What topic do you see Mike Gravel bringing to the table? All the coverage I hear about him is how unconventional his campaign is.

What do you think the Democrats gain if they nominate someone other than Hillary? (I ask this considering that Republicans are not very enthusiastic about their choices, but they are generally quite set in their opposition to Senator Clinton.)

Also, do you have any thoughts (as a Democrat) on the possible candidacy of Newt Gingrich?

I’m all for Obama, of course, but I don’t think that Edwards or Dodd would be bad for our country. Even Richardson would be ok, but I’d really like to see him as Secretary of State because his skills really match up to our country’s needs for that position.

I don’t really consider the rest of the candidates as having a shot, and when I initially considered them, none of them thrilled me. But each of them have a topic they’re bringing to the table, and fostering discussion, so I think it’s good they’re running, at least.

How the candidates fare in the race is not determined by how much money they spend but by what people think of them. The money is spent in an effort to influence the perceptions of the voters but the perceptions of the voters is also swayed by polls – which generally target politically active adults. Perception is swayed by the tone of public discussion about the candidate. Those who are active in the public discussion set that tone and it can alter the tone of the media coverage for that candidate.That tone of conversation and the relative levels of enthusiasm for any given candidate affect the amount of money they can raise to spend in their efforts to influence voters.

Though my personal influence is not large the issue is a serious one, especially as my influence is likely to grow over time as I increase my political activity in the future.

You vote doesn’t matter.

Vote for Huckabee if you think that’s right but in the end Utah’s Republicans will go for Romney in the primary unless he commits a huge moral indiscretion.

As for Joe Biden – he’s one of my favorites among the remaining Democrats (My favorite was easily Tom Vilsack, but he’s out now). In some ways Biden is like Huckabee – he’s a candidate who deserves more media coverage and a better shot at the nomination than he’s likely to get.

Thanks for sharing.

I think Huckabee has a very conservative record and he is obviously proud of that fact. I don’t see him as a uniter, but as a divider in an already divisive country.

Obviously, I recognize that someone who has religious beliefs will end up in the white house, whether it is Hillary, Mitt or Huckabee. Southern Baptists I know believe in the hearts that they have more of a birthright to this country than those they disagree with. I disagree with that perspective. But as you know, I’m not generally siding with the majority.