WHO is the best coalition builder?

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

An ESSENTIAL TRAIT, imho .... and one which has thusfar gone totally unrecognized as a criteria for the nominee.

By that I mean a skilled communicator who can pull together all the disparate elements of the democratic party and progressive left, AND disgruntled independents and even those republicans who are still conservative but who are in favor of restoring checks and balances in government - yeah, there are some.

It's not enough to say we have passionate debate and then we pull together at the end. Im all for passionate debate and the primaries are the time to have that - but the pulling together hasn't always happened.

Long story short, it really needs to happen this time. Like.... really.... needs to... happen.

edta: I don't think this means necessarily a candidate who we would call a "centrist." No, not at all!!!!!

t could be someone who can clearly and passionately and convincingly articulate the vision for, say, medicare for all, but still be willing to and able to forge coalitions to work on and get done on those things for which there is agreement. Defending/securing Social Security, Medicare, womens rights, workers rights, a new Voters Rights Act, evneironmental protections, public lands, public education - all these things which have served us well for 100 yrs. This is the common ground supported by large majority of Am. people - should be a no brainer to position Dem party as defender of what is NORMAL.... and let the R party be the party of extremism and radical redistribution of wealth (upwards to ultra wealthy).

So my question is - who do yall think this person is, or could be ? As you can see Im still undecided.

[Ninga]

1. Read read read about the history of your favorite

candidates. It can be enlightening.

[Gothmog]

2. Joe Biden is the only one who can build the needed coalition

Link to tweet

[Green Line]

3. Joe will be #46

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. I agree. nt

[peggysue2]

10. Saw that chart last night, Gothmog

Puts something of a kibosh on the Warren Surging with African American Voters headlines. And since the AA community represents nearly 25% of the Democratic electorate, no candidate will win the primary or a General without their strong support. Bernie Sanders has seen an increase in the AA youth vote. But then, Biden blows it out with all other ages.

Interesting, too, Biden's support is the strongest with AA women, a very important sector when it comes to actual votes and energy on the ground.

It's another GO4JOE!

[highplainsdem]

13. Agree completely.

[crazytown]

5. My 2c

[TidalWave46]

7. +1

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=320981

[TidalWave46]

6. I have written numerous times that Warren will be successful because she is a coalition builder.

Love the op as it’s something that is important to me. I’ve completely written off five candidates because they have no real track record of building political coalitions that have brought about legislative success.

I think Warren, Biden, Harris, Klobuchar and Booker are our best bets.

[MBS]

8. Buttigieg, obviously!

Bringing people together is the main theme of his campaign:
- his priority concern about addressing what he calls (IMO, accurately) the "crisis of belonging" in our country
- his diverse programs of national service , designed explicitly to get people to work together (and in the process learn about each other's lives) to address the many problems in this country
- making climate change a "national project", recruiting everyone to solve the problem, along the lines of (but much broader than) the 1960's program to the moon. ("America is at its best when it has a national project" )
– a talent for offering bold projects (see above) in a non-polarizing way that comes of as reasonable, speaking to people of diverse viewpoints

And so much more

[FreeState]

11. + 1 n/t

[UniteFightBack]

12. And he's funny. That really can help break down some walls. Biden or Buttigieg all the way!!! nt

[peggysue2]

9. Joe Biden's comments on building coalitions have taken flack right here at DU

No coalitions are possible, no compromise is acceptable, yada, yada. And yet, . . .

the only way shit gets done/accomplished is putting these very coalitions together and hammering out the details. No one gets everything they want but the ball is moved forward. Yes, its slow and laborious and frustrating. It's also the way the system works.

Joe Biden has the experience of corralling these disparate elements and that experience will come into the fore post-2020.

Btw, Joe Biden is not a centrist. He's a liberal, the pragmatic sort. Which is also needed to get shit done, move the ball forward. We get stuck in an 'all or nothing' mentality? That's exactly what we'll get: nothing, nada, zip.