# The 2016 Democratic Candidates **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 20, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400 "2015-01-20T18:50:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/141 "2015-02-18T23:39:30Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > So you’re convinced that in only a small handful of families Is \*that \*what I said? :dubious: > [@](#): > > As to your snide comment about hereditary offices: that’s right. Then it was merely a factual correction you need to get over. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/142 "2015-02-18T23:43:03Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > I can’t believe I’m typing this but I’m actually willing to give Jeb more of a look than just about anybody else on the G.o.P. side of things right now. Partly because he’s supposed to be the “smart one” of the Bush clan and partly because I haven’t yet heard him come up with any lame-brained ideas that would instantly turn me off to him. That’s not to say that I’d actually vote for him for President but at least I’d consider him which is more than I can say of just about any other G.o.P. name being floated around right now! He’s the Marilyn Munster of the GOP. He’s the most normal looking, but he doesn’t think his family is fucking weird. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/143 "2015-02-19T01:56:57Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > So you’re convinced that in only a small handful of families in this country of over 300 million people do its members “have what it takes” to fulfill the requirements of the job at hand, eh? No, it is not that no others have what it takes, it is simply an accident of history that they are positioned to have more a serious shot at it than most pols. The existence of a very small caste of presumptive political royalty is a trivial and benign matter compared to the existence and predominance of the much larger hereditary caste that makes up the plutocracy. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/144 "2015-02-19T12:43:26Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Really? A Democrat winning in New York is a challenging race? > > Again, 0-1. And she’s repeating all of the same mistakes she made last time. We’ve still got no one really in charge, we’ve still got infighting, we’ve still got her running as if she’s assuming a coronation. She’ll wilt at the first sign of an alternative. She won some significant states in the 2008 primaries against a pretty good candidate. She didn’t exactly wilt then, she was fighting long after the nomination was essentially settled. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/145 "2015-02-19T16:25:29Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > She won some significant states in the 2008 primaries against a pretty good candidate. She didn’t exactly wilt then, she was fighting long after the nomination was essentially settled. She made a contest of it long after it looked like it would be over. I think she’ll do fine. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/146 "2015-02-20T03:08:01Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Yes, but if they’re elected, I don’t think we can complain about a monarchy. I’m no fan of Jeb Bush, but the fact that he’s a Bush doesn’t bother me at all. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Maybe it should.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18144570&postcount=91) There’s even a [Venn diagram!](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/02/18/jeb-bushs-foreign-policy-team-is-eerily-familiar-in-1-venn-diagram/) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/147 "2015-02-20T08:43:23Z")
As I said, there’s always new stuff with this couple: > **[A Stupid and Sleazy Clinton Decision](https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/31616/)** > > If Hillary Clinton wants to be president, the Clinton Foundation should stop accepting money from foreign countries. I’m not sure that this is a huge deal, but it does serve to remind voters, especially in the Democratic primary, that she’s a creature of Wall Street and apparently also the Sauds. And not exactly a paragon of transparency and integrity either. The Clintons never really cross the line. Smart cookies, those two. But contrast them with someone cleaner and more authentic and more populist, either in the primary or the general election, and she won’t win. ---
**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 20, 2015, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/148 "2015-02-20T12:24:53Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > But contrast them with someone cleaner and more authentic and more populist, either in the primary or the general election, and she won’t win. This is such an obvious statement that it doesn’t need to be said. The disagreement is about whether a clown like Walker is actually “cleaner and more authentic and more populist”. We shall see. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/149 "2015-02-20T12:30:38Z")
Walker is more authentic and populist, but not cleaner. He’s got just as many ethical clouds as Clinton. Still gotta go with Jindal, at least in terms of the best contrast to Clinton, although I’m developing doubts about him on substance. Of course, that assumes she will win the nomination. Jim Webb also contrasts perfectly with her, but he’s never raised money or campaigned well. His victory over George Allen was all George Allen’s doing. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/150 "2015-02-20T12:41:16Z")
All of Hillary’s “ethical clouds” have been inflated like Macy’s balloons for 24 years and she still whoops all the potential GOP candidates in the early polls and Bill is still the most popular politician in the nation. Whatever Walker’s skeletons are, we’ve only just begun to dig into the closet. Not to worry, Jeb Bush has the nomination in his hands. And Jindal? Don’t worry about him, he fails the “brown grocery sack” test. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/151 "2015-02-20T12:52:52Z")
They are inflated, but they do exist. It’s mostly all baked in already, people know what they are getting in that regard. But it never looks good to have things come up during a campaign, even if we’ve grown used to it. One of the reasons her popularity went up so much as SecState is that nothing happened. Obama might get some credit for that, as my cite points out, it was him that ordered Clinton to stop taking foreign donations so there would be no conflict of interest. If the old Clinton returns, so does her old approval ratings I’d bet. ---
**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 20, 2015, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/152 "2015-02-20T13:24:11Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Walker is more authentic and populist, but not cleaner. He’s got just as many ethical clouds as Clinton. He might be more “authentic and populist” with the know nothing anti-evolution nuts, but I see no reason to believe this goes for the entire population. I guess we’ll see. > [@](#): > > Still gotta go with Jindal, at least in terms of the best contrast to Clinton, although I’m developing doubts about him on substance. Of course, that assumes she will win the nomination. Jim Webb also contrasts perfectly with her, but he’s never raised money or campaigned well. His victory over George Allen was all George Allen’s doing. I really, really hope you’re right about Jindal. I very much hope an idiot governor who’s unpopular in his own state and looks like a 12 year old in his dad’s suit will be the Democratic nominee’s opponent. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/153 "2015-02-20T20:23:38Z")
[Terrible news for Hillary Clinton: Bill Kristol thinks she’s going to win.](http://www.salon.com/2015/02/20/terrible_news_for_hillary_clinton_bill_kristol_thinks_shes_going_to_win/) ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/154 "2015-02-20T21:24:22Z")
> [@racepug](#): > > \Partly because he’s supposed to be the “smart one” of the Bush clan \ You realize that that’s a pretty low bar, right? And he still didn’t get it right. He just recently railed against Iran for a bit before realizing that he should have been talking about Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/155 "2015-02-20T23:29:50Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > You realize that that’s a pretty low bar, right? And he still didn’t get it right. He just recently railed against Iran for a bit before realizing that he should have been talking about Iraq. Freudian slip, perhaps? If he’s **thinking** about Iran, that’s something the voters should take into account. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/156 "2015-02-21T22:23:05Z")
Maybe “railed” is too strong a word. Here’s a [link](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-jeb-bush-president-george-perspec-0220-20150219-story.html) to an article about it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2015, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/157 "2015-02-21T23:29:23Z")
_Psssst!_ Some of us are discussing the candidacies of Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, Bobby Jindal, etc. [over here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745835). Feel free to join us! 😉 ---
**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 28, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/158 "2015-02-28T23:02:01Z")
O’Malley takes a jab at Clinton: [Martin O’Malley, in Veiled Jab at Hillary Clinton, Derides Politics of ‘Triangulation’ - The New York Times](http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/us/politics/martin-omalley-in-veiled-jab-at-hillary-clinton-derides-politics-of-triangulation.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1&referrer=) ---
**Author:** ![Pashnish\_Ewing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@Pashnish\_Ewing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pashnish_Ewing)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/159 "2015-03-01T00:40:59Z")
> [@Elendil's NYT Link](#): > > Mr. O’Malley added: “Triangulation is not a strategy that will move America forward. History celebrates profiles in courage, not profiles in convenience.” This hits directly on why I couldn’t fully support Hillary in 2008, and why I’m not fully supporting for 2016. She could have been president, but once she voted in favor of the Iraq war resolution in October 2002 it sealed her fate for the 2008 primary. It was a pass/fail test of political courage, and she (much like the invasion itself) failed. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400/160 "2015-03-01T00:49:45Z")
> [@Pashnish\_Ewing](#): > > This hits directly on why I couldn’t fully support Hillary in 2008, and why I’m not fully supporting for 2016. She could have been president, but once she voted in favor of the Iraq war resolution in October 2002 it sealed her fate for the 2008 primary. It was a pass/fail test of political courage, and she (much like the invasion itself) failed. And her pandering on the flag burning issue was troubling as well. That said, if she’s the nominee, I’ll vote for her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2016-democratic-candidates/710400.md?page=9)