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Drunken Irishman

(34,857 posts)

112. It's also convenient to ignore who actually ran in 2008...

Tue Apr 14, 2015, 10:23 AM

Apr 2015

Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards were the only three candidates worth anything. Everyone else was basically a Martin O'Malley clone and not a realistic, or viable contender at any point.

There's still a good chance 2016 has a bunch of minor Democrats like 2008. In fact, I guarantee you'll get a few Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich-types - you know, candidates most people don't care about.

But there won't be an Obama. There hasn't been a candidate, beyond Warren, who has electrified so many segments of the Democratic Party like Obama did. That's the difference.

It's funny, though, that people act like this is so new and startling. In 2000, guess how many serious Democratic candidates there were? TWO - Al Gore and Bill Bradley and Bradley won ZERO primaries.

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The First Democratc Candidate has entered the Race. Who will be the next & who should s/he/they be? [View all] sabrina 1 Apr 2015 OP

Would be very happy with any of your choices..... daleanime Apr 2015 #1

It's the fault of the people imo. We can't get what we want if we don't try. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #2

with the way campaigns are financed awoke_in_2003 Apr 2015 #36

I wonder what would happen if every Democrat refused to take Wall St/Koch money? What if they sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #54

I wish they had the brass to do it awoke_in_2003 Apr 2015 #57

Isn't Webb already in it? Hillary is second or so I thought yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #53

I don't know, haven't heard anything about him announcing he is running. If he is, that would be a sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #55

Thanks. I could be wrong but I thought he announced. yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #56

Okay, I found that he was the first to launch an exploratory committee in November last year. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #59

Thanks! Look forward to him announcing yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #60

I would love for Russ to run! ScreamingMeemie Apr 2015 #3

He's going on listening sessions throughout WI, I think he's considering getting his seat back. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #39

That is sooo good to hear. ScreamingMeemie Apr 2015 #41

He is going to run for the Senate, which is great news, imo. I would like him as president, however sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #61

That's not a definite yet. I sure hope he does. We done fucked up when we lost him. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #62

You're right, I thought he had decided, but it does look hopeful: sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #65

Barbara Lee has been there. Octafish Apr 2015 #4

She's tough and fearless, AND honest, trusthworthy and when she says something, I sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #5

The concentration of money and what it buys makes democracy a game for the rich. Octafish Apr 2015 #29

That is a great cartoon! It is a monstrous game. We have so many good Democrats who would make sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #58

As a form of government, democracy means every citizen voting on everything. Our ills come from merrily Apr 2015 #115

Vermin Supreme zappaman Apr 2015 #6

Is he a Democrat? That's all I want to know. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #7

Yup. n/t zappaman Apr 2015 #10

Yes, but what about the rent? DefenseLawyer Apr 2015 #21

it's too damn high awoke_in_2003 Apr 2015 #37

... awoke_in_2003 Apr 2015 #38

K & R. I would vote for any one of them in a NYC heartbeat. merrily Apr 2015 #8

Mike Capuano! Yes, he is a great progressive Dem. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #14

Yes, he did. But, such support as came from the Party in the primary went to merrily Apr 2015 #19

I remember that race very well. That was when I became disgusted with the Party leadership for sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #75

Julian Castro is my favorite up and comer - TBF Apr 2015 #9

They've met KamaAina Apr 2015 #12

i love Julian! ScreamingMeemie Apr 2015 #15

No doubt. It might be him or O'Malley. merrily Apr 2015 #20

Yes, he is another good Democrat. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #22

I realy like Feingold. NCTraveler Apr 2015 #11

I've always respected Feingold. The good news is, he IS running for the Senate. Definitely planning sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #16

Markey and Warren will be in those Senate seats as long as they want to be. merrily Apr 2015 #23

That's good to know. Now we need to add more Progressive Dems to the Senate and Congress. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #85

Lee Mercer, Jr. KamaAina Apr 2015 #13

He has an 'exciting' platform! sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #64

Recommended. H2O Man Apr 2015 #17

Plus, a primary forces candidates to prove themselves, and to earn our vote arcane1 Apr 2015 #27

Great point. H2O Man Apr 2015 #35

the party's designed to 1. take money and 2. keep taking money: allowing in candidates who MisterP Apr 2015 #32

Well said! H2O Man Apr 2015 #42

Kerry Kennedy, not Sandra Lee, right? MisterP Apr 2015 #76

I'm optimistically disagreeing with your prediction. Jim Lane Apr 2015 #44

I hope that you're right! H2O Man Apr 2015 #52

These are not the drones you're looking for merrily Apr 2015 #145

Sanders could run as an Independent. That is now the largest voting bloc. Over 40% of registered sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #67

Sanders has all but completely ruled out that possibility. Jim Lane Apr 2015 #74

Then the Dem Party should enlist him. He is a great Democrat even if he isn't sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #82

Excellent post. And Primaries are good for Democracy. We certainly don't want to turn into one of sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #84

Sherrod Brown talks about economic issues in a real way DefenseLawyer Apr 2015 #18

A challenge to Hillary from the left is the last thing the merrily Apr 2015 #26

I didn't mean to imply that it was what she wanted. DefenseLawyer Apr 2015 #30

I didn't think you had implied that. merrily Apr 2015 #31

Sherrod brown would make a great candidate. I have been reading and listening to him sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #92

It's sad that we don't have more Dems and candidates who are like the above LeftInTX Apr 2015 #24

"No one seems to want to run." The Party seems to have decided that primaries are merrily Apr 2015 #25

Why would anyone want to be president? Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #98

Then why does the Party have to bother discouraging/avoiding primaries? merrily Apr 2015 #103

Maybe because no one has stepped up who's as big of a power player as Hillary? Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #106

That is not the answer to "Why does the Party have to discourage primaries?" merrily Apr 2015 #108

It's also convenient to ignore who actually ran in 2008... Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #112

Also not an answer to "Why does the Party have to discourage primaries." merrily Apr 2015 #114

How are they discouraging primaries? Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #117

Anyone can win an election IF their party gets behind them. Losing one race has not been a deterrent sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #110

We are not getting fewer and fewer choices. Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #111

Ted Kennedy ran against an incumbent. Hillary is not an incumbent. Besides attributing Carter's merrily Apr 2015 #113

I don't know if carter would have defeated Reagan without a primary. Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #118

Yet Hillary continuing to run in 2008 with no chance of winning supposedly helped Obama. merrily Apr 2015 #119

Well I disagreed with that and it's big reason I am not a fan of Hillary. Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #120

I disagree that about the alleged reason that people are not lining up. merrily Apr 2015 #122

Why didn't they line up in 1992 or 2000? Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #124

The process of discouraging primaries did not come about in five minutes. It's been in the works merrily Apr 2015 #125

Before McGovern, there were not traditional primaries like we have today. Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #131

What? No primaries? How far back are you going? John Adams? merrily Apr 2015 #132

I never said no primaries... Drunken Irishman Apr 2015 #143

Per the last two lines of my Reply 22, I am not going to read your post at this point. merrily Apr 2015 #144

P.S. I don't see the 1992 field at all the way I see the 2016 field (as we know it so far, anyway). merrily Apr 2015 #126

I suppose a half-dozen editorials do indeed, speak for the entire Democratic party. LanternWaste Apr 2015 #121

Hah? Direct quotes from Schumer, Frank and Brown are not editorials. merrily Apr 2015 #123

I think we have reached a point where they, those in power, have achieved their goal. Only Wall St sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #34

When did she tell anyone to shut up and sit down? merrily Apr 2015 #47

Don't remember any of them telling us our ideas are 'retarded' either. They seem to agree with us sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #80

We'd need to raise much $$$$, unite and organize. Raising first dollars, without seed money or merrily Apr 2015 #107

Those are all great choices!! arcane1 Apr 2015 #28

I love your choices. Blue_In_AK Apr 2015 #33

Thank you and I would like anyone to tell me why any one of them could not run and win if the sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #86

I'm especially fond of Sherrod Brown. Blue_In_AK Apr 2015 #87

I prefer Feingold for SCOTUS rather than POTUS. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #40

How likely is it that a New Dem POTUS will appoint anyone like Feingold? merrily Apr 2015 #45

Far more likely than any Republican, that's for sure. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #46

Equally unlikely, IMO. merrily Apr 2015 #48

I very much disagree. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #49

okay. merrily Apr 2015 #50

I think O'Malley will be next in, followed by Castro and Sanders. MerryBlooms Apr 2015 #43

Best thread all day, IMO, sabrina 1. Thank you. merrily Apr 2015 #51

Barbara Lee or Bernie Sanders JEB Apr 2015 #63

I find it strange that the Dem Party would NOT want Barbara Lee to run. Maybe SHE doesn't want to sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #70

She's great. JEB Apr 2015 #88

President and VP, either way. n/t sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #93

With leaders like that JEB Apr 2015 #94

The 1% has already picked the next POTUS. Didn't you know? L0oniX Apr 2015 #66

Lol, but there are more of us than there are of them! It's still a Democracy no? sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #68

Well, it's got all the trappings of a democracy Art_from_Ark Apr 2015 #72

Lol, true, but logos don't make people's lives better. Good policies, strong leadership, less sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #77

Logos usually don't get my attention Art_from_Ark Apr 2015 #78

It problably doesn't mean anything, just subliminal! Lol, like those ads that are sending sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #79

You've got a good list of principles Art_from_Ark Apr 2015 #81

Thank you. I feel unwelcome in the Dem Party over the past few years. There was a lot of talk sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #95

I sometimes feel like Art_from_Ark Apr 2015 #97

That's a perfect way of putting it. 'Do as I say, don't do as I do'. Reminds me of the NJ sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #99

I still can't get over how those New Jersey "Dems" Art_from_Ark Apr 2015 #100

Yes ...but the 1% own the voting machines. L0oniX Apr 2015 #73

That looks like a pretty good lineup Art_from_Ark Apr 2015 #69

Bernie... kentuck Apr 2015 #71

This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Apr 2015 #83

I share your dream! Barbara Lee is my number one choice, too. Dems to Win Apr 2015 #89

She has a perfect record on the issues, especially on being smart enough and courageous enough to sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #91

I would be thrilled LWolf Apr 2015 #90

I would too, thank you n/t sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #96

The ones you named, plus Robert Reich, Al Gore dreamnightwind Apr 2015 #101

I didn't know Reich had talked about running. I like him, he is very good on economic issues, the sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #102

Reich recently ran his flag up the flagpole dreamnightwind Apr 2015 #105

Interesting. Reich running would be great. But it's interesting to read this because recently he sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #134

I read the recent "complimentary" article differently dreamnightwind Apr 2015 #139

You may be right. I knew he was critical of the Clintons on policies, so when I read that article sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #140

I would love to see more posts like this, and from DU admins. NYC_SKP Apr 2015 #104

The way I see it, nothing is ever a done deal. Especially in politics. What I am afraid of is that sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #109

Did you ever really think that DU -- Hell Hath No Fury Apr 2015 #137

Great picks, sabrina... MrMickeysMom Apr 2015 #116

Someone in the thread suggested Bernie and Barbara Lee, either way. I liked that a lot. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #128

No problem with any of your picks. xfundy Apr 2015 #127

Al Franken, that is another great choice. I only put up a few I thought of right off the bat because sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #129

Al Gore. Gavin Newsom. Warren DeMontague Apr 2015 #130

Gavin Newsom, that is another good pick. Someone else mentioned Al Gore also. sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #133

No to Newsom. Hell Hath No Fury Apr 2015 #136

I didn't like him so much as SF mayor, either. Warren DeMontague Apr 2015 #138

Sorry about that. Thanks for the information about him. I had a positive image of him, probably sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #141

I would say "yes" to any of your choices -- Hell Hath No Fury Apr 2015 #135

'I want as many good nominees as possible, offering as many voices as we can get'. Yes, sabrina 1 Apr 2015 #142