2020 Democratic Primaries/General Election Thread

[ISiddiqui]

Some great speeches tonight! Clinton and Warren nailed it and Obama is starting very well.

[sterlingice]

I miss having a fully functioning adult as a President

SI

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Vegas Vic

OK, it's time to retire the phrase "This is the most important election of our lifetime." This worn out cliche is trotted out ad nauseam every election cycle. I've heard this so much over the years that I'm starting to think I'm immortal.

I think a very serious argument could be made that this is the most important one in my lifetime.

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Kamala Harris is nailing this speech so far

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I think a very serious argument could be made that this is the most important one in my lifetime.

SI

I would argue that to this point, that 2008 was...in 2008. It could have remained the most important, but 2016 became it, soley because of the Supreme Court. Of course, too many people couldn't see the fucking truth of that, and now 2020, for obviously insane reasons, at least from the perspective of you and I, that this is once again, the most important.

[RainMaker]

The Obama speech was really good.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The Obama speech was really good.

Agreed

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Kamala Harris is nailing this speech so far

It carried through to the end. Fantastic Vice President speech!

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I think a very serious argument could be made that this is the most important one in my lifetime.

SI

Absolutely. I go back to Nixon re-elect, though I was only 1, and until Trump any other outcome than what happened wouldn't have made much difference. The Soviet Union would have still fallen, the tech boom would have still happened, 9/11, all of it. But if Trump wins again I think we turn down a very different path than if he loses.

My only hedge against saying that is that I expect the GOP to get even crazier and they could win in 2024 with an authoritarian who isn't lazy and purely self-obsessed.

[Galaril]

Obama and Harris had great speeches. Clinton’s was good but thought Warrens fell flat.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

I would argue that to this point, that 2008 was...in 2008. It could have remained the most important, but 2016 became it, soley because of the Supreme Court. Of course, too many people couldn't see the fucking truth of that, and now 2020, for obviously insane reasons, at least from the perspective of you and I, that this is once again, the most important.

Until 2024.

[JPhillips]

Dems come out with an inspiring message this morning. From the Biden campaign, the deficit won't really let us do anything. From the Dem Senate, if the GOP filibusters everything we may consider eliminating the filibuster, but let's wait and see.

Oh, well, we can't do anything will surely be an inspiring message for the 2022 mid-terms.

[albionmoonlight]

In my lifetime, I would guess that 1976 felt like "the most important" election (first post-Watergate). 1980 (Reagan revolution) turned out to be, but I don't think it was marketed that way at the time. 1984 wasn't. 1988 wasn't. 1992 wasn't. 1996 wasn't. 2000 wasn't. 2004 was (first post 9/11). 2008 was (economic disaster). 2012 wasn't. 2016 was (Trump was a candidate). 2020 is (Trump is a candidate).

[Butter]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

The Obama speech was really good.

His pauses were








wait for it






LONG.

[albionmoonlight]

So Biden speaks tonight.

If he manages to give a speech worthy of MLK and Reagan but has one 5 second bit where he stumbles over a word, then the headlines tomorrow will all scream DEMENTIA!!!!!!!!!

So that will be fun.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Vegas Vic

Until 2024.

Not if The Orange Douche is still in the WH. It won't matter at all, because he will bequeath his title to whichever family member deserves it best. I certainly won't have any say over it.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

So Biden speaks tonight.

If he manages to give a speech worthy of MLK and Reagan but has one 5 second bit where he stumbles over a word, then the headlines tomorrow will all scream DEMENTIA!!!!!!!!!

So that will be fun.

Will it be recorded ahead of time?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Will it be recorded ahead of time?

I’m assuming it’s going to be Live. Kamala Harris’ speech was live. And if Biden does not do it live then people are going to talk.

[BYU 14]

i think he will be fine doing it live. Stick to your script, speak from the heart. I worry about him in debates getting pulled into the Trump vortex

[JPhillips]

Biden's not a great speaker, but he'll be fine. Look at his recent live speeches. He's fine.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Biden's not a great speaker, but he'll be fine. Look at his recent live speeches. He's fine.

I think that he will be fine.

But I also think that he will need to be perfect b/c BIDEN DEMENTIA! is such a juicy story for the media. All about 'dem clicks.

[JPhillips]

He won't be perfect. He'll almost certainly stutter, because he does that. But he ain't senile and saying so is a lie.

[Swaggs]

Biden did fine in the final DNC debate where it was just he and Sanders. He can have a teleprompter, a production team, his speech prepared beforehand, etc. for this one. Plus, he was on the stump for a good 7-8 months before Covid hit. He should be fine.

[spleen1015]

He knows what Trump is going to do. He knows Trump's comebacks are going to be more of a bullying nature. So, he can prepare for that.

I am hoping for a few good burns from Biden during the debates.

[sterlingice]

If I'm him, I have the "No, Donald, that's not Biden's America you're talking about - it's your America. Right here. Right now." Pick whatever point you want to use it on the best because that line needs to land.

SI

[Jas_lov]

Biden's doing a pretty good job. Talking right into the camera with good energy.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

Biden's doing a pretty good job. Talking right into the camera with good energy.

Yeah I am biased but I never expected it to be this good. That could just be the bar is so low but he is a hell of a lot better than Trump regardless.

[JPhillips]

Can we please put the senile bullshit to bed now?

[Drake]

I'm gonna call that speech a win.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Can we please put the senile bullshit to bed now?

Yeah no kidding. I met Joe many years ago when I served in Bosnia in the 90s when I was a captain in the US Air Force during Operation Deliberate Force. I can say from the 45 second conversation he is genuine and a very decent human being.

[ISiddiqui]

Biden hit a home run when he needed it most. One of the best speeches I've heard him give. I really loved the light/dark dichtomy.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[Edward64]

Agree that he did well. I liked the ending about "soul of the country" (or was it nation).

I liked the other contenders coming together to talk about Joe (it would also have been great with a quick, joint Obama-Bill lead-in) . I thought Bloomberg was solid. His son & daughter and they bringing Hunter into the loop was great.

I'm not sure I liked the stuttering kid, it seemed too self serving but I could go either way.

Joe's autobiography was a tad long. I didn't like Julia Dreyfus as MC cracking jokes about Trump, didn't seem appropriate on the final night (did she do all 4 nights?). Jill coming to podium with a bunch of heads on TVs clapping seemed awkward also.

Alright ... it's time for a Trump vs Biden thread, someone going to start it?

[larrymcg421]

The GOP is usually so good at those little strategic political things like setting expectations that it's amazing to see them fail so hard here. The problem is Trump doesn't understand or care about stuff like that. He can't help but insult Biden's intelligence at every turn.

[JPhillips]

These are great insights from the black voters in SC that revived Biden's campaign.

Second, Chris Richardson,who told @AsteadWesley --

“Black voters know white voters better than white voters know themselves."

“So yeah, we’ll back Biden, because we know who white America will vote for in the general election in a way they may not tell a pollster or the media"

— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) August 21, 2020

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

The GOP is usually so good at those little strategic political things like setting expectations that it's amazing to see them fail so hard here. The problem is Trump doesn't understand or care about stuff like that. He can't help but insult Biden's intelligence at every turn.

What's Latin for "pettiness over strategery"?

SI

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Agree that he did well. I liked the ending about "soul of the country" (or was it nation).

I liked the other contenders coming together to talk about Joe (it would also have been great with a quick, joint Obama-Bill lead-in) . I thought Bloomberg was solid. His son & daughter and they bringing Hunter into the loop was great.

I'm not sure I liked the stuttering kid, it seemed too self serving but I could go either way.

Joe's autobiography was a tad long. I didn't like Julia Dreyfus as MC cracking jokes about Trump, didn't seem appropriate on the final night (did she do all 4 nights?). Jill coming to podium with a bunch of heads on TVs clapping seemed awkward also.

Alright ... it's time for a Trump vs Biden thread, someone going to start it?

I think the stuttering kid was brilliant on multiple levels and will be what people are talking about tomorrow. He had my wife (the suburban educated mother ie: the Obama-Trump swing voter) in tears, so I’d imagine his inclusion wasn’t for folks like most of us on this board and that it hit its mark well. I think it sends out the message that, “hey, you’re an asshole if you pick on people like this kid (who stutters like Biden)” and that it takes some bravery to power through a disability (like the kid and Biden).

[GrantDawg]

Republicans are upset that Tulsi Gabbard wasn’t invited to speak at the DNC in case you were wondering why Tulsi Gabbard wasn’t invited to speak at the DNC.

— The Volatile Mermaid (@OhNoSheTwitnt) August 21, 2020

[albionmoonlight]

I didn't watch the speech, but I am happy that I was wrong about predicting this morning's headlines.

[Thomkal]

I was trying to think of Dems who might speak at the RNC, and really Gabbard was the only one that came to mind immediately.

[JPhillips]

I'm assumig conservatives will also want Joe Walsh to speak at the RNC.

[RainMaker]

Not a lot of policy coming out of the convention. Seems like the campaign is just "you hate Trump so vote for me". Didn't work for Clinton but Joe is more likable. Still think they're in for a surprise if they don't do something to encourage youth voting.

[JPhillips]

I don't think policy matters in terms of the politics of this race, and I'm one that still believes nobody knows what Dems stand for. Right now the election is on very favorable ground for Biden. The argument right now is Biden saying Trump has been incompetent and malicious while Trump says, no I haven't and wanders off to talk about sharks and Sir stories. That's a great place for Biden.

Maybe that changes next week and maybe Biden pays for his lack of policy vision. A skilled GOP candidate could do that, but I doubt Trump can. As long as Trump's "policy" is that he's the only thing standing between white people and their black/brown rapists/murderers, Biden doesn't need to talk policy much and shouldn't spend his time on policy.

At the moment, the campaign goes like this:

Biden: Trump is a threat to the soul of the nation.
Trump: I'll take over Democrat cities and set the police to destroy Black Lives Matter.
Biden: See what I mean?

edit: That's the pitch to swing voters, and I don't think any policy proposals work better than that.

[RainMaker]

Just saying it was a strategy that didn't do well in 2016. At some point your party has to stand for something.

[Butter]

It's funny that you think people listen to policy at this point. Like a double digit percentage of people are opposed to a COVID vaccine, but you think facts matter. Funny

[RainMaker]

I think some people would like a reason to vote that goes beyond "he's not Trump". Maybe the party wouldn't be a doormat for another decade if they stood for something that people cared about.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Not a lot of policy coming out of the convention. Seems like the campaign is just "you hate Trump so vote for me". Didn't work for Clinton but Joe is more likable. Still think they're in for a surprise if they don't do something to encourage youth voting.

Ok, so here is your job. What major policy initiative do you introduce/highlight that gets youth to the polls but doesn't lose you the voters that you know will show up?

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I think some people would like a reason to vote that goes beyond "he's not Trump". Maybe the party wouldn't be a doormat for another decade if they stood for something that people cared about.

I think this has been a problem and will be a big problem in 2022, but right now making this a policy election would only hurt Biden. The best strategy is to ask, do you want four more years of this shit?

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Ok, so here is your job. What major policy initiative do you introduce/highlight that gets youth to the polls but doesn't lose you the voters that you know will show up?

Student loan relief and affordable health care options are a good start since they poll at the top among young voters.

[JPhillips]

Depending on what you offer, though, those are both net negatives.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Student loan relief and affordable health care options are a good start since they poll at the top among young voters.

I know A LOT of people on both side of the aisle who feel like they paid their loans and the younger generation should also. Hell, I feel that way sometimes, or at the very least ask what they would do for someone like myself who paid his loans off. I think student loan relief would be a nightmare platform with older dems and certainly undecideds. A lot of people already feel like younger generations get away with too much.