General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf you could pick people to be in the Democratic Presidential primary, who would you pick?
Sheldon Whitehouse
Bernie Sanders
Elizabeth Warren
Joe Biden
Martin O'Malley
Hillary Clinton
Jim Webb
Russ Feingold
Al Franken
Alan Grayson
Mark Udall
Jon Stewart
There are those who say we have no depth in the party bench for Presidency, I think they are wrong. I know I am missing good people. Who else would you add to the list?
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)peacebird
(14,195 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)Actually, there are rumblings that he's thinking of running for his old seat in the Senate.
peacebird
(14,195 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)peacebird
(14,195 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)when I saw the first backgrounders starting to appear on him on DU. Then Riversedge's find just blew me away.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)I don't think he can run.
Xyzse
(8,217 posts)Joaquin Castro who was highly lauded for his speech during the Romney fiasco.
Julian Castro is his twin.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)Joaquin is a HR from Texas. Julian has been the wildly popular Mayor of San Antonio and is now HUD Director. Mom Rosie has incredible Real Left Liberal credentials.
Xyzse
(8,217 posts)Not saying I would promote him for primaries, just responding to the post above me.
I wouldn't mind him trying though. I do not have a first choice yet, as Clinton is currently the one I would have as last in my list that I would go for.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)a bit short on credentials and that with his young age, compared to the others, makes the VP spot ideal, IMO. If Hillary were to pick him as VP, and there is a great photo of the 2 of them somewhere, she'd be almost assured of winning the Presidency.
The Hispanic voter, especially young Hispanics, is a huge demographic looking for a candidate that looks like them, knows their struggles first-hand, would clinch the messy Immigration debacle, and speaks their language, also.
Xyzse
(8,217 posts)He was actually my last choice to win the primaries, but he beat Clinton then. The two of them were at the bottom of my list, and I was so unhappy then.
In retrospect he has done quite a bit more than I expected him to accomplish. Not saying that I am completely happy, but he is still lightyears ahead of what I could have expected from a Republican presidency.
So in regards to the Castros, you're right, but I wouldn't put it past them.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)yet even though for a short time, he had gotten elected as a Senator from an influential state. Not a huge Hillary fan, but Clinton/Castro would be another matter.
Xyzse
(8,217 posts)libdem4life
(13,877 posts)Revanchist
(1,375 posts)But he already had 20 years of experience in Congress
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)were the first ever on television, IIRC.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)Xyzse
(8,217 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)i'm very pleased with my Senator.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)But, I'll settle for Bernie Sanders.
"History has tried to teach us that we can't have good government under politicians. Now, to go and stick one at the very head of government couldn't be wise." Mark Twain
Response to Tierra_y_Libertad (Reply #10)
Warren DeMontague This message was self-deleted by its author.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)But, I don't party or politician. I like their stances on the issues I care about.
Response to Tierra_y_Libertad (Reply #52)
Warren DeMontague This message was self-deleted by its author.
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)peacebird
(14,195 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)for the
Naaah. Couldn't be.
Anyway, hasn't he expressed strong disinterest in the idea, saying he's too lazy for the job? (Meaning, I think, that he has no intention of subjecting himself to the agony of a national campaign).
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)refrain good, politically able, and ideologically appropriate people from even starting. Not to mention raising a billion dollars. And no one, at this point in history, is going to even get close to top office without those connections and fund-raising capabilities.
smokey nj
(43,853 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)libdem4life
(13,877 posts)families, jobs, health, should be kind of "dealt" like a pack of playing cards.
This process gobbles all of that up, twists it, skewers it and them, requires superhuman energy, huge fundraising responsibility, staff to be overseen, life to be pretty much on hold, every family angle or teeny skeleton in the family fair gain...with absolutely No Assurances of Anything but a bunch of bills and exhaustion and distance from their former life. Elizabeth Warren's family asked her Not To Run. She has said she is not running. Why Is Her Name Still On The List. She's not on the bench...she's already gone into the locker room and changed her clothes...best as I can peruse.
Hillary, OTOH, has been willing and able to withstand tons of manure... even Rush Limbaugh calling her daughter "ugly" when she was in her pre-teen years. How many parents would just say, F### it...not worth it. That's just one example of the "cookie tossing" process.
For most of us, Running for President ... like watching professional runners ... is a fun game to cheer on. For the prospective candidate, it is, at worst a family, health and career breaker and at best some years of personal power (and consistent criticism), a place in history and financial gain.
I'm still awaiting the Primary, but I must admit this process of "what if" is important in leading up to that, nonetheless.
peacebird
(14,195 posts)That said, the purpose was to see who people would like to see run. I feel our bench is a lot deeper than some posters have been giving us credit for.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)Real Liberal Democrats. No known scandals, impeccable educations, schooled as Liberals at home, enthusiastic, upwardly mobile, personable on camera, experience in public service.
Did I mention I love these guys?
cali
(114,904 posts)That's a mighty weak list. Sanders and Biden are in their mid-seventies. Webb is 69. Warren is 66. Clinton is 67. Feingold was voted out of office- alas. Not to mention that the only ones who will run are Clinton and maybe Sanders (unelectable), O'Malley and Webb. Webb is pretty nutty.
The democratic party really does have a weak bench this time around. No governors as prospects and it's an awfully old crew.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)marginalized with his Mexican wife, Spanish-speaking family and Immigration stand.
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,719 posts)TheKentuckian
(25,035 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Liberalynn
(7,549 posts)NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)guns
Boudica the Lyoness
(2,899 posts)HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)I think Feingold and his Progressives United pac is moving to back Sanders
Liberalynn
(7,549 posts)WDIM
(1,662 posts)Hickenlooper
Malloy
Hassan
And my fav gov Brown of OR
Dems to Win
(2,161 posts)We need a "Draft Barbara Lee" movement. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have drained this country of blood and treasure and there is no end in sight. Let us turn to the one brave woman, the lone prophetic voice in our Congress who stood against these travesties and whose warnings have sadly come true.
I'm Ready for Barbara Lee -- the only member of Congress wise enough to vote NO on the AUMFs of 2001 and 2002. She also voted NO on the Patriot Act.
Demand the BEST for our beloved country! Draft Barbara Lee!
Dems to Win
(2,161 posts)Problem is that the Democratic Establishment made the deal with Hillary in 2008 that if she stood aside for Obama, the entire leadership of the Democratic Party would get behind her in 2016. Thom Hartmann has talked about this recently.
Harry Reid encouraged Obama to run in 2007. He's not done that with anyone this time around, and he won't.
No well known potential candidates will step forward because they know they will get no support from Dem leaders or big fundraisers. It's Hillary's turn.
O'Malley is on record supporting Hillary in 2010. If he runs, it wont be a serious effort, but it will serve as a place for the Anyone But Hillary voters to mark their primary ballot, so they can then be convinced to follow along with the party in the GE. If Hillary is truly unopposed, those ABH Democrats might be so angry they would be tempted to stay home in the fall. Better to give them a name to vote for at primary time. O'Malley might then be rewarded with Commerce Secretary or whatever cabinet post he wants.
Bernie might run because he wasn't party to the 2008 deal and his candidacy won't depend on conventional fundraising with the party bigwigs. His campaign would have to be entirely fueled by outside the beltway money and volunteers.
IF we could generate 10 million postcards to Liz Warren, she might feel obligated to answer the call. MoveOn and Democrats for America are trying to draft her, so I've joined that effort, hence my sig block.
Response to peacebird (Original post)
Warren DeMontague This message was self-deleted by its author.
Logical
(22,457 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)Joe Biden, (not forgetting the ladies) Nancy Pelosi, Kirsten Gillibrand, Barbara Mikulski, Maria Cantwell to name a few...
TBF
(32,118 posts)Liz Warren
Bernie Sanders
Jill Stein
dolphinsandtuna
(231 posts)Sheldon Whitehouse
Bernie Sanders
Joe Biden
Agony
(2,605 posts)HuckleB
(35,773 posts)Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)The GOP to win.
craigmatic
(4,510 posts)wildbilln864
(13,382 posts)realFedUp
(25,053 posts)Nt