Claire McCaskill: POTUS/Veep material?

[politicat]

N.B.: THIS IS NOT AN ANTI-HILLARY CLINTON POST. I'm as fine with HRC as I've ever been with any potential candidate at 26 months from Election Day. I also like Joe Biden, except for his 25 year old War on Some Drugs policy. (I haven't heard him shift.) And while I'd love Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren, I don't get married to a candidate this early. That way lies Dean heartbreak.

Something Rachel Maddow said either last night or night before caught my attention: that if McCaskill was involved in the negotiations to get the Kansas Senate Dem candidate to drop out, that suggests she's playing a bigger game.

I know relatively little about her, but what I have seen, I've found more than promising. She carries well in Missouri, which is a tough row for a woman Democrat to hoe, and that tells me that she has broad enough appeal. I've heard her be tough on the budget in the right places (cutting MIC, not social services, IIRC), strong on equality and civil rights and VA issues. She seems to be incredibly good at the political strategy side of election work. And on a charisma level, I like her sense of humor and bluntness.

What am I missing? Citations appreciated.

[MohRokTah]

1. I like her.

DU will despise her because she is slightly right of center which is way further right than Hillary, and DU despises Hillary for the most part.

[yeoman6987]

9. I don't oppose

In fact would be great. I am not opposed to her being Vp either. I read an article on Senator Gilibram from New York and was impressed with her too. We really have some great candidates.

[Laelth]

19. You are quite correct.

I'd rather have Hillary than McCaskill, and that's not a ringing endorsement.

-Laelth

[LondonReign2]

40. Right of center

Is she going to be in the running for the Republican VP slot then?

[MohRokTah]

42. .

[LondonReign2]

44. I take it from your reply then

that you are perfectly happy supporting a candidate that is to the right of the Democratic party, and in fact would continue moving the part further to the right.

Shouldn't moving to right be the Republican's job?

[MohRokTah]

45. In Missouri? HELL TO THE YES!

Washington is a game of numbers and the Democratic Party can NEVER have the numbers if we demand absolute ideological purity.

Claire McCaskill is the most liberal Democrat we could elect as Senator from Missouri. I'll take the added seat in the D column in the Senate, thankyouverymuch.

[LondonReign2]

46. The question was whether she is VP/POTUS material

This is not about her being a Senator.

Do you support a candidate for the Democratic VP or POTUS slot that is to the right of the party?

[MohRokTah]

47. And I already gave my opinion on that. First post. This subthread. eom

[LondonReign2]

48. So yes then, you want the Democratic party to keep moving further and further

to the right. Thanks

Those folks who want to keep moving the political spectrum to the right? They're commonly referred to as Republicans.

[justiceischeap]

2. I think many on DU consider her a Blue Dog

Personally, I like Gillibrand (another that's considered a Blue Dog, I think). However, I like the work she's been doing for women.

[politicat]

13. My senator kept getting called Blue Dog.

Udall. (Whom I would like to see take the next step, but not this cycle -- we need him where he is right now.) I'm not sure what it means.

Does Blue Dog have a definition? Because I've seen it attached to a lot of people at different places on the spectrum.

[Chan790]

14. It does.

The term comes from the now-mostly-defunct Blue Dog Coalition, which was a coalition of right-of-center Democrats (identifying as moderate or conservative) in the US House of Representatives.

From Wikipedia:

The Blue Dog Coalition, commonly known as the Blue Dogs or Blue Dog Democrats, is a caucus of United States Congressional Representatives from the Democratic Party who identify themselves as moderates and conservatives.

It was formed in 1995 during the 104th Congress to give more conservative members from the Democratic party a unified voice after the Democrats' loss of Congress in the U.S. Congressional election of 1994. Blue Dog Coalition membership experienced a rapid decline in the 2010s, now having 19 seats in the 113th Congress.

...

The Blue Dog Coalition is often involved in searching for a compromise between liberal and conservative positions. The Blue Dogs are viewed by some as a continuation of the socially conservative wing of the Democratic party; however, the only stated policy position of the Blue Dogs is fiscal conservatism.

Despite the Blue Dogs' differing degrees of economic and social conservatism, they claim they generally work to promote positions within the House of Representatives that bridge the gap between right-wing and left-wing politics. Blue Dogs are an important swing vote on spending bills and as a result have gained influence in Congress out of proportion to their numbers. They are frequently sought after to broker compromises between the Democratic and Republican leadership, generally lending a more centrist character to US politics.

[pscot]

25. When I think of blue dogs

I think of Gene Taylor, who was an absolute shit as a Democrat. He was acceptable only because his inevitable replacement was a Republican.

[elleng]

3. She's solid and I like her.

I suspect that many 'progressives' will find fault with her tendency to be 'conservative,' in the traditional sense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_McCaskill

Since being elected to the Senate, McCaskill has consistently been named by the National Journal in its ideological rankings as one of the ten most moderate Senators.[13] In 2011, she was ranked exactly 50th on its scale of most-liberal to most-conservative.[14] The Washington Post reported in 2012 that she was the second-most-likely Democratic Senator to vote against her party.[13]



Rachel's asking her now, and said 'If I were you, I'd be running.' Rachel said she thinks she could win!

[brooklynite]

4. Not up to DU standards...

...When people discover she's a THIRD WAY supporter...

[Laelth]

21. Nice to see a post from you this morning.

Any follow-up from your meeting with Elizabeth Warren? I'd love to know what transpired. If I missed the post in which you described the experience, please direct me to it. Thanks.

-Laelth

[gwheezie]

5. I've watched her in hearings

I like her, I don't agree with her on every position she's ever taken but she doesn't let much get past her. She is someone I watch for during hearings.

[elleng]

7. More interesting than most because she's an 'auditor'

so, as you say, she doesn't let much get past her.

[politicat]

12. Nobody who agreed with me 100% of the time could get elected.

I don't mind disagreeing with an exec as long as that exec can make a cogent argument for their goals. Nobody's at my end of the axis.

Someone once described me as a Democratic Socialist Libertarian Monarchist. It's not entirely inaccurate.


(Democratic, because I believe in as direct a democracy as possible; Socialist because I believe in strict limits on corporations, public ownership of natural monopolies and worker ownership of the means of production; libertarian because I tend to be strict on civil liberties and Monarchist because I believe that two of the biggest broken parts of the US system are a) the necessity of short-term thinking and the disruption of continuity when the executive must be changed every 4 or 8 years, and b) because I believe all governments need a strictly limited executive who is in the office for a long time, to oversee long-term strategy, and a shorter term operating executive in charge of day-to-day and short term systems. In corporate speak, a CEO and COO, or in the Constitutional monarchy system, a limited Monarch and Prime Minister.)

[YarnAddict]

6. Well, she was considered the easiest R pick up in

her last election. She only won because The R's ran the worst possible candidate--Akin--aganst her. He was probably selected by crossover voters in the primary, because his opponent was considered a shoe-in to beat McCaskill.

[gwheezie]

8. Her campaign was pretty clever,nt

[merrily]

10. That was no accident. She contributed to his campaign so he would be her

opponent. That was out of the box thinking.

[madokie]

11. I like Claire too

[nevergiveup]

15. By my standards she is conservative.

By Missouri's standards she is far left. I do like her tenacity.

[TheDebbieDee]

16. I'm annoyed by the fact that "Claire" seemed to have a seat on the panel at Mornin' Joe.

Does she still make an appearance every two on that show? I stopped watching last December....

[politicat]

17. Shrugs. Don't watch it.

I'm a cord cutter. The only reason I get to see Maddow is because she insisted on podcasting her shows when she was first starting (and nobody else did) and has kept that in her contract.

From what second hand I've seen of Joe Scar, he sounds like the biggest waste of molecules in the Msnbc lineup. And that with Chuck the schmuck.

I won't blame a pol for a standing date with a press outlet that gives them a platform.

[davidpdx]

18. hell no

If I remember correctly she was one of the ones that refused to support filibuster reform.

[Avalux]

20. No. I've watched her for years; she sways right when the opportunity serves her.

I wouldn't be comfortable with her as our candidate. Of course, not sure I'll be comfortable with anyone from the old guard but that's what we're going to get.

[Cleita]

31. So she's a DLC like Clinton and presently Obama.

I saw Rachel ask her to run last night. It seems Rachel thinks only Conservadems can win the Presidency. Sad.

[Avalux]

37. I'm not sure if she's DLC.

I just know her record is at times conservative. Someone who represents ME would be further to the left, but that person can't win in our current political system.

[Cleita]

38. I should have used third way. DLC isn't around anymore but the

philosophy is known as third way democrats

[cbdo2007]

22. No. I'm in Missouri and vote for her by default but no. Just no.

[loyalsister]

33. I'm with you

Not only do I dislike her as a candidate she has a really crappy personality.
One day when I was in Gov. Holden's office. I made a comment about sticking with the team (she had declared for a primary challenge) to someone else in the office. She came through the office for something, and I think she overheard, because she flashed me the dirtiest look. I got that look again on the rope line at an event a couple months later. It's not like I'm some big donor or higher up in the party. I was just a lowly unpaid disability advocate.
Imagine how she treats people who have some clout and cross her.

[kentuck]

23. She's close to being a Republican..

If that is what rings your bell ?

[hifiguy]

24. i could easily see her on a national ticket

As VP more likely.

[gordianot]

26. No I will take a DINO as MO US Senate over a Republican.

Every so often she is on the right side.

[xchrom]

27. fuck no. nt

[politicat]

28. Why?

Opinion is great, but my decision dice or my magic 8 ball tells me just as much.

Thank you.

[xchrom]

29. have you any idea how conservative she is?

you might as well vote republican.

[politicat]

30. I see her track record as dead center.

Which yes, would make her a 1950s era Republican, but that's also true of every Democratic president since I was 4, and Jimmy Carter, as much as I respect and admire him, was considered fairly moderate, too.

I'd love a true liberal. But moderation and centrism aren't deal breakers in my book.

[Oilwellian]

32. Why would First Way Democrats...

want to have yet another Third Way candidate? They call themselves Third Way for a reason and it has nothing to do with democratic ideals.
http://www.thirdway.org/press_releases/31

[La Lioness Priyanka]

34. way too conservative for my tastes. nt

[JCMach1]

35. I like her a lot... but that is usually the political kiss of death

[Ino]

36. This Missourian says NO!

She voted for everything George Bush put in front of her... war, more war, Patriot Act, increased spending, bailing out the banks, etc. Then, after Obama got elected and people started clamoring for jobs, but the Repugs were now oh-so-worried about the deficit, she had this to say: "Jobs are important, but we have to worry about the deficit" -- the deficit she helped drive up! I could not find a link for this quote, but I =heard= her say that, and it infuriated me.

She voted to approve Mukasey, cuz she voted for everything George Bush wanted.

McCaskill teams up with GOP on radical bill to slash Social Security, Medicare
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/03/940951/-McCaskill-teams-up-with-GOP-on-radical-bill-to-slash-Social-Security-Medicare

"Calling the move risky, Sen. Claire McCaskill introduced on Tuesday anti-deficit legislation that could impose automatic cuts in Social Security and other entitlement programs. McCaskill, of Missouri, was the only Democrat to join with a group of Republicans to press for a far-reaching debt reduction plan that would tie federal spending to the nation's economic ouput. McCaskill is a chief sponsor with Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. The bill has seven Republican co-sponsors thus far, among them first-term Sen. Mark Kirk, of Illinois. No Democrat other than McCaskill has stepped forward to support the plan, suggesting that it could encounter stiff opposition in the Democratic-run Senate. Politicians typically shy away from proposals to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid because of the backlash that arrives from all directions."
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/mccaskill-joins-senate-gop-in-deficit-reduction-bill/article_fc2fc4c3-b5dc-5bee-b629-4bd56eddf62b.html

A quote from 2010:
"I voted against my party with some frequency, because of my independence. I've just got to remind Missourians that I am independent and that I try to call them like I see them, and sometimes my party is wrong on some things."
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/11/04/interview_with_senator_claire_mccaskill_107861.html

She will not fight for single-payer healthcare
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x352350

When moveon.org published an ad calling Petraeus "General Betray Us", McCaskill was one of 49 Republican Senators and 22 Democratic Senators who voted in support of Repuglican Cornyn's amendment to "strongly condemn personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus." Even Hillary Clinton voted against that one. Petraeus later resigned in disgrace.
http://uspolitics.about.com/od/wariniraq/a/moveon_ad_vote.htm

In 2013, she was the 24th richest congressperson
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/kevin-mcdermott/mccaskill-ranks-th-in-this-year-s-list-of-richest/article_a372aa25-094f-54ab-843e-a3d5eb1988e2.html

Yet, this former auditor forgot to pay taxes on her private plane, but did remember to bill taxpayers for her trips in it...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/claire-mccaskill-admits-to-287000-in-unpaid-taxes-on-private-plane/2011/03/15/AB5fv77_blog.html

The only reason she won the last election is because Todd Akin couldn't keep his stupid mouth shut.

[PoutrageFatigue]

39. Nope.

n/t

[Stinky The Clown]

41. No way. When you close your eyes and listen to her you hear a repubican.

No thanks

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

43. Nope. Just another Hillary.