The way-to-early who do you like in 2020 post for 11/19/2018

[Algernon Moncrieff]

I don't have enough slots for a DU poll.

Declared/Actively Running

John Delaney - U.S. Representative from Maryland since 2013
Richard Ojeda - West Virginia State Senator since 2016

Others Wikipedia says are formally exploring or considering running

Marianne Williamson, spiritual teacher, author, and lecturer from California; candidate for U.S. Representative in 2014
Michael Avenatti, attorney and entrepreneur from California
Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States 2009–2017; U.S. Senator from Delaware 1973–2009; candidate for President in 1988 and in 2008
Bill De Blasio, Mayor of New York City since 2013
Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York City 2002–2013
Cory Booker, U.S. Senator from New Jersey since 2013; Mayor of Newark 2006–2013
Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senator from Ohio since 2007; U.S. Representative 1993–2007
Bob Casey Jr., U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania since 2007
Julian Castro, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 2014–2017; Mayor of San Antonio, Texas 2009–2014
Hillary Clinton, 2016 Democratic nominee; U.S. Secretary of State 2009–2013; U.S. Senator from New York 2001–2009
Oscar De La Hoya, boxing champion from California
Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Representative from Hawaii since 2013
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, California since 2013
Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator from New York since 2009; U.S. Representative from 2007–2009
Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator from California since 2017
John Hickenlooper, Governor of Colorado since 2011; Mayor of Denver 2003–2011
Eric Holder, U.S. Attorney General 2009–2015; Acting U.S. Attorney General in 2001 from Washington, D.C.
Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington since 2013
John Kerry, 2004 Democratic nominee; U.S. Secretary of State 2013–2017; U.S. Senator from Massachusetts 1985–2013
Terry McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia 2014–2018
Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator from Oregon since 2009
Martin O'Malley, former Governor of Maryland from 2007-2015, former Mayor of Baltimore 1999-2007, candidate for President in 2016
Deval Patrick, former Governor of Massachusetts from 2007-2015
Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative from Ohio since 2003
Bernie Sanders,[a] U.S. Senator from Vermont since 2007; U.S. Representative 1991–2007; candidate for President in 2016
Howard Schultz, businessman from Washington
Tom Steyer, billionaire hedge fund manager, philanthropist, environmentalist, liberal activist, and fundraiser from California
Eric Swalwell, U.S. Representative from California since 2013
Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator from Massachusetts since 2013

...and I imagine people have their own picks not mentioned here.

[marylandblue]

1. Not too early, a lot of these people have been to Iowa and New Hampshire

I change my mind weekly. Right now I am in favor of Sherrod Brown.

Although I am intrigued by Oscar de la Hoya, since he could challenge Trump to a boxing match in lieu of a debate.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

3. I noticed De La Hoya as well!

Fascinating.

Since you are a Marylander, any thought pro or con on Delaney? (I mostly advertise him because it was important to me that someone would oppose Trump).

[earthshine]

2. I'd like to see some primary debates before picking my favorites. nt

[Garrett78]

4. Harris for sure.

I like Garcetti, but mayor to POTUS is a stretch. And we can't have Harris-Garcetti, since both are from California. Harris-Inslee and Harris-Merkley are both too West Coast heavy. Sherrod Brown being on the ticket means giving up a Senate seat that would likely be filled by a Republican. I think Patrick's connection to Bain Capital is more than a little problematic.

Harris-O'Rourke (this idea is growing on me, even though I think talk of O'Rourke for president is premature)
Harris-Klobuchar
Harris-Castro
Harris-Landrieu
Harris-Bullock
Harris-Booker

[Celerity]

5. Kamala Harris top, and Beto or McRaven (if his health allows) for VP

Either is a blockbuster ticket, albeit for diffrent reasons.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

9. I think Harris might be the consensus DU pick

That's just conjecture on my part. I don't have statistics.

[ProudLib72]

20. She's my pick for sure

Love me some Harris!

[Bucky]

6. I don't see George Clooney's name on that list

Or Kanye for that matter

Seriously though, I can't stand Michael Avenatti. He brings nothing to the game so we don't get with Oscar De La Hoya

[stonecutter357]

7. Michael Avenatti 2020 !

[Funtatlaguy]

8. I'm resigned to the Woman as Veep first argument.

I hate giving in on this.
I really WANT America to be ready for our first female Pres right now.
But, I’ve had some conversations with some really smart strategists types who think we need a female Veep first.
Why? They say that Americans are so patriarchal (and sexist) especially thru their religion that the nation must first be “prepared” for a woman.
Kind of like giving your child peas before Brussels sprouts.

* And, yes, I do remember that Hillary won the popular vote. But, she was so vilified by a sexist society that she lost to the worlds biggest joke carnival barker in the electoral college.

I do think America is even more sexist than racist.
That being said, I really would be ok with Kamala Harris as Veep for 8 years and then President for 8 years.

How bout
Hickenlooper/Harris 2020.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

10. I hate to say this

I think Hickenlooper's name could be a problem for him. We haven't had a 4 syllable President since Eisenhower- and we called him Ike. President Hick doesn't sound good.

[Funtatlaguy]

11. loopy?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

14. It'd be seen as a weed reference

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[crazycatlady]

13. I agree with you

And I'm saying this as a feminist who is currently knitting a pussyhat.

However, I think Amy Klobuchar is the veep that we're looking for.

[JonLP24]

16. I think Harris or Warren would be more popular than Clinton was

We aren't helping sexism by giving in.

I really don't like rulling out candidates based on that. I'll quit on the party. Trump broke me and I cannot take this from my party. I'll quit politics if Dems go down that road.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

25. FWIW, I don't think it's true that you have to do VP first

Barack Obama became President without another African American having been VP. JFK became President without another Catholic being VP. I think Harris would have a shot.

[Garrett78]

27. Clinton is, sadly, quite polarizing. And she still got nearly 66 million votes.

I look for Harris to get 70 million votes if she's our nominee.

[crazycatlady]

12. I'd prefer someone not from the northeast or west coast

Even though both regions (and I'm from the northeast) have some well-qualified candidates.


Given my limitations above I like

Beto O'Rourke
John Hickenlooper
Amy Klobuchar (more as a VP as I'm convinced we need to elect a woman VP before we'll elect one President)

What I do not want is someone who fits the stereotype of a 'limousine liberal elitist' (even though Trump is the dictionary definition of elite) or someone with more baggage than an airport (like it or not, this was Hillary Clinton). I think we also need a candidate who is VERY charismatic (ie Obama levels) because that can make or break a candidacy (ask Hillary, John Kerry, or Al Gore).

[Celerity]

15. Why no West or Northeast? Going back to FDR (NE) we have only

only had one Northeast Dem POTUS, ie. JFK (plus fuckstick Rethug Trump) and in terms of the West 2 Rethugs (Nixon and Reagan) and zero Dems.

Thats around 5 terms (as JFK, Nixon, Trump haven't had full terms in one of theirs) as opposed to around 14 terms for the Midwest and the South (I count Texas as the South).

We are really overdue for a West Democratic POTUS. Hell even a NE Democratic one (its been 55 years since JFK was assassinated.)

[jpljr77]

17. My ideal first primary debate field:

Cory Booker
Kate Brown (Ore. gov.)
Julian Castro
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kamala Harris
John Hickenlooper
Amy Klobuchar
Gavin Newsom
Beto O'Rouke
Deval Patrick
Tim Ryan
Eric Swalwell

and I guess you'd have to let Delaney and Ojeda debate too, since they've declared.

I would be watching Harris, Gillibrand, O'Rouke and Swalwell VERY closely.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

18. I note your group doesn't include: Biden, Warren, Sanders, or Clinton

I think that is probably a good call.

Rather than big, formal debates, If like to see voters or reporters pose a question on an issue; then have each candidate pose a 1 minute answer; and then post a YouTube video of all the answers.

[TheFarseer]

19. I like

Sherrod Brown and Martin O’Malley. I also like Tulsi Gabbard but moving from the House to president seems unrealistic.

And any of those billionaire businessmen- no thanks.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

21. I don't mean to speak badly, but Hirono is ill (this is no secret)

I think Gabbard's next stop is the Senate. Just my 0.02

[mahina]

29. Tulsi is not in any way qualified to be president.

As her reluctant constituent.

[TheFarseer]

33. Yeah

That's something for down the road. I think you almost have to be a Senator or Governor - or a reality show host. /sarcasm/

[ChoppinBroccoli]

22. Sherrod Brown!!!

Sherrod Brown would be my dream pick. If he doesn't run, I like Biden (although I worry about his age) and Cory Booker (but I do have misgivings about him I can't quite put my finger on).

I really think that if Beto decides to run, he might shoot to the front of the line. He's got something, an intangible quality that Obama and Bill Clinton both had. He relates to people across a wide range of backgrounds. If he runs, I think he'd be extremely popular.

[Awsi Dooger]

23. Beto above Klobuchar

IMO, those two stand far above in terms of likability combined with political instincts.

I agree with an earlier poster who said we need to elect a woman to vice president first. The exception would be an extremely favorable cycle, like 2008. That's when any Democrat would have cruised and we erred by not nominating Hillary, while saving Obama for the much more difficult situational terrain of 2016. But 2020 does not set up as a favorable cycle, not against an incumbent whose party has been in power only one term. We need to make the ideal choice and then get some luck in terms of Trump approval rating and condition of the economy.

Beto and Klobuchar would understand that it is not necessary to go down into the gutter with Trump. I don't trust Kamala Harris to understand that...not at all. In fact, I would worry that she would get suckered into exchanges that would not favor her personality. If there are nasty prosecutor-type reactions they might be perfectly appropriate and understandable, given Trump's lies and outrageous comments, but the public won't view it that way.

[mahina]

30. I like it!

Beto for VP

[Algernon Moncrieff]

34. It's been a long time since someone has gone from the House to the White House

He'd also be a good bet for VP, depending on who eventually wins the nomination.

2020 could be a favorable cycle. The President takes the blame for the economy, and the long Bull market looks to be coming to a close. Row crop grain farmers (corn, soybeans) are stung, but not yet in real pain over the tariffs because many already had all or part of a crop in bins because of last season's low prices. Next year, though, if this thing isn't worked out, it's going to be a problem in the heartland - not just for the crop farmers, but for livestock as well (particularly hogs). Low commodity prices for the farmers lower expenses, but not having a market kills their sales prices. Freezing is not an option - there are already gluts of meat in cold storage. Think 2008 - an unpopular administration and a bad economy. I'll grant that the war in Iraq is no longer an issue.

[Adrahil]

24. Harris and Beto at the top of the list.

I also like Cory Booker.

[democratisphere]

26. ADAM SCHIFF FOR POTUS!

[mahina]

28. Jeff Merkley and Kamala Harris. And Adam Schiff and Bet

And all the good guys and women.

[pangaia]

31. I vote for Oscar De La Hoya

[Stellar]

32. Love Beto!

Kamala is impressive, but they were shoving her name in my email account long before I knew who she was. That kind of disturbed me. Why was the establishment pushing her? I wondered how much big money was she taking.

[brooklynite]

35. Since I've only met with one candidate so far, it would be unfair to choose

[Algernon Moncrieff]

36. So here's the plan - we send them all your address and invitations for Thanksgiving

Just tell the folks already invited that they are distant relatives.

[brooklynite]

38. Several of them already have my address...

I suspect we'll be chatting in the next month or so.

[elocs]

37. Yep, it's way too early. Pass. n/t

[Persondem]

39. Jay Inslee, Governor of Washington and former congressman

Progressive voting record.
Good ideas regarding climate change, net neutrality and other forward thinking ideas.