Election question - followup

I wanted to followup yesterday's post with some of my thoughts about the 2008 elections. Like a number of commenters, i'm not terribly plugged into the 08 presidential campaign just yet. Part of that, i think, is the overall depressing quality of the candidates. Unlike 04, there's no Howard Dean-like figure* seeking to reclaim the Democratic Party for Democrats. The candidates who are currently holding office have often seemed reluctant to use their position to take leadership roles on Iraq, FISA, potential war with Iran, and other critical issues. On the Republican side, these guys would be amusing in a Friday the 13th kind of way if there wasn't the real potential for another poorly run Democratic campaign to actually put one of them in the White House.

In North Carolina, there's a couple of races that are on my radar. Here in Durham, David Price is probably in a safe seat for re-election to the House. Just down the road, though, in the 8th Congressional District, Democrat Larry Kissell is gearing up for a rematch with incumbent Republican Robin Hayes. This is a race that the DCCC has come to regret not getting behind in 06, as Kissel came up a scant few hundred votes short of an upset victory. they're not making that mistake again. Heath Shuler up in the 11th Congressional District has disappointed a lot of statewide Democrats with some of his votes. It'll be interesting to see if he is able to pick up suppport from Dems for his re-election campaign, or if he proves to be a one-hit wonder.

By far the most interesting race is for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Liddy Dole. Liddy's approval ratings are below 50%, which is a sign of vulnerability in an incumbent, even though no one on the Democratic side is polling above her. That's mostly because all of the big names have declined to enter the race. As a result of that, businessman Jim Neal, who's never held elected office, threw his hat in the ring. One of his first campaign appearances was a live-blogging question and answer session on BlueNC. At which the following exchange took place:

I've heard...
Submitted by omega_star on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 9:09am.

I've heard you're gay...

Gay

Submitted by JimNeal on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 9:18am.

I am indeed. No secret and no big deal to me-- I wouldn't be running if I didn't think otherwise



Do you...
Submitted by omega_star on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 9:21am.

...really think a gay man can be elected in North Carolina?



I'm not running this race to

Submitted by JimNeal on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 9:26am.

I'm not running this race to lose. I'm not running to make some social statement. I'm running to lead in the Senate for the voters in NC-- something Senator Dole has not done.

When people meet me, they'll see beyond the labels and into my character.



Gay Marriage
Submitted by omega_star on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 9:28am.

Where do you stand on gay marriage?



It's okay if churches want

Submitted by JimNeal on Sat, 10/20/2007 - 10:05am.

It's okay if churches want to unite same-sex couples; it's okay if they don't. That's their Constitutional right which I support 100%.

But when it comes to the Government, I'm not in favor of any laws that discriminate against anyone for any reason.

This revelation inspired a fair amount of talk that, despite his resume, North Carolinians simply weren't ready to elect a gay man to a federal office, and that Democrats were going to shoot themselves in the foot again.

Following this, State Senator Kay Hagan, who had earlier declined to enter the race for the nomination to oppose Sen. Dole, had a change of heart. Word is that Chuck Schumer at the DSCC and Gov. Mike Easley helped to convince her to run.

Neal has also had a liveblogging question and answer session at Pam's this past weekend; Hagan's got a standing invitation to do a similar session at BlueNC, which she has not yet taken up.

So for me, what with holidays around the corner (Thanksgiving is next week!), the drought (water runs out around January 20th with no additional rain), worldwide financial turmoil, and various personal priorities, the 2008 elections are not my highest concern either. But, as the music industry gurus say, they're bubbling under. And 2008 promises to be The Most Important Elections Ever (until the next ones.)

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* (meant to include this the first time around) Even Howard Dean is acting less Howard Dean-like these days.

You know what i really want? I want a political discussion sphere and media where political leaders are willing and able to say, "I'm not really concerned about the afterlife. I got into politics because too many people in this life are cold, hungry, overworked and underpaid, worried about whether or not they can pay the bills if their kids get sick. Your preacher can help you figure out what you have to do to go to heaven, assuming that's what your goal is. I'm too busy trying to make life a little bit better on earth to worry about that."

I know. I'm dreaming again.