POTUS 2020 General Election Discussion Thread

[NobodyHere]

Too soon?


Anyways an article to get us started

Democrats 2020 Election: 6 Democrats Who Can Beat Donald Trump Include Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker

The democrats definitely need a better bench. Or maybe copy the Trump formula and try to get someone like Mark Cuban?

Cuban v Trump would be fantastic.

[BishopMVP]

Cuomo, Tim Kaine, Elizabeth Warren? No.

[wustin]

Just have a young, energetic person running on Bernie's platform.

[molson]

Donald Trump v. George Clooney v. Hulk Hogan as an independent.

[JPhillips]

Andrew Cuomo is corrupt AF. He's already caught up in Bridgegate among other problems.

[Kodos]

I think we need a young candidate who can spark enthusiasm like Obama did. No idea who that could be.

[Butter]

Cory Booker would work for me. He'd be about 50, which is young for a presidential candidate.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Elizabeth Warren is a terrible option.

[Logan]

Guessing Booker needs to get moving. He likely figured he had until 2024.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by wustin

Just have a young, energetic person running on Bernie's platform.

You need more than a platform, though. You need some charisma.

Booker may be good. He's not as left as Sanders though, but he's a great speaker. But he is African-American and can that lightening strike twice so soon?

Cuomo is pretty dirty, even for a NY Governor.

Brown and Warren are too old (though Brown at 68 will likely still have a decent amount of energy).

I don't think Kaine could lead the ticket, to be honest.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Logan

Guessing Booker needs to get moving. He likely figured he had until 2024.

Obama's coming out speech was 2004 DNC, right? Political stars may be better off rising quickly now before you get too much of a track record and are forced to take positions.

Julian Castro & Tammy Duckworth are two others I could see. And I still think Michelle would win, though I doubt she wants it in 2020.

[CrescentMoonie]

A Booker/Castro ticket could be just the thing to gain back the 7 million votes that Hillary lost.

[Butter]

Duckworth just now won a Senate seat, that would seem like a reach. Castro is going to get the boot as HUD Secretary, so he needs to find another job first.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Elizabeth Warren is a terrible option.

Why? If Donald doesn't make America great again then it seems like she would be the ideal anti-Trump.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Butter

Duckworth just now won a Senate seat, that would seem like a reach. Castro is going to get the boot as HUD Secretary, so he needs to find another job first.

How long was Barack a Senator? "Experience" isn't a good thing anymore for electability. It ties you to specific policy positions where you were wrong (no matter how good you are of course you won't be 100% over a decade+), and it ties you to the establishment.

Tulsi Gabbard is another to keep an eye on for the future - war vet from the Bernie wing - though I have legitimately no idea how her religion would play out.

[Butter]

He was 4 years into his first term when he was elected, as Duckworth would be in 2020. So maybe.

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

How long was Barack a Senator? "Experience" isn't a good thing anymore for electability. It ties you to specific policy positions where you were wrong (no matter how good you are of course you won't be 100% over a decade+), and it ties you to the establishment.

Tulsi Gabbard is another to keep an eye on for the future - war vet from the Bernie wing - though I have legitimately no idea how her religion would play out.

Gabbard is a bizarre case to me. She keeps winning huge in Hawaii, but quite a few of her positions seem to be diametrically opposed to her party.

I'm really not sure how she's a Democrat.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I think it's perfectly fair to look at this sort of thing. Jockeying for position began last night before the election was even called.

[tarcone]

Duckworth is a solid choice. But I cannot listen to her speak for too long. I would lose interest in the 1st 2 minutes if she gave a long speech.

Dems are ripe for a 40-something charismatic speech maker. Someone who falls right of Bernie, but left of the base.

[murrayyyyy]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I think we need a young candidate who can spark enthusiasm like Obama did. No idea who that could be.

Mike Johnston out of Colorado? (If he doesn't run for Gov. in 4 years)

[Ryche]

Originally Posted by murrayyyyy

Mike Johnston out of Colorado? (If he doesn't run for Gov. in 4 years)

I've never even heard of him and I live in Colorado. Governor seems a more logical step

All for Booker

[Brian Swartz]

Kanye West, obviously.

[RainMaker]

Duckworth is really stupid. You don't want her in a race.

What about the new Senator in California? She's interesting. I wonder if we'll see someone from the outside step in. Maybe a silicon valley person. Elon Musk wasn't born here so that's a wash. What about Eric Schmidt?

[Carman Bulldog]

Anthony Weiner.

[RainMaker]

I hope this is the end of the Clinton's for the Democratic Party. Use them for fundraising and stuff, but the public just doesn't like her. Stop trying to force feed her down everyone's throats.

[EagleFan]

Already? Really? Can't we have a couple year break from this crap?

Maybe we should focus on getting through the next few years and making things work...

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Already? Really? Can't we have a couple year break from this crap?

Maybe we should focus on getting through the next few years and making things work...

But there is no break from this crap. People will jockey for the next run now. That's a part of the process, get a chance for teh coutnry to see you and your party as well. Republicans who were hot a few years earlier, like Jinal and Christie, had worn out because they had issues. You don't want a flare out in the general election. Get them some publicity now, get them some elevated places and positions, and responsibility in the party, and then, you see what sticks. You are starting teh ground game now.

And this not a new thing.

From the day he lost, Andrew Jackson spent every day of the JQ Adams era to run against him and ultimately defeated him four years later.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

But there is no break from this crap. People will jockey for the next run now. That's a part of the process, get a chance for teh coutnry to see you and your party as well. Republicans who were hot a few years earlier, like Jinal and Christie, had worn out because they had issues. You don't want a flare out in the general election. Get them some publicity now, get them some elevated places and positions, and responsibility in the party, and then, you see what sticks. You are starting teh ground game now.

And this not a new thing.

From the day he lost, Andrew Jackson spent every day of the JQ Adams era to run against him and ultimately defeated him four years later.

No reason for us to see it constantly. This place used to be fun, now it is nothing but politics. May be breakup time.

[Easy Mac]

Are any of the people suggested black? That seems to be the main problem. She wasn't black, so a decent chunk of the possible deciding electorate didn't show up, and seemingly won't unless it's a black guy/girl running.

[wustin]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Are any of the people suggested black? That seems to be the main problem. She wasn't black, so a decent chunk of the possible deciding electorate didn't show up, and seemingly won't unless it's a black guy/girl running.

I think a non-HRC candidate would've done the job tbh.

[Galaxy]

Am I alone in feeling that Trump--regardless of how well he does--will only want to serve one term?

I don't see how getting more progressive is going to help win the general. Warren may be loved by the base, but I question her appeal among the swing voters.

With Trump taking a sledgehammer to the traditionally blue Rust Belt wall, will this create a challenge as how to break back into that base to win the general election? Will it be a battle of a coastal progressive vs. a more moderate Midwestern Democrat?

[CrescentMoonie]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

Are any of the people suggested black? That seems to be the main problem. She wasn't black, so a decent chunk of the possible deciding electorate didn't show up, and seemingly won't unless it's a black guy/girl running.

Cory Booker is black. Castro is hispanic. Duckworth is Thai. Gabbard is Samoan and a Hindu.

HRC being white had little/nothing to do with the loss. She's genuinely unlikable to a lot of people and didn't motivate her base at all. She came into this with an arrogance, as if it was her turn and she would not be passed up again the way she was in 2008, and couldn't be bothered to lower herself to the level of actually setting foot in Wisconsin. She is the living embodiment of how far both major parties have shoved sticks up their backsides and looked down on the working class. The problem was entitlement, not race. Anyone who inspired the base would have dominated Trump. Hillary lost to him despite Trump receiving fewer votes than Romney or McCain.

Bill Clinton was 48. He was funny, articulate, charming, and tapped into the younger voter base with things like appearances on MTV. He was Bubba with a law degree and it energized the base enough to get him two terms.

Barack Obama was 48. He was funny, articulate, charming, and tapped into the younger voter base with things like a masterful understanding of social media. He was a great family man who seemed like he would grab a beer with you any time you wanted.

Gore was only 52, but otherwise he, Kerry, and HRC were none of those things.

Booker will be 51. Castro will be 46. Tammy Duckworth will be 52. Mike Johnston will be 46 shortly after the 2020 election. Gabbard will be 39. Considering who their base has turned out for, at least in the last 20 years or more (JFK was 44, Carter was 48), the DNC really should be focusing on grooming a cadre of fairly young, charismatic options as they can who have just enough experience to be considered viable but not so much that they feel like they're being forced down the throats of the base.

[cuervo72]

It's almost as if Democrats have to be relatively young, and almost unknown to succeed in a presidential election (outside of incumbents). Carter? Relatively unknown on a national scale in '76. B. Clinton, same. Obama? Unknown.

Gore? Ex-VP, pretty visible for eight years and had been in Washington for 16 years before that. Kerry had been in the senate for 20 years, and was first elected to Congress in '72. Mondale had been around since '64. H. Clinton? Well, duh. Dukakis...well, sometimes you just miss.

But it seems like the key might be to keep a young bench, and to keep it out of the limelight. Governors, senators who haven't been around long. Haven't been around enough for the right to incessantly pick away at them.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by wustin

I think a non-HRC candidate would've done the job tbh.

That seems like a gross over-simplification. Hillary just didn't stir the passion that Obama and his soaring speeches did. Fair or not, she was seen as the old guard, not something new. Plus, years of Fox trashing her did nothing to make people enthusiastic. You get a charismatic person of whatever color who seems to have a vision and a strong message, and people will rally to that candidate. It wasn't just because Obama was black.

[JPhillips]

It's also really hard for one party to control the WH for twelve years.

[stevew]

Dems should recruit Oprah for 2020.

[cuervo72]

I thought she should have been a consideration for VP this time. Seriously.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Bernie Sanders doesn't rule out a 2020 White House run | Fox News

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Bernie Sanders doesn't rule out a 2020 White House run | Fox News

I fear that would be a mistake. Like a Romney like taking defeat from the jaws of victory mistake. Sanders identified the issue, but wouldn't be a good manner of distributing the cure (so to speak).

[tarcone]

Michelle Obamas name seems to pop up occasionally.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Michelle Obamas name seems to pop up occasionally.

I doubt it will ever happen, but certainly not in 2020.

[ISiddiqui]

Sherrod Brown may not be a terrible idea. He's a long-term Senator, which may result in a long legislative history that may have some embarrassments, but he's generally a well liked populist Democrat who isn't too far to the left (was on the short list for VP by Clinton... should have done that it seems rather than worry about losing a Senate seat).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Michelle Obamas name seems to pop up occasionally.

Too soon.

It wouldn't surprise me to see in another four years after that perhaps, but the timing rings poorly a mere four years later.

And that's my objective opinion on it, not a political one.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Am I alone in feeling that Trump--regardless of how well he does--will only want to serve one term?

No, you're not alone. I don't see how Trump is going to gain any likability as President. I've thought through most of the election that the winner would end up being a 1 term president with little chance to win reelection.

On top of that, I do think there's a good chance he becomes sick of the job, or decides given his age (70 now) that he doesn't want to die in office from stress-induced old age, and just doesn't run for a second term.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Too soon.

It wouldn't surprise me to see in another four years after that perhaps, but the timing rings poorly a mere four years later.

And that's my objective opinion on it, not a political one.

The problem is there's not really a seat for her to have in Illinois and I think she'd be an odd fit for Governor. If she waits 8 years, then she might be out of the spotlight for too long and someone else could've built up their star power and credentials. I don't think there's any Democrat who could beat her if she ran 4 years from now.

Having said all of that, I highly doubt she wants to run. If she did run, it would only because she feels she needs to run. So maybe she'd run against a Trump term 2, but not a Pence or whoever term 1.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Duckworth is really stupid. You don't want her in a race.

What about the new Senator in California? She's interesting. I wonder if we'll see someone from the outside step in. Maybe a silicon valley person. Elon Musk wasn't born here so that's a wash. What about Eric Schmidt?

Elon Musk seems to be more libertarian than a Democrat.

Mark Cuban?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

The problem is there's not really a seat for her to have in Illinois and I think she'd be an odd fit for Governor.

If she wants one, somebody will be kicked to the curb (or kicked into a party appartachik job, or "convinced" to seek another off).

[larrymcg421]

YES. THIS. PLEASE.

The dems need organization and focus on the young. Need a fifty State strategy and tech rehab. I am in for chairman again.

— Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) November 10, 2016

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

If she wants one, somebody will be kicked to the curb (or kicked into a party appartachik job, or "convinced" to seek another off).

Well yeah I guess she could run for Durbin's seat in 2020 and try the same 4 years Senate before President run. But there may be a Dem incumbent in 2024.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by sabotai

No, you're not alone. I don't see how Trump is going to gain any likability as President. I've thought through most of the election that the winner would end up being a 1 term president with little chance to win reelection.

On top of that, I do think there's a good chance he becomes sick of the job, or decides given his age (70 now) that he doesn't want to die in office from stress-induced old age, and just doesn't run for a second term.

If Trump doesn't run in 2020, I wonder what direction the GOP will go. I know a lot of it depend on how Trump does, but it's interesting to think about.