John Edwards is my Strawberry Ice Cream

My friends and I have been talking about who we would like to see in the White House in '09. For the most part, we aren't even considering any Republican candidates. For a long time, I was saying, "Kucinich/Obama is my dream ticket, but I'll settle for Obama/Edwards." Then I found myself liking what Edwards had to say more than what Obama had to say. So I switched to Edwards/Obama.

Clinton? Sorry, nope. Might as well elect another Bush. I just can't swallow the idea of our great nation going 24 or even 28 years with either a Bush or a Clinton in the White House. The concept defies reason, logic, democracy, and patriotism.

Back in 2000, I was all for Gore, even though I didn't much care for Lieberman. On the Republican side that year, well, I wouldn't say I was rooting for him, but I could have lived with McCain. But he's since lost me, for a variety of reasons, most recently, his running ads in California supporting the Governator's ridiculous proposals in our costly waste of time of a "special election." That year, the election was stolen, not for Bush, but for the wealthy elite who wanted Bush in office. Bush: Like Reagan, only dumber.

In 2004, I was for Kerry, mostly because it was anyone but Bush for me. But 2004 was also the year I first took notice of Dennis Kucinich. Most people see him like this:



Or this:


But I prefer to see him like this:


Or this:


Poor Dennis is always written off early. Even his supporters say things like, "Well, he's my first choice, but I know he can't win so I'm voting for..." Even me.

I learned something that might surprise you while "doing research" for this post.

In the political equivalent of a “blind taste test” taken by more than 67,000 participants, an independent website surveying public attitudes on various issues is reporting that Ohio Congressman and Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is the first choice of a phenomenal 53% of respondents.
The website (http://www.dehp.net/candidate/ ) has been asking respondents to express and rank their opinions on 25 different issues – the war in Iraq, health care, the environment, Patriot Act, etc. -- that have been raised and debated among the Presidential candidates in both parties.

Go ahead, take the poll yourself and see who comes out on top for you. And maybe post your result in the comments. I'm curious to see the results from friends and family. For me, Kucinich came out on top with 71. Edwards was fifth or so for me, a bit behind Clinton and Obama. Gravel was second, so I'm going to have to figure out who the heck that is.

Kucinich dropped out of the race last week. He was excluded from the debates, has no delegates, and has chosen to go back to campaigning to maintain his Senate seat. I hope he can win that and still have a positive influence.

It's sad because he takes his ideas with him. And those ideas are important and since he is out, those ideas will no longer be part of the political discussions that will lead to the Democratic Party nomination and ultimately the Presidential Election.

It also leaves Edwards as the man way out there in "left field" even though his most radical ideas don't put him any farther left than a shortstop holding a runner at second. And he has been squelched. As long as Kucinich was around, Edwards was a viable candidate. Now that Kucinich is out, it's all Clinton and Obama. Nevermind that Edwards took second in Iowa.

I feel like I'm being given a false choice. Like a trip to the ice cream shop. OK, sure, they are out of Pistachio. That's what I was craving - but I'll settle for Strawberry. I really want strawberry, now, but the ice cream store is only offering Chocolate and Vanilla. The TV ads are all for Chocolate and Vanilla. And I know they have Strawberry. But when I go to the ice cream shop and ask for it, they say, "Strawberry? Not much call for that, wouldn't you prefer Chocolate or Vanilla?"

And when I insist on Strawberry, they say, "You're probably one of those freaks that really wants Pistachio - too bad you weren't here last week."