Michael Avenatti announces he will not run for president in 2020

[oberliner]

Source: CNBC

Controversial lawyer Michael Avenatti announced Tuesday he will not run for president in 2020, months after saying he was weighing a bid for the White House.

Avenatti, who first gained fame and infamy for his representation of porn star Stormy Daniels in multiple legal cases involving President Donald Trump, said, "I do not make this decision lightly — I make it out of respect for my family."

"But for their concerns, I would run," he said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/04/michael-avenatti-announces-he-will-not-run-for-president-in-2020.html

[onenote]

1. The sound you hear is the collective yawn of all serious candidates.

[leftofcool]

2. His family including his children were threatened

[Eric J in MN]

3. Where did you see that? NT

NT

[Renew Deal]

4. And we are all a little better off for it

It would have been a circus

[LiberalLovinLug]

33. the public watched the Repubican primaries for the circus

It wouldn't have hurt having more eyes watching our debates with a circus performer in the mix. Say what you want about his credentials. Democrats have to understand how to appeal to this new corrosive reality TV addicted audience. Ignoring it and just saying nice things like "we go high" will not work anymore. We desperately need a candidate that comes across as "telling it like it is".

Preaching to the choir, and being deathly afraid of the PC crowd, of Fox News, and whittling away your platform to appease some imaginary non partisan base from the 70's won't do it.

[Renew Deal]

34. You can have a truth telling populist that's not a TV lawyer that's famous for being on TV

His presence would have made any debate a joke. I think we'll have plenty of credible people that will tell it like it is.

[LiberalLovinLug]

38. I didn't say he wouldn't be 'truth telling'. Why wouldn't he be?

The truth is far more sensational than fiction right now. Its more the delivery I'm talking about. And a willingness to get down and dirty.
And what you call a "joke", is what much of the public calls "must watch TV".

And no, the credible people, sanctioned by the party's top echelon, do not "tell it like it is". At least not all of it. Maybe they've learned. But who is going to call Republicans liars, traitors? Who's going to not apologize later? Avenatti makes Trump cultists skirm. Makes Hannity red in the face. And that is seemingly, the only thing they respond to. They are so used to the 'snowflake' libruls backing down, refusing to use 'bad words', and constantly apologizing and resigning. It would shock them and take them off their guard if we fought fire with fire next time. So its too bad we are losing the hottest firebrand in the fire.

[Renew Deal]

40. Kirsten Gillibrand

Sen. Gillibrand Curses in Speech to Show Frustration With Washington

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand used salty language Friday to express her frustration with Washington politics.

"If we are not helping people, we should go the f--- home," the Democrat declared in a speech to activists.

"And that should be our North Star," she added. "That should be our framing principle of what we are doing in public service."

It's extraordinarily rare for members of Congress to swear in public, but it's not the first time for Gillibrand. The 50-year-old New Yorker cursed several times in her 2014 book and used the f-word in a recent magazine interview.
<snip>

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Senator-Kirsten-Gillibrand-Curses-Drops-F-Bomb-Speech-Washington-427480573.html

[Gothmog]

5. Who is surprised by this?

Avanatti had no chance of being the nominee

[Devil Child]

24. I'm slightly surprised

I figured he would still charge ahead despite how quixotic the idea was in the first place. Eagerly awaiting him fading from the headlines.

[BadGimp]

6. Wise choice and the right choice for US

imo

[nolabear]

7. Without criticism of him general, I'm glad. He's not qualified.

I feel lousy about the fact that in this shitshow of a political time the cretins will be grave dancing over a smart decision. Frankly anyone who runs now needs exceptionally strong relationships and support within the party and needs to be someone we can unify behind. He's not that.

[mwooldri]

19. My dog is more qualified than the present incumbent.

Mr. Avenatti is plenty qualified to be President. However I do not believe he would be a good candidate. He's best off doing what he already is doing.

[nolabear]

20. Oh I agree about Individual 1. He's totally unqualified.

But Avenatti has no legislative history, no military history, no networks within our government nor relationships with any other. I have nothing against him. I like his spirit. But we need some serious unity and someone who either has experience or people willing to form a strong coalition. I can imagine several people/tickets that could work.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

8. Prolly a sound decision, but wouldve loved to see him jab The Dotard every day on the campaign trail

[onetexan]

18. Avenatti can still do that without wading into a candidacy

I'd like him to be appointed to something. I think he is an effective attack dog, as he is one of the few people the Idiot is afraid of.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

36. True dat!

[The Liberal Lion]

9. Thank goodness

I've given my opinion on Avenatti enough here on DU. I will bash him no more, but rather thank him for this decision.

[JudyM]

10. I'd like to see him undertake a massive class action against congressional corruption.

If there’s any actionable claim that can be had. This unraveling of democracy needs to be stopped.

[brooklynite]

11. You need a plaintiff with standing and provable harm

[JudyM]

15. Aye, there's the rub.

Maybe something relating to deprivation of property (taxes) /breach of fiduciary duty... we need to fix this with legislation if a cause of action doesn’t already exist, because it is simply clear that, like corporations, government is not adequately self-regulating.

[Kingofalldems]

12. Great, now when Trump gets in trouble we won't get a diversionary

'Avenatti is very bad' post. Excellent news!

[oberliner]

14. Yes, hopefully MSNBC and CNN won't put him on their shows every day

There was a period of a few weeks or more where it seemed like he was on multiple programs on both networks on a daily basis (along with appearing on various other shows and channels).

At least that appears to be over.

[John Fante]

29. Shots fired.

[brush]

13. I liked that he pushed back publicly and aggressively against trump. I hope he...

continues with that. His faux pas saying that the next nominee should be a white male killed any chance for any serious backing.

The latest kerfuffle with the woman accuser smacks of a Frankenesque take down of a trump critic IMO.

[Gothmog]

16. From the Hoarse Whisperer

Link to tweet

[LanternWaste]

17. Without Avenatti, there's so much less chum to throw into the water.

And a handful wept, 'oh darn!'

[Kingofalldems]

25. Who will be the next Democrat to be attacked?

[John Fante]

30. O'Rourke? AOC?

The concerned posters will take their cues from FOX, as always.

[Kingofalldems]

32. Yes, one of those two.

O'Rourke is more threatening as of now so I'll bet it's him.

[oberliner]

35. Fox News is a bunch of right-wing garbage

There are no posters on DU who take their cues from that cesspool of hatred and lies.

[StevieM]

21. I wish him well. And I hope he will support Tom Steyer for president. (eom)

[Jarqui]

22. He's still potentially facing misdemeanor charges for the domestic assault

You know a GOP lawyer will step up to help her sue him and that will either hang over his head for some time or she will get a settlement. That will devastate his hopes.

He continues to have a lot of financial problems.

along with Stormy, he and his family have suffered from threats. Look at their security bill of $300k plus)

Due to the above, I said last week or before, his candidacy was dead.

Maybe he'll take up the cause for one of the young girls taken advantage of by Epstein ( and maybe by Trump or Dershowitz). Or other cases like that which come along.

I still think he is a useful bulldog for the party who to date, did a pretty good job for Stormy. I'm glad he is going to focus on that.

[Devil Child]

23. womp womp n/t

[Freethinker65]

26. I really don't care, do u?

[oberliner]

27. I'm pleased he isn't running

[LuvLoogie]

28. I remain skeptical of Mr. Avenatti.

[Rizen]

31. As if he had a chance

to win.

[MFGsunny]

37. His 15 minutes were up

[Honeycombe8]

39. Color me shocked. (not) His presidential aspirations were over when he was involved....

in that incident recently.