# 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:** 26
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2019, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/501 "2019-02-07T21:49:48Z")
Is it possible there might be some middle ground between “this is the ginormous scandal that will definitively end her political career” and “this is something to be totally ignored and swept under the rug?” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2019, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/502 "2019-02-07T22:03:06Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Is it possible there might be some middle ground between “this is the ginormous scandal that will definitively end her political career” and “this is something to be totally ignored and swept under the rug?” Yes. It’s a much smaller issue than Hillary’s emails or Trumps tax returns. Both had teeth. It’s small, but it’s real- unlike 90% of the shit thrown at Clinton- such as uranium, Libya, Vince foster, and much more. Bigger than "_I can see Russia from my house!"_ (which isnt a real quote, actually it was ““_They’re our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska”:_”, which is technically true but has absolutely no bearing on her knowledge of international relations- in fact just the opposite). So yeah, Warren dug this hole herself, and if she had just STFU about her DNA test and Trumps bogus “bet”, it wouldn’t be a issue. That does show a lack of wisdom. What she did in college etc, is no biggie. But that DNA test! But by no means does it disqualify her. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/503 "2019-02-07T22:45:00Z")
Um, I fully agree with you about Warren, but I was actually talking about Klobuchar’s rumored abuse of staffers. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2019, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/504 "2019-02-07T23:49:48Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Um, I fully agree with you about Warren, but I was actually talking about Klobuchar’s rumored abuse of staffers. That is a much smaller issue since you have to dig to find it. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2019, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/505 "2019-02-08T02:14:03Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > It seems the field won’t be as big as people were anticipating. [Landrieu won’t be in.](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/06/mitch-landrieu-2020-run-1151238) Still, we’ve got Gabbard, Buttigieg, Castro, Gillibrand, Booker, Warren, Inslee, Harris, Yang, Delaney, and Williamson running; Biden, Bernie, Klobuchar, Sherrod Brown, Bloomberg, Hickenlooper, Holder, and Ryan all likely to jump in soon; and a dozen other possible candidates drifting around. I don’t think anyone will complain that the clown car is too empty. ---
**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 10, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/506 "2019-02-10T15:08:11Z")
Klobuchar set to announce tomorrow. So far the biggest (and probably only) knock against her is rumors that she’s an obnoxious boss. That seems like an awfully easy negative to turn into a positive. This, IMO, or something like it, is all she has to say: “There have been rumors in the media that I’m a tough boss. Let me tell you that this is true. I have extremely high standards for job performance, both for myself and my staff. I work very hard and I insist that my team also works very hard. And that’s because this job is so important. I will promise you that this will not change if I’m elected President – I will always work as hard as I can, and demand the same of my team and my staff, to help make Americans safer, more prosperous, and more successful, and I will not tolerate anyone on my team stooping to the pitiful standards both of competence and of personal behavior that President Trump both demonstrates and allows.” ---
**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 10, 2019, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/507 "2019-02-10T16:51:58Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > I don’t think anyone will complain that the clown car is too empty. I have mixed feelings about an over-large field, but my feelings about this silly comment are unmixed. When we spoke about the Republican “clown car” we were thinking of _actual clowns_: morons like Cain the Pizza Guy, ‘Crazy Eyes’ Bachmann, Palin, Ron Paul, Ben Carson, etc. Which of the Democratic candidates do you think are actually in a similar league of clowniness? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2019, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/508 "2019-02-10T18:51:46Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Klobuchar set to announce tomorrow. So far the biggest (and probably only) knock against her is rumors that she’s an obnoxious boss. That seems like an awfully easy negative to turn into a positive. This, IMO, or something like it, is all she has to say: > > “There have been rumors in the media that I’m a tough boss. Let me tell you that this is true. I have extremely high standards for job performance, both for myself and my staff. I work very hard and I insist that my team also works very hard. And that’s because this job is so important. I will promise you that this will not change if I’m elected President – I will always work as hard as I can, and demand the same of my team and my staff, to help make Americans safer, more prosperous, and more successful, and I will not tolerate anyone on my team stooping to the pitiful standards both of competence and of personal behavior that President Trump both demonstrates and allows.” 100% agree, and I think she should take what you said here pretty much word for word. I do wonder—if this were being said about Biden or O’Rourke or Booker, or another male candidate, would it be such a big deal? Or is this one of those things where male bosses are allowed or even expected to be obnoxious and harsh, and female bosses have a different set of rules? Surely she can’t be the only presidential candidate ever who was mean to her staff, can she? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/509 "2019-02-10T19:06:02Z")
People want to work for mean bosses? Everybody I know quits if their boss is a jerk. No need to put up with a jerk boss. I guess that explains her high turnover. ---
**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 10, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/510 "2019-02-10T20:28:03Z")
I like Klobuchar’s announcement speech quite a bit. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2019, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/511 "2019-02-13T05:14:40Z")
Lots of politicians expect their staffs to work hard. Not nearly as many expect them to (if the reports are true) run personal errands for them on taxpayer-funded time, or write them tardy notices, or scream at them, or throw things. Mean people suck, even if I agree with them on most issues and their public personas are “Minnesota nice.” Someone who acts like that, behind closed doors, as a U.S. senator would be truly insufferable as POTUS. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2019, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/512 "2019-02-13T05:20:01Z")
> **[Meet Author Pete Buttigieg](https://attend.cuyahogalibrary.org/event/1131728?fbclid=IwAR0ay5YFPJPH2sxv25YPuJ9daPTZnhv1DH6MLhXKpsd4Uk16mmwr7UOkT2g)** > > Meet Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana and author of Shortest Way Home: One Mayor’s Challenge and a Model for America’s Future. On a lighter note, tonight I heard Pete Buttigieg speak at the Parma, Ohio public library. He’s plugging his new book and read some excerpts from it about running for office, serving in the Navy, dealing with Mike Pence (not a fan), and working to revive South Bend. He came across as smart, wonky, engaging and self-deprecating. When asked about so many Dems wanting to run for President next year, he said it reflected the strength and diversity of the party, and joked, “I think I have the Maltese-American, former Navy, gay mayor lane all to myself.” ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/513 "2019-02-13T05:41:47Z")
My first impression of Buttigieg was how he looks like the type that would be an anchor at a news desk. And apparently there is an anchor out there that he is practically a dead ringer for. I’m liking him better than Beto (in the younger, male, lacking national experience department). ---
**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 13, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/514 "2019-02-13T07:00:45Z")
If Buttigieg is smart, he will brand himself as “Pete” just like Bernie did with “Bernie”. I hope to see “PETE” signs and stickers. This country is not ready to elect someone with a name that’s both hard to spell AND hard to pronounce. If he has a shot in hell at even just getting his name out there and positioning himself for 2024 (I doubt he can get it done on the first go) he should be hammering the whole country with PETE, PETE, PETE. (Remember that Nickelodeon show that all 90s kids love?) Pete. Pete. Pete. If he has a good strategist working for him, he has been told this already. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/515 "2019-02-13T11:50:52Z")
> **[Michael Bloomberg’s $500 million anti-Trump moonshot](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/13/michael-bloomberg-trump-2020-1167159)** > > The sum represents a floor, not a ceiling, on the billionaire’s potential spending to defeat the president in 2020. Bloomberg to spend at least $500 mil to run or to help get rid of Trump ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/516 "2019-02-13T12:08:23Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > [https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/13/michael-bloomberg-trump-2020-1167159](https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/13/michael-bloomberg-trump-2020-1167159) > > Bloomberg to spend at least $500 mil to run or to help get rid of Trump Don’t run, Michael. Stay in New York and help. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/517 "2019-02-13T13:03:57Z")
> [@Covfefe](#): > > . I’m liking him better than Beto (in the younger, male, lacking national experience department). 😕 Beto was a 3 term Congressman. ---
**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 13, 2019, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/518 "2019-02-13T14:40:25Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > . I’m liking him better than Beto (in the younger, male, lacking national experience department). > > 😕 > Beto was a 3 term Congressman. I don’t see a smiley-face so I’m going to assume you think 6 years in the Lower House is adequate experience for the Big Job. Sorry if you were being sarcastic. Let’s hunt for U.S. Presidents who actually had as little experience as Beto. There’s [ul][li] Millard Fillmore, but he was Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and was a national figure who might have been Governor of New York but didn’t want the job. Anyway, he was only V.P. and get elevated when Taylor died.[/li][li] James Garfield was a 6-term Congressman who had chaired three major committees, and effectively became Minority Leader (though that title didn’t yet exist) when the R’s lost control of the House. He was Senator-elect when he took the Big Job.[/li][li] Gerald Ford was a 13-term Congressman who served as major Chairman and as Minority Leader. And again he was an elevated V.P.[/li][li] Finally, the only President who was remotely as unqualified as Beto was Abraham Lincoln, a one-term Congressman. But Lincoln had served 8 years in the Illinois State Legislature, and had other resume bullets.[/li][/ul] So every single President except Abraham Lincoln had qualifications clearly superior to Beto O’Rourke’s. Are you comparing Beto to Abe? (If you are, please post it in a Spoiler — I don’t want the shock to cause me to spit coffee all over my screen.) ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/519 "2019-02-13T14:54:33Z")
I wasn’t being sarcastic and I wasn’t saying it was enough experience for the presidency. I am stating the obvious fact that a 3 term Congressman has national level experience, unlike the mayor of South Bend. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415/520 "2019-02-13T15:07:09Z")
[Rep. Seth Moulton](https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2019/02/12/seth-moulton-policy-positions) is thinking “Why not me?” Why not indeed? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hee-haw-yall-the-2020-democratic-presidential-primary/824415.md?page=27)