MMA Sounds Off on Presidential Election
Jason Probst Nov 4, 2008
The longest presidential campaign in history culminates Tuesday.
With the public set to choose Barack Obama or John McCain as the
next president, Sherdog.com checked in with athletes and MMA
insiders to see whom they’re voting for and what issues they want
the next administration to tackle.
Hold on to your electoral hat and read on. The Sherdog presidential poll is highly unscientific, and twice the fun.
Note: Matt
Lindland is currently running as the Republican nominee for the
Oregon Legislature. Voters in the state’s 52nd House District will
choose between Lindland and opponent, Democrat Suzanne Van
Orman.
Matt Lindland: My campaign’s going all right. I expect it to be super close. As for the presidential election, I’m voting for McCain because he’s closer to me on lot of the issues, and he’s the best we’ve got right now. I think the number one thing has gotta be this economy, creating jobs and keeping jobs in the U.S. Obviously, they’re focusing on taxes and jobs, and we haven’t even heard a lot of foreign policy. You can’t just sit back and talk about it. You gotta step up.
Frank Trigg: Obama, because from a mindset of having to deal with Bush for the last eight years, why would I want to do that again for four years? The reason the economy is in the pot -- it’s not because of [George W.] Bush or [Bill] Clinton or [George] Bush I; it’s because of [Ronald] Reagan. It’s the same theory McCain’s gonna use, the trickle-down theory. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. I have no idea of when he’s gonna pull the troops out. We’re nowhere near winning that war in Afghanistan. We’re stupidly over there fighting. It’s not gonna make any sense. It’s gonna take a long time. It’s not a casual withdrawal. McCain doesn’t have a smart enough plan, even with his war expertise.
John Hackleman: Taxes and Iraq. I’m undecided, because I think there are humongous pros and cons for both guys. Definitely no on [Proposition] 8 [the California initiative banning gay marriage]. I can’t believe a guy wore a “Yes on Prop 8” vest into the cage [Saturday] at Rumble in the Park in Fresno. … I’ve got two half-gay fighters. Who is he to say no? It angered me, and he ended up losing. I’m sorry he lost. [He’s] a really nice guy. It just seems it’s kind of racist … gay-cist.
Karo Parisyan: The deal is I always said I’m an entertainer. I don’t really get into politics. If I gotta go with somebody, it’s Obama. First of all, McCain was against MMA, which is my field, and second of all, the overall outlook for Obama, how composed he is, what kind of proposals he puts on every single thing we think about and we do. Everything he does, bro, it fits me and suits me. I like his tax issues, and I like him recognizing the genocide of Armenians, and I think it’s time for an African-American president. If McCain wins, he’s old, and if he dies, who’s gonna be the president? A woman? The world is already mad at us. They’ll lash out at us even more.
Chuck Liddell: McCain. I don’t think he’s got a shot to win, but I’m voting for McCain. I don’t want to raise my taxes. I’m in that bracket. Obviously, the economy, you know … the basics right now are our economy [and] the war; those are the main things -- the economy and people losing their houses. I’m not real happy with how they’re handling it, obviously.
Joe Stevenson: McCain.
Heath Herring: McCain. The two most important issues to me are foreign policy and taxes.
Juanito Ibarra: Obama. You know, to me I’ve always been a middle-class, union guy, an average type of guy. I know Mr. McCain. He helped with the Muhammad Ali Act. I was the West Coast chairman of the boxing organizing committee to develop that. He’s a good guy. He spoke against MMA in the beginning, but he was very uneducated about it. I think people still hold a grudge against him for that, but he’s said, “Hey, I was unaware there were rules, and I support anything people do in an organized manner.” But I think Obama’s for the middle class. He helps the unions, the middle class. He’s gonna help evaluate where our dollars go and how this war has been dictating our lives. They’ve been out there a little too long. It’s another Vietnam. It’s crazy.
Mike Roberts: McCain, because I don’t like Obama. He’s gonna try and take all my money and give it to somebody else. I ain’t having that.
Travis Lutter: I currently do not vote because of the Electoral College system. I have considered starting to vote but don’t feel that the current system works when my vote isn’t going to the candidate but to a representative to vote for me.
Eddie Bravo: I am not voting. Voting is an illusion. Both “candidates” are working for the same team -- the Illuminati. The election is just a fake reality show. You can’t get as far as Obama and McCain and not be bought and sold long ago. The machine is too strong. Just buckle up and hold on for the scary ride that’s coming and try to get as much as possible before the derailing of our empire.
Monte Cox: I’m an Obama guy. I just can’t go for another old guy again. I just don’t want a 72-year-old. I just like the stuff Obama says and how he handles himself, and I’m ready to try to do something different. I think everything is about the economy and [getting] the dollar back up there. I’m a guy just getting back from Japan now. I travel all over, and the dollar is for s--t. It’s not like it used to be. The dollar used to be so strong, and the economy used to be so strong. That stuff has to change.
Mike Swick: I definitely have thought about it. I have done a lot of research and take this very seriously. I am voting for the candidate that I feel, through overwhelming research, is the best option. Important issues are the economy, the war, health care, oil, clean energy and the reputation of our country as a whole worldwide.
Seth Petruzelli: That’s all we are hearing about is the presidential race. I guess it’s for a good reason. Well, some issues are important to me and, no, gay marriage isn’t one of them, a--holes. It’s stem cell research and obviously the economy. I am all for the betterment of the human race and living longer with the science of stem cell, so on that note, it’s Obama. I also own my own business, so the economy and taxes are important, as well, and I’m afraid that Obama’s going to tax the hell out of my business. On the other hand, just him being elected could stimulate the economy enough because people want a change, and I could see bigger sales out of it. I’m still up in the air.
Luigi Fioravanti: I am not voting at all. I think the government is corrupt, and so are the politicians. I used to care about all this political crap, but now I don’t care for politics. It makes people crazy. [Of] all the places I have seen, I still think we live in the best country.
Hold on to your electoral hat and read on. The Sherdog presidential poll is highly unscientific, and twice the fun.
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Matt Lindland: My campaign’s going all right. I expect it to be super close. As for the presidential election, I’m voting for McCain because he’s closer to me on lot of the issues, and he’s the best we’ve got right now. I think the number one thing has gotta be this economy, creating jobs and keeping jobs in the U.S. Obviously, they’re focusing on taxes and jobs, and we haven’t even heard a lot of foreign policy. You can’t just sit back and talk about it. You gotta step up.
Chael
Sonnen: I’m voting for McCain. He’s conservative, and
I’m a conservative, too. I think the war is important, and the
economy … that’s a fight in and of itself.
Frank Trigg: Obama, because from a mindset of having to deal with Bush for the last eight years, why would I want to do that again for four years? The reason the economy is in the pot -- it’s not because of [George W.] Bush or [Bill] Clinton or [George] Bush I; it’s because of [Ronald] Reagan. It’s the same theory McCain’s gonna use, the trickle-down theory. It didn’t work then, and it won’t work now. I have no idea of when he’s gonna pull the troops out. We’re nowhere near winning that war in Afghanistan. We’re stupidly over there fighting. It’s not gonna make any sense. It’s gonna take a long time. It’s not a casual withdrawal. McCain doesn’t have a smart enough plan, even with his war expertise.
John Hackleman: Taxes and Iraq. I’m undecided, because I think there are humongous pros and cons for both guys. Definitely no on [Proposition] 8 [the California initiative banning gay marriage]. I can’t believe a guy wore a “Yes on Prop 8” vest into the cage [Saturday] at Rumble in the Park in Fresno. … I’ve got two half-gay fighters. Who is he to say no? It angered me, and he ended up losing. I’m sorry he lost. [He’s] a really nice guy. It just seems it’s kind of racist … gay-cist.
Karo Parisyan: The deal is I always said I’m an entertainer. I don’t really get into politics. If I gotta go with somebody, it’s Obama. First of all, McCain was against MMA, which is my field, and second of all, the overall outlook for Obama, how composed he is, what kind of proposals he puts on every single thing we think about and we do. Everything he does, bro, it fits me and suits me. I like his tax issues, and I like him recognizing the genocide of Armenians, and I think it’s time for an African-American president. If McCain wins, he’s old, and if he dies, who’s gonna be the president? A woman? The world is already mad at us. They’ll lash out at us even more.
Chuck Liddell: McCain. I don’t think he’s got a shot to win, but I’m voting for McCain. I don’t want to raise my taxes. I’m in that bracket. Obviously, the economy, you know … the basics right now are our economy [and] the war; those are the main things -- the economy and people losing their houses. I’m not real happy with how they’re handling it, obviously.
Joe Stevenson: McCain.
Heath Herring: McCain. The two most important issues to me are foreign policy and taxes.
Juanito Ibarra: Obama. You know, to me I’ve always been a middle-class, union guy, an average type of guy. I know Mr. McCain. He helped with the Muhammad Ali Act. I was the West Coast chairman of the boxing organizing committee to develop that. He’s a good guy. He spoke against MMA in the beginning, but he was very uneducated about it. I think people still hold a grudge against him for that, but he’s said, “Hey, I was unaware there were rules, and I support anything people do in an organized manner.” But I think Obama’s for the middle class. He helps the unions, the middle class. He’s gonna help evaluate where our dollars go and how this war has been dictating our lives. They’ve been out there a little too long. It’s another Vietnam. It’s crazy.
Mike Roberts: McCain, because I don’t like Obama. He’s gonna try and take all my money and give it to somebody else. I ain’t having that.
Travis Lutter: I currently do not vote because of the Electoral College system. I have considered starting to vote but don’t feel that the current system works when my vote isn’t going to the candidate but to a representative to vote for me.
Eddie Bravo: I am not voting. Voting is an illusion. Both “candidates” are working for the same team -- the Illuminati. The election is just a fake reality show. You can’t get as far as Obama and McCain and not be bought and sold long ago. The machine is too strong. Just buckle up and hold on for the scary ride that’s coming and try to get as much as possible before the derailing of our empire.
Monte Cox: I’m an Obama guy. I just can’t go for another old guy again. I just don’t want a 72-year-old. I just like the stuff Obama says and how he handles himself, and I’m ready to try to do something different. I think everything is about the economy and [getting] the dollar back up there. I’m a guy just getting back from Japan now. I travel all over, and the dollar is for s--t. It’s not like it used to be. The dollar used to be so strong, and the economy used to be so strong. That stuff has to change.
Mike Swick: I definitely have thought about it. I have done a lot of research and take this very seriously. I am voting for the candidate that I feel, through overwhelming research, is the best option. Important issues are the economy, the war, health care, oil, clean energy and the reputation of our country as a whole worldwide.
Seth Petruzelli: That’s all we are hearing about is the presidential race. I guess it’s for a good reason. Well, some issues are important to me and, no, gay marriage isn’t one of them, a--holes. It’s stem cell research and obviously the economy. I am all for the betterment of the human race and living longer with the science of stem cell, so on that note, it’s Obama. I also own my own business, so the economy and taxes are important, as well, and I’m afraid that Obama’s going to tax the hell out of my business. On the other hand, just him being elected could stimulate the economy enough because people want a change, and I could see bigger sales out of it. I’m still up in the air.
Luigi Fioravanti: I am not voting at all. I think the government is corrupt, and so are the politicians. I used to care about all this political crap, but now I don’t care for politics. It makes people crazy. [Of] all the places I have seen, I still think we live in the best country.