# 2020 Prez hopefuls... your take or your candidates **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2017, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413 "2017-11-12T07:52:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/21 "2017-11-12T22:32:21Z")
I don’t really see Michelle in the Oval Office. Give it a generation and wait for Malia/Sasha 2036. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/22 "2017-11-12T22:37:09Z")
My dream ticket right now is Biden/Harris, but only because Franken has so vehemently stated he will not run for the office. Plus I think a lot can change between now and three years from now. I would love for Franken to step up. He’s good enough, he’s smart enough, and doggone it, people like him! Seriously! Again, Harris as Veep appeals to me. She’s too inexperienced to run for the top spot, but she can gain a lot of gravitas by filling the Veep position well for 4 years. Bernie has said if he runs again, he’ll run as an independent. I’m glad about that. Rather than split the Democratic party, I think it will free Dems to pull from the middle for independents and disaffected moderate Republicans. You can’t ignore the middle and win. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/23 "2017-11-12T23:11:07Z")
Another for Biden/Harris. Or even Biden/Booker. Either one would make the deplorables lose their shit. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/24 "2017-11-12T23:13:10Z")
Biden is going to be pretty old in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/25 "2017-11-12T23:22:47Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Biden is going to be pretty old in 2020. Aren’t they all? If Pence survives Mueller, then it’s 3 silver-haired fogeys competing for the top spot. Why would Biden’s age matter more than Pence’s or Bernie’s? I don’t think it does. But that’s why I think it’s way too early to start hardening our positions on a 2020 candidate. The situation is unsettled and fluid. Right now, what’s working best is for each faction of the party to work in whatever way they feel best against Republicans. We’ll know better how to jump as a party in another year and some. If Pence get knocked out and Republicans run someone like Kasich or Ryan, then I think the Biden situation requires a re-think. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2017, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/26 "2017-11-12T23:29:50Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Aren’t they all? If Pence survives Mueller, then it’s 3 silver-haired fogeys competing for the top spot. Why would Biden’s age matter more than Pence’s or Bernie’s? Pence is in his fifties; he’d be president in his sixties. Biden is in his seventies; he’d be president in his eighties. That seems a little different. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/27 "2017-11-13T00:01:38Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Pence is in his fifties; he’d be president in his sixties. Biden is in his seventies; he’d be president in his eighties. That seems a little different. I see your point, but I rather doubt anyone is going to be asking themselves if Pence is more qualified merely because of his somewhat younger age. Biden is in good health and doesn’t present as a fogey. In fact, Pence seems older to me because he’s such a stuffed shirt. Frankly, if he’s not in the pokey by then – or at least going through the process headed toward it – I expect Pence will be primaried. He’s been splashed with the Trump/Russia shit explosion; he doesn’t have the Trump “charisma;” and he’s batshit nuts all on his own without any help from Trump. Women hate him, except for the evangelical demographic. He’s slow-witted and plodding. I’m not too worried about Pence. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/28 "2017-11-13T00:16:52Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I hope the Dems aren’t naive\* enough to run a SAN FRANCISCO LIBERAL in the next presidential election. Given up on Newsome and his shiny hair, have you? 😉 What I find amusing about Harris and Newsome( not to mention Feinstein, who was literally hated by some on the left when she was mayor ) is that to the progressive wing of SF politics they were/are considered near-anathema moderates. Never mind the whole kicking off the gay marriage thing, Newsome was perceived as far too friendly towards moneyed downtown interests for a number of activist types :D. Of course that was purely local and peculiar to SF. You’re right that they would seem like raving radicals to a lot of folks in Utah. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/29 "2017-11-13T00:41:36Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > I think Al Franken is our best bet, as the Man Most Likely To Make Donald Trump Lose His Shit On Camera. I would enthusiastically vote for Franken. > > I’m also somewhat interested in Biden & Bernie, although they are past their freshness date. Ditto Elizabeth Warren. And Jerry Brown… Those seriously suggesting Al Franken are off their r **k** s. Did you learn nothing from the 2016 personality debacle? Unfortunately I have no candidate to suggest, beyond noting that Elizabeth Warren is quite young and healthy in comparison with the others you name. Joe Biden would have been the Dream Candidate in 2016 — I’m glad to note that at least one top Democrat strategist pushed for this — but will be 78 on Inauguration Day 2021; Sanders will be 79; Brown 82. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/30 "2017-11-13T00:52:18Z")
I’m putting my early money on a Hickenlooper/Harris White house. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/31 "2017-11-13T01:34:10Z")
Franken/either of the Castro brothers ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/32 "2017-11-13T02:13:46Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Those seriously suggesting Al Franken are off their r **k** s. Did you learn nothing from the 2016 personality debacle? I’m listening. Elaborate, please. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/33 "2017-11-13T02:15:15Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Franken/either of the Castro brothers Well, Fidel’s dead. Who’s left besides Raul? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/34 "2017-11-13T02:42:16Z")
Don’t forget about ex-governors. I’m pretty sure that Montana’s Schweitzer would win, for instance, if he could be persuaded to run. Which he can’t, but there are probably a number of good candidates from other states, too. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/35 "2017-11-13T02:48:35Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Why the strong dislike of Cuomo by Liberals anyway. He seems pretty solid to me living one state below NY. Or am I misinterpreting apathy? He’s as crooked as Trump, only he’s better at hiding it. That could be said just about every NY politician. This state is rotten to the core, regardless of party affiliation. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/36 "2017-11-13T03:24:28Z")
Gavin Newsom is probably going to play a big role in national politics in the coming decades. So is Cory Booker. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/37 "2017-11-13T03:37:42Z")
I like Franken, Biden and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. I like Tammy Duckworth for Veep, she brings the mid-western angle and she’s a wounded vet who has spent her life fighting for vets. Actually I think I like Garcetti better for Veep, rather than top of the ticket. Although if Garcetti won the nomination, you’d need a mid-westerner/rust-belter, like Duckworth or Sherrod Brown. I also like the idea of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka as the veep candidate, maybe with Garcetti. Or Biden! Talk about a blue collar ticket. Any of these tickets would appeal to me: Franken/Duckworth Franken/Garcetti Franken/Trumka Garcetti/Trumka Garcetti/Brown Biden/Duckworth Biden/Garcetti Biden/Franken ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/38 "2017-11-13T05:36:03Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You misspelled “deplorables”. Like it or not, SF does not play well in Peoria. Well, Peoria can go eat a bag of poison dicks, then. And as I said at the time - “Basket of Deplorables” is a stupid phrase. She should have hauled up her slacks and said, “Bucket of Bigots”. There was much stupid whining from stupid people - but it was the truth. > [@](#): > > False dichotomy. The Dems need to appeal to moderate Democrats and Independents. Kamala Harris is a newly elected Senator who will have not even served one term in federal office in 2020 (she’ll be 2 years in when the campaign begins). And don’t remind us of Obama. I knew Obama. Obama was a friend of mine. Harris is no Obama. Moderate Democrats aren’t as stupid as “moderate” Republicans. But anyone who’s stupid enough to dismiss Harris merely because the Party of Stupid loses their collective shit at the thought of a “San Francisco Liberal” is still too stupid to have their stupid opinion carry any weight. I honestly don’t believe that there are enough stupid people calling themselves Democrats who will be turned off by the label, “San Francisco Liberal”. But I certainly believe that we shouldn’t try and cater to them. We should spend our energy courting actual liberals and Democrats who live in San Francisco (and other terrifying Coastal cities) even if a bunch of fake “moderates” have a meltdown about it. Maybe especially if they do. It’s time for the Democrats to stop being afraid of Liberals and it’s time to stop caring what non-Democrats think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/39 "2017-11-13T05:51:01Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > You say that as though you think it would be a _good_ thing. I say that too. Only except, it’s more like a nightmare thing for me. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2017, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413/40 "2017-11-13T12:05:09Z")
I doubt whether Franken would do a good job as President, but of course that’s irrelevant. The only thing that matters is choosing a candidate most likely to win a general election. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Those seriously suggesting Al Franken are off their r **k** s. Did you learn nothing from the 2016 personality debacle? > > I’m listening. Elaborate, please. Al Franken is a sarcastic hard left-winger who insults people. If he’s so popular, why did _Air America_ go bankrupt? Those opposing him get a two-for-one deal on him: He’s intellectual, which is bad. But he’s also a comic, for heaven’s sakes. A comic for President?? A comic whose stock-in-trade is to ridicule Americans. Don’t get me wrong: I and many informed Americans would love to see Franken elected! _ **But we need a candidate who can appeal to some of the uninformed Americans of Flyoverland.** _ Progressive Democrats have become so vocal, they overlook that they’re just a small minority of voters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-prez-hopefuls-your-take-or-your-candidates/801413.md?page=3)