position and their reasons in such a public forum. so…thanks!

Well personally I don’t think YOU should be deciding what the PEOPLE want…this is exactly whats wrong w/ Super Delegates..The rules committee should make it mandatory that they cast their votes towards the populous winner of the state they are in!
Just what we need..another person using their POWERS to over throw the choices and the voice of the American people.
You for one DO NOT speak for me..no matter what canidate I may or may not vote for.
So settle down..I have no respect for you or your ‘thoughts’

Jason,

You keep hope alive. Thanks!

JPH, NY

Jason, I really agree with you. I am so glad about you. You have such a profound wisdom and natural leadership ability within you. I have been hearing about the fact that Clinton has much experience but I tell you if she wins, there is no way democrats would win the main election. The fact that one remains in his garage for 8 years does not make him a car.

Obama has wisdom and the abilities to transform the nation. I believe without a doubt that he can stand Senator McCain. Even though he is young, he is capable to lead the nation. The old age of Methuselah has nothing to do with the wisdom of young King Solomon. In other words the old age of Senator McCain has nothing to do with the wisdom of this young king Obama. The media should be fair with both senators Obama and Clinton. America should seize this moment to vote for this young King Solomon to lead us. It is my prayer that there will be fairness in this election, since the whole world is watching. we are trying to teach other parts of the world about democracy and they are watching us to acknowledge whether America adheres to what it tells the world. Good lock Obama.

I completely agree, Senator Obama, has what it takes to win over McCain and he has the popular votes and the delegate count. He will be he nominee!!! I know people like you will encourage the others to do the right thing and not be blind sided by greed and a thought of entitlement.

I must say this, Hillarys smile is like nails on a chalk board! Not just her voice, her smile is like NAILS ON A CHALK BOARD!

Jason, I agree with you….Obama is the best candidate to lead this nation to peace and prosperity. We need a peacemaker not a fighter. The dirty politics is annoying and embarrassing. To me, Hillary is lucky to have had such a gentleman with integrity as a competitor. I have to say that she is doing a great job dividing the party and her attitude to “win at all costs” is just that…she may very well cost the democrats the election. I would continue to vote for Obama whether he is the candidate or not. It is not about the party to me, but the candidate. Also, how fairly did HIllary win Texas? If it is true that the republicans were casting votes for her to sabatoge Obama then what do we have? Another candidate getting elected by cheating and deception. Why hasn’t anyone attacked the Clinton’s for Bill lying to Americans and the world? Surely, as strong willed as Hillary is, she knew about his infidelity and they jointly decided to lie to protect themselves. Their experience of doing whatever is necessary to get ahead is already established. The Clinton’s have had their turn. Go Obama! Bring some honor back into the White House!

I agree with you.
It is exciting to watch the election with Obama turning out so many young voters.
They are coming out in record numbers.

Jason

I feel very sorry for you. Many people are falling over themselves for Obama. The man has nothing to offer. He would play much better in a church. I am one of many dems who will vote for McCain if Obama gets the nomination. I don’t understand how a child who never voted before becomes a super delegate. I feel you should stay off TV and the internet and really think hard about what we need as a leader for our country.

You are a leader among the young torch bearers of the Democratic Party. The influx of young Democrats will help ensure the party is strong and hopefully in power for years to come.

Jason,
As you said Senator Clinton done what few expected of her by winning both Ohio and Texas and that is the sign of a good leader. I agree that Obama is giving energy into this election but Clinton is giving the hope by showing that someone is a figher and fighting for them. I don’t know what you superdelagates are thinking but if you think Obama will win against McCain then think again.

I completely disagree with the notion Obama has what it takes. HE has what it takes to make a good speech, but not much else in the way of what it takes to be a good leader. I haven’t heard anything but ideas of hope and change. Those are just words. We need a president that knows how to accomplish these things like Clinton, not someone who just dreams about them like Obama. If Obama was any kind of real candidate he would accept the delegates in Michigan and Florida. Instead he NEEDS to keep them disqualafied to have an advantage in the delegate race. Get real we need Michigan and Florida to decide this to keep the superdelegates from deciding the nominee. He runs on the theme of a new kind of candidate, but uses the dirty tricks politicians have been using always. Remamber what happened in 2000 with the states? If obama has his way, we will again disqualify states, or not count states, or manipulate results just to make him look better.

Hi Jason, I respect your views and your choice but to me, the differences in qualification for the top job is number one on my list. When you are interviewing someone for a job as CEO you would want that person to be experienced, possess broad knowledge of the issues that are important to the company to stay solvent, has a wide range of knowhow and plans to make the company better and flourish so that every employee and their families will prosper in the long run as well as having superior intelligence, experience, and maturity especially when dealing with outside forces. On top of that the person will have to be transparent , mature in thinking and behavior and should show signs of being a proactive person rather than a passive one. Lately (like at other times) your person of choice stumbles. Ex. the NAFTAgate. He did not show accountability of his or his staff action about contact with Canadian official for several days. Instead they tried to cover it up, lie about it and then explained it happened because of the memo obtained by AP. To me this shows lack of credibility. How about storming out of the room when he had a press conference! Does this behavior show a man ready to fill in the highest job? It looks like he gets irked so easily and lacks leadership skills. Speeches of change without concrete plans is nothing though inspirational it might be . Inspiration does not or will not solve the critical problems we have today. The problem solver must be a realist with solid ideas or solutions. That is why Sen Clinton is my choice because she will fight for us and will deliver on what she says. She has been working hard making a difference on peoples lives, young and old for many years. There is a difference between a deliverer , a doer and a walker who will walk the walk vs a speaker whose speeches are just rhetorics, nothing more. Good luck to you.

Superdelegates need to be removed from the election process. Without them, Hillary would have much less of a lead and Obama’s win would be much more apparent. It is not good for politics nor news to only report on negativity from Hillary and now McCaine who just recently won the gop nomination. Media is ridiculous, all you feed into is negative news. No wonder there is so much depression in the USA.

The media needs to start reporting the exciting rallies & speeches in full again. What happened to them?

Jason Rae, good that you still are solidly behind obama, maybe now he will give an intemite evening and a night out in the windy city for your support. Bring lots of gel you free bird. We couldn’t expect anything less from an idiot like you. However, I thing you have been out scored in stupidity department by the idiots who elected as a superdelagate.

You are SO young and naiive and it shows! Only someone so young could follow someone so arrogant, shallow and making promises he cannot keep and already is not keeping. Hope is not a strategy and talk can never replace action or experience. Both McCain and Clinton have been vetted in the political arena and deserve to stand against each other and hold court. Obama does not deserve to be a the table yet. He was the head of a Senate committee over Afghanistan and has yet to have a meeting. There is your experience. Oh yea, one speech against the war when he was not in the Senate nor perhaps in the US to understand the climate at that time with Gen Colin Powell, the UN, 3000 Americans murdered in one day, etc. If you lived through 9/11 as I did or any other important time in American foreign policy, you would be able to understand the importance of Sen Clinton’s candidacy and eventual win. Obama’s time may come, depending on his witness testimony at Rezko’s trial, etc etc.

Jason will come around when the Kool-Aid wares off. Obama has peaked and the only place he has to go is down.

Jason I’m sorry but your wrong. The talk was Mrs. Clinton had to win BIG in order to take the lead. She has not done that. They need to split Florida and Michigan right down the middle because after all they BROKE THE RULES!!!! Do you people remember what rules are. Barack Obama does have a place to go, not down, straight to the White house

In regards to the DNC’s decision to penalize Florida’s and Michigan’s voters and disqualify/negate their primary ballots, this is clearly a case of the violation of citizens’ Constitutional constitutional rights to participate in the election process. As a Florida voter, I feel disenfranchised and violated. My primary vote counted in Florida’s elections on Proposition 1 but not on a national primary issue.

The DNC is not only violating our constitutional rights, it is shooting isdelf in the foot. Without the participation of Florida and Michigan, this year’s election will “stink” like that of 2004. We will have contention, questions of validity, and issues of “who really was [is] the legitimate candidate.”

My vote SHOULD count every time I cast it. Shouldn’t all of our votes count? What happened to democracy?

George G. Morgan

I think there will be a tie with the votes of the super delegates. There’s only one super delegate that can break this tie

He is the one and only Al Gore, he has experience in breaking ties

If popular vote matters at all, why no one seem to be saying anything about eliminating the electoral college but everyone, especially-Obama supporters, is taking offense that super delegates might decide the democratic nominee. I’m an independent but the argument against super delegates sounds like a double standard on the part of the Obama-nites.