The Brian Lehrer Show

I am a 47 year old white woman in CT who voted for Barak. I started to think Hillary might be an ok option over the past few months, especially with the discussions about gender vs. race since I am a professional in a highly male-dominated field. However, her position on the gas tax holiday is so ridiculous, it only confirms to me that I made the right decision with Barak. I hope he wins by large margins today so we can get on with the real testing.

It is disheartening. It is so old. I am sick of the 2008 Presidential Election season and the election is 6 months away. I think we should turn to 2012; something new, new personalities to explore and excavate.

Although I have been a long time Hillary supporter, I just voted for Obama. The deciding factor for me was the differing stance on the gas tax repeal. It was so refreshing to hear Obama admit it was political pandering that I changed my vote.

I am upset that these 2 excellent people can't work together.

I'll be voting for the democratic nominee, but Clinton and Obama are working against the party and the nation. makes me wish for a real 3rd choice.

and what has McCain been up to these past months.

I voted for Hillary (but barely). Given her low-ball tactics and Barak's relative dignity in the face of it, I'd vote for Barak today.

people are bored?...like we are actually going someplace with this election?

Its sad that the coporate media as well as this show never reported that Hillary was out of the race WEEKS ago!

http://fromtheleft.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/3135/

I voted for Hillary in Feb. because I felt (and still feel) she held the better position on health care. However, the recent gas-tax-holiday pander has pushed me over to the Obama side.

If I had to do it again, I'd switch my vote (NJ) from Clinton to Obama. I was always concerned about her pandering and being more conservative than I'd like, but this gas tax gimmick has put me over the top. I am concerned about Obama's lack of experience but right now, he'd be my choice.

What is so ironic is that when NJ switched from a June primary to February, we were very excited to actually make a difference. Well, that goes to show, be careful what you wish for.

The reason it's gotten boring is that the media are focusing only on a very narrow selection of issues, most of which are horserace and not real issues. We never hear about the specifics of energy policy, like, what would they do with the high-level radioactive waste that the new (not to mention the old) nuclear reactors woulc generate? Nobody is even the slightest bit aware of the extreme dangers posed by leakage of this extremely hot (radioactive) material in transportation accidents or seismicity / water penetration of the storage sites. And that's just ONE issue!

People need to explain to me how Obama is working against the party and nation. In my view he has gone more than out of his way to stay above the fray. It's the Clintons that love to play in the mud and are ruining the democrats chances of winning in November.

Hilary will win! I have no regrets. I voted for her and I am so happy I did. She will lead us into a bright new future!

Go Hilary!!

These have been the worst two years in the history of presidential campaigning. It was a media idea and pushed by the media politicoheads. It was a bad idea as are most media generated ideas. Crap is what we ended up with and everyone is not only bored but turned off, well, most people with the slightest hint of intelligence is bored. That excludes the southern states, of course. We don't need more than 6-8 months of this. Clinton is the turn-off and should let go. I want(ed) Kucinich and will not vote no matter who wins but ironically I hope it is Obama who wins.

My biggest concern will never be on the agenda because our FDA and USDA are too sold out - I was for Hillary and mostly concerned with the food supply - till I read about how the Clintons sold out our FDA and USDA TO MONSANTO! Linn Cohen Cole writes about this in her blog (just google her name) It's very basic and serious business but it will never make it onto the agenda. I also like Obama's long view and intelligence.

I do think all the states should be waited for - allowed to participate.

Hillary will win - this will happen for me by murphy's law; I am disillusioned ergo she will win

A caller said that a TN Senator called for a Superdelegate primary at the end of June or May or whatever. That was the TN Democratic Governor Bredesen. TN Senators are Republicans.

I still prefer Obama but the way Hillary pushed him into the quagmire is a clear example of how inexperienced he is. He is not prepared to handle such advanced tactics. And Hillary’s nothing compared to the machine McCain inherited from Bush.

nSorry Katie unless you live in a alternative universe where your losing is where you win - HILLARY iS LOSING!!!

My comment #2 was tongue in cheek. Although, it is true that I meant to criticize the length of the campaign, but also the focus on personalites, who we'd want to have a drink with...

and please do tell me why the oil companies should not pay the gas tax after years of record profits??

I think that Clinton will adopt any position that will get her elected! She is willing to destroy the Democrat party to get power. She is now pandering to Reagan democrats. This group will not vote for her in the general election. She is a self serving ingrate who only cares about gaining power!

The gas tax holiday is a politically safe pandering tool. Congress won't approve it. The President won't approve it, so there will be no danger of its inevitable failure... they'll just be able to claim that they TRIED to do something but that the deadlock in Washington politics was the real culprit.

And when Hillary's questioned on whether it will work, she says she doesn't listen to economists and that this is about what the people need. Of course, somebody should be asking her if the people need something that will make their lives WORSE. She gets the chance to paint Obama as an ivory tower elitist who thinks that $100 doesn't matter when what he is actually saying is that $100 will never materialize because the oil companies will simply raise prices to gobble up the difference.

She gets farther and farther away from reality, and the whole damn thing has left me rather disgusted.

I was such a Hillary supporter I actually paid an extra months rent on my super expensive Village apartment back in 2000 just so I could vote for her in the NY Senate race b4 moving to NJ... and I voted for her in the NJ primary but this gasoline tax idioocy has completely soured me on her candidacy and while I will vote for the Democrat in Nov, regardless of who the nominee is, I am now hoping it's not Hillary, as this cheap, simplistic and legistlative lame way to get votes has profoundly changed my sense of her character, abilities and potential impact as president. I wouldn't call it voter's remorse as much as voter's wisdom, and for this reason alone I'm glad the primary season has lasted as long as it has... like all relationships, sometimes it's more about time than feeling to get to the heart of what's really best for your heart -- or your country!

I have some regrets for both Hilary and Obama, but not enough not to vote enthusiastically for either one to defeat McCain. Media! Please get them to lay out Specifics of their plans to get us off foreign oil. If they say ethanol, ask them to explain how that would Not cause the price of food to rise and deplete our precious soil resource to put in our gas tanks. If solar, wind, tidal, hydro, and all the other sustainable, renewable energy sources, ask them how much money in research dollars would go to each one Compared to how much goes to fossil fuel research.

Nope, still feel good about my vote. I wish John Edwards has not dropped out, but I had to make a choice, and I believe that the Clintons can beat McCain.

Hillary has really disgusted me. I voted for her in 2000 but had great regret based on her October 2002 vote for war. But seeing her tactics, her phoniness, her calculcation, her exploitation of situations, it makes me feel very disheartened, and very much against her.

I think the Clintons have the philosophy that their mud-slinging is justified because if they get the nomination using this tactic, then that's great. But if they still can't get the nomination, then at least Barack will have a taste of what the Republicans are going to do to him. So, from their perspective, it's a win-win.

MICHIGAN:

Clinton: 328,309 votes

Obama: 0 votes

These results would make a dictator blush, but Clinton still feels that they should be validated?

I voted for Clinton, and I regret it. She and her campaign have been adopting tactics that are replete with Republican buzzwords and fearmongering. The most recent is her adopting the absurd pretense that Obama is a member of the chimerical'elite', and she is some kind of working-class hero. They are all (including bush) members of the national power elite, or they would not be viable candidates, however if either can claim to be an underdog, it is certainly Obama.

Hillary is the only qualified candidate. If anyone should drop out, it should be Obama.

hjs, the oil companies will just increase the cost of gas to compensate for the new taxes. The only way to block them from doing that will be with price caps which will be even more disastrous.

PS: Next time, the Dems should have some winner take all states.

It grows increasingly obvious that Americans no longer are capable of operating the unwieldy levers of democracy to their benefit. There's so many petty distractions that distract us from the real issues that we're lost in a media perpetuated sea of inanity. Shots of whiskey in VFW halls or kissing babies don't have anything to do with being a president.

The real issue isn't who is elected, it's the country we have in the aftermath. We're not electing a black man or a woman or a POW. We're electing a Supreme Court nomination(or 3). We're electing how we're perceived abroad. We're electing how we treat the world's less fortunate including our own. The fact that this isn't apparent to the vast majority of Americans shows how we've come to be the empire in decline we've become.

I grew up in Indiana, but have been in NYC (and voted in NY) for the past seven years. My mom became a citizen last year, so this is her first time voting. Several months ago, when I helped her register to vote as a Democrat in Indiana, I thought, "Gee, Indiana doesn't vote until May? It'll be over by then!" Little did I know...

That said, I'm excited that her vote today will "count," but I think what's best for the party at this point is for Hillary to recognize that the only way for her to win would be through back-room, super-delegate dealings, which would leave many new voters disillusioned with democracy. To be able to help heal wounds within the party and get the Dems excited about our candidate (Obama), this madness needs to end!

Has anyone else noticed how the real campaign appears to be a re-enactment of the last season of the West Wing? Most notably:

- the fictional Republican candidate (played by Alan Alda) is an older maverick senator from the West, unloved by the religious right and conservative talk radio/tv pundits.

- the fictional Democratic candidate (played by Jimmy Smits) is a charismatic multi-racial but relatively inexperienced (3 House terms) Democratic congressman, who overcomes early mistakes to take the lead, but doesn't reach a delegate majority before the convention.

There are lots more eerie similarities if you take the time to look -- is Aaron Sorkin psychic, or should the conspiracy theorists gear up? I think you and Andrea should investicate -- your trenchant analysis would at least enliven the continuing slog. (Think of the Beatles and the "Paul is dead" theory.)

Another theory re: Clinton's tactics is that if she cannot win the nomination this time around, she will do whatever she can to keep Obama from winning the presidency in '08. Why? Because she would not be able to run again until 2016 at best. If McCain wins this fall, she would at least have one more shot in 2012.

To heck with what's best for the country, I want to be president!!!

Everyone is SO negative!

McCain is 71 years old. He's ANCIENT. He should PRAY that Clinton and Obama last until Denver, because I don't think he would be able to survive more than 3 months campaigning against either one of them!

These two both have endurance and constitution to last. I'm not afraid or worried about this fight going to Denver. THey are both strong PLUS it keeps the media eyes on the Democrats.

Remember!

WE have registered and motivated more Democrats to vote this year than we have in long time. Those numbers will tell later.

Our party has made modern history with the nomination of a woman and an African American. Citizens are looking for signs of social and economic progression. Republicans are not representing this lately.

I have no buyer's remorse because I am confident that EITHER one of these candidates will claim victory in November.

GO DEMS!

The question is: Will she try again? Obama could easily wait until 2012 (or 2016). But will Hillary still be up for it at the age of 65? Certainly some people have done it... McCain's the oldest candidate ever. But there's lots of people who might not feel it's worth it. She probably sees this as her last shot at the Presidency.

Without making a much too general statement it is apparent-more so to the rest of the world- that the media lynching of Obama with the Wright noose has so stirred racial distrust that already racially biased rural Americans now have an excuse to vote white. The political lexicon has changed from an issue based debate to a debate about whether Obama is "one of us". This effort has created the psychological cushion for affected whites to rationalize their racially based vote to a vote based on "culture" or "lack of empathy". Obama was transformed from not black enough to too black and the fact that he is biracial is totally ignored. These subterrean racial code words have been used by the media and the Clinton campaign alike. It is also undisputable that Obama's record has demonstarted his committment to America, yet the privately owned media has engineered public perception of Obama as something other than "true American" and suggest that blacks are an angry bitter group within the larger dominant culture.

Hillary lacks the character, integrity, and gravitas to be President. It's shocking to hear so many WNYC listeners voice support for her after she has praised McCain and denigrated Obama. Her campaign is based on lies, distortions, fear mongering and race baiting. Hillary is simply a disgraceful person who has no class or dignity.

29 & 31--agree with both of you!

Neither McCain nor Clinton promised that the lifting of the Federal gas tax would fix the problem. So to judge either candidate on this is ridiculous. If the State and Local governments lifted their taxes on gas, that might help make a real tax holiday for drivers this summer.

All three candidates pander to the public! Most promise more than they can ever deliver.

About counting votes in MI & FL. New Hampshire also broke the rules in January when it voted second after Iowa. It was supposed to be 3rd or 4th after South Carolina or Nevada. But the DNC gave NH a waiver. See:

NYTimes "New Hampshire Cheated, Too"

By CARL LEVIN and DEBBIE DINGELL

Published: March 19, 2008

Susan is right, gramps is too old--and perhaps hiding something because he hasn't released medical records.

Susan, McCain and Hillary have sold this as a way to help relieve the cost of gas. It almost certainly won't. If they don't know this, they're clueless. If they do and promote it anyway, they're manipulative. Take your pick.

I support neither now but whenever I listen to this show I am always cannot believe that Mr. Lehrer is so biased to Ms. Clinton....I like this show and always comeback to listen but his bias to Ms. Clinton is very un public radio...I came to public radio because i saw it as balanced...but Mr. Lehrer program is not balance....and for me I support neither....so i have no reason to be upset politically....

Monique

what!

could you give an example??

or is it just in the tone of his voice?