Democrats and GOP Wrestle for Youth Support

Democrat in Merrick, NY — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:49:55 EST

Here is the web address to my blog, which focuses on the vast disparity between the two parties in garnering support from young voters. (I interviewed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for this article)
http://www.bornsteinpoliticalplate.squarespace.com

Running Away from George Bush

Democrat in Merrick, NY — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:13:14 EDT

Even the most prominent archaeologists would have difficulty unearthing a legacy of the Bush presidency. But if there is one, then it's that the past seven years collectively have united the nation on one front: outright dissatisfaction with the Bush administration. Mr. Bush's approval rating has lingered near an embarrassingly low 30 percent--a sign proving that even his own party is turning against him. The unprecedented turnout at the polls in both parties this primary season reflects a growing sentiment to veer sharply from the Bush years.
Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the two Democratic presidential candidates, present themselves as antitheses of Mr. Bush's foreign policy. Mr. Bush proceeded relentlessly to raise troop levels--the surge--at a time when the Iraq war was already highly unpopular. The two presidential hopefuls' pledges to remove troops from Iraq have been repeated over and over again ever since they announced their candidacies.
Alone, Obama and Clinton representing historic prospects underscores this country's readiness, at least on the Democratic side, for a dramatic shift, one that would undoubtedly sweep an eraser over President Bush's White House chalkboard.
The remarkably close Democratic race is less a conflict over policy--in fact, pundits assert that their views on key issues are very similar--than it is over which Senator gives the party a better chance to win the White House and overhaul the unrelenting policies Bush implemented during his tenure.
Equally as interesting, even the Republican primaries show the electorate's wish to see a leader markedly different from George Bush. With the presumptive nomination of John McCain, voters have selected a candidate who stands farther to the center than any of his opponents for the party's nomination. His stance on immigration deviates from the traditional conservative view. As a Senator, he voted against the Bush tax cuts for the rich. Only as he faces the pressure of ideological conformity is he now saying he favors tax reductions. McCain was the party's choice because of his potential as a commander-in-chief, his candor--he was dubbed the Straight Talk Express--and admirable courage in war, among other things. While McCain's favoring continuance of American involvement in Iraq does perpetuate a Bush theme, its appeal to the public stems from his military experience, an asset that by far separates him from Mr. Bush.
Mike Huckabee's advocacy of economic populism, usually a liberal's centerpiece to a campaign, served to add another appealing attribute to his Evangelical Christian-based platform and evidently resonated with voters in the South. Although a McCain victory was more and more inevitable, the Huckabee persevered and has certainly built credentials for possibly becoming Mr. McCain's running mate this fall.
Just as tellingly, Republican primary voters rejected Mitt Romney, the top choice of staunch conservatives. A platform of both social and economic conservatism perhaps led voters to reason Romney would seem too reminiscent of the Bush days. His defeat has yielded outrage from the right-winged media, notably radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh.
It will be interesting to see how Democratic political geniuses gear their negative advertising campaigns in the run-up to the fall contest. If they exploit President Bush's ineptitude and use that to explain why a new party should step into office, then any attempt by McCain's camp to retaliate could take an appearance of defending Bush's extreme conservatism. And if Mr. McCain is put into the position of having to woo independents, then he could have trouble getting the most adamant right-wingers to the polls on election day.
Whoever may assume the presidency, he or she will be rushed by calls to deviate as profoundly as possible from the Bush administration. Restoring this nation's reputation looms formidable--both at home and abroad--as a tide of economic insecurity sweeps through the middle class, and in a time of hot debate over whether the plan to increase troop levels in Iraq is working. Taken together, this illuminates why campaigns stressing hope (Obama), experience and trustworthiness (Clinton), and openness and admiration (McCain) are clicking with voters this election cycle.

Daniel Bornstein's Blog

Democrats and GOP Wrestle for Youth Support

Running Away from George Bush