In 1976, my first time voting, I chose Morris Udall, a progressive Congressperson from Arizona. The winner of the Democratic nomination, and winning the Presidency, was Jimmy Carter.
In 1980, I voted for John Anderson in the Republican Primary (!). I also voted for him in the General as a third-party candidate, the one and only time I voted for a third party. He lost to Reagan. Want to blame me for Reagan? I voted in Georgia, one of the few states Carter would win.
In 1984, I voted for Gary Hart. He was a leader in the "New Democrat" movement. The Democratic nominee was Walter Mondale, who lost to Reagan in brutal fashion.
In 1988, I voted for Al Gore. He lost the nomination to Michael Dukakis, who then sunk like a stone against Daddy Bush.
In 1992, I voted for Paul Tsongas. He lost the nomination to Bill Clinton. Our favorite hound dog went on to two terms as President.
In 2000, I voted for Bill Bradley, former basketball star and Senator from New Jersey. By this point in time, I had firmly decided that I would always vote for the candidate that I believed would move us fastest to universal health care. He lost to Al Gore, who won the election but lost the electoral college due to monkeyshines in Florida, a state managed by Bushy Jrs' brother, and an election recount halted by a Supreme Court dominated by Reagan/Bush appointees. Why this was not a rallying cry for Democrats, I don't know. But we would soon pay a heavy price for having let it go.
In 2004, I voted for Dennis Kucinich, who had a great universal healthcare proposal, and was against the worst military decision of modern times - the decision to invade Iraq (hey! it'll cost nothing, and we'll be out in weeks!) John Keery was nominated - a military hero! He'll appeal to Republicans! He'll even talk to John McCain into running with him (that failed to happen, but they tried)! What could go wrong? Yeah. Let's ask PRESIDENT KERRY how that strategy worked.
In 2008, I voted for Barack Obama. And he's the exception that proved the rule! He's the only candidate I voted for FOUR times - two primaries and two generals. A corporate Democrat, but still the best President of my lifetime!
In 2016, I voted for Bernie Sanders. He was FOR Medicare for All, and Hillary was sneering at it as a pipe dream. Democrats failed all the lessons of the past few elections - they had done nothing about the electoral college, and they continued to tack to the right, thinking some wavering Republicans would bust their way.
And now she's still sneering at Bernie AND his voters. You know what? Bernie campaigned more for her than she did for Obama. His voters had a lower defection rate in 2016 than her voters did in 2008.
I'm sorry. I'm so angry at her right now.
And I will be voting for Elizabeth Warren in the March 24th Georgia primary. I am proud to cast this vote, because not only are positions on universal healthcare and the Green New Deal great, she has the temperament and intelligence to be one of the best Presidents we've ever had.
Is she likely to win? No. But my vote, especially my primary election, is MY VOTE, and I reserve the right to cast it in a way that means the most to me.
And yes, she may withdraw soon, maybe even by the time you read this. I don't care. I know who I want to vote for, and I'm going to do it. Bloomberg is out, so I don't have to worry about stopping him (thanx and a big hat's tip to Warren eviscerating Bloomberg in the Nevada debate). Biden will win Georgia, consuming the lion's share of the delegates. So, yes, I'm sticking with Warren.
For those of you caterwauling for her to end her campaign -
STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!
I believe in democracy. I believe in competition. If people want to stay in, let them stay in. It's their fricking right. I don't believe everybody has to get out of the way for a freaking coronation.
Every single primary voter, all the way to June, should have the right to make a competitive choice.
Except for Bloomberg. I'm glad he got out. He never should have been in in the first place. That's a half a billion dollars flushed down the drain.
I don't vote strategically in the primaries. I vote my heart. I vote my gut. I vote for what I truly think is the best for the country.
I'm voting for Warren.
Deal with it.
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