Democratic Primaries

Renew Deal

(85,210 posts)

91. Kerry was a flawed candidate

Wed May 8, 2019, 11:42 AM

May 2019

People found him completely uninspiring. I fear that we will make the same mistake again. People are looking for the safe choice without looking at the future.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

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Electability was a major concern for many in the 2004 primary [View all] Kaleva May 2019 OP

Well, yes. I think electability resides with the candidate's effectiveness PatrickforO May 2019 #1

+1 emulatorloo May 2019 #3

I agree TryLogic May 2019 #16

+1 Kurt V. May 2019 #52

Voters can only pick a candidate out of the ones running, none of whom will be perfect. Honeycombe8 May 2019 #63

Kerry was to the left of Dean emulatorloo May 2019 #2

Depends on the issue. Perception was that Dean was on the left. marylandblue May 2019 #5

"Perception" isn't always factual though. emulatorloo May 2019 #25

In politics, perception is everything. marylandblue May 2019 #26

agreed NewJeffCT May 2019 #30

but MA had gay marriage - so that does not add anything karynnj May 2019 #45

gay marriage in Mass NewJeffCT May 2019 #49

Kerry spoke against going to war before it started - essentially calling it immoral karynnj May 2019 #57

Doesn't matter NewJeffCT May 2019 #59

How do you explain that even in Iowa, Kerry got the majority of votes of those against the war? karynnj May 2019 #89

Howard Dean himself endorsed HIllary 4 years later JI7 May 2019 #90

Fair enough. Noting that The perception of 2014 primary was thaf Kerry was the stronger candidate emulatorloo May 2019 #33

Perception differed by person -- and factually Kerry had by far the more liberal record karynnj May 2019 #41

Since the 2000 election, I've become very aware of constructed narratives marylandblue May 2019 #73

Yes, I recall that, and especially after 2008, I realized electability was an empty argument. marylandblue May 2019 #4

Yeah, I consider electability to be largely a red herring argument... Wounded Bear May 2019 #12

I agree TryLogic May 2019 #15

I've never quite recovered from Mondale v Hart. crazytown May 2019 #79

I was lurking during that time and still believe Dean would have won Indygram May 2019 #6

Sorta with you zipplewrath May 2019 #7

I agree with that CNN poll on the matchup with Trump Indygram May 2019 #8

Not sold yet zipplewrath May 2019 #9

You likely did not see much of Kerry beyond the convention and the debates karynnj May 2019 #46

Kerry had the charisma of a rock Indygram May 2019 #62

You might be surprised that Beto is being compared to Kerry on twitter karynnj May 2019 #64

Those people clearly are not actually watching Beto, then Indygram May 2019 #67

i like Beto but the way you talk about him is kind of embarrassing JI7 May 2019 #68

I say Trump has "dark charisma." People love or hate him, but he is hard to ignore. marylandblue May 2019 #74

Exactly...you really simplified it, but to you, me and most here...it's dark charisma Indygram May 2019 #76

Well okay, but I don't believe that charisma is an objective quality marylandblue May 2019 #77

You are right, he's not the only one who has it... Indygram May 2019 #78

I'm honest, sometimes to a fault, and often blunt Indygram May 2019 #75

The problem with pulling out a dictionary kcr May 2019 #92

Your opinion karynnj May 2019 #69

i intend to do just that. barbtries May 2019 #10

I agree. TryLogic May 2019 #14

it wasn't. he lost Iowa before the dean scream JI7 May 2019 #18

weren't there a lot of primaries to go at that point? barbtries May 2019 #22

yes, but he was losing new Hampshire also and most of his support was from higher income whites JI7 May 2019 #24

You're missing the fact that he was a bad candidate... brooklynite May 2019 #53

so his campaign wasn't good enough. barbtries May 2019 #55

He had already lost Iowa before the Dean Scream. His candidacy was derailed by Kerry's superior emulatorloo May 2019 #31

I wasn't a supporter but that was crap. CentralMass May 2019 #61

Do you remember "Gore claimed he invented the Internet" ha ha ha ha ha .... EXCEPT MH1 May 2019 #84

and it's worse now, so much worse. barbtries May 2019 #86

lol, that's not what happened. du was mostly Dean and Clark supporters JI7 May 2019 #11

Well said n/t emulatorloo May 2019 #32

The best candidate is most likely the most electable candidate. TryLogic May 2019 #13

I think the most charismatic is the most electable. thesquanderer May 2019 #17

I don't trust the stories I hear about Trump being most afraid of Biden. TryLogic May 2019 #19

Trump doesn't play 3-Dimensional chess. emulatorloo May 2019 #34

Some of the folks who enabled him do. Never believe Trump on any subject. Never believe his enablers Ford_Prefect May 2019 #35

Which ones play 3-dimensional chess? Kellyanne? She of the bowling green massacre? emulatorloo May 2019 #65

Some can be found at the political branch of Koch industries, several must reside close to Vlad, Ford_Prefect May 2019 #66

electability 2004 vs 2016 vs 2020 Locrian May 2019 #20

Had Dean been the nominee he would have won in 2004( Dean was/is a fighter) INdemo May 2019 #21

I was very disappointed with Democrats complete submission to the MSM LiberalLovinLug May 2019 #23

Agreed. BlueWI May 2019 #58

Kerry was a much stronger candidate than Dean karynnj May 2019 #71

It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Pushed by those who want it so MarcA May 2019 #27

Did a little searching. WeekiWater May 2019 #28

Dean lost because the illustrious media intentionally misrepresented him as not a stable person still_one May 2019 #29

Why did he lose Iowa by 20 percent to Kerry before the scream happened karynnj May 2019 #70

How did Edwards got 32% from nowhere? crazytown May 2019 #80

Edwards got 30% karynnj May 2019 #82

C'mon crazytown May 2019 #83

Joe Trippi had run campaigns in Iowa before karynnj May 2019 #85

"electabiliy" is the strawman that the establishment always throws up about inspirational candidates pdsimdars May 2019 #36

Rethuglican, Ken Blackwell, Ohio Sec. of State was in charge of oasis May 2019 #37

Something Kerry never challenged Kaleva May 2019 #38

That had nothing to do with Kerry's "electability". I'm oasis May 2019 #40

The end result was that "electibility" didn't translate into being elected. Kaleva May 2019 #43

And Blackwell would've backed off if Dean had been our nominee. oasis May 2019 #44

No, it's just that "electibility" as an arguement goes nowhere Kaleva May 2019 #47

Kerry never had proof that more people who voted in Ohio voted for him karynnj May 2019 #72

Dean's problem wasn't his ability to win the General, it was his ability to win the Primary brooklynite May 2019 #39

The point is that electibility doesn't always translate to victory in November or even in a primary Kaleva May 2019 #42

Good advice.I expect more than one candidate will be electable delisen May 2019 #48

Several, as it appears right now, have a legitimate shot at winning Kaleva May 2019 #50

Oh do I remember the stolen 2000 election, still burns my ah ruffles saidsimplesimon May 2019 #51

That's all I'm saying Kaleva May 2019 #54

Thanks Kaleva, we agree. saidsimplesimon May 2019 #56

Well said. nt DesertRat May 2019 #60

I was a huge Howard Dean fan - still am - I was devastated when he lost the 2004 Iowa Caucus... Drunken Irishman May 2019 #81

The Dean campaign's ground game left a lot to be desired. Kaleva May 2019 #87

Yes. Dean's campaign never grew into front-runner status... Drunken Irishman May 2019 #88

Kerry was a flawed candidate Renew Deal May 2019 #91