The barbarians are INSIDE the gates and when one man leads a charge to oust them,

[Atticus]

some object that he is not unblemished.

[madaboutharry]

1. Hopefully, everyone will come around if that is what is needed.

No man is perfect. Removing Trump from the presidency should be our only goal.

[Boomer]

2. Nonsense

There is no single stand-out leader charging to the rescue. There's a crowded jostling field of qualified candidates who have a year to sort themselves out. There is plenty of time to properly evaluate their performance. We don't have to choose anyone yet, and we don't have to overlook blemishes to get the job done in 2020. I will not be stampeded into a bad choice when there are alternatives.

[Kurt V.]

3. +1 well said

[BlueMTexpat]

5. THIS!! eom

[brewens]

8. Exactly. Like the last time, there is absolutely no reason to annoint someone this early.

No reason to think it's any particular candidates turn.

I don't think I even knew who Bill Clinton was at this point when he first ran.

[Atticus]

21. Who anointed anyone? Who said at was anyone's turn? nt

[Demsrule86]

18. There is only one candidate who can win the states we need...Biden...I

Would add Ryan but I don't he can win a primary.

[Fiendish Thingy]

24. Other than name-recognition polls, there is no evidence to support your assertion nt

[Demsrule86]

34. Have you studied how Trump won the electoral college? He plans the same in 20.

Look at the map and see where our opportunities lie to prevent a Trump win...three states-MI,PA and WI. I don't see any candidate except Biden and maybe Ryan able to take those states.

[Fiendish Thingy]

42. Biden definitely has a home advantage in PA

But to say he's the only one who can win in the Rust Belt? That's a bit of a stretch, since HRC only lost the Rust Belt by something like 66,000 votes, which could have easily been flipped/suppressed by Cambridge Analytica's social media campaign. I think there's more than one candidate who could take the Rust Belt, especially if we energize the youth vote and WOC.

This time, whoever is the nominee, I can gaurantee they will spend a huge amount of time campaigning in the Rust Belt, especially Wisconsin. I have seen few, if any, state polls, and at this stage they are mostly Trump vs. generic Democrat. All the other polls are primarily name recognition/nationwide popular vote, and are useless at predicting EC outcomes.

This will all change once the debates start in June; some will sink, and some will shine, and I bet more than a few of us will be surprised who those turn out to be...two months ago, who would've predicted Mayor Pete's current surge?

[Demsrule86]

44. And it will happen again without the right candidate.

[at140]

51. Good post! +10 nt

[McKim]

4. Yes!!!!!!

It is too early to coalesce around a candidate. The use of the phrase “one man” is very outdated.
What about women?

[Boomer]

6. Exactly. The OP's scenario is false

We're not in a panic rush where we have to grab the nearest breathing person to serve as our leader in some mad charge against Trump. This is the planning stage of a campaign, not a battle melee.

And no, I'm not holding out for a "perfect" candidate or applying some litmus test of party purity, blah blah blah. Instead I want a full accounting of the flaws so that I can make an informed choice and know exactly what I'm getting when I cast my vote for president. Frankly, a few of them apples are showing a lotta blemishes and they're not going to be my first choice. Don't try to gaslight me into thinking I'm getting a good deal instead of a rotten one.

[Demsrule86]

19. We do need to get behind someone...not before the voting .

But I think it will be Biden and quickly,

[Boomer]

27. I'll be disappointed if that's the case

I think Biden is a tepid candidate, and despite your prediction I think it's way too early to crown him as the inevitable winner of the primary. In 2016, everyone thought Jeb Bush was inevitable, too. A lot can change in a year.

[Demsrule86]

33. I wont. A primary is a means to an end...win the general and the sooner we stop

attacking other Democrats and get behind a candidate, the better. We will have attacks from the right and the left during a primary...always damaging.

[BannonsLiver]

40. So voting for Biden in a general would be a "rotten deal"?

[Boomer]

54. For me personally

I believe that the single worst threat to our democracy is income disparity and unrestrained capitalism. I don't see any signs that Biden shares my perspective, so for me, his candidacy win would not be an encouraging sign for the direction of the party. I think we can do better and still win. That being said, if Biden wins the nomination he will have my vote.

[pangaia]

11. Oh, you know the old saying "one man, one vote."

[Atticus]

25. Yes, you are absolutely right. My use of the word "man" is proof that I am an

intellectual dinosaur who thinks women should "know their place"! (Sarcasm thingy)

I worked my butt off for Hillary and 2 of my "final 4" don't have penises. Your insinuation is unwarranted.

[ancianita]

7. Point taken. "It's not time to worry" applies to the primary, and arguably to Congress' actions,

since the Senate sit like back room bagmen waiting for McConnell's orders.

Big as this country is, the barbarians will always be inside the gates. It's up to us to pick our battles, and to do battle at the right time and place. We have never really faced that, but we will have to, once and for all. It's part of the long game.

[katmondoo]

28. I like Jay Inslee but as of now I still support Warren

[ancianita]

29. Until the debates are over I'll stay with my candidate. After that I'll support whoever stands out.

as a nomination frontrunner.

I love Warren and most of the rest for their policy stands. I just don't think all of our candidates can stand up to Trump in the eyes of the rest of the nation's voters.

Full credit to Inslee, Warren and Biden, who have already punched at Trump.

[watoos]

9. Actually Atticus has made a very good point,

I like it that Biden has faced the beast and called him out. We are in a war for our democracy. I have stated a dozen times here that my choice for our nominee needs to have one quality, he or she needs to be as tough as nails. So far I have 4 people on my list of 20. I don't even give as much of a hoot about policy at this stage, we need to stand toe to toe against Trump first. I'm not voting for a nice guy or gal, I'm voting for a tough sob.

[pangaia]

12. I'm glad to see someone say that about policy not even being the most important right now.

They ALL have great policies. Whether everyone agrees with every policy is totally irrelevant at this point.

[Demit]

30. I don't think Biden has talked about what his policies are yet.

I might have missed it. What are some of his best ones, in your view?

[pazzyanne]

13. I have said the same thing over and over.

If we don't vanquish tRump, we will have lost our constitutional democratic republic, maybe for good. We know that Democrats have great policy ideas. What we need now is someone to do battle with the corrupt, vile idiot! That is the primary mission. We need to be focused on WHO can do battle most effectively. The policies can be taken care of by appointing a great cabinet which we know we can and will do.

[Duppers]

41. +100

[pangaia]

10. ".....and when one man or woman......."

[pazzyanne]

14. K & R, pangaia!

[pangaia]

16. Thanks... pretty obvious, isn;t it...

[Ford_Prefect]

15. If the only goal we have is defeating Trump we have elevated him and forgotten the voters.

We must do far more than removing him because there is so much more to do if we are to have a future worth living in.

[Demsrule86]

20. Winning is the only thing that matters...no win then no Democratic policy of any sort.

[Ford_Prefect]

31. So any old policy will do? Never mind the real problems are so much more complicated than trump?

Oh, well. I suppose anything at all is an improvement on the Nihilism and deconstruction we've had recently.
Why complicate things for all those voters who struggle with the larger concepts? No need to commit to an agenda when you really don't expect to move the goalposts that far, right?

It was such a nice planet while it lasted.

[Demsrule86]

32. All the policies are similar. We should run on healthcare ...and not Medicare for all...

Don't give the GOP a chance to demonize it. And actually policy doesn't matter much this year. Winning matters.

[Ford_Prefect]

37. Evidently you don't recall a Democrat who ran a similar defensive campaign.

The recent democratic winners have been those who pushed the boundaries and set expectations based on human needs and rights.

The purpose of the primary system is to have a quite public discussion and disclosure about what the voters want and need, about what the party represents and will do, and who it is that will take us forward, and most importantly WHERE forward is.

If you would rather the highest bidder or the oldest, or most experienced, or the tallest, or the most Macho, or the least offensive, or the "insert stereotype here" candidate because that is your version of electoral politics then why are you in the democratic party?

The last time I worked the precincts we found there was no single "average" Democratic voter. No such person lives. The average was a statistical invention which ignored the fact that Democratic voters choose to vote based on a personally defined range of needs, issues, desires, and perceptions. They are easily insulted by arrogance do not respond to fear in the same way Republican voters tend to.

[Nuggets]

45. Is that why they were duped in 2009

by Republicans that the PPACA was bad?

Polls showed people overwhelmingly didn’t want “Obamacare”

Now if they thought the ACA was a government takeover then they fell for the Republican propaganda fear of government oppression.

If they bought into the “Obama didn’t even try for universal health care” and punished in 2010 losing Dem the Congressional districting, then they helped Republicans by foolishly voting through emotions as well. Fear and anger.

People in general respond to fear.

[Ford_Prefect]

47. New to the forum eh? We usually like to have facts support remarks.

We can draw our own conclusions.

Which research showed democratic voters were duped into punishing their own party for developing the ACA? I am curious to see that in print.

[Nuggets]

49. Which party took majority

In 2010?

I saw these ppl on the beed and all over forums blaming Obama
Ive seen it here.

And what does it matter if I’m new to the forum?
Is that meant to intimidate me because I’ve seen plenty posted on DU without facts.

[Ford_Prefect]

52. I don't recall Democrat antipathy to ACA applied as an explanation to the 2010 results.

I know the GOP success in NC in 2008 paved the way to massive gerrymandering. That success was based on a 30-year theocratic conversion program by Art Pope and other well-heeled patrons of the GOP to polarize the state party and co-opt the regional news services. Along with a well-planned smear of Democratic candidates which went largely unchallenged or investigated by local media. They gave the GOP candidate for Governor a complete pass on disclosing his financials after he'd spent 4 years as the primary lobbyist for Duke Power.

No ACA in 2008. NC Gerrymandering in 2010 was based on the 2008 win. How's that fit your logic?

[Nuggets]

57. The facts are

Congressional Democrats suffered their worst electoral defeat in decades, losing more than 50 seats in the House of Representatives.


Core Democratic groups stayed away in droves Tuesday, costing Democratic House candidates dearly at the polls.


Voters are also split on what do with the landmark health care bill passed earlier this year. Much of the law has yet to go into effect, yet 48 percent of voters think it should be repealed while 47 percent think it should be left as is or expanded.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-democrats-lost-the-house-to-republicans/



Now what issues were most prevalent in 2008-2010?


And btw the Republicans were losing seats until 2010

“For a brief period in the early 1980s, Democrats held majorities in the House and Senate while also having party control of the majority of state legislatures. This is now the situation for Republicans, who have picked up state legislative party control and have gained majorities in Congress since 2010-2012.

https://web.education.wisc.edu/nwhillman/index.php/2017/02/01/party-control-in-congress-and-state-legislatures/

[marylandblue]

59. You think we should run on healthcare but not Medicare for All.

Yet several candidates are in fact running on Medicare for All. So, you are admitting that policy matters.

BTW, I agree that we shouldn't run on Medicare for all. That's because policy matters.

[Raven123]

17. Are you suggesting that ONLY ONE MAN is leading a charge?

I see quite a few men and women leading charges. Their strategies and tactics may vary, but only time will tell who will emerge as the party leader. Until that time, vet and vote.

[Demsrule86]

22. Yes Biden will lead the charge as he can win. Look at the electoral map

And show me how the others win.

[Ford_Prefect]

38. Why don't you ask AOC and some of the other recent congressional additions?

Or you could ask a few whose elections were clearly overturned by the GOP machine. I believe at least one of them is running?

[Fiendish Thingy]

23. The charge to oust the barbarians should happen now, not November 2020, by a woman

Her name is Nancy.

[paleotn]

26. I know....

The concept that no one is unblemished is hard for most to grasp right now. But that's normal. It's the "fall in love" primaries and their suitor of choice is perfection incarnate. That's fine, as long as it doesn't get out of hand and we crank up the practical side of our brains come the general. Hell, even I fall for it sometimes and my wife says I was carried to earth by fairies from the planet Vulcan.

[comradebillyboy]

35. Who is this savior you speak of?

Obviously not any of the excellent women running.

[Prosper]

36. Winner is !!!!

The winner is a platform that addresses universal health care, living wage and make America Fair.

1. Universal health care . 45000 people die a year because they can't get care or medicine.

2. Living wage.
40% of Americans can't cover a $400 emergency expense
CNN.com › money
May 22, 2018 ·

3. Make America Fair. College kids graduating with marginal degrees facing years paying back student loans. Kids are our most valuable resource. They should receive free meaningful education allowing them to contribute from a position of pride.

The working poor have the votes to win 2020. Address their needs and the entire country benefits. High wages are greater tax revenue and a drop in crime and violence.

[Autumn]

39. There are about 19 other people leading a charge to oust those barbarians

and all of then have blemishes and most are doing a damn good job at it. I don't see him leading the charge. Yet. He has barely announced his candidacy.

[brush]

43. Joe's video was just that, leading the charge. You have to admit it was very effective.

No one else came out and so boldly against trump's white supremacy advocacy.

[Autumn]

46. I have seen some of the others go after Trump on his shit also. Before Biden announced. nt

[brush]

48. Perhaps, but nowhere nearly as effectively and pointed as in that video.

[Autumn]

50. He will have to be a lot more than just anti-Trump to stand out and

lead the charge. Every Democrat is anti-Trump.

[lapucelle]

53. Biden is also anti-Russia. N/T

[Autumn]

55. Yeah, and so are others. nt

[sheshe2]

56. You are right.

Every "Democrat" is anti-Trump.

Also every 'Democrat' voted for Russian sanctions. Every Democrat.