Who should run for the Dems?

[ahhell]

A lie. She was a better speaker than anybody the Republicans have fielded since Reagan. Almost as good as Obama. Almost.

Ah, wow. She's better than trump, I'll give you that. Comparing her to Obama........oif.

MSN

She certainly has a way of delivering trite pablum as though she's dropping profound truth but otherwise, mediocre speaker at best and far worse in interviews than speeches.

 

[Orphia Nay]

LOL. Can't win: either they're "too establishment" or they're "too unknown". What's wanted is a candidate whose history and policies are well-known and popular because they've been around for a while and everyone is familiar with them, but also is completely novel and new and interesting and an outsider.

Might as well ask that panel of kids that provided notes for Itchy and Scratchy.

Nah, you're describing George Clooney.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Nah, you're describing George Clooney.

Jo's boyfriend from The Facts of Life? Has he done anything at all since then?

But you do have a point: what people seem to want in office is someone who isn't a politician at all. I think that works better when there's a strong professional dedicated bureaucracy that can house all the institutional knowledge of getting things done...but that's being dismantled more by the hour now.

 

[dudalb]

That's what Newsom is trying to do to himself.

Prety much. It is amusing that most California Democrats are not that enthusiastic about Newsom.

 

[Hercules56]

Prety much. It is amusing that most California Democrats are not that enthusiastic about Newsom.

Thats cuz he's becoming more electable.

 

[dudalb]

And the Dems shold not waste time with Impeachment attempts which don't have a snowball's chance in hel lor suceeding.
OH, I would love to see Trump removed from office, but it just ain't gonna happen by impeahcment; don't waste time and effort on futile gestures.

 

[Hercules56]

And the Dems shold not waste time with Impeachment attempts which don't have a snowball's chance in hel lor suceeding.
OH, I would love to see Trump removed from office, but it just ain't gonna happen by impeahcment; don't waste time and effort on futile gestures.

What are you prepared to do?

 

[dann]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's numbers are impressive!

AOC Seen as ‘Face’ of Democratic Party — and It’s Not Even Close: New Poll (Mediate, May 20, 2025)
In a Co/efficient survey conducted from May 7 to May 9 among 1,462 likely voters, 26% identified Ocasio-Cortez as the face of the Democratic Party. Another 26% said there is no one currently leading the party, while 22% chose “other.”
Ocasio-Cortez was far ahead of other listed Democrats. Coming in a distant second was close ally Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). The pair recently went to various states with their Fighting Oligarchy tour. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) placed third in the survey with 8%.

Who is the face of the Democrats? New polling says its AOC (MSNBC on YouTube, May 20, 2025 - 6:19 min.)
The Democratic Party is looking for potential 2028 contenders who could defeat President Trump's Republican successor. Washington Post National Columnist Philip Bump, New York Times Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker and former Rep. Mondaire Jones join Katy Tur to share their political analysis.

Poll: AOC Surges to ‘New Face of the Dem Party’ (Secular Talk on YouTube, May 22, 2025 - 7:58 min.)

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Warns Republicans That There Will be Consequences for Cutting Medicaid (RepAOC on YouTube, May 22, 2025 - 2:08 min.)

And Ben Shapiro is helping her, albeit not deliberately:
AOC continues to think she's an influencer (Ben Shapiro on YouTube)

 

[Hercules56]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's numbers are impressive!



Poll: AOC Surges to ‘New Face of the Dem Party’ (Secular Talk on YouTube, May 22, 2025 - 7:58 min.)

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Warns Republicans That There Will be Consequences for Cutting Medicaid (RepAOC on YouTube, May 22, 2025 - 2:08 min.)

And Ben Shapiro is helping her, albeit not deliberately:
AOC continues to think she's an influencer (Ben Shapiro on YouTube)

If she has grown up and learned to play nice, she could win.

 

[Random]

If she has grown up and learned to play nice, she could win.

If she "plays nice" she loses. Democrats are looking for a fighter and Republicans will just vote for whoever the cult tells them to. There is no middle to appeal to anymore. You either oppose fascism, or accept fascism.

 

[theprestige]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's numbers are impressive!



Poll: AOC Surges to ‘New Face of the Dem Party’ (Secular Talk on YouTube, May 22, 2025 - 7:58 min.)

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Warns Republicans That There Will be Consequences for Cutting Medicaid (RepAOC on YouTube, May 22, 2025 - 2:08 min.)

And Ben Shapiro is helping her, albeit not deliberately:
AOC continues to think she's an influencer (Ben Shapiro on YouTube)

Please let AOC be the new face of the Democrat party. (I wouldn't be surprised if Shapiro is helping her on purpose.)

 

[Hercules56]

If she "plays nice" she loses. Democrats are looking for a fighter and Republicans will just vote for whoever the cult tells them to. There is no middle to appeal to anymore. You either oppose fascism, or accept fascism.

"Only a Sith, speaks in absolutes"

 

[ahhell]

Prety much. It is amusing that most California Democrats are not that enthusiastic about Newsom.

He's good from far and far from good.

And the Dems shold not waste time with Impeachment attempts which don't have a snowball's chance in hel lor suceeding.
OH, I would love to see Trump removed from office, but it just ain't gonna happen by impeahcment; don't waste time and effort on futile gestures.

Unfortunately this is likely true. INHO he's already done a few things that he should be impeached for and he's guaranteed to do more and more clearly impeachable things.

 

[PitPat]

The way I see it now (and this could change over night) is the likely candidates in order IMO that can possibly have a chance:

1. Cory Booker
2. Whitmer
3 Mark Kelly (dark horse but they have won before)
4. Newsom
5. Jeffries (if Dems get the House back in midterms)
6. Schiff
7. AOC
8. Sanders (probably too old and left for America at large)
9. Mayor Pete (I think he would be a great president but we're just not ready for a gay one at this point in history)
10. George Clooney
11. Jared Polis (Colorado Governor)

 

[dudalb]

What's your reason for believing she can now? Newsom and Harris are a terrible idea.

She's a two time loser and all you need is the clip of Newsom responding a reporting asking about people leaving CA. He starts by asking, "Where are they going to go?" With the answer being TX, FL, UT, AZ,, OR, WA...... Then he follows up with a story about his friends leaving for Utah. At best, he's an empty suit. I lived in San Francisco when he was Mayor, voice of reason in SF but otherwise, as far as I can tell he believes nothing.

If she "plays nice" she loses. Democrats are looking for a fighter and Republicans will just vote for whoever the cult tells them to. There is no middle to appeal to anymore. You either oppose fascism, or accept fascism.

Problem is you don't want to come off as being as extreme as the GOP. You want to look like the sane person in the room.
And the hell there is not any middle to appeal to anymore. The swing, moderate voters sitll have the balance of power, as much as the ideologues hate to admit that.

The way I see it now (and this could change over night) is the likely candidates in order IMO that can possibly have a chance:

1. Cory Booker
2. Whitmer
3 Mark Kelly (dark horse but they have won before)
4. Newsom
5. Jeffries (if Dems get the House back in midterms)
6. Schiff
7. AOC
8. Sanders (probably too old and left for America at large)
9. Mayor Pete (I think he would be a great president but we're just not ready for a gay one at this point in history)
10. George Clooney
11. Jared Polis (Colorado Governor)

AOC will not get close to the nomination.
And of course, there is the possiblity of somebody who nobody is talking about emerging.
IAnd I think you overrate Newsom. I repeat, Califorinia democrats are generally not his biggest fans.
Sanders is out for age if no other reason. After Biden and Trump, people do not want another elderly president.....for good reason.

 

[dann]

If she "plays nice" she loses. Democrats are looking for a fighter and Republicans will just vote for whoever the cult tells them to. There is no middle to appeal to anymore. You either oppose fascism, or accept fascism.

The worst thing about playing nice, i.e. the Harris campaign, is that you can't even present proper arguments for anything anymore. You have to avoid all the themes that might upset right-wing Democrats as well as Republicans.
You can no longer point out that burning fossil fuels causes global warming because that would imply that something should be done about it.
You can't argue for universal healthcare because that would imply that companies like UnitedHealthcare don't benefit their customers, only their owners.
You can't argue for higher wages because that would imply that American companies are paying starvation wages for the sake of profits.
And you definitely can't criticize oligarchy because you are working for the oligarchs now.

The only thing you can do is to tone down criticism of everything that is wrong with the country and hope that nobody makes the mistake of saying something that might upset the Cheneys so they will no longer endorse you.

 

[dann]

Please let AOC be the new face of the Democrat party. (I wouldn't be surprised if Shapiro is helping her on purpose.)

No, I guess you wouldn't. I wouldn't be surprised if you also believe that Trump is playing four-dimensional chess with tariffs.

 

[arthwollipot]

You can no longer point out that burning fossil fuels causes global warming because that would imply that something should be done about it.
You can't argue for universal healthcare because that would imply that companies like UnitedHealthcare don't benefit their customers, only their owners.
You can't argue for higher wages because that would imply that American companies are paying starvation wages for the sake of profits.
And you definitely can't criticize oligarchy because you are working for the oligarchs now.

I'm reasonably sure I've heard democrats say all those things.

ETA: also, "you can't say [x] any more" is a very Republican thing to say.

 

[Donal]

You can say all those things in front of certain crowds. You just can't have an actionable plan. That's what "Radial leftists" do. Actually get things done.

 

[Random]

Problem is you don't want to come off as being as extreme as the GOP. You want to look like the sane person in the room.
And the hell there is not any middle to appeal to anymore. The swing, moderate voters sitll have the balance of power, as much as the ideologues hate to admit that.

It is difficult to imagine a left-wing politician as extreme as the current GOP. Right now they are trying to make it illegal for judges to enforce rulings against the government if the plaintiff is poor, slashing Medicaid funding to pay for tax cuts to billionaires, and I dont even know what since I haven't checked in the last half hour. AOC is only really a left-winger in our heavily distorted Overton window. In Europe, she would be a moderate.

And where are the vaunted moderates anyway? We keep being told the Democrats have to appeal to the moderate voters, but Republicans seem to do fine without them. Dig into the numbers and we have a liberal block, a conservative block, and a bunch of low-information voters who chase after the latest distraction. The man who votes against Harris because she didn't do enough to fight inflation and votes for Trump, whose clearly stated policy agenda will increase inflation, is not a "moderate", but a dumb-ass.