I like JB Pritzker well enough, and I’m glad he’s on our side, but I just don’t see him as “presidential,”* and, even if we suppose I do, I don’t see him as the president to clean up after Trump 2.0.
*Same thing as with Tim Walz. They are somewhat goofy characters, which is great in its own way but not really conducive to being The Leader.
On Rachel Maddow tonight, I’m watching Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.). He has a bit of presence, charisma, and je ne sais quoi. Anybody know anything about him?
He’s the one who questioned the CIA director today about the group chat debacle. And got nothing but gobbledygook in reply.
I like the way he handled himself.
Looking for someone to emerge from the pack.
I didn’t catch Rachel Maddow tonight, but I saw a story on Facebook talking about what a great job he did today.
He’s gonna be my “favorite” for the time being - in the post-Obama era the last time I was this politically infatuated with someone it was Katie Porter, after her performances in a series of Congressional hearings a few years ago.
Now unfortunately it seems as if she’s flamed out in terms of any serious national aspirations though.
Sen. Ossoff always does a great job when asking questions in committee. He definitely has presence and charisma. I could easily get behind him for the nomination in 2028.
Yet there are some things I expect will be problematic for him. First, he is up for reelection in 2026. Current GA Gov. Brian Kemp cannot run for reelection and would be a very strong GOP choice to run for this seat. If Kemp runs I would expect he would beat Ossoff.
So, if he were to lose his Senate seat in 2026 would that hurt or help him in the Dem primaries for the 2028 race? And then there is also the fact Ossoff is Jewish. I think there is more anti-semitism out there than most people are willing to admit.
But hey, he is charismatic to some degree and he is young, charming and intelligent. Something of a hetero Pete Buttigieg to my mind. Maybe that could be enough for him to catch on with voters.
Word is she’s currently contemplating the CA governorship, but only if Kamala Harris doesn’t run for the slot. Which makes logical sense - local CA governor in a lot of ways is a more important bully pulpit and power position than national CA senator.
I want to share this gal (Melanie Stansbury, D-NM) bringing the heat to Congress yesterday, for wasting time debating walk-in refrigerators during this fucked up time in our history.
Maybe she will be one to light a fire against the “when they go low, we go high” crowd of Democrats.
‘How Out Of Touch Are You?’: Melanie Stansbury Sounds Off On House GOP Over Appliance Bills
{It says I can’t embed media into a post like some of y’all do with Youtube videos, so this is the best I can do}
You want a democrat who’s electable? Get one that leftist voters, the actual base that Democrats should be looking at, will actually want to vote for, in other words, an actual leftist candidate. To hell with “swing voters”, okay? The so-called “swing voters” turned out to be perfectly okay with a fascist. These past few elections have all convinced me that there’s no such thing as swing voters. Appealing to all just means appealing to none. That was why Clinton and Harris lost, not because of their genitals. Leftist base, FFS.
The Democrats base are not leftists, full stop. They include leftists, but those are a minority. Going more left might be more satisfying to me (depending), it quite likely would not be for the larger part of the base which are center-left.
One person to keep an eye on for the future, though perhaps not 2028, is Governor Wes Moore of Maryland. I’d never heard of him until recently, when I saw him interviewed, and he really made a positive impression on me. His education is impressive:
University of Oxford (2004), Johns Hopkins University (2001) and the Valley Forge Military Academy and College.
He’s definitely a rising star, in my opinion.
At the presidential level, we haven’t had a test of this hypothesis since 1968. A sample size of one admittedly doesn’t matter.
So I suggest looking at house races where the Democrat won in a district that Trump also won. See:
Checking out these Democratic House districts, the data shows that (a) there are swing voters and (b) they like moderate Democrats.
As for leftists, like anyone else, it doesn’t politically matter who they want to vote for in November, but who they will actually vote for.
You say that was why Clinton and Harris lost.
Why did Biden win?
Covid tossed a huge bone to anyone who was able to run against Drumpf in 2020. I’m of the belief that it could’ve been any Democratic nominee, including Clinton (had she chose to run 4 years later), or even Harris.
The US is deeply misogynistic and homophobic. It will be at least a decade before we will have a female or gay president.
Democrats are not a majority of voters and have to appeal to independents and centrists to win. Ignoring that will get the party nothing but defeat.
I’m not sure about this. Hillary came close and so did Kamala. Just a bit better and they would have won.
Think about Obama. Would a black candidate of “average” political skill and charisma have won? Maybe not. But a black candidate with extraordinary charisma and skill, like Obama? Yes, obviously. I think a woman candidate with very high charisma and political skill could win. We just haven’t seen one run for president yet.
Like- Harris? But the Dems can not win just on their party alone Only 38% or so of Americans are Democrats- vs only 31% +/- of Republicans. 27% or so of voters are independents.
Let us takes one important swing state- North carolina- only 31% of registered voters are dem, a tint but less GOP, and 37% Indy.
No? Leftists hated her and called her a fascist.
Democrats win by coming up with policies and a message which is popular among not just the base,” he says, “but among independent voters, swing voters as well.”..One important race that Democrats still refer to is when Democratic Sen. George McGovern lost to incumbent President Richard Nixon in 1972…“I’m not quite sure what message is going to be the most effective one, but I am sure that a Democrat who wins the nomination will not just be able to talk to their base because their base isn’t large enough to win the Electoral College,”
Biden- moderate.
Obama- liberal/moderate
Clinton- Moderate
Carter- Moderate.
The Dems have never won by running a progressive for president.
Der_Trihs is correct on this one. Former prosecutor Harris was not beloved by the left - they’ve never trusted folks aligned with law enforcement. She was as moderate as successful San Francisco politicians get (which admittedly is less moderate than Oklahoma City politicians get).