8/1 Evening OT: Lunch is Over
We’ve had two debate rounds with 20 candidates. Like having extra long lunches with the candidates, at a lengthy table with a microphone. They’re tested by the media with questions about past comments, op-eds, and whether or not it’s better to be a centrist or a progressive. Fare is broiled chicken and salads (vegan for Booker)Light conversation but at a West Wing pace. Sometimes there is strong coffee served to keep the energy going.
August is the month whereby the candidates who are currently serving in Congress don’t have to worry about committee votes, hearings, or votes on the floor. They have a month to go to county fairs in Iowa & NH, and other events in SC, NV, and CA to court potential voters. Some candidates may be spending time on Martha’s Vineyard, NAPA, Santa Barbara, or the Hamptons to meet with the wine & cheese crowds in hopes that some cash is coming their way to get ready for the dinners coming this fall.
On Real Time, Bill Maher culled all of the candidates pictures and decided which ones should be eliminated. Take a look:
It's time for some of these candidates to GTFO. Watch @BillMaher cull the Democratic herd with @MaxBrooksAuthor, @JoyAnnReid and @AdamGopnik on tonight's #RealTime: pic.twitter.com/q9vgGHXSaF
— Real Time (@RealTimers) June 29, 2019
On all of them, I would agree. They aren’t gaining much traction from the debates. Eric Swalwell did drop out, but I think Bullock, Steyer, and Sestek should rethink why they are in this race. Inslee doesn’t inspire people for his GND because already it has a spokesperson: AOC. Amy Klobuchar is invisible with Biden and Harris in the top tier. Seems to me Bullock would be better off running for Senate, as well as Hickenlooper, and Beto. I would also argue anyone who is polling below 5% consistently should know that the lunch dates are over.
Despite continued teeth gnashing by WaPo’s Jen Rubin, WaPo finally gave Sanders (and Warren) some sherry in their press coverage of the debates. MSNBC, which is notorious for its bias against Sanders, invited him on Morning Joe this morning, and asked him some more centrist questions. But their tone was slighty different: they were polite and more patient.
Good press pays off.
It’s interesting though that stockholder-driven media for the most part didn’t pick up on the nuances in the second debate. How Harris and Castro struck back by telling CNN their framing of the questions was from GOP talking points. Biden was indirectly laced with the GOP label, which he resented. But Joe Scarborough finally acknowledged that Sanders’ ideas have more than just spilled over into 2020 cycle: they are driving the debate. And Steve Rattner was scared s**tless.
I hope the dinners are more sober and not about the best quip. Yes, the candidates should fight for their ideas. Biden and Harris: you are on notice that the progressive wing has lots of little birdies to carry their candidates with the seeds given to them by those who want a more just government. And independent media is finally getting its due by appearing as guest contributors on cable networks and on the Hill’s Rising.
I'm not only going to be Commander in Chief. I am going to be Organizer in Chief. pic.twitter.com/bBWYvN4iyj
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 1, 2019
This also serves as an open thread. What’s on your mind?
Tips for birdies…
As of 5:30 at the DK straw poll, Warren is at 34, Bernie is at 24, Biden at 12, Harris at 7, Buttigieg at 6, and Yang at 4. Biggest takeaway, Kamala’s free fall after her poor debate performance. I’m sure some of her support has migrated to Warren. If this is replicated in the real world, she’s in trouble.
I’m surprised Yang got that much. Lots of neolibs at TOP.
I dislike it that Tulsi has become the Bernie of 2020 over there. They are demonizing her for pointing out Kamala’s prosecution record. But if they migrate to Warren, that is bad for Warren. I suspect most at TOP want a viable woman candidate.
Im sure Warren’s campaign would like to send Tulsi a bouquet of roses. If only Tulsi was as hard hitting against the even worse front runner Biden.
If birdies haven’t voted, now is the time to do so!
Bernie came in 2nd place at 25%. Warren was 33%. Harris received only 7%.
Final results Warren 33 Bernie 25. Everybody else the same except Yang ended with 5.
Note that a lot of the Warren followers on Twitter have multi-digit numbers on the end of the name, no profile photo, and relatively new accounts.
He couldn’t have waited until one of them dropped out?
https://www.thedailybeast.com/bernie-sanders-first-2016-congressional-endorser-raul-grijalva-explains-why-hes-backing-elizabeth-warren-now
Disappointing. But I’m hoping Bernie may pull more AA endorsements he’s working hard for.
Very very bummed. word salad from my “native” state. wonder if Bernie hurt his feeyslong the way. Because Warren is not strong on M4A. she’s getting better, but not strong. So is that what he agrees with?
what exactly is appealing about Bernie light? word salad. grrrr.
I’m afraid you’ll just see more of this. They are being pressured by the DNC/DCCC, just like last time. If you recall, only Jeff Merkley endorsed Bernie in the Senate. I’m proud to say he’s my senator, but one is not enough. Bernie can win without all the endorsements, but it makes it even harder, and they already dislike him. But man, does Bernie have people!
The donation news is fantastic!
I’m surprised this got leaked online, but I’ve often suggested they tell their supporters about the same time they tell the press.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/08/01/kamala-harris-turns-out-have-glass-jaw/?utm_term=.ebdb9eecfb33&utm_source=reddit.com
If anything, Tulsi is a Biden bot
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/08/01/progressives-say-kamala-harris-team-inventing-conspiracies-about-tulsi-gabbard
I don’t think she’s a Biden bot either. I think she chose not to attack him further since Castro, Harris, Gillibrand already obliged.
I don’t think she’s a bot either, but I don’t get what she’s doing with Biden
She jumped in twice to defend him after the last debate, claiming that Biden is not racist. Why defend the corpDem front running candidate when he was reeling from his debate performance?
No reason not to question Biden about Iraq just because he was attacked on other subjects. It’s important to get that out in front of the public and it was a missed opportunity. Especially, why did she back up his excuse about being lied to with the line “We were all lied to”? Yeah we were, but not all stupidly believed those lies. And I’m sure Biden as chair of the foreign relations committee didn’t believe the lies either, he just cynically went along with them.
the connection with Biden’s son may be part of it. maybe she also has insight into how the dnc will install him and wants the vp.
Or maybe secretary of defense. I just don’t think either will happen. Too many Dem enemies.
Tulsi has no future in the Dem party, unless somehow she can keep her current seat. They *really* don’t like her now. I’m not crazy about her at all, but after Wednesday night I like her better than I did.
It was a missed opportunity. But she focused on Harris. Someone had to because no one else dared take her on.
Well except for Biden?
Yeah that certainly was good, but it does also serve to help Biden out. Also Warren. Maybe Booker.
She’s either gonna support Bernie or Warren. Odds are it’s Warren. But we’ll see. I hope she stays in the House, but if she wishes to serve in the cabinet, VA may be well suited for her.
Might as well go out in a blaze of glory.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/8/1/20730732/tim-ryan-bernie-sanders-medicare-for-all-union-leaders
I think it is OK for them to point out things they’ve heard from unions. Bernie will have to work a lot more for it. If I see Warren getting an uptick from unions first, it could bode well for Bernie too.
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/joe-biden-proves-that-theres-nothing-moderate-about-moderates/
https://truthout.org/articles/biden-and-harris-accidentally-made-case-for-medicare-for-all/
It’s time for Democrats to get their facts right on Medicare-for-all Part 1
Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat, represents Washington’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House.
Part 2
Part 3
They might not be allowed to drop out.
T and R!! Go Benny!! 🙂
https://twitter.com/KodaOtt/status/1157083617371123712?s=20
Tulsi had to fight like crazy to get in a word in edgewise during this ‘interview’, it took a full minute for the host to allow Tulsi to talk. But then she makes her points (finally).
Tulsi was on Tucker Carlson’s show tonight and she fired back at Harris. TOP is going to hate Tulsi more.
Well the ones supporting Warren might be secretly rooting for Tulsi to go after Harris ???
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanhatesthis/4chan-vs-the-yang-gang