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August 09, 2007
In a rare showing of political consumption...
I watched the Logo forum tonight, and I'm not the type to live blog or go into a lot of detail on politics, but here's my basic take:
--Barack Obama: I missed the first few minutes of his turn, but, what I saw... I really haven't paid much attention to him thus far, but I can REALLY see why people are so taken with him. I liked what I saw of his answers and he made me feel taken seriously AND understood. I didn't feel like he was forcing me into a group and I didn't feel like he was saying "I get the LGBT community, I really get you!" and I also didn't feel like he was saying "I'm not one of you so I'll never get you." That's talent--to not make me feel isolated. Let me put it this way--unlike Edwards, he didn't call the LGBT community "you". I was really, really impressed. I really wish I had seen his first five minutes.
--John Edwards: is a tool. I honestly don't know what else to say about him. He didn't answer the questions he was given (stereotype of a politician much?) and everything he said annoyed me. I don't care that he went to some Los Angeles LGBT center and saw homeless kids--that doesn't tell me anything except that he has a LONG way to go before I give a shit about what he has to say. He's a tool.
--Dennis Kucinich: it's very hard to comment on him. He basically... doesn't exist on the same plane as the other candidates. In so many ways. He's quite floopy and enjoyable and I love him and I'm glad he's running. I also wouldn't vote for him. I think his path, his journey, and his purpose are better served as a candidate who shakes up the scene a little bit than if he were actually president. It's just not a fit for him, but I love that's running. I agree with like 95% or more of the things he says, I just think he has another calling. Aww, he said he loves all of us, and I believe him. I love you too!
--Mike Gravel: I really know nothing about him going into this. The second he said "the gay issue" and then repeated it again two seconds later, he lost me. I liked that he said he believes "the marriage issue" will be a non-issue in 2012, but he bored me. And he seemed to be really out of touch with the country as a whole. He spoke like a well-intentioned person of a generation no longer at the forefront of what's going on in this country. And stop comparing yourself to Kucinich! Stop copying! I really do appreciate that he's pro-gay marriage, but that's really all I can say positive about him based on this short exposure.
--Bill Richardson: I have to admit, I also know very little about him, although a little more than Gravel... What can I say, I've been trying my hardest to flat out ignore politics for quite some time now. I was wholly unimpressed. For the most part I was bored. At least Gravel got me excited and passionate, even if I was annoyed to hell with him. Richardson bored me. I also had very little respect for his unwillingness to fess up to his own stances. Edwards said flat out, without even being asked, he has not changed his mind about not supporting gay marriage. Richardson, when asked, skirted around answering for as long as he could before they repeated the question like four times and he finally kinda sorta said he's "not there yet". Between that and his skirting/poorly answering the "biology vs. choice" question, he was at the bottom of the list for me. I got the feeling the panel felt the same way, and I missed the laughter that had been there with all four of the previous candidates.
--Hillary Clinton: This is what I tuned in for, honestly. However, she was so deliberate with everything she said that I feel like there were a ton of questions she didn't get time to answer. And I get that because when I'm addressing touchy issues that require deliberate and careful language, I'm the same way. I would rather have someone speak deliberately than misspeak. That said, I wanted more. She makes me feel... safe? I love Obama, more than I thought I would, but he feels young and excited and excitable, whereas Hillary (and yes, I'm aware that I've called everyone else by their last names and I call her Hillary--it's not a female thing, nor is it a clear from Bill thing, it's a comfort and familiarity thing, which I see as positive) makes me feel safe and taken care of. I knew what she was going to say about everything, so I guess what I got out of listening to her just that--that sense that she isn't saying she'll do more than she can, she's not promising that she's making herself completely transparent. And no candidate could be. So I really appreciate that sense of reality, and that comfort.
What do I have to say in the end? I like Hillary. She makes me feel like she has what it takes. But Obama is fantastic too, even if he makes me feel a little like he'd be fumbling to find answers as president. That might not be a horrible thing, but it's not what I'm looking for.
Mostly, though, I learned almost nothing new tonight, but I'm incredibly happy that this kind of forum was put on. It needed to happen and just the fact that it did feels like a small but important step to me. In the words of Breckin Meyer in Clueless, "Two thumbs up, fine family fun."
Posted to Miscellaneous at August 9, 2007 10:22 PM