I do wish we would stop calling Kamala's nomination, which appears to be a sure thing a "coranation." It is going to be voted on by the delegates and they are going to chose between all the interested parties. Almost everyone I know who is a delegate has already said they want Kamala and I have seen folks who are doing more comprehensive straw polling say that they are already way past 50% of people who have committed. No one else who was a front running option has said they want the role and that is probably because they know that they can't win. Normally we call those things a landslide of support not a coronation.
I think there’s an interesting message Harris could use while addressing her track record as a prosecutor and senator. The left will knock her for being “a cop” and the right will knock her for being a progressive senator. Well, maybe the right message is that she did each the way they ought to be done: prosecutors prosecute and legislators legislate, and the executive is somewhere between. I think it would be challenging to deny being either of these things, so embrace both in a way that strongly points toward moderation because that’s what the office calls for.
I think Harris could do herself a lot of good in this race simply by regularly using the phrase "We need to be doing more to address inflation" even if it's arguably already on its way to becoming a moot point.
Just on Trump's fake jabs at moderation: the left perceives that they're smart because they're convinced everyone is a leftist. So they simply see Trump as aligning more with their (incorrect) perception of the electorate. That's why they see it's good when Trump doesn't, and miss that it's good when Dems do it.
The primary difference between the two men regards to the decision/willingness to drop out is that trump has more personal resources than Joe Biden. Mr. Biden was forced into this because money dried up. Trump would spend every last penny he and his bankers have to stay in the race.
Having observed this a bit longer it feels like the process in the dem party right now should be compared to "being allowed to try and form a government" in a parliamentary system. Harris gets first shot at it, and she has 1-2 weeks to make it work. If it doesn't take, another candidate gets to try, until a final decision is made, at the latest, at the convention. Harris seems (maybe?) to Biden's and the Clintons' preferred candidate in this process while the others are reserving judgement. And there will be lots of polls. Many just want to be done with this, but it feels like the people behind the arrangement are a bit more patient. And there is an age limit on the contestants (Manchin is too old, Kennedy Jr need not apply). I hope Harris will make it work, but we might yet be in for a wild ride. Interesting times....
Al Franken for VP. An older white guy is probably helpful. But mostly he’s really good at media. Really good. Funny is helpful. Making fun of Trump can move the needle. He’s also very smart. She isn’t good in front of the camera and needs someone who is.
The funny thing is that most SBers see Harris in the light of the 2019-2020 primaries where she presented as much more leftist than she had ever before. Having seen her in San Francisco and California, she was always more moderate (closer to Dianne Feinstein) than to the left.
So I foresee a rebranding, which given the electorate's long-term amnesia, has a very real chance of working. Harris's major mistake in 2019-2020 was listening to the left-wing and the Dem party consultants about the shape of the race (which is why Biden was able to come in and win).
Does anyone else find it weird that President Biden hasn't made any appearance at all since departing for Delaware on Wednesday last week? Just a statement released on Twitter. Seems like he should have addressed the nation given the momentous decision.
Do you really trust his ability to do a good press conference while sick with COVID given everything you’ve seen in the past few weeks? He finally figured it out, so can you.
So I understand: He has Covid, is sick enough that he can’t give a short pre-recorded speech. But not so sick as to prevent him from making the most important political decision of his life?
No further questions. Seriously people? The truth is people/media are so happy about his decision, they are turning off their critical reasoning.
Now maybe there is nothing here, it’s possible. But no one should be giving the Biden admin any benefit of the doubt when it comes to their claims of Biden health.
First, it doesn't need to be a press conference. Just an address to the nation. Read it off a teleprompter, for goodness sake. Hell, record it and do a retake if he messes up.
I'm sorry, but I don't trust the information coming out of the Biden inner circle anymore. He has COVID? I want to see the swab and the test. They have lost the benefit of the doubt based on their actions over the past 3 weeks (or 3 months or more).
Yeah, it’s odd to do something that historic and not speak to Americans. For all anyone knows his staff tweeted that out. Kamala needs to speak soon as well. Kind of surprised Republicans aren’t making more hay with this. He can’t even get it together enough to make a 3 minute video?
How can people who were so confidently wrong about Biden’s ability (health) to campaign for reelection, now argue it’s “silly” to suggest his poor health requires him to step down? Fool me once shame on you fool me twice…
>I get that from where Gretchen Whitmer is sitting right now, she has the inside track on the 2028 election. But these political moments pass quickly.
This is very true--there are several examples of politicians who have their "moment" and try to wait and finesse the timing, only to fade to irrelevancy. Chris Christie's political career was like this.
If Whitmer runs now there's a pretty damn good chance she becomes President. If she waits until 2028 there's a pretty damn good chance no one remembers who she is.
Ooooh, I see. You meant the presidential race. So this isn’t about eugenics.
I do wish we would stop calling Kamala's nomination, which appears to be a sure thing a "coranation." It is going to be voted on by the delegates and they are going to chose between all the interested parties. Almost everyone I know who is a delegate has already said they want Kamala and I have seen folks who are doing more comprehensive straw polling say that they are already way past 50% of people who have committed. No one else who was a front running option has said they want the role and that is probably because they know that they can't win. Normally we call those things a landslide of support not a coronation.
It’s funny Matt says #2 is “honestly” silly. Not long ago Matt would have said Biden being too old to run was “honestly” silly. Now…
Matt's turned into a fanboy. No thoughtful analysis here.
I think there’s an interesting message Harris could use while addressing her track record as a prosecutor and senator. The left will knock her for being “a cop” and the right will knock her for being a progressive senator. Well, maybe the right message is that she did each the way they ought to be done: prosecutors prosecute and legislators legislate, and the executive is somewhere between. I think it would be challenging to deny being either of these things, so embrace both in a way that strongly points toward moderation because that’s what the office calls for.
It will help that members of The Squad have already endorsed Harris.
I think Harris could do herself a lot of good in this race simply by regularly using the phrase "We need to be doing more to address inflation" even if it's arguably already on its way to becoming a moot point.
Just on Trump's fake jabs at moderation: the left perceives that they're smart because they're convinced everyone is a leftist. So they simply see Trump as aligning more with their (incorrect) perception of the electorate. That's why they see it's good when Trump doesn't, and miss that it's good when Dems do it.
Looks like Pelosi just took the coconut pill. I think that wraps it up for Harris.
The primary difference between the two men regards to the decision/willingness to drop out is that trump has more personal resources than Joe Biden. Mr. Biden was forced into this because money dried up. Trump would spend every last penny he and his bankers have to stay in the race.
Pre-blaming progressives. Shocker.
Having observed this a bit longer it feels like the process in the dem party right now should be compared to "being allowed to try and form a government" in a parliamentary system. Harris gets first shot at it, and she has 1-2 weeks to make it work. If it doesn't take, another candidate gets to try, until a final decision is made, at the latest, at the convention. Harris seems (maybe?) to Biden's and the Clintons' preferred candidate in this process while the others are reserving judgement. And there will be lots of polls. Many just want to be done with this, but it feels like the people behind the arrangement are a bit more patient. And there is an age limit on the contestants (Manchin is too old, Kennedy Jr need not apply). I hope Harris will make it work, but we might yet be in for a wild ride. Interesting times....
Al Franken for VP. An older white guy is probably helpful. But mostly he’s really good at media. Really good. Funny is helpful. Making fun of Trump can move the needle. He’s also very smart. She isn’t good in front of the camera and needs someone who is.
The funny thing is that most SBers see Harris in the light of the 2019-2020 primaries where she presented as much more leftist than she had ever before. Having seen her in San Francisco and California, she was always more moderate (closer to Dianne Feinstein) than to the left.
So I foresee a rebranding, which given the electorate's long-term amnesia, has a very real chance of working. Harris's major mistake in 2019-2020 was listening to the left-wing and the Dem party consultants about the shape of the race (which is why Biden was able to come in and win).
Does anyone else find it weird that President Biden hasn't made any appearance at all since departing for Delaware on Wednesday last week? Just a statement released on Twitter. Seems like he should have addressed the nation given the momentous decision.
Do you really trust his ability to do a good press conference while sick with COVID given everything you’ve seen in the past few weeks? He finally figured it out, so can you.
So I understand: He has Covid, is sick enough that he can’t give a short pre-recorded speech. But not so sick as to prevent him from making the most important political decision of his life?
No further questions. Seriously people? The truth is people/media are so happy about his decision, they are turning off their critical reasoning.
Now maybe there is nothing here, it’s possible. But no one should be giving the Biden admin any benefit of the doubt when it comes to their claims of Biden health.
First, it doesn't need to be a press conference. Just an address to the nation. Read it off a teleprompter, for goodness sake. Hell, record it and do a retake if he messes up.
I'm sorry, but I don't trust the information coming out of the Biden inner circle anymore. He has COVID? I want to see the swab and the test. They have lost the benefit of the doubt based on their actions over the past 3 weeks (or 3 months or more).
I think he's legit sick with COVID and just wanted to put an end to all the speculation.
Yeah, it’s odd to do something that historic and not speak to Americans. For all anyone knows his staff tweeted that out. Kamala needs to speak soon as well. Kind of surprised Republicans aren’t making more hay with this. He can’t even get it together enough to make a 3 minute video?
Totally agreed, it’s all very very weird.
Also relating to Matt’s #2:
How can people who were so confidently wrong about Biden’s ability (health) to campaign for reelection, now argue it’s “silly” to suggest his poor health requires him to step down? Fool me once shame on you fool me twice…
>I get that from where Gretchen Whitmer is sitting right now, she has the inside track on the 2028 election. But these political moments pass quickly.
This is very true--there are several examples of politicians who have their "moment" and try to wait and finesse the timing, only to fade to irrelevancy. Chris Christie's political career was like this.
If Whitmer runs now there's a pretty damn good chance she becomes President. If she waits until 2028 there's a pretty damn good chance no one remembers who she is.