# State your pick for best (most likely to win) Democratic ticket for 2020. Then say why. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 12, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229 "2018-09-12T16:40:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/281 "2018-10-31T15:05:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Because he’s about as far from a sexual predator as it’s possible to get. He’s taking responsibility for his own conduct by making it clear to all that no woman is ever in a compromising position around him. In this world of Clintons, Trumps, Cosbys and Weinsteins, I’d think that’s a good thing. In this world of Thomases and Hills and of Kavanaughs and Fords, I’d think it’s a good thing that there’s no situation that will come down to the he-said-she-said-neither side comes out unscathed kind of fight. > > In what way is it inherently discriminatory? Is there some kind of non-sexual advantage that attaches itself to a situation of being alone with a member of the opposite sex? Have women in Mike Pence’s employ or potential employ been denied jobs, raises or promotions (to a degree equal to that of men) because he will not be alone with one of them in a room? OMG. I can’t believe this has to be pointed out, but: the idea that Pence’s behaviour re: women is ‘praiseworthy’ is asinine. “I don’t dare be around these she-devils, that will seduce me with their femaleness. I don’t dare risk being alone with one, I need my wife or a chaperone to feel safe”. He’s not taking responsibilty for his conduct. He’s doing the absolute opposite of that. It’s indirectly blaming women for being…you know, women. Look at it this way: What do you think the general consensus would be if a woman running for political office said she would never meet with a man one-on-one? As for who should run in 2020. Hell I dunno. Warren is running, which is a disappointment. I think she’s awesome, and she’d make a great president, but she’s already shown she can’t beat Trump. Trump will beat her like a rented mule. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/282 "2018-10-31T20:41:01Z")
DragonAsh: > [@](#): > > OMG. I can’t believe this has to be pointed out, but: the idea that Pence’s behaviour re: women is ‘praiseworthy’ is asinine. > > “I don’t dare be around these she-devils, that will seduce me with their femaleness. I don’t dare risk being alone with one, I need my wife or a chaperone to feel safe”. > He’s not taking responsibilty for his conduct. He’s doing the absolute opposite of that. It’s indirectly blaming women for being…you know, women. I disagree with this assessment of his personal rules, but I have a feeling that we are starting from such different points of origin that any attempt at debating it will be pointless. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2018, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/283 "2018-10-31T20:47:25Z")
Pence’s behavior depends a lot on the context. Some spouses just don’t want their spouse to be alone with someone of the opposite sex(or same sex if it’s a same sex marriage). There’s also the issue of impropriety. In the #MeToo era, covering your ass by never being anywhere with a woman where there aren’t witnesses is perfectly understandable. Then there’s the standard accusations of adultery. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2018, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/284 "2018-11-04T05:03:58Z")
Are we sure Bill McRaven is too sick to run? [Even Chris Matthews of FoxNews has good words to say about him](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsrpihZgW7c&t=539), taking his side over Trump’s. ---
**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:** [May 12, 2020, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/285 "2020-05-12T12:04:11Z")
This thread hasn’t been bumped for 19 months, but we still haven’t agreed on a best ticket or who is likely to win. Joe Biden, accused rapist? He ain’t it. Of course we should assume that Tara Reade and the entire GOP-FoxNews-Kremlin axis are lying; but we knew all along the re-election of Trump would be supported by the greatest onslaught of lies and propaganda in all of human history. I’m afraid the aging Biden can’t handle it. At this point, I’d be rooting for Joe Biden to plead health emergency and pass the baton to a sturdy Number-Two. **But we don’t have any Number-Two who’s even as likely to win against Trump as Old Joe the Gaffe-artist.** :smack: But … … There is one man who could give up cards and spades and still beat Trump easily. _ **The American hero Admiral Bill McRaven** _ is back in the news lately, writing a February opinion piece for the _Washington Post_. > [@septimus](#): > > Are we sure Bill McRaven is too sick to run? > > [Even Chris Matthews of FoxNews has good words to say about him](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsrpihZgW7c&t=539), taking his side over Trump’s. _Texas Tribune_, with my emphasis: “McRaven suffers from _ **non-life-threatening** _ chronic lymphocytic leukemia.” **Draft Admiral Bill and Win**. Stick with Joe or some other second-stringer and lose. Take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/286 "2020-05-12T12:11:17Z")
“His severe chronic disease isn’t life-threatening” is not the same thing as “he’s healthy”. And which votes, exactly, would he pull in? Who would vote for an admiral they’ve never heard of, over any of the other potential candidates? ---
**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:** [May 12, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/287 "2020-05-12T13:32:31Z")
If psychological health is included, McRaven’s health is almost certainly better than Trump’s, perhaps Biden’s as well. He’s only 64 years old. Who would vote for him? _ **Who would vote for him?** _ Almost anybody reluctant to vote for Trump or Biden. He might not be rvery famous now, but neither were most of the Ds on the stage, starting out. I think a few ads will remind the American people real quick who he is. (IIRC, Trump even asked him to be National Security Advisor.) Some Trump voters admire the military. Here are some of the Admiral’s decorations (in alphabetic order): Afghanistan Campaign Medal Bronze Star Medal with gold award star Combat Action Ribbon Defense Distinguished Service Medal w/ two bronze oak leaf clusters Defense Meritorious Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Legion of Merit with one gold award star Meritorious Service Medal with three gold award stars National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal Naval Special Warfare insignia Navy “E” Ribbon Navy Expert Pistol Shot Medal Navy Expert Rifleman Medal Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze service stars Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia Presidential Service Badge Southwest Asia Service Medal with three bronze service stars United States Special Operations Command Badge Trick question: Who played the title role in the film _The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance_? Follow-on: Who was _The Man Who Killed Osama bin-Laden_? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/288 "2020-05-12T13:37:17Z")
Some Trump voters _claim_ to admire the military. Remember what happened the last time we ran a highly-decorated veteran? And “he’ll get voters who are reluctant to vote for Trump or Biden” is meaningless. You could construct an equivalent statement for literally every possible candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/289 "2020-05-12T17:15:27Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > “McRaven suffers from _ **non-life-threatening** _ chronic lymphocytic leukemia.” That’s your emphasis. What the general public will read is “McRaven suffers from non-life-threatening _ **chronic lymphocytic leukemia** _.” A.) McRaven would have to be absolutely insane to run with leukemia. There is no more stressful job and stress is linked with [bad results in CLL](https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/patient-stress-is-linked-with-cancer-cell-proliferation-and-elevated-cytokines-in-cll). He doesn’t strike me as suicidal, so that probably ends the thought experiment right there. B.) It absolutely would play _heavily_ against him if he were so foolish. It’s not going to happen. Biden is the candidate, barring total disgrace or a health disaster. Ambitious politicians like that don’t step down voluntarily. Might as well just accept it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/290 "2020-05-12T19:09:35Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > This thread hasn’t been bumped for 19 months, but we still haven’t agreed on a best ticket or who is likely to win. Joe Biden, accused rapist? He ain’t it. > > Of course we should assume that Tara Reade and the entire GOP-FoxNews-Kremlin axis are lying; but we knew all along the re-election of Trump would be supported by the greatest onslaught of lies and propaganda in all of human history. I’m afraid the aging Biden can’t handle it. > > At this point, I’d be rooting for Joe Biden to plead health emergency and pass the baton to a sturdy Number-Two. **But we don’t have any Number-Two who’s even as likely to win against Trump as Old Joe the Gaffe-artist.** :smack: > > But … > > … There is one man who could give up cards and spades and still beat Trump easily. _ **The American hero Admiral Bill McRaven** _ is back in the news lately, writing a February opinion piece for the _Washington Post_. > _Texas Tribune_, with my emphasis: > “McRaven suffers from _ **non-life-threatening** _ chronic lymphocytic leukemia.” > **Draft Admiral Bill and Win**. Stick with Joe or some other second-stringer and lose. Take your pick. They will just accuse Admiral Bill of Rape. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229/291 "2020-05-14T01:26:38Z")
Most Likely to win? Biden-Sewell Terri Sewell (D-Alabama) is moderate, an electoral plus validated by political science research. And as an African-American woman, she would help keep the Democratic coalition together. Experience-wise, she’s been in the House long enough to be plausible, even though a relative unknown nationally. Princeton, Harvard, Oxford. Those kind do win a lot. Never-Trumpers will like her. Not a negative to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-your-pick-for-best-most-likely-to-win-democratic-ticket-for-2020-then-say-why/821229.md?page=14)