So one of my coworkers who voted for Trump (because there are several) was talking with me and another (Dem) coworker at lunch yesterday. It turns out, she's interested in exploring non-Trump options. Which is nuts to me, because she doesn't seem like the kind to switch to voting for Dems, or who has ever voted for Dems before, but it was a pleasant surprise.
Anyway, she watched the debate and said if Amy Klobuchar were the nominee, she would have no problem voting for her because she seems to be someone who works on both sides of the aisle and would be a good leader. She's also popular, even with Republicans and Independents in Minnesota. She ALSO said she would at least give Elizabeth Warren a look if she were the nominee. But not Bernie, and she doesn't really like Pete. She doesn't like Bloomberg. Not sure how she feels about Biden, but he might be too associated with the Obama administration for her. This woman DOES like the judges Trump has selected and is not in favor of abortion, FWIW.
She seems to think there will be a lot of voters like her, who are in the middle or Republican and who are disillusioned with Trump. I tend to agree with Rachel Bitecoffer that the biggest issue will be motivating people on the left. But all those polls that show Bernie beating Trump are also apparently relying on an insanely high turnout of young people, so... I don't know.
I’m really scared about Bloomberg and what precedence this sets. I think avoiding tax raises under Sanders and Warren isn’t his only motivating factor. Trump has showed how someone can profit personally as president and I think Bloomberg will do that but in a much smarter way. And the wealth gap is just going to get far worse with billionaires knowing they can buy the presidency. I’m disgusted that the DNC got him onto the debate stage.
100%. There has been absolutely no discussion of the emoluments clause at it relates to Bloomberg. He hasn't mentioned giving up his business a la Jimmy Carter if elected. He runs a media company, for godsake! Imagine if Trump actually OWNED Fox News.
100%. There has been absolutely no discussion of the emoluments clause at it relates to Bloomberg. He hasn't mentioned giving up his business a la Jimmy Carter if elected. He runs a media company, for godsake! Imagine if Trump actually OWNED Fox News.
Post by Dumbledork on Feb 27, 2020 12:24:27 GMT -5
There was a piece on NPR yesterday where they interviewed voters in NC. There were a few women who said they had voted for Trump before, but were willing to vote for any Dem but Bernie.
They said that though they like where the economy is right now, they don’t like the example of character Trump is providing future generations. They specifically called his tendency of name calling bullying. I thought that was interesting.
Bernie was their line in the sand though. They’d rather vote for Trump again.
There was a piece on NPR yesterday where they interviewed voters in NC. There were a few women who said they had voted for Trump before, but were willing to vote for any Dem but Bernie.
They said that though they like where the economy is right now, they don’t like the example of character Trump is providing future generations. They specifically called his tendency of name calling bullying. I thought that was interesting.
Bernie was their line in the sand though. They’d rather vote for Trump again.
But he was name calling and bullying and everything else the whole campaign trail in 2016 so I call bullshit. I feel like these people just don’t want to be judged, so they pretend they’ll sway but in the voting booth they will go Trump. I think anyone who is appealing to trump voters is going to depress the D base.
Literally the *only* thing that Bloomberg has done that I wish would get more attention: Putting out his cardiac test results and calling on Bernie to do the same.
Huh. Just got a text from the Amy Klobuchar campaign that she’s coming to Knoxville on Saturday. Kind of random. There isn’t much candidate presence here outside of Mike Bloomberg mailers. I know there are some Pete events but not with him. Just like canvassing. We are unfortunately pretty busy this weekend otherwise I’d go and @@@@ take the kids (I like them to witness stuff like this and see candidates whether I support them or not - took J to see HRC and Obama in 2008 when he was 2).
Maybe more candidates will come between now and Tuesday!
There was a piece on NPR yesterday where they interviewed voters in NC. There were a few women who said they had voted for Trump before, but were willing to vote for any Dem but Bernie.
They said that though they like where the economy is right now, they don’t like the example of character Trump is providing future generations. They specifically called his tendency of name calling bullying. I thought that was interesting.
Bernie was their line in the sand though. They’d rather vote for Trump again.
But he was name calling and bullying and everything else the whole campaign trail in 2016 so I call bullshit. I feel like these people just don’t want to be judged, so they pretend they’ll sway but in the voting booth they will go Trump. I think anyone who is appealing to trump voters is going to depress the D base.
They for sure don't want to be judged for their vote, and while I don't think they'll admit to regretting their vote, I do think a fair number legit thought he'd tone it down and appoint "good people" to surround him once in office. *WE* are super connected and pay attention, but far more just weren't. They knew him to be a "successful" businessman, a tv personality, and someone who "told it like it is." And their other option was Hillary, who had been demonized for the past 25-30 years, and was never going to get even their remote consideration.
While we absolutely do NOT need to be courting their vote, or bending policy to bring them in, I do think we'll see some flipping (or at the least abstaining) here if the nominee isn't Bernie. 45 has shown himself to be wholly incompetent, and I think a lot of people who "aren't into politics" are just tired of him. It's not funny anymore, and they're tired of hearing what a jackass he is and having to be on defense. Hillary isn't president (or even anywhere in the political spotlight), they don't have that demon to fight, but if it's Bernie, that's a non-starter.
Okay. Sorry. I know there are Warren supporters here. I’ve certainly not actively disliked her till now. Even though I still think she’d make a pretty good POTUS (defeated sigh) TLDR Summary: Warren is likely the biggest recipient of super PAC $$$ now that she’s cleared the field after she imposed her no-longer-applicable purity tests 😠 From Tw @shanegoldmacher NEW: Warren super PAC plunges $9 MILLION into Super Tuesday states. Warren likely now has the biggest super PAC of the cycle, or at least close to it.
The Warren super PAC has now announced $14+ million in spending to date — with all of the donors hidden from public view until after Super Tuesday and until March 20, by which time about 60% of delegates will have been allocated.
Remember when Warren was calling on all candidates to join her in denouncing ANY super PAC money?!? Well, now that Kamala, Castro, & Booker, minorities, who, history shows have a much more difficult time getting campaign funds from individual donors, are out- rules REWRITE! This it’s-okay-because-it’s-different-and-now-necessary-with-Bloomberg-$$$ rules shift reminds me way too much of BSanders, & I’m HOT about it.
Even more all in for Biden than I was before! (Though the Kamala VP name-floating, even though my DREAM: in which he promises to sit after first term due to age & back KamalaHarris2024, is making me super nervous, as I don’t want her to feel too pressured) In case anybody wants to see my favorite summarization:
I hate how our campaign finance laws let people buy their way into the election, either via their own money or Super PACs.
But, given that Bloomberg had now bought his way into the race, accepting such money is not the thing that is going to sway my thinking particularly far. The whole system needs a re-vamp far beyond what any single candidate can do.
I honestly have no problem with Warren's move because I hated that she did it in the first place. Now is not the time. It actually made me feel more confident in her as a candidate because she needs the fucking money to fight the GOP machine.
In general it never bothers me when candidates change their position. It might be politically motivated, but it shows me they are willing to adjust and listen.
We aren’t going to beat Trump w/out money. I know it’s taking some parts of the Democratic Party awhile to grasp this. But it’s the truth. Not even Bernie and his “impressive haul” is any match against what Trump and the Rs have are are prepared to spend.
You know why I hate the SuperPAC discussion? Because Bernie fucking Sanders set this bullshit purity standard, but Our Revolution functions just like a Super PAC.
Well I’ve never had and issue with how candidates raise money. Or super PACs because we can’t win on just words. We need money.
But what does irritate me is that other candidates like Harris, Booker, and Castro were held to the NO money from Super PAC standard. And now well... oh it’s understandable so it’s ok. Riiight.
I expect this hypocrisy from Bernie. Warren gets a huge side eye from me.
We aren’t going to beat Trump w/out money. I know it’s taking some parts of the Democratic Party awhile to grasp this. But it’s the truth. Not even Bernie and his “impressive haul” is any match against what Trump and the Rs have are are prepared to spend.
I agree! And I’ve known this all along. My frustration is it’s still the Primaries!!! During which, up until a little over a week ago- she was actively campaigning about her ability to run without sPAC $$$ & calling out other nominees who did/ pressuring others to abstain. I agree wholeheartedly we need to get as many big money donors as D’s can to compete with #45 in the general, & have always known that. But I’m super disappointed that the rules of the primary have been rewritten by one of the original coauthors of the purity tests, when said tests are what forced others out!! And if it’s all about Bloomberg, then fine, but I feel like her campaign’s strategy should’ve been better at communicating that than this back-door-under-the-rug BS that’s only happening because of independent discovery. I dunno. Maybe I just need the day to be PISSED. YES, thank you!!!! heat40
Well I’ve never had and issue with how candidates raise money. Or super PACs because we can’t win on just words. We need money.
But what does irritate me is that other candidates like Harris, Booker, and Castro were held to the NO money from Super PAC standard. And now well... oh it’s understandable so it’s ok. Riiight.
I expect this hypocrisy from Bernie. Warren gets a huge side eye from me.
This is my problem too. I wish Harris had come out and said F that stupid noise. And I think what bothers me most about Warren is that she was silent when Bernie's people went after the other candidates for this stuff, including incredibly sexist stuff, but now that they're turning on her, everyone else is expected to come to her rescue, it needs to be addressed, etc.
I'd pull the lever for Warren in a hot second. But she could have done so much better early on, rather than making a pact with Sanders.
I've already voted...for Warren. But I am really not happy with her right now.
It is what it is, because honestly, all of the campaigns are doing stuff that annoys me now and none of those left are my top choices and never have been, so it probably doesn't matter if I'd voted for her or Biden or Buttigieg (others I considered). My husband hasn't voted yet (I early voted, he's voting Tuesday) and a few weeks ago, I might have tried to influence him to vote for Warren, but I'm not going to now. He plans to vote for Mayor Pete I think. Whatever.
Ultimately I would vote for any of these people, but this primary is wearing on my nerves. Warren's friendship with Bernie and the things she's been influenced by because of his presence in this race (like the super pac money) is so grating on so many levels to me, but I try to look past it because I know I am incredibly biased against Bernie for valid and invalid reasons.
I really wanted Harris to be a top candidate and to take off but i'm not sure that the 'no super PAC money' pledge is what did her in. Her being untreated fairly for other reasons (looking at you SNL and other media) is obviously another story. Klobuchar and Buttigieg didn't take the pledge (just saw a Buttigieg super PAC commericial the other day).
I also think Harris had some problems as a candidate. I think she kept trying to stake out positions that would please everyone, which made it seem like she had no firm principles. And the NYT piece about her campaign being in disarray that came out shortly before she dropped out had 50 sources that were current or former campaign staffers. I absolutely think her campaign was treated unfairly by the press, and I think the “Kamala’s a cop” thing was misogynoir bullshit. But you don’t get FIFTY sources to talk about the problems in a campaign if the campaign doesn’t have actual problems. Kind of like how I think the coverage of Klobuchar’s staff abuse can both be true and sexist in that men have gotten a pass for similar behavior.
I like Harris. I was excited she was in the race. I donated to her. And I think the media coverage of her campaign did not help her, but I also don’t think her campaign was without fault regardless of the super PAC issue.
Also if Warren drops out and endorses Bernie, that is going to be a rough one.
She just said she’s staying in until the convention. I’m not sure yet how I feel about it, although I appreciate that she isn’t willing to preemptively throw in the towel.
Sort of along with what eclaires, said with everyone annoying her. This primary has already gone on forever. And yet hardly anyone has actually voted. We have got to figure out a way to stagger voting in the future that both allows candidates travel around but doesn’t over emphasize one states results. We have essentially been talking about 3 states vote totals for a month now. It completely over emphasizes their voice. And for someone who follows politics, makes everyone more annoying in the process lol. In today’s environment of 24/7 news, it is not helpful to hem and haw over primary votes for weeks. I think we need to have states vote in clusters from the beginning.
Not this whole one state votes each week in the first month.
Post by wanderingback on Feb 28, 2020 13:10:21 GMT -5
To be honest, I hope Biden gets the nomination, picks Abrams for VP, we never hear from Bernie again, Biden wins, Abrams then runs for President and wins in 4 years and we all live happily ever after.
Honestly shocked that Pete was ranked higher than Bernie but i'll take it
It’s interesting to see who put work into specific plans. It’s also funny to me that the two I have liked the most both have pretty detailed plans. I still can’t believe Pete named his plan like that. I do think that was a mistake and it’s off putting.
I really think Amy isn’t ready for this. And didn’t expect to be in the conversation this long.
To be honest, I hope Biden gets the nomination, picks Abrams for VP, we never hear from Bernie again, Biden wins, Abrams then runs for President and wins in 4 years and we all live happily ever after.
Legit almost talked myself into voting for Biden for this exact scenario. I just wish he wasn’t so old. And didn’t seem so old? He has seemed very old to me recently and I do worry about that.
Last night I decided to get off Twitter and the podcasts and all that. I checked in with my H, my mom and 3 other Democrats I'm related to in various ways. Only my mom had chosen who she was voting for in the primary but all intend to vote in the primaries and were still undecided.
Blew my mind. I think I spend too much time in the weeds and forget there are a lot of people who are not in there with me.
My H says he has it narrowed down to Warren, Mayor Pete, and Biden. I'm going to be checking in on my bro a few times over the weekend to see where he's leaning. The other two are brand new 18 year old voters that I helped register IN MICHIGAN!!!!