We need a fighter in 2020...

[Drunken Irishman]

Someone who isn't afraid to sling mud at Trump. We need someone to get down and dirty with him because that's the only way we beat him. Democrats have GOT to stop acting like conventional campaigning works with him. It doesn't. He's not a conventional candidate and no amount of "I have nothing personal against the President...' comments will do any type of damage.

Hillary was at her strongest when she took Trump on directly. Unfortunately, in the last debate in 2016, she pulled back. I think she thought she had done enough damage. But I don't think so. Trump unravels when you hit him. Talk about his tiny hands. Who cares of it's superficial? It gets a response. Talk about his bankruptcies. Talk about how he's not as rich as he is or that his penis looks like a fucking toad. I get it. I GET that this goes counter to everything we are led to believe about politics. Petty, slimy politics like this SHOULD not work ... but at the end of the day, it does.

We can't run a candidate who lives by the creed that 'if they go low, we go high' because it doesn't work with Trump. He'll just go even lower until he sucker bunches us and we fall to the ground in a ball of pain. When he's down there in the mud, kick the mother fucker in the head.

Cuz that's the only way we're going to win. Throw out old game plans and everything you thought you knew about politics and elections. The most effective liberals and Democrats have been the ones who belittle the fuck out of Trump - guys like Michael Avenatti and Ted Lieu.

It sucks this is what we've come to as a country, and I get there were be moral purists who will be turned off by this type of action, but at the end of the day, we should never count on the moral purists to win - or we'll lose.

[manor321]

1. Nah, someone like Booker would be very effective

Booker would inspire young people to vote.

I'd support Avenatti if he won the primary, but I'm looking for someone experienced in politics to be the leader of the free world.

Obama was a fighter as a campaigner (not so much as President, but that's a different matter). There are several Dems who know how to fight.

I like Lieu, Warren and Schiff, but they just wouldn't make good candidates.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. I don't think Booker would be effective...

I think he'd take the same hands off approach that many Republicans took throughout the primary and Hillary tried to take for most the general. He'll focus on issues, talk about staying above the fray, maybe even mention things he likes about Trump...and then he'll get shit on constantly, given a lousy nickname that Trump will run into the ground and something that will play on national TV every single day, and the oxygen in the room will, again, be completely absorbed by Trump and his outlandish behavior and lies toward Booker.

"Lock her up!" was a dangerous, scary, horrific moment in our country - a moment very similar to the scenes experienced with Obama in 2008 when there were veiled attempts to question his citizenship and love of America. The Palin rallies were a preview of what was coming ... but the difference is in 2008, it was roundly criticized by EVERYONE and it played bad - the optics were horrifying for the GOP. It only helped Obama. By 2016, the same type of rally, the same type of ugly chanting, played differently. It riled up the base while leaving many other people shrugging to it. But worst of all, it legitimized the idea Hillary Clinton should go to jail and because that was put out there, it gave enough people enough doubt to not vote for her.

Those moments should have been disqualifying and they weren't. Palin was turned into a national joke for things Trump has been lauded for. The game HAS changed since Obama ran. If we run another inspiring candidate who speaks to our ideals and hopes and dreams, I'm not sure we'll win.

[democratisphere]

7. Respectfully disagree with you on Schiff.

Adam Schiff would make a great President.

[NewJeffCT]

40. Schiff would be a great president

but, he's very intellectual and I don't think he'd play well to the public and the media during a campaign and fire people up to get out and vote for him - similar to Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, Kerry, etc.

[AdamGG]

11. I agree, I think Booker would be a strong candidate

Last edited Mon Oct 8, 2018, 03:00 AM - Edit history (1)

He doesn't roll over, he'd push back strongly against Trump, but still have an aspirational/positive presentation. His articulate/compassionate nature would contrast well with Trump, as would his history of choosing to live in the projects while mayor of Newark and saving people from burning buildings and dogs freezing in the cold.

If he's not too old and still mentally sharp, I think that Booker/Biden would be an interesting ticket. Biden could take on some of the role of attack dog against Trump and it would really feel like Obama 2.0, which I'm pretty sure would be a winning option against Trump. And, Biden would help shore up Pennsylvania and the upper midwest.

I live in Mass. and like Elizabeth Warren, but I'd really fear that she's been pre-demonized (unfairly, but still a factor) with the Pocahantas stuff like Hillary was. Even if she did win, it would likely be by a lesser margin with smaller coat tails, sweeping along fewer Senate seats/governorships/state legislatures than someone else could.

[trueblue2007]

16. i like Booker and Harris.

[LBM20]

36. Gotta hit the Man-Baby GOOD AND HARD!

[marble falls]

2. We need to nail down Nov 6 first.

[mahina]

23. This

All day ^^^^^

[democratisphere]

3. drumpf will not be available to run in 2020; Mueller and the

Democratically controlled House and Senate will see to that!

[k-dub]

5. What about Merkley?

I like him from what I've seen. Thoughts on him?

[Jim Lane]

25. I also like Merkley.

One possible problem is that his Senate seat is up in 2020. If he seeks the nomination for President but crashes and burns early, he could still run for the Senate. The difficulty comes if his campaign is still viable when deadlines in the Senate race come along. The risk of losing his Senate seat might dissuade him from running.

[Grasswire2]

28. Merkley is a genuine, good man.

The contrast of his steady goodness to Trump's pathologies is very stark.

He is the one who first went to find children in cages in Texas. Remember? He went there and tried to get in, and that began to get our attention and now we know the horror of it all.

And Saturday night (or was it Friday) he stood in the Senate chamber a good part of the night all alone and read letters from his survivor constituents.

He's a good man.

[myohmy2]

6. totally agree...

...if we don't take trump head-on, there'll 4 more years of trump as President...

...

[Trumpocalypse]

8. No we need the anti-Trump

The way Obama was the anti-Bush.

[Drunken Irishman]

13. Bush was still, at the end of the day, a conventional candidate.

[Joe941]

9. When they go low we go high....?

[Freddie]

31. When they go low we go lower

Next time. Time to play dirty.

[LBM20]

37. When they go low SMASH THEIR FUCKING FACES IN!

[FM123]

39. when they go low, we put our blue high heels to their necks and step over them

[notdarkyet]

10. I've said this before..I like Swallwell. He's young, charismatic, good looking, tough...take a look

[Drunken Irishman]

14. Yes. He's another.

[TreeStarsForever]

12. People think I'm crazy but Hillary 2020

Whoever we nominate is gonna face an avalanche of lies and personal attacks.

But they've already said everything about the Clintons. It's old news.

Plus, the Presidency was stolen from her. And she already beat him by 3 million votes.

Without the FBI interfering at the last minute, she would have won.

Her campaign was a winning strategy. But the Russians and FBI interfered.

That won't happen in 2020.

Plus, 3rd party voters better have learned their lesson.

I don't think any of our 2020 potential candidates are as strong as Hillary.

The woman is amazing.

A re-match would set ratings records.

It would be huge.

I'm telling you.

She'd win the Electoral College this time.

A re-match would be epic.

The Clintons would be out for blood.

[StevieM]

19. I love Hillary and I think she ran a great race. But she was swiftboated too bad to run again.

And the media finished her with their lies about her campaign, claiming that she ignored WI and MI, and a whole bunch of other nonsense.

And I am pretty sure that the FBI will launch another bogus investigation of the Democratic nominee, no matter who it is.

[Ace Rothstein]

21. No

[AdamGG]

26. I like Hillary, but this is every right winger's wet dream

[LisaL]

35. What is the saying?

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result.
So, thanks but no thanks.

[StevieM]

17. Agreed. We need Tom Steyer to be our nominee and the next president of the United States. (eom)

[EffieBlack]

18. Right now, I'm too focused on November 6 to think about 2020.

[milestogo]

20. When I hear the word fighter, I think of Howard Dean.

He would still be a great president.

[Sugarcoated]

22. I'm liking Booker

Al Franken for VP

But if Beto was further along on his political path...

[NewJeffCT]

41. We need Beto to win in Texas next month

CBS poll from this past weekend had him down 6. If he can come back to win, then we can start considering him for bigger things in 2020 and beyond

[JI7]

24. the problem with this is that what works for Republicans doesn't usually work for Democrats

because republicans are pretty much appealing to angry white men who are resentful towards all the others. so it's just about attacking all non white , non xtian, non hetero , non males .

but a democrat who did the same towards a republican would not be acceptable.

[NewJeffCT]

42. Democrats who can control the media narrative

have a chance - Bill Clinton controlled the media narrative in 1992 and 1996 and won. Barack Obama did it in 2008 and 2012 and won. Both were young, smart and charismatic.

Reagan controlled the media narrative in 1980 and 1984. Karl Rove/Lee Atwater did in 1988 and Bush won. Rove/Bush controlled the media narrative in 2000 and 2004, and Trump drove the media in 2016.

Unless there is a candidate that can get the spotlight off of Trump, they won't have a chance.

Trump will generate 10-15 big new scandals each week and every one of those scandals will burn for 24 hours and be drowned out by the next scandals, but will given equal weight to the one, two or three scandals the democratic nominee has over the course of the campaign. So, in the end, it will be 300+ scandals for Trump that are equal to the 2 or 3 scandals for the Democratic nominee in the eyes of the media and the general public.

[OnDoutside]

27. Let the Primaries take place. There will be enough bright,

intelligent Dens running that the winner will have come through an intense process.

[Awsi Dooger]

29. Need a charismatic fighter

Ousting an incumbent is extraordinarily difficult. Trump will do everything to insult, savage and probably investigate our nominee. Therefore it has to be someone with teflon and natural likability, whose favorable rating can withstand the onslaught.

Otherwise even if Trump has a low approval rating it really doesn't matter. He's already proven he can win a race against someone with an equally low favorable rating, and that was in an open race, not as incumbent when he will enjoy surreal benefit of a doubt, whether people want to accept that or not.

Reagan in 1980 is the only candidate in more than a century to accomplish what our nominee will attempt to do...knock out an incumbent whose party has been in power only one term.

Then Clinton in 1992 is the only other recent example of dumping an incumbent.

[Sherman A1]

30. I am looking at Andrew Yang

he seems to have a well thought out set of policies.

[Freddie]

32. Gov. Jay Inslee

Dems can win with a Governor, think Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter. He’s not that well known nationally so he’s not ready made for the GOP Slime Machine like some others. Have heard nothing but great things about him (I’m from PA). His “pet cause” is climate change and the environment, which will appeal to Millennials.

[Buckeyeblue]

33. The question is how to run against 45

I'm not sure what the best approach is because his method for discourse is scattershot. He throws out everything, along with personal attacks and self exaggeration, sees what sticks and continues. By the time anyone can respond to him, he has moved on to some other nonsensical notion. It's almost like a trap. If you get too involved in what he is saying you lose your own message.

But you can't ignore him. That doesn't work.

He is not the greatest when he is trying to defend himself. But how do you get your message out there and keep him on the defensive?

I wonder if having a small group of sarogets to do the attacking would work?

[Vinca]

34. I totally agree. I almost threw up when Corey Booker came out with his statement that he has no

personal problems with Trump and won't attack him just because he's being attacked. Well, let's all hold hands - especially the little orange ones - and sing kumbayah.

[Squinch]

38. Tammy Duckworth. Former female fighter pilot. Can you imagine the fight that took?

[dalton99a]

43. Be Bold. Be Direct. Be Ruthless. Hit Hard.

Speak Loudly.

Never Apologize.

And yes, do what Michael Avenatti and Ted Lieu are doing.

[mtnsnake]

44. Absolutely. We need someone who will take the bully by the horns and kick the shit out of him

Taking the high road will get us no where again. If we come up with a true fighter, someone who gives back ten times what he receives from Trump, Trump will go running and screaming like the pathetic baby that he is. I really think it needs to be someone younger, too, like way under the age of 65. Maybe Andrew Cuomo or Kamala Harris. I really have no idea of who it could be at this point, but we need to come up with someone tough as nails, and we need to come up with that person soon. Oh, and definitely not Joe Biden as much as I love him, and not Kirsten Gillibrand who is a decent senator but not in Kamala Harris's league when it comes to toughness.

[JudyM]

45. FighterS. Not just president, but every office, every seat. This must be full-scale.

[Turin_C3PO]

46. I agree.

I hate that it’s come to this but it is what it is and what it is is a dog fight.