Election 2020

[Fresno Bob]

I'll second this. Any fair assessment of Trump's first two years would be positive but most are not interested in fair. If anyone finds any reason to argue Trump's side he or she is condemned as a lunatic.

J

[Bernie Brewer]

LOL @ "I'll second" nots's expressed concern that his negative assessments of Trump haven't been deemed harsh enough, with the triple axel into "Any fair assessment of Trump's first two years would be positive but most are not interested in fair."

Edit to add: I didn't want to leave Bernie hanging as the only guy making winter sports analogies.

I coulda meant Water Skis or Brew-skis, you don't know!

[Sour Masher]

I'll second this. Any fair assessment of Trump's first two years would be positive but most are not interested in fair. If anyone finds any reason to argue Trump's side he or she is condemned as a lunatic.

J

I guess Tucker. Carlson is a lunatic, since he says Trump's first two years are a failure.

[onejayhawk]

Case in point.

J

[chancellor]

I guess Tucker. Carlson is a lunatic, since he says Trump's first two years are a failure.

Hmmm...what? While I disagree with Carlson, he’s not a lunatic. His general concept - that Trump could have done much more with better focus, is certainly correct. That said, Trump’s outdone both Bush’s - by a long shot - on delivering on his campaign promises.

[Sour Masher]

Hmmm...what? While I disagree with Carlson, he’s not a lunatic. His general concept - that Trump could have done much more with better focus, is certainly correct. That said, Trump’s outdone both Bush’s - by a long shot - on delivering on his campaign promises.

1jay said anyone who didn't think Trump's first two years were a great success a lunatic. I was attempting to find a conservative who disagrees. I guess 2020 will tell how many disagree that his presidency has been, on the whole, a good one.

[onejayhawk]

1jay said anyone who didn't think Trump's first two years were a great success a lunatic. I was attempting to find a conservative who disagrees. I guess 2020 will tell how many disagree that his presidency has been, on the whole, a good one.

Actually, I said anyone that does not consider Trump's first two years as positive is not interested in being fair.

I also said that any fair-minded person is treated as a lunatic. I can see how the two can be conflated.

J

[revo]

Certainly sounds like John Kasich is running against Trump in 2020. Jeff Flake expected to as well.

And what do our board's righties think of this, after being very critical of the DNC/Sanders shenanigans?


"Trump-aligned Republican activists in New Hampshire are quietly maneuvering to fortify his standing and avoid a potentially disruptive primary challenge in 2020.

In the most far-reaching move, Donald Trump’s allies are looking to scrap the state GOP’s tradition of remaining neutral in the primary — to clear the way for an endorsement of the president. They’re also moving to install one of their own as head of the state Republican Party.

The efforts wouldn’t stop a moderate Republican like John Kasich from taking on Trump. But they are designed to shield the president from the kind of damage that a serious primary fight could do to him heading into the general election. An endorsement would provide much more than just a verbal statement of support: It would enable the New Hampshire Republican Party to throw the weight of its entire apparatus behind Trump against any GOP rival."

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/11/kasichs-camp-slams-gop-effort-to-head-off-primary-vs-trump-1054858

[chancellor]

I fully expected both Kasich and Flake to run, whether Trump runs in '20 or not. His NH move is silly and short-sighted, just as the DNC's was with Sanders.

[nots]

It was bad when the Democrats did it and it’s bad now that the Republicans are doing it. Pro tip: if your candidate needs to have the primary process rigged to ensure they win, they probably aren’t that great of a candidate. And yes, I am referring to Clinton too.

[baldgriff]

It was bad when the Democrats did it and it’s bad now that the Republicans are doing it. Pro tip: if your candidate needs to have the primary process rigged to ensure they win, they probably aren’t that great of a candidate. And yes, I am referring to Clinton too.

Now come on - that process wasnt rigged for HRC - she won fair and square.

Edit to post: Even Bernie will say so........

[B-Fly]

MoveOn straw poll of its "members" for their top choice to take on Trump in 2020:

Someone else/DK/other: 28.8 percent

Beto O’Rourke: 15.6 percent

Joe Biden: 14.9 percent

Bernie Sanders: 13.1 percent

Kamala Harris: 10 percent

Elizabeth Warren: 6.4 percent

Sherrod Brown: 2.9 percent

Amy Klobuchar: 2.8 percent

Michael Bloomberg: 2.7 percent

Cory Booker: 2.6 percent

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/beto-o-rourke-narrowly-tops-moveon-2020-presidential-straw-poll-n946501

Interesting given that MoveOn's members generally lean toward the more progressive wing of the Democratic Party, but we may also be seeing some progressive split among Beto, Sanders and Warren, with Beto's relative youth setting him apart from the other two. Biden and Harris are the top vote getting mainstream insiders. Although I think Beto and Harris both draw some support from both mainstream/centrist Dems and progressive Dems.

[In the Corn]

Beto O’Rourke: 15.6 percent - I'd be interested in hearing more from him. I don't know enough about him to know if he's up to the job.

Joe Biden: 14.9 percent - Baby Boomers, GO AWAY!

Bernie Sanders: 13.1 percent - See Biden

Kamala Harris: 10 percent - I don't think moderates find her as a viable candidate

Elizabeth Warren: 6.4 percent - No, No, No! See Biden

Sherrod Brown: 2.9 percent - I'd need to see more.

Amy Klobuchar: 2.8 percent - I'm most familiar with Klobuchar and think she would be a great candidate.

Michael Bloomberg: 2.7 percent - I like my large sodas.

Cory Booker: 2.6 percent - Always like him, and then he made a stupid comment about health care, and I really have no idea what to think of him anymore.

[baldgriff]

Cory Booker: 2.6 percent - Always like him, and then he made a stupid comment about health care, and I really have no idea what to think of him anymore.

His I am Spartacus moment pretty much sealed his fate....

[B-Fly]

Beto and Booker rising in CNN's power rankings. Harris stays their #1.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/13/politics/2020-rankings-presidential/index.html

Note that Julian Castro announced he's forming an exploratory committee so is almost definitely throwing his hat in the ring. I'm pretty sure Martin O'Malley is in as well, but since he never gained much traction in 2016 it's hard to see a different result for him in 2020.