by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
There was an article in the on-line blog, The Hill, today which said that the Democrats have upwards of thirty people just itching to get into the 2020 presidential race. It went on to name six, presumably ones who are all at the front of the pack. The first name up was Bernie Sanders whom the publication seemed to feel was a likely contender. The article posited that Sanders supporters from 2016 feel that if he had been the party's ultimate nominee - he would have won, and it further presupposed that Sanders' supporters from the last election would line up to back him in the next one.
As a supporter of Bernie for the 2016 election, I would agree with part of that summary. I think he would have run a stronger race than Hillary, and I think he was denied the nomination through a long and sustained attack by the Democratic National Committee and their especially odious leader, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. It also didn't help that Sanders was pitted against one of the best-oiled political machines in recent American history. Thank you, Donna Brazille, for drawing back the curtain on the black ops and evil machinations of the DNC - and may we learn from that ugly episode.
I would question the other part of The Hill's assertion about Sanders' supporters. True, Bernie's supporters were committed and enthusiastic, and are likely to keep pulling the Democratic Party leftward for the forseeable future - but that will not necessarily be with Bernie at the point. Bernie Sanders will be seventy-nine years-old by the time the next inauguration day rolls around, and that is too damned old to face the rigors of the presidency.
The second person on The Hill's list was former vice-president Joe Biden - and while everybody loves Joe, he is also far too old to be President. Biden will turn seventy-eight a few days after the 2020 election.
The third name on the list was Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Warren, who is Rachel Maddow-brilliant, could handle the task, and her election would undoubtedly make Republican heads explode at every level of government - but she too is graying and will be seventy-one at the time of the next inauguration - the age Trump is now.
The fourth name was Senator Kamala Harris of California. Harris has proven her chops in the Senate by standing up to Republican efforts to keep her quiet in committee hearings. She is outspoken and very smart - and will be a mere child of fifty-six on the next inauguration day.
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and former Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts placed fifth and sixth, respectively, on The Hill's list of likely Democratic presidential contenders. Brown, who is fast becoming the Senate's Democratic point person fighting the Trump middle class tax increase, will be sixty-eight at the time of the next inauguration - and Patrick, a reputed favorite of the Obama organization will be sixty-four.
One point that the article in The Hill bought up is that 2020 may be a difficult election cycle for males following the deluge of sexual abuse allegations across all political strata. It suggested that because everyone is gun shy about the possibility of more allegations, a practical solution would be to have a female nominee.
Not mentioned in the listing in The Hill was the obvious elephant in the room - Hillary Rodham Clinton. Those of us who have watched the Clintons for decades know how unlikely it is that one would simply choose to walk away from politics - even one who will be seventy-three-years-old when the next inauguration rolls around.
Business Insider has also recently published its own list of top Democratic presidential contenders. Like The Hill, its first two names were Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. Third on the list was New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the woman who took Hillary Clinton's seat in the Senate. The experienced Gillibrand who has already served one term in the House and two in the Senate would be fifty-five on January 20, 2021. Other names suggested by Business Insider include, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Sherrod Brown, New Jersey Senator Corey Booker, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Clearly the country is in need of serious change, and some, including myself, would argue that the Democratic Party could stand a good shakeup as well. It's time to pin a couple of service ribbons on Sanders, and Hillary, and Nancy Pelosi and others of their generation - and turn them out for a well deserved romp in the retirement pasture.
It's time for the old gray line of the Democratic Party to pass the torch of leadership to our energetic and idealistic youth. We've had our turn, and now it is theirs.
Citizen Journalist
There was an article in the on-line blog, The Hill, today which said that the Democrats have upwards of thirty people just itching to get into the 2020 presidential race. It went on to name six, presumably ones who are all at the front of the pack. The first name up was Bernie Sanders whom the publication seemed to feel was a likely contender. The article posited that Sanders supporters from 2016 feel that if he had been the party's ultimate nominee - he would have won, and it further presupposed that Sanders' supporters from the last election would line up to back him in the next one.
As a supporter of Bernie for the 2016 election, I would agree with part of that summary. I think he would have run a stronger race than Hillary, and I think he was denied the nomination through a long and sustained attack by the Democratic National Committee and their especially odious leader, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. It also didn't help that Sanders was pitted against one of the best-oiled political machines in recent American history. Thank you, Donna Brazille, for drawing back the curtain on the black ops and evil machinations of the DNC - and may we learn from that ugly episode.
I would question the other part of The Hill's assertion about Sanders' supporters. True, Bernie's supporters were committed and enthusiastic, and are likely to keep pulling the Democratic Party leftward for the forseeable future - but that will not necessarily be with Bernie at the point. Bernie Sanders will be seventy-nine years-old by the time the next inauguration day rolls around, and that is too damned old to face the rigors of the presidency.
The second person on The Hill's list was former vice-president Joe Biden - and while everybody loves Joe, he is also far too old to be President. Biden will turn seventy-eight a few days after the 2020 election.
The third name on the list was Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Warren, who is Rachel Maddow-brilliant, could handle the task, and her election would undoubtedly make Republican heads explode at every level of government - but she too is graying and will be seventy-one at the time of the next inauguration - the age Trump is now.
The fourth name was Senator Kamala Harris of California. Harris has proven her chops in the Senate by standing up to Republican efforts to keep her quiet in committee hearings. She is outspoken and very smart - and will be a mere child of fifty-six on the next inauguration day.
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and former Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts placed fifth and sixth, respectively, on The Hill's list of likely Democratic presidential contenders. Brown, who is fast becoming the Senate's Democratic point person fighting the Trump middle class tax increase, will be sixty-eight at the time of the next inauguration - and Patrick, a reputed favorite of the Obama organization will be sixty-four.
One point that the article in The Hill bought up is that 2020 may be a difficult election cycle for males following the deluge of sexual abuse allegations across all political strata. It suggested that because everyone is gun shy about the possibility of more allegations, a practical solution would be to have a female nominee.
Not mentioned in the listing in The Hill was the obvious elephant in the room - Hillary Rodham Clinton. Those of us who have watched the Clintons for decades know how unlikely it is that one would simply choose to walk away from politics - even one who will be seventy-three-years-old when the next inauguration rolls around.
Business Insider has also recently published its own list of top Democratic presidential contenders. Like The Hill, its first two names were Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. Third on the list was New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the woman who took Hillary Clinton's seat in the Senate. The experienced Gillibrand who has already served one term in the House and two in the Senate would be fifty-five on January 20, 2021. Other names suggested by Business Insider include, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Sherrod Brown, New Jersey Senator Corey Booker, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Clearly the country is in need of serious change, and some, including myself, would argue that the Democratic Party could stand a good shakeup as well. It's time to pin a couple of service ribbons on Sanders, and Hillary, and Nancy Pelosi and others of their generation - and turn them out for a well deserved romp in the retirement pasture.
It's time for the old gray line of the Democratic Party to pass the torch of leadership to our energetic and idealistic youth. We've had our turn, and now it is theirs.
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