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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
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On "Electable" candidates and their actual track records.. (Original Post) Indepatriot Feb 2020 OP
What a great column! kag Feb 2020 #1
As a Warren supporter, do you think the kerfuffle between Liz and Bernie rules out a Indepatriot Feb 2020 #2
Oh, I doubt it. kag Feb 2020 #3
Excellent article. Thanks for posting. Laelth Feb 2020 #4
True Zing Zing Zingbah Feb 2020 #7
+1. Well said. n/t Laelth Feb 2020 #8
I just made a post on more or less this topic: Garrett78 Feb 2020 #5
Good article. OliverQ Feb 2020 #6
 

kag

(4,076 posts)
1. What a great column!
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 04:15 PM
Feb 2020

Thanks for posting it.

I remember when John Kerry was nominated, mostly on his "electability". I think Jacob Weindling is on to something.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Indepatriot

(1,253 posts)
2. As a Warren supporter, do you think the kerfuffle between Liz and Bernie rules out a
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 04:18 PM
Feb 2020

Sanders/Warren ticket? That has been my hope from the start, as I think they'd absolutely steamroll Trump...

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

kag

(4,076 posts)
3. Oh, I doubt it.
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 04:29 PM
Feb 2020

I think they're both big enough people to overcome this squabble. But I'm afraid a ticket with the two of them is pretty unlikely for other reasons.

It's unfortunate, but I think if either of them were to win the nomination they would have to select someone much younger as a running mate. Age shouldn't be an issue, but I think it is.

Also, geography. They're both from New England. I think either of them would need to select someone from the midwest or maybe even the south (Stacey Abrams, perhaps) to strengthen the ticket.

Ideologically they make a great team, but I think they might be too similar to create a ticket.

Of course, I could be wrong.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
4. Excellent article. Thanks for posting.
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 06:28 PM
Feb 2020

In fact, over the past 60 years, Democrats have won not by nominating the "safe" candidate but by nominating the young and inspirational candidate (JFK, Carter, Clinton, Obama). As much as anything else, this explains my personal support for Buttigieg. He's young and he sounds good. He's actually "Presidential" in both his demeanor and presentation--quite unlike the Great Pumpkin in the White House now.

-Laelth

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Zing Zing Zingbah

(6,496 posts)
7. True
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 08:27 PM
Feb 2020

I agree on all your points. Pete is very intelligent, speaks multiple languages, and has military experience. Beyond that, he does a good job of showing how Christianity actually corresponds with Democratic principles. He is quite good at pointing out the hypocrisy of Trump to Christians. I think that is a real strength that he is comfortable with speaking about Christianity. Being from the mid west, rather than one of the coasts also a plus because it makes him more relatable to the folks in the rural areas the Dems have had a hard time reaching. Pete has the youth and health that you know Trump is totally envious of. Pete is going to look and sound just incredibly more appealing than Trump when matched up with him in a debate. Honestly, I think there's an attractiveness factor that a lot of people will vote on, especially the people that don't really pay attention. Fat, sprayed tanned, senile old man with a dyed blonde comb over hair style...rambling on about windmills and toilets. How attractive is that?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
8. +1. Well said. n/t
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 08:36 PM
Feb 2020

-Laelth

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Garrett78

(10,721 posts)
5. I just made a post on more or less this topic:
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 07:18 PM
Feb 2020

The electorate has changed drastically, and opposition to the status quo is the driving force in the US today. Today's so-called independents are more partisan (more likely to always vote for the same party) than the average party-affiliated voter of the 1970s. They're also less likely to actually vote than the party-affiliated, partly due to being disenchanted with the status quo.

And true swing voters aren't as great in number as some claim--more importantly, what they tend to swing against is the status quo or party in power (it's not a well-defined ideology or party platform that dictates how/if they vote).

Conventional wisdom of the past is no longer wise, and we fail to recognize that at our peril. But people like Carville have a really hard time accepting that their formula is outdated. The notion that we should select a candidate or run a campaign based on appealing to middle-of-the-road voters or winning over the MAGA hat wearers is dangerously misguided.

Dems should take the following to heart:

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/9/9/20750160/liberalism-trump-putin-socialism-reactionary

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/02/06/rachel-bitecofer-profile-election-forecasting-new-theory-108944 (the headline is misleading, as that's not what she says)

https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/what-everyone-gets-wrong-about-independent-voters/

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/14/politics/independents-pew/index.html

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

OliverQ

(3,363 posts)
6. Good article.
Thu Feb 13, 2020, 07:30 PM
Feb 2020

No candidate this century has won as the centrist/moderate candidate. People thought Trump would be easy to beat, so Dems went with a centrist who encouraged people to make sure Trump was the Republican nominee since he'd be easier to beat. Didn't work. Biden has run for President 3 times and has never won a State. Al Gore and Kerry, both moderate centrists lost to Bush. Obama beat the Centrists McCain and Romney.

Centrism doesn't work in this era.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
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