It's official, Lincoln Chafee is running for the 2016 Democratic Nomination for President

[stevenleser]

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/lincoln-chafee-president-candidate-democratic-primary-campaign-117047.html

Just a week after forming an exploratory committee, Lincoln Chafee indicated on Thursday morning that he will, in fact, mount a run for the Democratic nomination for president.
“That’s why I’m running. Because I feel strong about where we’re going as a country,” the former Rhode Island governor told CNN.

[Sherman A1]

1. Interesting

I would think that many of those announced or will announce are really running for VP, but that's just my opinion.

[LittleBlue]

2. Shame he won't have a chance

He was brave to stand up to the Bush admin and corporate media against the Iraq War.

He's too liberal for most voters, unfortunately.

[KamaAina]

5. A former repuke is too liberal for most voters?!

Then again, the same could be said of Elizabeth Warren.

[LittleBlue]

12. I know. It seems odd

But go look at his positions. Against charters, he is strongly supported by teachers. Against the death penalty. Supports same-sex marriages. Against the War on drugs. He took criticism for not attending church on inauguration day because he ideologically opposes mixing religion and government.

We know he is strongly anti-war. He could very well end up being the farthest left candidate we have.

[morningfog]

7. I think his role in this run (almost solely) will be to remind voters of Clinton's support of IWR.

He will not let the primary voters forget that she supported the Iraq War.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. Some of us have never forgotten it.

There are some actions that are defining for a politician and that was one. I despised watching Kerry and Clinton vote for the IWR with nothing but their Presidential ambitions in mind. I pulled the lever for Kerry because things were so desperate, but I promised myself I would never do that again. And I didn't. And won't.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. It's interesting to me that his support for Free Trade Agreements is fine with so many who were

recently rather focused on that issue. He has also supported privatizing social security. His vote against the IWR is of course strongly counter balanced by his consistent support for every Republican policy and person that created the path to that resolution during Chaffe's lifetime. It's good that he stopped his unmitigated support for all of that, but fact is, without his sort of voter and politician we'd not have had Bushes in office at all. Anyone who watched Gulf War One starring Bush One and then voted for Bush Two is not a person who did all they could to prevent middle east fuckery no matter how you slice it.
People claim he's very pro gay, but he voted for DOMA. So he was anti gay, then pro gay. Pro Bush, then anti Bush.

[LittleBlue]

13. Go look at his positions

I hate free trade but he has many positions considered radical left on the mainstream US political spectrum

According to his Wiki page, it was O'Malley who asked him to join the Democratic Party

[YoungDemCA]

14. Many don't truly oppose free trade agreements

They just oppose them as a way to virulently oppose Obama, the Clintons, etc.

It's a convenient "populist" tool that has been utilized to undermine Democratic presidents and their policies in recent years.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Good.

[DefenseLawyer]

4. The more the merrier n/t

[KamaAina]

6. Bring. It. On!

Sorry the coronation's on hold.

[BeyondGeography]

8. Hell, if Chafee can do it, so can Bernie

We need an ex-Socialist to balance out the ex-Republican at the debates.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

9. Very happy to hear it.

May more follow.