NYT: Amy Klobuchar: Who she is and what she stands for

[pnwmom]

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/elections/amy-klobuchar.html

2. Does Ms. Klobuchar actually get things done?
Ms. Klobuchar often focuses her attention on issues that can attract bipartisan support, like many of the ones she addressed in her “first 100 days” plan. In general, she has staked out more moderate positions than some of her Democratic competitors on broad issues like climate change and health care.

Her bipartisan approach to politics — she takes pride in being able to “disagree without being disagreeable” — has won her praise from colleagues on both sides of the aisle and helped her pass dozens of bills through Congress.

3. What do Minnesotans think of her?
She is hugely popular in Minnesota and coasted to victory last November in a state that President Trump nearly won in 2016. She is betting that her brand of “Minnesota nice” politics will make her a compelling candidate, particularly to voters in Iowa and other key Midwestern swing states.

Ms. Klobuchar also loves reminding voters that she kicked off her presidential campaign amid a snowstorm in Minneapolis in front of supporters sporting snow pants and ski goggles who turned out by the thousands.

[squirecam]

1. She

Would make a fine nominee for President or VP with Biden.

[AlexSFCA]

2. Will see how she does in Iowa and NH

If not, she is definitely a good choice for VP, better than Kamala who would be absolutely perfect for DOJ and will not hesitate to prosecute previous administration crimes unlike other dems. If BS wins the nomination, she should be on top of his list for VP for unity sake. Not sure if she has enough to help Biden win though. He needs someone high energy powerhouse like Stacey Abrams. At this point I pretty much like all dem candidates except Gabbard. They all will be fine for any role in the dem administration. I trust their judgement.

[squirecam]

3. Abrams

Would be fine, but I don’t think she delivers Georgia.

Amy helps deliver the Midwest. Brown would too, but he has previously said he wouldn’t accept a VP slot.

[AlexSFCA]

4. IA is midwest - will see how she does in the primary. Great test for her.

[squirecam]

5. She's up to double digits

In some polls.

The problem is the trial starts. Biden and Pete will have Iowa to themselves. Quite the boon for them.

[Beartracks]

9. In sorry: Brown?

To whom are you referring?

=======

[squirecam]

10. Ohio senator

Sherrod Brown.

Strong progressive, yet manages large wins in a red Midwest state.

I think he could deliver OH if he were vp on a ticket. Perhaps with Warren.

[Beartracks]

13. Ah, of course! Sorry.

I shoulda realized that's who you meant.

Thanks.

=======

[squirecam]

15. If Warren wins

I think she should do everything possible to get him on the ticket. He would help her with distrustful WWC Midwest voters.

And he is known as a strong progressive, so he fits her ideology too.

[zipplewrath]

6. Strangely she appears to be the compromise candidate

When I add up all the columns on whom to choose, even though I don't pick her as my "first" choice, she ends up being the "checks to most boxes" candidate. I'll be pissed at her for most of her presidency, and yet she's probably the one that will accomplish more of what I want than anyone else.

[squirecam]

7. Thats

Usually how stuff is done. Through hard work and compromise.

[zipplewrath]

12. Not lately

Bill kinda showed that it was really only done through cornering the GOP into doing what they couldn't appose. Obama spent 8 years trying to compromise with the GOP and got squat.

[Blue_true]

18. President Obama beat the GOP like a drum.

He repeatedly cornered them. Where he needed support, he didn't get it from those that call themselves the "most" progressive. Had President Obama got total support, he would have basically destroyed the Republican Party.

[zipplewrath]

20. Oh, bull

He worked with the Blue Dogs and got nowhere on so much. Without the support of the progressives that had to swallow several severe pills, the ACA would have never passed. God knows the Blue Dogs were barely on board. He offered up so many GOP ideas to try to get their support and it never worked. It's why the public option died. It's why we were stuck with the mandate. Remember he offered up all sorts of SS modifications that were the hope of the right wing and never got the "grand deal" he was hoping. He did the whole "sequestration" schtick thinking that ultimately the GOP would relent and they never did. Well into his second term he still professed faith in "reaching across the aisle" and one would be hard pressed to point to any accomplishment associated with that.

[squirecam]

21. The ACA

Gave healthcare to millions and saved countless lives.

And Obama should be praised for getting it done.

[zipplewrath]

25. Well, yeah

In a contry of 360 million people, it "raised" the number of insured by about 7%. Quite honestly the most important thing that it did was to cover the "uninsured "or at least make coverage more predictable. But really it made health insurance federally regulated. But it left a lot people uninsured and depending upon how you count, it left more uninsured than it increased coverage.

[apcalc]

8. Exactly. Thank you. While you may agree ideologically more with Warren and Sanders

Both will face significant and unbending opposition.

Klobuchar is respected, she can get stuff done.

[zipplewrath]

11. Oh, I'm not conviced of that.

She doesn't have any evidence that she can "get things done" with the national republicans in Washington. The only thing she has is the tendency to appeal to those folks that still think that Washington can actually accomplish things through "compromise". Obama spent 8 years trying and go nowhere. Hillary and Bill understood that you only get accomplishment through forcing the GOP to do what they must do.

[squirecam]

14. A lot of

Clinton’s accomplishments were with a repub Congress, for good or bad.

Obviously, the r’s Have no incentive, but if Amy got the moderate R vote and won in a landslide, there would be more incentive, at least in theory.

In reality, it requires a dem senate and no filibuster to get stuff done now.

[zipplewrath]

16. In theory

Unfortunately, what we have seen is that political theory no longer applies. The GOP can spend 8 years opposing the democratic party to no real effect. Accomplishment is achieve in the immediate by forcing the GOP to vote for laws that they otherwise wouldn't support. Clinton did it through triangulation. Obama would never do it by intimidation. Hillary would have done something more like Bill than Obama.

[squirecam]

17. Like I said

Realistically (which is why I support Amy), we need a dem senate and to remove the filibuster to get stuff done.

[zipplewrath]

19. It's already basically gone

Unfortunately it's also a GOP senate. And since it is a senate controlled by 30% of the voting population, I'm not sure what she will do with that reality.

[squirecam]

22. Her policies

Will be more acceptable to the Manchin or Jones that we need for 50 votes.

[zipplewrath]

26. And they will probably be

Policies with which I don't agree by any stretch. What does it do for me in a primary to vote for a candidate that will advocate policies that I don't support?

[The Mouth]

23. Ive had several different friends post about how they'd love a Warren/Klobchar ticket.

I really want a female president. With Harris for Secretary of State.

[squirecam]

24. While I'd be on board

I think Warren should pick Sherrod Brown, if possible. They fit better ideologically.

Biden should definitely pick Amy.