2020 Democratic Candidates Tracker - Part II

[Tsukasa Buddha]

Bloomberg is the Republican's ideal version of a Democratic candidate. God bless whoever is pulling a paycheck from this vanity project, hope they extract as much wealth as possible from this idiot before he pulls out.

Trending today around the internet is this opinion piece about Buttigieg. It's largely a response to a 2011 video of Buttigieg claiming that the problem with inner city schools is that there aren't enough role models that value education in the community.

https://www.theroot.com/pete-buttigieg-is-a-lying-mf-1840038708?utm_medium=sharefromsite&utm_source=_twitter

This struck me a as fairly damning criticism of Buttigieg and his brand of upper-class liberalism that refuses to recognize that poverty is the problem.

As a followup, the author wrote an article about Pete calling him.

 

[Tsukasa Buddha]

People may be right that Mayor Pete can't win. But he continues his meteoric rise in the polls.

Now in second place behind Biden.

https://news.google.com/articles/CB...wbGFjZS1wb2xsP2FtcA?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en

I mean, maybe in that poll. But the polls are still varying really widely, and that is the only one with Buttigieg in the double digits, let alone in the upper double digits.

I would definitely say that nationally Warren has fallen back down near Sanders, and Biden remains about the same at the top.

 

[Stacyhs]

As a followup, the author wrote an article about Pete calling him.

Interesting article.

 

[SezMe]

This article has a harsh analysis on the presidential candidates not planning for SCOTUS challenges:



Linky.

It runs through examples from all the major candidates.

That article reminds me of the molehill/mountain saying. There's no "judicial crisis" facing the Dems. The author must have had a deadline to meet and no idea what to write about.

 

[SezMe]

Heard about this Bloomberg bloke this morning.

Probably the only one who has a chance against Trump.

He can just sit on the side line and watch the rest of the Dem candidates off themselves piece by piece, not having to worry about having to have a spotlight on himself, to get donations, and then advertise to death at the last minute.

Kind of sad in a way though, as it shows how shallow politics really is

He's not running in Iowa or New Hampshire. After that, when the next few primaries are held, he'll be forgotten. He has absolutely no redeeming value as a candidate that a voter can't get with one of the existing candidates.

 

[SezMe]

Well they probably do.

Doesn't change anything though when the only one with a chance of winning is an old white billionaire dude.

None of the current even have a chance? Hyperbole much?

 

[SezMe]

I think it's exactly the opposite; that they sense the current crop of Democrats doesn't have a winner in its midst.

That comment makes no sense given that you're responding to SG's post. Try again.

 

[Brainster]

That comment makes no sense given that you're responding to SG's post. Try again.

Did you miss that SG agreed with me?

That's probably true for some of them, especially Steyer. I don't know Bloomberg well enough but it seems to me this late entry suggests the same.

 

[Aridas]

Bloomberg should stop.

We don't need his baggage in the Democratic field.

Baggage like...

'Democratic' candidate Mike Bloomberg has spent millions keeping the Senate in Republican control

Because he's fundamentally a Republican. He got into the mayor's office in New York City with the endorsement of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. And he has spent millions—millions—on Republican congressional campaigns, including hosting a fundraiser for Rep. Peter King in 2018 and donating to Rep. Dan Donovan, who was defeated. He also helped Republicans hold control of the New York state Senate. "The path to win the House ran through New York,” said Monica Klein, the Democratic challenger to King. "There were seven flippable seats in the state, and he supported Republicans in two of them. […] To come down and say he wants to be the head of the Democratic Party—the hubris is unbelievable.”

He endorsed and raised funds for former Sen. Scott Brown in his reelection bid against Elizabeth Warren in 2012. He gave $2,700 to Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey and spent nearly $10 million on dark-money issue ads to keep him in office. In 2014, he gave $5,200 to Sen. Susan Collins in Maine. Protecting the status quo—and his low taxes—has been his priority, even at the same time that he's donated to Democrats. His bottom line seems to have been keeping the Senate, where his tax cuts are guaranteed, in Republican hands. Mike Mikus, former campaign manager for Toomey's 2016 Democratic opponent, Kathleen McGinty, pretty much nails it: "I'm certain his hand in giving Mitch McConnell a majority in the Senate will be remembered by a lot of Democratic voters."

Yeah... I'm not a huge fan of the guy. I'd take Biden over him, I think. Biden didn't pointedly help as many Republicans in 2018, for example. Too many, but not as many.

To poke at Warren a bit...

Elizabeth Warren woos black farmers with 'Working Agenda for Black America'

Really short version - a number of black people pointed out notable omissions in her plan when it came to addressing the additional problems that black farmers have faced, so she worked to address those omissions.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

If nothing else, Bloomberg reminds conservative voters that not all Democrats are Socialist Commie Traitors.

 

[Brainster]

If nothing else, Bloomberg reminds conservative voters that not all Democrats are Socialist Commie Traitors.

Yep. I still remember his terrific speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention, endorsing George W. Bush's reelection.

ETA: I forgot what a terrible speaker he is.

 

[JPK]

Good evening. Bloomberg should announce that since the White House and the GOP have no problems with a candidate, or even the President, asking foreign governments to dig up dirt on their political opponents, that he will be asking all of of our allies to supply him with any information they have on Donald Trump. Things like recordings of his conversations with their leaders, evidence of shady business practices, money laundering, tax shelters, whatever they might have. It should be in our allies best interest to get Trump out of office. Also that he is willing to spend whatever it takes to investigate Trump and his cronies.
That would make for an interesting campaign.

 

[Belz...]

I'm telling you not to worry about it.

And I have no idea what that means other than you dodging the question.

I'm sorry you have to resort to personal insults instead.

I didn't resort to personal insults; I characterised your response.

 

[Belz...]

Bloomberg should stop.

We don't need his baggage in the Democratic field.

I'm concerned he's going to hurt the primaries for the rest of them.

 

[Belz...]

Baggage like...

'Democratic' candidate Mike Bloomberg has spent millions keeping the Senate in Republican control



Yeah... I'm not a huge fan of the guy. I'd take Biden over him, I think. Biden didn't pointedly help as many Republicans in 2018, for example. Too many, but not as many.

To poke at Warren a bit...

Elizabeth Warren woos black farmers with 'Working Agenda for Black America'

Really short version - a number of black people pointed out notable omissions in her plan when it came to addressing the additional problems that black farmers have faced, so she worked to address those omissions.

It's really amazing how pure the Democratic candidates have to be, and how utterly stained Republican candidates get to be.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Good evening. Bloomberg should announce that since the White House and the GOP have no problems with a candidate, or even the President, asking foreign governments to dig up dirt on their political opponents, that he will be asking all of of our allies to supply him with any information they have on Donald Trump. Things like recordings of his conversations with their leaders, evidence of shady business practices, money laundering, tax shelters, whatever they might have. It should be in our allies best interest to get Trump out of office. Also that he is willing to spend whatever it takes to investigate Trump and his cronies.
That would make for an interesting campaign.

Sounds like fun!

 

[Aridas]

It's really amazing how pure the Democratic candidates have to be, and how utterly stained Republican candidates get to be.

Hmm? Legitimate criticism = Must be pure! What?

Bloomberg is fairly certain to be much better than Trump. So what? Does that mean that I'm supposed to just ignore his baggage when I don't for any other candidate, including Warren who I pointedly prefer?

That Republicans keep choosing horrendous people to represent them is an indictment of Republicans. Personally, I'm quite happy with not sinking to that level.

 

[Belz...]

Hmm? Legitimate criticism = Must be pure! What?

I don't know. You just made that up.

Bloomberg is fairly certain to be much better than Trump. So what? Does that mean that I'm supposed to just ignore his baggage when I don't for any other candidate, including Warren who I pointedly prefer?

I don't know. Why do you ask?

 

[Aridas]

I don't know. You just made that up.



I don't know. Why do you ask?

Hmm? Are you claiming that you weren't invoking the complaint about how Democrats are held to nonsensically high standards of "purity?"

 

[Belz...]

Hmm? Are you claiming that you weren't invoking the complaint about how Democrats are held to nonsensically high standards of "purity?"

No, I'm not. I'm saying that your characterisation of my argument is inaccurate.

My comment was simple: Democratic candidates are held to an absurdly high standard while Republican ones are held to an absurdly low one. This does not mean that every criticism of a democrat is absurd, as I'm sure you realise, hence why your response to my post was met with this reaction:

You just made that up.