Warren confronts ghost of Howard Dean

[brooklynite]

Politico

Liberals swooned. The Democratic establishment was on its heels. Powered by small donors and grassroots energy, in late 2003 Iowa seemed Howard Dean’s for the taking.

But then came the attacks — from both the center and the left. The surge became a stall. On caucus day, the Vermont governor came in third and never recovered.

Elizabeth Warren is trying to avoid the same fate.

While the Warren campaign has stuck to its corruption-centric message, it has noticeably shifted tactics in recent weeks. The Massachusetts senator changed her stump speech and is now taking many more audience questions. She’s drawing sharper contrasts with opponents after months of trying to stay above the fray. There are more big, thematic campaign speeches, and more off the record chats with reporters.

The third such speech in recent weeks will be Tuesday in Boston at the Old South Meeting House, a key organizing place for the Boston Tea Party and American revolutionaries in the 18th century. Warren will highlight the work and poetry of Phillis Wheatley — a member of the Meeting House's congregation. Wheatley was kidnapped from Africa and enslaved before becoming one of the first black women poets in America.

[aikoaiko]

1. IMO she needs to attack Biden hard.

He strength is her history of protecting families financially and economically.

Biden protected credit card companies over families who needed protection from predatory lenders.

Biden also loves civil forfeiture laws that destroys families.

I was ready to support her but she appears unwilling to do what needs to be done. And I’m diheartened that Bernie hasn’t done so either.

[Demsrule86]

4. Let her try...like all who tried before her, it will only bring her down...and now particularly it

would look desperate. As for the bankruptcy thing...you can still get a chapter 7...pretty easy. I know a number of folks who ran up the credit cards and went bankrupt...also those who didn't meet the guidelines paid pennies on the dollar for chapter 11 so good luck with that. And Biden has already said it was mistake to take student debt out of bankruptcy...not completely out but very hard now for it to work...so that needs to be fixed...but bring it on Warren. It won't help you but at least another candidate won't be on the debate stage after January.

[aikoaiko]

7. That's my point, she needs to try and sustain it.

You may think it is easy to chapter 7, but its harder than ever. That you know people who succeeded with bankruptcy only shows how devasting the economy is for some families.

[TidalWave46]

8. Warren is too politically savvy to do what you suggest.

Love how a few people think one of the top runners needs to change or go on the attack. Her campaign would crater overnight if she attacked Biden on the topic you mention.

[bearsfootball516]

2. Biden is beloved in the Democratic Party, so attacking him often backfires.

Because voters become sympathetic to him and get angry with the attacker. Kamala Harris did it and after an initial bump, her numbers fell off a cliff. Julian Castro did it in September or October and his numbers immediately took a nosedive.

[aikoaiko]

3. Harris' attack on Joe worked, but she didn't sustain it which led to the drop.

Harris' attack message was simple and accurate: Joe, you helped segregationists continue to segregate schools with your anti-bussing vote.

Castro's attack message was more complicated and the accuracy was debated heavily immediately afterward.


If it is true that attacks on Biden will backfire, then Biden supporters should welcome them.

I am sure that Warren or anyone else isn't going to "nice" their way into the nomination.

[Demsrule86]

6. It didn't work...and both Booker and Harris double teamed him at the next debate and neither

recovered...but please feel free. I would like Biden to gain more ground before super Tuesday.

[aikoaiko]

9. Biden isn't gaining any ground. He's steady much like Bernie since his May-June plunge from 40+%

Biden has been hovering in the 25-30% national polls forever just as Bernie is hovering within the 15-20%.


https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html

[Demsrule86]

5. So did Corey Booker and he has tanked as well.

[aikoaiko]

10. I don't think Booker was every doing so well to say he tanked.

And Booker's criticism was mild.

[question everything]

11. Again, we really cannot draw many lessons from past campaigns

Major difference - "social media," twitters, insta-something, etc.

"Social media" is built on sensationalism, on "revolutionary" ideas. On freebies rather than the ho-hum boring ideas of infrastructure, of bipartisan decisions.

And on rallies that talk about how bad things are, about the 'forgotten" Americans even though I don't think that many of these "forgotten" attend rallies.

How I miss Reagan's "the shining city on the hill." I think that the ideal candidate is the one who sees the good in this country, who can see the potential, the promises, the ability and the will to do better, to right the wrongs.

For the ones who think that this country is rotten to the core - ask all the masses, yes, the "huddled masses yearning to breathe free" currently on the Southern border, in refugees camps around the world, in detention centers in China and in Myanmar.

[judeling]

12. There is still time for Warren

She really had created a bridge between the wins of the party. But she made one huge mistake by not having her own Healthcare plan.
If she had started where she had ended up she would probably have won the whole thing.