# Frontrunners for Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, {DO NOT rehash past candidates} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 16, 2025, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036 "2025-01-16T06:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 118
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2352 "2026-08-31T00:27:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > But what they should do, which is completely unlike what Trump did, is to fairly try, convict, sentence, and carry out sentence on Trump and his circle, for all of the actual crimes that they actually committed. There is not symmetry, here, because Trump and his circle are actually, in reality, criminals. Some are. But _not for political crimes_. They must only be convicted of crimes like any other citizen. No “enemy lists”. > [@Chronos](#): > > Nobody, on either side, has planned to lock up all of their political enemies, including the voters. Even if some might want to, it’s simply not feasible on that scale. > [@CaptMurdock](#): > > deportations of some of the more vile elements of MAGA. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Sure, but most of the people who voted for him aren’t. and I think many trump appointees are just sycophants, not criminals. Mind you- the AG, the Director of ICE, and a few others… fully investigate and indict if crimes are shown/ I am not worried about you know who- he will either be dead or close to it in two+ years. > [@JRDelirious](#): > > You detect _A_ serious crime within the first 3 months of investigation? CHARGE IT AND TRY IT. Then, you would get a verdict of not guilty, if in the unlikely event you could even get a true bill from a Grand Jury. The kinds of crimes we are talking about here take years to gather the evidence so you can get a conviction. Let us take this famous case- > **[Prosecution of Donald Trump in New York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosecution_of_Donald_Trump_in_New_York)** > > The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump was a 2023–2024 criminal case against Donald Trump, then a former president of the United States. Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal payments made to the pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels as hush money to buy her silence over an alleged sexual encounter between them. The Manhattan District Attorney (DA), Alvin Bragg, accused Trump of falsifying these business records with the intent to ... Crime occurred in 2016. Investigation started 2018 Grand Jury returned true bill March 2023. Trial began April 2024 May 30- Verdict (and that was unusually fast) Jan 2025- Appeal Aug 2026 that Appeal denied, another one filed. That is EIGHT YEARS until trial and conviction, and still ongoing TEN years later. And that is not even unusual. FIVE years to gather evidence. This idea that Garland or anyone could bring someone to trial and conviction in a few months is ridiculous. Not even in a few years. Not unless we start having kangaroo courts, and then we might as well just call then _Volksgerichtshof_ like in Nazi Germany and be done with it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2353 "2026-08-31T08:40:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > They must only be convicted of crimes like any other citizen. They will all have presidential pardons. Neener neener. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2354 "2026-08-31T18:29:05Z")
Never mind, we are drifting again. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2355 "2026-09-01T03:00:14Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Okay. Do you see any of the likely contenders as folk who have both the ability and the predilection to do that? No, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2356 "2026-09-01T03:13:44Z")
Okay. So given that none of the likely crop will likely be following your suggested approach, who do you dislike as a standard bearer the least? ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2357 "2026-09-01T03:22:11Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Yes, I would love it if a Democratic candidate would make Rousting The Deplorables And Throwing Them Out Like Last Week’s Spaghetti their main platform plank Do you really want this to be the main plank in the platform or are you being rhetorical? If all a candidate can offer is to undo things the previous president did, then what’s the point? They’ll be a one-term president and we’ll ping pong back to where we are today. It would be better to add specific reforms to the platform that prevent future abuses rather than clean-up past abuses. But I still wouldn’t make reforms the main plank of the platform. The highest priority planks should be positive and aimed at improving voters lives. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2358 "2026-09-01T03:54:31Z")
I don’t want the Democratic candidate to just “undo things” that tRump did – I want him to remove the regressive elements of our society to keep them from ever happening again. That in itself will improve the lives of American citizens. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2359 "2026-09-01T04:45:06Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I don’t want the Democratic candidate to just “undo things” that tRump did – I want him to remove the regressive elements of our society to keep them from ever happening again. Which would best be accomplished by taxing the rich and properly funding education, infrastructure, and public health, so that you don’t have people who can afford to buy elections by playing on culture war fears of the poor, sick, and uneducated. Not with anti-maga pogroms. We need an FDR, not a Trump with a (D) at the end of his name. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2360 "2026-09-01T15:10:20Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I don’t want the Democratic candidate to just “undo things” that tRump did – I want him to remove the regressive elements of our society to keep them from ever happening again. So…prisons? Re-education camps? Firing squads? I completely understand intense frustration and anger at Trump and his supporters, but you’re asking for either (a) a fantasy, or (b) a bloodbath. And, _realistically_, that’s not a platform that is going to actually get a candidate elected, as viscerally exciting as it may be to some people. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2361 "2026-09-01T15:30:40Z")
I wrote this on the “Leopards eating people’s faces” thread but it is more apt here: > [@Surprises coming for voters for the Leopards-Eating-Faces Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprises-coming-for-voters-for-the-leopards-eating-faces-party/1010166/5617): > > I think any future Dem administration will have to think long and hard on how to move between two extremes, on one side let things continue to backslide while respecting all norms and customs and on the other becoming a mirror version of Trump. If they want to save their country (and may be human civilization) they’ll have to make an abrupt change of direction, and that will be impossible if they don’t take radical measures and ignore a lot of norms and maybe some laws. On the other hand destr… I think any future Dem administration will have to think long and hard on how to move between two extremes, on one side let things continue to backslide while respecting all norms and customs and on the other becoming a mirror version of Trump. If they want to save their country (and may be human civilization) they’ll have to make an abrupt change of direction, and that will be impossible if they don’t take radical measures and ignore a lot of norms and maybe some laws. On the other hand destroying the democracy in order to save it is not ideal either. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2362 "2026-09-01T15:38:30Z")
> [@Frodo](#): > > If they want to save their country (and may be human civilization) they’ll have to make an abrupt change of direction, and that will be impossible if they don’t take radical measures and ignore a lot of norms and maybe some laws. Does this ever work? That’s basically the Sulla Strat - take power and ruthlessly clean up the insidious forces working against the Republic before generously giving up power - but even if we luck out and find a Sulla type responsible enough to put aside his power once he’s done wielding it, all that does is teach a Julius Caesar that _Sulla’s only mistake was giving up power._ ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2363 "2026-09-01T15:44:17Z")
Well in my view, as life-long Marius supporter, _Sulla_ started the end of the republic by seizing power with his army. But notwithstanding that the crux of the matter is that if the Dems don’t recognize that Trump has destroyed the old order of things they are condemned to another semi-ineffectual presidential turn to be replaced after 4 or with luck 8 years by another Trumper who will destroy everything they fixed in the first 5 minutes of his presidency and then continue the slide into hell. The people are demanding _change_, if the Dems don’t deliver their own version of change, the Republicans will continue delivering theirs. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2364 "2026-09-01T15:48:27Z")
Dems just need to follow the law and Constitution. There are no “norms and customs” any more – Trump blew them all away. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2365 "2026-09-01T15:50:37Z")
Eggzactly. And in case some law needs to be bended the Dems need to be at least prepared to threaten to do so if necessary, you cannot play by the Marquess of Queensberry Rules anymore. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2366 "2026-09-01T15:52:33Z")
I think everything needed to be done can be done within the law, they’ll just have to hit the gas once they get power back. Immediate filibuster and SCOTUS reform; immediate investigations and prosecutions (as fast as possible!); immediate revocation of Trump exec orders, Trump monuments, Trump funds, (all done legally); etc. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2367 "2026-09-01T15:55:17Z")
All of that should be just the beginning, repairing the wounds and treating the symptoms. But they need to go further and treat the causes of the disease too, the inequal distribution of wealth being one of them if not THE cause. Restore the power of unions, make billionaires pay much more than they do now, etc. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2368 "2026-09-01T15:55:47Z")
I agree – that can also be done within the law, I believe. As long as SCOTUS has been reformed. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2369 "2026-09-01T15:58:18Z")
But you’ll need to play hardball, the ruling class, the real one, will not take it gently and accept defeat. You’ll need, as Roosevelt said to “Welcome their hatred” and fight them tooth and nail. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2370 "2026-09-01T15:59:00Z")
Yes, definitely. Eat the rich. Fuck the rich. Needs to be the slogan of the next Dem administration. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2026, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036/2371 "2026-09-01T16:46:53Z")
I think we need to pick one or the other. The combination sounds a bit creepy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=117) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028-do-not-rehash-past-candidates/1013036.md?page=119)