# Hee-haw, y'all. The 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415 "2018-11-12T17:52:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 186
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3701 "2020-02-17T20:05:13Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > One thing I don’t like about Biden is his dismissive, sometimes nasty attitude when faced with a hard question. He’s irrelevant now, largely because he was ratfucked to death by Trump - but this would be a problem even if he hadn’t been. “Lying, dog-faced pony soldier” may be the single stupidest thing a politician has ever said to a prospective voter. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3702 "2020-02-18T00:23:52Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > One thing I don’t like about Biden is his dismissive, sometimes nasty attitude when faced with a hard question. He’s irrelevant now, largely because he was ratfucked to death by Trump - but this would be a problem even if he hadn’t been. I don’t think getting ratfucked was really what hurt Biden as much as the fact that he sucks at presidential campaigns - he’s run three times and flamed out all three times. The only reason he made it this far this time is because of his name-brand recognition. I still go back to the fact that he had a huge advantage over the other candidates in Iowa and totally blew it. He had the advantages of name recognition, Obama nostalgia, and being straight over Pete Buttigieg - and Pete beat him. He had the advantages of actually being available to campaign while Warren, Klobuchar, and Sanders were tied up in the impeachment trial. Sanders thrashed Biden, Warren came out ahead of him, and Klobuchar surged. Biden just doesn’t get campaigning - that’s not a problem that moving the campaign to a friendlier part of the country can fix, either. Earlier this evening, I saw him talking in one of the town halls, and rather than talking about specific issues, he’s getting into the weeds trying to play political pundit and explaining to supporters why he finished so poorly in the first two states. Biden has no real message of his own except “I’m electable” or “As Barack Obama’s equipment manager, I got to wash his jock strap.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3703 "2020-02-18T02:42:20Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I don’t think getting ratfucked was really what hurt Biden as much as the fact that he sucks at presidential campaigns - he’s run three times and flamed out all three times. The only reason he made it this far this time is because of his name-brand recognition. … > Earlier this evening, I saw him talking in one of the town halls, and rather than talking about specific issues, he’s getting into the weeds trying to play political pundit and explaining to supporters why he finished so poorly in the first two states. …" I was listening to a black comedian on NPR last weekend, and he had this to say about Iowa and NH : " Yeah, the \*four \*black voters in Iowa and the _three_ Black voters in NH… those primaries dont mean much to me. " No one expected Joe to do well in Iowa or NH, and as Alonzo said, the minority voters havent had a chance to speak yet. Let’s wait until South Carolina, eh? ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3704 "2020-02-18T03:24:03Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I was listening to a black comedian on NPR last weekend, and he had this to say about Iowa and NH : " Yeah, the \*four \*black voters in Iowa and the _three_ Black voters in NH… those primaries dont mean much to me. " > > No one expected Joe to do well in Iowa or NH, and as Alonzo said, the minority voters havent had a chance to speak yet. Let’s wait until South Carolina, eh? His support is already cratering in SC if recent polls are to be believed. The concern among black voters in SC is that Biden is no longer a viable candidate. Black voters want winning nominees. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3705 "2020-02-18T03:35:43Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I don’t think getting ratfucked was really what hurt Biden as much as the fact that he sucks at presidential campaigns - he’s run three times and flamed out all three times. The only reason he made it this far this time is because of his name-brand recognition. This. I don’t even know where the “ratfucked” thing came from. There’s no need to run some kind of conspiracy against Biden to ruin his campaign; he has only himself to blame. And at this point I honestly feel bad for the guy. Last week I watched this video that popped up on YouTube of [Biden driving his 1967 Corvette](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP-hyDSlmUs) on an episode of _Jay Leno’s Garage._ The video was from several years ago, and he talks about this treasured classic car with such excitement and joy - he seems completely at ease and it’s such a contrast from watching him in these debates, where he just radiates the energy of desperation and defensiveness. Biden has been through so much sorrow in his own life. And I KNOW that, as much as I bash Biden after every debate, there’s a human being inside there who has a good heart. So I hate that he is spending the twilight years of his life in this unbelievably brutal campaign, fighting an uphill battle encumbered by the weight of his own terrible speaking skills and weird, awkward public persona. I know that he’s going to feel crushed and defeated if he fails to gain the nomination; I know that he’s REALLY going to feel crushed and defeated if he loses to Donald Trump. Like I said…honestly - I feel bad for him. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2020, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3706 "2020-02-18T10:36:46Z")
Bernie with a BIG lead in new national Marist poll: > **[Poll: Sanders Leads The Field, Bloomberg Qualifies For His 1st Debate](https://www.npr.org/2020/02/18/806703427/npr-pbs-newshour-marist-poll-sanders-leads-bloomberg-qualifies-for-debate)** > > The survey by NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist gives the former New York mayor enough polls showing him over 10% nationally to be on stage for the next Democratic debate Wednesday in Nevada. Bernie 31 Bloomberg 19 Biden 15 Warren 12 Klobuchar 9 Buttigieg 8 ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3707 "2020-02-18T17:30:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Sure. Historically. > > But now the GOP and Kremlin have learned how to use this against us. > > Times change. > > We have to stop spreading their lies and half-truths. Goodness. The difference isn’t the so-called Russians or the GOP. The difference is social media and the fact that a few news organizations don’t have a non literal monopoly on information or messaging. Free mass media with unlimited reach and democracy is potentially dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3708 "2020-02-18T17:48:11Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Bernie with a BIG lead in new national Marist poll: > > [Poll: Bloomberg Makes Democratic Debate, Sanders Leads : NPR](https://www.npr.org/2020/02/18/806703427/npr-pbs-newshour-marist-poll-sanders-leads-bloomberg-qualifies-for-debate) > > Bernie 31 > Bloomberg 19 > Biden 15 > Warren 12 > Klobuchar 9 > Buttigieg 8 Can we ask Bernie if that’s one of the rigged polls? Sarcasm aside, it’s definitely an outlier, and I will always hate national polls, especially this year with the insanity of Bloomberg and Steyer bombing the airwaves. The damn compressed primary schedule really sucks especially with CA and TX in Super Tuesday. Let’s say you’re Biden, you win SC. You get two days to gloat about being the Comeback Grandpa before Super Tuesday and tons of votes have already been cast. ---
**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:** [February 18, 2020, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3709 "2020-02-18T19:17:39Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > … > > The damn compressed primary schedule really sucks… Upon hearing this, a British person (or someone from just about anywhere in the world outside the US) wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I understand your point…but overall the US presidential race season is (obviously) anything but “compressed.” More like “never-ending, ridiculously, needlessly, exhaustingly, distractingly extended a crossing yawning chasms of time.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3710 "2020-02-19T00:22:57Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > This. I don’t even know where the “ratfucked” thing came from. There’s no need to run some kind of conspiracy against Biden to ruin his campaign; he has only himself to blame. And at this point I honestly feel bad for the guy. Last week I watched this video that popped up on YouTube of [Biden driving his 1967 Corvette](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP-hyDSlmUs) on an episode of _Jay Leno’s Garage._ The video was from several years ago, and he talks about this treasured classic car with such excitement and joy - he seems completely at ease and it’s such a contrast from watching him in these debates, where he just radiates the energy of desperation and defensiveness. > > Biden has been through so much sorrow in his own life. And I KNOW that, as much as I bash Biden after every debate, there’s a human being inside there who has a good heart. So I hate that he is spending the twilight years of his life in this unbelievably brutal campaign, fighting an uphill battle encumbered by the weight of his own terrible speaking skills and weird, awkward public persona. I know that he’s going to feel crushed and defeated if he fails to gain the nomination; I know that he’s REALLY going to feel crushed and defeated if he loses to Donald Trump. > > Like I said…honestly - I feel bad for him. Solid post. And I agree: Biden’s one of the good guys. He’s been a good career public servant, and he would have stepped up and done well enough to do the job if something had happened to Obama. But to use football parlance, he’s not the kind of individual who can field a punt at his goal line and take it to the house. He either doesn’t know how to put together that kind of campaign, or just doesn’t have the right sauce. Either way, I don’t see him winning. He might hang on for a while and he might even pick up a few Super Tuesday states, but he’s no longer the alpha dog in the centrist space: it’s Bloomberg’s show now, for better or worse. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3711 "2020-02-19T00:35:13Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Bernie with a BIG lead in new national Marist poll: The subliminal propaganda must have gotten to me because this is the _first_ time my brain’s tried to insert an “x” into that poll name, and it keeps trying to do it every damn time I read this line! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3712 "2020-02-19T00:41:46Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Upon hearing this, a British person (or someone from just about anywhere in the world outside the US) wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry. in the opposite corner we have me versus the Australian elections on [this message board](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21584318#post21584318) > [@Kambuckta](#): > > So now we have to put up with campaigning, interminable TV and radio ads, baby-kissing photos and all the other bullshit for the next 37 days. I can sympathize, because I’ve gotten sick of Bloomberg ads after only around 37 days, but there’s still the better part of the year I’ll have to look forward to here! ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3713 "2020-02-19T14:28:56Z")
It just occurred to me that the next president is going to be one or more of: The oldest ever elected The youngest ever elected The first woman The first gay The first Jewish president The first socialist president Or some combination of the above. The least remarkable, I guess, would be Klobuchar. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3714 "2020-02-19T22:00:10Z")
I admit that for an hour or three last week I may have entertained some “Bloomberg-curious” thoughts (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), but reading this latest makes me go ‘Fuck This Guy’ > [@](#): > > Joe Biden has dedicated his life to this country. > > As a senator, and as a vice president, he has always stood by the side of great men. > > We are honored to have Joe’s support. > > [https://twitter.com/Mike2020/status/1230185349571383296/video/1](https://t.co/PMqky0rXEC) ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3715 "2020-02-19T22:30:41Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I admit that for an hour or three last week I may have entertained some “Bloomberg-curious” thoughts (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), but reading this latest makes me go ‘Fuck This Guy’ Dueling videos! I wonder if this will play out on the debate stage tonight. I have my doubts, but it could be interesting to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3716 "2020-02-20T05:40:09Z")
There is an [intense Pete vs. Klobuchar rivalry:](https://www.yahoo.com/news/mayor-pete-amy-klobuchar-pure-043856858.html) Yahoo News ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3717 "2020-02-20T10:58:38Z")
Based on Bloomberg’s debate performance, all the XFL teams have a better defense than he does. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3718 "2020-02-20T14:37:48Z")
All the headlines this morning describe last night’s debate as “contentious.” Big deal. It’s not like they’re revealing secrets that Trump didn’t know. Better that the Democrats learn how to play defense now than after the convention. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3719 "2020-02-20T15:50:36Z")
Those two 30+ polls for Bernie are ominous. It is looking increasingly like 2016 where in principle it looked possible that Trump could be stopped but in practice the field just stayed divided and he went from strength to strength. I think Biden is the only candidate who could stop Bernie but he needs a big surge very soon and it’s hard to see where it comes from. I don’t think Bernie is doomed to lose the general but nominating a 78 year socialist who has had a heart attack and who wants to abolish private health insurance is a gigantic risk for the Democrats in an election which is still very winnable. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/3720 "2020-02-20T19:21:33Z")
The GOP has top mentors leading them intellectually (Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Vladimir Vladimirovich, Jared Kushner and Don Jr.) _ **but who have the Democrats got?** Some blogger on Yahoo or Twitter?_ [We’ve got Paul Krugman.](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/21/opinion/medicare-for-all-democrats.html) He’s just a Nobel Prize-winner instead of a lie-show celebrity, but we must make do with what we’ve got. What does he think about the health-care debate? Let’s see: > [@](#): > > … which system should Democrats advocate? The answer, I’d argue, is the system we’re most likely actually to create — the one that will play best in the general election, and is then most likely to pass Congress if the Democrat wins. > > And there’s one big fact on the ground that any realistic health strategy has to deal with: 156 million Americans — almost half the population — currently receive health insurance through their employers. And most of these people are fairly satisfied with their coverage… > > To me, then, Medicare for America — which lets people keep employment-based insurance — looks like a much better bet for actually getting universal coverage than Medicare for All. But I could be wrong! And it’s fine to spend the next few months arguing the issue. > > **What won’t be fine will be if activists make a no-private-insurance position a litmus test, declaring that anyone advocating a more incrementalist approach is no true progressive, or maybe a corrupt shill for the medical/industrial complex. As you might guess, my concerns aren’t drawn out of thin air; they’re things I’m already hearing.** > > So Democrats should try to make this a real debate, one about the best strategy for achieving a shared goal. Can they manage that? I guess we’ll find out. It sounds like he’d be happy with either approach, but thinks it a fantasy that a program like Sanders will pass Congress anytime soon. But then he thinks Democrats might stop their stupid bickering. :smack: Who’s hoping for a fantasy now? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415.md?page=185) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415.md?page=187)