Will the Straw Poll Turn into Straw Men?
Tuesday, March 06, 2007 at 1:23 pm
- 16 Comments
This article is cross-posted from Almanac At The Capital
In what feels like the end of the quickest campaign vacation ever, St. Paul will be meeting for caucuses tonight and, among other things, will participate in the first Minnesota Presidential Straw Poll. Caucusing in presidential years tends to mostly involve party stalwarts and those with vested interests in referendums; in a midterm year the numbers drop drastically. So for a year that involves nothing but school board and city council, the thought that the caucus goers truly represent a full crosshatch of Minnesota is doubtful. But still, you have to wonder — can a woman win the presidential straw poll?
In the latest polling done by Rasmussen Reports, Sen. Hillary Clinton is leading Sens. Barack Obama and John Edwards 8 percent respectively, hauling in 34 percent of the vote for those who have a preference. And if anyone is progressive enough to give a female candidate a chance, surely it’s the same group of caucus goers who are, according to the Pioneer Press, likely to take an already progressive city council and possibly make it even more liberal.
Yet that may be the nail in the coffin for Clinton. The same group of politically minded folks who would be at ease in voting for a woman will dislike many of the stands she took to make herself seem more palatable to those who may see a female candidate as weak, especially her positions on the War in Iraq.
So likely we’ll find that the caucus is over and Obama or Edwards will walk away crowned King of the Straw poll. And Clinton will find that her first opportunity to score a win will have simply blown away in the wind.
16 Comments
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
I was ready I was ready to vote for Libby Dole years ago. I must be extra special progressive. Where were all you guys back then?
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 2:52 pm
Whoever wins… …it needs to be clear that it is not because of what the person IS, but who they are and what issues they bring to the table. It may be very unfortunate that HRC is the first female candidate with a shot at the top job, but there are many reasons not to support her at this time that have nothing to do with her gender.
Same goes with Obama, people are just as likely to vote for him as against him because of the issues he stands for, more so than because of his race.
Heck, Edwards may win this too because he’s a white male, but somehow I doubt it, and I doubt people will say he lost (or won) because of what he IS, but rather because of the strength of his campaign (or not).
good to see the Straw Poll getting some buzz though. It’s a fun way to get people to come out to caucus, whoever wins.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
I was in college and oddly enough, I was ready to vote for her, too. I figured the downside of a republican was worth it to finally break a woman into the white house.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
What’s being a woman got to do with it? I don’t think I’d ever vote for somebody just ’cause they got the same genitals as me. Does that make me more progressive or less progressive?
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 5:16 pm
hmmm since I know you don’t really care, not caring makes you less progressive, but I’m sure that makes you happy, so ehhh.
You sure are having fun playing you’re fun games huh? kids will be kids.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
since I know you don’t really care And you know that…..how?
I’m really curious why anybody would consider voting for somebody just because they are female or black or muslim or anything. I thought we were suppose to get past all of that.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 6:11 pm
less than a 5th of congress is female yet women are responsible for more than 50% of the population
I just happen to be a fan of representative govt being vaguely representative.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 6:37 pm
Representative? So I should only vote for white males? I don’t normally do that exclusively.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 8:52 am
Whoever wins… …it needs to be clear that it is not because of what the person IS, but who they are and what issues they bring to the table. It may be very unfortunate that HRC is the first female candidate with a shot at the top job, but there are many reasons not to support her at this time that have nothing to do with her gender.
Same goes with Obama, people are just as likely to vote for him as against him because of the issues he stands for, more so than because of his race.
Heck, Edwards may win this too because he's a white male, but somehow I doubt it, and I doubt people will say he lost (or won) because of what he IS, but rather because of the strength of his campaign (or not).
good to see the Straw Poll getting some buzz though. It's a fun way to get people to come out to caucus, whoever wins.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 9:30 am
I was ready I was ready to vote for Libby Dole years ago. I must be extra special progressive. Where were all you guys back then?
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 9:47 am
I was in college and oddly enough, I was ready to vote for her, too. I figured the downside of a republican was worth it to finally break a woman into the white house.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 10:48 am
What's being a woman got to do with it? I don't think I'd ever vote for somebody just 'cause they got the same genitals as me. Does that make me more progressive or less progressive?
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 11:16 am
hmmm since I know you don't really care, not caring makes you less progressive, but I'm sure that makes you happy, so ehhh.
You sure are having fun playing you're fun games huh? kids will be kids.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 11:24 am
since I know you don't really care And you know that…..how?
I'm really curious why anybody would consider voting for somebody just because they are female or black or muslim or anything. I thought we were suppose to get past all of that.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
less than a 5th of congress is female yet women are responsible for more than 50% of the population
I just happen to be a fan of representative govt being vaguely representative.
Comment posted March 6, 2007 @ 12:37 pm
Representative? So I should only vote for white males? I don't normally do that exclusively.
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