For Dems, is it 1987 all over again?

[Proud Public Servant]

Anybody remember 1987? That was the year Dems held their breath waiting for a New Yorker of national stature to declare for the presidency and be handed the nomination; waiting in the wings was a prominent progressive and a bunch of unspiring candidates dubbed the "7 Dwarves."* I give you:

1987 -- The Remake!

Starring

Hillary Clinton as Mario Cuomo, the field clearing candidate who won't announce
Andrew Cuomo as Michael Dukakis, the technocratic governor from a northeastern stronghold
Martin O'Malley as Joe Biden, liberal with working-class cred from a state nobody cares about
Mark Warner as Al Gore, DNC triangulator and son of the South
Brian Schweitzer as Bruce Babbitt, folksy western governor with an appeal to both the base and independents
Al Franken as Paul Simon, sensible-but-intellectual Midwestern old-school liberal

and introducing...

Elizabeth Warren as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Great Progressive Hope

Coming soon to an electorate near you!

*yeah, I've only got 5 dwarves; there are no clear analogues for Dick Gephardt and Gary Hart

[Arctic Dave]

1. I'm thinking 1999.

Hello Jeb.

The Dem Party is cutting their own throats and gleeful to be doing it.

[brooklynite]

2. Sorry, but...this pretty much fails everywhere

Hillary Clinton = Mario Cuomo: For whatever reasons Cuomo was plagued by uncertainty about whether to run. I seem to recall Hillary expressed interest 4 years ago.

Andrew Cuomo = Michael Dukakis: Cuomo is accomplished, but he's also far more charismatic and far more politically ruthless than Dukakis.

Brian Schweitzer = Bruce Babbitt: Bruce was "folksy", but Brian is "fiery"; anyone who vetos bills with a branding iron is going to have more appeal.

Paul Simon = Al Franken: Setting aside the fact that Franken has shown no interest in running (I was in Charlotte, and it was pretty clear who was thinking about it and who wasn't), he has talents as a comedian and as a political radio host. Simon, was just a nerd with a kooky tie.

Elizabeth Warren=Jesse Jackson: Setting aside the fact that Elizabeth isn't running either, she's far more accomplished on policy, attracts a far wider swath of the Democratic electorate, and has shown an actual ability to get elected to something.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Not even close. The GOP's disarray is much closer to the 1980s-era Democratic Party than we are.