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Would a candidate's supporters influence how you vote?  

post #1 of 13
10/16/08 at 5:25am
Thread Starter 
Over the past week I have heard comments online, on TV, radio and in person along the lines of "<insert candidate's name here> are so negative and fanatical that I am now going to vote for the other candidate. The supporters have turned me off. "

Would you let the actions of a candidate's supporters influence your vote?
post #2 of 13
10/16/08 at 5:32am
No, because that's not the point of voting. You vote for the issues. I hate campaigns and can't wait till a few are over, but I knew who I was voting for from the start and that's not going to change.
post #3 of 13
10/16/08 at 5:59am
Interesting question Karen....

My personal values guide my decisions about who will receive my vote...
not emotional outbursts from a candidate's manipulated minions.

I do wonder how people can even consider the other candidate?
I have a difficult time comprehending what the heck he is talking about much of the time.
Please finish your sentences sir.
post #4 of 13
10/16/08 at 6:21am
Kind of but not in the way you most likely mean. I would be concerned with who endorses them especially if it is a group I don't support. I would wonder if I needed to do more research on their policies.
post #5 of 13
10/16/08 at 9:16am
It wouldn't change my vote, but I know there are some supporters of one particular candidate that I wouldn't want to be associated with due to the hate they spew
post #6 of 13
10/16/08 at 9:47am
No, it wouldn't change my mind.
I'm voting for the person, not their supporters.
post #7 of 13
10/16/08 at 9:55am
I think it would somewhat influence my vote in a way along with other factors. I know who I want to vote for but I feel some people are so negative that it makes me not want to look into their candidate of choice as much where is if I didn't see all the negativity then I would be more likely to look into them and that candidate might have a small chance of me changing my mind. I wish that I didn't think that way but to be honest I do and it does turn me off.
post #8 of 13
10/16/08 at 10:07am
It depends on the kind of support. If it's someone getting up and calling the other candidate dirty names, then no, not so much. In that case I would end up not voting at all. If a candidate accepts endorsements or financial support from an individual, government, or special interest group whose policies I don't like, I would take that into consideration along with what I've learned about the candidate her/himself.

On ballot propositions I always read the text first and then look very carefully at the "for" and "against" statements and who wrote them. That has influenced my vote at times in the past.

Anyway, I voted "not sure"
post #9 of 13
10/16/08 at 10:57am
You've brought up a very interesting question when you stop and think about it. My immediate reaction to it was no, supporters wouldn't influence my vote. A candidate can't cherry pick who his supporters are. On the other hand, the candidates political views can influence the types of people that are drawn to them. So if I don't like the views of their supporters, does that mean that I don't like the candidate? There is a fine line there sometimes.

In general, within a democracy like the U.S., supporters would not sway my vote as everyone is entitled to their opinion. I'm not sure I would have the same opinion with an oppressed country.
post #10 of 13
10/16/08 at 12:37pm
I think one's supporters are a really important part of one's politics. What type of people do you appeal to? What type of behavior do you inspire?

If I think that a political candidate is riling up supporters to have an emotional reaction that bothers me, then that political candidate bothers me.

In the current US presidential vote, I am not concerned about McCain because of what his supporters say, but I am concerned about Palin because of what her supporters say. The way she successfully riles up crowds with suspicion and a deep "us versus them" mentality profoundly concerns me. Sure if one person supports Palin they also support McCain, but it is Palin who is inspiring the anger.

When the White House (and Dick Cheney) tied Iraq to 9/11 with innuendo and payments to Palestinians, they were careful to avoid saying that Saddam Hussein orchestrated 9/11. But some supporters made that connection. I blame Dick Cheney and the white house for people believing that Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11.

So yes, what supporters think effect what I think about candidates or politicians in office, but the candidate or politician has be to doing or saying things to inspire the actions of supporters in order for me to blame the candidate or politician.
post #11 of 13
10/16/08 at 1:02pm
I need to change my vote from yes to no. I thought it was about political alliances they make, and in lobbiests and those supporters. But, if we are just talking about the average voter, no. There are fanatics and idiots on both sides in every election (this one is a little worse than average though) and what other people think or say doesn't affect my opinion who I think is the best canidate for me.
post #12 of 13
10/16/08 at 1:41pm
It depends on the election in question. If I'm really on the fence, I believe the "arguments" that some candidates' supporters use influence, but don't decide, how I vote. Are they logical and do they address policy issues, or are they superficial and simply a veneer for underlying religious/racial/class biases?

Ultimately, the candidates' stands on issues that are important to me are decisive, but ardent supporters' views, and how they present them, often make me take a closer look at the candidates.
post #13 of 13
10/19/08 at 6:36am
Maybe it would influence who I wouldn't vote for. I always vote for who Hollywood is against.
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