The fabled Democratic dinner that makes history

[brooklynite]

CNN

It's the dinner that makes history.

The biggest moment yet in the Democratic campaign for President takes place Friday at the Liberty and Justice celebration (formerly the Jefferson Jackson dinner, before the party stopped ignoring those two presidents' slave-owning legacies.)

This rowdy festival in Iowa is a fabled political moment. Campaigns shell out for hundreds of tickets for supporters. Candidates march through downtown Des Moines to the event, putting on shows of organizing and financial muscle that help handicap the field. In a test of dexterity, nerves and message, each candidate gets about 10 minutes onstage, no notes allowed.

It was here in 2007 that Barack Obama supercharged a slumbering campaign and went on to win Iowa, the nomination and the presidency. Sick looks on the faces of Hillary Clinton's staff after his soaring address told the story. Four years earlier, John Kerry's do-or-die speech had launched a comeback that helped him grab both the caucuses and the nomination.

Now the pressure is on Joe Biden to send a jolt through a campaign that threatens to fizzle in Iowa. It might also be a last chance for struggling Kamala Harris, who just slashed her staff. And Iowa favorites Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and the rising Pete Buttigieg could land decisive blows by emulating Kerry and Obama.

Tonight on C-SPAN

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. This dinner will be a very interesting possible turning point.

I smiled when I read "no notes."

Pete Buttigieg routinely speaks without notes, to questions, to audiences who are raptly listening, all the time.

In fact, when I see him reading a prepared speech, it startles me, since he does it so infrequently.

Go get 'em, Pete Buttigieg!

[central scrutinizer]

2. I hate this horse race bullshit

Why two predominantly white, rural states carry such disproportionate weight is an anachronism that needs to go the way of eight track tape decks

[question everything]

3. Well said. And I think that it is really galling on NH part to have it in its constitution

that it has to be the first primary.

Let's have regional rotation primaries. Many secretaries of states, of both parties, were working on this in the 90s but I suppose party activists carries the day.

[brooklynite]

5. So you want to give preference to high dollar candidates who can afford TV time?

Because that's what regional Primaries will require. However unrepresentative IA and NH are, they require face to face campaigning skills and grassroots organizing to turn out voters; skills worth having in a candidate.

[question everything]

6. These "face to face" tilt toward activists that do not represent the majority of voters

This is how the party has started tilting to the left which leaves many voters wondering whether they still belong in the party. Yes, I know, DU loves the left tilting, but we won in 2018 with moderates.

And, as I've posted here several times: only two candidates who won Iowa, at least, made it to the White House: Bush in 2000 and Obama in 2008, and Carter in 1976 coming second after "not committed."

Today with "social media" candidates can find other ways to interact with voters. These skills may be worth having, but are not absolutely required. Also, regional primaries may shorten the campaign!

While I don't know much about the Republican party, I suspect that party activists there have tilted the party to the right and we ended with such a polarized country.

I have heard a presentation a few years ago, showing a bell curve of voters: right and left and center. But since... I don't remember which year, we see two peaks. Talking about "what unifies us" is a nice slogan but in reality the activists of both parties, thrive on what divide us.

[Gothmog]

4. Fire Fighters for Biden..

Link to tweet