# The Democrats Emergency Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 5, 2019, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006 "2019-11-05T01:12:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/41 "2019-11-05T11:21:04Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > As far as I can tell, you jump from thread-to-thread … Username/post combo winner. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2019, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/42 "2019-11-05T11:30:26Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > How do you like the sound of “President Colbert”? It would begin as one of his farcical larks, but suddenly everyone would realize that the voters had become serious about him. He would protest and demur, but the process would railroad genuine humor into the Whitehouse, and we might all finally discover what the man himself is really like. I _do_ have to admit that it’d be hilarious to watch either Stewart or Colbert run circles around him during a debate. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/43 "2019-11-05T12:44:05Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > Elizabeth Warren is 70 YO. And in my opinion, too old. I’m 61 and in my opinion, too old. Seriously, why aren’t we looking at a field of 40 year olds? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/44 "2019-11-05T13:36:09Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > I’ve said many many times I think Pete Buttigieg is the most likely to beat Trump, and I do not think being gay is as big of a liability as a lot of people think. This isn’t 1992, it’s not even 2002. Being gay isn’t a punchline anymore. It is WAY more accepted than it’s ever been. Being gay isn’t his problem. The problem with Mayor Pete is he’s a phony. There’s no ‘there’ there. ETA: And want to absolutely **kill** African-American turnout? Nominate Pete. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/45 "2019-11-05T13:39:13Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > There is one (and probably only one) person who could be drafted in an emergency and be favored to win the brass ring: … _ **Michelle Obama** _. > [@Smapti](#): > > _…Why?_ > > She has never held elected office or any government office and has never shown any interest in running for office. This. She has made it very clear that she has no desire to run for office, that she may have _married_ a politician but she doesn’t want to \*\*be \*\*one. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/46 "2019-11-05T14:41:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Being gay isn’t his problem. The problem with Mayor Pete is he’s a phony. There’s no ‘there’ there. > > ETA: And want to absolutely **kill** African-American turnout? Nominate Pete. Eh? A Harvard graduate and Rhodes Scholar that also served as an intelligence officer in the Navy and deployed to Afghanistan. And of course a Mayor of a small(ish) Midwestern town. All before he hit his mid 30’s. That’s a phony to you? ---
**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:** [November 5, 2019, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/47 "2019-11-05T14:45:16Z")
Yeah, I’m not getting the anti-Pete “phony” insult, either ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/48 "2019-11-05T14:48:44Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Being gay isn’t his problem. The problem with Mayor Pete is he’s a phony. There’s no ‘there’ there. Yeah, the total 180 on his entire political identity within the party ought to confirm that. I don’t think it’s the worst strategy to get the nomination (I think he was finding that three was a crowd on things like Medicare For All) but I have no idea what he actually believes any more. He’s managed to get below Biden in my ranking of the top 5, which took some doing given my coolness toward Biden and my initial favorability toward Buttigieg. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/49 "2019-11-05T14:52:01Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Being gay isn’t his problem. The problem with Mayor Pete is he’s a phony. There’s no ‘there’ there. > > ETA: And want to absolutely **kill** African-American turnout? Nominate Pete. Um, no, you’re wrong. Three of the top 4 are polling awful with African Americans and the 4th is Biden who polls awful with the under 45 age group. Any Democrat that wins this nomination is good to have the full support of Barack and Michelle Obama. If it isn’t Biden, then he’ll be a weapon as well. Bill Clinton is still popular in the AA community as well. And, how do you call Mayor Pete a phony? He’s by far the most impressive candidate in the race and I’m happy to volunteer for him. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/50 "2019-11-05T14:57:15Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Yeah, the total 180 on his entire political identity within the party ought to confirm that. I don’t think it’s the worst strategy to get the nomination (I think he was finding that three was a crowd on things like Medicare For All) but I have no idea what he actually believes any more. He’s managed to get below Biden in my ranking of the top 5, which took some doing given my coolness toward Biden and my initial favorability toward Buttigieg. Please don’t let the campaign define Pete’s position on Medicare for all who want it. Here’s evidence that Pete’s position has remained consistent. > I know Pete was fine as the cute cuddly gay polling under 5%. Now that he’s a threat to Warren’s coronation, the knives are out. The last thing Warren wants is a repeat of 2008 with Pete in the Obama role and Warren as Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/51 "2019-11-05T15:02:18Z")
Ok I know someone new who could dominate in both the primary and the general seems impossible, but I admit Jon Stewart would crush it. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/52 "2019-11-05T15:05:34Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > A president often appears with the First Lady , holding hands and kissing-- at the convention, during the campaign,dancing together at the inaugural ball,etc. > > Serious question: does Buttigieg have a partner? > After seeing them holding hands and kissing in public, some people (a lot of people, actually) are going to have a problem voting for him. > > Remember, many people vote mostly by their gut-level feelings. Have you not been paying attention to Pete’s campaign? He mentions Chasten every single stump speech and interview. Chasten is a major asset for him, he does his own independent fundraising: I saw Chasten here in Chicago a couple of months ago. Pete’s last major fundraising event was an opportunity to watch Hamilton with Chasten, who is a former drama teacher. The newest fundraiser is a chance to FaceTime with Chasten and the dogs! ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/53 "2019-11-05T15:16:31Z")
Yes, I will agree that Chasten is an asset on the campaign trail. I think there might even be a weird boomerang effect where the novelty of a gay candidate allows some soft-focus reporting on the candidate’s family life that we wouldn’t normally get. > [@Sterling\_Archer](#): > > Ok I know someone new who could dominate in both the primary and the general seems impossible, but I admit Jon Stewart would crush it. Why would a retired host of a niche late-night cable show be expected to “dominate” in the primary? At his peak, he was getting, what, 3 million viewers? There will be more voters in just the California primary. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/54 "2019-11-05T15:19:07Z")
Being worried is great, and we Democrats should pretty much always be worried. But the doom and gloom stuff is silly and counterproductive. > **[A year from Election Day, Democratic presidential contenders extend leads...](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/year-election-day-democratic-presidential-contenders-extend-leads/story?id=66664948)** > > A year from Election Day, Democratic presidential contenders extend leads over Donald Trump. Just one poll, but every candidate right now has a massive double digit lead over Trump in this poll. We should always be worried… But the answer is more turnout, more donating, more volunteering, etc. Not “let’s dump all these candidates, even the ones with great enthusiasm and fundraising”. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2019, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/55 "2019-11-05T15:33:06Z")
[One Year From Election, Trump Trails Biden but Leads Warren in Battlegrounds (NY Times)](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/04/upshot/trump-biden-warren-polls.html) “Despite low national approval ratings and the specter of impeachment, President Trump remains highly competitive in the battleground states likeliest to decide his re-election, according to a set of new surveys from The New York Times Upshot and Siena College.” ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/56 "2019-11-05T15:34:51Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Yeah, I’m not getting the anti-Pete “phony” insult, either It’s a joke. Trump’s ignorant crassness is frequently defended as him “being genuine” and not some educated phony who has invested some effort in learning his native tongue to facilitate communication of ideas. Every time there is a Democrat “debate” and Buttigieg is present, he is the only adult in the room. The others come off as old children, every bit as petty and snipey as high schoolers, relying on rhetoric and predictable talking points. Buttigieg comes across as a progressive who can be respectful of the impact his policies will have on more conservative folks. As far as the fallout of him smooching his hubby on stage, it won’t be a problem as long as we lean on our kids to vote. Generally they see the old candidates as being the nicer side of the same system that has been destroying the environment and using developing nations for target practice. A hip, well-spoken, and apparently compassionate fellow, who can admit and face his personal challenges rather than play them off, is appealing. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/57 "2019-11-05T15:51:22Z")
**asahi** , if Trump wins in 2020, it will be because of you, and people like you. You keep on telling everyone that there is no hope. People with no hope don’t vote. The way to lose the election is for people who would have voted for the Democrat to not bother, because it’s hopeless. The way to win the election is for everyone to realize that there is hope, and that their vote can make a difference. By spreading your message of hopelessness, you are, in effect, campaigning for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/58 "2019-11-05T16:06:10Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > a repeat of 2008 with Pete in the Obama role and Warren as Hillary. …and, as Joe Biden: Joe Biden! ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/59 "2019-11-05T16:17:26Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > How do you like the sound of “President Colbert”? It would begin as one of his farcical larks, but suddenly everyone would realize that the voters had become serious about him. He would protest and demur, but the process would railroad genuine humor into the Whitehouse, and we might all finally discover what the man himself is really like. Hey, it worked for Ukraine! (I don’t know how good of a president Zelensky is, but I believe he is popular.) ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006/60 "2019-11-05T17:06:42Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Please don’t let the campaign define Pete’s position on Medicare for all who want it. Here’s evidence that Pete’s position has remained consistent. > [https://twitter.com/sevendicey/status/1187166077542948867?s=21](https://twitter.com/sevendicey/status/1187166077542948867?s=21) …“consistent from Feb 2019” isn’t exactly what most people would call “consistent.” February was when he pivoted from Medicare For All to Medicare For All Who Want It. When asked back in 2018 “Can you affirmatively say that we need #MedicareForAll now and that insurance does not belong in healthcare?” Buttigieg responded: > [@Mayor Pete](#): > > Gosh! Okay… I, Pete Buttigieg, politician, do henceforth and forthwith declare, most affirmatively and indubitably, unto the ages, that I do favor Medicare for All, as I do favor any measure that would help get all Americans covered. Now if you’ll excuse me, potholes await. > The position he took then isn’t consistent with the position he takes now. We should let Mayor Pete’s words define his position on Medicare for all. “Natural glidepath” is wishy washy nonsense. There is no “natural glidepath” from his healthcare policy (which doesn’t guarantee universal coverage) to universal coverage. That isn’t how anything works. > [@](#): > > I know Pete was fine as the cute cuddly gay polling under 5%. Now that he’s a threat to Warren’s coronation, the knives are out. The last thing Warren wants is a repeat of 2008 with Pete in the Obama role and Warren as Hillary. Lets stop the “coronation” garbage. It was garbage with Hillary and its garbage with Warren. Warren has fought hard to get to the position she is at right now with policies and plans and is probably the hardest worker on the campaign trail. Mayor Pete has been wishy-washy with his policy positions from the start. He didn’t even think he needed to put policy on his website when he started his campaign. The “knives aren’t out” because he’s "over 5%. The knives are out because we are approaching the endgame here and Mayor Pete is throwing down and his opponents are throwing back. Mayor Pete aint no Obama. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-democrats-emergency-thread/843006.md?page=4)