Presidential Election 2016

[Tiller]

Apparently we are now moving towards having primaries? https://www.dfl.org/blog/dfl-news/2016/ ... n-process/

I just ran across this in my email, and haven't heard about it anywhere. I take it Dayton has signed this bill?

[twincitizen]

Thoughts about Clinton's potential running mates? It seems (I hope) that the campaign has soured on Julian Castro a bit, due to his lack of experience. His star was rising so fast a couple years ago it almost seemed inevitable. It has already been announced that Elizabeth Warren will be speaking on the first night of the convention, which almost certainly rules her out (VP would be later in the convention). Cory Booker would be an excellent choice, but he has the same issue as Warren (and Sherrod Brown, OH) - he's a Senator in a state with a Republican Governor, who would be able to appoint a fill-in Senator to serve for the next two years. Getting control of the Senate is critical for the first two years of Hillary's term, and it really could be a near 50-50 split. Democrats cannot afford to just "give up" a Senate seat in New Jersey or Massachusetts (and seriously, how do both of those states have Republican Governors??)

My current favorite is Rep. Xavier Becerra of Los Angeles. He's relatively young (well, relative to Clinton, Warren, Trump, Sanders, etc.) at 58 and has served in Congress since 1993.

It seems Tom Perez and Tim Kaine are probably favored by the campaign at this point. Becerra just has a "Presidential" look and probably would generate more excitement than Perez or Kaine.

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/12/481556964 ... -100-words

[Tiller]

My fingers are crossed for Jeff Merkley (D-OR). His seat would be safe, he's relatively young, he would gender-balance the ticket, he's got experience, and he's progressive.

[fehler]

I heard Tom Vilsak mentioned. I like him better than Kaine. Might pull Iowa better, and help in the Grassley/Judge race if it gets closer. Otherwise I'd support Julian Castro.

[twincitizen]

Doesn't seem like Merkley is or ever was being considered. Vilsack was the one I forgot to mention.

Seems like it's down to Kaine, Perez, and Vilsack (and maybe Warren but probably not). Several media outlets indicate Castro and Beccera are out. When you get down to it, Castro has nowhere near enough experience to be "a heartbeat away". His star may have risen too quickly and he left Texas too soon...not sure where his career will go, since it's too early to make a serious statewide run for Governor or US Senator. Particularly after leaving the state for big evil DC. I'm not sure where he goes next...a different cabinet position?

[Viktor Vaughn]

Al Franken would be a stellar choice.

[David Greene]

So...

- Floor revolt
- Delegation walkouts
- Donald Jr. declares opponents' careers are over
- Paul Manafort ripped the hosting governor
- Paul Ryan waves a Terrible Towel in Cleveland
- Jeff Sessions says immigrants are ruining the country
- Rudy G. gets crickets after saying police involved in unjustified shootings should be punished
- Steve King says "white folk uber alles"
- The Donald does his best sasquatch imitation
- Melania Trump, an immigrant,. plagiarizes Michelle Obama, a non-white contributor to civilization

And that was just day one.

What did I miss?

[twincitizen]

Al Franken would be a stellar choice.

While I like Al very much, the first rule of VP selection is "do no harm", which Franken (and arguably Warren) would seem to violate.

Trump's selection of Mike Pence has freed the Clinton campaign to make as "boring" or unimpactful of a pick as possible, probably raising the chances of a Tim Kaine or Tom Vilsack and lessening the chances of a Warren, Booker, or Castro. I still like Beccera. Dude just looks and sounds presidential.

[amiller92]

While I like Al very much, the first rule of VP selection is "do no harm", which Franken (and arguably Warren) would seem to violate.

Warren would do harm because she would be replaced with someone appointed by a Republican governor. How would choosing Al do harm?

Not that it matters because I don't think she's picking Al anyway, as much as I like him. I'd pick Castro, but I think you're exactly right that she will pick someone boring because that's all she needs.

[twincitizen]

"Do no harm" to the ticket is the meaning behind that phrase, though yes, losing a Democratic Senator would also qualify.

Someone as brash as Warren, while exciting to young folks, Bernie supporters, etc., probably "harms" the ticket more than a safe choice like Kaine does. Clinton has a chance to draw some measure of support from common sense business types (including some folks who typically vote Republican) who are legitimately worried that a Trump victory will **** up the economy, tank the markets, etc. All Clinton has to do to gain/keep their support is not pick Warren (or Sanders, etc.) to be her VP. She doesn't even have to move to the middle to get those folks...just don't pick a VP that they already hate. On Clinton's left, while I'm sure some of the potential VP picks are too moderate for many young/progressive/Bernie folks, I honestly don't think it makes that much of a difference.

As for Franken, while he is now immensely respected in MN (and in Washington), Clinton choosing a former comedian (and all the baggage that entails) would pretty clearly do more harm than help.

[Tiller]

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/ ... ent-213756

I missed this article before; I don't see anything I really disagree with in it.

[twincitizen]

You have to be kidding me. I love Al Franken, but just no. Not in the current political environment, especially regarding homeland security (i.e. "omg everything is scary and dangerous, ISIS is super scary, police are getting shot every day, people blocking highways are mean and scary, etc, etc, etc.") He is absolutely the wrong guy for the current national mood, despite the much needed levity he would bring to the campaign.
Much as it may seem, the VP nominee would not be debating Trump, either figuratively or literally.

[mattaudio]

The current national mood is absolutely wrong.

[twincitizen]

Well, ok. Agreed. There are clearly a lot of dumb people, scared people, and dumb scared people that live in this country. Can't really change that overnight (or in 3.5 months), it just has to be navigated correctly for the best electoral result.

[EOst]

#Kainementum

[VAStationDude]

He has prefect or near prefect ratings from Brady campaign, planned parenthood, human rights campaign, AFL-CIO and NAACP. He's a progressive ready to be president.

[MNdible]

But his last name isn't Sanders or Warren.

[VAStationDude]

He doesn't give privileged white males the tangles in their nether regions like a weirdo career politician from a strange small white state.

[talindsay]

He doesn't give privileged white males the tangles in their nether regions like a weirdo career politician from a strange small white state.

Speaking of, if anybody is still feeling the Bern at this point they probably should get that checked out.

[VAStationDude]

Ha.

One aspect people decrying Kaine overlook is that he worked as an attorney practicing in housing discrimination for twenty years. He's the real deal.