# Frontrunners for Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 16, 2025, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036 "2025-01-16T06:50:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**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:** [April 13, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/441 "2025-04-13T01:25:21Z")
Sounds like Whitmer has decided to join the Surrender Caucus. So much for her. [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ifdrlmbmpk3whcpjxsgbqyqn/bafkreidnr76h7hcxop6s7dyxk5ph2qk6jexigl6giederjiqhfhpkgau5y@jpeg) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ifdrlmbmpk3whcpjxsgbqyqn/bafkreidnr76h7hcxop6s7dyxk5ph2qk6jexigl6giederjiqhfhpkgau5y@jpeg) [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:sv3377vbzv3balbrmvorjxod/bafkreihgi5betzgbfb5znukcumeplpq3tiixp5wesg7bhmhovcfpaeruxe@jpeg) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:sv3377vbzv3balbrmvorjxod/bafkreihgi5betzgbfb5znukcumeplpq3tiixp5wesg7bhmhovcfpaeruxe@jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/442 "2025-04-13T02:01:07Z")
It’s hard watching people that we hold in high esteem seemingly caving in. I’m a little iffy on this one. It makes sense that the governor of a state that suffered more than most would want to see manufacturing return, and I would think her constituents would expect her to be on board. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/443 "2025-04-13T02:25:57Z")
This is very disappointing. I liked her. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/444 "2025-04-13T20:15:55Z")
I dont see it- here is some unbiased news- > **[Democrat Gretchen Whitmer tries to distance herself from Oval Office visit](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/13/governor-gretchen-whitmer-trump-oval-office-visit)** > > Michigan governor criticized for appearance, including for blocking her face with binders while her photo was taken _The [Michigan](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/michigan) governor, Gretchen Whitmer – considered to be a 2028 White House Democratic contender – was trying to distance herself from a recent Oval Office appearance alongside Donald Trump, which saw her get photographed while blocking her face with binders._ _Whitmer visited the Republican president on Wednesday alongside a bipartisan delegation to discuss a northern Michigan ice storm, the state’s defense assets and tariffs, among other issues. Following the meeting, Whitmer was brought into the Oval Office where she – as the New York Times [described](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/12/us/politics/gretchen-whitmer-trump-democrats.html) – “stood glumly” during a press conference that saw Trump sign several executive orders that [targeted](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/trump-directs-doj-to-investigate-former-administration-officials-who-criticized-him) his political opponents._ _In a [statement](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-tariffs-cnn-town-hall-04-09-25#cm9asxyaj00003b70g01q62zw) to CNN, a spokesperson for Whitmer said the governor was caught off guard by the media appearance._ ---
**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:** [April 13, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/445 "2025-04-13T20:30:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > In a [statement](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-tariffs-cnn-town-hall-04-09-25#cm9asxyaj00003b70g01q62zw) to CNN, a spokesperson for Whitmer said the governor was caught off guard by the media appearance. What was she expecting from a man who tried to have her killed five years ago? I can’t vote for someone who shows up at the Trump White House expecting him to act in good faith. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/446 "2025-04-13T20:35:09Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I can’t vote for someone who shows up at the Trump White House expecting him to act in good faith. “Whitmer visited the Republican president on Wednesday alongside a bipartisan delegation”. Yes, congress members do visit the White house of the opposing party. Its normal. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/447 "2025-04-13T20:41:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, congress members do visit the White house of the opposing party. Its normal. This White House is anything but normal. Have AOC or Bernie gone to kiss the ring? Do you see JB Pritzker standing behind Trump while he signs decrees, or speechifyng that he’s right about bringing back manufacturing? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/448 "2025-04-13T20:46:33Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Have AOC or Bernie gone to kiss the ring? Not this term but Sander sin the first term, iirc- but Whitmer didnt “kiss the ring”. She was part of a _bipartisan delegation to discuss a northern Michigan ice storm,_ etc. It was her duty to her constituents to do so. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2025, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/449 "2025-04-13T20:47:04Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It was her duty to her constituents to do so. Her duty to her constituents is to resist fascism. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/450 "2025-04-14T02:55:59Z")
And to be smart enough to ask ahead as to what was going to happen when she was in The Orange Presence - and then to be principled enough to walk out when it was clear she was being used as a prop. Hell, she could have given an impromptu press conference right outside the West Wing immediately afterwards, as to things not going as she had been told. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/451 "2025-04-14T03:02:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > She was part of a _bipartisan delegation to discuss a northern Michigan ice storm,_ etc. It was her duty to her constituents to do so. She should have realized it was a no-win situation and done a press-conference and sent Garlin Gilchrist in her stead, ---
**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:** [April 14, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/452 "2025-04-14T03:08:34Z")
Precisely. People want Democrats to fight for them, not stand there sheepishly holding a binder in front of their face and hoping nobody notices them. That’s why Bernie is doing Coachella and AOC is speaking to 35,000 people in LA while Gavin Newsom’s approval rating is in the toilet and nobody takes Chuck Schumer seiously anymore. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/453 "2025-04-14T03:23:23Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Her duty to her constituents is to resist fascism. She lacks the power to nonviolently resist or fight more than symbolically. However, I can see that telling this to Democrats – not just posters on the internet, but even plain average Democrats – is pretty impossible. They have been told so many times that politicians should fight, and are convinced of that. So Whitmer cannot totally ignore her base and hope to have political success. And even moderate me thus thinks that she should have walked out on Trump. Her base would have loved it. And she could have done it in a way that wasn’t tied to a divisive issue – for example, she could have walked out for some rude supposedly private comment, or for trying to manipulate her into approving the resolutions he signed. Lots of moderates would also like that she was a fighter without risk they disagree on what she was fighting about. Voters wanting a fighter is part of why we have Trump as president, but I’m not frightened into thinking that Whitmer will normally get into unwinnable fights. If she can climb back from this – and there is plenty of time – I could even support her. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2025, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/454 "2025-04-14T03:34:30Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > She lacks the power to nonviolently resist or fight more than symbolically Does Janet Mills know that? Does JB Pritzker know that? Does Bob Ferguson know that? Because they sure aren’t acting like they’re powerless to fight Trump. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2025, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/455 "2025-04-14T20:05:18Z")
> [@](#): > > The day after the inauguration, Ms. Whitmer penned a handwritten letter — which has not been previously reported — congratulating Mr. Trump, saying she looked forward to working together and praising his support for the auto industry in his first address, according to a person who relayed the text of the letter. Ms. Whitmer included her cellphone number and invited Mr. Trump to call her if she could be of any help to him. [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/12/us/politics/gretchen-whitmer-trump-democrats.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/12/us/politics/gretchen-whitmer-trump-democrats.html) Yep. Whitmer’s a tool. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2025, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/456 "2025-04-14T23:44:07Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > If what you’re trying to say is that Trump is a grotesquely deformed and sexually impotent giant worm-man chimera that fancies itself a god and the only being capable of saving mankind from destroying itself, you’re probably not that far off. Wow, I just read the first book. Sounds like things get weirder. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/457 "2025-04-15T00:17:02Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Sounds like things get weirder. Indeed. Spoilers if you really want to know. As Paul has figured out by the end of the first book, prescience is a trap - once forseen, the future can be delayed or altered somewhat, but not prevented. No matter what happens in his battle against the emperor’s forces, the jihad is inevitable. Once that jihad is over and he’s secured his position as emperor (and killed 60 billion people in the process), he starts having darker visions - the terraforming of Arrakis, which it is already too late to stop, is going to cause the sandworms to go extinct, leading to resource wars that will tear the Empire apart and leave humanity helpless when the Thinking Machines that have been hiding in deep space since before the Butlerian Jihad return and massacre every last human being in the galaxy. Paul forsees a “Golden Path” by which humanity can survive this ordeal but isn’t capable of carrying it out himself, so after he dies, his son Leto II, who is a Kwisatz Haderach from birth, merges with a swarm of sandtrout in order to become a mostly-immortal man-worm hybrid. He then rules the Empire as a living god for over 3,000 years, overseeing a brutal regime that carefully controls access to spice and reduces much of the galaxy to Stone Age levels of tech, in order to delay those resource wars long enough for scientists to discover alternate ways of making spice and so that, when he finally dies, mankind will expand outward into hundreds of galaxies and become so spread out that no one disaster can ever cause their extinction. He also spends this time cloning, killing, and resurrecting Duncan Idaho several hundred times in order to make him into a Kwisatz Haderach as well, but that doesn’t pay off until you get into the Brian Herbert novels, which are subpar in general. Dune aside over. We now return to your regularly scheduled thread. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2025, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/458 "2025-04-15T02:08:35Z")
Whitmer didn’t handle the situation well, but clearly Trump was trying to trap her. AIUI she went there to discuss a blizzard, and suddenly cameras appeared and Trump started signing things. I was very unhappy when JP Pritzker bought himself the governorship of Illinois, but honestly he’s done a very good job. I’m still uncomfortable with the billionaire thing, but at least he has a political track record now; it’s not like we’d be nominating Mark Cuban or Oprah. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2025, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/459 "2025-04-15T02:10:53Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Whitmer didn’t handle the situation well, but clearly Trump was trying to trap her. AIUI she went there to discuss a blizzard, and suddenly cameras appeared and Trump started signing thing That doesn’t explain the handwritten note kissing his ass with her phone number attached. Trump tried to incite people to murder her and it almost worked. That she apparently still thought he could be worked with in good faith as if he were Reagan or either of the Bushes shows spectacularly poor judgment. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2025, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036/460 "2025-04-15T02:15:03Z")
Yes, I agree. That is much more significant than her getting flustered by Trump’s juvenile prank. Some might argue that this is what you need to do as a swing State governor, and maybe it is. But if so, in the current climate, running for President is something you very much need to NOT do as a swing State governor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frontrunners-for-democratic-presidential-nomination-in-2028/1013036.md?page=24)