[US Election 2016] Democratic Primary Megathread

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Network!

True, but I meant we are the minority here.

Understood. Strength in unity, though.

[The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man]

Network!

True, but I meant we are the minority here.

Interesting that KY GOP gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin is what southerners' used to call a carpetbagger. He was born in NH.

[Marylandonia]

True, but I meant we are the minority here.

Interesting that KY GOP gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin is what southerners' used to call a carpetbagger. He was born in NH.

Why would Kentuckians let a GOP Governor come in and ruin what Gov. Steve Beshears did for them in the form of implementing ACA there. GOP will surely sabotage it, given the chance.

[Hetalia Dakota 2 II]

people like generic "Feel the bern!!!111" guy just convince me to of vote for him and to convince others to do the same. He's all over my fucking Facebook too

I admit, I do wish that a different slogan had caught on, but the fact that he's raising such enthusiasm shows that his message has struck a chord with many people. I can see how this would be annoying, though. Tell you what: rather than judge an entire movement by the actions of those whose enthusiasm outweighs their common sense or tact, check out his positions and decide for yourself. If you're not into the platform, that's fine. Vote your conscience. However, if he does appeal to you, wouldn't it be a shame to refrain from supporting him due to the foolishness of a handful of True Believer types?

Thank you for your rational responses and for not just getting angry. I might be hard on sanders to desensitized myself as I see himself as more of a long shot to actually win, I made the mistake last cycle when I went all out for Ron Paul. I really wish biden would enter the race as I can actually get behind him and Sanders competing much more than Clinton.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

I admit, I do wish that a different slogan had caught on, but the fact that he's raising such enthusiasm shows that his message has struck a chord with many people. I can see how this would be annoying, though. Tell you what: rather than judge an entire movement by the actions of those whose enthusiasm outweighs their common sense or tact, check out his positions and decide for yourself. If you're not into the platform, that's fine. Vote your conscience. However, if he does appeal to you, wouldn't it be a shame to refrain from supporting him due to the foolishness of a handful of True Believer types?

Thank you for your rational responses and for not just getting angry. I might be hard on sanders to desensitized myself as I see himself as more of a long shot to actually win, I made the mistake last cycle when I went all out for Ron Paul. I really wish biden would enter the race as I can actually get behind him and Sanders competing much more than Clinton.

He's pulled within seven points of Clinton in Iowa. The gap in the last poll was close to thirty points. He's ahead by seven in New Hampshire, last I heard. South Carolina is proving tricky to crack, but if we get momentum in the first two, that should translate into some serious gains.

[Hetalia Dakota 2 II]

Thank you for your rational responses and for not just getting angry. I might be hard on sanders to desensitized myself as I see himself as more of a long shot to actually win, I made the mistake last cycle when I went all out for Ron Paul. I really wish biden would enter the race as I can actually get behind him and Sanders competing much more than Clinton.

He's pulled within seven points of Clinton in Iowa. The gap in the last poll was close to thirty points. He's ahead by seven in New Hampshire, last I heard. South Carolina is proving tricky to crack, but if we get momentum in the first two, that should translate into some serious gains.

You just heard right? Ron had this whole rabid grassroots fan add and was met with the same fate in the end.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

He's pulled within seven points of Clinton in Iowa. The gap in the last poll was close to thirty points. He's ahead by seven in New Hampshire, last I heard. South Carolina is proving tricky to crack, but if we get momentum in the first two, that should translate into some serious gains.

You just heard right? Ron had this whole rabid grassroots fan add and was met with the same fate in the end.

Yes. He was also never ahead in the polls for the primaries and caucuses, nor did polls show him having a realistic chance of winning the general. Neither of these hold true for Sanders. I frankly expected this to be a bit more like Paul's campaign, and have been both bemused and gratified at the unexpected success that we're seeing so far.

[Marylandonia]

You just heard right? Ron had this whole rabid grassroots fan add and was met with the same fate in the end.

Yes. He was also never ahead in the polls for the primaries and caucuses, nor did polls show him having a realistic chance of winning the general. Neither of these hold true for Sanders. I frankly expected this to be a bit more like Paul's campaign, and have been both bemused and gratified at the unexpected success that we're seeing so far.

Actually, Ron Paul was running close to even with the president in many polls in 2012 and in one poll in April 2012 was actually ahead of Barack Obama by a point. Yet Mr. Paul met the fate of not being allowed to speak at the convention in Tampa. I feel Ron Paul would have been a stronger challenger than the inauthentic Romney as the GOP challenger in November. Nevertheless, the GOP establishment successfully shut his campaign down. This perhaps is remembered well by the base of the Republican Party and is recently evidenced in their disdain for these attempts to take down the Trump candidacy using the party's apparatus. The Democratic Party might want to heed this cautionary tale and refrain from such divisive errors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul_ ... 2012#Polls

[Yumyumsuppertime]

Yes. He was also never ahead in the polls for the primaries and caucuses, nor did polls show him having a realistic chance of winning the general. Neither of these hold true for Sanders. I frankly expected this to be a bit more like Paul's campaign, and have been both bemused and gratified at the unexpected success that we're seeing so far.

Actually, Ron Paul was running close to even with the president in many polls in 2012 and in one poll in April 2012 was actually ahead of Barack Obama by a point. Yet Mr. Paul met the fate of not being allowed to speak at the convention in Tampa. I feel Ron Paul would have been a stronger challenger than the inauthentic Romney as the GOP challenger in November. Nevertheless, the GOP establishment successfully shut his campaign down. This perhaps is remembered well by the base of the Republican Party and is recently evidenced in their disdain for these attempts to take down the Trump candidacy using the party's apparatus. The Democratic Party might want to heed this cautionary tale and refrain from such divisive errors.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul_ ... 2012#Polls

I stand corrected on the general polls, but he was still never ahead in any of the primaries or caucuses. The best that he was able to do was tie others early in the race.

[Deuxtete]

If Biden stays out Sanders can win the nomination, the question is then can he win a general election?

[Diopolis]

If Biden stays out Sanders can win the nomination, the question is then can he win a general election?

Probably.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

If Biden stays out Sanders can win the nomination, the question is then can he win a general election?

The latest poll that I saw with head to head matchups indicated that he would beat any major GOP challenger except Bush, with whom he was in a one-point statistical tie. This was before some recent gains by Sanders and the nosedive of Bush, though, so I suspect it would look better for Sanders if re-done today.

[Indian Empire]

Thank you for your rational responses and for not just getting angry. I might be hard on sanders to desensitized myself as I see himself as more of a long shot to actually win, I made the mistake last cycle when I went all out for Ron Paul. I really wish biden would enter the race as I can actually get behind him and Sanders competing much more than Clinton.

He's pulled within seven points of Clinton in Iowa. The gap in the last poll was close to thirty points. He's ahead by seven in New Hampshire, last I heard. South Carolina is proving tricky to crack, but if we get momentum in the first two, that should translate into some serious gains.

I agree. This is a serious race instead of just a Clinton runaway.

[Indian Empire]

If Biden stays out Sanders can win the nomination, the question is then can he win a general election?

The latest poll that I saw with head to head matchups indicated that he would beat any major GOP challenger except Bush, with whom he was in a one-point statistical tie. This was before some recent gains by Sanders and the nosedive of Bush, though, so I suspect it would look better for Sanders if re-done today.

Jeb? Have you seen? It's Ben Carson that's in 2nd now, not Bush.

[Marylandonia]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/29/politics/ ... democrats/

This is a sign that Joe is starting to getting himself ready emotionally, for what is ahead.

Don't expect any announcement soon though. No sooner than Octoberish.

[Anonymous Proxy]

I am actually a big fan of both these guys and a fanatical supporter of O'Malley early on. O'Malley (from a liberal perspective) has an excellent track record as governor (abolished the death penalty, raised the minimum wage, medical marijuana, transgender bathroom laws, and more) but I also agree with Sanders on most issues. So to avoid splitting the progressive vote and to have a good potential successor should Sanders die in office (he is a pretty old guy) should O'Malley drop out of the race and become Sanders' running mate?

[New Azura]

I am actually a big fan of both these guys and a fanatical supporter of O'Malley early on. O'Malley (from a liberal perspective) has an excellent track record as governor (abolished the death penalty, raised the minimum wage, medical marijuana, transgender bathroom laws, and more) but I also agree with Sanders on most issues. So to avoid splitting the progressive vote and to have a good potential successor should Sanders die in office (he is a pretty old guy) should O'Malley drop out of the race and become Sanders' running mate?

They'd have to either figure out a way to usurp enough support from Hillary or go third-party, neither of which is likely. It would be political suicide for O'Malley especially since he's a Democrat; Sanders as an independent only caucuses with them.

[Myrensis]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/29/politics/joe-biden-delaware-democrats/

This is a sign that Joe is starting to getting himself ready emotionally, for what is ahead.

Don't expect any announcement soon though. No sooner than Octoberish.

I suspect Biden is the back up plan, in case it looks like Hillary really isn't going to get out from under the bullshit and starts jeopardizing the general.

[Democratic Socialist States of Africa]

If Biden stays out Sanders can win the nomination, the question is then can he win a general election?

He can do it.

[Marylandonia]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/29/politics/joe-biden-delaware-democrats/

This is a sign that Joe is starting to getting himself ready emotionally, for what is ahead.

Don't expect any announcement soon though. No sooner than Octoberish.

I suspect Biden is the back up plan, in case it looks like Hillary really isn't going to get out from under the bullshit and starts jeopardizing the general.

It doesn't look like she is going to get out from it. The word that is sticking is "liar", so as she is changing her tune the voters hear a liar (in their words, not mine) trying to talk their way out of it.

What can she possibly say to change the perception of her in the short term? There is nothing that I can imagine with that kind of persuasiveness. Will Bill come say some magic words?

She has dug her own political grave, and the one thing that might be said is a eulogy. Hree lies the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, shoulda, woulda, coulda.

[Ngelmish]

I am actually a big fan of both these guys and a fanatical supporter of O'Malley early on. O'Malley (from a liberal perspective) has an excellent track record as governor (abolished the death penalty, raised the minimum wage, medical marijuana, transgender bathroom laws, and more) but I also agree with Sanders on most issues. So to avoid splitting the progressive vote and to have a good potential successor should Sanders die in office (he is a pretty old guy) should O'Malley drop out of the race and become Sanders' running mate?

O'Malley's been my preferred candidate from the beginning of the cycle, but unless he can find some way to push his numbers up, his political career is over. The only reason any of the candidates running right now would have to offer him the VP slot is if he could show evidence of a national following, and that' s something he simply doesn't have. I suppose it's possible he could end up getting some other kind of cabinet post, but in terms of serious presidential prospects on any ticket in this cycle or future cycles? Bernie Sanders has put an end to that.

[Marylandonia]

I am actually a big fan of both these guys and a fanatical supporter of O'Malley early on. O'Malley (from a liberal perspective) has an excellent track record as governor (abolished the death penalty, raised the minimum wage, medical marijuana, transgender bathroom laws, and more) but I also agree with Sanders on most issues. So to avoid splitting the progressive vote and to have a good potential successor should Sanders die in office (he is a pretty old guy) should O'Malley drop out of the race and become Sanders' running mate?

O'Malley's been my preferred candidate from the beginning of the cycle, but unless he can find some way to push his numbers up, his political career is over. The only reason any of the candidates running right now would have to offer him the VP slot is if he could show evidence of a national following, and that' s something he simply doesn't have. I suppose it's possible he could end up getting some other kind of cabinet post, but in terms of serious presidential prospects on any ticket in this cycle or future cycles? Bernie Sanders has put an end to that.

I was born in Maryland. I now live in an adjoining state, so I get Baltimore TV channels. On the surface, it looks like O'Malley should have run for the US Senate seat that is being vacated by Barbara Mikulski. However, his polling in MD may be why he didn't do that. He tanked and that is part of why GOP candidate Hogan won in 2014. It's dumb to think you can take the presidency instead, unless your actual objective is the second spot on the ticket. He wouldn't have to move far, and who knows, it might be possible. But if Biden gets the nomination, a ticket of a Delawarean and a Marylander seems on the face of it, out of the question.
He is hoping for Hillary. Maybe a forlorn hope at this point.

[Ngelmish]

O'Malley's been my preferred candidate from the beginning of the cycle, but unless he can find some way to push his numbers up, his political career is over. The only reason any of the candidates running right now would have to offer him the VP slot is if he could show evidence of a national following, and that' s something he simply doesn't have. I suppose it's possible he could end up getting some other kind of cabinet post, but in terms of serious presidential prospects on any ticket in this cycle or future cycles? Bernie Sanders has put an end to that.

I was born in Maryland. I now live in an adjoining state, so I get Baltimore TV channels. On the surface, it looks like O'Malley should have run for the US Senate seat that is being vacated by Barbara Mikulski. However, his polling in MD may be why he didn't do that. He tanked and that is part of why GOP candidate Hogan won in 2014. It's dumb to think you can take the presidency instead, unless your actual objective is the second spot on the ticket. He wouldn't have to move far, and who knows, it might be possible. But if Biden gets the nomination, a ticket of a Delawarean and a Marylander seems on the face of it, out of the question.
He is hoping for Hillary. Maybe a forlorn hope at this point.

And I think Hillary would be willing to consider him, if his performance in the primary exerted any meaningful pressure. At this point either he really believes that he can still catch fire or he's hoping that by staying in the race he can manage to splinter the anti-Hillary vote even a little, and be rewarded for it. My prior remarks are a little too grim: O'Malley is a talented politician and he knows the relevant Democratic history as much as anybody else. He's as good-- on paper-- as he ever has been, and he hopes that he can at least burnish his profile by sticking in the race for the time being. And he'll probably succeed in doing that; I just have a hard time seeing where that will go for him in the end. It would be one thing if he managed to get more support from the unaffiliated voters, but Sanders really seems to have vacuumed up just about everyone at this point, so O'Malley won't manage to have a string of primary accomplishments. That means there will be very little reason for anybody to offer him second space on the ticket, and even if he ends up being the best-run Democrat from 2016 to not get onto the ticket, that won't translate into a later cycle without serious wins.

There are only three things that O'Malley can hope for at this point. Hillary Clinton coasts through anyway and he can make a deal with her, Bernie Sanders has a major health crisis/scandal, or O'Malley delivers some blowout debate performance. That's not much to hang his hat on.

[Anonymous Proxy]

I think if Biden runs it will take more votes away from Clinton than Sanders as Sanders gets more support from progressives.

[Marylandonia]

I was born in Maryland. I now live in an adjoining state, so I get Baltimore TV channels. On the surface, it looks like O'Malley should have run for the US Senate seat that is being vacated by Barbara Mikulski. However, his polling in MD may be why he didn't do that. He tanked and that is part of why GOP candidate Hogan won in 2014. It's dumb to think you can take the presidency instead, unless your actual objective is the second spot on the ticket. He wouldn't have to move far, and who knows, it might be possible. But if Biden gets the nomination, a ticket of a Delawarean and a Marylander seems on the face of it, out of the question.
He is hoping for Hillary. Maybe a forlorn hope at this point.

And I think Hillary would be willing to consider him, if his performance in the primary exerted any meaningful pressure. At this point either he really believes that he can still catch fire or he's hoping that by staying in the race he can manage to splinter the anti-Hillary vote even a little, and be rewarded for it. My prior remarks are a little too grim: O'Malley is a talented politician and he knows the relevant Democratic history as much as anybody else. He's as good-- on paper-- as he ever has been, and he hopes that he can at least burnish his profile by sticking in the race for the time being. And he'll probably succeed in doing that; I just have a hard time seeing where that will go for him in the end. It would be one thing if he managed to get more support from the unaffiliated voters, but Sanders really seems to have vacuumed up just about everyone at this point, so O'Malley won't manage to have a string of primary accomplishments. That means there will be very little reason for anybody to offer him second space on the ticket, and even if he ends up being the best-run Democrat from 2016 to not get onto the ticket, that won't translate into a later cycle without serious wins.

There are only three things that O'Malley can hope for at this point. Hillary Clinton coasts through anyway and he can make a deal with her, Bernie Sanders has a major health crisis/scandal, or O'Malley delivers some blowout debate performance. That's not much to hang his hat on.

O'Malley may also be looking for a cabinet position also or the lesser ambassadorship someplace to keep his career alive. Since he married the daughter of a big time MD democratic machine politician, Joseph Curran, he does have some additional pull. Who know what favors the Clintons might owe him.