President Trump: The NEW one and only politics thread

Ahem. Given the times we live in, a little extra insurance and expecting the unexpected seems entirely reasonable. Trump, Sanders, and Biden are all in the high risk group, and politicians. They meet a lot of people, and more than that, the people they meet also meet many people. That's not a safe dynamic. The lot of 'em could be dead before the election.

Bernie would be hanging around whether he suspended his campaign or not. The main thing he has to do to avoid incoming brickbats is to control the toxicity level around the campaign.

 

If Biden's not the nominee (I'm not completely convinced he will be) my money's on Cuomo or Newsom getting the nod at the convention.

 

Actual question. How is it denying democracy in any way to reject a candidate who has been rejected by over two-thirds of the primary voters? Why is Sanders' claim to a nomination if something happens to Biden more valid than say, Elizabeth Warren's or hell, Andrew Yang's? It isn't the Miss America pageant.

 

I'm not good at that sort of prognostication. I'll just crawl way out on a limb and note that it's a long time until the convention (if there is one) and that our society is in an extremely fluid state.

Nobody knows a damn thing at this point.

 

Because those other candidates were rejected by over four-fifths (or in the case of Yang, 98/100) of primary voters.

If Biden drops dead, Sanders is the only one left. By default he's the only one on the ballot. He currently has more than 10 times more delegates than the next person behind him. Denying him is taking a shit over the entire system.

 

Nothing in this world appears to be certain at the moment, not even Biden’s nomination. I believe you’re right that Democrats would prefer to nominate someone other than Sanders if Biden fumbles, but I’m curious whether they would be willing to further divide the party when they claim that beating Trump is the top priority.

I think the uncertainty of everything, including Biden’s stability as the presumptive nominee, is the only reason Sanders hasn’t suspended.

 

Just got this email

DONALD TRUMP DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OVER/UNDERS


MAR. 26, 2020 – Each day, during the daily CoronaVirus press briefing, President Trump updates the Nation, and in his inimitable style, uses many of his favorite words and phrases to communicate with the American people.

Accordingly, the odds-makers at www.SportsBettingDime.com, have established over/unders for some of the President’s favorite words and phrases used regularly during his prepared statements and Q&A with the White House Press Corps.

PRESIDENT TRUMP DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OVER/UNDERS
Fantastic +Incredible + Amazing + Tremendous 24.5
Great 11.5
Big/Bigger/Biggest 10.5
More Tests than any other Country 9.5
Fantastic 8.5
Incredible 6.5
Amazing 5.5
Tremendous 5.5
Best 5.5
I/We’ve been treated unfairly 3.5
I/We inherited a broken system 3.5
Working Very Hard 2.5
We’re doing a great job 2.5
Not our fault 2.5

 

There has always been - and always will be - a segment of the party pulling it to the left. Sanders has been able marry the typical NE '60s never ended liberals to a younger anti-establishment post-Occupy group that has given his campaign the field forces and money other candidates, like Bill Bradley in 2000, Paul Tsongas in '92, Howard Dean in 2004. Jesse Jackson was the rare candidate who was the furthest left candidate in a field to get significant support from non-white voters, but he lacked institutional Democratic support. And then there is Jesse Jackson, who was talking about single-payer, free college and infrastructure back in '84 and '88.
I guess I'm just surprised some younger "four-quadrant" candidate with a decent "inside game" (good ties within the Dem party) hasn't made a go of that lane. But it is telling that none of the above did much else in Dem politics afterward.

 

He doesn't have the votes, which means it is absolutely legitimate for someone else to be chosen at the convention.

 

First, your logic is sound. I, personally, think if Biden can't do it, Sanders has to be the nominee. The shitshow that would follow would be too much.

Second, that said, this is a song and dance for and by the Democratic Party. The fact we have voting at all was a concession years ago and nothing requires the party to follow a vote. So if it isn't Sanders, it won't be taking a shit on the system; that is precisely how the system is supposed to work. Sanders loses the opening vote, then the next steps kick in and do exactly as they were designed to do: Choose a candidate. If that isn't Sanders it wouldn't be smart, but it falls under the rules.