Democratic Party Presidential Candidates for 2020

[Kara Spengler]

My dream ticket would be Warren/Buttigieg.

I fully expect to get neither of them, which is probably one of the reasons I'm so grumpy about the early attempts to anoint Uncle Joe as the savior of the Democratic Party. I actually like Joe Biden, and I wish he had run in the last primary because I think he stood a better chance of beating Trump than Clinton did, with a larger vote win that might have tipped the electoral college. THAT was his time, and now is not. At least not for me.

As long as Mayor Pete is on there somewhere I do not really care who the other person is or who leads the ticket. My preference is a 3rd name, Bernie as secretary or chief of something. His age is a huge liability for either office but it would be insane not to tap him as a top advisor.

 

[Kara Spengler]

“The study was conducted for CNN via telephone by SSRS, an independent research company. Interviews were conducted from April 25 to April 28, 2019 among a sample of 1,007 respondents. The landline total respondents were 358 and there were 649 cell phone respondents. The margin of sampling error for total respondents is +/- 3.8 at the 95% confidence level. The design effect is 1.50. More information about SSRS can be obtained by visiting www.ssrs.com. “

I am not sure which I trust least as a bad sample. Landline users or people who answer cell phones. I am guessing the ppl that answered cell surveys did not have anything else to do .... ie, they were retired.

 

[Cristalle]

I am not sure which I trust least as a bad sample. Landline users or people who answer cell phones. I am guessing the ppl that answered cell surveys did not have anything else to do .... ie, they were retired.

They were, because nobody under 50 was really sampled.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

I, at this point, am pretty unhappy with the male candidates. Also, sure, they might have a reason to go after Sanders for not being one of them, but what's their excuse for trying to block Warren? She's a dem and has been a dem senator for what, two terms now?

Also, at this point in time, I'm not willing to settle for a candidate designed to woo Trump supporters who voted for him because they didn't like Hillary Clinton. She wasn't my top choice, but she -should- have won [by 3 mil votes]. They need to be trying to woo people like -me-. The independents who really exist, not the ones they somehow think are still in the middle of the two parties.

 

[Beebo Brink]

Stand for something and see who follows.

One of the reasons I love Warren and Buttigieg so much is that they are passionate about their beliefs and they do not pander. They explain their position, why they do things, rather than trying to make what they did sound palatable to a particular audience. One of the reasons I was lukewarm about Hillary Clinton was that her messaging always struck me as focus-group tested first. She may well have been quite sincere, but she never communicated that to me in a believable way. Ignoring the emotional side to candidacy appeal is short-sighted; that's how Trump won, he appealed directly to some very primal voter emotions.

 

[Clara D.]

I'm really having a lot of hope for Pete.

 

[Beebo Brink]

I'm really having a lot of hope for Pete.

I think it's ironic that one of his biggest vulnerabilities as a candidate is that he is gay, while at the same time it's also one of his more important strengths.

The disadvantage of being gay is obvious. But it's that very gayness that has created some of the gravitas that such a young man still brings to the table. His courage in running as an open gay man is unquestionable. The way in which he is quietly but unapologetically himself -- in the face of vitriolic hate -- says so much about his character that it lifts him out of the mass of other white men. And the struggle he went through to reach that stage has created reservoirs of compassion and empathy above and beyond his natural leadership talents.

Regardless of how this turns out, Mayor Pete has brought a national spotlight to the lives of two married gay men. Handsome, charming, essentially likeable. As a heterosexual candidate, I don't think Pete would have risen above the crowd because no one would see him as remarkable or remarkably different from many other nice white straight men who run for office.

Being gay will probably stop Pete from getting to the top, but there's so much to be gained from the attempt, despite that glass ceiling.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I, at this point, am pretty unhappy with the male candidates. Also, sure, they might have a reason to go after Sanders for not being one of them, but what's their excuse for trying to block Warren? She's a dem and has been a dem senator for what, two terms now?

Also, at this point in time, I'm not willing to settle for a candidate designed to woo Trump supporters who voted for him because they didn't like Hillary Clinton. She wasn't my top choice, but she -should- have won [by 3 mil votes]. They need to be trying to woo people like -me-. The independents who really exist, not the ones they somehow think are still in the middle of the two parties.

Right now not too many candidates stand out. Heck, I am a politics junkie and can only remember 6 of the names of the 20. Except for people in early states not many people are looking at more than a few candidates this early because they all know half of them will be also-rans a year from now.

 

[Ryanna Enfield]

The problem is Trump has set the bar so low as President, that now everyone feels they could do a better job. Sad, but true.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Stand for something and see who follows.

One of the reasons I love Warren and Buttigieg so much is that they are passionate about their beliefs and they do not pander. They explain their position, why they do things, rather than trying to make what they did sound palatable to a particular audience. One of the reasons I was lukewarm about Hillary Clinton was that her messaging always struck me as focus-group tested first. She may well have been quite sincere, but she never communicated that to me in a believable way. Ignoring the emotional side to candidacy appeal is short-sighted; that's how Trump won, he appealed directly to some very primal voter emotions.

Yes, almost all candidates wind up coming up with a platform. Pete did something interesting in conveying his stance rather than just giving a littany of 'i will do xyz' statements. Did Warren do the same I guess?

I like it although the danger is people are used to seeing platform statements, even though they mean nothing.

 

[danielravennest]

Yes, almost all candidates wind up coming up with a platform.

My platform:

 

[Cristalle]

Fuck this shit, really: De Blasio expected to announce 2020 presidential run next week: sources

 

[Beebo Brink]

Yes, almost all candidates wind up coming up with a platform. Pete did something interesting in conveying his stance rather than just giving a littany of 'i will do xyz' statements. Did Warren do the same I guess?

I'm not talking about policies and platforms, I'm talking about values and focus and motivation. Warren is clearly in the fight of the century against an unlevel playing field in which corporations and Wall Street rig the game. She is passionate about leveling the playing field, passionate in rooting for the working class and middle class that get screwed over at every turn by government support for the interests of the 1%. Buttigieg is also clear about his focus on generational change and a new perspective on what "freedom" means for living as an American. That's what they stand for.

 

[Cristalle]

How much do you want to bet that half of these "candidates" won't actually go around campaigning? They will send out fundraising letters, sure, maybe put a few ads, but they won't do much except stick around to stay on their state's ballot. This chicanery is what is going to bring us 4 more years of Trump.

 

[Kaimi Kyomoon]

The DNC seems to be desperate to nominate a "centrist" who will accept money from the oligarchs and do their bidding.

 

[Clara D.]

The DNC seems to be desperate to nominate a "centrist" who will accept money from the oligarchs and do their bidding.

Hence Biden.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Hence Biden.

Yes, next year it will be 'vote for Biden or donnie will win'. Even during the primary season because enough people will believe it. Mark my words.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Yup, that's Biden off my list.

 

[Anya Ristow]

How much do you want to bet that half of these "candidates" won't actually go around campaigning? They will send out fundraising letters, sure, maybe put a few ads, but they won't do much except stick around to stay on their state's ballot. This chicanery is what is going to bring us 4 more years of Trump.

I won't post the NYT article about the secret "stop bernie" dinners again, but I'll note again that Mayor Pete is an attendee.

I don't think Biden wanted to run. I think he's running only because Harris isn't killin it. I think he'll make a grand effort of it, though, and so will she. One of the two is expected to win the second round of delegate voting. The others just need to win enough delegates to be sure there is a second round of voting. That part of the plan probably won't work, but probably won't be necessary, either. Hence, Biden.

Was that too cynical?

 

[Brenda Archer]

They were, because nobody under 50 was really sampled.

This amounts to straight up propaganda then, to make the preferences of younger voters invisible to themselves.

We have a political system devoted to making sure only rural white Boomers have a full vote.

This gives me despair. They can do a lot of damage before enough of them finally kick the can.