2020 Presidential Election

[OldPhiKap]

There are quite a few indications that Maine is finally ready to punt Ms. Collins out of the Senate.

"The only thing you find in the middle of the road is a yellow line, and dead armadillos." Fence-sitting wins you few fans and many critics.

And herein lies the problem for the GOP. While there may be elected officials who would prefer someone else leading the party, their electoral fate is tied to him for this current cycle. The presidential race is what will drive turnout this fall. If Trump backers get the impression that he is going to lose -- especially if that impression comes from members of the GOP abandoning him -- that is likely to really depress turnout (people don't like to wait in line to case what appears to be a meaningless/losing vote).

If you are a GOP congressperson or senator who is in an even mildly competitive race, throwing Trump under the bus could doom you.

Exactly.

Mitch McConnell is a perfect example. I doubt he would be terribly upset if Trump was gone from the scene (and I suspect would actually prefer it), and although he would prefer to stay Majority Leader he knows he can do a very effective blocking job as Minority Leader. But he's got a huge election fight in Kentucky with Amy McGrath right now which (last time I saw) was within the margin of error.

And, that's part of Trump's problem too. He knows he can keep all of these folks in line through fear of the base and intimidating tweets. But he also knows that very few of them supported Trump in 2016 before he got the nomination and very few of them are wholly committed allies. (Not to mention that his very first Senatorial backer, Jeff Sessions, "proved to be disloyal" in Trump's eyes).

An unhappy alliance, at best.

[DU82]

Who is this Forest guy, Duke Forest by any chance?

Or how bad the current Lt. Gov. is considered as a candidate.

He actually put up signs saying “Run, Forest, Run” during the primary, and for his last campaign for Lt. Gov.; comparisons to Forrest Gump make for some easy pickings,

[PackMan97]

Or how bad the current Lt. Gov. is considered as a candidate.

He actually put up signs saying “Run, Forest, Run” during the primary, and for his last campaign for Lt. Gov.; comparisons to Forrest Gump make for some easy pickings,

I have seen those as well and always think to myself, "I can't post what I think about this on the DBR Presidential thread because it isn't about the Presidential race".

That said, I don't think either Tillis or Forrest will provide any strength to Trump's chances in NC. From what I can tell, Republicans aren't all that excited to vote for them if they aren't also excited to vote for Trump. In some years the race for Governor or Senator is as big or bigger than President. I don't see that happening this year.

[sagegrouse]

To be clear, the 'new low' isn't the 70% who think the country is on the wrong track. The low is the 30%, the 70% would therefore be a new high.

I mean, let me offer a non-political comment: How could you possibly think the country is on the "right track?"

[OldPhiKap]

I mean, let me offer a non-political comment: How could you possibly think the country is on the "right track?"

Because we're great again?

[duke79]

Tammy Duckworth?
Michelle Lujan Grisham?

I mentioned MLG in a previous thread as an interesting choice for VP. I admit I don't know much about either one and I just wonder if a lot of voters would view either one as "presidential timber" at this point in their political careers? I would view the choice of either one by Joe as a moderate gamble, at least.

[JasonEvans]

Thanks to everyone who reported a terrible offensive post to the mods. It has been dealt with and we shall not see that poster again for a while.

[dudog84]

Val Demings really interests me. Fascinates, even.

Did you know Florida has never had a prez or veep? Not even as a candidate? Heck, Alaska got one before us! WT_

This is unacceptable! We’re the 3rd biggest electoral prize, and by far the purplest! (I’ll believe Texas when it happens)

For the uninitiated, Florida is ‘won’ in the I-4 corridor. South is blue, northwest is red. (Although between Matt Gaetz’s photo op in the gas mask at the beginning of COVID and Trump’s attacks on Scarborough and the Klausutis family, I am curious how Pensacola is going to react this year.)

Val Demings (birth name Valdez Venita Butler…bet you didn’t know that) grew up poor (father worked in orange groves, mother was a housekeeper), went to segregated schools, graduated from Florida State. Worked her way up through the ranks to become the first female police chief of Orlando. Her husband is the mayor of Orange County (don’t ask how you can be the mayor of a county). She was one the impeachment managers, so Ds are high on her.

That’s a pretty inspiring narrative. Her main competition in the WOC category is Kamala Harris, whose father was a Stanford professor and her mother has a doctorate.

Think about it…the non-COVID conversation right now begins and centers on policing. Who better to lead the administration policy than the ex-police chief of the best-known small city in the country? Joe could say ‘Val is going to be my point-woman on this initiative and working with police departments across the country’.

IF she passes the deep vetting. She could very well tip Florida. We want one of our own, it’s way past time.

I will accept pies when the inevitable occurs.

[OldPhiKap]

Val Demings really interests me. Fascinates, even.

The fact that she was Chief of Police in Orlando may cause a vetting issue. Per Wikipedia:

In 1983, she applied for a job with the Orlando Police Department (OPD), and she began with the department on patrol on Orlando's west side.[1] Demings was appointed as Chief of the Orlando Police Department in 2007, becoming the first woman to lead the department.[10]

According to a 2015 article in The Atlantic, the Orlando Police Department "has a long record of excessive-force allegations, and a lack of transparency on the subject, dating back at least as far as Demings's time as chief."[11] A 2008 Orlando Weekly exposé described the Orlando Police Department as "a place where rogue cops operate with impunity, and there's nothing anybody who finds himself at the wrong end of their short fuse can do about it."[12] Demings responded with an op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel, arguing that "Looking for a negative story in a police department is like looking for a prayer at church" and added that "It won't take long to find one." In the same op-ed, she cast doubt on video evidence that conflicts with officers' statements in excessive force cases, writing, "a few seconds (even of video) rarely capture the entire set of circumstances."[11]

In 2010, an Orlando police officer flipped 84-year-old Daniel Daley over his shoulder after the man became belligerent, throwing him to the ground and breaking a vertebra in his neck.[13] Daley alleged excessive force and filed a lawsuit. The police department cleared the officer as "justified" in using a "hard take down" to arrest Daley, concluding he used the technique correctly even though he and the other officer made conflicting statements. Demings said "the officer performed the technique within department guidelines" but also said that her department had "begun the process of reviewing the use of force policy and will make appropriate modifications." A federal jury ruled in Daley's favor and awarded him $880,000 in damages.[11][14][15][16][17]

She retired from the position effective June 1, 2011, after serving with the OPD for 27 years.[18][11]

TO BE CLEAR, I have no idea about the details of this info. But would a police chief from an allegedly troubled department — even an African-American one — pass muster? Dunno.

(I think I am well within the guidelines with this post — but not looking to debate the merits of the Wiki entry. Just pointing out that this moment may not be ideal for defending yourself on those published allegations).

[OldPhiKap]

Well, this didn’t take long — Trump goes after Murkowski:

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/...791506450?s=21

[Bluedog]

Val Demings really interests me. Fascinates, even.

Did you know Florida has never had a prez or veep? Not even as a candidate? Heck, Alaska got one before us! WT_

This is unacceptable! We’re the 3rd biggest electoral prize, and by far the purplest! (I’ll believe Texas when it happens))

Isn't Trump now a Florida resident? I get he's not a Florida politician or a born and bred Floridian, but he's a transplant that I believe shunned his NY residency.

[dudog84]

Isn't Trump now a Florida resident? I get he's not a Florida politician or a born and bred Floridian, but he's a transplant that I believe shunned his NY residency.

Oh, don't even! Carpetbagger!

[PSurprise]

Isn't Trump now a Florida resident? I get he's not a Florida politician or a born and bred Floridian, but he's a transplant that I believe shunned his NY residency.

Is anyone in Florida now, born there? I say this tongue-in-cheek as I don't think I've ever met a natural born Floridian. (Coming from someone in WNC, you'll understand) It's like the opposite of Ohioans.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Is anyone in Florida now, born there? I say this tongue-in-cheek as I don't think I've ever met a natural born Floridian. (Coming from someone in WNC, you'll understand) It's like the opposite of Ohioans.

Here in Asheville, it's part of normal "getting to know you" conversation to ask where you are from originally.

I do know two folks here who are fourth and fifth generation Asheville.

[CDu]

Is anyone in Florida now, born there? I say this tongue-in-cheek as I don't think I've ever met a natural born Floridian. (Coming from someone in WNC, you'll understand) It's like the opposite of Ohioans.

I don’t live there anymore, but I was born in Florida.

[lotusland]

I don’t live there anymore, but I was born in Florida.

Just don’t let me die there

https://youtu.be/-UcVtuwcKOo

[dudog84]

The fact that she was Chief of Police in Orlando may cause a vetting issue. Per Wikipedia:



TO BE CLEAR, I have no idea about the details of this info. But would a police chief from an allegedly troubled department — even an African-American one — pass muster? Dunno.

(I think I am well within the guidelines with this post — but not looking to debate the merits of the Wiki entry. Just pointing out that this moment may not be ideal for defending yourself on those published allegations).

Sorry for the delay in replying, I had to shake off Bluedog.

If there is one thing everyone on this board can agree on, it's that there is no perfect choice. Everyone has baggage. It's how you spin it.

But I will give myself a little gold star that I made OPK do some research.

[mpj96]

Warren, Whitmer, and now Klobuchar are all too controversial and easy to attack, fair or not.

How does Klobuchar get attacked by anyone in the Trump camp?

Maybe better stated as weakens Biden attack on Trump over the handling of George Floyd protests?

Think that concern will swing the election for or against Biden?

[budwom]

How does Klobuchar get attacked by anyone in the Trump camp?

Maybe better stated as weakens Biden attack on Trump over the handling of George Floyd protests?

Think that concern will swing the election for or against Biden?

yeah, I don't necessarily buy the notion now that Klobs is out due to her history as a prosecutor...sure won't help her chances, but as far as the election is concerned, it's not going to be an issue, and she'd be a strong candidate. We'll see. You can't please everyone.

[cspan37421]

How does Klobuchar get attacked by anyone in the Trump camp?

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that attacks that could be considered hypocritical are too foolish / ineffective to try in modern politics. I would argue examples of such in this campaign already abound.

In any case, based on where we are today, I think Amy's chances of getting the nod for the VP nomination are going to largely be viewed (or should be) in light of the expected effect on turnout.