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Cyrano

(15,020 posts)
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:13 PM Feb 2022

We Dems lack powerful, charismatic leadership

Joe Biden is a nice, well-meaning guy. Democratic senate leader, Chuck Schumer, is a nice, well-meaning guy. Nancy Pelosi is a powerhouse ass kicker, but she controls only the House of Representatives.

If we ever needed a Franklin Roosevelt, a John Kennedy, or a Lyndon Johnson, this is the moment. Alas, fate, history, and whatever, don't give a rat's ass what we need or when we need it. Thus, the Party of Evil, (Republicans), and their multimedia propaganda machine, are dictating how the game is played, who wins, and who loses.

Basically, we may be fucked beyond repair. The Republicans have taken us down a rabbit hole that leads to hell, and nobody is throwing us a rope to help us get out.

In the film version of John Steinbeck's novel, "Viva Zapata," there's a line of dialogue that states: "A strong people do not need a strong leader." Think what that says about us.

27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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We Dems lack powerful, charismatic leadership (Original Post) Cyrano Feb 2022 OP
Nope . . ... Lovie777 Feb 2022 #1
like Trump? iemanja Feb 2022 #2
That is probably a little unfair. Chainfire Feb 2022 #6
Let us know when you have one... brooklynite Feb 2022 #20
I agree. smirkymonkey Feb 2022 #23
Biden won and by a large percentage. BeckyDem Feb 2022 #3
I tend to agree with you and not because the leadership we have isn't intelligent, but because Vinca Feb 2022 #4
Yep. Cyrano Feb 2022 #8
If we did have a charismatic leader,like Hillary, they would be slandered,smeared beyond recognitio Walleye Feb 2022 #5
The Republican propaganda machine smeared her for decades Cyrano Feb 2022 #9
I don't know, what is the antidote to slander? Public figure, can't sue Walleye Feb 2022 #10
She had every requirement needed to be an outstanding leader for America . Budi Feb 2022 #12
Hillary Clinton was many admirable things; she was not charismatic. brooklynite Feb 2022 #21
I agree with you there. smirkymonkey Feb 2022 #25
I once ended up in a 20 minute chat alone with Hillary.... brooklynite Feb 2022 #26
Its the Hollywood Celebrity syndrome & Media Influencers with no political record to consider Budi Feb 2022 #7
The accomplishments of FDR, JFK and LBJ were the real thing Cyrano Feb 2022 #11
They had legislative majorities that supported the President. empedocles Feb 2022 #17
If only citizens cared more about substance over style. chowder66 Feb 2022 #13
Yup. Money & Media, Top of the page trending, data aggregates tracking what spikes & where. Budi Feb 2022 #15
I heard somewhere that the most successful Democratic presidents have been Poiuyt Feb 2022 #14
FDR and JFK were neither Southerners nor outsiders. Both were highly charismatic, of course. hedda_foil Feb 2022 #19
Republicans elected a rapist over the most qualified candidate this country has ever seen. onecaliberal Feb 2022 #16
Myth of the bully pulpit, that just the right strong leader will make everybody do the right thing. betsuni Feb 2022 #18
If only Democrats had, I dunno, a Stacy Abrams or an Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gratuitous Feb 2022 #22
Uh, no Trailrider1951 Feb 2022 #24
so you're saying we Dems need an empty suit but with agingdem Feb 2022 #27

iemanja

(53,001 posts)
2. like Trump?
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:15 PM
Feb 2022

Is that what you want?

I don't care about so-called charisma. I want someone competent. But then I don't think politics is a form of entertainment.

Chainfire

(17,304 posts)
6. That is probably a little unfair.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:21 PM
Feb 2022

The OP stated an opinion that a lot of us share. We do need a Kennedy or a Roosevelt if we are going to continue moving ahead. Time is running out. Leadership is all about charisma and a big part of it is also entertainment. Bill Clinton understood that and that is why he has remained a Democratic hero...

brooklynite

(93,834 posts)
20. Let us know when you have one...
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 07:19 PM
Feb 2022

...or is the point to pine for inspiring leadership that someone else needs to provide?

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
23. I agree.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 07:50 PM
Feb 2022

Obama had it. Clinton had it. JFK had it.

Trump did not have real charisma. Trump had that kind of smarmy, sick ability to appeal to broken, weak people, just like cult leaders do. I don't think you would say any of them have been particularly charismatic to a normal healthy person. In fact, most of them creep us out beyond belief.

It's not about being "Hollywood" or entertaining. It's about having a presence or an aura that makes people gravitate toward you and want to listen to what you have to say. It's about radiating integrity, intelligence and honor so that when you say things people automatically believe you, they don't just dismiss you as another bullshitter. They know you are the real thing and that you something within you that can motivate people to get behind you and do great things in your name because you have inspired them with your courage and vision.

There have been men and women throughout history like this, but they don't come along often. And many of them aren't interested in tolerating the slings and arrows of political life and playing the game does not come naturally to them. It's hard to find someone who has what we need and in the same person, someone who is willing to put themselves out there to sacrifice themselves to a life that may be repugnant to their spirit.

I have seen little sparks in our party here and there - Stacy Abrams, Katie Porter, Jamie Raskin, Pete Buttigieg, Eric Swallwell, Beto O'Rourke, etc. I think we have some talent in the making.

BeckyDem

(8,361 posts)
3. Biden won and by a large percentage.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:18 PM
Feb 2022

The voter suppression and gerrymandering, they're going at it because they have no policy to run on. They have tax havens to keep the rich happy and a race war that Trump keeps pushing. Those are some of the main obstacles, I think.

Vinca

(50,168 posts)
4. I tend to agree with you and not because the leadership we have isn't intelligent, but because
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:20 PM
Feb 2022

half of the population is a bunch of morons who will vote for "personality" over bona fide leadership. That's why there are more than a few Trump voters who also voted for Obama. That said I'm hard pressed to think of "powerful, charismatic leadership" on the right. It doesn't exist.

Cyrano

(15,020 posts)
9. The Republican propaganda machine smeared her for decades
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:28 PM
Feb 2022

This is what they do. This is who they are. It's past time we developed an antidote to their ability to roll out endless hatred and lies.

 

Budi

(15,325 posts)
12. She had every requirement needed to be an outstanding leader for America .
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:33 PM
Feb 2022

And that's the part they never ever spoke of.
Never.

They elevated the white male sexist ego, all propped up & cleaned up, shouting promises of populism, with scant political record to show, on a 12 month, 24/7 loop.

We have paid dearly for that gullibility.
⬇️







 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
25. I agree with you there.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 07:53 PM
Feb 2022

Hilary has many admirable qualities and I think she would have made an excellent president. However charisma was one thing she lacked.

Also, very few men admire charismatic women. They feel competitive with them and suspicious of them. Women have a hard time in this game.

brooklynite

(93,834 posts)
26. I once ended up in a 20 minute chat alone with Hillary....
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 08:00 PM
Feb 2022

...and I never felt that she lowered her guard. My wife once had a conversation with Bill (that I witnessed), and it was like he was her closest friend.

 

Budi

(15,325 posts)
7. Its the Hollywood Celebrity syndrome & Media Influencers with no political record to consider
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:21 PM
Feb 2022

Anyone running for office should have to produce more than slick imaged ad campaigns & populist promises, propagandized for impact.

Charismatic Populist messaging, Trump, is a perfect example of that.

Cyrano

(15,020 posts)
11. The accomplishments of FDR, JFK and LBJ were the real thing
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:33 PM
Feb 2022

Social Security, the right to form unions, a 40 hour work week, Medicare, Medicaid, the Voting Rights act, the Civil Rights act weren't empty promises. It was these Democratic presidents who made them reality.

empedocles

(15,751 posts)
17. They had legislative majorities that supported the President.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:40 PM
Feb 2022

[Without 2 splinter wings, threatening needed support, when it suits the wingers].

 

Budi

(15,325 posts)
15. Yup. Money & Media, Top of the page trending, data aggregates tracking what spikes & where.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:38 PM
Feb 2022

Tabloid Nation.

Poiuyt

(18,087 posts)
14. I heard somewhere that the most successful Democratic presidents have been
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:33 PM
Feb 2022

either southerners or charismatic outsiders. That seems to be accurate, though Biden's story isn't finished yet.

I think any president nowadays needs to be charismatic.

onecaliberal

(32,471 posts)
16. Republicans elected a rapist over the most qualified candidate this country has ever seen.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 06:38 PM
Feb 2022

The stupid fucks in this country are NOT EVER going to vote for a dem.

betsuni

(25,122 posts)
18. Myth of the bully pulpit, that just the right strong leader will make everybody do the right thing.
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 07:03 PM
Feb 2022

FDR, JFK, LBJ had large majorities and a normal opposition party fine with bipartisanship that still had to worry about being voted out of office if they didn't do their job. And in those days everybody saw the same media and learned civics in school. Now many Americans are in their own bubbles, a lot of them don't care. Absolutely nothing like today.

When I think of FDR, JFK, LBJ, first thing I think of is mistresses. But that's neither here nor there.

Trailrider1951

(3,408 posts)
24. Uh, no
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 07:52 PM
Feb 2022

We have one who scares the shit out of republicans, and is third in line of succession




And one who also is the object of fear and hatred, second in line of succession



agingdem

(7,754 posts)
27. so you're saying we Dems need an empty suit but with
Mon Feb 7, 2022, 08:06 PM
Feb 2022

charisma to pull us out of the "pit of despair"??..I mean it's not like we don't have our guy in the White House and hold the majority in both the House and Senate...oh, wait..we do...I personally like nice guys/gals...I like nice guy Joe Biden, a calm intelligent, compassionate man...I like witty soulful Jamie Rankin, a brilliant constitutional scholar...I like Pramila Jayapal, a civil rights activist and the first Indian-American woman to serve in the House...and I like law professor Katie Porter, standing up to Big Business...as for the rancid GOP and their vile mouthed "powerhouses": loud, stupid shock jocks, spewing their garbage to the most loathsome among us...our well-meaning nice guys (Swawell, Lofgren, Murphy, Lieu, Dean, Neguse, Booker...) are doing just fine...don't count us out...

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