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Can you separate the candidate from his/her politics?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Rumpleforeskin, Feb 21, 2008.

  1. Rumpleforeskin

    Rumpleforeskin Active Member

    In a politician's case, can you separate him/her as a man/woman (values, personality, etc) from him/her as a politician? Suppose you hate a politician's views on a certain issue or just hate their overall platform. Do you like him/her as a person or do their issues cloud your judgment of them?
     
  2. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    In terms of human relations, yes. Huckabee is abhorrent as a public official, but I think he has some coolness personally.
    In terms of voting, hell no.
     
  3. For me, Paul Wellstone. Can't stand his politics, thought he was an honorable dude.
     
  4. jackfinarelli

    jackfinarelli Well-Known Member

    This isn't even difficult...

    I tend to agree with most of the positions that Hillary Clinton has tried to stake out for herself.

    Simultaneously, I would vote for Satan Himself before I would vote for her because I am thoroughly convinced that she would do/say ANYTHING in order to be elected/re-elected while Satan Himself might put as yet unperceived limits on his perfidy.
     
  5. jakewriter82

    jakewriter82 Active Member

    Isn't this how we got into the mess the country's in right now, because people couldn't separate the candidate from his politics?
    W. was the candidate people "most likely would have a beer with" and yet he's driven the country into shambles....
    I don't care what the candidate's personal life is like if he or she can fix some shit and get us moving in the right direction again.
     
  6. Lugnuts

    Lugnuts Well-Known Member

    No, I usually can't because the two realms are too linked for me.

    Some of the conservative policies make me think about the candidate, "How could you feel that way - it's so cruel to people" or "Why does everything have to revolve around big business and money?"

    Some of the positions make me think less of the person.

    Huckster comes the closest, though. But then again, Huckster has kinder, more 'liberal' stances on things like immigration.
     
  7. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member


    Will point out (not necessarily as a hardline advocate of the position) that the liberal immigration policy would have enormous social costs, most of which would of necessity be borne by the middle class.

    Immigration's the most impossible issue facing the country today. Every candidate with a tangible chance is giving the details a wide berth, because
    there are NO good answers to the question that are fair to everyone. NONE.
     
  8. Lugnuts

    Lugnuts Well-Known Member

    Agreed - but ultimately a choice will have to be made between 'fairness' and tormenting innocent children.
     
  9. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    In general, no.

    Having said that, I recall a conversation I had with one of my friends at karaoke. He's definitely a Republican and he disagreed with former Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), but liked the guy personally. He told me that after I relayed a story to him about Sarbanes asking "ooh, can I have a copy" when I was about to reach in my bag and give him a copy of the paper I edit.
     
  10. To an extent, yeah.
    The Huck seems to be a likable guy. McCain certainly is, within well-defined limits. And everybody I know on both sides of the aisle likes that old racist bag of sins, Pat Buchanan.
     
  11. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member


    Would have no problem having two beers with all three of those guys.
     
  12. Bubbler

    Bubbler Well-Known Member

    Track record helps.

    I don't agree with Richard Lugar's politics, but I respect the man, and would probably vote for him if the Democrat running against him didn't distinguish himself in some way.

    Then again, I respected Bob Dole in '96 and didn't vote for him.

    It's probably a case-by-case thing.
     
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