2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumOkay, Warren's not running. Bernie might be.
mopinko has another suggestion: Robert Reich.
Discuss.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)Not only does he have great beliefs on the issues, but it would take away the BS age issue from Hillary which is exceptional!
PAProgressive28
(270 posts)The only way I don't see him jumping in is Warren running or a serious re-consideration.
If you want to join whatever Bernie 2016 movement may exist to this point come check us out on Reddit at r/SandersForPresident
marlakay
(11,498 posts)Long enough to force Hillary to move left...as far as she will go!
JoeyT
(6,785 posts)marlakay
(11,498 posts)Nay
(12,051 posts)and talk like a progressive in the primaries will actually result in a progressive taking office. The main problem with, say, forcing Hillary to fake-talk like a progressive in the primaries is that the run-of-the-mill voters who only half pay attention to politics every 4 years may get the erroneous idea that she IS interested in helping them when she truly has never shown much interest in doing so.
I hope Hillary presents herself as she has presented herself over the last 20 years. That way, Bernie Sanders can stand out as a true progressive and we can go on from there, having a clear choice of what we want, without the muddying of the waters with every candidate pretending he gives a damn about being progressive.
wyldwolf
(43,870 posts)VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)I think he'd make a great candidate.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)What does that say about an actual Socialists chances? That is whats so funny.....besides he is also unqualified to be supported at DU.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)He's served in three administrations, one of them Republican (Ford). I'm pretty sure there's never been an "actual Socialist" in any administration.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)mopinko floated his name on FB, so I thought I'd run it up the flagpole here and see if anybody saluted.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)mopinko floated the name, and I found the idea intriguing enough to strat this thread.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)mopinko
(70,238 posts)news to me. sure it is to others.
inquiring minds want to know.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)Oh Puh leeze!
mopinko
(70,238 posts)VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)And who gives a rat about him besides you....he has less a chance than the very longshot Sanders has....
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)More than a snowballs chance in hell. Where are the polls that show him beating any not to mention ALL republican comers?
mopinko
(70,238 posts)i dont think the "data", which is to say- proof of his name recognition, is out there.
but, you cant discuss this person unless you think he can win?
nobody is telling you to vote for him. the thread is about whether he should run.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)So still another non starter...who among republicans does he poll higher?
djean111
(14,255 posts)In this case, you floated Reich's name, and Kucinich was attacked, for some reason, but you get the idea.
Has the making of a good drinking game.
And doesn't do Hillary any favors.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)mopinko
(70,238 posts)the neo-con stink that people spray doesnt bother me. she didnt pass nafta. tho i wish she had voted the other way on the iwr, and is hawkish, that, i think just a feint. she has to look tough in order to win. and she is too smart to shoot herself in the foot for a lost cause.
but i also know her to be a quite a competent peace maker and diplomat. it was bush's war, not hillary's.
i just want a good primary. a full and fair airing of the democratic platform. and i will work as hard as i can for the winner. so, my other than hill thoughts are with those that would bring a cogent debate, and not just a big bag of talking points.
re dennis, all short guys are alike dont ya know. and that was aaaalll that was wrong with dennis as a candidate. just being short.
right right.
brooklynite
(94,742 posts)A lot of people grab for someone who agrees with them philosophically; getting elected and governing effectively call for other skills.
mopinko
(70,238 posts)he did make mention that he might run if it was gonna be only hillary.
only trouble i see is he is too short.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)Show me ANY poll that says he can beat ALL Republicans!
mopinko
(70,238 posts)unless it is his own, and he has chosen not to share it. so your criticism is moot. maybe you can pay for one.
and again, show me how he is a socialist. not that that is a bad thing. it might just ring with a big part of the base.
i am all ears.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)She beats all their asses. Until you all can produce someone who can do better...(esp a non Democratic Socialist...). I am backing the champ!
elleng
(131,138 posts)There was a five-way battle for the Democratic nomination for governor, contested among Massachusetts State Treasurer Shannon O'Brien, President of the Massachusetts Senate Thomas Birmingham, former Democratic National Committee and American Israel Public Affairs Committee chair Steven Grossman, former United States Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, and former nominee for lieutenant governor Warren Tolman.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_gubernatorial_election,_2002
As much as I agree with him on policy, I don't think he'd be a great candidate. Charisma is necessary. I like him a lot, but don't think he'd be the best choice.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)who in turn lost to a repuke. In Mass. Ouch.
elleng
(131,138 posts)OUCH!
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)I thought it might have been one of their other repukes , like Jane "None Too" Swift.
MADem
(135,425 posts)His ads were on constantly, he out-spent six ways to Sunday and lied out his ass.
He promised JOBS. He said he was a businessman who knew how to bring JOBS to western MA. People didn't know him then like they do now.
He lied. People who wanted JOBS believed him.
He brought NO jobs. In fact, many people left the state in search of ... JOBS.
And he didn't do the job he was elected to do. He left that to his incompetent 2nd banana--who did a HORRIBLE job, and lost to Deval Patrick. That's why he was a one term governor, aside from using the position to launch himself to national fame, he couldn't get re-elected on a bet--his constituents in MA thought he stunk on ice.
The joke was if you needed a MA state cop you had to go to NH, because Mittsy spent most of his time there and had a huge and bloated "protection" detail of flabby, fleshy staties to keep him safe from the unwashed masses.
Corey_Baker08
(2,157 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)in the primaries.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)And even if he did.....he cannot beat our bench..
mopinko
(70,238 posts)to prevent a hillary coronation, and force a primary discussion.
wyldwolf
(43,870 posts)The OP is about Sanders (mostly.) Sanders was called a socialist (which he is) and now people are demanding proof that REICH is a socialist. Bizarro.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)I assumed the socialist jibe was aimed at him.
karynnj
(59,504 posts)He spoke of having had a date with Hillary when both were single and in college.
http://content.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,2695602210001_2153048,00.html
Adenoid_Hynkel
(14,093 posts).
brooklynite
(94,742 posts)I know the family.
TheKentuckian
(25,029 posts)I also see little reason to care about the wants of politicians anyway, they need to worry about what the people need and want. The damn tail does not wag the dog.
brooklynite
(94,742 posts)...where people run for office because they decide they want to, or don't (as "uncaring" as that might be).
By the way, care to share with us the efforts YOU've made to convince Brown, or Sanders or anyone else to do "what the people want and need"? Or is that someone else's job?
TheKentuckian
(25,029 posts)work my 45 or 50 hours and maintain my home as not to have time to setting up packs and organizing election bids so all I can do is call and write making my request and my case that they do so, I am not of influence nor do I even really know people of influence at that kind of level.
What should I be doing O' Oracle?
brooklynite
(94,742 posts)...or maybe even send one electronically! Then you could encourage them to run in your own words. And wouldn't it be great if there was technology to allow you to communicate with other like-minded and organize a coordinated effort to encourage your candidate to run? Well, maybe next time...
(FWIW-know how I got private face time with Brian Schweitzer at the Convention? I sent hom an email)
TheKentuckian
(25,029 posts)in the previous post.
MADem
(135,425 posts)He's never held elective office. He has been a cabinet official, but it's not one of the Top Three (State, Defense, AG).
He has no fifty-state fundraising machine, and he's unlikely to get any help on that score from the state movers/shakers or any of the congressional fundraising PACS, or any of the other popular PACS. As a never elected, no ground game pundit, he's late, late, LATE outta the gate--he would have needed to start going around and shaking hands at the state level two years ago--really.
He's SHORT, very short--as in "WAY too short to qualify to serve in the military" short. Short males have a hard time winning elections. That is not a disparagement (jury take notice), that is simply a fact. They've won, occasionally, but the taller candidate usually prevails: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heights_of_presidents_and_presidential_candidates_of_the_United_States
He's burned a few bridges. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/clinton/interviews/reich.html
If he'll tell tales on his boss/friend of many decades, he'll tell tales on anyone. Some perceive him as "disloyal."
I don't think he's got any potential as a candidate. I'd see Bill Richardson running (again) before Reich (and I don't know how likely he is, either).
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)Plus he's a policy wonk. Although Obama is as well, Obama is a very gifted speaker which is something that is rare.
MADem
(135,425 posts)He was able to put together a ground game quite quickly. He had YOUTH on his side, too--people forget how YOUNG his daughters were when he first took office.
Reich CAN give a good speech, and he can handle himself in debate (though it comes off better on the radio) but I just don't think he's got "it."
Electing a President is a "visual" process, even if we don't want to admit that...it's also superficial on some levels!!!
Cal33
(7,018 posts)savalez
(3,517 posts)bigwillq
(72,790 posts)The more candidates, the better, imo.
Let the people decide. May the best man or woman win.
Unvanguard
(4,588 posts)If he does run, I'll probably vote for him anyway.
craigmatic
(4,510 posts)KamaAina
(78,249 posts)in the Dem primaries. No Nader, he.