2020 Presidential Election

[gunnarthor]

 

Biden enters the race.  Yawn.

Disagree. I think he's the best candidate for the Dems to take on Trump. He seems to get that it's about beating Trump, not pushing policies that can be used to split voters. The election should be another referendum on Trump. That should be the bottom line - Trump wants to take away your health care, Trump wants to lock up children, Trump obstructs justice, Trump welcomes Russia attacks on our voting system. Seems pretty clear that Biden is able and willing to do that.

[Musk21]

 

Disagree. I think he's the best candidate for the Dems to take on Trump. He seems to get that it's about beating Trump, not pushing policies that can be used to split voters. The election should be another referendum on Trump. That should be the bottom line - Trump wants to take away your health care, Trump wants to lock up children, Trump obstructs justice, Trump welcomes Russia attacks on our voting system. Seems pretty clear that Biden is able and willing to do that.

 

I think this is spot on. Would I prefer someone younger? Absolutely...But as cliched as it sounds, we need someone that can go toe-to-toe with Trump and get him out of office. That should be the main objective. Biden can do that. Like it or not, Bernie as the nominee would scare a lot of people and allow Trump to paint him as this 'Crazy Socialist Boogieman.' Any of the others? We'll have to see...I like some of them, but am yet to be convinced they can beat Trump.

 

[Mike Sixel]

I'm not interested in Biden at all. But I'll vote for him if that's my choice

[Badsmerf]

Biden is part of the swampy establishment.... He will have a tough time beating Trump. A Dem candidate will need to appeal to people and have a message worth voting for. Biden is plain, lame, and am old white guy. If he is the nominee, I'm voting for him, but putting money on Trump.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Biden is part of the swampy establishment.... He will have a tough time beating Trump. A Dem candidate will need to appeal to people and have a message worth voting for. Biden is plain, lame, and am old white guy. If he is the nominee, I'm voting for him, but putting money on Trump.

 

It'll be intersting to see how the positives of nominating Biden, versus the negatives, play out in the primaries.

 

I tend to agree with gunnathor as of right now.  That isn't to say I love Biden and want to spoon with him as a candidate.....I just want the Republicans to lose.  Not just Trump, but down ballot across the country.

 

Whoever is nominated cannot be nominated because they make people feel warm and special about a change in the country.  It needs to make a direct change at the top of the country.  If that's Biden - so be it.  If that's the freaking Easter Bunny - so be it.  Put everything else aside and just win baby.

[gunnarthor]

 

Biden is part of the swampy establishment.... He will have a tough time beating Trump. A Dem candidate will need to appeal to people and have a message worth voting for. Biden is plain, lame, and am old white guy. If he is the nominee, I'm voting for him, but putting money on Trump.

Biden is beloved in the rust belt. He was called Pennsylvania's third Senator for decades. He can win the states like PA, WI, MI, OH, IA that Clinton lost. We don't need a candidate that can rack up the votes in the blue states. We need a candidate that can flip 36 EV off of this map.

 

https://www.270towin.com/

 

Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin are going to be huge in 2020 and I want a candidate that can connect with the voters in those states. Biden can. That's the only thing that matters this time.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Disagree. I think he's the best candidate for the Dems to take on Trump. He seems to get that it's about beating Trump, not pushing policies that can be used to split voters. The election should be another referendum on Trump. That should be the bottom line - Trump wants to take away your health care, Trump wants to lock up children, Trump obstructs justice, Trump welcomes Russia attacks on our voting system. Seems pretty clear that Biden is able and willing to do that.

Ah, the same argument people made in supporting Clinton.   Turn out will matter, and young people will not turn out for Biden.  Socialist policies are widely popular (even among conservatives), despite what baby boomers continue to believe.

[PseudoSABR]

 

 

'Crazy Socialist Boogieman.'

You're right.  Trump will totally not call Biden (or any other candidate) anything like that.  

[TheLeviathan]

I must've missed the "Hillary will go over great in the rust belt!" arguments.....

[Musk21]

 

Ah, the same argument people made in supporting Clinton.   Turn out will matter, and young people will not turn out for Biden.  Socialist policies are widely popular (even among conservatives), despite what baby boomers continue to believe.

 

This is just an example of 1 person, but I am positive there are many others like him. I know a guy in Iowa, middle-class, very Catholic, usually a pretty staunch Republican. Hates Trump, wrote in John McCain in '16. Would definitely vote for Biden, but would consider Trump if Bernie was the nominee. He's scared off by the Socialist policies. Today it's the "allowing the Boston Bomber to vote" talking point. What's next? The fear tactics work on crucial swing voters.

 

Yes, turnout will matter...In the midwest and rust belt.

 

[PseudoSABR]

 

This is just an example of 1 person, but I am positive there are many others like him. I know a guy in Iowa, middle-class, very Catholic, usually a pretty staunch Republican. Hates Trump, wrote in John McCain in '16. Would definitely vote for Biden, but would consider Trump if Bernie was the nominee. He's scared off by the Socialist policies. Today it's the "allowing the Boston Bomber to vote" talking point. What's next? The fear tactics work on crucial swing voters.

 

Yes, turnout will matter...In the midwest and rust belt.

I still think the socialists, Bernie in particular, do a better job of speaking to working class people in the rust belt than Joe Biden.  As said above, Biden is part of the Democratic elitism that lost those people.  Democrats need to speak to those people, and turn them out, and I think you do so with policy arguments that make their lives better, not whatever Joe Biden will be running on (and to be fair we should see where he stands on taxes, health care etc, but I imagine he's pretty much more of where the Democrats were prior to Bernie).

[PseudoSABR]

 

I must've missed the "Hillary will go over great in the rust belt!" arguments.....

I wasn't suggesting that; but the argument for Clinton was made with the outcome in mind (better general election candidate) than the merit of her candidacy.  I think that kind of cynicism loses elections.

[TheLeviathan]

 

I wasn't suggesting that; but the argument for Clinton was made with the outcome in mind (better general election candidate) than the merit of her candidacy.  I think that kind of cynicism loses elections.

 

If you weren't suggesting that than you completely ignored his point.  Which is sorta your thing on this.  You want something to be the case and you're dismissing the possibility that the best course may not be the one most ideally suited to you.

[Badsmerf]

I must've missed the "Hillary will go over great in the rust belt!" arguments.....

Where else would being a moderate help a Democrat? The rust belt was always a question, and Clinton completely ignored it.

[gunnarthor]

 

Ah, the same argument people made in supporting Clinton.   Turn out will matter, and young people will not turn out for Biden.  Socialist policies are widely popular (even among conservatives), despite what baby boomers continue to believe.

I don't think Clinton's problems are really reflective of most moderate democrats. Clinton was bogged down by being HRC. That's not fair but that was the reality. A lot of people just didn't like her. A lot of people were also not ready to vote for a woman. She was tied to the big banks by Bernie and that hurt her in the general election, for sure. But I'm not sure that Biden will be painted that way. Additionally, he has positives that Clinton lacked to push back on that. Lastly, HRC simply ignored the rust belt. Biden loves the rust belt.

 

I also don't think turn out will go down with Biden. I posted an article from the Washington Post a few posts up that showed that young voter turn out in 2018 was record breaking and Trump wasn't even on the ballot. The base will show up. I'm sure there will be efforts to reduce turn out by social media trolls again but that will happen regardless of the nominee. Also, I'm not a baby boomer.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I don't think Clinton's problems are really reflective of most moderate democrats. Clinton was bogged down by being HRC. That's not fair but that was the reality. A lot of people just didn't like her. A lot of people were also not ready to vote for a woman. She was tied to the big banks by Bernie and that hurt her in the general election, for sure. But I'm not sure that Biden will be painted that way. Additionally, he has positives that Clinton lacked to push back on that. Lastly, HRC simply ignored the rust belt. Biden loves the rust belt.

 

I also don't think turn out will go down with Biden. I posted an article from the Washington Post a few posts up that showed that young voter turn out in 2018 was record breaking and Trump wasn't even on the ballot. The base will show up. I'm sure there will be efforts to reduce turn out by social media trolls again but that will happen regardless of the nominee. Also, I'm not a baby boomer.

Good post, but with that one line, you give it all away. I don’t think Dems will take their historical blue states for granted this time, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they did. (Because polls.) Minnesota was a fraction from turning red in 2016, and the malaise from a successful 2018 might be enough to push Minnesota into voting for Trump in 2020.

 

I could easily see Biden and the rest of the Democrat clowns campaigning heavily in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, but then ignoring Minnesota completely. The only two candidates I see who wouldn’t take Minnesota for granted are Amy and Bernie.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

This country needs to make a choice. Trump or Bernie. **** or get off the pot, as my dad used to say.

[PseudoSABR]

https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/1121489385143160832

https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/1121489390037954560

Glad Bernie is talking about a unified party this early. Stay in line Bernie Bros.

[PseudoSABR]

 

I don't think Clinton's problems are really reflective of most moderate democrats. Clinton was bogged down by being HRC. That's not fair but that was the reality. A lot of people just didn't like her. A lot of people were also not ready to vote for a woman. She was tied to the big banks by Bernie and that hurt her in the general election, for sure. But I'm not sure that Biden will be painted that way. Additionally, he has positives that Clinton lacked to push back on that. Lastly, HRC simply ignored the rust belt. Biden loves the rust belt.

 

I also don't think turn out will go down with Biden. I posted an article from the Washington Post a few posts up that showed that young voter turn out in 2018 was record breaking and Trump wasn't even on the ballot. The base will show up. I'm sure there will be efforts to reduce turn out by social media trolls again but that will happen regardless of the nominee. Also, I'm not a baby boomer.

Again, as I said up thread, the argument for Clinton was that she was the better general election candidate and wasn't nominated because of merit; I worry the same thing could happen with Biden but for different reasons.  That said, I'll support Biden should he be the nominee.  And I think nearly any of the candidates can defeat Trump, largely because of what happened in 2018.  I'll be voting for my beliefs and not on my cynicism, because I think both ideas and authenticity is what will win the election, not the luke-warm safe choice.  

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/1121489385143160832

https://twitter.com/davidsirota/status/1121489390037954560

Glad Bernie is talking  about a unified party this early. Stay in line Bernie Bros.

I clicked like, but I’m so tired of the scare language about Trump.

 

Bernie was right about one thing for sure: pounding on Trump for the whole campaign will result in failure.

[TheLeviathan]

 

Where else would being a moderate help a Democrat? The rust belt was always a question, and Clinton completely ignored it.

 

What gunnathor said.  She didn't lose because she was too moderate.  She lost because the heartland and rust belt saw the name "Clinton".

 

Years and years of anti-Clinton hysteria had done it's job.  She turned out plenty of voters.....just not where it counted.  

[TheLeviathan]

 

Good post, but with that one line, you give it all away. I don’t think Dems will take their historical blue states for granted this time, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they did. (Because polls.) Minnesota was a fraction from turning red in 2016, and the malaise from a successful 2018 might be enough to push Minnesota into voting for Trump in 2020.

I could easily see Biden and the rest of the Democrat clowns campaigning heavily in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, but then ignoring Minnesota completely. The only two candidates I see who wouldn’t take Minnesota for granted are Amy and Bernie.

 

I agree with you the Dems should take nothing for granted, but isn't that exactly the reason to nominate someone that can win outside of the hard-blue states?  To me, the battles are in the Midwest, Rust Belt, Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina.  That's why Biden is considered a strong candidate.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I agree with you the Dems should take nothing for granted, but isn't that exactly the reason to nominate someone that can win outside of the hard-blue states?  To me, the battles are in the Midwest, Rust Belt, Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina.  That's why Biden is considered a strong candidate.

If Biden somehow survives the primary... I don’t know if Biden has enough appeal (nor should he) among persons of color or hard left progressives to win the general. Whether he could win over enough actual Republican voters who are disaffected with Trump, we might or might not find out.

[TheLeviathan]

 

If Biden somehow survives the primary... I don’t know if Biden has enough appeal (nor should he) among persons of color or hard left progressives to win the general. Whether he could win over enough actual Republican voters who are disaffected with Trump, we might or might not find out.

 

I guess I don't know what his appeal will be to people of color. But if the hard left can't swallow their pride and vote "Not Trump" then I have some rather profane words I'd want to share with them.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

I guess I don't know what his appeal will be to people of color. But if the hard left can't swallow their pride and vote "Not Trump" then I have some rather profane words I'd want to share with them.

You can DM me those words and I’ll share the sanitized version.

[Squirrel]

 

If Biden somehow survives the primary... I don’t know if Biden has enough appeal (nor should he) among persons of color or hard left progressives to win the general. Whether he could win over enough actual Republican voters who are disaffected with Trump, we might or might not find out.

He does not have the support of women ... or shouldn't.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

He does not have the support of women ... or shouldn't.

Apparently he called Anita Hill recently. For who knows what reason. I’m starting to go a little negative, so I will bow out for a while here.

[Squirrel]

 

Apparently he called Anita Hill recently. For who knows what reason. I’m starting to go a little negative, so I will bow out for a while here.

Um, seriously? He called her? I hope to apologize. Or were you just referencing why women might hesitate to get behind him.

[PseudoSABR]

 

Um, seriously? He called her? I hope to apologize. Or were you just referencing why women might hesitate to get behind him.

I saw today somewhere (probably twitter) that Hill would never accept his apology.  

[PseudoSABR]

 

He does not have the support of women ... or shouldn't.

Thanks for pointing this out. As well meaning as everyone here is, we lose sight of this, because, well, you are the only female poster around here. I'm not sure how well Bernie or the others males connect with women, but they don't have Biden's baggage (even if not on the level of Trump, no one deserves to be touched how they do not want to be touched (or smelled?)).