Barack Obama...

[JorgeFabregas]

....should be president.  :idea:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=2043&e=5&u=/ap/20040728/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_obama_text

[Bozack]

And he NEVER WILL. That's the shitty thing about our political system: for some reason, the people who become presidential nominees are never the sort of people I want as my president. But that is a hell of a speech.

[CortJstr]

That's the shitty thing about our political system: for some reason, the people who become presidential nominees are never the sort of people I want as my president.

http://www.dieselsweeties.com/archive.php?s=1008

[andalucia]

That is indeed quite the speech... best of luck to this one, though as everyone's already pointed out, he's not got a chance.

[Limmo]

It's a little early to start handicapping this race, dontcha think?  When you put that burden of expectation on someone before he's really got much political experience, you're just setting him up for failure.

On the other hand, nice speech.

[AlohaDawg]

Good point. One term in the House, though, and he will be exactly as experienced as John Edwards. Hopefully, unlike Mr Edwards, he would stand a chance of re-election should he not have a higher political aspiration.

This country may not be ready for either a Black president nor one with an obviously 'ethnic' name. Before some of you get your fizzle up in a shizzle I'm not disparaging the guy (although you should closely inspect ANY Chicago politician) just pointing out the foibles of the electorate. It won't sell in fly-over country.

[JorgeFabregas]

Here's the thing, he DOES sell well in fly-over country. As Dick Durbin mentioned when he introduced him, he's done very well in southern Illinois.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Video of Obama's speech here.

[Gunn]

You have to remember though, that regardless of how awesome and eloquent and popular Obama may be, the higher his profile becomes, the more he'll become a target for crazies.  Colin Powell received a lot of death threats when he just considered running for president, and he's a white republican.  Just something to think about.

[side_show]

...Colin Powell received a lot of death threats when he just considered running for president, and he's a white republican.  Just something to think about.

Colin Powell isn't white.  But then, how can you be an ethnic minority and be a republican?  This always confused me.  He is white compaired to Obama.  Am I typing jibberish?  What does that even mean?  Anyway, you can't even be kind-of-good looking and hold any real role in politics.  Even Ah-nold had to wait 'til his skin got all cooked-turkey-like before running.

Also, welcome to the plagiarist board Gunn, love your strip.

[AlohaDawg]

I didn't have to check off a racial box to register Republican...the fastest growing part of the Republican Party is probably black and latino. But I think it's possible that there are more voters with no party identification than ever before, and the swing could develop into a party of its own at some point.

[CortJstr]

This is why I love living in an all independent state (which sadly always votes republican).

[TALKYdude]

You know, AlohaDawg, a very large proportion of people who call themselves independent voters consistently vote for candidates from one or the other party, according to polls. So there may not be a lot of there, there.
I think this country naturally ends up with a two-party system due to the nature of winner-takes-all voting. I'm not sure a large third party is viable except as a home for the transition while one of the two major parties we already have dies out.

[TALKYdude]

*double take* you registered as a Republican in Hawaii? You must feel rather lonely. As I understand it Hawaii is overwhelmingly Democratic, right?

[arkabee]

a very large proportion of independent voters using the nickname "Arkabee" on phorums consistently vote for the least icky and evil choices possible.

I think we naturally end up with a two party system because that is the status quo, and all the people who spent their ENTIRE lives learning the rules so they can take advantage of them get rilly, rilly pissed once they are able to take advantage of the rules if you try and change the rules.

witness:
the city i live in was "redistricted" after last election.
what that means, is that PORTIONS of my city will now vote on DIFFERENT state representatives to represent the city and area at the state.

here is a crude picture.  image that blob as my city's city limits.
http://www.themisc.com/~kevbob/district.jpg
notice the two colors?
it use to be one color, we were all in the same district.
however, 2 precincts, the red ones, were "re-districted".

why?  not sure.

however, LAST ELECTION, the current INCUMBENT lost the two red precincts....

NOW, he doesn't have to worry about those precincts, because those people can't vote in his election.