It's not too late to draft Michelle. Is it?
5
Six Democrats in Search of a President.
5
Bloomberg is the political equivalent of a Komodo Dragon.
3
Just no to Amy, Gail.
Uninspiring and mean lurks beneath
bouncy demeanor.
I'm a woman, but gotta pass on K.
8
"If Klobuchar keeps climbing, soon the Trump crowds will be chanting “Lock her up!” Really, any woman will do." And the chanting MAGA Women just don't get it, do they?
13
I named all eight candidates in fewer than 30 seconds!
Ms. Collins, you are my first choice to head the ticket.
"As Texas Goes .... qualifies you as the most astute politician since Lyndon Johnson. You can pick anyone but Sanders or Warren for the vp slot, including Bret Stephens.
If you decline, my second choice is a multi-racial, bilingual proven leadership duo: Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. Just imagine how ballistic Trump will go when he discovers that Jorge is, in fact, eligible to run.
3
The moderate Republicans of a earlier day, the Rockerfeller Republicans, are now in ideology centrist Dems.
She is another fine example of a moderate Republican running in the Democratic party. I'm sure the power players at the top just love her.
She's vacuous and wooden and has no support among people of colour, but the MSM are trying to ram here down people's throats in an attempt to block Bernie.
The Minneapolis NAACP asked her to drop out because of her racist prosecution record.
She’s voted for more Trump judges than most Democrats.
She has about zero support from POC.
She delivered milquetoast platitudes and offered nothing of substance in every debate performance, andrepeatedly fell back on the shtick of acting like these crazy candidates pushing ideas are a bunch of loonies, and she was the only one above the fray of offering a vision, and so we should vote for her. After every one of these inane performances, a bevy of oped writers at every major outlet would print articles about what a fantastic performance she had, and about the "Klobmentum" that nobody in the country but them experienced.
But clearly Trump has worked in destroying all standards, with half of Democratic voters probably willing to support David Duke if he were running against Trump.
They are apparently already okay with Mayor Pete Guaidó, the Langley liberal, and a racist billionaire from NY who simply wants to buy the nomination to derail Bernie and save 3.5 billion in the process.
So why not Amy.
5
Will Ralph support Amy Klobuchar? Maybe ….
Amy Klobuchar has detailed plans for 100 actions during the first 100 days of her Presidency, but comes across as genuine rather than pedantic:
https://medium.com/@AmyforAmerica/amys-first-100-days-b7adf9f91262
Here are just a few of them:
Prioritize cybersecurity and protect our elections and other American infrastructure from cyber attack.
Update the standards for reviewing both horizontal and vertical mergers to ensure vigorous antitrust enforcement.
Make a plan to connect every household to the internet by 2022.
Impose full sanctions on Russia for hostile act against the United States and its allies.
Crack down on money laundering and tax evasion.
2
I think we should recruit Yang to run for president.
That's ultimately the trouble--seeking Perfection--in the Democratic challenger to Trump. None are or have been perfect. And miserably, their primary opponents are going way back in history--for errors they admit they wouldn't make again or were not ultimately a party to (the Minneapolis gang member imprisoned from a second trial)--to show all kinds of ways they haven't been Perfect. Even G-d is more forgiving than many Democrats are.
4
Such a tiring subject; once again dragging up who can best beat Trump. Please discuss something else.
2
I've got to ask:
Given that Dizzy Ralph made the incalculable error of voting for
corrupt Trump, how can he possibly know what he wants in a
candidate to defeat corrupt Trump?
6
I have one friend who is a Trump supporter named Ralph. As much as I love him, politically he is ridiculous. Another Ralph I love even more. Politically with whatever differences there might be among them, he is much closer to the Ralphs that include Nader than those that don't. If my name was Ralph I would be there also.
1
Good old Ralph. I see him as 50ish and sick of Trump's lack of decorum and manners, to say nothing of his lack of achievement during the past three years. A tax cut for the wealthy does not count as an achievement, especially when it didn't stimulate the economy for very long. Meanwhile, let's hold off on who can/can't beat Trump until we know who both the presidential and the VP candidate will be. That could make all the difference.
2
I worry about Bloomburg's women's problems and the fact he gave almost $12 million to Pat Toomey.
However, this year I am changing my one-issue vote from abortion to voting Trump out.
2
Ralph isn't going to save us. Only appealing to actual Democrats will do the trick. I'm so tired of pundits saying Democrats need to get the centrists on board. Anyone who would still cast a vote for Trump at this point is either immoral or not paying attention. Either way, they'll listen to his lies and vote for him again.
The only way to win is to get out the vote. Doesn't matter who the candidate is.
5
"Getting rid of Trump is everything. "
Getting rid of Trump is not everything. He could be gone tomorrow and we'd still be a country of incessant wars and with tens of millions of Americans without homes or access to medical care. We'd still have mass shootings every few days. We'd still have three men with more money than 50% of the population. We'd still be facing massive extinction and environmental disaster.
Merely replacing Mr. Trump solves only the face of our problems, which run much deeper than Mr. Trump. He's merely the most recent symptom of a deeper moral abyss.
4
What's Ralph's wife's name? She is the one who will decide this election. No wonder Trump is holding back on Amy. It would be great to see the old, salacious misogynist flailing against another woman candidate.
4
Trump and Russian want Bernie to be the nominee.
Bloomberg is the Democratic best bet.
It's a good thing Bloomberg is running as a Democrat.
1
Only one word I take issue with, Trump could never "skitter". He does sort of a tilted forward, waddling trudge. Utterly graceless.
3
You are right, Gail and I agree with you on Bernie's scowl. He needs to stop looking like my grumpy grandpa and give the downward stabbing finger a rest. It can't hurt to look a little presidential.
I think the problem is that the media encourages people to run whom they, the media, think are "normal".
Comes Bloomberg, with $100B, a stash he could use to run 1,000 candidates at $100M a piece. Sanders couldn't run 1, yet in the debate Pete criticized Sanders for being a millionaire, in typical slick willy Pete way ("I'm the only non millionaire on this stage".)
When the media look at what Bloomberg has spent his money on - buying every influence peddler in sight - it is considered "normal". When Sanders suggests free college like they used to have in California when it was the best educational system in the world, it is called abnormal because Ralph in Michigan thinks it is creeping socialism.
Gee, where did Ralph in Michigan get all those funny ideas anyway?
2
Again with the shouting. Why don't you ever write about what Bernie is saying instead of telling us yet again that you don't like his delivery?
You hear shouting, millions of young people and people of color hear passion. They hear a candidate who considers climate change and inequality our two biggest problems. And they are the voters we need to win, not Ralph from Michigan. Black women alone outnumber swing voters.
3
Rachel Bitecofer says forget Ralph. She says get out the Democratic base, and turn out those who would vote blue but need to be encouraged. She also says pay due respect to POC and black women in particular -no more taking them for granted.
1
I am Ralph. Please not Joe or Bernie. They sound like me.
At the moment, Bloomberg’s money makes him the strongest Democratic candidate. It also makes a mockery of the Democratic primary system, whose first few contests do not matter to anyone able to buy an unlimited amount of TV time. But never mind that. The biggest problem the country faces is this: if he loses, what will Trump do in his last months in the White House? The level of grievance he and his supporters would feel would be boundless. There would be no reason for either Trump or those supporters to exercise even the minimal level of restraint they are exercising now. Trump could write himself a multi-billion dollar check from the treasury, confess on TV and pardon himself. He could have Breitbart craft a fake news hit piece on his top enemies and read it in an Oval Office address. To imagine all he might do, I would probably need to take an hallucinogenic drug. The point is, if Trump loses, we would enter an extremely dangerous period.
Looking forward to the op-Ed that sees the irony that Bernie Sanders is to the Democratic Party as Trump was to the Republicans in 2016.
3
As a former Minnesotan (born on the Iron Range) now living the snowless life in sunny Florida, I can appreciate how difficult it is for Trump to think up a crude nickname for Sen. Klobuchar. Despite some early gossip about staff torture when in the midst of a busy campaign day, she was served a salad without a fork (or spoon or knife) and was forced to use a comb (Good thinking, Senator!) or go hungry, Sen. Klobuchar seems to be the one woman confronting Trump who stuns him into silence with her sense of purpose.
Sen. Klobuchar gets legislation through Congress, consistently wins in red counties by big margins and demands respect from opponents for her humor and problem solving. Minnesota, let me remind everyone, is the only state which currently is functioning under divided government: the governor and the executive branch is from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party (DFL), the House is also (DFL). but the Senate by a close margin is Republican.
Minnesota has a large budget surplus left over from the previous DFL governor. The voter turnout in MN in every election tends to be in the top 5 in the country. Refugees have been welcomed primarily by religious groups sponsoring families. When one county (Beltrami) answered "NO" to Trump's query about taking refugees now, it was promptly scolded by all other counties.
Sen. Klobuchar comes from a state where government works (but not the DMV's new app.) by people for people. She is too tough for Trump to nickname.
7
I will vote for Bernie if he is the candidate only because he would be running against Trump but every time I hear Bernie talk about his base being working class, the young, minorities and union members he only tells people like me who are not in those categories that there no place for us in his Democratic Socialist Party.
3
Pogo said, "we have met the enemy and he is us". If "Ralph" voted for Trump, I'm not sure he can be brought back to sanity/reality. What needs to happen is that the millions of Americans who did not vote and maybe now realize how bad Trump is for them and the country need to be given a choice that inspires them to go vote. Demonstrations and letters to the editor do not elect politicians: votes do.
1
"The Perfect Trump Antidote" isn't a politician, it's public education. Unfortunately, it doesn't take effect until about 12 years after innoculation.
6
Millennials, and young progressives more generally, support Senator Sanders, because what he says about health-care, education, and climate change makes sense, and if followed-through, would upend a status quo that only serves the interests of the wealthy and the powerful, and the expense of the rest of us. I'm not sure why so many who write for this paper, or read it, seem to have such difficulty understanding this. Or commenting upon it without snark, or a sense that the sky is somehow falling.
I'm supporting Senator Sanders because I think that it's high-time that we reduce spending on a military so bloated, that it is orders of magnitude larger than the combined militaries of our rivals, and raise taxes upon our wealthiest to more reasonable levels, and use that money to support our poorest and most vulnerable. I'm also supporting him because it's past time for us to get serious about the impending dangers of climate-change. And the tone and volume of the Senator's voice rates far below any of those concerns.
2
But you must know that all the Democratic candidates support some form of Medicare for all, believe in climate change and believe in higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Their method might be different but they all philosophically believe the same things.
Gail, your comments about Bernie’s vote total resonate with me. Frankly, I thought he lost New Hampshire. He received approximate half the vote he received four years ago and lost to the twin moderates, Pete and Amy about 2-1. At some point one of these two is going to falter, their support will glide toward the other and Bernie will still be stuck at his ceiling of 25%. By April 1st his campaign will be gasping for air and it will come down to Bloomberg vs Amy/Pete.
5
Growing up in Michigan I know some Ralphs. The ones I know are not all named Ralph and in Michigan more than 1/2 are women. I imagine they resent having their personae adopted by someone they don't know to attempt to push the writers own views and biases on less than critical readers, especially those that don't know (or recognize) any Ralphs. These literary devices are unhelpful at best, offering false representation attempting to influence a process that cannot be defined by imagined motivations and perceptions. But I'm not Ralph, that's just my view.
4
I did not vote for Trump. While he ran for president I quickly saw that he fits the pattern of an antisocial narcissist who believes that laws do not apply to him, and operates without concern of being just toward others. He (as well as the Republican Party) is destructive and dangerous to our system of government, our society, the environment and programs that have been developed to further the common good. He clearly does not operate within the boundaries of a person with a well formed conscience that is founded on principles of caring for others.
Consider which virtues vs vices (Catholic teaching) Trump adheres to:
Chastity opposed to Lust
Temperance and humanity opposed to Gluttony
Charity, generosity and sacrifice opposed to Greed
Diligence and ethics, opposed to Sloth
Patience, forgiveness and mercy opposed to Wrath
Kindness and compassion opposed to Envy
Humility opposed to Pride
Regarding climate change due to our releasing carbon from deep storage underground into the atmosphere, I agree with Noam Chomsky that the Republican Party is the most dangerous organization in human history, dedicated to the destruction of the ecosystem that supports our civilization.
What Senators Warren and Sanders say rings true. But Senator Klobuchar seems very sensible, intelligent, and caring. Yes, I haven't made up my mind yet. You got that one thing correct.
12
@Ralph in Michigan, well said. I too, like Sen. Klobuchar, and haven’t made up my mind, either. Regardless, I will vote Blue, to give our nation a chance to heal and deal with the Climate Crisis. I have 7 beautiful, healthy and smart grandchildren, they deserve a viable planet.
10
@Ralph: Why does Catholicism teach that one behave harmoniously for a better life after death? One can only benefit from these practices in life.
3
The US will never be able to negotiate an affordable heath care plan for all because affordability requires triage. This means that, for instance, when prenatal testing turns up crippling and/or life-threatening congenital issues, the system will pay for an abortion, but not for continuing pregnancies to procreate subjects for medical experiments after birth.
1
Thanks for another enjoyable Friday read, Gail. Your column is always a lesson in how to find humor in the hair-raising.
My family lives in Ohio's GOP-gerrymandered 12th District, which as recently as 2009 was quite competitive. Our Republican-dominated state legislature long ago dictated that municipalities cannot enact laws (such as gun safety measures, environmental laws, etc.) that might be at odds with state laws, which the Republicans--who don't even live here--enact. We have a single-party state. Unless we want to see the whole country like this (and worse!), whoEVER the Democratic nominee is, we gotta vote BLUE.
13
@Eric: These very same state politicians select who represents you in Washington so the Feds don't upset their game.
How did Trump win over Ralph in the first place? It certainly wasn't because of his stable genius and strong moral fiber. Are the Trump voters tired of his antics, I don't think so.
No, I think Ralph voted for Trump for the very same reason that the people of Great Britain decided to name a ship Boaty McBoatface. It wasn't really political, it was simply a poke in the eye to the perceived elites. If Ralph could've, he'd just as happily have voted for Moe from the 3 stooges.
38
@Mike B
He won them over at precisely the same time Midwesterners got fed up with being stereotyped and talked down to by self-righteous coastal residents who refer to our homes and schools and farms and towns as flyover country, call us all deplorables, or ignorant, racist, simple, and, well, "Ralph". Charming.
I don't want Trump. I do want the lazy schoolyard taunts to stop. All you're doing is clearing the ground to grow four more years of gross division.
2
@Mike B: The US has many people who would ask the genie to to burn down their neighbor's house with their one wish if they stumbled on Aladdin's Lamp.
Bernie is too old; Mayor Pete is too inexperienced. I'd like to see a Warren Klobuchar ticket, followed in four years by a Klobuchar Warren ticket. Let's give these smart, experienced, tough and reasonable women a go at the presidency.
46
I like your thinking, but believe Bernie might need a female of color (and from the South if possible) to get Southern folk and females motivated to vote. Massive turnout, as Obama had in 2008 is the only sure way to overcome gerrymandering, voter suppression and voter intimidation at polling places. Whatever the ticket it cannot be 2 white men.
17
YES! Let’s!
2
I don't agree 100% with Amy K. getting the nomination, but she certainly has my vote as the preferred running mate, she is smart and will greatly assist in gaining the votes of women, which is so important.
I have claimed for some time that the only serious opponent to Trump is Bloomberg. Not only is he smarter but Trump is in fear of him, which is a good start, and Bloomberg will not be fazed by the likely personal attacks leveled at him by Trump. The Dems need to recognise Bloomberg as a leader and potential President. He ticks all the right leadership boxes for me whereas the other runners do not.
353
@Charles H.: The only problem with Bloomberg is his electability. Right now we're only seeing those professionally crafted ads. Once he has to step forward and participate it will become clear to everyone that he is dull as an old jalopy. That won't stop me from voting for him--but folks are projecting onto him some characteristics that he may not really possess.
11
@Charles H. I'm not particularly impressed by a candidate who comes into the race late, hasn't participated in any debate, and is literally buying his way in. Done with billionaire presidents, thank you.
9
@Charles H.
Bloomberg is a familiar candidate to most NYC residents, and especially so if one had any involvement in the political arena. I have mixed reactions to his candidacy. It does not bother me that he is wealthy, nor that he got into the race late. My tolerance had ended for this "early voting" setting the stage for the candidates from whom I get to choose, not to mention the debates which allow no one to really explain their ideas. Bloomberg chose good agency heads for the most part and let them do their jobs. He is fiscally conservative and some where on the liberal side socially. But he carries real baggage from the "stop & frisk" policy, not to mention the comments revealed yesterday from a presentation to some group in 2015 defending "stop & frisk." He will not excite those looking for fights and scathing words toward others, but he can hold his own with Trump in a debate. I am just not sure this country can get past the damage Trump has done with a moderate candidate. We are in deep trouble, and the person in the WH has to be persuasive, not so much to unite us -- although that would be very good for all of us -- but to inspire a base of serious and sustained support that will re-establish democratic processes and bring some degree of trust in government back to this country.
13
Colorado voters have already gotten ballots for super -tuesday.
I already voted....Now that Trump is worried about Bloomberg ,he got my vote. It seems correct to vote for who can beat in the election. I am a senior 80+ years and Trump is definitely the worst
president in my lifetime.
19
Thank you Ms. Collins for giving me a few chuckles in an era when chuckles are hard to come by. Say hello to Ralph for me!
3
Have no fear, Trump, as the leader of his Cult, is starting to go off the rails and will soon be destroying himself. I suspect many Cult Members are secretly not going to vote for him or not vote. These members cannot speak out in public; that's the nature of their membership and their mind set; they are in the Cult because it gives them community which they have not found elsewhere; they have low self-esteem and low self-confidence. Note that some Republicans voted to limit his war powers today; not enough to prevent his veto override, but they have started to see he is becoming unhinged. His mental and personality problems are growing and becoming more dangerous. I'm sure even many current republicans have limits to their tolerance; they have children and loved ones and do not want the country destroyed. So more and more people are seeing the truth.
If it is worse than I think, noting will save us.
6
Trump may win just through the exhaustion of Dem voters and independents.
Also I just cannot believe that black voters helped boot out Booker and Harris by solidly supporting Biden - till now.
Now they have to choose between Mr Stop and Frisk, and Don't Care.
Its truly sad.
1
@Rudran: People of African descent have not had a chance to vote yet. In any event, there is no candidate to vote for who sees much of what is wrong with the US tracing back to the Constitutional distortions made to accommodate slavery by the 13 ex-colonies that chartered the Federal Government.
2
Bernie's not the guy in the diner--he's the grouchy old man on the porch yelling at the kids to get off his lawn. Chris Matthews was right--Bernie will never be president, and the country is much the better for it. There isn't a single policy he has put forth that would see the light of day in Congress.
All those "Ralphs" who like Trump's "spunkiness" (c.f. Lou Grant: "I hate spunk.") should appreciate Bloomberg's ability to counterpunch with Trump. Trump fears him because he knows he can't intimidate him or attack him without reprisal. Have at him, Mike.
5
@Cavalier in Red: Mike's investigative network is probably more effective than Trump's pranksters of projection. Trump fears people who are richer than he is more than he does people who are smarter than he is.
1
Pundits that project what they personally want as a fait accompli deserve to be humbled by the voters actual choices. The shouting of "never" is much more destructive than calling out ways we've diverged from a moden economy though corruption of money and political gamesmanship allowing minority control and in the case of Trump asperations of fascism. This would be a good time for white men not running to sit down and listen.
1
After much soul searching, I think Ralph will vote for President Trump. He/she has had it pretty good under our president and “the divil you know is better than the divil you don’t know.” President Trump is not perfect but they know what they are getting. They have seen their fortunes rise and are not doing too badly. There is some uncertainty as to the Democratic presidential candidates and why would they ever take chances when they are doing so well. I think Ralph with stay with the winner currently in the White House.
3
It’s really something, watching Christians try to sluff off trump’s lying, stealing and attacking the Constitution as, “not Perfect,” “a few character flaws,” and so on.
I hope you’re going to be prepared to answer some very awkward questions indeed, when your roll is called up yonder.
7
@KMW
" I think Ralph with stay with the winner currently in the White House."
Wow, just wow.
5
Ralph is the candidate opposing Trump.
1
My guess is that younger people like Bernie because they are not afraid of replacing their private insurance.
And older people like Buttigieg because he is more to the center and more religious.
1
@Independent: Religion is inherently divisive because nobody can prove any claims to know that any sentient deity is for real, much less verify what it purportedly thinks and/or does. I think enforcement of the "Establishment Clause" on the lawmakers it instructs is an urgent priority, because religious schisms can get catastrophic. I think Mayor Pete needs to grow up more. Obama was too green too.
2
@Independent
Want to go for three?
@Steve Bolger
While being very far from The Donald in every respect, there is a character trait (ex) Mayor Pete shares with Trump -- hubris.
The media tends to tell the stories of polls and voting one way when drawing conclusions. I have formed a habit of reading the polls and voting backward to see the meaning in a different context. Many times this different context tells us more about what is happening and what isn't.
Here is an example. Bernie won NH with 26% of the total vote. Now read backward, which means that 74% of the voters voted against him. Yes, with eight to ten other candidates it is unlikely we are going to have a candidate pulling more than 50% of the votes, so everyone is a loser. However, it is informative to see where 74% of the vote went as only 26% are the only ones supporting the Bernie revolution. We could add Warren's 10% to Bernie if you want to see the support for Medicare for All Now. That would still be a loser as it would only total 36%. That is not a stable 36%, as Warren has recently moved to allow for a phased-in approach.
This leaves at least 64% of the vote in the moderate column of the field. If you add Pete, Amy and Biden's percentages together you end up with 53% of the voters, which is a winning philosophy. This would seem to indicate the nominee will be moderate.
However, since Iowa and NH are not representative of our parties demographics, none of it means anything yet.
Let's look at the percentages backward after SC and NV to see where we are. I doubt the Bernie revolution will be on top and the moderate field will narrow as to participants.
4
Seeing the total number of votes in New Hampshire, it was fairly clear that moderation in the form of Pete and Amy combined overwhelming won out over the Bernie left. I suspect that may continue.
3
Bloomberg is 77, but the number most mentioned about him is how many billions he has. It's okay to be old apparently, if you're really really rich.
However, If he's the nominee, he gets my vote.
10
"people don't know much about him [Bloomberg] except his ads" - This explains his popularity.
The same thing happened with Warren and Yang, maybe happened with Harris and might be happening now with Pete.
Considering how badly the others faded, it is not a good omen for the former mayors.
Sander reminds me of McGovern in 1972. I was 18 then and worked hard for McGovern then even game me the keys to the local Oceanside NY office. I think the Sander performance would be just about the same as McGovern giving the Republicans complete control leading to a disaster for most of America and the rest of the world. Democrats need to find a candidate that can beat Trump or we are in big trouble.
11
Gail,
Great column. You always make the reality of lot of fun. You have a lot of clout with the Editors and fellow columnists so your Ralph of Michigan inspired me to ask that you organize a team to look at all of the swing states and try to obtain the unvarnished truth of what normal "Ralphs" think about the candidates and and the issues that matters. I am particularly interested in the States that have a Senate Seat in the contest.
I know you know that if the Senate could shift to a new majority it would advance the interests of most of our people.
3
Sanders won, but several other candidates combined beat Sanders... the spin of MSM. Institutions like NYTimes and MSNBC are afraid of a Sanders candidacy.
This election is about more than beating Trump. It is about getting at the root of why Trump was elected.
3
@Jacob: Trump called forth all his supporters to vote for Bernie in the New Hampshire primary if they were eligible.
2
The effects of Trump's hate-baiting are viral, caused by the name calling, the lies, the innuendos, and the "investigations"
Is there a way to get Trump-loving people to resist falling into joyous lockstep as they chant hate-filled slogans fed to them by this up-and-coming despot?
Surely we can find a way to inoculate his followers from this manipulative, viral, destructive fear and hatred.
2
Ms. Collins,
Always a laugh! The "lock her up," even Oprah, was great! SNL should put you on the writers staff, you too can get a gig job, before the peeps start yelling "lock her up." (That would be you!) All the best.
3
The drip, drip, drip of condescension of "liberal" NYTimes columnists towards Bernie for daring to propose a modern social-welfare state is all Trump needs to be elected.
5
I would had said the election in November was the perfect antidote, but even when he's removed from the White House, he'll be used as a figure head for the usual suspects, white nationalists, the privileged, right wing media. So actually the ultimate antidote will be death, the physical one and the conscience one, because signs of Trump's senility are everywhere and increasing..
3
Sanders supporters should really heed the call. Instead of inspiring other Candidates supporters, they insult their Candidates with name calling. Their arguments might sound like win win but it doesn't. They insult us Boomers and blame us for all the ills and current state of the country and yet voting for their age group continues to be deficient. Old voters voted in Trump in swing states like Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Working class voters wanted change like Obama and thought Hillary was the same old Washington so they voted Trump. This voters can be persuaded because their economic status is not enjoying the benefits of the Trump economy. However, Sanders' Socialist policies are a big turn off. Not a Bloomberg fan because he really is just a moderate GOP running as a Democrat. Moderate is what we need, Buttgieg and Klobuchar are possibilities although I though Warren would have been another choice.
3
@Melanio Flaneur I've seen much more vitriol coming at Sanders than from his supporters. You "moderates" gave us Hillary, who blew it completely. That should have taught you humility, but instead you're still here pontificating about who is and is not "electable" like you know anything.
5
@KM Hillary did not "blow it." She had three unique and unprecedented challenges to deal with: 1) Vladimir Putin, 2) James Comey, and 3) a belligerent primary sore-loser opponent who was late/clearly reluctant to support her. The election was close enough as it was; without any ONE of those factors we would not be dealing with the crisis that is Trump right now. Thanks a lot Bernie.
6
@Sylvia P. Hillary had two additional challenges you didn't mention--- both named Hillary. She had hubris beyond belief - not concentrating on and not visiting, again and again, the Great Lakes states which she took for granted as "her blue wall" - and she chose campaign staff who wouldn't/couldn't acknowledge what a poor effort they were making on her behalf.
3
What the Democratic party needs now is a new FDR. The party has been moving right for the past 40 years, and it has lost the confidence of the American electorate as a result. The Adelson, Mercer and Koch (oh, my) unholy alliance has captured the Republican party, which is now actually Libertarian in any case. Might as well have a real opposition to the policies of the Greedy Old Plutocrats. Bernie and Elizabeth should just team up and the DNC should just support them.
5
@Edward Not a bad prescription for the Dems. How about Sanders/Klobuchar? Or Warren/Klobuchar? Or Warren/Bloomberg? Or some other such pairing blending the two 'sides' of the Democratic Party?
4
Gail, do you really believe Buttigieg's popularity will continue when he begins showing up with his spouse? So far, he's been on that stage alone. How will so-called middle, moderate Americans respond to an openly gay president when they actually vote?
2
You mean, will they cheer like they did in the last two states?
4
@Liz
yes they will
1
With all due respect, but in one sentence this imaginary "Ralph" likes Trumps "um.. Spunkiness" but doesn't like Bernies "shouting and scowling". How does this fit together in any way?
Klobuchuar was the big winner in New Hampshire. Is 3rd place 1st place? I thought Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire.
"Trump crowds will be chanting to lock up Klobuchar". I cannot for the life of me think why they would and no argument is provided why they would.
"Millennials hear Sanders speeches and think he's rapping." If there ever was an appopriate time to use the prhase "OK, Boomer" - this is it.
I'm sorry but this analysis is not worth the paper it's printed or (or the server it's stored on)
5
Gail a I know enough about Mike to know he wants to keep Trump’s SALT limitation. That’s enough to make me vote for any other Democratic candidate. I’m getting killed by it as are a lot of others who might support Mike. He might want to rethink that one - STAT.
2
One of the catastrophic mistakes of the DNC was to brand Trump as the sexist, radost and xenophobe. After Trump won the election the initial justification was that everybody who voted for Trump must also be sexist, racist and xenophobe.
It means that the DNC is willing to devide and destroy country to benefit personally. The problem is how now to lure those voters back after insulting them so viciously. Suddenly Sanders is unelectable as if he insulted the blue collar workers who decided the last elec
2
Best comment I heard from this lady in N.H. who point blank told the msnbc reporter that because the media is so anti Bernie she is going to vote for Bernie.
If you gail and the rest of the media keep harping on Bernie, you are going to have a backlash. And people will vote for Bernie in defiance. Like that, Ralph?
8
"...he's sort of the political equivalent of Geico." Super genius.
2
Oh, Gail. How I love your take on the world and the way in which you express it. Thank you for making me smile and, yes, laugh. Out loud. In my car in Menard’s parking lot. While outside it’s 20°, sunny with gusting winds. Now I feel up to getting out of my vehicle, negotiating the weather on my way to helping the economy in my own small way.
1
Like the rest of us over 40, college-educated women, Gail is excited about Amy. And while I haven't yet gotten my daughters to give up on Bernie and Pete (respectively), they are interested in a women who could beat Trump. It's the electability concern, after all, that has led so many men and women to give up on Warren.
5
Something about Sanders talking loudly (shouting to her) seems to unsettle Gail. Even Bret Stephens finds it somewhat comforting or at least familiar.
I am sure not all Jewish immigrant families argued loudly, shouting over each other. But my family on my father's side was like that. This was true of both the men and the women. And Bret said a beloved uncle of his was like that.
5
I am tired of Bernie. Dems need to stop voting for him because he will not beat Trump. I am a fan of Joe, but have come around to the fact that he is not the one to beat Trump either. He would be a fantastic surrogate on the campaign trail, as will Obama when a candidate is chosen. Buttigieg is young and inexperienced. Warren went too far left. Remaining viable candidates are Klobuchar and Bloomberg. I would happily vote for either as they could both beat Trump. Together, they make a strong ticket. Would like see any of them (except Bernie) on the debate stage with Trump, but put money on the fact that he will say the debates are rigged and decline. Moderates will beat Trump.
9
You've got it right, Gail. Thank heaven for your great columns and PBS in this hysterical time for the country. We must take this season with a grain of salt or something stronger (as I prefer) each night when the day's events are thrust upon us in the nightly news. The over riding question is and always will be " who can beat Trump" and don't ever lose sight of that goal. I'm at the point of anybody but Sanders, the bent over candidate stabbing the air with his bent over finger like a robotic toy grampa ad infinitum. At this point I'm considering a Bloomberg-Klobuchar ticket. Anyone care to join me?
3
@Phyllis Melone See my comment above. I’m with you Phyllis. You are not alone.
Gail: In your new piece you offer some perspectives and scathing comments on the Democratic candidates and the need to persuade the befuddled and confused electorate to vote for the best candidate.
Well given the absence of viable winnable candidates who “can rid the world of President Trump” … you may as well have asked NOT where is “Ralph the target swing voter” ? but “Where is Waldo?”
I only wished that there was a Democratic candidate of the calibre of F.D.R. … believe me America badly needs such a strong candidate … but there is none on the horizon !!!
2
Someone is going to have to step up and lead rather than simply run if we want to beat the maniac Trump and the complicit GOP.
4
Ralph and his/her buddies had better help right the ship and then extend an apology to the rest of us for being such dopes. Some circus guy, PT Barnum, said a number of years ago, "There's a sucker born every minute" and, boy, was he right!
3
Ralph Cramden? I'd vote for him! Better yet, I'd vote for Alice.
2
If only Amy would adopt Pete....I could sleep better at night.
3
Trump must go (period). After surviving Vietnam, I'm biased toward combat veterans so like Buttigieg-he's smart too. If Mayor Pete continues to label the WH coward "bone-spur" Trump, I firmly believe the Don will turn speechless. I know a lot of vets and they will not vote for a person who in any way disparages a decorated combat veteran.
6
Suggestion Gail - leave the US - go anywhere else!
2
I would like to see any writer for the Times actually do Bernie the courtesy of giving him serious consideration. I''m tired of the brush-off. I would also like an end to the accusatory stories about those "disloyal" Bernie supporters who wouldn't vote for another Democrat. How about some harsh criticism of the so-called moderate voters who say they won't vote for Bernie if he's the nominee? Bernie himself has said, over and over, that he will whole-heartedly support whoever wins the nomination.
7
"The big winner in New Hampshire was Amy Klobuchar, who came in a rather impressive third. "
Tortured logic. Is 3rd place really impressive?
More impressive than 1st place?
No, the big winner in NH was the candidate who got the most votes.
5
I live in Michigan. I'm voting for Mike. He's not the only candidate I like, but the only one I think has a shot at beating Trump. That's what it all comes down to in this race.
3
good luck with that
Despite all the attention given to young adults (18-24), their actual voting rates have been SIGNIFICANTLY lower than those of 25+ year olds. The eternal hope of bringing out the young voters in droves has been elusive, and Democrats will be much better off focusing on the 25+ year old Ralphs.
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/voting-and-registration/voting-historical-time-series.html
1
Things to Come
Kerching, not so much, cash flow diminished,
Late income bump per Bern is diminished;
Now down to business, gotta hide what we’ve got
Overseas in a lock box, my own bumper crop -
Safety first - must conceal all hidden assets
Wherever I can …in waterproof caskets
To exhume, I’ll wager, in the fullness of time
For distribution – will sealed and signed;
Bernie’s a snoop with high moral fervor
Who’ll punish the rich, act the disturber
Of rich lives and lifestyles, banking on hate
To snatch and retrieve what was once on our plate;
Raise the white flag; there’s no pity for you,
The election’s decided, it’s too late to sue.
Gail - while I always love your columns, I think you should not have referred to Mrs. Ralph. She may actually prefer her own name. Maybe she did not vote for Trump last time.
2
You missed the point about military service. We had two candidates who had been in Vietnam, they lost. We had a President who got the head of the draft board to let him go. We had a President who went to the head of the line and got in the Reserves thru daddy. So Mayor Pete’s flunky lawyer job driving people around Afghanistan doesn’t count for much. Lawyers and Chaplains shouldn’t be in the military anyway.
1
"Most people don’t know much about him except his ads — he’s sort of the political equivalent of Geico." Wonderful!
Bloomberg can get his positions known all over the country. But I'm not really excited about them. And he still hasn't really come up with a good answer to the challenges over "stop and frisk." He's apologized, sort of.
His money and strong organization could make him the one to defeat Trump...especially if he concentrates on the swing states Trump seeks to win to beat his challenger in the Electoral College. But is that reason enough to vote for him in the primaries?
2
@Mark
Yes, Bloomberg had his stop and frisk, but at least he has apologized. Trump has never apologized for any of the hundreds of horrible things he has done. I am tired of those Evangelicals who talk about Christian forgiveness - to be forgiven you at least have to own up to your misdeeds, apologize and atone. Trump has done none of these.
1
Democrats need to stop worrying about how to get men who voted for that man in 2016 to vote for any of them. They won't. Make like the queen in Frozen and let.them.go.
Focus on getting the women who voted for him with a bit more reluctance, mostly because they were worried about the economy and their families having to pay more taxes. They were prepared to overlook his "spunk," but as they ALREADY SHOWED in 2018, when they elected centrist Democrats in a number of Congressional districts previously represented by Republicans, they've had enough of it.
All the Democrats need to do is get 80,000-ish people in 6 states who didn't vote at all or who voted for him to vote for their nominee, while holding on to the rest of the states they won.
If you're worried about Ralph and his buddies, you're focusing on the wrong people.
2
It is of the utmost importance that a Vice President should be chosen for his/her ability to succeed in the office of President if it should become necessary. Choosing a Vice President because he/she will agree with the President on everything is not a good basis for the selection. If the ability of the Vice President is of paramount importance, the choice of a President can be done on the basis of overall quality regardless of age. We live in perilous and stormy times. The ship of state needs the best possible captains at its helm.
Dems and independents sitting out this election run the risk of waking up to a dictatorship for 4 or more years as he may not ever leave appointing Ivanka as acting president for life. What could the people do as Trump has said he has the guns to get his way.
5
Nobody won in either New Hampshire or Iowa. I'm sorry but 26% is an awful "win". Yes, they came in first, but the race looked more like a sprint by eight turtles, and one or two happened to step over the invisible finish line. On the other hand, a lot of people obviously lost in both states. Seven candidates got less than 1% of the vote. They need to go back home. The others need to sit down together and draw straws.
4
I really like Warren and she is my preference. But my highest priority is getting rid of Trump. And the only person who can do that is Bloomberg.
While he's anything but perfect, I find myself getting excited not only that can beat Trump, but that once in office he could really get some things done.
Wouldn't it be nice if we actually had a decent, liberal-minded, practical, data-driven, hyper-competent executive in the White House who could really DO things? One who could set realistic, achievable, goals and get them done? Just normal, obvious things like repairing our infrastructure and taxing the super wealthy more?
He not only has the skill set, but given that he is so non-ideological, he will not be wildly polarizing.
6
The basic question about Ralph is whether he’s interested in vehement statements of needed policy, or whether he’s more interested in using policy as a cudgel to beat up Trump? Maybe the latter is a good combination. Is Klobuchar going to select good policies to club Trump?
1
I'm hoping New Hampshire was a turning point for Klobuchar of sorts. She may not win South Carolina or Nevda, but she'll almost certainly be in the race on March 3.
She is not my first choice. I'd prefer Elizabeth Warren. She's smart, competent, an effective legislator (Sanders is not), and I agree with her on many (not all) policy positions. Klobuchar is all of those, but too close to the center for my tastes, particularly when it comes to energy exploration.
Above all, Warren and Klobuchar strike me as the candidates best able to stand up to Trump's junkyard dog tactics. It's clear, Trump cannot stand, and does not know how to deal with, powerful women. He may be accurate to conclude he's intimidated by them. He's insulted (or afraid) when they even challenge him, much less get the best of him.
And as a side benefit, Warren's or Klobuchar's election would allow my 94-year-old mother to vote for the first woman president. She will be allowed to rest in peace.
6
@CS I agree but Klobuchar's prosecutorial record causes me deep concern. The recent disparagement of Warren in the media has taken its toll.
2
@Barbb1 You have a point. I had the same concerns regarding Kamala Harris before she dropped out. The only response I can offer is that, as an attorney who practiced for thirty-five years, there's no such thing as a prosecutor with an unblemished record. There's no attorney anywhere with an unblemished record, but that's particularly true with lawyers who work in criminal law. I was a general civil trial lawyer, although not personal injury. I like to think of myself as a reasonable, fair-minded advocate of my client's rights, but even I look over my past work and cringe at some of the stuff I did. It's hard if not impossible to judge a a handful of one lawyer's actions with 20-20 hindsight. It'd be a different matter if there were a pattern of bad acts, but there isn't with Klobuchar.
1
I don't get it. The trumpet trumps, and all the troops curtsy and bow. Is courage so out of favor that TRUTH and TRUST have been consigned to the gutter? What do Republicans fear? Surely not the poor excuse we have for a president. Mitt Romney set a good example, and finally we Americans have some heroes to applaud. Let's have more, please.
5
Anybody but trump. Too confused to know who will be able to win those midwestern electoral college votes, doubt it's Bernie. Plus, the republican cheating, and voter suppression is too real. What I do know is that our Constitution will be a meaningless piece of paper (parchment)with the reelection of #45, no more Democratic Republic.
3
This cycle, norms have been disrupted. Klobuchar & Bloomberg need to affirm, although they run independently, voters should consider them as pres/vp team. No need to declare which-is- which. Continuing to ‘run’ their own campaigns, both commit to combine/release delegates.
1
Trump's opponent ought to be someone who appeals to Republicans and Independents, in addition to Democrats. Skip all those who are afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome. How about Senator Joe Manchin? He is liked by everyone and he is sane. If the field is limited to current candidates, Bloomberg has best chance but will lose in landslide; he will eventually apologize for his business success.
2
"Sanders, 78, has huge support from younger Democrats, but in New Hampshire he got only 14 percent of the voters over 65. Buttigieg, 38, got nearly a quarter of those older voters. What's the story?"
I'll tell you what the story is. People over 65 have taken care of parents and other older family members. You think your elderly relative is doing all right, and the next thing you know, they're calling someone a "lying, dog-faced pony soldier," and then it's all downhill from there.
8
How would "Ralph" even know Bernie's coffee shop doppelganger "never treats"? Seems at best irrelevant to the narrative and at worst antisemetic, and I'm leaning toward the latter. Why else would our friend Ralph think a senator fighting to get us free health care and education by making the wealthy pay their fair share wouldn't treat?
4
All I can say is if Ralph prefers Trump to just about any other living human and non-human, then Ralph and Trump deserve each other.
5
Mike Bloomberg as a one term president (age 77) with Amy Klobuchar as VP could give us 12 years of Democratic leadership.
3
@John Dyer
Worst non-marriage ever!
2
@John Dyer This is my current favourite calculation: after 4 years of Trump, 12 years of Dem rule.
The reason to vote Democrat is Trump. HIM. Forget his policies, right or wrong, it's HIM. Some one else with a shred of decency can do policy. Trump has no decency. Vote to rid ourselves of HIM to give us all and our democracy another chance for normal lives.
4
"Ralph" is a Republican. If Democrats want to win Michigan, the votes are in Detroit, specifically African American women. So far, Buttigieg and Klobuchar haven't achieved the kind of enthusiasm among African American voters to overcome Trump's 2016 message that there's no point in voting because everyone's equally corrupt.
5
Ralph doesn't exist. Trump supporters will remain solidly behind Trump.
4
Millenials hear Sanders speak and think he's rapping is the best!
4
Rapping can communicate important truths, but the intent appears to be to discourage istening using a race-related put down. Wish I could rap that.
"Millennials hear Sanders speeches and think he’s rapping." Oh, Gail, sometimes you come up with real zingers. Still chuckling.
1
The "perfect Trump antidote" may come from a staunch defender of The Second Amendment to the Constitution.
Maybe I’m just increasingly depressed, but while I don’t wish ill on anyone, I’m starting to feel COVID-19 could be an antidote… not only to Trump, but to us in general. It seems to leave other species be. Just imagine Earth’s rolling green hills, the ocean breeze, egrets soaring and slipping between air streams on a bright cloudless day, bonobos in the jungle call to one another, a tiger’s roar shakes the forest canopy… and nothing under the sun to spoil it. I dunno, it could be nice.
31
Trump is the best president, aside than Reagan, in the last decades. The demos candidates are obsolete. The 4-year witch hunt + impeachment, the soaring economy and the strong stand against illegal immigration, Iran and China will lend Trump a land slide victory in 2020.
4
The fact that not a single Democrat can break out of the 20s ought to be setting off alarm bells. It is clear that this is a weak field and none of them can beat Trump. They can't even get out the vote in their own primaries. Turnout ought to be overwhelming when, in fact, it has been anemic so far.
The only solution is to go outside the box, and the only one I see there is Mike Bloomberg. Originally I thought Joe Biden might beat Trump, but one only needs to listen to him for two minutes to realize he is long past it and has no business puttering around the Oval Office.
No, it's Bloomberg or bust, and the sooner the Democrats realize it, the better the chance that he'll take down Trump.
4
Amy’s my pick.
She’s mid-Western, smart, moderate, works well with others, can speak in full sentences. I think she’ll wipe the floor with Trump in a debate.
Face it, it only thing standing in her way is the fact that she is a woman. Let’s get beyond that - time for the USA to have a female President and Amy could be the one. And the Bernie Bro’s better get smart and support her if she’s the nominee.
9
@Maxi Her record as a prosecutor is very troubling.
2
@Maxi
Right - somehow third in NH and fifth or worse in IA is the new FIRST?!? Gimme a break....
2
The “master tactician” Nancy Pelosi shampeachment circular firing squad process wiped out the Democrats’ best antidote, Joe Biden. And no one in the Democratic Party, at CNN or MSNBC has the guts to admit it. Sad.
3
I really like Mike! I know nothing about him, learning even less from his commercials, but he sure knows me! Whenever I see one of his over-produced ads, which is about every five minutes, it whispers "You are a person of extremely modest critical thinking skills, who is easily swayed by repetition, and impressed by anyone spouting platitudes and waving a wad of cash." The man is a whiz!
6
At least, my belly laugh of self-realization, thank you, I needed that!
1
Ralph:
None of the Democratic candidates would set up a fake charity, convince donors to support veterans, widow(er)s, orphans, and even kids with cancer and instead use it for personal expenses.
Fake Trump family charity. Fake Trump University. Fake Trump everything.
By all that is decent, dump Trump.
14
My choice: Michelle Obama...
4
There’s only really one antidote for the clown... she lives with the last democratic president
4
Bloomberg, Biden, Warren, Sanders, Buttigeg, Klobuchar....Steyer...yikes! Looked it up : Gabbard
But I can name all the Justices:
Roberts, Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Bader-Ginsburg, Karan, Sotomayor...yikes!
Looked it up: Breyer
2
Poor Deval Patrick, he dropped out before this column was filed and didn’t even get a mention.
4
Its going to take three things to defeat Trump:
1. Don't blink. Trump is the old man behind the curtain in the Wizard of Oz. All of the smoke, noise and fear go away once you pull back the curtain, and see a small, fat, old man, with bad orange hair, and a spray on tan.
2. Tell the truth. Trump mocks the disabled. He assaults women sexually. Trump shows disdain for military hero's, even with his debilitating bone spurs. He has stiffed the real working class hero's from getting paid, and is in love with dictators.
3. Vote. And take Ralph with you. And his friends. And his family. And his church group.
10
I have been trying to keep a tally on the number of Anti-Sanders Op-Ed’s being written in the NYTimes. It is time to stop, as every single Op-Ed piece is an Anti-Sanders freak out by Gen X and the insufferable boomers.
9
It seems that is unfortunately consistent from 4 years ago. Endorsing 2 other candidates puts a heel on that boot, since there is no preferred candidate to dance around. For Hillary, if a spotlight were shown on serious omissions it could have at least gotten personal attention in the Midwest.
"I doubt Mrs. Ralph is going to come around unless [Bernie] learns how to talk about, say, eliminating college tuition without shouting and scowling." Is Mrs. Ralph that shallow, or just stupid?
"Millennials hear Sanders speeches and think he's rapping." So Millennials are both shallow and stupid?
Sanders is the most popular politician in the country because most of us want the things he wants and we trust him to fight for them, and because we recognize his integrity, and because we're neither as shallow nor stupid as you seem to take us to be.
9
the antidote is still Bernie and if ralph is going to vote for trump instead then you can count him as another racist
4
What’s the story?
"A) Mayor Pete reminds them of their grandchildren.
B) Bernie reminds them of the guy at their coffee shop who never treats and won’t stop complaining about the weather.
C) Millennials hear Sanders speeches and think he’s rapping."......this is embarrassing , The Times needs to up its commentary
4
With a greed head serial lawbreaker occupying the Oval Office and the battle for nominee of the Democratic Party looking more and more like a fight to the finish between a fiercely dogmatic and uncompromising national socialist and a former Republican multi multi billionaire autocrat who blithely terrorized the black and brown communities of NYC for a decade traditional American values of fair play and respect for the rule of law needs a champion as never before - and her name is Amy Klobuchar.
3
@Leigh Yes! Amy is coming on strong and generating passionate support from both men and women. I'd be fine with Bloomberg as her VP. Let Mike spend his billions on getting Amy and him elected!
2
How about beginning with fair coverage of the facts, rather than musings meant to distract people from the reality that Wall street and the brilliant meritocratic looters and destroyed the country. Enough of your “ conversations” with Bret Stephens who’s only issues are israel.
4
Here’s the hypocrisy of the Republican party. This should be played on every TV station everyday.
Lindsay Graham at his hypocritical best.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2bkDykGhM8c
Why do Americans believe anything the republicans say. It changes like oceans currents and they go with the flow.
3
There was that time he said he wanted to grab women’s … oh wait.
Antidote!
I thought you said “anecdote.”
There is no antidote.
3
Bloomberg/Klobuchar- he, mayor of NYC which is like being the head of a country, she, not afraid of trump and his thugs - works for me!
2
Sanders will get out the vote. Klobuchar will not. Buttigieg might. Warren, Biden and the rest are out. NYT and its NYC readers are the only ones who take seriously an NYC mayor. Get your heads out of your bubbles, people. Lool at the whole country.
3
@Snow Day - Sanders will definitely energize voters here in Pennsylvania as well as Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida....and those voters will be voting for Trump. You lose these states and you don't get enough electoral votes even if you win the national popular vote by a landslide.
5
@democracyite Sanders will take the blue-collar white vote back from Trump. Without him Trump wins those states again.
1
Wake up, Gail.
You know we’re getting 4 more years of Trump.
Deal with it.
5
Gail Collins wonders who can beat the criminal in the White House. I believe Elizabeth Warren can if columnists like Collins stopped dissing her. After all Gail she is in 3rd place in the race for delegates despite a mostly Caucasian electorate and the most ridiculous and undemocratic form of voting, the caucus. Ms. Collins can serve the American people better by highlighting their platforms. Maybe Ms. Collins can learn that many of the candidates complain about many things but Elizabeth actually has a plan.
4
Obama didn't win because of Ralph or his ilk. He won because millions of Blacks voted for him that had not voted in the past. Trump won because those voters did not show up. Democrats must find a way to bring out the Black vote again. That is not likely without a Black candidate on the ballot somewhere.
5
You finally got it, now if you could only teach your Neo feminist, neo con colleagues at the NY Times and die hard Hillary fanatics that advice.
The Jury is still out re who will be Ralph.
Biden, despite his horrible showing, he is still the best Ralph, leading Trump by the biggest albeit small margins in swing states over any democrat. Stay with him unless he continues to sink in the polls.
Bernie, possible Ralph but he must shake the socialist tag, accept AOC endorsement but distance himself from her, stop the us vs them mantra ie rich vs poor otherwise he will be toast. Trump will eat him up.
Mayor Pete, hits all the right buttons but is avowed gay. Unfortunately in America, they are not ready for a gay president just like they were not ready for Al Smith circa 1020s. Maybe in 20-50 yrs. somebody like him will win.
Amy K, a real chance but lacks name recognization and is saddled with Hillary identity/social engineering obsession fatigue, although Amy herself is not guilty of it.
Bloomberg, a wild card but must overcome his stop and frisk past and we are gonna shoot the gun lobby instead of saying we will work with responsible guns owners to lower death tolls.
Warren and past people like Harris, Castro, Beto, Gilly, etc. destroyed themselves with identity/social engineering obsession that was lethal to Hillary.
2
Donald Trump is nay for me
The antidote is poetry.
What is in him that others see
That never needs apology
Or holds an ounce of decency?
He lives to make all raw and sore.
He is obnoxious at his core
And suffer us another four?
No, Quoth the Raven
Nevermore!
2
I am terrified to realize that the NYT is trying to hide the truth and the facts.
It is not enough to hide them among thousands of different voices in total cacophony.
The truth must always be headlined and brought up forward to everybody's attention.
Ignoring the facts is harmful to everybody.
3
What’s our worst problem?
The DNC!
They believed Hillary was electable and Trump unelectable and impeachable?!
Wrong on all counts!
They tried to win the elections by dividing America along the racial and gender lines four years ago. The only thing worse than losing the elections to Trump would have been winning on that catastrophically dangerous political platform.
Instead of accepting personal responsibility for the loss in 2016, the DNC cowardly blamed Kremlin for meddling in our elections.
Thank you in the name of all the voters for considering us the fools who could be easily influenced and duped by Putin.
If we wanted to create the worse insult for the US citizens, it would be impossible to beat THAT ONE!
How to proceed?
Make it simple, stupid!
Don’t blame Trump for the racism and the sexism and by extension all his voters if you want to gain their support.
Make it personal and universal at the same time.
What are Trump’s worst weaknesses?
He cowardly avoided fighting for his country during the Vietnam War. He lacked the long-term vision so several his businesses failed and he declared bankruptcy. During the war on terrorism Trump again avoided paying his fair share of taxes to support the war efforts.
How to depict Trump if we embraced his tactics?
Hanoi Jane is already taken, so let it be “Hanoid Trump”.
Since his entire casino business failed, call him “The Worst Gambler”.
For refusing to disclose his tax returns, brand him “Pro-Jihadist Taxpayer”
2
@Kenan Porobic
I'm pretty sure Dems tried all of those things in 2016. And I'm not sure they were doing anything nearly as racially divisive as accepting the endorsement of the KKK. (LIterally. They endorsed him. Trump never has found time to respond.)
1
@April
I never respond to the fools.
Do you?
Should not we save our energy for the critical issues?
If the Presidents had to respond to every foolish statement, they would waste the entire term on it.
Unfortunately, a half of Trump problems are self-inflicted by responding to every negative comment about him.
Again, by giving the undue attention to KKK, you provide them with free publicity.
1
@April
Not really. The DNC branded him as sexist, racist, xenophobe anand a Russian puppet.
Have you wondered why would the NBC GIVE TO such terrible person a prime time platform and pulpit called The Apprentice?
Did anybody at NBC resign over such catastrophic blunder?
No?!
It means those were just the lies...
1
What’s our worst problem?
The DNC!
They believed Hillary was electable and Trump unelectable and impeachable?!
Wrong on all counts!
They tried to win the elections by dividing America along the racial and gender lines four years ago. The only thing worse than losing the elections to Trump would have been winning on that catastrophically dangerous political platform.
Instead of accepting personal responsibility for the loss in 2016, the DNC cowardly blamed Kremlin for meddling in our elections.
Thank you in the name of all the voters for considering us the fools who could be easily influenced and duped by Putin.
If we wanted to create the worse insult for the US citizens, it would be impossible to beat THAT ONE!
How to proceed?
Make it simple, stupid!
Don’t blame Trump for the racism and the sexism and by extension all his voters if you want to gain their support. Make it personal and universal at the same time.
What are Trump’s worst weaknesses?
He cowardly avoided fighting for his country during the Vietnam War. He lacked the long-term vision so several his businesses failed and he declared bankruptcy. During the war on terrorism Trump again avoided paying his fair share of taxes to support the war efforts.
How to depict Trump if we embraced his tactics?
Hanoi Jane is already taken, so let it be “Hanoid Trump”.
Since his entire casino business failed, call him “The Worst Gambler”.
Since he refused to disclose his tax returns, brand him as “Pro-Jihadist Non-Taxpayer”
1
Any Democrat will have my vote, but have you ever counted how many times Klobachar says "I" in any given speech?
I can’t find a stitch of humor in anything Trump related. Joking only makes it worse: He revels in columnists jokes and barbs.
2
One way to get Ralph to vote for you is not use terms like "flyover country" or "deplorables" or call him a racist.
Of course, plenty of Trumpites fit that description, but not all who voted for him do.
I have never been won over by being told I am an idiot and insulted, so I don't see why anyone else would. I have been persuaded by calm and respectful discussion. Not all can be, but some can.
3
@Bill
Except, it doesn't matter if Dems aren't actually doing any of those things. Trump will say they are, and truth doesn't matter to his base as much as feeling righteously angry.
2
Chief reason “Ralph” from Michigan switched from Hillary to Turnip was because Comey came out less than two weeks before the election to “re-investigate” Hillary. Ralph got scared about the idea that she would undergo a criminal investigation if she was President. Ralph now lives with the regret of Turnip. This year, Ralph will vote Democrat, hopefully Klobuchar, maybe Bloomberg, but whomever it is.
3
Is this an Anti-Semitic trope?:
“B) Bernie reminds them of the guy at their coffee shop who never treats and won’t stop complaining about the weather.”
3
Gigantic victory of Hillary Clinton in 2016!
She came in second!
3
Hilarious! I loved the comment on Bloomberg - “he’s the political equivalent of Geico”!!
3
Once Donald trump is reelected will you folks promise to quit whining and complaining? Who would vote for such a bunch of people as you! Your candidates are boring, they are terrible at public speaking and I am always amazed at the complete lack of talent in this group. When you have a Regan or a Clinton, Bill, or an Obama or a Trump you are dealing with people who can speak to the American people. You have no candidate like that now and neither do the Republicans without Trump! Remember when the power brokers in NYC wanted to run Caroline Kennedy for "something", mayor or governor? Watch the speech and see why she didn't run and she was more well spoken than your candidates. Can you say, "Lying dog faced pony soldier!" The man really needs some help! So do you and this paper!
3
Bloomberg is almost (note I say "almost") as bad as Biden. It pays to remember that Bloomberg is a billionaire who used to be a Republican. Do we want to put a white man in the White House? Who do you believe he'll name as his running mate?Lindsay Graham? It sure won't be a person of color let alone a woman.Think long and hard about that before you cast your vote.
First, you need to get Ralph excited enough to go vote. He won't if he thinks there won't be that much change in his day-to-day life paying his bills and keeping a roof over his head and avoiding bankruptcy which is so common with the wonderful Obamacare he currently has through his job. Giving him an option between a neoliberal, centrist Democrat who will pass trade deals that will outsource his job and continue to send his kids to the Middle East in order to get college funding really isn't that inspiring. Ralph isn't stupid. He knows there isn't really a choice, just like he was presented in 2016. He could vote for the lying grifter who would lie to his face, or the lying grifter who would lie behind his back.
2
FXQ - It’s absurd to say that bankruptcy is the result of the Obamacare that extended healthcare to millions of America. The obvious truth is exactly the opposite. It’s also obvious that the GOP and Trump are doing their best to eliminate access to that level of healthcare. They have pursued the elimination of Obamacare legislatively and in the courts and with it coverage for millions of Americans with pre-existing medical conditions. They have attacked the broad coverage required by Obamacare by offering do-nothing insurance plans that provide far less coverage and require exorbitant co-pays and high deductibles.
So back the the lying grifter in the White House and his GOP co-conspirators in Congress and in many states: They don’t care if you are ill. They don’t care if you die too young. They absolutely don’t care if you are a woman and have medical needs different from men. What they do care about is preventing tax dollars from being spent on your behalf.
You’re right - Ralph and the women around him are not stupid. They know that if there are any reasons that might lead them to support Trump and the GOP, access to healthcare is not one. They know that the GOP controlled Congress at the end of Obama’s term and the beginning of Trump’s and did absolutely nothing to help them with healthcare and many things to hurt them.
@Mike Iker
If you think the Democratic establishment and centrist will improve your healthcare then I don't know what to say. The minute any Democrat criticizes the leadership of their party and calls them out for hypocrisy and cozy ties to Wall Street, Big Pharma and the insurance industry the rant goes off about how bad Trump is YES!!! We know how bad Trump is. We want our leadership to start standing up for us. Are you even aware that Obamacare left 30 million uninsured and tens of millions more under-insured? That 30,000 people die every year because they lack health insurance. That 300,000 go bankrupt every year WITH health insurance? Do you hear ANY urgency from the Democratic leadership about this? Do you know what we pay for insulin and what Canadians pay? Did you know that Cory Booker and a handful of Democrats killed a bi-partisan sponsored bill by Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz to allow us to import prescription medicines from Canada? Spare me the defense of the Democrats. It's bad enough we have to fight the Republicans head-on, but to have to fight the Democratic establishment from behind is insufferable.
The anti Trump vote will swing to the Dem candidate, no matter who it is (Tulsi Gabbard excluded of course). We think of Trump as an immoral, corrupt vulgar slob. Slovenly in appearance and speech and deed. We have voted for Reagan and Clinton; Ford and Obama. We are fed up with Trump. We number in the millions, and we will win.
4
This paper and columnist are really out of touch with real working people and their needs. The talk at the water cooler for Gail and her colleagues is all about finding a larger vacation home in the Hamptons and finding cheap help. None of the “Opinion” columnist and almost none of the “journalist” at this paper are for Bernie - since they are all are from the upper class. They are doing everything they can to take Bernie down - just like the Democratic establishment they would rather have Trump than Bernie.
5
If Trump hates Bloomberg, then Bloomberg’s got my vote!
1
I want Buttigieg. Or Klobuchar. Or both. Young, smart, accomplished and eminently electable. Nobody even remotely close to age 70. And no socialists, they’re incompetent.
1
Trump is the perfect Trump antidote.
Klobuchar/Booker ticket will take down Trump/Pence. Unfortunately, Buddigieg is simply not electable because he is gay. Sanders is a very long-shot. Biden and Warren don't have a chance. Bloomberg is also very old and a very long-shot. Wake up Democrats....you have the winning ticket standing right before you.
3
I will vote for whoever the people choose fairly. I see plenty to like in all of them, but especially like Warren. She was unafraid to state her ideas and support them logically. With Amy she was endorsed by the NYT. When I read her interview with the editorial board I was blown away. She has broad knowledge, is fearless, bold and brilliant. Not perfect, though. I think that is why she has lost some support. She made a couple of tiny mistakes. Huh. She's human. But she still has plenty of optimism and is an excellent communicator, compassionate and not condescending, who has actually answered all questions, including how to pay for it all. FDR dreamed big, when my grandparents were selling apples for a dime a bag. Eisenhower dreamed big and gave us our highway system. JFK dreamed big and landed men on the Moon. That is what great leaders do. When we stop dreaming big, we will fail as a nation. "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Let's get some courage back. The mealy-mouthed approach will not get us there. Trump will eat Amy for lunch. I like her, but her business as usual approach is not what we need now.
But it's true. Warren cannot do it alone. We have to get the Senate back. Or it won't matter who wins. We loved Obama, but after the ACA, he was handcuffed, and could not even force McConnell to approve a SCOTUS. Flirt with Buttigieg and Amy, but vote Warren! She has the courage we need now.
4
Don't throw out the baby with the bath water
Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
Don't reject Mike Bloomburg because of his wealth.
"Stop and Frisk" or "Stop and Grope" (guess who).
2
I missed Tulsi Gabbard. Darn. What is she still doing in the race? We're talking about the perennial favorite of online bots and Russian news media who owes her debate presence to a neo-Nazi website. Am I the only one confused here? One thought for sure Bennet or Yang would have more staying power. I guess she's holding out for those hate map primaries?
Although, why neo-Nazis are supporting Gabbard is a complete mystery too. She's a Hindu Samoan female from Hawaii. Nothing about Gabbard screams "Nazi" to me.
Anyway, I think the recent Bloomberg brouhaha misses how Bloomberg isn't nationally vetted. If your only experience with Bloomberg is a TV ad, you might want to slow your roll. Better than Trump? Sure. But that's not saying much. Burnt banana bread is better than Trump. I lived in Bloomberg's New York. He's no messiah.
Not everything Bloomberg did was bad. However, there's a risk factor I don't think national Democrats fully appreciate. The man is in effect a Republican with sometimes Democratic social values. He's the Howard Roark type Trump pretends to be. For all the comparisons flying around about Trump and Sanders, there's only one candidate who made a backroom deal to extend his term limits.
You might be trading an autocrat for a smarter and more capable autocrat. I'm not sure our situation is improved. Just saying.
4
Klobuchar is no Jacinda Ardern.
She’s not inspiring and has a mean streak.
None of the centrists are good quality and I can see how that has the DNC and NYT editorial board panicking.
Embrace the Bern for a healthy dose of Europe, just what the US needs to cure itself from toxic libertarianism.
4
In all those Electoral College trump states - do you trumpsters
really want him as a role model for your children? A
person who lies, cheats and steals? And he would like
your children to get fat from trump school lunch with more
fat, sodium and few to no healthy choices. He will take
your children's health care away and have them attend
Betsy DeVos' Jesus schools. Then kiss your healthcare,
Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare goodbye.
5
Where can I find a yard sign with the simple name "MIKE" in bright colors?
My God, I thought you meant Ralph Nader.
1
Ralphed is what I did election night, 2016.
1
Talk to me after super Tuesday.
3
Gail’s comments are nice, but “Ralph” doesn’t cut it. Let’s get real: Maureen Dowd has used her brother.
Anyway, Trump is an unorthodox candidate, and it can be tough to figure out who can appeal to people and avoid being overwhelmed by Trump. And don’t complain about having plenty of money. Think of a $3 billion war chest as chicken soup (it couldn’t hurt).
All of the Democrats have some sort of appeal. I presume the nominee will wind up with enough money. But the Democrats need someone who won’t be overwhelmed by Trump. I think it’s quite simple: make sure the nominee has some chutzpah.
Bernie Sanders has some. Mike Bloomberg has a bit as well. Joe Biden? Maybe. Amy Klobuchar? Maybe. Pete Buttigieg? Probably not. Elizabeth Warren? No.
“Ralph” might not be familiar with chutzpah, but he’ll know it when he sees it. And he might just vote blue—no matter who.
2
Any Democrat would be the antidote for trump.
2
I am not Ralph! I am A WOMAN VOTER! Although I read your comments and agreed with most of them, I resent the fact that the "typical voter" is still defined as a man! It is the women who are voting Gail!! Look at the refreshing and politically members of the House elected --women! Vibrant and effective, and pitch them against the fossilized male members of the Senate.
Count your own sex as a valid and performing member of the community as far more civic-minded than a lot of men.
The typical voter is Eileen, Gail, Maria, Veronica or Ameeta.
YES! Change your optics, please.
8
That Centrist Democrat who wants things to go back to normal does not exist. Neither does the Centrist candidate who can bring back the good old days when Democrats and Republicans worked together to better the nation.
The GOP is no longer a viable party. Even when they had the House, Senate and WH they acted as the opposition party who just said "No". The Teaparty wing and Trump sycophants have taken over the GOP and there's no dealing with them.
Bernie motivated the party in 2016 and he's doing it again. The DNC, DCCC and old guard Democrat machine can shut him down again make us all suffer four more years of Trump or they can dump their pro-corporate interests and evolve with the party.
5
The sad truth is that we DO have to concern ourselves with Ralph in Michigan, and Joe in Wisconsin, and, I guess, Ken in Pennsylvania.
I assume they're all white guys, older, drive a pick-up truck or would like to, aren't real comfortable around people of color, and kind of, deep down really like Trump.
What pathetic shape this country is in. Ralph, Joe, and Ken should be nothing but afterthoughts. Instead, we have to concern ourselves with them.
4
Once again, the Democrats are on the verge of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Once again, they think they have all the time in the world to pull themselves together in order to pull each other apart. Once again, it's dèjà vu all over again. Meanwhile, back at the Oval, the IMPOTUS is drooling over escalating this internecine warfare among his rivals, aided and abetted by a media hellbent on profitably promoting this trainwreck of a clown show so it can apologize to itself and its audience for the next four years. BTW, there is no perfect Democratic candidate, Bloomberg+Klobuchar=3 ways to defeat the wicked king of kakistocracy
and save our democracy.
Wake up, America!
Why Ralph and not "Rosie the Riveter"? 52% of the Democratic Party are women. Michigan Ralph, is he a member of the UAW? Does he live in Flint and drinks the water? Is he a soybean farmer who lost his market in China due to the tariff wars? Does he live in Holland, Michigan and grows tulips? Does he work in Bronner's in Frankenmuth and celebrates Christmas everyday? Who is Michigan Ralph?
4
I would tell Ralph that Bloomberg is a proven leader. Also, that Klobuchar is very formidable. Perhaps the two could pair up? But, if we don’t concentrate boundless energies into flipping the Senate, all will be for naught. (See: 8 years Obama...one of the greatest)
ABT!
But whoever, they have to be able to beat The Donald.
1
"Thinks he might be rapping," (Sanders). Priceless!
In the array of headlines cataloging (yes it's that lengthy) all of Trump's predations, I look to you, Gail, for an oasis of, "yes, we will get through this," rather than gloom and doom.
1
I can visualize Amy K and the Dumpster on stage in a debate.
Rather than allow him to menace her like he did with Hillary, she pulls out a roll of blue painters tape, and lays down a line between their podiums. Then she announces "If you cross that line this debate is over"!
Powerful imagery of him being put in his place, not allowed to menace and a "BLUE" line he is not permitted to cross. Watch him go ballistic when he'd put in his place by a strong woman who won't tolerate his physical bullying.
Then she smiles confidently and says "OK we're ready to start".
1
Anyone can beat trump as long as you don't continue to use his name in articles. The only reporting should be lies that the thing in the WH is telling and the promises that the bankrupter in chief has not kept or the women that he has bedded.
Bloomberg is the only one who know how to handle this disaster that we have to deal with. Don't say his name, just concentrate on his actions, insanity and lies. And do not forget to mention the very strong support that the republican cult has for the liar's actions.
1
Gail...didn’t anyone tell you?!? Ralph is going to vote for Donald Trump. Again. Don’t count on him, or Mrs. Ralph, to pull this election out for the Democrats. Our American house is so divided, it will take decades for healing to occur. And both political parties as well as the conservative and liberal media outlets are to blame. American voters have been siloed; and they have no intention of changing silos. Vote blue no matter who is a myth.
3
It seems that the Bloomie strategy has the media on edge. People are digging for out of context old recordings to paint him as racist. How much fun will it be to watch OJ Trump trying to paint Bloomie as a racist?
Gail is right - sane America does not care much about which candidate has the best plans - we just want OJ Trump back on the golf course full time.
Maybe the two OJ's can team up and not only find Nicole's killer, but the Democrat's missing server. Both are surely being hid in the rough on some expensive golf course.
Amy & Mike.
She'd make a great President.
And he'd be a great Enforcer.
1
When people read the NY Times article of 2/22/2019, How Amy Klobochar Treats Her Staff, she will recede far into the also-rans. What a bully, as abad as Trump apparently. Does he throw things at staff too?
2
I'm surprised that some intelligent people think that anything will cause trump to lose the election. I supposed it's because most Americans believe that our elections are still honest.
Do anyone anywhere think Trump will run an honest election? That he won't lie, cheat and pay to have this election fixed? And that if, by a genuine miracle the votes show he lost , he wom'tl simply declare the election fake and bring out his minions with guns to keep him in the white house?
Never forget he is a narcissistic lunatic with great power.
The perfect antidote was named "Al Franken", ...
.
... a man with exceptional professional ability and experience in the use ridicule to awaken the sensibilities of the public to the absurd.
.
America has never had a greater need of someone with deep understanding of the absurd ...
5
Bloomberg? Won't the Republicans eviscerate him as a Billionaire who is only trying to buy the election for himself, unlike Our current President who seeks only the bestest for White America for us all?
5
Senator Sherrod Brown is the real deal.
1
I know Ralph. I grew up around a lot of Ralphs. He's a decent guy, shows up for work on time, juggles his paycheck, buys a couple of lottery tickets every month. The only time he splurges is when he gets his tax refund- if there's anything left after catching up on his bills.
He wants his kids to do better than he did. Most of his old racist and homophobic attitudes are gone, not all of them (he likes some of the black guys at work more).Half the time he doesn't even vote.
He's not going to vote for Bernie Sanders or Pete Buttigieg or Elizabeth Warren. He thinks Biden's too wishy-washy. He's never voted for a woman. He knows Trump's a crook, but he thinks they all are.
If he votes at all it might be Bloomberg and doesn't care who the vice-president is even if it's a woman.
2
You have hit the nail on the head!
Thank you, Gail, for the Geico comparison.
1
Will Ralph vote for Bloomberg? Maybe Ralph is waiting for candidates to indicate who they will name as their running mate. Ralph is conflicted. Amy is very appealing, but can she beat Trump? Maybe she needs some firepower. Warren? Would Ralph vote for a female ticket? Maybe it is time to starting thinking about the power "package" than can defeat Trump while also appealing to Ralph's dispositions and needs in a president. The Ralphs all went into the voting booth in New Hampshire, still uncertain about who they would vote for. Ralph is still out there scratching his head. Ralph may look to his spouse: "Hey honey, what do you think?" She is scratching her head as well. "Maybe it is time for a woman. But she will need a lot of support, don't you think?" Ralph nods. How in the heck are we going to beat Donald Trump?
That "Who's the other billionaire?" from Bloomberg will certainly drive the Donald nuts. Or nuttier.
2
It’s a lot easier to tear down and to complain than it is to build up. I see a lot of those who would tear down while complaining have never built anything in their lives, including Bernie Sanders, an unaccomplished, millionaire senator and Pied Piper of the uneducated, narcissistic Millennials.
2
Gail. You are absolutely brilliant. Exactly the right analysis for the current Democratic situation. I think after Bloomberg is nominated, he will win in a landslide ( with Ralph voting for him). And although I like Mayor Pete and Amy, they would both make excellent cabinet members ( or VPs) and President next time around. We love you in San Francisco!
1
The Democratic candidates should forget all the wonky,nuanced, " plans " . The pundits who think that issues should be stressed, and not Trump's mendacious character are dead wrong. Trump is simply a pathological liar and his lies should be hammered over and over again. Referencing soldiers suffering from severe brain trauma as having " headaches ", is especially disgusting coming from president bone spurs. In the SOTU he talked about protecting people who had prior medical conditions, when in fact his justice department is in Federal court trying to end that protection. His " perfect call" was a manifest abuse of presidential power. Only Bernie Sanders has repeatedly used the term "pathological liar"
This is no time for euphemisms Lying to Trump is as normal as breathing, and all the Democratic candidates should use the term "liar" over and over again. That is his essence. They will never run out of specific examples.
2
Gail, you seem to be in disagreement with your colleague, David Brooks who recently sighted numbers of Bernie supporters who voted for Trump in those three key states that gave him the electoral win. That might be true. I believe that Hillary went down because of black Obama supporters that stayed home. This much is true, Mike Bloomberg is the only one with the resources to really “punch Trump in the nose”. I bet that Mayor Mike has lots of African American endorsements forthcoming. To get Ralph, Mike needs as many Tim Ryan “tough guys” to fan out across the midwest and PA. Something tells me that Mike will cover all the bases. His bigger challenge is to beat “The Bern” without hurting anybody’s feelings.
No one candidate checks off all the boxes. But the Dems need someone to merge the Buttigieg/Klobuchar/Biden camps into a single strong candidate—or they risk going into a contested convention in August in disarray. Or worse they’ll hand the brass ring to Bernie, whose supporters are outnumbered by moderates—especially if you include the wavering Trumpers out there. Aside from all that of course they need someone who can stand up to Trump and weather his inevitable avalanche of slime. If the best Trump has on Bloomberg is stop & frisk, I say he’s their man.
1
"Civics quiz: Name all eight of them
Don’t look at me — I’m not going to tell you."
And this is the problem...I can't name all 8 of them and most of them should have been sent packing a long time ago. These vanity candidates have muddied the democratic waters. This lonnnnngggg campaign has gone on forever. And still we don't know what's happening. Bernie leads in NH, who cares. Everything just looks like a 'DEM' mess. Iowa was a disaster. The democrats took out Joe themselves with the impeachment. That merely gave Republicans the opportunity (no matter how dumb they sounded) to plant doubt about Biden across the board. And Trump is laughing at them and getting away with more. The dems need to get David Plough, Donna Brazille and James Carville in a room and have a chat.
1
Who cares about "Ralph". He will vote the same way again. Another demotivating moderate will keep progressives, minorities and younger voters home in droves and some will vote for a 3rd party. And produce the exact outcome the Democratic establishment wants. Another fine demotivating moderate will win just like the fine candidates Kerry, Gore and HRH, oops I mean HRC.
4
Getting rid of Trump is not everything. This country is full of cruel greedy people who will just support the next cruel overlord. Trump is but a symptom of what is a deep rot, not the cause. The people should get what they voted for, which is more punishment. But have no fear, the people want this. They know they deserve to be treated like chattel. It is what they were bred and educated to be.
1
Trump is the antidote for what ails the country, which is the virus of corruption.
2
Ranked voting would solve all your problems.
1
Miss Gail, for awhile there we thought that you had heard of the Deep State plan to get rid of Trump without having to wait for an election. It starts with Trump getting rid of his Secret Service service, as in "You're fired!", so that no one knows where he is except Giuliani. But then he is also changing his fragrance so that K9s can't follow him. But the fault in his deception is that there is one K9 who recently became a K10, Suzie a 7-year-old Irish Terrier, a professional mouser who can smell a rat for miles. In fact her nose is so sensitive that she knows where Jimmy Hoffa is buried, but won't tell us that until China publishes Bolton's book, tentatively titled "Year of the Rat". So for Suzie, it is no chore to find Trump (psst. especially if he is hiding in the bomb shelter below the White House.) But don't tell anybody until Suzie gets him by the coat tails, which are dripping with GOP Senators.
Ralph should read “A Very Stable Genius,” which describes the very unstable, far-from-genius occupying the White House. Based on solid reporting by two Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, the book paints a portrait of an erratic, impulsive, abusive, and stunningly ignorant president whose refusal to read briefing books or listen to advisers makes him completely unfit for his job. Ralph knows this already, of course, but reading the disparaging first-hand quotes of administration insiders will convince him that any Democrat—progressive or moderate—would be a vast improvement.
What every single American
-needs now: CBT
-will need in January2021 when trump is gone: post-trauma counseling
Hopefully all the Ralph types will be out-voted by a massive vote by Women in 2020!
1
I am watching the candidates to see who has a teflon quality that won't be rattled by Trump's 10-year-old bad-boy insults, plus the ability to move ahead in a clear direction that leaves Trump sputtering and in the dust.
This final Democratic candidate needs to be a contrast to Trump's personality. One of the most important antidotes to Trump is humor. Trump has none--along with a numerous other necessary qualities for a president to demonstrate, such as intelligence, decency and honesty.
But humor is tricky thing. It must not be insult humor, which can backfire. It should be let's have a fun together humor; I can laugh at myself humor; disarming humor that cleverly puts situations into perspective and releases people's tensions and defenses.
Lincoln had it; JFK had it; Obama had it. It is called wit. So even if people disagree with a president's politics, they appreciate his/her humor.
At the moment, I would say that Amy has it, plus a lot more such as experience, grit, determination, a broad perspective. Buttigieg has gentle humor and knows how to ease tensions. Bernie is intense, but can laugh at himself and gets the joke.
Bloomberg? Who knows, but honestly, I am feeling so desperate to oust Trump and his cabal, that last night I decided if Bloomberg is the last one standing as the Democratic candidate, I will vote for him.
Americans like to laugh, and the point is to show Trump really can't get or take a joke.
1
Speaking of whims, remember Trump wanted to use nuclear weapons in the Middle East and wants money for more now.
Here's hoping Election Day isn't cancelled in the "national interest."
6
Bloomberg, the political equivalent of Geico.
I’ll bet even Mike would get a chortle out of that line.
Vote, people. I can’t, unless Russia somehow makes it possible.
1
The bigger question is do we need to win back Ralph, or write him off as unreachable since he went for Trump and instead try to energize ... (fill in the Millennial name). Work on Those new voters and disaffected never voted's and get them out to vote.
Or maybe work on the African American community who loved Obama but hasn't seen much this year that impresses.
The reality is that the popular vote totals mean Nothing it's 270 to win, that's it
1
klobuchar did well in new hampshire because she looks zaftig on dunkin donuts.
i know -- but what's your theory? it can't be any better. you can look at tea leaves, but there's nothing to drink.
i donated four digits to warren and i'll give four digits more -- heck, she can have the thumbs too -- until she drops out. then i will switch to bloomberg. then i will contribute to whatever is running against trump.
ralph, for all his virtues, is a follower, not a leader. he'll follow the crowd. so if y'all crowd behind the candidate to defeat trump, he will follow. he's already seen the alternative.
2
Unfortunately, the perfect Trump antidote is Barack Obama.
Gail, painful condescension doesn't make this weak anti-bernie argument any stronger.
3
Please.......NOT another Ralph. It was thanks to Ralph Nader in 2000 that we are in the dire straits we are now. No to Ralph!
2
Iowa silver lining ... viably extends the primaries past the first few states ...
I just went on line to "book a room" at Mara-a-Lago - 2 weeks from now, 1 room, 2 people, 2 nights. $387 to $406 (WITH kitchen or kitchenette!). The extra $244-263 must be for food.... or maybe the use of the pool? When will a gutless Senate Oversight Committee investigate this?
4
Pete won 9 delegates. Bernie won 9 delegates. That's called a tie. You don't get a free ham and a $5 car wash coupon for getting more first downs.
3
I am 73 and I'm glad I'm not Ralph. Ralph can't see past his nose to the greater good. I have never voted for a Republican. Here in Seattle and King County, in the 2018 midterm election, no Republicans won at any level. We vote against the racists. We vote to protect the environment.
1
Trump wants to gut the social safety net, end Obamacare, reduce the staff of the Public Health Service in the face of the threat of epidemics, and is actively working to make the climate crisis worse. His biggest claim to fame is protecting us against desperate refugees, especially toddlers. Any reasonably sane candidate ought to be able to beat him once we can focus on issues.
But any candidate who, like Trump, has racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, religious bigotry, and greed on his side has to be taken seriously. We'll have to beat him with a flawed candidate, which should be doable, because every Democratic candidate who ever won the Presidency has had weaknesses. In politics, winners are made by their supporters.
Yes, Gail, what we need to do is find the 42000 Ralphs in Milwaukee County who voted for Obama in 2012 but did not show up to vote for Hillary in 2016. And we need to encourge them to vote.
My fear is that Sanders is so egocentric, if he loses the nomination he'll run as an independent (which he is), thus assuring the re-election of the worst president ever.
1
I want a bumper sticker that says:
"Vote for the Democrat - whoever that may be"
1
Thanks Gail for another humorous column. You always cheer me up, a little. I'm moving more and more toward Amy. She is a fighter and a doer with good ideas and can take on the tweeter-in-chief's sexist, nasty and ignorant blather and cut him down with one quip.
I believe she will make a really fine president. Amy is all the good things that the 'tweeter' is not plus she has experience in a high office. She is intelligent, understands government and the law, understands people and has a sense of humor. I'm sure she can read and understands that being a school-yard bully doesn't make a president. Being a student would be one of the first steps.
While we're at it Dems, let's keep the House and take back the Senate. Let's make a clean sweep along with this career criminal in the White House and his mob.
1
Your mythical swing voter, clutching his pearls, pleading to be courted by the candidates because he is "independent" (as opposed to having a set of core principles that guide his politics) is named Ralph?
Perhaps that is brilliant. His namesake handed the 2000 election to George W. Bush under the guise of independence.
One can only imagine, if it weren't for that earlier Ralph, where we would be today if Al Gore had taken his place in the White House instead of the popular vote loser who was installed by the Supreme Court.
We'll be kicking (maybe shooting) ourselves in November if Trump beats Klobuchar, and we know that Bloomberg could have beaten him. Let's keep our eyes on the prize.
Ralph needs to vote for any Democrat who gets nominated. End of story.
4
Congratulations to you Ms. Collins for mentioning Buttigieg, and even to the point of pointing out how close he is to Sanders in NH. Mostly your media cohorts try to ignore Buttigieg.
However, I wonder why you think Klobuchar is the big winner simply because she stopped being a big loser? She is an annoying candidate.
Probably a lot of voters identify with Ralph - haven't quite made up their mind.
1
Congratulations to you Ms. Collins for mentioning Buttigieg, and even to the point of pointing out how close he is to Sanders in NH. Mostly your media cohorts try to ignore Buttigieg.
However, I wonder why you think Klobuchar is the big winner simply because she stopped being a big loser? She is an annoying candidate.
Probably a lot of voters identify with Ralph - haven't quite made up their mind.
You nailed it, Gail. The problem with Bernie supporters is that there is only Bernie and no one else will do. If he is not nominated, they will stay home and pout. The problem with Bloomberg naysayers is that if he is nominated, they will stay home and pout. And of course there are the sexists who believe a woman can't beat Trump and then there is the gay man.....
In other words, perfect has become the enemy of the good. In fact, perfect has even become the enemy of the very good.
Perfect? Except for British origin, being underage, and not demonstrably human, (although nothing in our Constitution mentions that criterion), the Geico spokes-lizard would beat trump for sure.
Bernie reminds me of a Sesame St character.
Pete needs more senatorial experience.
Liz makes a fantastic cabinet member.
Amy's too nice to face the nasty, sick, vulgarities pouring from Trump's beak.
Biden got the ability and know how to surround himself with a talented team to right our sinking ship.( i.e.democracy)
Bloomberg's ability to finance the entire campaign with a moderate Democrat is a win-win. Wise up 98%of delegates are out there waiting for the candidate who has the ability to attract all Americans irregardless of party.
1
Bernie reminds me of a Sesame St character.
Pete needs more senatorial experience.
Liz makes a fantastic cabinet member.
Amy's too nice to face the nasty, sick, vulgarities pouring from Trump's beak.
Biden got the ability and know how to surround himself with a talented team to right our sinking ship.( i.e.democracy)
Bloomberg's ability to finance the entire campaign with a moderate Democrat is a win-win. Wise up 98%of delegates are out there waiting for the candidate who has the ability to attract all Americans irregardless of party.
1
Trashing the truth,
Defying all proof,
Acting uncouth,
Hitting the roof.
It's our President,
Breaking all precedent.
So, don't be hesitant.
Fire Mr. Trump on Election Day
As the White House resident.
Democrats may differ over ideology and policy plans, but such an indulgence is a luxury in this election.
The only question is which of the Democratic presidential candidates can effectively give Trump notice on the campaign trail, fire him summarily on election day, and boot him out the White House door?
The framing of the election is clear. This is going to be a historic WWE contest of good versus evil, democratic government versus lawless dictatorial rule, and professional competence versus chaotic insanity.
Who is it who can display the character and strength to stand up to Trump's lies and belittling, then wrestle and defeat the lawless Trump and his Reign of Terror?
My point: This election will be far more about personality and persuasion than about ideology. But the last one standing must not be Trump.
It is early in the primary game, and the media and circular firing squad Democrats are wasting time on playing whose up and whose down, whose ideology & plans are plus perfect, and who is most ideologically pure.
But whomever the Democratic presidential candidate is, get out and vote for her or him. It's 2 minutes to midnight for our country in this election.
2
When all is said and done and it boils down to one Democrat challenging Trump, that person must receive special anti-bully training. I think most people, whether they're politicians or not, are not prepared for Trump's craziness. Since Trump is so outrageous and capable of saying ANYTHING, his opponent must be prepared for ANYTHING. And this time around, Trump may choose to not "participate" in any debates this time around, since he prefers the slavish devotion of "his" people to the clipped questions of debate hosts, so the point will be moot. There's still time for Trump to do something (shoot someone on 5th Avenue?) so outrageous that even Ralph will have to choose the Democrat.
1
Gail you are right-at least about this elder. Bernie’s continual rants and finger-pointing drive me crazy. It’s almost the flip side of Trump; he just yells about different things! However if Bernie wins the nomination,I’ll gladly vote for him and just turn down the volume when he’s on tv!
2
It would help if the devotees of St. Bernie and the Trumpists would get a room, since their enemies list is pretty much the same. The rest of us got stuff to so, and the, ah, tension is just getting annoying.
For all the doom and gloom out of some regarding selecting a Democrat to run against Trump, the fact that any of them would be a better president has to be seen as a plus. In some ways, the bar is low. In my mind, one of the largest problems we have is the fact that some Sanders supporters seem to want to punish everyone if he isn’t selected. Part of me also worries that many people on the fence will run back to Trump for fear of the progressive who will destroy America if Sanders is the Democratic nominee. But Trump is more unhinged and autocratic than ever, which has to scare people on the fence too. I know I’m not alone in my worries. It will be a long 9 months.
I don’t get to vote in the primaries, as I am an independent in a state that will not allow me to vote in a primary. I will vote for the nominee of the Democrats, whomever that will be. Another 4 years of Trump will have me looking for a new country, one where I will not be demeaned for believing in the rights of all humans, no matter their color, gender, or sexual preference, and where education, environment, and public health are higher priorities than corporations and war. Money isn’t everything, and even a ton of money doesn’t fix anything if it isn’t used to do so.
This is the election of our lifetimes, and we need to hit it out of the park or Trump will contest it-he will anyway-and tie the country up in some stress inducing court battle. We must also get rid of the faction that supports him, i.e. McConnell. We have to vote Blue up and down the ticket in order to rid ourselves of this Dictator able to bend the will of the entire government to his insane machinations. It's been an exhausting three years. I'm voting for peace. Blue up and down the ticket.
2
It’s not only Ralph in Michigan or Wisconsin or Pennsylvania or Florida or Arizona or whatever are thought to be the swing states. It’s the millions of voters who cast votes for Hillary. Or the six million who voted for Gary Johnson or Jill Stein. It’s the large majority of Americans who want a president who doesn’t lie constantly, who isn’t running the country as a means to make himself money, who isn’t an arrogant and vindictive jerk, who will attempt to extend healthcare to Americans who don’t have it, who will preserve and protect our environment, who will respect all of the citizens of the country. It’s not that hard - we want a decent human being with moderately liberal political objectives. Let’s get one before the current president can consolidate his autocratic takeover of our country and establish the permanent rule of the minority of voters in this country over the rest of us.
1
Hopefully, Ralph realizes that Bernie and Mike are probably too old to make it through two terms, which is essential if Trumpism is to be extinguished. Mayor Pete is too inexperienced, but a real keeper for the future. Amy is the one. She can bring the Midwest back to the Democrats, inspire women and not be threatening to White Men who lack a good education. Mom is safe. And smart and pragmatic. Yes, Amy is the one to stifle Trumpism.
Trump should be the best reason for true change we've ever had.
That is, if we discount the unjust pain and suffering of minorities and females since forever - but then we usually do. Trump, though, has shown us just how low our racism and misogyny has brought us - so low it is starting to effect everyone (getting real now folks) and threatening our sham democracy.
Instead, so far, we are cowering in a corner bawling, grasping at any white male replacement who makes the scary go away. The scary Trump or the scary black, brown and female people who want their due full access to our government? I think we all know the answer but look away with the same resolve as Trump supporters ignore his ever present obvious lies.
Denial does not know party. We are all human, after all - more alike than different, painful as that can be.
I wonder how the Trump organization gets away with billing the government over $600 a night for lodging for staff/secret service when that number is far above the quidelines for daily per diem. Oh, excuse me I forgot rules and regulations don't apply to this individual or his ilk. Just one more reason to vote in November. Trump is single handedly growing the deficit. Be afraid, be very afraid. Watch the demise of all safety net programs for the majority of the country go poof. He is not a Republican just a plain old CON.
3
Ralph doesn't understand foreign policy, and doesn't care about it, nor does he worry about racism, the climate, or anybody else's healthcare and education. He has no idea his wife is cheating on him, or that she's going to take that big, fat, 401k that is the main reason he's been liking Trump, with her when she leaves. It is Ralph, not the millions of intelligent and discerning citizens, that the Democratic nominee must appeal to if we are going to win back the presidency. Go figure.
2
"Ralph is the symbol of all the people in swing states who went for Barack Obama and then turned Republican in 2016. Democrats want him back!"
He voted for Bernie in 2016, against Hillary, before he voted for Trump against Hillary.
Bernie already won Michigan once, in 2016. He can again. That is where Democrats can find Ralph.
2
It took me a while to figure out why the youngest voters want the oldest candidate. But then I realized, they also want free healthcare and free college and loan forgiveness. So a candidate who thinks it's reasonable to spend $25,000 on a college degree but not $250,000, is too far to the center.
2
Please continue to get Amy's name out there! She, plus the right VP on her ticket (Cory Booker, for example!), will generate excitement across a broad demographic and will bring out the vote!
4
I think Bernie is like Trump in that his base is solid but will never expand. He won 50+ percent of New Hampshire four years ago; this year it shrunk to 30 percent.
And coattails? Very short.
Any more moderate Dem will automatically assume longer coattails.
3
Personally I would like an angry old white man president who is furious about people not having health care and enough money to live on. Who recognizes that wealth is accumulated by the work of the many being collected by the very very few. Who prioritizes the environment. Who still can learn. Who engages the young. What could be better?
I believe the press delivered us Trump and is doing its best to deliver us a candidate who can't beat him this time. Democrats should unite around Sanders, now.
And no, I am not Bernie or bust. I'm a realist.
6
Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire and has a largely working class base, but this hypothetical Midwesterner would rather vote for the person who finished 3rd with very little PoC support because Trump hasn't made fun of her yet.
Makes perfect sense.
1
Seems like a good argument for why the midwest states like Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin should have earlier primaries. I believe some of the candidates who have dropped out such as Booker and Harris might still be contenders if it weren't for lily white caucuses and primaries.
2
Hillary is obviously going to come out of the Convention as the Candidate.
The primaries will serve to select the VP, probably Mayor Pete, and the rematch will be on.
On Bernie Sanders. HE WON! HE WON! HE WON! HE WON!
Yes, by a slim margin but it's a different game than 2016, with all good candidates in which to spread the vote around. And, IOWA, HE GOT THE MOST VOTES, confusion or not.
Klobuchar will soon start to be clobbered, just like all. And, her record in law enforcement will come out. Can she stand that?
Sanders is a street fighter, he's plain spoken, he's what's necessary at this point in our history to save our Democracy, which is "of the people, by the people, for the people" not for big banks and corporations.
2
I bet I can guess how you figure St. Bernie “won,” but got fewer delegates. Conspiracy, right? Rigged game? DebbieWasserman-Schultz’ secret affair with that fascist Tom Perez?
What I can’t figure is why it’s so diff to undestand that if a small-city mayor is this close to St. Bernie, St. Bernie has a problem, and it’s probably not going to get better as black voters recall his sneers from 2016. Not real sure why it’s hard to figure out that those dratted moderates beat progressives by around twenty points in NH.
And hardest of all to understand why you guys think yelling exactly the same things at us neolib corporatist sellout mindless consumers of lying newspaper haters of universal medical is going to get us to agree with you and get in line.
I mean, it ain’t working. Way too reminiscent of Trump and Trumpists. Maybe take it down a notch?
I don't like shouters. I like leaders.
Two angry old men squabbling like kindergartners will not produce a Democratic victory.
Anger, by definition, focuses on the past. We need someone who paints a future that delivers on the American promise.
See where I'm going here? I'm for Amy.
7
Maybe it is time to talk about the other Sanders: the man who managed to get elected as Vermont senator time and again. That would be a different story than those of the enthusiastic - and a bit sectarian - campaign rallies.
2
Wonderful accounting and essence of the race. Gail, one fine Day, we Women are going to wake up. We shall return the
“Favor”, and refuse to Vote for a Male. Any Male. For over 40 years, I’ve been a loyal Democrat. With HRC, it was so close, yet so far away. Now, the eminently qualified Warren is getting the Female treatment. Mostly ignored, when she isn’t being picked apart. “ Old Schoolmarm “ is the mildest insult.
Ejecting Trump is absolutely imperative, so of course I WILL Vote for the Democratic Nominee. But, a day of reckoning is coming. It’s just basic fairness. Remember that ???
111
Warren isn’t the only woman still running, and there is one doing far better than her at this point. Perhaps it is less sexism than how divisive Warren is. Anyone I know who is even moderately successful in business feels personally attacked by her. There are successful business people who want our country to do well and support a more liberal agenda. But they don’t support being treated as the enemy.
8
@Phyliss Dalmatian You don't have to convert me, Phyliss. And this race isn't over yet.
69
@Gail Collins Ms Collins, I respect your knowledge and expertise. A woman won’t win this time. First things first: oust Trump. Then let’s get on with more female candidates. I don’t want 4 more years of this clown with a persecution complex. Instead of splintering into faction we Democrats must unite in lockstep behind a viable candidate just as our opponents do. Wishing it were otherwise won’t make it so. I’m a pragmatist first, feminist second, altho a feminist who loves strong men as principals in inner city schools who backs teachers and has the fierceness to discipline bad seeds while having a warm heart underneath it all.
9
The Democrats are going to let “perfect” destroy their chances at “good enough”
Ralph in South Florida a swing district in a swing state.
2
Ralph apparently has no qualms about deciding for whom to pull the lever until those privacy curtains do their thing a few moments beforehand. Would love to be fly on the wall of his inner cogitating mind. Until that time, have Gail for musings left and right.
The Bernie Army will soon find this site and they will call Gail and everyone over 40 a corporate boomer. Their hostility and bigotry is limitless. Just thought I would write this before the take over the board.
4
Bloomberg is the only Candidate who can Thump Trump. He gets my support and I have been encouraging others to join so we can end the misery.
4
When I started to read this column I was hoping Ralph was a dog. Has anyone noticed that Trump hates dogs? Why isn’t anyone campaigning on that issue? Mitt Romney might have strapped his dog to the roof of the car but at least he wanted to keep the dog with the family. If the Democrats nominate a dog lover the election might be a landslide. Just imagine the ads for that candidate!
8
Yes, a big German Shepard "support dog"...and have Rover at his/her side in the debates (snarling @ the draft-dodger)
1
I am a native, long-time resident of NYC. I voted three times for Bloomberg for Mayor. I receive multiple emails on a daily basis from his campaign and am taking a keen interest in it.
I have followed the President for decades in NYC - tabloids! - and we still have The NY Post owned by Murdoch. I have believed for years that the President is a very hollow and shallow person who derives great pleasure from being vindictive, and has always been dirty to the bone. Just briefly....his family foundation and University were both shut down by NY and he was fined. The NY Times did a series on the family's finances - for which they won a Pulitzer - and found that Trump had participated in questionable tax schemes, including outright fraud. The family got away with about $430 million.
I will vote for whoever is the choice of the Democratic party and I fervently hope that he/she will be the best candidate to defeat the President. And, I also fervently hope that the followers of all the candidates keep their eye on the goal - vote blue no matter who. Please don't be childish and pout, stamp you feet and say you are staying home!
12
To Trump Amy Klobuchar is not a 'babe' so she doesn't count. If push comes to shove he will try to bring up her history prosecutions, but Trump's destruction of the law is so obvious that it would be a laughable argument. He will probably label as shorty, but there are plenty of things that might be said about Trump's body. Trump is an expert at thinking up bogus epithets, but for Amy they may not stick like Trump would hope.
4
A strong long lasting antidote is needed as the venom flows continuously through, by and for the vain like rushing foxes- so potent it leaves the victim numb so that every painful day seems normal.In its later stages we experience vague delusions of the honorable Mitt Romney with his dog on the roof knocking on the door of the White House with James Comey, politely asking for our country back.
1
"Ralph is the symbol of all the people in swing states who went for Barack Obama and then turned Republican in 2016. "
Ralph is so whimsical I wouldn't trust him to help me cross the street.
Ignoring GOP history (economic meltdown, pointless war) Ralph votes against his interest. He deserves all the consequences.
No, Democrats should forget this clown, and simply get out the traditional vote.
4
I think it is interesting that in New Hampshire, anyone of any party can vote in this primary. I'm concerned that masses of rethuglikkkans voted for the person they feel is a safe one to run against drumpf, an old man and a gay man. The real threat to him, Elizabeth Warren, did not get many votes. What if only democrats had voted in the primary?
5
As long as Ralph favors disruption of the status quo, he will not be satisfied by any Democrat running save Bernie Sanders. Biden will be knocked out by Super Tuesday (if not by losing SC) and either Pete, Amy or Mike Bloomberg will push to the front of the so-called moderate/we-need-to-win lane. Mike will probably emerge as the consensus candidate absent a large Super Tuesday expansion of the Klobusurge. He will not be taking a sledge hammer to the order Ralph wants taken down. He will however, bring moderates, former Republicans, suburban women, those with a perpetual Trump-induced migraine, and even some bona-fide Republicans to the polls to vote for him which should be enough to win WI, MI, PA, MN, likely AZ, and possibly NC and GA. If his efforts to create increased entrepreneurship in the black community to build black wealth is touted, he may also generate sufficient enthusiasm to bring some of those minority voters who stayed home in 2016 back to the party. He gives Trump panic attacks because in his cold cowardly heart, Trump knows he is a failure and Mike has his number.
4
I just read Stable Genius. After reading that, I'd vote for a carrot or a sweet potato before I'd ever vote for Trump.
14
Reminds me of Jerry Brown when he was running for President. Most of the media showed him shouting. What a Loudmouth. So extreme. Governor Moonbeam, they called him.
Best. Governor. Ever. Worked both sides of the aisle.
How about some balance? Like the time when Bernie went all "Moses on the Mount" in public, regarding a bill, but afterwards reached across the aisle to compromise.
Maybe, like Governor Moonbeam, there more behind the story. Something that folks like Ralph can latch onto.
7
@Iko Very thoughtful and persuasive argument. Nice to hear something new on this topic that has not been said a thousand times before. BTW, too bad Jerry Brown is not 60 years old. He would be a great candidate for this election.
6
Pete is the perfect antidote. Would be wonderful if the NYTimes and their opinion page would give him the serious look that we voters have.
2
Ralph... you are talking about me! I am that swing voter the Democrats need.
I’m male, white, upper middle class, early 60’s with kids and grandchildren. Here is my voting logic:
I prefer Bloomberg and Biden over Trump.
I prefer Trump over Sanders and Warren.
Trump is clearly dangerous and should have been removed. He’s awful, but his policies are closer to mine and this matters.
Socialism and a wealth tax are worse than Trump’ toxicity. Trump will be gone soon, but socialism is a cancer that will continue until it turns the US into Venezuela/USSR. Socialism has been tried and always fails. Sweden figured this out quickly and reversed course.
Sanders is a complainer; Buttigieg is too young; Warren doesn’t seem presidential in the way Hilary did.
Biden is acceptable, competent to do the job, not a bad choice.
Bloomberg is competent. He’s a real billionaire, not a fake. He has experience running large organizations like NY and his company. He’s smart. And most of all, he can beat Trump. I could get enthusiastic about him.
But you Democrats will probably nominate Sanders/Warren/Buttigieg and I’ll be forced to hold my breath and vote for Trump.
I miss Obama and Bill Clinton and George HW Bush.
3
My biggest problem with your statement is the delusion that any of these candidates will make America socialist. Even if the next president manages to continue Trump’s autocratic ways, they will struggle to make the U.S. socialist. There would need to be quite a bit of help from Congress, at the very least. That said, there isn’t one of these candidates who actually promotes socialism, despite the right wing news telling you so. Learn what socialism really is and calm down.
1
Every morning I wake up...open up my computer...and have to make some kind of sense that a former failed reality TV show host, a failed businessman, a failed husband, a failed father, a failed...fill in the blank---is sitting in the Oval Office. What goes through my mind is how did this nation..with our educational and economic standard end up with a man who spends most of his day tanning, watching Fox, eating, and tweeting. The problem both parties have had with Trump is his ability to define normality down---in this new political world we live in if you speak in full sentences, understand and explain policies, and have a Ralph like personal life...well, you are not qualified to be President of the United States.
7
Of course your column is meant partly ironically. However, you are barking up the wrong tree. Forget Ralph. Very few Obama/Trump voters will return to the Democratic fold; they've been brainwashed, or they are "intellectually challenged," putting it delicately. Concentrating party resources on them is not only futile and wasteful, but worse, trying too hard to appeal to them may diminish enthusiasm amongst those whose enthusiasm is very much needed.
The strategy that can work is to get out the vote as much as humanly possible. If a large enough number of people vote--and their votes are counted--Trump will lose.
4
The perfect Democratic candidate is a straight white male from the heartland who is under 70 years old and qualified. Before the Comment Police hit 'delete', let me say that this is about beating Trump, not about being best qualified. There are plenty of good candidates who are extremely qualified but would have a hard time winning the nomination much less the general. I'm sorry Senator Booker.
All of the perfect candidates are gone. Bye-bye Bullock, Bennet, Hickenlooper, Sestak, O'Rourke, Ryan.
I'm backing Klobuchar. 5 out of 6 ain't bad. Mayor Pete is 4 out of 6 but could pull it off as for the first time in history turnout among young'uns approaches turnout among 'OK Boomer's.
Sanders is the weakest candidate against Trump and he won't be the nominee. He's not stupid and he cares about this country. I'm hoping he will work as hard as he can for the nominee, even if it's Bloomberg.
Warren spoke well of Klobuchar yesterday. We can count on her doing the right thing.
The House will stay Democratic. The Senate is the wild card. Trump's had his best week yet, but it won't last. There's hope for my country.
Dan Kravitz
3
The media needs to stop treating Iowa and New Hampshire as indicators of success. In the big picture, they are not important.
There are way too many narratives being reported as facts rather than speculation.
Don’t pull one person from MI, OH, PA, WI or any other flyover state and portray them as indicative of what’s going on. It’s like polling someone from the Bronx and representing that as the std for NYC.
1
As an expat American voter I too am looking for ‘Ralph’. In my case, however, ANYONE who is chosen by the party in opposition has the opportunity (if not the probability) of replacing this odious embarrassment of an incumbent and will garner my vote. MAGA? How about ABT (Anybody But Trump)?
3
Help wanted!
Looking for good and honest columnist!
Who was/is electable according to our free press?
Hillary Clinton?!
Let’s list her accomplishments.
Voted for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the pair of the longest conflicts in the US history.
Legislated the exodus of the US manufacturing base and jobs overseas to China and India.
Made the US workers compete for the same jobs with the people without any legal rights, thus facilitating the destabilization of the labor market and the freeze of the living wages, leading to deteriorated standard of living of the middle class.
Insinuating that the fellow Americans wouldn’t vote for Obama Barack, thus declaring him unelectable and us the racists.
Failed to punish those directly responsible for the Great Recession.
Orchestrating the overthrow and destabilization of the semi-socialist governments in Syria and Libya, thus leading to the bloody civil wars.
Helping the Saudi and Egyptian army crash the Arab Spring in Bahrain and Cairo, thus transforming the entire movement from pro-democratic into the sectarian carnage, that destabilizing the entire region, creating the fertile ground for the rise of ISIS, leading to deaths of several hundred thousand civilian death and millions of refugees to Europe, and consequential rise of the far right across the Old Continent and Brexit.
It’s really impossible to beat this kind of resume!
Don't forget her gigantic success in 2016!
She came in second!
3
It would bother me to realize that I was saying the same things, in the same ways, as any old Trumpist or for that matter Trump.
Your results may differ.
1
@Robert
I only compare what I am saying with the truth.
Is it correct or not?
Listen up, Americans, the lawless, radical religious cult of Trump-GOP sycophancy has had a few fun years of trashing the environment, rigging the courts, banning contraception, science and facts, aborting the Constitution, issuing 'thoughts and prayers' gun control policy, purging voter files, celebrating their White Wonder Bread Society, expanding the Farmer Welfare Queen program, doubling down on trickle-down fraudonomics, burning Obamacare in effigy, and charging trillions of debt to the middle class so the rich could have their toenails painted a fresh coat of gold.
Obviously, this type of Republican insanity will destroy the country if left unattended.
Bernie Sanders scares some Americans because progress is simply a bridge too far.
Why fix our healthcare system when our lovable Great American Healthcare Rip-Off will always be there for us draining our savings and providing the country with shoddy care, zero prevention and record corporate profits ?
I mean, the business of America is business - not people - as the wretchedly corrupt (Republican) Calvin Coolidge once said.
Or as the hideous Donald Trump actually said once, "the point is, you can never be too greedy".
The real point is that America has a lot of deranged greedy people in it.
They own and operate the Republican Party and they are true to their religiously misanthropic Greed Over People values.
They think poor people should work harder on being born rich.
Decent Americans don't vote Republican.
10
The person that beats Trump has to have integrity. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
Trump will say anything to get applause, advantage over his oppenent and to make himself look good.
Average voter recognizes this and wants someone he can trust.
We have had enough ot Trump's political stew and can not wait to get the taste out of our mouth.
3
The Democratic nominee ought to emphasize integrity, honesty and his/her ability to unify the electorate by acting in the best interests of all Americans, not just “the base”. This will provide voters with a clear contrast to the current occupant of the Oval Office. Stick to that message to nullify the false narratives and attacks that are certain to come.
1
Once people become aware of the NYT article of 1/22/2019 on Amy Klobochar, she will be toast. When I read about how she disparages and humiliates young staff and has the highest employee turnover in Congress for yah and even throwing things at employees, I couldn't imagine any sane person voting for her. She isn't much better to the people she hires than Trump is, according to your reporters.
4
The Left needs to stop obsessing over Trump, because it does smack of TDS.
To beat Trump - means you need to be clearly articulate what the Dem Platform is - the ideas, the policies, etc.
Obama won on 'hope and change' - today's Left are about fear.
Trump will win his 2nd and 3rd terms if Dems continue to demonstrate TDS.
@Concerned EU Resident
I agree about the fear. It's frustrating, though understandable rather than any kind of DS.
Still - has to be tacked. The fear isn't so much of Trump as it is of real change that brings along minorities and women.
Oddly, and horrifically, the same fear seems to be motivating both parties and those demanding silence as remedy are winning.
We have our ideas and policies. They all came from a female so people are...afraid.
It's not like a woman could run a country, am I right concerned EU German commenter?
The Dems not only have to consider Ralph, they have to consider the Jill Stein voters and the African-American voters who stayed home in 2020.
Ralph may be someone who does not want his fingerprints on anyone from the Washington establishment, so was willing to vote for Obama and then for Trump.
He may be interested in the mayors in the race -- Pete or Mike.
1
I’m so tired of hearing that a Sanders isn’t a Democrat. For his entire time in Congress, he’s caucused with the Democrats and voted in line with the Democrats on almost every issue. Many of these same people however are praising Bloomberg who was the REPUBLICAN mayor of NYC for 3 terms. This by the way was another time he ama aged to change the rules to run for a 3rd term, when the city charter only allows 2 terms. What people may not realize is that as a Republican mayor he spoke at the Republican convention in 2004, endorsing George Bush and financial support to other Republicans. Yet now he is the Democratic saviour?
I get it. No NY Times columnist can support Sanders. Some of more blatantly hostile whereas Collins merely minimizes any good things about him. He did get more votes in New Hampshire, but heck, Klobacher who came in 3rd, is the real winner. If Sanders, the “not real Democrat” just decided that he had enough of this diminishing of his candidacy and decided to run as a third party candidate, these very same people would scream that he is a spoiler.
By the way, I’m wondering how Al Franken would be doing now, if he hadn’t been the victim of the Kristen Gillibrand witch hunt to drive him out of Congress because of the alleged sexual assaults. Gail Collins was in favor of that also, and didn’t even want him to get the hearing he requested. I think her opinions about Franken were wrong just as her opinion regarding Sanders are wrong now.
2
I hope all the Ralph's know that Trump bills $650/night for the security agents staying at Mar a Lago!
That is just one among many outrages committed by this administration!
6
Ms. Collins, some days your column is the only thing in the NYT that makes me smile - however ruefully. Thank you!
2
I guess it depends on our individual perspective as to who accepts and who chooses to drink the Trump poison and who is the perfect antidote for said venom. Take my neighbor the former Republican but now self-proclaimed “Constitutionalist” who didn’t smile for several months until his president was “acquitted.” Ironic and bizarre, isn’t it? Or there are my sister-in-law and her hubby whose new messiah is that guy in the Oval Office because he is “pro-life” for the unborn...not the already living. Then there are thousands of us who think that Bernie or Elizabeth or Amy or Pete or Joe and even Bloomberg may be the perfect anti-venom treatment and thus cure against the poison seeping from every cell of Trump’s exaggerated body and mind. In other words, let’s not split hairs. Any of our top-tier candidates can beat Trump if we let it happen.
3
Ralph deserves to be governed the way he votes.
2
“Right now, Michael Bloomberg is pretty darned popular. Most people don’t know much about him except his ads — he’s sort of the political equivalent of Geico.”
Wow. Great. Geico treated me right.
Thank you Gail for the witty column. Your dark sense of humor is a salve for these uncertain times. So many choices, none perfect ... which brings us to the most important task: beat the ConMan in the White House, and the resurrect the Zombie Graveyard that is the Senate. Maybe Geico has something going for it ... it's basically flypaper for the brain. Ralph got us into this mess and I hope they will #VoteBlueNoMatterWho, and pay little attention to the 2% of the pie that's leading the discussion right now.
Well, capitalism hasn't brought millennials much except for uber-jobs and fentanyl. Maybe it's time to give social democracy a chance?
2
There is only one candidate who understands the economy and has plans to fix it. That is Elizabeth Warren. I don't care if she's "losing". We need someone who understands the economy. Full stop.
Warren, Warren, Warren. If not her, any Democrat will do. We cannot have an evil corrupt president who envies the world's worst dictators and hates democracy, punishing his enemies. We cannot have someone who perverts religion to his purposes.
Evil must not prevail. Whoever it is, Trump must go, or we will not survive.
Meanwhile, please, let's have a Democratic Senate, so honesty comes back into the public sphere.
2
we need a hero
"Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life!
Larger than life" bonnie tyler
or we need a heroine
if only we understood dolphin
i'm certain they know better than we
please, if there is a god,
send somebody to rid us
of this nightmare
the nation needs a good
night's sleep so we can
get back to some semblance
of kindness, decency and trust
i'm just not seeing it in the current
roster of choices....they're basically
good, but they're not great....we
need greatness again....help
3
And who does Ralph want? Someone who looks more reasonable than the current occupant of the White House.
Where in the world do you get this statistic from?
Ralph is probably NOT likely to vote for a woman or a man who is married to another man.
1
I pray that who ever wins the nomination this summer, the “Ralphs” in this country will return to the Democrats. If they do, we will be able to get rid of the guy in the White House.
It’s all about the numbers!
1
You're going to need a lot more than an antidote to defeat Trump, Gail.
2
The obvious answer is Al Franken.
He knows that only deep and true humility can defeat Donald Trump.
He's Good Enough, He's Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Him
3
Awesome and funny piece. Thanks, Gail.
Imagine this NY Times Editorial: "We Support Bernie."
For all the talk that Dems need to overlook ideological differences to unify and depeat Trump, NY Times Op-Ed columnists are mostly against Bernie. He is too rustic and angry for them.
Well, he's from Brooklyn, not Manhattan.
Yes, he wants to rebalance the tax regime so that Warren Buffett will pay a higher percentage rate than his secretary. In other words, tax capital gains and dividends (richj people income) at the same rate as actual work (middle class and poor people income). This concept will not be too scary for the Ohio suburbanites, who will vote for Bernie over Trump.
Come on, NY Times, get with the program. Time to get on the Magic Bernie Bus!
3
Gail, money alone won't cut it. Bloomberg has to arrange for a fresh-off-the-boat press to linger over a gold and black Jumbo 777 nosing in, with his name emblazoned on the side (DJT's plane as I recall, was silver and black), and arrange for awed crowds to wait impatiently in the hangar. He has to stride on stage in silhouette, out of a cloud of smoke and linger, to let his audience soak the show in ... all the trappings of money, fame, celebrity ... yes, i am as fixated on the Trump plane as you are/were on Romney's dog strapped on top of his car ...
2
Yeah...about that Sanders showing of 14 percent in NH. That observation by Lady Gail of the Collins clan made me laugh.
I suspect that since the NH population is heavily freighted with exactly his age cohort that they recognized the truth of it. He's a guy who's aged out of the job he seeks. He's simply too old for it.
The problem is, unlike them, he doesn't realize it. He IS that old guy sitting there in amidst his fellows seeing them for the aged brethren they are, but not seeing that he's not the "all that" guy he thinks he is...he's just as old, and frail, as them.
And that's not the type you want in the very demanding role of POTUS, is it? The wisdom of the old is in recognizing this. You saw it expressed clearly in that 14 percent. The other 86% know its a foolish bet.
John~
American Net'Zen
The "Ralphs" of the world are insanely happy with Trump. I am one. I voted twice for Obama and then Trump.
Wage growth, low unemployment, fewer combat deaths, fewer deployments, higher stock market, prison reform, HBC money, Israel and Arab world working with us for peace, terrorists leaders dead, NAFTA redone, New China trade deal...
Mexico stopping migrants from getting to our border (yes Mexico is paying for it) resulting in fewer illegal crossing.
I can go on but I'm getting tired from all this winning/typing.
I was able to rattle off all eight candidates. That’s kind’a sick, isn’t it? Thanks, Gail.
Warren is a great teacher, but I don't think Ralph wants his favorite teacher for President. Pete makes a great first impression, but after awhile he begins to sound mighty scripted, which brings back unfortunate memories of HRC. Bernie appeals to Ralph in much the same way as DJT -- there's nothing like a good rant and the courage of one's convictions; only problem here is all the other folks who vote, who are looking for a return to reason and compromise. Bloomburg? Seems like a solution designed for the coastal Elites who are already voting Blue no matter who, but not sure he will find a home with Ralph. Amy is the obvious answer. She will be extraordinarily strong in the swing states and strong enough everywhere else.
The partisan primaries are either illegal or unconstitutional.
No political organization has the right to prevent the US citizens from running for the elected office in November.
It is the Constitutional right of all eligible individuals.
All the citizens choose the next president.
No political party has the right to litmus-test them!
The political parties have the right to PETITION the government, not to control or run it, because the government serves all the citizens, not just the select ones who are members of some political party.
1
At the top of your column, I almost shouted halleluja!! Ralph! She's calling for Nader. Yes! If only. But Bernie's next best. Bloomberg? Oh my weeping heart, how can you even mention his name seriously? Klobuchar ... well, what about down-ballot coattails? Bernie's are a lot stronger than hers.
23
@Betsy No. Actually, those who follow what happens with electoral coattails know that a Klobuchar lead would bring more Democrats safely along in 2020's elections. She, not Buttegieg or Bloomberg, can run a winning campaign for Democrats.
Bernie is the kiss of death for lots of American voters (his socialism; the fact that he always shouts at us; his rigidity), and the fate of tons of Democratic candidates for the House and the Senate, plus state offices, depends on our having a sane, younger head of ticket who, as Collins, says, knows "Ralph."
Trump is salivating at the thought of having Sanders head the Democratic ticket nationwide, for it will be an easy win for Trump, keep the Senate in GOP hands, and re-take the House so there will be no shackles on Trump's second term autocracy. He really won't know what to do with a Klobuchar.
34
@Constance Sullivan You nailed it! I believe that the more exposure Sanders has, the more people will find him off-putting. He harangues incessantly in beat with that over-exercised right arm, and it's the same harangue every time. Even without the socialist label that will be pasted on his forehead he's a negative for down-ballot hopefuls. Klobuchar, on the other hand, is a Democrat whom no Democrat should be unhappy to have atop the ticket. She's smart, she's straightforward, she has a strong legislative history and a realistic concrete legislative agenda, and she speaks clearly in an everyday conversational manner, with a positive tone and no bombast. Plus, I can't recall seeing her hands, let alone a jabbing index finger. The smart money is on Amy Klobuchar to become the standard bearer who can wipe out trump.
22
@Betsy
"Getting rid of Trump is everything."
Let me suggest warning of a "Trump Democracy Virus."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Trump and the Right are a virus, that threatens democracy.
The Trump Virus has spread around the country and the world. It attacks democracy. It attacks common sense. It attacks sanity. It makes us feel helpless.
The problem is we are afraid of the Coronavirus, not Trump.
The Trump Virus is more deadly, in attacking democracy.
If Trump's reelected, nations may find dictatorship irresistible. And I fear the Democrats ramble on and on, while the Trump Virus keeps spreading.
Democrats may find anti-Trump measures that work, now.
===========================================
10
First, I will vote for any Democrat before voting for Trump (either directly or indirectly by staying home/voting for a third party candidate).
Second, I am a relatively moderate type of person who does indeed worry about Bernie's ability to govern the country.
Third, it is not an accident that we understand it is important to fight fire with fire. Democrats ran a moderate (albeit with baggage) on a tilted playing field and lost the election. Unfortunately, the playing field is still tilted by the Electoral College. This is why I will happily support Bernie if it comes to that. The way to beat a movement is with a movement.
1
Great article! This section is golden:
A) Mayor Pete reminds them of their grandchildren.
B) Bernie reminds them of the guy at their coffee shop who never treats and won’t stop complaining about the weather.
C) Millennials hear Sanders speeches and think he’s rapping.
I enjoy Collins's editorials but this is not the best. Talking about "Ralph from Michigan" as a "symbol" is just too close to the language of "deplorables" that so much underestimates the very real issues lots of people have with the policies offered by mainstream democrats, not to mention republicans. And it suggests that for "Ralph" (where did that name come from?) the contest is one about personalities ("Pete reminds them of their grandchildren"). Where is a discussion of the issues that would appeal to Americans in the Midwest or elsewhere threatened or already punished by the centrist political-economic politics of the last 30 years?
I'm all in for whoever the dem candidate will be, but this article denigrates real people with real issues and does not help any of them. Perhaps other NYT readers will feel superior, but not this one.
1
If Bloomberg buys this nomination, I will vote for him, and I will knock on doors for him, but I will not be a happy camper -- it would be a very bad sign for democracy (small 'd").
1
I think what happened immediately after the acquittal should be enough of a taste of what four more years of an emboldened Trump would be like. It's time to stop poisoning the well, let the people vote without constant warnings based on nothing but a gut feeling (or worse, an agenda) and encourage everyone to get behind the candidate who makes it. It's the only way we're going to win. Alienating Bernie supporters has to stop.
2
If things are really as bad as most people here claim, they should be in the streets, not online. (Unless Times comments are all from octogenarians.)
That is the lesson of the '60s/'70s. If you want to make change from any kind of progressive perspective, do not count on institutionalized media and an electoral savior.
Power is actually quite diffuse in America. Ensuring there will be no business as usual is how you put pressure on non-governmental loci of power, who then will put pressure on the government.
And remember, there's no free lunch: Kent State, Jackson State, Viola Liuzzo, Mickey Schwerner, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Medgar Evers, and so many more.........
Meanwhile, I can see a really good movie coming out of all this that has the Attorney General and the President charged with a R.I.C.O. prosecution. A contract is put out on Robert Redford who, as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, says underlings in the Justice Department have standing to bring the case. Meanwhile, Susan Sarandon, as a retired Attorney General advising the D.O.J. people bringing the prosecution, becomes the ever-present object of online and real life slander, threats, and other persecution.
Soundtrack, naturally, by Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
Lead in on credits: Jimi Hendrix playing the National Anthem.
I suppose it might be important what Ralph thinks, but I suspect it's more important what Reginald and Missy think.
Reginald represents the African American male voters who came out in strong numbers in urban areas for Obama in 2008/12 and stayed home in 2016, particularly in Milwaukee, Detroit, Racine, Flint, Jacksonville, Miami, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, et. al., and Missy represents the younger, college age voters who, bummed out by a lack of Audacity of Hope, also didn't show up in numbers in 2016, thereby enabling PA, FL, MI, and WI to all go red.
Somehow, someway, Democrats have got to get Reginald and Missy to the polls. There's an excellent outreach program going on in Milwaukee to this end, but more needs to be done, and this is where the DNC (and Bloomberg) ought to be spending money--those phone trees and text chains and carpools, and lawyers to fight the voter suppression tactics you know are coming, have to be as much an emphasis as all the social media rhetoric and advert tailoring.
Because the demographic favors the Republicans less and less. But this means little if they get all their voters to turn out and the Democrats don't.
3
I would vote for my local store’s produce manager rather than the guy in White House.
4
It's really hard to believe that to run against the worst president in US history, Dems may have to choose between a Republican billionaire mayor, a socialist independent, and a 38 year old midwest mayor beloved by Wall Street.
Further, we let Republicans, independents, and really anyone at all vote in our primaries to skew the results to the candidate most favored by Trump. What is wrong with this party!!
2
This time next year we will have already elected a President. Think about that for a moment. Who can challenge a President already wielding power the likes of which we have never seen, with no one to stop him. What lengths will this amoral man go to, to keep that power? Nothing has stopped him so far, nothing. Now his malignant corruption has spread to the Justice Department. Just how much will Barr do to insure Trump's re-election? How can we even know what is going on, until something is a fait accompli and we have no recourse? How can a Democratic nominee overcome this?
We turned a corner in history this week with the corruption now evident in our Justice Department. Our government is actually authoritarian now. We have lost a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people".
The Republicans anointed Trump king with their mockery of a trial in the Senate. Now Trump is like some monster released from his chains, and is brandishing his power like a club. The government serves his will and his whims.
I am feeling very uncomfortable right now about the upcoming election. When we need a Barack Obama, we have none. We do not have that one person who inspires and connects with a broad base of people across the nation. Gee, I miss Barack Obama's intellect, his wisdom, and you know, I miss his smile.
3
The antidote to a mendacious narcissist is a principled team. The dems should consider proposing a team - if elected we will propose a team or cabinet to include ... selecting the best of the people we have see .. A G, etc.. be inclusive - we’ve seen a lot of talented people w/different skill sets on that debate platform.
41
@Quiv. There are certainly a lot of talented Democratic candidates. Not sure many of them would be thrilled to work in a cabinet while one of their competitors is running the show.
24
@Gail Collins. that would be very unfortunate especially for Mayor Pete.
Great as always, Gail, although I would have used Progressive rather than Geico. I like Amy. Minnesota came really close to being red in 2016--real close--and she would help win there as well as next door to Michigan and Wisconsin (water border with Michigan). She's the right age, doesn't yell, sounds normal, is a woman, and would be the kind of person who could get things through the Senate, assuming of course, Democrats don't ignore the Senate like they did in 2014,
For every Democrat still clinging to her or his personal "purity" test, who claims they won't vote for *any* eventual nominee who doesn't meet it, may I suggest a different sort of test. Imagine...
Bill Barr on the Supreme Court.
That nightmare alone - among so very many to choose from - should ensure that we all...
Vote Blue - NO MATTER WHO
The Senate, Too!
6
I don't get how anyone could imagine that Ralph -- a Democrat who voted for Trump! -- is looking for a more moderate candidate! A more sane candidate, yes, a less criminal candidate, yes. But Ralph is still mad, and Bernie's tone is sounding about right. Why trust in a Party that's been trying to prop up Biden? Bernie would have had plenty of the eventual Trump votes last time around, by the way, if the Democratic Party -- and, gotta say it, the NYT -- had gotten out of his way.
1
I don't understand why Sherrod Brown is not running.
He is a decent man and not too old and not too young.
2
The American people will never put an avowed socialist in The White House. Millennials and others who do not know their history, do not understand why their grandfathers fought to keep this country free from Communism, nor understand the true greatness of the founding of this country, lean toward socialism out of pure ignorance. The chasm in this country is beyond old vs young, liberal vs conservative, rich vs poor; it’s a matter of understanding economic theory and how it impacts personal freedom.
1
Three years on, I still can't wrap my feeble mind around " Ralph".
There is no logic in an Obama to Trump voter so I struggle to accept the data presented by various sources. Please show me one single Ralph.
"Bernie Bros" is another nonstarter. How could any progressive not support the anti Trump candidate even if it turned out to be Joe the Munchkin?
Since I know that there are many of both, I shall high me to a Monastery.
3
Has it really come to this? Democrats are so afraid they can't sell their own policies that they'll nominate a Republican?
Well maybe they're right. The Democratic Party was taken over by the neo-liberal / corporate wing a long time ago. To their credit at least now they realize American voters are sick of their Republican-Lite agenda and want something better.
2
Let's Make A Deal:
DOOR #1: Bernie Sanders. A devoted, experienced public servant, consistently fights for the poor and those needing help. He's also a socialist, an atheist, and has videos, apparently, of him praising Fidel Castro and defending socialism in Venezuela. Moderates are uninterested. The young and minorities love him.
DOOR #2: Mike Bloomberg. A proven winner, popular New York City mayor, self-made billionaire, Republican Lite, and has recordings where he says stop-and-frisk targeted too many whites (10%) and not enough minorities (90%). Minorities will be Never-Bloombergers. Moderates will see him as the go-to guy, because everyone else just doesn't measure up or is scary.
DOOR #3: Amy Klobuchar. A popular moderate, smart, tough, experienced, and has temper tantrums. Many men won't opt for a woman leader; not a champion of minorities, so they won't choose this door. Many women, however, may insist that it's finally a woman's turn.
I don't know. The political scene changes by the hour; everyone has a different opinion. At this point, even 538 can't help us choose a winner.
You'd think that a ham sandwich could defeat an impeached president, but all of our thoughts are mixtures of hope, fantasy, misinformation, bias, confusion, blue smoke, and mirrors.
Whatever is the case now will soon give way to a new scenario, a new drama, a new idea, or just inattention, disgust, and fatigue. The truth is written in sand on a beach where tides destroy it twice daily.
1
The Democratic party doesnt care about Ralph. It hasnt since Bill Clinton was elected, and it especially doesnt now. Ralph is a deplorable, according to Hillary Clinton. Ralph -- the white working class -- is the group most Democratic pundits say is expendable this year. What we need to concentrate on, they say, is bringing in new voters, meaning young and black. Just increase turnout among the base, they say, which very definitely does not include Ralph.
I too am wondering how DJT will choose to insult and try to intimidate Amy Klobuchar now that she is on his radar with the potential to actually become the Democratic nominee. However, I don't worry about it. She is so much smarter than he is, she is tougher than he is, she is YOUNGER than he is, has ethics and empathy, and EXPERIENCE! We need a strong woman to take him down. Men like Trump do not know how to handle a really strong female and they tend to become confused and angry. Let him get angry; Ms Klobuchar will not allow him to prowl the debate stage and get in her "space" like Hillary did. She's a great strategist and has been thinking for quite a while now on how she will not be caught off guard by her "mentally stable genius" opponent. She is our best shot here and since we have had every kind of white male (good, bad, and in between) and finally a male of color in the Oval Office, it is way past time for a Madame President, but not just any female. Amy's qualities are uniquely suited to bring us out of the black hole Trump has put this once magnificent country into and out into the light again. KLOBUCHAR is her name and beating Trump is her mission! She wants to serve the people, not herself. Imagine that!
4
Democrats are not very popular, even among Democrats.
And, Repubicans? The polite thing to say is the less said the better.
Bloomberg? At the very least, we should let him audition.
Gail,
Are you getting enough rest? When you write about Bernie, you sound a little like the cranky oldster that you are trying to say that Bernie is. You hint that he won't pay for treats, that he won't stop complaining about the weather, that he's shouting and scowling. You carry Trump's water for him by repeating his "Crazy Bernie" theme.
These are certainly gentle-seeming attacks, but they still manage to belittle an authentic, knowledgable, experienced politician who confronts problems head on, speaks directly, and cares about people. They help to paint a negative image.
IMO, this country needs more focus on authenticity and caring and less focus on image. Smiling TV actor Ronald Reagan exploded the deficit. Friendly-seeming George W. Bush maneuvered the US into the Iraq War and caused the deaths of over 400,000 people.
I'd rather have one gruff authentic Bernie than all the smiling phonies in the world.
2
Well history tells us Bernie is not going to win without a depression. Three Republican presidents in a row and a gaggle of soup lines got us our badly needed socialist programs in the 30s and those stubborn, mule headed, Ralphs will not vote for a democratic socialist until they are hit on the head with a Trump building sign. Some working poor souls will believe anything the rich tell them until they are broke and destitute and see the handwriting on the wall they are relieving themselves against. Soup lines and hungry children magically erase alternative realities. I hope it doesn't get to that point, but it just might be the only answer for citizen myopia.
Bloomberg's stop and frisk policy alone is a non starter for me in the primaries. If the Democrats want a plutocrat in the White House and get him to the main game over other more qualified candidates, I'll go along. That's how much I hate Trump.
In the primaries no more GOP lite candidates masquerading as a "people's candidate." And that includes the centrists, you know who they are. I am for Warren and Sanders the two I think will address the serious problems this country faces and try to work for an equitable solution.
I'll pick one tomorrow since we have mail-in ballots here and mine is staring me in the face.
Ralph believes that, "What is Good for the American Middle Class is God for America."
He's not sure if anybody other than himself believes that anymore.
1
Bloomberg wants to cut Social Security and Medicare
What age Ralph will like that
Why is Amy being ignored by the media. If a man had done what she did . Win the debate he would have been all over the press. What does a woman have to do to get noticed.
She done the work. Fair is fair give her a break
Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Biden, Tom Steyer, Michael Bloomberg, Tulsi Gabbard.
Three of those are in my short list.
But whoever (even Tulsi) is the Dem nominee will get my vote and my efforts to turn out the vote.
2
I wasn’t someone who will spend Day One reversing all the clean air and water protections tRump has taken away, restoring protections to OUR National Parks and monuments, and (re)creating a Civilian Conservation Corps as a viable place for employment and skills training to combat the effects of climate change. And Ralph Nader, I will never forgive you for handing us the second worst president of my lifetime, George Junior. I worry that Bernie will be your successor and be just as unrepentant should he lose the election.
Nice take on the Democratic challenge for a winner to beat Trump.
Don't know how old "Ralph" is, but Bernie, Biden and Bloomberg all have strengths but their age is their common weakness. Bernie seeks to overcome this by taunting the younger generation's support, Bloomberg by money and Biden by wisdom and experience. Nice if these three could get behind a ticket that could elect the first female president, and bring a former Mayor as well as a distinguished Senator as VP: Klobuchar/Booker!
In our small town, it is the women in their 50’s and 60’s that make things happen, who shuck the drama and just do it. Who organize, make casseroles, run food pantries, community cleanup days, staff the school board, put on the arts festival They just do it.
I just want to see this country with Amy in charge.
If only we could fast forward through the election siege, past the nastiness, money and lies, past the stress, manipulation and incessant noise, past exhaustion of trump spewing venom, ridicule, capital letters and childish names, past all that scorched toxic debris of a country and world, trashed and riled for a selfish personal high
and still be here, still alive, still breathing and intact, safe, when Amy walks to the front and says with her non-nonsense congenial smile ’ OK guys, we have a lot of work to do.’
In my gut though is the constant fear that we cant get there. That the mine field between here and a better place is too deep, too mired in money, greed, guns, rage, arrogance and power, it is too dangerous, unjust, dishonest and fraught. That no one is safe, everything is at risk, nothing is preserved, no cost us too high, as trump and his followers fight to win
My fear is that we simply can’t reach a better place anymore
201
@organic farmer
Beautifully stated! Just how I feel.
10
@organic farmer Well stated!
6
@organic farmer eloquent!
6
The partisan primaries are inconsistent with the real democracy.
No political party should be allowed to control who is going to be the presidential candidate in November.
The partisan primaries are the political litmus test and deprive the voters from freely chosing the President.
Having the choose between only two candidates is the travesty toward true democracy.
Let ALL the Americans choose their president!
1
The only thing that matters is Get Out The Vote. And securing the integrity of the voting process, particularly in swing states where Republican state houses have managed to strip millions from the voting rolls.
No one is sitting around their kitchen tables musing on whether to vote for Orange Julius or the Democrat.
3
Here's the answer in three words: Amy. Amy. Amy. Three more: Smart. Practical. Strong.
Sanders and Buttigieg were essentially tied in Iowa and NH. Sanders underperformed relative to expectations. Klobuchar had an unexpectedly strong showing in NH. Why are the media and its commentators not making more out of the historic, path-breaking, and remarkably strong candidacy of the only sexual minority in the race and instead giving the spotlight to the number one and three vote getters in NH? And why the sudden rush to Bloomberg, a white, male cisgender billionaire as a savior of the Democratic Party ?
Are only certain types of diversity palatable ? Is homophobia truly only a disease of the religious right ?
Gail Collins is so perceptive and funny that it is a great pity she is not running for president. I’d vote for her.
Thank you Gail, Everybody - Look at the Big Picture. Does Ralph really want 4 more years of Trump? Sanders will energize the younger electorate. Turnout will be greater with Sanders. He'll bring out the young and the establishment will show up!
2
While Gail's signature humor masks her anxiety, this dread has become a malady for Democrats and other humanists in the (worldwide) population. Remember, most of the non-totalitarian world wants Trump ousted too.
We cannot define what is electable. We know Trump and his cult party has a lot of money, a core of wealthy and persuasive sycophants, such as FOX News and Bill Barr, and a group of rabid supporters. We also know that corporate money people really do not like him but will accommodate him compared to Sanders. (Woe to them, for the breakdown of the rule of law and coherence in economic and political policy will eventually lead to world financial meltdown. How well positioned is the Fed and the Treasury to counter the economic problems related to a still spiraling coronavirus or some other sort of major international incident?).
All the hand-wringing has no benefit. We must register voters, explain to them how this election matters, support whomever the Democrats nominate for president - and for senator in Colorado, Maine, Arizona and Iowa - support the re-election of Joe Manchin and Doug Jones, and get out the vote. It is as simple as that. Everything else is outside our control, including persuading Ralph, if he does not want to listen.
4
One thing seems certain, and that is that Democrats have cleverly identified several lines of attack which don't really work against Trump in terms of making numerous conversions. This includes sexual scandals (which didn't work against Bill Clinton either), grift and corruption (which other politicians have been know to practice) and Ukraine (which probably most swing voters can't actually identify on a map). This process of elimination may eventually pay off, especially if Trump actually expands his unlawful activities as he seems likely to do.
But maybe the approach for Democratic pols should be to change the way they themselves are viewed by swing voters and non-voters, not just keep harping on Trump's deficiencies or danger. Some candidates would do this and some would not. Trump may have already lost enough voters through his obvious non-fulfillment of promises to lose in 2020, but if Democrats are ever going to get majorities sufficient for what they say are needed reforms they will probably have to change themselves.
1
Gail, please continue not getting it as it will further assure Trump's reelection: I am "Ralph" in the sense that I voted for Obama in 2012( I won't go into reasons why this lifetime Republican found Romney to be unacceptable) and Trump in 2016:
1. The political establishment was so hamstrung by special interests, self-preservation etc that they were unable ( or too timid, complacent, whatever) to adequately address the issues facing us in an honest, forthright manner;
2. I was tired of being told by MSM, political correctness/ climate change cults, pollsters, the coastal intellectual elites, etc how I should think;
3. I liked Trump's "America First" approach to foreign policy the economy, trade, immigration. deregulation etc.
So far, Trump has exceeded my expectations on all of these. To those who agree but wish that" he would stop with the tweeting", I refer you to Kassler's excellent article in the WSJ on the "McGuffan"(i.e., Trump's behavior is all part of the strategy...and it's working)
11
@pete
Where in all the successes do you see Trump's moral compass? Anywhere? In a single shred of comment? In Roger Stone? in climate problems? In the poor?
Or is it just money and folk working two and three jobs to make it home? or is it the stock market in which few people have their money? or was it playing chicken with China that caused our famers to go bankrupt or commit suicide? or is it the social security and Medicaid that is on the table to be cut? Wake up and think a bit about others.
Correctness is important; it makes us who we have been and should continue to be.
186
@pete Point by point:
1. Let's look at those "special interests," shall we? This administration's environmental rollbacks have the oily fingers of the fossil fuel industry all over them. The tax cuts benefited the 1% disproportionately. Repeated attempts to dismantle the ACA along with cuts to Medicare and Medicaid benefit the private insurance and pharmaceutical interests.
2. If you prefer the innuendo and outright lies of Fox News, Alex Jones, Rush Limbaugh et al, you are certainly free to believe them. But you are being misled. Climate change is real. Sometimes, truth is hard.
3. "America First" has damaged our standing in the world, alienating our European allies, and cozying up to despots like Kim, Erdogan, and Putin.
Meanwhile, the president lies to the country daily. He is ignorant of the constitution and the law, and arrogantly sees no reason to learn. He continues to foment racism, hatred, and division. That is not, in the view of many reasonable people, "America First."
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@pete In regard to what you like about Trump and Trumpism, is it enough to risk the future of the United States with an untrained, unqualified person who refuses to learn, refuses to read, screams out vile curse words at aides when they try to brief him on issues?
Would you trust someone who had never piloted more than a single engine private plane to get you across the ocean in a 747?
As for your points in item 3, the following:
The economy is not doing much better than it did under the 7 yrs. of expansion under Obama. Growth can be attained by cutting taxes and adding trillions of dollars to the national debt. Likewise, cut regulations, pay a heavy price later.
Trade? NAFTA was replaced by a very similar agreement. Farmers have been give, free, billions of dollars to compensate for the trade war with China. That's your tax money. What else? Has Trump done anything to stop China from stealing our technologies?
Immigration? Are we a fearful country that can't find a reasonable way to manage immigration? Walls don't work. See: The Great Wall of China. Ripping children from their mother's arms with no way to reunite them?
Deregulation? You can always get temporary prosperity by mortgaging your future, businesses given freedom to pollute.
ETC
92
Way, way, way too much speculation is being written about which Democratic candidate is on top after a caucus and a primary in two frozen states, whose white voters are the demographics of the past decades. Come on down to South Carolina, where it’s warm (78 degrees today) and its voters represent the demographics of the future. Word of warning: we have an open primary, which means that if Bernie comes out on top, then our numerous Trump supporters are pushing their favorite candidate.
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@Doc Student South Carolina ranked 42nd for average starting salary for teacher, 36th for average salary for teachers, 39th for quality of school system and 28th in the nation for pupil to teacher ratio.
South Carolina was also ranked 48th in healthcare when it comes to pregnant mothers and newborns, according to the study. That measure included infant mortality, in which the state ranked 38th.
Whenever states are compared, South Carolina consistently ranks in the bottom third in per capita personal income. It ranks 33rd in terms of income equality.
Former resident of Oconee County, South Carolina
14
@Doc Student
Trump is in fact encouraging his supporters to vote for Sanders. And you know that some will! Not a joke.
15
@Doc Student Trump did seem to be suggesting to his crowd in Manchester that they vote for the least electable Democrat. Interesting that he didn't say who he thought that was.
38
I read that Trump is afraid of Bloomberg and his financial might. New Yorker Bloomberg probably knows Trump as well, if not better than, the other candidates. Bloomberg and Klobuchar would make for a formidable ticket. I want Trump to know what fear and doubt are.
417
@A Mandalorian I was thinking along the same lines, a Bloomberg/Klobuchar ticket, and a viable threat to trump.
27
@A Mandalorian I agree that Bloomberg is the candidate Trump fears the most. He's not vulnerable to Trump's tactics. And he won't be outspent, so Democratic donors can concentrate on funding candidates who will retake the Senate and expand the House margin.
37
@A Mandalorian
I lean more and more toward a Bloomberg/Klobuchar ticket myself. I'm looking forward to the time - it cannot happen soon enough - when all the reasonable and good people of the country can start wrapping their heads around that, and a clear and powerful campaign against the Don starts in earnest.
It has been a muddled slog through too many candidates and too little hope for a victorious challenge to the juggernaut which is Trump and his undeniably corrupt administration. The time to amp things up is NOW; the country's doomsday clock is ticking loudly.
22
The Democrats need to really get the nomination right this time. Their best bet in 2016 was Hillary and that started the whole election on a downslide trajectory. Both the DNC and the RNC share the blame for the hot mess this country is in and they need to take responsibility for it.
4
I'm a Ralph type, but with enough sense to see through Trump. Many of my lifetime friends who are Ralphs, typically have underfunded retirements having never been in a union. They worked under the table too much, and can't remember anything their parents told them about the 30s. Sooner they stop voting the better.
187
@Harry Clark How about working overtime to convince your other Ralph types to think like you? My bet is that you are an older American, like me, who does remember what my parents went through in the 30s when I was born!
8
@Harry Clark Sooner they start getting unionized the better.
72
@Harry Clark The good news is that tRump's demographic skews older. The bad news is that the ACA will keep them alive for longer.
7
I feel a whole lot better about the Democratic party after New Hampshire than I did after the Iowa caucuses.
As a middle aged white guy in nyc, if it’s Bloomberg or Biden, I’m voting third party in November no matter how much people yell at me. Both men have proven themselves morally unworthy of the office - Biden through his multi-decade expansion of the drug war, and Bloomberg by overturning the voter referendum that limited him to two turns (and, of course, stop and frisk).
People say that you have to choose the lesser of two evils, but that isn’t true. There is a degree of evil that is unsupportable, and Biden and Bloomberg are on the wrong side of that line, just like Trump.
@Mike Two things:
1. If you're equating Bloomberg or Biden with Trump, you're woefully ignorant of Trump's record of lawlessness, narcissism, cruelty, misogyny, racism, and xenophobia (which seems impossible if you're paying attention even a little bit).
2. If you vote for a 3rd party candidate, you're voting for Trump. Shame on you.
2
If Trump wins, this might be the last election even resembling a fair and free one.
1
Any conclusions to be drawn from the fact that the 'moderate' wing (aka Amy Pete) together beat out Bernie on his relative home turf?
4
I have more hope for Ralph. Ralph needs good health care, assurances that he will collect Social Security, will be able to stay in his home and if needed, will have food stamps if he needs them.
I think Ralph does not approve of the criminal in the White house, is not a racist and has a mother, daughter and wife he wants treated equally.
I think Ralph wants law and order, serious gun reform and fair taxation.
Ralph will make the decision to get rid of Trump as he is bad for this country. Ralph is a sensible guy.
4
I feel like Robert Redford in "The Natural." Seventh game, bottom of the ninth, two outs. He breaks his favorite bat, and says to the batboy: "Pick me out a winner, Bobby." We need a winner who will fight Trump hard and motivate Democratic turnout. Who will focus like a laser on the issues important to swing voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin: pre-existing conditions; jobs; and a steady hand on the economy to protect retirement accounts. Unless Bernie wins big in the remaining states, he probably can't win this one. No matter what his supporters say, our entire national history says there are not some 10 million closet socialists just waiting to turn out. We cannot afford a noble failure this time -- a Gene McCarthy or George McGovern. People (mostly young) will be angry, they write in Bernie in droves, but this will be concentrated in NY, California, Colorado, Vermont etc. And the Democrats need to offset the lost turnout among young people with high turnout from other groups in swing states. We can all help with this. "Vote blue, no matter who and give Der Trump a big . . . [you know]."
4
"The big winner in New Hampshire was Amy Klobuchar, who came in ... third." This reminds me of Henry Jackson who won the NY Primary in early April 1976 but his win was denigrated by the left side of the party. He had trouble raising money and lost to Carter in Pennsylvania a few weeks later. We ended 1976 with a nice man as a soon-to-be weak president. This led to Ronald Reagan, "Willie Horton" two Bushes and a Trump. With Jackson's departure the Democrats' attraction to white working class men, (and manufacturing jobs) went south literally and figuratively. What next oh great pundits?
1
Let's just keep things simple.
In a few short months we will have a Democrat nominee for president.
All the also-ran candidates should go out and campaign for that person, as much as their ego allows. It will help bring in some of their so-called diehard followers (this is especially true of Bernie Sanders).
As for the Ralphs and Ralphinas of the U.S.:
VOTE BLUE -- NO MATTER WHO.
Just keep thinking that the day after Trump is no longer president, he probably will be indicted. A situation devoutly to be wished for -- and worked for.
VOTE BLUE -- NO MATTER WHO.
7
How many of these hypothetical Ralphs really exist? We hear every day about “polarization,” which certainly does exist. Probably, the best candidate to beat Trump is the one who generates the biggest turnout. The progressives have the passion.
68
@Richard The turnout in Iowa was down from last time.
6
@Richard The progressives have passion, but that doesn't translate to expanding the turnout. The Democrats need a candidate who can attract a wider base, and neither Warren nor Sanders will do that.
Nominate a moderate, run a smart and simple issues campaign (remember "It's the economy, Stupid") and don't let Trump intimidate and own the conversation and the excitement will come.
And progressives who don't vote because it's not Bernie or Sanders lose any right to complain about anything. The Election Day choice is binary -- Trump or not Trump -- and not voting because my candidate didn't get nominated is a middle-school class officer argument.
10
@Richard You've got a good point on strategy, Richard. And passion is obviously fantastic. But I'd sort of like a Democrat who could raise us up and maybe also cool everybody off.
46
"The big winner in New Hampshire was Amy Klobuchar, who came in a rather impressive third." Hot take, i think the big winner was Bernie Sanders, since he got most of the votes.
2
A) Mayor Pete reminds them of their grandchildren.
Actually, speaking as an older voter, Mayor Pete reminds me of ET. I suspect I'm not alone in this. If this is the case, it will do Mayor Pete in.
2
Gail, it's been fun, but enough picking on Iowa. You're too young to remember but you may have read about the takeover of Washington state's Republican caucus by Pat Robertson way back in the 1980s. Does that suggest a potential problem with the caucus as a primary substitute?
5
@M. B. E. Actually, I am old enough to remember virtually everything. (Warren Harding was nicer than people think, but never could warm up to Andrew Jackson.)
The caucus idea just doesn't work in the modern world. It sounds sweet -- gathering in somebody's living room and getting in little groups. But these days it's mostly gyms and cafeterias and such, due to handicapped access codes. But most of the handicapped, along with everybody else, don't go anyway because it's only at one precise time in the evening and takes a lot of effort.
44
@Gail Collins
So true. Colorado has gone to primaries for presidential elections since the debacle of the 2016 caucuses. But we still hold them for U.S. Senate seats, governor, and the state legislators. We've finally moved the date to a Saturday afternoon, which is good, but even so, I doubt there will be much of a turnout.
Gail,
Time for Harry and Louise to make their health care reprisal? Homespun Americana always sells well in flyover country. They can have their grandchildren, nuclear family surround them. A little granddaughter can replicate the classic daisy commercial. Universal health care, end of the world.
Retro retreads make the world go round.
1
If every voter who wants Trump replaced, no matter-her /his political stripe-actually votes for the Democrat’s nominee the mission will be accomplished.
17
@MKLA It's not such a done deal. Those folks must still go to the polls....that is an very important reason to have one aspiring nominee over another.
4
@Eloise
If they vote they go to the polls or vote by mail.
Vote vote vote!
"Now he’s begun to worry that there’s a tad too much spunk in the current White House."
I think that’s a question for Melania, and Ivanka can chime in, too.
6
@Acajohn I have a friend who believes Trump will dump Pence in favor of Ivanka to try to set up a sort of "royal dynasty" of horrors. Frankly I wouldn't put anything past him because he has the full backing of his Republican cohorts.
2
We don't need Ralph. We need the people that voted for Obama, but stayed home instead of voting for Clinton. Ralph either sees his mistake or is all in for Trump at this point.
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@Typical Ohio Liberal Always good to talk with another Buckeye. And you make a good point. Perhaps the stay-at-home was Mrs. Ralph. She's the one who gets nervous when Bernie Sanders starts yelling a lot.
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@Gail Collins
Bernie's revolution will clearly be yell-ivised.
2
At least the Democrats have a primary instead, not a coronation. It's inevitable that Trump will continue to transgress publicly; perhaps he actually will shoot someone on Fifth Avenue. Whoever the nominee is, he/she will move towards the center. Warren is absolutely right. the Dems avoid gladiatorial combat.
20
The issue will be overcoming the Bernie Bros' decision to rebel by sitting out the election if its not their guy on the top of the ticket. Death wishes and the will to destroy can be passive as well as actively implemented. They want capitalism and this country to implode; another 4 years of Trump will accomplish this without active measures.
21
@Patricia J.
A piece in Newsweek about what the people who voted for Sanders in the primaries in PA, MI, and WI in 2016 did in the general election indicates that 80% voted for Hillary, about 12 % voted for Trump, 6% voted for another candidate and 2% sat out the election. However, in the 2008 election when Hillary was running against Obama, 25% of those who voted for Clinton in the primary ended up voting for Romney rather than Obama in the general election. So, let's keep our criticism of the Sanders voters in perspective, please.
12
We are all living in the world of wishful thinking, but in this world, the deck is stacked and the game is over. The Senate has confirmed that the President can do whatever he wishes. The DOJ is ready to "investigate" any and all threats coming from the Democratic Party. The President will vilify, demean and denigrate any comers with the very able assistance from Russia. The Courts are the icing on the cake, they will support the President above all else including justice. Finally, he will be able to "lock 'em up", so any challengers will not be a problem.
33
@Carol While the Supreme Court fits your description, lets see what happens at the other levels of the Court.
1
Dear Gail,
The issue is actually bigger than replacing a president that the political/pundit class on the left hate to the extreme.
Civics quiz, Gail:
1. What are the duties of the President as described in the Constitution?
2. What branch of government is solely responsible for making laws and raising revenues such as tariffs?
(Don't look at me - I'm not going to tell you.)
I am not searching for the perfect antidote for Trump. Rather, I want to see how many of my fellow citizens know what's in the Constitution and can demand changes from both political parties to affect change in how they behave in our nation's capital. It would be helpful if the media would take their blinders off and quit being cheerleaders for one side or the other. They have abdicated the role of watchdogs on our behalf.
It's not about what "Ralph" wants, and it's not about which political candidate can offer any of us more goodies out of the Treasury, Gail. It's about having a federal government with a minimum impact on our daily lives run by elected officials who know what's in the Constitution.
BTW you didn't mention Tome Steyer or Tulsi Gabbard - why not?
6
@hm1342 Because Steyer and Gabbard are not just toast, they're croutons?
2
@M. B. E. : " Because Steyer and Gabbard are not just toast, they're croutons?"
I think there has been a concerted effort from most of the MSM to ignore Gabbard and, to a lesser extent, Steyer.
Great column analyzing each of the candidates post-NH. I was for Warren, but she made too many errors, most importantly promoting Medicare for all without serious cost analysis which then left her open to criticism of her $10 trillion Medicare 4 all,plan which she then had to walk away from by delay.
So, I have decided to support Amy Klobuchar, and if she chose Corey Booker as Vice President, we would have a solid vote getting team effective among blacks and Hispanics and Wall Street.
Bloomberg is the question mark, and he may turn out to be the savior who removes Trump and his sycophants from government. Stop and frisk and his recorded defense will be a major problem, but he has funded many important initiatives like gun control. If Bloomberg decided to personally drop out but funded Amy and Corey with a PAC, we should be grateful.
So we have two teams that can rid us of Trump, so Democrats and disgusted Republicans, rejoice!
39
Here is the critical question. If the voting could influence the implemented policies, why it didn't happen over the last quarter of century?
Did we vote for the endless wars? Did we vote for competing with the Chinese workers who could produce the things cheaper meaning who will be paid less? Did we vote for the elected officials to be in the back pockets of the global corporations? Did we vote to be charged two times more for the health care than other developed countries? Do you want to compete for the same jobs here in America against the people without any legal rights so they are forced to undercut their paying wages?
Do you really want to make this election about Trump and not about those chronic problems?
15
Ralph has been falsely persuaded that it is all a zero sum game, that is, to give housing to the poor living under bridges, then Ralph has to lose some of his safety.
If the poor can get health care, then Ralph has to lose his own health care, so Ralph will usually vote out of fear rather than hope.
Truth is, we probably won't get progressive changes like national health care and increases in public housing, until we suffer the inevitable depression that will come as the cutthroat capitalist system rewards the super rich to insanity. That is how we got Social Security and other such programs.
So if that isn't going to come for decades and I am in my 70's, I just vote as I please and don't weep when the rich swagger about the White House.
Hugh
13
@Hugh Massengill - Maybe sooner than decades, Hugh. And, if you have grandchildren, and care about them, maybe reconsider the importance of a thoughtful vote. Just saying.
1
Looks like "Ralph" and/or "Helen" (sorry - had to balance the scale) will need three things in our bizarro world of politics - blinders blocking the top name but not the D party candidate on that side of the ballot; motivation to actually vote; and appreciation that, yes, they can indeed influence the election, or should I say the Electoral College, even though they might not understand its antiquated processes and procedures.
The popular vote does not elect the president or Hillary would be in the White House and the media would be pursuing other transgressions with vigor.
19
This is very much like choosing your favorite dessert. When asked the question you may say ice cream is your favorite. Then your friend says chocolate cake is they’re favorite and you say, oh I love chocolate cake. Then a passerby says they love chocolate chip cookies, and everyone agrees chocolate chip cookies are great. Then someone else says they love fruit with whipped cream, and everyone says ok, I love whipped cream but it depends on the fruit. After much discussion everyone finally agrees, we all love chocolate chip cookies (especially out of the oven).
So it’s not a bad thing to have trouble choosing, and in the end Democrats will wind up with a great choice. Then we have to decide if we go with coffee, tea or milk.
16
Yes, but remember too, that after dessert comes paying the bill. Who's treating?
7
And then someone comes along and says "doesn't septic tank pie topped with battery acid sound delicious?" And everyone's like, "sure, does!" and then Donald Trump wins the election again.
1
All of the predictions that Sanders will eventually be the Dem candidate ignore the fact that about 3 out of 4 primary voters will vote for someone else, and few of the delegates for those other candidates are likely to switch to him. The moderates and reality-based leftists will eventually coalesce around a single candidate, and it won't be Bernie. The proportionality rules did him in.
23
@Tom is right. My guess is that one of the moderates, either Buttigieg or Klobuchar, will win the nomination. I'm hoping that it's Klobuchar, since she's demonstrated that she can explain Democratic values to a majority of people in red counties, while Buttigieg has never won a statewide general election. But it is pretty likely to be one of them.
Warren's not doing particularly well, though I sure don't understand why *anyone* would vote for Sanders over her. And no-one can vote for Biden without wondering whether he'll get tongue tied at a debate with Trump.
2
There is only one thing that will get Trump voted out and that is an electorate convinced the person they vote for can win. That will mean getting the Democratic voters to all vote and the Ralphs of America to vote Democratic. That is a tough compromise. Someone acceptable to Democrats who won't alienate Independents or disaffected Republicans. This would all be a moot point if 75% of Democratic voters come out to vote. But Obama didn't even get that. So the question is who checks off enough boxes to get that done? Sorry, folks, but I think Bernie will absolutely fall short. Policies are too unrealistic. Biden is sinking fast....too flawed. Buttigieg is too inexperienced and Trump won't come out and say it, but the nod, nod , wink, wink of "You don't want one of THEM in the White House do you?" will be the elephant in the room. So if you want to oust Trump, that leaves Klobuchar and Bloomberg. And every day Trump keeps giving those crossover folks help in raising their hand to pinch their nose and vote for the Democrat. As long as that person isn't put off by the offering.
36
"The big winner in New Hampshire was Amy Klobuchar, who came in a rather impressive third. "
Was there an even more impressive position of fourth?
6
Let’s not forget that New Hampshire allows registered members of both parties to vote in their caucus. Could it be that Klobuchar’s uptick was part of the GOP strategy to muddle the waters? She is now a true believer in her own success story, but I find it hard to believe that she could defeat Trump.
14
@Ambroisine Actually, I suspect that Republicans were more likely to show up and vote for Sanders than Klobuchar. After all, the Don went to a lot of trouble to undermine another moderate/liberal, apparently to drive the Dems to Bernie. His dream candidate. '
I speak as a Ralph, by the Way.
14
@Ambroisine You think too highly of the GOP voters. Many voted because the candidate was their second choice after Donald Trump.
1
I'm good with Pete or Amy. Maybe Bloomberg. Whichever will need Abrams as vice president (Ralph voted for Trump but Kobe stayed home). If we lift our heads from primary angst, there is a perfect storm brewing: demand-crimping virus that interferes with Tesla and iPhone production, stock market at levels totally unjustified by real earnings, and nobody has any money after paying car loan, student loan, or minimum on credit cards. Even companies are in deep, deep debt (part of how the stock looks valuable). Think May-June collapse, maybe April (this virus is already shutting down lots of economic activity). Fed tools won't stop the decline. It all means Trump loses no matter who.
25
@Emory you underestimate China's economic tools to juice the economy. You also neglected to mention other fundamentals that are a problem: health care, housing and the absent discipline needed to plan for, invest in and implement solid infrastructure. And don't get me started on the monopolization and bad faith happening across our heavy civil industries. Ugh, sorry to be negative. Liked your letter.
2
@Emory A most optomistic account of an economic decline and flatline. Thanks for the Encouraging Words!
@Patricia J. China, like the US, has been juicing their economy and is reaching the same point we are, pushing on a string. The numbers from China will not be believable, but the worldwide slowdown from the disruption in supply chains will be evident everywhere, including the US. Watch Trump blame it all on the virus, as he only takes credit for positive results, never on negative.
It is bizarre—the mainstream media’s seeming pattern of anti-Bernie bias. Perhaps, it’s built-in from how top editors staff their sections and producers choose their regular commentators. Nevermind that Corbyn was deeply unpopular in the UK, with a net favorability rating of -40 percent according to YouGov polling, while Sanders is America’s most popular politician!
After the New Hampshire results came in, political reporters and pundits put facts into linguistic pretzels, instead of just stating what the numbers did: That Sanders had won, taking the popular vote for two straight contests in a crowded field.
Consistently undercutting Sanders, news organizations do themselves no favors, also undercutting their own credibility in a time when they sell themselves as a corrective to disinformation.
What is still impressive is, during our Citizens United era, Sanders’s massive grassroots fundraising donor base, surpassed 5 million donors with an average donation of $18.53, hauling in $34.5 million in the last quarter of 2019, and more than any other campaign.
For an ecosystem of reporters whose sources include many donors, lobbyists, and lobbyist-and-donor-funded politicians, the popularity of a democratic socialist is confounding.
21
@Michael Sorensen
This is the opinion section. What’s bizarre is that anyone who is the least bit critical of Bernie Sanders is attacked by his supporters as being ethically and morally compromised.
1
Quite right. Corbyn is my MP. Our local constituency has just voted for Starmer as the new leader, who is anti Corbyn. Corbyn was deeply unpopular.
Why are so many NYT writers against Bernie - and so free with the facts - something they hammer Trump for?
1
@Michael Sorensen
Ahem! I am not mainstream media, but I'm close to Bernie's age and see him through a different lens than the kiddos. I also have better antennae and am less trusting of his promises. I've been around the block, seen his type, dated his type. Give yourself a few years; you'll see what us oldsters already know. Anybody but grumpy egotistical Bernie. Bet you he doesn't wash the dishes either.
1
There was an article in the NYT that was about Elizabeth Warrens decline in support in the last month or so. The main argument was that her decline might be tied to her supposed virtue of not attacking her opponents in the primary contest. That reasoning is also implied in this column and in comments to it. How quickly we forget. I trace her decline directly to the debate in which she had plenty of speaking time and used an important part of it to attack Bernie Sanders in the most personal terms you can use. Pop! There goes the air out of her balloon. Faster when she back tracked and lectured her opponents about not doing what she had just done. By the way, at this point, I feel Amy Klobuchar is the most serious candidate in the race now , with Michael Bloomberg waiting in the wings.
27
@jim frain Her attack on Sanders at the end of the debate, accusing him of calling her a liar on national TV, after him denying he said a woman can't be President did it for me as well. Up until that point I was a Warren contributor. I'm sticking with Sanders for now, but would be satisfied with Klobuchar if a moderate has to get the nomination. Biden's vote on Iraq and the bankruptcy bill, and Bloomberg's stop and frisk make them poor third choices for me, and Buttigeig needs more time in the oven.
Congratulations Ms. Collins, for mentioning Buttigieg and reminding us that he is neck and neck with Bernie. You didn't also mention Buttigieg actually has 1 more delegate than Bernie.
Most of your media cohorts try to ignore Buttigieg.
The two front runners so far represent the oldest and the youngest. Personally, I think too young is better than too old, particularly when the youngest is brilliant, calm, and more mature in his thinking than many of the other 2020 candidates.
35
@Pat Boice Mr. Buttigieg represents the worst in politics - and is one of the reasons I and so many have donated to Bernie's campaign. We want a candidate who is not bought and paid for -one who sees us and represents a return of the Democratic Party to being the party of regular working people. I see him as a Democrat in the tradition of FDR whose legacy we all continue benefit from.
7
@Peggy Outcalt Sanders supporters can't seem to sell their candidate's qualifications without first smearing the other candidates. Come November you're going to need those Democrats, those who support Buttigieg and those who supported HRC and those who supported Obama.
Spend more time explaining how Sanders' ideas will help America and remember that people stop listening and get defensive when you insult people they like.
Unless the economy crashes, these candidates will have a really hard time beating Trump in the swing states that supported him in 2016. Bloomberg’s anti-gun policies are a non-starter in these states. Bernie is too radical. Biden had a chance but he is sinking and will soon be gone. Swing state voters will not support a gay candidate (Buttigieg). Warren is not gaining any traction.
I think Amy has the best chance to beat Trump but the party would have to unite behind her. I fear the Democratic Party is too divided between left and moderate factions. Which will lead to the re-election of Trump and 4 more years of twitter attacks and authoritarianism.
11
@Rich The only thing that will prevent Dems from winning big like they did in 2018 is Russian interference and voter suppression. Those are both already happening.
1
Americans don't think women make good leaders. I wouldn't hang your hat on Amy or any other woman. We took that chance in 2016, remember? And even though the woman candidate had 40 years of public service experience, helped pass legislation for health insurance, had a unique front row seat of the presidency for 8 years as First Lady, helped bring down Osama bin Laden as secretary of state, wrote several books about her support for American families and democracy (all by herself), but that STILL wasn't good enough for the American people.
It's obvious, women don't have a place in politics at this time. It doesn't matter how good their ideas are or how much knowledge they have about the institution they'd be leading - it's just too easy to discredit a woman. Amy would be turned into the antichrist just as fast as Hillary Clinton was.
I appreciate your efforts to amuse us, Gail, but I find our current circumstances less funny by the day. I am gravely concerned about the future of our great country and, while I will not vote for a single Republican, I don't have faith that the Democrats will find a way to save us. Please don't take this personally, Ms. Collins, for I find your writing to be informed, well structured and usually entertaining. It's not your fault the subject matter is so demoralizing.
44
Your mythical Ralph is anything but mythical. Ralph (gender-neutral) describes most of my friends and relatives.
In NH, the number of first time voters was down a bit from 2016 and the same for voters under 30. Bernie's is not attracting large numbers of either groups it would seem. In 2016 he won by more than 20% but just squeaked by this time.
(B) Perfectly describes Bernie. He's the kind of guy that nurses a cup of coffee until lunch time when you hope he's not still there.
14
@Fred in 2016 he ran against one candidate. This year, he's running against a dozen or so corporatists. Let's hope by the summer, these corporatists have all bit the dust.
9
@Michael Sorensen
Ah, Bernie-speak, "corporatists" and meaningless.
On A-C it's all of the above, and oldies are realists tired of being disappointed and millennials have lots of idealism and are just clamoring for disappointment. You average Bernie's ideas with a real Senate and the absolute best case scenario is you get the outcomes listed on Bloomberg's campaign web site. Under Mike's plans. Nothing to it's left will pass in the next 20 years.
4
@Eb Let's hope she is defeated in her bid for reelection. She has done a ton to upset the mainstream Dem applecart. She has little experience (bartender) and is all about AOC. She also has zero common sense. Be gone.
I listened to Klobuchar's post New Hampshire"semi victory" speech on the radio. To me, a southerner, her voice pitch, enunciation and speech pattern sounded like a skit from SNL in which a school principal is congratulating the school football team over the public address system. She needs help on sounding human.
7
@dsmith Because SNL did such a great job on their satire. Everytime I see her wooden bobbing, I remember the bangs from SNL. Same with the Sanders satire. Perfect -- I can't tell the difference. Yea SNL.
@dsmith Really? And that’s how you evaluate a candidate? Any thoughts on Trump’s monotone and sniffing?
1
@dsmith Interesting, I feel the same when I hear a southerner speak.
1
This article describes the situation exactly as I see it. I cannot envisage any Ralph's or Alice's voting for Trump. This gives me hope.
5
@ndbza God I wish I shared your optimism. I'm scared to death by this upcoming election
19
And don't forget about Alice who maybe can't get her mind wrapped around the word "socialist" or, having never gone to college, doesn't understand how a $200,000 college debt prevents a millennial from ever owning a home.
Together, Ralph and Alice might represent somewhere between 5 and 10 % of the voters in 2020. If the rest of the country splits down the middle, where they presently seem to stand, Ralph and Alice will be calling the shots.
I'd say the Democrats need to bring their campaigning down to earth and focus on unity. After all, the 2020 election just might determine whether we all sink or swim.
24
Sadly, Bernie and Donnie have a couple of things in common: Both are narcissistically convinced he and he alone can win. Both seem to think that it is to be my way or the highway. Both clearly believe that he is the (chosen) one to change (or continue to change) the US in his image. Both have great personal appeal to their base, but not much beyond that.
They differ in that Trump will pulverize Bernie with his "huge", oligarch funded war chest, his penchant for never aiming above the belt, and the bevy of nicknames he can throw at Bernie, many of which will stick. If the Democrats want to lose, not only the election but America as we have known it for almost 250 years, certainly for all of our lifetimes, they just need to feel the Bern and nominate an icon of the young, who is also a charismatic, but guaranteed loser in November.
36
The reason Trump won in 2016 is the same reason why he shouldn't win in 2020: His record. He had none in 2016, so millions of voters disgusted with Washington gridlock said, Hey let's give this guy a chance. Given that chance, Trump proceeded to amass an unparalleled record of greed and corruption with the willing assistance of congressional Republicans and his obeisant attorney general. I'm not confident that Sanders, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, or Warren can beat Trump but I believe our best hope in making Trump a one-term president is Bloomberg, the candidate Trump fears most. If Bloomberg can overcome the attacks on his ill-conceived stop and frisk policy, he stands the best chance of winning the election.
61
We have the perfect winning combination right in front of us right now. Elect the two billionaires (Bloomberg and Steyer) and appoint all the Democratic candidates presently running to key Cabinet positions, add in a few of the dropouts and we will have it made. The billionaires will pay their own election costs saving us a ton of money, ,they are both qualified for the job and lets face it: ANYTHING is better than Trump.
61
I'm all in for Amy, the can-do public servant from the mid-west.
A bit boring by comparison, but nothing wrong with the quiet.
A victory would be poetic, a woman coming out on top using grass-root donations.
25
Bernie does not remind me of the guy at my coffee shop. He does remind me of George McGovern. You know, the very honorable and liberal Senator who won Massachusetts (and that was all) in the 1972 election, losing to Richard Nixon in one of the largest landslides in US electoral history. And his Bernie Bros remind me of . . . Bernie Bros, who will stay at home on Election Day before they vote for the billionaire Bloomberg if he turns out to be the nominee. And that’s why I’m voting for Klobuchar on Super Tuesday.
And come November, i’m voting blue, no matter who!
63
Agreed, with all but the comparison with McGovern, a very honorable man.
10
@Julia I agree. My first vote ever was for McGovern. It felt great right up until the returns came in...
9
@Julia Kudos! Your last line should be the rallying cry of us all.
Ms. Collins, I always enjoy your writing. You have a style that allows you to discuss alarming issues, without making me feel alarmed. In these trying times, I appreciate that. Keep up the great work and we’ll keep reading.
80
The Democrats have had almost four years to prepare for this election and somehow their efforts leave us with a feeling not unlike Peggy Lee singing "Is that all there is."
22
The "perfect antidote" is to finally stop ignoring the elephant in the room by looking over and over in every other possible direction.
The two party system is broken beyond repair and needs replacing.
For example, with what America used to have. Including: Candidates for public office who stood for their positions on the issues, and duty to country first, and party second, news media that focused on that, a presidential primary process that started a year before, not two years before the election, and had three or four League of Women voters-run debates, not an exhausting series of unending soap opera circus shouting and interrupting circuses of competing empty soundbites. Along with voters who learned civics in high school, neighbors who knew each other and talked, instead of being nose-down into the electronic screens spying on them 24-7, common sense and basic civility instead of political correctness, etc.
27
@Sage
I really do miss the League of Women Voters debates. You can go to C-SPAN.ORG and watch some of them by entering this search [League of Women Voters]. They have the Ford-Carter, Carter-Reagan, Reagan-Mondale debates, and others.
I was 100% with you until right at the end. I could have written exactly what you wrote. But I dislike the term "political correctness." Perhaps it was once helpful, but I think too often it is used simply to attack people with whom we disagree. The idea is to resist talking about the moral considerations *and* to imply that the person accused of political correctness does so for self-serving purposes. IMO, it now means "you're wrong, you're a phony and I refuse to say more."
Save us from those who claim superiority because even though they say vile things and do vile things, they are "genuine." We have one in the White House.
1
If we had common sense and basic civility, we wouldn’t need political correctness.
3
Gail, there are only two options that will interest Ralph AND that have a shot at winning in November: one’s name Pete and the other is Mike. I see no reason to include Amy when she’s just a snarky version of Pete, without the sterling military record. Joe and Liz are toast. Bernie is, well, just Bernie. And while, unlike Ralph, I’m committed to voting for ANY Democrat nominated, I share Ralph’s level-headedness to the point of knowing that Bernie isn’t going to ever sit in the Oval Office and if he did he’d get nothing passed - NOTHING. So my hope and money is on Mike, with Amy or even someone named Kamala or Stacey as his running mate. What do you say, Gail? Will Ralph go for that?
70
@ManhattanWilliam Reasons to include Amy: her years as a prosecutor, her years in the Senate, her down-to-earth attitude, her Minnesota nice affect plus humor. Her take on an earlier Trump budget illuminated the hits MidWesterners would suffer, from cuts to Great Lakes cleanup, to cuts to fuel subsidies (hard on those who don't go South for the winter), to cuts in funding for great medical resources like Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. She can see details in a budget as threats to her constituents.
5
@ManhattanWilliam - No Senator for VP--we can't lose any more Senators.
1
New York Times and Washington Post columnists refuse to admit that an establishment of big corporations, big campaign donors, and Republicans has been turning this nation into an autocracy for decades and that Sanders and Warren are the only presidential candidates sounding the alarm. Instead, they still peddle the fantasy that Democrats should elect centrists because Congressional Republicans would work with a centrist Democratic president. Anyone who has followed the reports of Trump's Senate impeachment trial realizes the utter futility of that notion.
Consider the columnists' treatment of the M4A plan:
How often do columnists allow economists who support Sanders'/Warren's M4A plans, like those at UMass-Amherst, to discuss their assumptions and methods, and to push back against criticism of M4A?
How often do columnists mention the fact, confirmed by Politifact, that the US is the only nation of the 25 richest nations without some form of universal health coverage?
Our healthcare system is the most expensive in the world, and does not cover everyone. About 530,000 families declare bankruptcy each year because of medical bills. Federal law *prohibits* bargaining over drug prices for Medicare Part D. I could go on and on. Why do columnists *uniformly* attack candidates who try to expand coverage and lower prices to be in line with those in other rich countries, like Sanders and Warren do? Why do they not unleash outrage at those who *enforce* this status quo?
104
@ACounter You lost Ralph with "autocracy" in the first paragraph. Your arguments are good, but, as they say, academic. Warren's failed attempt to soften her (and Bernie's) approach to healthcare, made it clear that many of her supporters cared more about being right then winning. The only ones now certain of defeat, if nominated, are Warren and Sanders.
7
@ACounter Amen. Thank you for saying all of that. I get snippy and snarky and can't make good points. Those questions you asked go right to the heart of it, don't they?
3
THE TAKEAWAY LINE From the effervescent humor of this piece is its suggestion that the younger generation think of Bernie as a rapper! I LOVE IT! So let's see some creative youngsters put up doctored videos of Bernie with his socialist raps. They would begin with labial flatulants as the rap background. I don't know what comes after that. But it would have to include words like universal, healthcare, free, college tuition and other giveaways. I am in favor of giveaways for the 99%. After all, we're on the hook for how many trillions to pay for Trump's giveaways to the 1%. I think that the 99% should have a turn at increasing the national debt. At least the financial recklessness will trickle down. In theory that is. Any trickles may be coming from the Oval Office, where someone's Depenz needs changing.
10
@John Jones
Your comments remind me of how far we have sunk. Instead of discussing policies and what makes sense for most of us, you make fun of a Candidate. Sounds very Trumpian to me.
1
"We should probably pause to congratulate New Hampshire for getting the votes counted right away. "
That sounds funny, but considering the disaster that was (and continues to be) Florida which brought us Bush II, not to mention the active voter suppression being practiced and the real danger of hacking, I think they deserve a standing ovation.
The real issue is getting out the vote. Energizing folks is important, but not enough. They actually have to be able to vote and not get disqualified on technicalities.
33
Bloomberg has learned a lesson. He'd know who to stop and frisk now, if that individual stepped foot in New York. I'm voting for the heavy with the REAL money.
33
@The Pessimistic Shrink I'm voting anybody but a billionaire.
8
@Betsy At which dollar did you pass the threshold of tolerability?
2
I got my primary ballot in the mail today and I have no idea who to vote for. I feel so much pressure to get it right. But the truth is any of them in a normal world should be more preferable to Trump. It seems like it's been a long time since things were normal.
59
@Jennifer
Who's to say there will actually be an election, Jennifer? These outlaws can do a lot more damage between now and November, and they will. November may well be nothing more than the tolling of the bell.
9
Then pick whomever appeals to you the most, and in November, vote blue no matter who. They are ALL far better choices than Trump.
2
@Jennifer
Best tickets are Bloomberg-Klobuchar and Mike-Pete (I can only spell Pete's last name correctly 1 in 5 tries so won't) based on betting markets.
Iowa. New Hampshire. Iowa. New Hampshire. Iowa. New Hampshire. Like Ms. Collins pointed out, a whole 2% of the delegates.
18
@Frank O
Many years ago a 2 percent sample was considered statistically significant.
Then I remember a distinguished UVA political scientist saying very early in November 2016 that Hillary Clinton had “an 80 percent chance of winning.”
Help me, Jesus!
Greta Garbo used to say the same lines over and over and I find myself saying them now too. Can't you understand--it's the Electoral College, people. Don't you see--it's the Electoral College, people. What would you say if I told you--it's the Electoral College, people? Get rid of that and probably no Republican would ever be elected again. Electability would be redefined. The voter whose vote counted would be redefined as well. Your theoretical voter Ralph wouldn't be so crucial in deciding whether the minority would get to lord it over the majority again. Democrats wouldn't be desperate enough to have Bloomberg's buying power make him look like a desirable candidate. Learn about the National Popular Vote Bill that's now 70% of the way through the process of being passed by state legislatures.
209
@freyda Amen, spot on, exactly right, and far too little is written of the arcane reality of the EC which gave us Donald Trump. Thanks for saying it again, and I hope you continue to do so!
16
@freyda,
All true, but I think it will require a civil war to get rid of the Electoral College. Just the same, it may happen in my lifetime.
5
@freyda
Which is easier, getting the popular vote bill and fighting the court challenges that follow or Democrats just going back to winning PA, FL and WI?
It's not a precise parallel, but Ralph could be Peter Boyle's "Joe" in the 70s movie.
5
Want Mr. and Mrs. Ralph's vote? Want to reverse climate change? Want to reduce dependence on Middle East oil (remember that issue?)?
-Give FREE retraining for coal miners for renewable energy and subsidize renewable energy companies to hire them.
-Subsidize a larger farming work force for organic gardening.
-Increase funding the the U.S. Dept of Forestry to replant forests.
-Reduce medical costs by forcing the managed care arm of insurance companies to go nonprofit.
-Empower small businesses: Reverse corporate personhood (Citizens United).
-Use money from a wealth tax to give start-up grants for small businesses.
-Subsidize good day care, especially on site in businesses. This gives jobs to day care workers, keeps parents and young children closer to each other, and enables poor parents with young kids to work, rather than depend on financial aid.
-Most of all, ask Mr. and Mrs. Ralph what they need! Ask what they've lost over decades of increasing automation, combined with high taxes and healthcare costs.
-
153
@Joanne I love all of this. Especially: Reduce medical costs by forcing the managed care arm of insurance companies to go nonprofit. I've always believed more nonprofit insurance is one solution to the rampant profiteering. They can still make a profit. But use it for good not greed.
46
@Joanne
I agree with your 'list' and there are probably more items which would be helpful. Essentially, this is a new 'new deal'.
The main issue is selling this to voters with the understanding that it would cost money, to be raised thru taxes. Somehow, the idea of raising taxes for growth has ceased to be embraced in this country.
Eisenhower began the last major, multi decade infrastructure project withthe interstate hi way system, generating growth in the auto, oil, road, and residential construction industries.
Since then, investing in a better future has ceased to be a priority. 'Vision' now barely extends beyond the next few quarters of fiscal policy.
Crumbling bridges and tunnels are the most obvious, visual examples of our blindness. The lack of majorinvestment in any 'green' industry
24
@cd
Sorry, to finish; The lack of major investment in 'green' industry means, simply, that other countries will be way ahead of the U.S. in this area over the next decades.
Sadly, america had the power and resources to lead the world but, some time in the 70's we became complacent. The oil industry, thru subsidies and lobbying, made sure.
22
The problem isn't all the Ralphs in Michigan who switched from Obama to Trump. The problem is all the people who voted for Obama and then stayed home in 2016 because they didn't like their choices.
157
@August West both of those groups, plus the disgruntled Sanders voters who stayed home, voted for Trump, or opted for a third party candidate.
46
@Mardi , Right. The problem was Bernie, not Hillary. Sigh.
26
Why didn’t Democrats come out in droves to vote against Trump in 2016?
Democrats were told over and over that Bernie was unelectable. Despite her unpopularity, we believed we needed to vote for Hillary. Our first mistake.
Everyone knew that Donald Trump didn’t stand a chance. Every poll, every media outlet confirmed this. Even the GOP reviled him. Our second mistake was complacency.
Our third mistake was forgetting the lesson of 2000, when a majority of Americans voted for Al Gore, but the electoral college gave the presidency to Bush. We forgot that republican votes count more than democrat votes.
If you’re intent on assigning blame, though; you might want to start with every person that cast a vote for Trump.
49
Ralph best consider his morals and ethics and pick the best choice for the presidential candidate. Ralph should read more too and educate himself about American governance, and ignore as many other opinions; thinking folks know more. And finally Ralph should think about the future and not the past.
36
@Michael Piscopiello assuming Ralph does none of these things then What?
1
@Michael Piscopiello
I'm sure Ralph really appreciates your advice.
1
The support Bloomberg has been getting is just this side of absurd. What are his boosters celebrating- his TV ads or the money he's earned to pay for them? Democrats shouldn't allow themselves to be swayed by a superabundance of TV announcements any more than they should be voting for whoever offers them the biggest tax cut. That's the Republican method of choosing a candidate.
30
@stu freeman We're backing a candidate that can beat Trump. All that other stuff is barely visible by comparison.
I voted for Bloomberg today in Florida.
50
@stu freeman I hope Bloomberg is working on his campaigning and debating skills.
First, I loved the moxie of Bloomberg's comment about two billionaires: "Yeah, who is the other one?" In beating Trump:
1.) A legitimate self-made fortune vs. inheritance and bankruptcies.
2.) A three-term Gov of a complicated city vs. zero public service or election.
3.) Efforts on climate and guns vs. recent proposals gutting the EPA, ignoring even his own pledge to ban bump stocks.
For the voters needed to win this, Bloomberg's Republican past is a feature, not a bug. If he takes the lead, all candidates need to swallow the ideology and stump to beat Trump.
14
@stu freeman Bloomberg has become Mr. “there’s an ad for that.”
Today’s onslaught on the radio was focused on black people’s endorsements (e.g. black owner trucking company in NYC) in an attempt to mitigate the damage from his frisk remarks.
How people think this will work in the Midwest is beyond me.
1
Unless the Democratic candidates stopping battling each other and start building coalitions, Trump will certainly win the 2020 election. The consequence will be tragic for the future of not only the U.S., but the world. Climate chaos will certainly result if we don’t move immediately to adopt total renewable energy goals. Lock all eight of them up in a room until they face reality.
25
@Janet van sickle
"...battling each other..." is what candidates do in the primaries - kind of hard to expect them to not do so.
1
@Janet van sickle yes that is a good idea. This is exactly what the republicans did in 2016 and it is what got them the White House, Senate and House.... NOT...
"Sanders, 78, has huge support from younger Democrats, but in New Hampshire he got only 14 percent of the voters over 65."
That shows the wisdom of those of us over 65. Even if one today is in good health, overnight health can change dramatically even if one does not have one of the most demanding and most important jobs.
127
I’m okay with Bernie at the top of the ticket. But I will have a great deal of interest in the identity of his running mate.
27
@DMS The problem is that Sanders appeals to young voters, who, by and large don't vote. If he doesn't appeal to those who do (the older voters) then it's Trump again.
9
Things change. If young people see that they really can make a difference, they will vote. They have the most to lose.
5
Why is Elizabeth Warren slipping in the race when she and Sanders are very close to each other on the key issues and yet he may possibly get enough support to win the nomination? Big difference is Warren does not shout like Bernie. She's a very smart lady who explains her policies - Bernie keeps it to generalities. I don't get it and I don't like it. Trump may steal another election the way it's going.
187
@Sammy Zoso
Bernie ran four years ago and has tremendous name recognition and nationwide campaign infrastructure. Warren has neither.
13
She’s female and that will hurt her with some voters. And I think as Bernie pulls ahead, he is seen as the most viable progressive candidate, which pulls more of her support away.
But don’t fret too much. I think if Bernie gets it she will be his VP.
7
If he’s allowed to cheat, yes he might. And it won’t matter who we nominate if he is allowed to do that.
4
I don't understand it when people accuse Bernie of shouting. He only does it in speeches, to get folks excited. To the young, he's the embodiment of "avuncular" (behaving in a kind and friendly way towards young people, similar to the way a kind uncle treats his nieces or nephews.)
31
@Andy The young voters are enamored of Sanders' policies. The voters are young & still idealistic. They haven't experienced enough, yet, to realize these "awesome" policies might not be feasible. And, even if they were, have almost no chance of being implemented.
68
@CKS
You underestimate those young voters. They haven't lost faith in the idea that if you advocate very hard, you may influence the future, even if not right away. There is plenty of history to back up that idea.
39
@Andy He does shout. That's why I never listen to him. I've also lived in Britain. Saw the results of the British government nationalizing key institutions. Every time the Conservative party won, they undid the nationalizing. When Labour won they nationalized them again. it all went back and forth between the two parties.
People should take another look at how Warren set up the Consumer Finance commission. She did a superb job. It worked beautifully until Trump cancelled it. She pays attention to details and is superb at making programs work. Bernie is not a detail person. He doesn't get it.
54
As anyone noted that this whole primary system is an absurdity wrapped in chaos, with a side of masochism thrown in for the benefit of the candidates?
Long ago the party professionals, largely the governors, mayors and some really tough old birds who ran cities and ward machines, picked the candidates. We got a few good ones that way and some doozies. (Herbert Hoover, a man not for his times.)
The idea of going to open primaries was to bring a greater sense of democracy to the whole shebang. Early on, like 1960 when John Kennedy was running, the road to success was a mixture of old style machine politics and new style "voice of the people" pretensions.
Trying to make presidents seem like ordinary guys, they visited every diner in New Hampshire and half the cow patty laden farms across the country. They made speeches. As jet planes became more popular, the idea emerged that the candidate should hit a high number of "media markets" each day to jin up television and newspaper coverage. The race was on.
Well, what have we proved? The party bosses don't know what the people want but, guess what, neither do the people. A mess. The Republicans rigged their primaries to allow the strongest candidate to win fast. 2016 proved this was a very bad idea.
37
Reading about Ralph makes me want to Ralph. Head to head polls tell us that almost all of the remaining Democratic candidates will beat Trump. Which means that Trump won't allow the election to be held. We are now living in a Banana Republic. Democrats should spend more time courting our armed forces--if they back Trump's play for dictatorial rule our democracy is finished.
66
@WDG
Trump has done a fine job of alienating our very honorable military brass. I wouldn't expect them to support a coup of any nature after more than 225 years of uninterrupted and successful civilian rule.
1
@WDG
Since Militaries by definition are right wing organizations, don't waste your time. Just head to Canada where the military exists only in times of World War.
1
Each candidate is a compromise. Especially Bernie. Ralph wants a sure way to defeat Trump without being told that he’s going to lose healthcare choices or lectured on how socialism is the answer to our problems.
A team strategy would be amazing - take all those left standing and make a combined ticket cabinet out of those willing to participate. That’s exciting... Imagine real talent in government again!
(And don’t lecture me on Roosevelt - there is no room for nuance in this election. Socialism is a poor word choice and it needs to go.)
38
The Republicans have screamed accusations of being a socialist at every Democrat for decades. It’d be sweet payback if we actually elected one. Personally I think the overuse of the term has caused it to lose much of its power.
They had the opportunity in 2016, some how Ralph chose Trump.
Dear Gail,
I don’t know Ralph but Michiganders are definitely going Blue in 2020 like we did in 2018 with our Governor and Congressional races.
I’m not downplaying Trump’s win at all costs election strategy and appeal to the evangelicals and pro-lifers.
However, the soccer moms that I talk to a ready for an adult to take over and someone their children can be proud of. The issues important to us are healthcare, sensible gun laws, climate change, women’s choice, education, etc.
We’ll support a leader with the character traits missing with the current occupant - honesty, empathy, intelligence, self-control, sincerity. You get the message.
452
@PatMurphy77 Okay, but to win the State, I think Democrats have to offer a nominee that's centrist, moderate....pick your preferred label.
Swing voters, namely independents? and moderate Republicans, want a choice that they'll back and feel comfortable "pulling the lever" for and know that they won't lose any sleep over it.
12
@Dennis Michigan voted for Sanders in the 2016 primary. Pick your preferred label, but them's the facts.
7
yes but that was the Democratic primary. He will need to win independents and swing voters in the general
11
I’m one of the “older” voters who prefers a younger candidate. We know the reality of the effects of aging and it has nothing to do with ageism. As much as folks want to deny it, there are limitations that come along with being close to 80 years old. The presidency is mentally and physically taxing and I want a President who will be able to handle it.
350
@Concerned MD With each president I watch in amazement at how fast they age. Usually their hair turns gray with worry, regardless of party. You can see other signs, too.
Trump hasn't done that because he's not worrying about the decisions he makes, specifically, his thinking every decision is genius and perfect. Reagan had dementia, and I don't think worry was the same for him either in his second term at least.
But otherwise a conscientious person would worry a lot. LBJ quit because the cognitive dissonance was too much for him (i.e., his conscience, conscientiousness).
There are individual differences in aging, but the toll of stress on the human body is enormous.
Age isn't the only thing, but it's an important thing. If someone just had a heart attack, there's cause to worry. If a person has good longevity genes, that's a bit of a protection, too.
27
@Concerned MD
Congressional representatives also need to be vigorous and fully competent. When will we set a maximum age limit for presidential candidates and term limits for all elected officials — including those at local, state, and national levels? Probably at the same time we abolish the Electoral College.
28
@Lee E. Thank you for pointing out the obvious. Don’t forget that Mr. Sanders also has coronary artery disease and has suffered an MI. Do we really want to entrust the fragile condition of our country to a man who’s health is equally fragile? I certainly won’t.
28
Love your column, Gail. I think Sanders deserves a more complete critique. Drawing attention to how he sometimes raises his voice doesn't do him justice. Most politicians raise their voices occasionally. It's the content that matters, and it's the content that is winning votes.
16
@Leigh I listen to what he says and I don't care how he says it. Remember how difficult it was to get the relatively small program like the ACA, compared to Medicare for All, it's impossible and won't work. Besides, many do not want their health care replaced by something that currently is not in existence and may be crippled by the necessary compromises needed to get it passed. So, no, I pass with Bernie and will only support him if he actually becomes the candidate, then I will definitely vote for him. Anyone, but Trump is my motto.
13
@Michael F
Medicare works and is an incredible program. It covers pre-existing conditions, it is portable if you change jobs. and you can go to any doctor or keep your own if you wish..The system is already in place
It will not be that difficult to expand it
6
@Jean
To pay for it is the political, not financial problem to be solved.
A rough model shows Hospital Insurance for all cost to be about a triple in Medicare payroll tax, some of which would be offset by savings in private insurance.
But the incidence of costs and benefits of that scheme falls on different groups.
Is a puzzlement.
1
"And if we ever get Iowa totally straightened out, the Democrats will have allocated nearly 2 percent of the delegates to the convention."
Does that also mean that columnists, pundits talking heads and typing fingers have only written (and spoken) 2% of the op-eds and columns on this topic so far?
8
@Joshua Schwartz well, it's supposed to be a winnowing process for that 2%. But it hasn't winnowed much yet. It's the winnowing that gets all the attention.
1
For all those Democrats who believe that Bernie Sanders is unelectable, I have several questions.
Don’t they remember that four years ago they claimed Donald Trump to be unelectable too, so they went for perfectly “electable” candidate named Hillary Clinton and lost the elections in spite of having the tsunami-like support of the mainstream media outlets, unparalleled in the unison support for their candidate in the entire US history?
Those Democrats failed to understand that the voters were full of rage and ready for the change.
45
Convenient how they forget that. And there’s a lot of rage on the left also, which is why Bernie is winning.
1
@Kenan Porobic The most rageful are not going to leave Trump. He channels them. The voters we need are the ones that aren't raging and are just sick of Trump. I don't deny that we need a lot of change.
4
@Smilodon7
Instead of “rage”, perhaps “impassioned concern“
Maybe some Reason is best mixed in with our emotions.
1
Sanders would have represented the change too four years ago and was the best antidote to the Trump movement. With Sanders as the Democratic nominee, Trump would have never won those traditional blue-color states and would have never been the president.
Finally, for the Democratic elite that still stubbornly claims that Sanders is unelectable (because they failed to learn the lesson last time), do those individuals really believe that Trump as he behaves is more electable, better person, better expert, and better understands the big picture than Bernie Sanders?
If those establishment gurus believe that Trump is stronger on economy, here is another question. How many times did Trump go bankrupt and how many times it happened to Sanders?
The only thing that matters is the pesonal capacity for the long-term vision. Those thinking that Trump ever in his life was able to look farther from his conceit, ego and hubris should immediately go back to the reality.
24
@Kenan Porobic
That is a fantasy. I'm a Democrat but not an
"elite" one and I'm telling you, Bernie would lose. Is he a better person than Trump? Please, of course. Better expert? Ditto. Better understands anything and everything? Yes. Just like Adlai Stevenson, George McGovern, Jimmy Carter in 1980, and others. That's the lesson of history. America is a moderate-to-conservative country. Winning requires "triangulation," which Bernie is incapable of doing.
109
@DogHouse49
But Carter did win. Granted he was not re-elected. But one term can make a huge difference.
1
@DogHouse49
I prefer the straight talk, the truth and honesty to any triangulation.
Triangulation doesn't exist in my world.
Trump won the election four years ago because the DNC elite stabbed Sanders in the back.
There was no important Kremlin meddling in the US elections. Only the DNC got filthy hands by securing a priori all the superdelegates to the heir to throne, by providing her with the questions ahead of the debate (why would the superior candidate need the access to the question in advance?) and by lining up all the leading national pundits in 2016 to claim that Sanders was unelactable.
Here we go again.
Those politicians claim again that Trump is more electable than Sanders?!
It is true that Sanders would increase the taxes on the middle class. That is undoubtable.
The question is whether you understand that we would get five times more valuable benefits in return.
Do you realize what kind of concessions would Sanders as the president get from the Big Health Sector and Big Pharma if he had the authority to negotiate the contract on behalf of 340 million patients?
In that case, the president is going to have all the aces in his hands and the big corporations would be forced to slash their prices dramatically.
15
@Kenan Porobic Do you realize that getting presidential authority to negotiate with Big Pharma would require 60% control of the Senate and getting rid of the conservative majority on the Supreme Court? Do you not realize that Big Pharma could tie up the court system for 20 years?
Also, convincing the middle class to put up with a large tax increase, regardless of any logical, factual argument, would be more difficult than getting them to voluntarily contract the new coronavirus, ebola, rabies and polio simultaneously.
12
@phil
Would you like to slash the cost of your medical care and pharmaceutical drugs by 50%? If the answer is yes, please elect the candidates that would make it happened. By the way, have you wondered who betrayed you in order to be stuck with those sky high prices?
@Kenan Porobic wrong. Clinton lost because the juvenile, arrogant Bernie Bros decided they couldn't vote for Hillary Clinton.
P.S. Bernie would have lost to trump and would not have gotten the popular vote.
Oh, and by the way, what happened to Bernie's incessant rants against millionaires and billionaires? Oh, I know, he's a millionaire now. only billionaires are bad people now.
2
Democrats should stop worrying about the presidency and focus their efforts on keeping the House. But, even keeping the House is a distant chance at best.
8
Looking in from the (worried) outside world, this primary resembles a volunteer fire brigade bickering about who gets to drive the truck - and indeed whether the truck is in fact painted the right colour - while the village arsonist is running from one house to the next. Please:
(i) could the candidates put aside their collective egos and focus not on some bizarre ideological purity test but on who can get a majority of electoral college votes? Most of you - Sanders, Klobuchar, Buttigieg and Biden, at least - can't (a) outdo Trump (and that should -not- be hard), let alone (b) do better than Hillary (and that was not enough);
(ii) could the Sanders people -please- contemplate what another four years of Trumpism will do to themselves, let alone to more marginalised people; and
(iii) if not, could Bloomberg just pick a candidate and back them to the hilt? Plus, more campaign ads like the Bloomberg "bring presidential back".
22
Bloomberg has already said he will back whomever the nominee is.
1
@B. -- Bloomberg has picked a candidate. It's Bloomberg.
Don't count Bernie down and out!
He certainly seems like the one kid in the neighborhood who can scare off the weird bully down the block.
I could see him shouting at Putin, and a few other wild ones without giving a hoot about repercussions!
If Ralph really cares about this country, he'll want a strong person, who may not get every bill passed, but someone who can change language and direction.
We need to change the zeitgeist and nothing less.
20
@Anyoneoutthere? Bernie is a non-starter. He is already down and out.
@Anyoneoutthere? Not "giving a hoot about repercussions" is a politer way than I've been expressing it. But yes, that's how Sanders is striking me this time around. And maybe that's what you need against Trump. I do know that he's all in for the American people.
2
Biden is too palpably old now and for all his vigor, or vigah, as JFK liked to say, a bit like a rock 'em sock 'em robot. Amy and Pete are young; time is not running out for them. Democrats should get behind Bernie or Elizabeth. Above all this should be Bernie's run, because he's been plugging along for decades, his time has come and he's heading for the finish line in great form. I relish watching Sanders square off with Trump in any debate. The bottom line is that the US economy has to run smoothly for Main Street not just Wall Street. We don't need gigantic military spending and an F35 fighter that can't even shoot straight. We need health, education and infrastructure. Humanity needs to slow population growth and the incubation of billionaires.
25
Bernie’s not a Democrat; he is and always has been an independent. That explains a lot about why he has a certain popularity among the “throw the bums out” crowd. Many of these folks voted for Trump when Sanders didn’t get the nomination in 2016. Sanders will not attract a winning percentage of Democrats, despite his bloviating.
37
@John Concern -- i don't care that Bernie's not a Democrat. He's not Trump. That obviously isn't enough for hardline Democratic party regulars. Their ultimate objection to Bernie is that he's not a Democrat. They say it over and over again. Maybe the fact that he's not a Democrat is exactly what makes him more electable in the general election. He could actually get Trump voters. The real issue is that the party establishment doesn't like Bernie's disruptive platform. I think they'd actually prefer Trump to Bernie -- Trump gives them something to complain about, to rally against. How do you rally against someone your party nominated, if he wins?
9
Those Sanders voters who voted for Trump? Why do you assume they were Democratic voters in the first place? Many were likely independent and may not have ever considered a moderate Democrat in the first place.
6
Gail,
That is both funny and true.
After todays news about Trump shredding the rule of law in the Roger Stone case (if that happened in any other western democracy...but when you think of other western democracies, like Canada or Australia or New Zealand, it wouldn't happen), well...things seemed especially bleak. But you make a really good point. who is there out there who can actually beat the incumbent Trump juggernaut?
Well, because this isn't any other western democracy like Canada or Australia or New Zealand, I tend to think the only option to beat a venal billionaire is a less venal billionaire. Lets face it, it has to be Bloomberg.
93
@Hilary Tamar Sorry, but you have little understanding of Australian or NZ politics or Canadian politics. Canada had Stephen Harper not long ago. NZ has no written constitution, no checks on power and a unicameral parliament. I could write an essay on all the ways the National Government (before Ardern) trapled all over Christchuch post earthquake. And Australia? Climate denying Scott Morrison is no advertisement for a functional democracy.
1
@Hilary Tamar
If that is what the situation has come down to; America is lost.
This election can not come down to the choice of the lesser evil.
1
@Hilary Tamar
Just a thought:
Trump is a minority in vote count President.
Trump is underwater in approval ratings nationally, closer on the crucial swing states.
He’s no popular juggernaut.
He does have a large bag of dirty tricks and dirty money. That’s what makes the difference.
We’ll just have to put some sweat into the enterprise of dumping Trump.
3
I've been really concerned with the campaigns most of the candidates have run so far.
Mr. Biden doesn't seem very electable anymore now that he's twice demonstrated that voters won't vote for him.
Ms. Warren's portfolio of plans may showcase her policy chops but she seems to consistently fall victim to her own subpar ability to make sound strategic decisions.
Ms. Klobuchar has relied on a very odd strategy to win support. I find that she rarely attempts to inspire and persuade, but rather she builds a case (based on her carefully curated political resume) to justify why she should be leading the race and her opponents don't deserve to win.
Mr. Sanders seems less like a Swiss army knife and more like a blunt instrument that lacks an appreciation for nuance and flexibility.
Mr. Buttigieg seems like an unrequited lover in his many attempts to connect with the black community.
15
Take something like Trump's charging $650 a night for putting up his own protection at Mar-a-Lago, to which he goes frequently---and all the other unnecessary expenses he indulges in at taxpayers' expense---I would make one comment.
The loan shark who took 100% interest per month was not the bad guy in our neighborhood when I was young because he could have taken 100% for only two weeks or even for one week.
If Trump wanted to charge $6,500 for his personal guards, rest assured that Senator Lindsey G., a former deficit hawk, would now defend this expense : "Our beloved president must be protected at all costs."
22
This week has provided convincing evidence that it's much more important to keep the House Democratic and turn the Senate than worry about Mr. Trump's eventual opponent.
If the House stays blue, which would be better for the U.S.: Mr. Trump with a Democratic Senate, or any Democratic president and this lot, with Majority Leader McConnell?
No contest. The former has a better chance to clean the country's wounds and get on with a newly merged single version of reality. The latter -- martyred Trump-in-exile, Baby Don waiting in the wings, vengeful GOP controlling the senate -- might actually be worse
54
@grennan
I came to the opposite conclusion. A Democrat president could do many things without the consent of Congress, just as Trump has done, but reversing those disastrous Trump initiatives like the Iran nuclear deal, reentering the Paris climate accord, normalize relations with our allies and reaffirm international institutions and protocol, reallocate approved funding, as Trump did for his wall, etc. The next president likely will be able to fill two Supreme Court vacancies, both of the liberal wing side. The democrat president could get moderate nominations approved by a Republican-led Senate and stop stuffing the courts with conservative hacks loyal to Trump. If Trump were reelected, but with a democratic Senate, Supreme Court nominations would all be from his conservative and loyalist list, which would be rejected. But with any of the potential liberal judges gone, the SCOTUS would retain an even greater conservative voting majority, 3-5 or even 2-5 if both Ginsburg and Breyer were to retire before 2024. And with Trump's sense of infallibility, the odds that his misdoings will pass SCOTUS scrutiny is very high.
9
@Rudy Ludeke
A Democratic president ruling by executive order, with a GOP Senate opposing his or her every move would prolong the hate and the complete reality split.
The bramble bush of presidential powers has grown over the last sixty years, untrimmed and uncoordinated. These have accumulated largely on the assumption a president would act in good faith (and also because nobody really thought some of these powers would ever be used).
Besides, it's hard to believe the U.S. electorate would turn the Senate Democratic at the same time as they reelected Mr. Trump.
A Democratic president would hold no sway over a Republican Senate...but a Democratic Senate would hold considerable sway over Mr. Trump. Advise and consent, confirmations, oversight.
And here's the big one: a Democratic Senate would probably push Mr. Trump out of office anyway.
Mr. Trump might think his slate gets wiped clean with a fresh oath of office, sealing off anything that happened the first four years. But Nixon's impeachment, in his second term, would have been based in part on actions in his first term and was debated by a new congress.
6
It’s Democratic president, not a Democrat president. Only republicans use the latter term.
1
My preferred ticket is currently Bloomberg/Klobuchar, or Klobuchar/Buttigieg.
Be wary, fellow Americans, of more narcissism. That means Sanders and Warren.
I fear the non-compromising stances of Sanders and Warren.
1. Their budgets will be a nightmare
2. Their open dislike of billionaires is a poor choice of battle to fight. Some billionaires are evil, some are philanthropic
3. Many of Bernie's followers have dubious, duplicitous motives. Who votes for Bernie, then pouts and doesn't vote, votes for Trump, or votes for a third-party?
4. Bernie, like Trump, will not listen to sound advice from anyone. Warren shows some of the same signs.
5. Both of them will be eaten alive with the label Socialism, that will spread like a pandemic
6. Bernie would probably not pick a running mate (like Amy Klobuchar, perhaps?) to soften his age or rougher edges. I don't know who Warren would pick.
Time to get off the fence - yes, vote Blue no matter who, but make it matter in meaningful ways. Do not be selfish. We are going to lose our way of life if Trump is elected again.
334
@Just Live Well
You are 100% correct. Like or dislike Bernie or Liz, neither will carry the states which matter for precisely the reason you state plus the ‘free tuition’ and ‘loss of your private insurance’ labels.
70
@Just Live Well
I couldn't agree more. Sanders (and, to almost the same extent, Warren) seems to want to give out these terrific perks without regard to the overall societal and economic impact said perks would have.
Take "free college," for example. I currently have a kid in college, and I think this is a terrible idea. Would it be fully paid tuition for ALL schools for ALL students? Or, as mentioned, for community or public colleges only? And if the latter, what an incredible un-equalizer that will be. Only the extremely wealthy will be able to afford private colleges, professors will gravitate toward private colleges that will be more lucrative, and thus private colleges will provide better educations....and the cycle continues.
Make college more affordable and accessible across the board? Create viable and lucrative non-college career paths? Now we're talking. That is not, however, what Sanders and Warren are talking about.
30
@Just Live Well - I quote from my own comment, down a bit from yours:
"Perhaps Elizabeth could state that she understands that it is time for her to simplify and select, that she knows that the next four years will have to be devoted to stabilizing and healing and dealing with the wreckage that Trump will leave in every area."
I heard part of her speech in New Hampshire and she seemed to be trying even then to heal divisions and perhaps to adapt. You "Just Live Well" know perfectly well that you do not have to worry about her budget in the first 2 and very lkely 4 years.
At most or at best she will have to select one of her plans in one of her areas. I would pick Health Care and along the way have been trying to convey here in comments that Even in Sweden UHC private health insurance, even paid for by some companies is possible.
Strange isn't it that each Nordic country, not a one of them the richest country per capita in the world can offer all of us UHC but you find this unthinkable and Friedman yesterday was terrified by the thought. The richest country in the world provide health care for all, what a terrifying thought, no let American life expectancy continue to slide downwards.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
39
To all the so-called factions of Democratic party: I hope all these passionate folks realize that this election is about defeating Donald Trump and has very little to do with your favorite issues. Period.
So, please produce a candidate quickly so we can all focus on getting people out to vote rather than quibble about whether the world is burning, or college must be free, or if Pete is a corporate tool, or Medicare of all, or the Obama time was heaven. Please, let's focus on Trump.
452
An excellent excuse to perpetuate the status quo. Forget about the issues? Ok, then let's just make a bucket list of perfectly electable candidates, keep them stored away so that they do not accidentally compromise themselves, and nominate them one by one. Primaries exist to challenge the current state of affairs and present new ideas and solutions, not to anoint a picture of the president that came with the frame.
11
@Linus
Hear, hear. I don't care if Pete is a corporate tool or if Amy has a temper or if Bloomberg has to "buy the election." Whatever it takes to dump Trump. Then we can go about the business of fixing what needs to be fixed.
16
@Linus
No, getting rid of Trump is a byproduct, and a joyous one. Reversing the Trump slide into reckless deregulation, gangsterism, Christian demagogy, health as an unaffordable luxury, and a Titanicesque attitude towards climate change, requires countermanding policies. Ralph will not be impressed with “Trump’s gotta go” as the only messaging. He might pay attention to a person who want to be president and not just a landlord with eviction papers.
6
Gail, you are a treasure. Your writing makes my day better. Thank you.
174
@Corrie
Re: Ralph
'And liked Trump’s, um, spunkiness. Now he’s begun to worry that there’s a tad too much spunk in the current White House.' Priceless.
1
My head may say Mike, but my heart still yells AMY. He brings a lot of money to the table, but he's like the guy in the center lane who crosses over two lanes to exit in front of all those of us who have been waiting 20 minutes to exit.
Amy Klobuchar is a powerful candidate, as a woman and as a politician with years of experience who know how to play nicely with people on the other side of the aisle and get things done. Wouldn't it be great to have a president would would try to heal the wounds of the last three years!
241
@Ben
It would be great to have a president who works for citizens not corporations. Those wounds are older than Trump, much older. How about healing wounds of the last few decades.
Oh yeah, I also want to quit living in fear of healthcare costs. Our system is very broken and staying the course had only made it worse.
23
@Ben I agree. She is definitely both smart and tough. Let's get her into the W. House stat.
3
@Ben She haas the highest employee turnover of any congresspeople. She's apparently a bully, just like Trump, to staff. She's worse than Hillary: all Hillary's faults including stridency, but none of her international experience or ability to keep staff. She's no leader. I'll take Bloomberg, Sanders, or Warren. (Or Butigieg after he's had time to ripen.) Klobochar's good at self-promotion and smiling, but the Republicans (and Russians) can quickly destroy her when her past is exposed.
1
Sorry, but I do not think that Ralph is a non-racist average person. I believe the work by Ezra Klein and other writers who have found that racial panic, if not outright racism, was the principal motivator for most Trump voters. If the economy tanked tomorrow and the unemployment rate jumped two percentage points, I think that most of those folks who supported him in 2016 will support him again this year. Even those people who lost their jobs. After all, it wouldn't be Trump's fault. It would be the fault of the deep state, or Democrats in Congress, or Hillary Clinton, etc., etc.
Trump supporters form a cult of personality that is pretty much indifferent to the policies that are put forward.
592
@cds333 Trump supporters are primarily motivated to "Make America White (dominated) Again." They fear that non whites will eventually dominate our politics so they turned to Trump to make a last stand to make America look more like it did in the 1950's when everyone, blacks, women, immigrants and gays, knew their place.
21
I know a lot of Trump supporters who don’t fit into your gross generalization. They are educated professionals, and they are not racists.
If you’re talking about personality cults, the best place to look is the Bernie Bros.
3
@cds333 Your description of Trump followers (voters) is painfully accurate.
7
It is 3 AM in Sweden, CET, and after the avalanche of more than 3000 comments at Kristof, Bloomberg walks on water, I wanted something simpler and here. thanks to Gail Collins, I have found it in the form of Ralph,the imaginary litmus test American we can use to decide, lets say between Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar.
There are only 6 comments showing and only 3 Reader Picks! I am going to play Ralph for the time it takes to write this.
Elizabeth and Amy are sane women, both of them speak as well or better than any of the other known candidates, and they right now make me, Ralph, feel as though the two of them better than any other two could represent the progressive and the less progressive sides of the DP best.
Perhaps Elizabeth could state that she understands that it is time for her to simplify and select, that she knows that the next four years will have to be devoted to stabilizing and healing and dealing with the wreckage that Trump will leave in every area. And Amy could explain to me, Ralph, what she can offer to provide health care for ALL the people, short of providing Swedish level Universal Health Care and how she will deal with the USAs absolute continued commitment to a fossil-fuel future.
Gail, could you give me an imaginary debate between Elizabeth and Amy. I would prefer a woman for president, scandal free, stable, and well off but not a billionaire.
I will vote for anyone, even Bloomberg.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Citizen US SE
165
@Larry Lundgren
Thanks, Larry. And I love your shout out for both the extremely well qualified Women in this race. I’d be ecstatic with Either.
Seriously.
61
@Larry Lundgren
Why do I feel that only someone in a Scandinavian country (Sweden, my ancestors lived there, may I come back?) would just plain out point out that it's completely reasonable, even in the USA, to hope for a woman presidential candidate?
46
@Larry Lundgren - I did not think my submission would even see the light of day, but now with the sun rising, I see that it did.
Duke Ellington wrote in Liberian Suite, "I like the sunrise, cause it brings a new day, I like the sunrise, it brings new hope, they say" and my many Kurdish friends have a flag that conveys the same thought.
And now as the sun is on brilliant display over the horizon - rare event - my hope becomes clearer.
America, give us a woman as president, either Elizabeth or Amy, and by so doing show the world that America can once again become a leader.
Sweden very likely would have had its first female leader a few years back but that leader to be, Ylva Anna Maria Lindh, was assassinated in 2003 in a department store in Stockholm.
All of Trump's men strengthen my position that we had best place a woman at the top.
Just me
16
Bernie does better in open primaries. He is not a Democrat.
26
@Michael Pastel that’s a good thing, esp in the swing states who have more Independents
@Michael Pastel
🙄
@Michael Pastel I have news for you, mike Bloomberg isn’t Democrat either.
And until yesterday Donald trump wasn’t Republican either.
What a great piece of writing. Not only well written, but astute and funny on all its political points. This is a great column.
101
In recent days, we have witnessed that so long as Trump is in office, there are absolutely zero restraints on him, no matter how outrageous or objectionable.
The Justice Department serves to rubber stamp his whims.
With Republicans in any majority, Congress gives him carte blanche to do as he pleases (and flipping the Senate is a long shot).
The Supreme Court has been decked in his favor.
So it’s not just one individual on the ballots this November. If Trump retains power, the rest of our government will essentially serve to further Trump’s powers. We’re looking at our entire leadership here.
Not all the flaws combined of all the Democratic candidates compares to the hideous devolution of the presidency under Trump.
227
@NM
Vote Blue from top to bottom. If not then you are missing the Elephant in the room.
5
@NM
"(and flipping the Senate is a long shot)"
Democrats have good chances in Arizona and Colorado. A possible loss in Alabama. But hope in Georgia, Iowa, Maine and North Carolina.
Don't give up just yet!
2
I Like Mike.
Got a 1950s campaign button? Just write in an "M." T-shirts can be found on the Internet. They're all good to go.
Bloomberg's got some catching up to do. This ought to help.
And the more than $344 million Bloomberg has spent on advertising since jumping into the race in mid-November (including $282 million on TV and $57 million on Facebook and Google) ought to help, too. (For comparison, Sanders -- backed by small donors -- has spent less than $26 million total on advertising during that same time.)
Bloomberg is focusing his ads on pre-existing conditions, not Medicare for All. That's a more moderate approach. Recall that moderates are the ones who flipped the House to Democratic control in 2018.
I Like Mike.
Mike 2020.
Don't Wreck It, Ralph.
414
@Blue Moon What would Teddy Roosevelt or FDR think if we allowed one of the wealthiest men in America to simply buy his way into the presidency? I lived in New York during his entire mayoralty and he was nothing special. Fiscally, Guiliani was better. He'd have never been elected in the first place had it not been for the fact that the election was scarcely 2 months after 9/11. It might sound wild now - but we wanted Guiliani to stay on. Unfortunately, the only person who could do that (delay the election) was the Governor. And Pataki didn't wan't a NYC mayoral election at the same time of his re-election. Republican governors in NYS learn it best to do everything to repress voting in the City. But again - what does it say about our nation, that a 78 year-old billionaire can simply vastly outspend those who have the experience and buy the Oval Office?
20
@Celtique Goddess
"What would Teddy Roosevelt or FDR think if we allowed one of the wealthiest men in America to simply buy his way into the presidency?"
They would both be relieved and grateful that we managed to vote Trump out in order to save our republic. They would then hope that we would employ our intelligence, courage and fortitude to move forward from there.
And let's be realistic: Founders such as Washington, Jefferson and Madison were wealthy landholders and in recent times FDR, JFK and both Bushes were born into substantial wealth.
98
@Celtique GoddessI am not sure Mike is the man but he can't really buy the presidency more than anyone can buy it. There is too much money in the election process now. At least Mike would not be beholden to anyone. Why is he the only billionaire who recognizes the existential crisis the country faces. Jeff B., Bill G., Warren B., should all be putting up a billion dollars to stop Trump and the Republicans. What kind of world will we live in when America is no longer the city on the hill. If Mike is the chosen one, we all have to get behind him.
73
Amazingly, I was able to recite the list of the eight remaining Democratic candidates correctly on this day. But maybe it is not that amazing when many of us are looking for a candidate among the eight who can restore the honor, integrity, and respectability of the great beacon of democracy, freedom, and justice throughout the world.
42
@JKM That beacon could be Bloomberg.
1
@JKM it shouldn’t be that hard. Every single one of them would restore everything you’re looking for.
It's hard to believe, but there has been only one real vote so far in the primary process. Bernie won, sort of. He, Buttigieg and Klobuchar divided the votes and the delegates.
After months of what iffing, the news media are annoyed that voters can't seem to make up their minds. It's particularly annoying that they aren't calling each other childish names. No entertainment value in that.
I would like to have an inspirational candidate who can make us all feel positive about the future, but I remember Sarah Palin asking how that hopey, changey thing is working out for you. Let's back off and be a little patient.
46
@Betsy S
People who are dying from lack of healthcare cannot be patient. How many decades must they wait for real assistance?
2
The best candidate is Amy Klobuchar. Of course, the Democratic Party will never nominate her because they are a disorganized bunch of fantasy-seekers who think this election is about electing the candidate with the best ideas (as if those ideas are ever going to become the law of the land). Amy Klobuchar has positioned herself as a moderate which was a smart move. While she's not a socialist, she has solid progressive creds and the ability to beat Trump. She is the anti-Trump: She has a sense of humor and is humble and often self-deprecating. She is 100% comfortable with who she is and there is no belittling nickname that will stick. She has already given Trump the name "Divider in Chief" which is brilliant and incredibly descriptive. She's from the midwest--and if she pairs up with Corey Booker, they will play in all 50 states. It's way too early to look at polls. Once the country gets to know Klobuchar , the little man will be in big trouble.
647
@Richard Winkler Exactly my desired ticket--Klobuchar/Booker. The only thing I hope you are wrong about is "will never nominate her." Let's hope for a surprise. Your analysis is spot-on!
99
@Richard Winkler Klobuchar is also highly regarded in Minnesota, which Trump is looking to swing red. If she's on the ticket, that won't work.
120
@Richard Winkler
Klobuchar and Booker would make a great governing team and a losing ticket. This race will be decided in a few heartland states, and a woman and a black will not carry those states.
Klobuchar and a random middle-aged white male from the heartland will make a winning ticket.
Dan Kravitz
29
I don't think Ralph is the key. Winning back a few Ralph's won't win. And, unfortunately, nominating a socialist won't either. ( I say this as a socialist.) The D's have not yet put up a viable candidate. We are al doomed unless Deval Patrick comes from FAR behind.
3
@terence
He announced the end of his campaign.
@terence Patrick is out of the race.
@terence -- you wouldn't know this from the Times, but Deval Patrick has dropped out. Maybe they thought that having no announcement would make it not real. So I guess not having a black candidate makes us all doomed.
Getting rid of Trump is almost everything. Getting rid of those who have enabled Trump is a close second.
I've done more canvassing in the past two years than I did during the first 30 years of my adult life. I am fired up to do more, doesn't matter who for, as long as they have a D by their name. This election cycle, it is very easy to see how we can make the world a better place.
593
Canvassing and all other active campaigning and get-out-the-vote efforts are what will make the difference. To everyone out there: it is not enough for us just to tell each other to vote. In 2018, at 74 years and with little stamina, energy or strength, I knew I couldn't live with myself if I did not do everything in my power to fight for our country. For over four months, I (almost literally) knocked myself out doing everything I could to campaign for the Democratic candidate in my Congressional district, which was held by Republicans; my finale was standing three hours in the chilly rain on election day near a polling site, holding a sign for my candidate. (I also made the biggest campaign donation I'd ever made.) We won--one of the districts that flipped to the Democrats--what joy! Even if you live in a safe district and even if you are shy, there is much you can do. You may get tired and frustrated, you may feel under-appreciated, you will encounter people who are less than friendly, and you will never know how much impact you are having. But it DOES matter to voters that they have reached out to in some way. And you will meet inspiring people who lift your spirits and give you hope, and you will inspire others. And you did your best to save US .
40
@Frances
I have time now since joining the ranks of the no longer working. I’ve also the energy & with new knees (thank you Medicare) ready to help.
It seems the best efforts would be for registration/ get out the votes, regardless of candidates & office.
I’m in a pretty safe state. I would think working in the swing states would be the best investment of time & energy. I’m not sure how to get started, so any suggestions are welcomed.
7
@Frances
Amazing! All you and the rest of the Democrats can talk about is getting rid of Trump. Yet, all of your progressive programs will accomplish is to raise my taxes. We will not hold our collective breath to see what happens to our economy then.
I will happily vote for him come November.
You hope to get a Viable Candidate in the Primary and deal with Ralph at election time when you can balance the ticket. JFK balanced with a Southerner and still barely squeaked by. Obama balanced with a seasoned Moderate. The Balance Act is Crucial.
82
Obama was also a moderate.
1
@Smilodon7 Unfortunately--optics prevented many from seeing--Biden helped seal
Surely the Ralphs (both the couple and the demographic) are looking for a grown-up. No Democrat should be faking immaturity. But the evolution of Elizabeth Warren's campaigning style begs an inversion of the trope, "If a man did it, it would be considered all right."
Recently, when Warren wanted to assert the electability of aggressive women, she resorted to a vulgarism that may be common among adolescent boys but not among her adult rivals for the presidential nomination. It might have done her good to get bad press for that, but it seems she didn't.
Her behavior on the hustings, never less than hyperkinetic, has now turned flaky to the point where she may break into an arm-pumping little dance of glee; again without negative feedback. If a man did it, it would be considered -- what?
It's as if someone had advised Elizabeth Warren to stop being taken seriously. And seriousness was her strong suit.
10