2020 Democratic Candidates Tracker - Part II

[Brainster]

Huh? Ok, a ground breaking female pilot. Good for her. Other than that, she's lost half the elections she's run in and is only a senator because she was appointed to the post. She LOST in her one run at a senate seat.

If that's awesome, then so am I.

I keep forgetting that you have a master's degree from Harvard, were the first female to command a fighter squadron, and were the first female senator from Arizona.

 

[Brainster]

Bloomberg is apparently convinced that what the Democratic field needs is another billionaire.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is preparing to file paperwork to qualify for the Democratic presidential primary in Alabama, ahead of a Friday deadline. The move would be a first step toward a national campaign, though Bloomberg has not made a final decision to run.

"We now need to finish the job and ensure that Trump is defeated — but Mike is increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well positioned to do that," longtime Bloomberg aide Howard Wolfson said in an email. "If Mike runs he would offer a new choice to Democrats built on a unique record running America’s biggest city, building a business from scratch and taking on some of America’s toughest challenges as a high-impact philanthropist."

And the other billionaire on the donks' side came up with a novel way of getting endorsements: buying them.

A top aide to Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer in Iowa privately offered campaign contributions to local politicians in exchange for endorsing his White House bid, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of the conversations.

Apparently not illegal, but definitely not a good look.

 

[Aridas]

I keep fluctuating back and forth on Warren. All three in the top tier have wide open targets on their backs that make me nervous.

Well... it's probably worth just facing the simple fact that the GOP is going to make mountains out of molehills and flat ground for whoever wins - and that most of the "open targets" really are molehills, especially in comparison to Trump's actual mountains that the GOP keeps trying to deny or treat as molehills.

Either way, once the competition is Democrat vs Republican, there will be much more impetus to focus on the differences between the Republican and the Democrat - and the Democrats pretty much all are united when it comes to about 90% of what they value.

Apparently not illegal, but definitely not a good look.

As has been noted before, the legality of something is not an accurate measure of how acceptable it is, just of whether it earns a particular kind of negative consequences.

 

[Aridas]

Elizabeth Warren welcomes Michael Bloomberg to the race ... with a tax calculator for billionaires

I like that move, and the humorous way it was handled.

Virginia Turnout Among Young Voters Almost Doubled from 2015!

A good step forward for the influence of younger voters.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Well... it's probably worth just facing the simple fact that the GOP is going to make mountains out of molehills and flat ground for whoever wins - and that most of the "open targets" really are molehills, especially in comparison to Trump's actual mountains that the GOP keeps trying to deny or treat as molehills.

Of course, but the pump is primed for Biden's gaffes and the evil socialism. Biden's implication of nepotism will sink him.

It has yet to matter that Trump is a gazillion times much worse. It matters how those issues are marketed. The GOP remains a gazillion times better at marketing which means those pumps are not primed with molehills.

Of the three of them, I do think Warren holds up better when attacked. So that's on the plus side.

 

[The_Animus]

Which leaves open the question of whether Bernie's programs would work.Good intentions are not enough.

But keep working for Sanders and get Trump reelected.

Most of his policies are good. The President is a symbol of the country and it's important to have someone with moral conviction and compassion like Sanders has lived his whole life. Plus a president has advisors to help with policy. Sanders or Warren would beat Trump. I'm not sure that Yang would beat him but I still like Yang almost as much as Sanders for his policy and his focus on facts and data driving his positions.

Biden would make me worried because I don't think people would be as enthusiastic to go out and vote with him. Just like with Hillary. And I think he's worse both on policy and character.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

Which leaves open the question of whether Bernie's programs would work.Good intentions are not enough.

But keep working for Sanders and get Trump reelected.

I'm going to springboard off of you, but it applies broadly.

This is the most prolific and most vacuous argument anyone makes about the candidates.

Even when pressed in the specific, the only defense mustered seems to be some variation of "because the GOP will say exceptionally mean things about them."

I think everyone in the party thinking 80% of the other people in the party view them as misguided and naive useful idiots is going to get Trump reelected.

There, untie that pretzel :9.

 

[Belz...]

Of course, but the pump is primed

Stop it right there. That's Trump's copyright!

 

[varwoche]

I am inclinted to agree. She [Warren] can probably appeal to moderates and centrists, which, frankly, Sanders could not do in a thousand years. He just either cannot or will not get away from being the eternal Sixties Radical.

I'm slowly coming to the opinion that Warren would lose to Trump. She might even do worse than Sanders, because at least he takes away some of the "I like an angry white guy" vote from Trump. Medicare for all, the dreamiest of pipe dreams, spells her doom.

The Berniebots are out in force I see.

That's not necessary or informative.

 

[The_Animus]

The only potential good if Bloomberg enters the race is that he might take some primary votes away from Biden.

 

[Venom]

I'm slowly coming to the opinion that Warren would lose to Trump. She might even do worse than Sanders, because at least he takes away some of the "I like an angry white guy" vote from Trump.

As mentioned before, Biden and Sanders share about 25% of their voters, the two biggest second choices until recently, which is rather surprising but it suggests they both have a good chunk of the old white man vote.

 

[dudalb]

I'm slowly coming to the opinion that Warren would lose to Trump. She might even do worse than Sanders, because at least he takes away some of the "I like an angry white guy" vote from Trump. Medicare for all, the dreamiest of pipe dreams, spells her doom.

That's not necessary or informative.

Then Sanders even more radical health plan should doom him.
Or are you basically talking yourself in supporting Sanders?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Stop it right there. That's Trump's copyright!

Well, he cheats on multiple kinds of business stuff so why not use it?

 

[Craig4]

Elizabeth Warren welcomes Michael Bloomberg to the race ... with a tax calculator for billionaires

I like that move, and the humorous way it was handled.

Virginia Turnout Among Young Voters Almost Doubled from 2015!

A good step forward for the influence of younger voters.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-ame...-approval-rating-among-millennials-in-decline

Mobilized young voters combined with the fact that 18-34 year-olds are Trump's worst demographic makes this bad for Trump. Younger voters tend to be issue voters and Trump just plain sucks at two of their big issues, climate change and guns. Millennials are the first generation who are likely to live a substantial portion of their lives dealing with the worst impacts of climate change and they're pissed about it. Trump did nothing on guns either and March for our Lives students will be voting in 2020.

 

[Venom]

Then Sanders even more radical health plan should doom him.
Or are you basically talking yourself in supporting Sanders?

You seem to want everyone else to be too to the left or right of you.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

You seem to want everyone else to be too to the left or right of you.

Another reason I see no traction in the center. Even someone who is genuinely center will be viewed as just shilling for their "true" position on one extreme or the other.

 

[varwoche]

Then Sanders even more radical health plan should doom him.

Probably so.

Or are you basically talking yourself in supporting Sanders?

No.

 

[Brainster]

https://thehill.com/hilltv/what-ame...-approval-rating-among-millennials-in-decline

Mobilized young voters combined with the fact that 18-34 year-olds are Trump's worst demographic makes this bad for Trump. Younger voters tend to be issue voters and Trump just plain sucks at two of their big issues, climate change and guns. Millennials are the first generation who are likely to live a substantial portion of their lives dealing with the worst impacts of climate change and they're pissed about it. Trump did nothing on guns either and March for our Lives students will be voting in 2020.

You know what politicians who depend on the youth vote do the day after election day?

Give concession speeches.

 

[The_Animus]

You know what politicians who depend on the youth vote do the day after election day?

Give concession speeches.

Normally they lose. However we've seen that demographic become more politically active and vote in greater numbers in recent elections.

 

[Brainster]

Normally they lose. However we've seen that demographic become more politically active and vote in greater numbers in recent elections.

Really? Here's what the census has to say:

However, in 2016, young voters ages 18 to 29 were the only age group to report increased turnout compared to 2012, with a reported turnout increase of 1.1 percent. All older age groups either reported small yet statistically significant turnout decreases (45- to 64-year-olds and those age 65 and older) or turnout rates not statistically different from 2012 (30- to 44-year-olds).

Sound like I proved your point? Look at the chart underneath that paragraph. The % of 18-29 year olds who reported voted in 2016 was a whopping 46.1% of that cohort. Where does that rank in presidential elections since 1980? In percentage terms it's sixth out of the last ten.