The Politics Thread

[Roman]

Pence barely says a word now. his wife hates Trump's guts. Pence I believe is setting up running in 4 years....if we're all still here and this isn't The walking dead....

[Chris B]

@DRW50 Something that surprised me with the Nevada caucus is that Warren voters second choice votes went to Biden once she didn’t reach the threshold. I expected them to go to Bernie. I wouldn’t be surprised if Pete and Amy’s votes did swing his way if they dropped out. 
 

Also, many have mentioned the down ballot races and it’s true that not one Bernie endorsed candidate won in a swing district in 2018. AOC and he himself have made it clear they plan on going after so many established Democrats, I’m worried their eye won’t be on the prize to focus on flipping seats from R to D. They’re trying to flip from D to Whatever u call Bernie’s party. They’re even trying to get Nancy Pelosi out!

 

Nobody can convince me we will keep the House or gain the Senate regardless of if he wins or not. How can they when they’re trying to vote people out instead of adding to our numbers? It’s insanity. This ain’t the election for that. Everybody seems to have tunnel vision from the refusal to drop out and then primarying Democrats in a Trump era. 

[Khan]

 

I'm not sure Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar would listen.  To anyone.  Not even to Barack Obama.

 

Four years ago, when Joe Biden considered running for the Democratic nomination, Obama advised him not to.  In retrospect, Biden shouldn't have taken Obama's advice, as that (the 2016 election) was probably his best chance to become president.  (True, Biden was still in mourning over his son's death.  But, you know, few things tug at people's heartstrings more than witnessing someone grieving over a dead child or spouse).  If Obama were to go to Buttigieg and/or Klobuchar now and advise one or both to pull out of the race and endorse Biden or Bloomberg instead, they might replay Biden's 2016 decision in their minds and accuse Obama of attempting to sabotage their chances.

 

Both Buttigieg and Klobuchar see Biden as vulnerable.  Ergo, neither's leaving the stage 'til they carried off.

 

 

Agree.  Of course, if/when Tom Steyer were to drop out, there's no doubt in my mind that he would run as an independent instead.  (Same goes for Tulsi "I'm Not a Russian Bot!" Gabbard.  Everyone knows she's in bed with the Russians, and everyone knows she's going to run as a third party candidate, too.  She might as well just admit it.)

 

 

What's happening to Bernie Sanders is what would happen to anyone whom the media pronounces to be the "second coming" of anything.  If you hype someone loudly and often enough, sooner or later, even those who were cynical and/or dismissive at the start will jump on the proverbial bandwagon eventually.

 

If you don't believe me, just look at what happened to Donald Trump during the last election. 

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I've said this before, but I'll say it again: Joe Biden might be a terrific politician, but he is a TERRIBLE campaigner.

Edited February 23, 2020 by Khan

[lovely_m]

 

I wonder if Obama told him that because he knew it was considered to be "Hillary's turn" and the DNC would have wanted Clinton instead of him.  I know the general public would have wanted Biden over Clinton.

[Khan]

 

This much, I'm sure about: barring any more seismic shifts in this country or in Mike Pence's character, I don't believe he could run for the highest office in the land and win.  Not even the most die-hard Donald Trump supporters would turn up at the polling places for that man.

 

 

Perhaps.  On the other hand, I think even Barack Obama would agree that "her turn" was back in 2008, when Benghazi and Hillary Clinton's email servers weren't even gleams in the GOP's eyes.

 

I'm not suggesting (anymore) that I blame Obama for the messes we're in today, but I do wonder where we'd be as a nation if Clinton had been the nominee in the 2008 election.

Edited February 23, 2020 by Khan

[Khan]

 

Not since the Civil War has this country been on the verge of collapse.  So, of course, you're going to see folks like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders exploit the divisions among us for personal and/or political gain.  However, the difference between then and now is that, back then, Abraham Lincoln eventually realized that slavery had to be abolished in the South for the sake of preserving the union.  Unfortunately, in the year 2020, we don't have that type of leader in the WH who can put unity before politics; and without someone at the top to reach out to the left AND the right and convince them both to cease with the divisiveness or else risk losing the country altogether, I'm afraid the situation on BOTH sides of the political aisle will get far, far worse before it gets better.

[DRW50]

Grifters unite! What a momentous day for any sucker needing a buck lifted out of their wallet. 

 

 

[Gray Bunny]

Is Kyle Jones Marianne's son? BIG news huh. This will for sure tip the scales and her huge flock of followers will start to feel the Bern. 

 

is Deval still running? I forgot Marianne stopped. 

[DRW50]

 

He suspended.

[Khan]

 

Yes, she suspended her campaign.  But, fret not.  Her dream crystal prophesied that come next midterms, the planets will converge in her favor.  ;)

[DRW50]

Another day, another example of St. Bernard pissing away Florida (although that's probably beyond our grasp anyway, but still...) and many voters nationwide.

 

The main response I see in the comments is people playing "gotcha" with Ana, even though any idiot with a Google can easily know her political background. Talking about her doesn't make videos like this any less toxic for a general.

 

 

[Khan]

"Yes, Fidel Castro was a rotten s.o.b., who jailed anyone who spoke out against him.  But he also taught people how to read!"

 

Do I have that right, Senator Sanders?

 

Honestly, Sanders just should admit he's a Communist.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Khan

[DRW50]

I wish more people up high had made these types of arguments months ago, rather than just randos I see on Twitter. Finally more people are talking about how just because Trump was elected doesn't mean some paradigm shift that will help Bernie. No matter how much most Bernie supporters admire Trump, they don't have the same backgrounds or appeals. 

 

 

[JaneAusten]

It was more important to the media to rip every other candidate to shreds and drive them out. Warren  is the latest victim.

 

I'm glad it's coming out now. And I hope it continues. I really want Warren - I think she'd kill Trump in a head to head debate but I am now leaning more towards Biden after months. I still have reservations, but that last CNN townhall he did was exceptional. Nothing would get done during his tenure as president legislatively - but just his foreign relations experience could help at least start the repair work there. And I while I think Warren might be better, I think he could unify the silent majority at least - that's the forgotten center of the country

 

James Clyborn from SC is going to endorse Biden. That's a big deal and a win in SC would really help the reset. That campaign needs to stop the unforced errors.

[DRW50]

 

It looks like he will end up being a clear second place in Nevada, which at least means he has some distance over the field. I saw that Warren is now second in a national poll, and not hugely behind Bernie (about 9 points), but I think it may be too late to make up the delegates. 

 

I just wish something could break. In my heart I just don't think Bernie even wants to win. He doesn't have to - he's very rich and will become even more rich if he loses. Warren and Biden at least do want to win and want to fight for us - even if we don't agree with all their plans or methods, it's still something that is valuable. Bernie doesn't want to fight for us. They just want to set everything on fire. Susan Sarandon is focused on Nancy Pelosi - and sadly, to many in his camp, Pelosi is the enemy and Trump is acceptable.