Question: If Amy K is your top pick are you so gobsmacked by her charisma/policies or the geography?

[jodymarie aimee]

Sincere Question: Those who have Amy K as their top pick...are you so gobsmacked by her charisma/personality and policies or the geography...because alot of what I am reading, not just DU, is the Midwest, not necessarily the woman herself. I would really like to know...

I AM Midwest and tend to go with the person not locale. Of course if Russ Feingold were running I would die and go to heaven...but I have campaigned for him and know him inside out and personally....not because he is Midwest...just like I would never vote for Tammy Baldwin for President because I also know her personally and she is not Presidential material...she has grown in her role...she always used to read all her speeches, not anymore and she is very, very shy. My own state Rep Katrina Shankland outshines Amy K any day of the week.(and Tammy for that matter)

[Geechie]

1. Midwest review

Well, I'm not in love with her agenda, but I do love the prospect that a Democrat from the Midwest could occupy the White House for the first time since TRUMAN! We've had some duds in there for sure, and an ungodly number of presidents from Ohio. So, yeah, geography. And the fact that she's a woman, because it's about damn time.

Other than that, meh.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. The last Democratic president was from the Midwest

The Midwest Region is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as these 12 states:[3]

Illinois: Old Northwest, Mississippi River (Missouri River joins near the state border), Ohio River, and Great Lakes state
Indiana: Old Northwest, Ohio River, and Great Lakes state
Iowa: Louisiana Purchase, Mississippi River, and Missouri River state
Kansas: Louisiana Purchase, Great Plains, and Missouri River state
Michigan: Old Northwest and Great Lakes state
Minnesota: Old Northwest, Louisiana Purchase, Mississippi River, part of Red River Colony before 1818, Great Lakes state
Missouri: Louisiana Purchase, Mississippi River (Ohio River joins near the state border), Missouri River, and border state
Nebraska: Louisiana Purchase, Great Plains, and Missouri River state
North Dakota: Louisiana Purchase, part of Red River Colony before 1818, Great Plains, and Missouri River state
Ohio: Old Northwest (Historic Connecticut Western Reserve), Ohio River, and Great Lakes state. The southeastern part of the state is part of northern Appalachia
South Dakota: Louisiana Purchase, Great Plains, and Missouri River state
Wisconsin: Old Northwest, Mississippi River, and Great Lakes state

[Geechie]

17. I was referring to the birthplace nt

[monmouth4]

2. Amy K is not even on my radar..n/t

[marylandblue]

4. I like her personality.

People say she isn't charismatic, but she seems strong and steady to me. I liked her response to negative information and how she handle a Trump tweet about her speech. My biggest criteria for a candidate is how they will push back against all the mud thrown at them. Of the announced candidates, Klobuchar seems to be handling it best.

[IrishEyes]

5. I really like her.

I don't have a top pick yet.

[leftofcool]

6. I like her because she is strong and can appeal to most moderate Democrats

She will also appeal to never Trumpers and a few moderate Republicans.

[jberryhill]

7. What an aggressive question

Simply because someone prefers one candidate does not render them "gobsmacked" by anything in particular.

[WheelWalker]

11. I had to look it up. But then, I don't get out much.

[WheelWalker]

8. Right now Amy is my first choice for the second spot on the ticket.

I like her demeanor, her centrist perspective and the geography (which probably plays into her demeanor and perspective). I am focused on crushing Donald and grinding his MAGATs into fine white powder.

I was a Biden supporter while he was still in the 2008 primary season, and believe his eight years with Obama makes him the best qualified today to lead a post-MAGA reconstruction.

Amy, Kamala, Elizabeth are all worthy, in my opinion, but I think Amy has an electability edge for the general.

The most important ability, in my opinion, is electability.

[forthemiddle]

9. I moved out of State 2 years ago

But before that time, I spent my entire life in the county seat 25 miles to your east.
As you know from the geography Waupaca is pretty conservative. I think, though that Amy could turn quite a few of my friends and family still there. She is Midwest, and very likable.
Now I live in Indiana, and I think any of the Dems are out of the question here.

[lancelyons]

10. It seems to me that we are being forced into a more republican like candidate.. more center left.

I dont know if this is more behind the scenes work by somebody to push the Dem candidate more right.

I cant stand the Media outlets constantly talking about how left the Dems are.. its constant on MSM. To far left and ideas that are too far left and damaging

There is nothing about how extreme right the GOP has become and how damaging those ideas are. We see it in everything Trump is doing and everything that Bush did.

Does the MSM want to push a center or right candidate. It seem sthey are ok with this.

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. I really loved the way she approached the town hall, and love the way she didn't dismiss bold new

ideas, but tempered the speed with which they could be accomplished in this climate.

I thought she came across as intelligent, courageous, creative, but pretty level headed and clearly aware of where we are, and where we need to go - as well as how we can get there without major alientation/backlashes happening.

During the over an hour of questions she never missed a beat, but didn't at all come across as over prepared/practiced, or giving canned responses. I thought that her rapport with the audience was spot on.

[WeekiWater]

13. She is not at the top of my list. She won't make it there.

I love it when she talks about climate change. I love how she is considered a moderate yet speaks so passionately about it. That is a win for all of us.

I don't think I have witnessed the "gobsmacked" phenomenon.

[LakeArenal]

14. Amy is great.

Her charisma,geography, policies.
Also her grace under pressure,steadiness and her record in the Senate.

All equal qualities to all the candidates.

She also chose not to sign the Franken ouster.

All admirable qualities.

[Awsi Dooger]

16. Amy would play great in America's living rooms

Great summary. My answer to the OP would be all of the above.

Amy's performance with Kavanuagh was absolutely commanding. Miles the best of any of our senators. I already thought she was special but then that questioning demonstrated her superior instincts. That is what I'm looking for, more than anything -- charisma and tremendous instincts to battle the Trump/GOP onslaught.

John Kerry had an impressive resume but awful instincts. I remember the howls from my friends in Las Vegas when he went wind surfing late in the campaign. I'm very worried we'll nominate someone like that again, a person who looks great on paper and on offense but has no idea what to do when unfair and preposterous attacks are coming from all directions, placing him/her on defense.

I know that Amy would relax and smile. Her response would be charming and witty. Everything would resemble her Kavanaugh effort. If we nominate someone who thinks claws have to come out, it is the equivalent of raising Trump's approval rating 5 points all by ourselves.

A female in particular really has a difficult balancing act. Frankly I'd prefer a male nominee but other than Beto I don't see anyone who fits what I am looking for. I hosted enough debate watching parties in Las Vegas to understand how difficult it is for a female nominee. Dina Titus ran for Nevada governor in 2006 against Jim Gibbons and made statements that I thought were perfectly tame. But the apolitical types in my living room reacted negatively, especially the females. Titus lost by about 4 points. I always knew that Hillary had almost no margin for error in 2016, because her personality and style resembled Dina Titus. If a female like that is the nominee it needs to be an incredibly favorable scenario nationwide, like Hillary would have had in 2008 and Dina Titus did find in 2008, in a congressional matchup against jackass Jon Porter.

Our voters are mistaking 2020 as an incredibly favorable scenario. I am fully prepared for an overly aggressive mistake in the primaries, like I experienced here with Andrew Gillum against Gwen Graham.

If an overly aggressive mistake is made, then we simply need to get lucky. Trump would need to flub repeatedly and the economy has to be on the downswing. An Amy Klobuchar type expands margin for error instead of retracting it. She could defeat Trump amidst normalcy.

[NewJeffCT]

15. I have no preference

but, I like Klobuchar's intelligence, tenacity and her ability to think on her feet. I was intrigued when I saw she was in an improv troupe when she was at Yale, so should be good in a debate, I would think.

[Shrek]

18. Eating salad with a comb is pretty hard-core

I admit I was gobsmacked.

[Politicub]

19. I liked her answers during the CNN town hall

Didn't know that much about her. I appreciate her approach to big change. It reminds me of Obama, how he did things deliberately so they would be more palatable to Americans.

She is for universal care via a public option in the ACA. I agree. She wants to take a measured approach to free higher education by making need-based assistance more available and community colleges free.

I get the sense she is a quiet but effective progressive.

[scardycat]

20. I like Amy K because she tells it like it is..good or bad..

I dont like pie in the sky promises that cant be kept