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Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:11 PM

 

Are Hillary and Bernie really the best that Democrats can do?

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by GP6971 (a host of the General Discussion forum).

The party of FDR and JFK can't find a better candidate? I was talking to my wife tonight about the candidates and we agreed that we'll both probably vote for Bernie in the primary -- and certainly for whomever the Dems nominate in the GE -- but neither is particularly great. We are both lifelong Dems and big Bill Clinton and President Obama supporters. We were excited about President Obama but feel sort of "meh" about Hillary and Bernie. Hillary has a ton of baggage, including (whether her supporters agree or not) the email issue, which legitimately could lead to criminal charges, and even if not shows a serious lack of judgment. And Bernie is good on a lot of issues, but he's also a recent convert to the party, which makes me a bit hesitant, and he reminds me a bit of Dukakis.

The party was united behind Bill Clinton, and Obama excited a lot of people, but I'll vote for Hillary or Bernie simply because they are the nominee, not because either is a great candidate. At the same time, the Republicans will probably end up with Trump or Cruz as their nominee, perhaps two of the least qualified candidates (other than Palin) in a long time. Where are the great leaders who can unite this country and get something done?

Are there any Dems that aren't running that might be better? I'm not sold on Biden, but maybe Warren?

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Replies to this discussion thread
Arrow 34 replies Author Time Post
Reply Are Hillary and Bernie really the best that Democrats can do? (Original post)
TeddyR Jan 2016 OP
Trajan Jan 2016 #1
peacebird Jan 2016 #2
elias49 Jan 2016 #4
daleanime Jan 2016 #32
JustABozoOnThisBus Jan 2016 #3
cheapdate Jan 2016 #5
elleng Jan 2016 #6
hifiguy Jan 2016 #18
Autumn Jan 2016 #7
CharlotteVale Jan 2016 #13
hifiguy Jan 2016 #17
Nye Bevan Jan 2016 #8
Cal33 Jan 2016 #9
NorthCarolina Jan 2016 #10
pangaia Jan 2016 #28
trueblue2007 Jan 2016 #11
hifiguy Jan 2016 #12
onecent Jan 2016 #15
hifiguy Jan 2016 #16
LiberalElite Jan 2016 #20
TeddyR Jan 2016 #34
Odin2005 Jan 2016 #14
LiberalElite Jan 2016 #19
CommonSenseDemocrat Jan 2016 #25
JonLeibowitz Jan 2016 #27
kydo Jan 2016 #21
ananda Jan 2016 #22
davidn3600 Jan 2016 #23
doc03 Jan 2016 #24
saltpoint Jan 2016 #26
Thinkingabout Jan 2016 #29
Voice for Peace Jan 2016 #30
Andy823 Jan 2016 #31
GP6971 Jan 2016 #33

Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:13 PM

1. We are handed a delightful candidate

 

I'm tired of waiting for you to find your perfect candidate ... It's not like we have to wait ...

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:13 PM

2. Bernie is the most honest candidate for the people put forward in many years.

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Response to peacebird (Reply #2)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:15 PM

4. THAT'S a fact

 

which can't be said of Clinton. As close to organized crime as you can get.

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Response to peacebird (Reply #2)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:57 PM

32. +1

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:14 PM

3. If I remember correctly, Warren declined to run,

many times.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:19 PM

5. Mounting a serious and credible campaign to be the president

of a country of 300 million people is something that very few people can do. At one point in 2015, there were 26 candidates for the Democratic nomination, although you only really heard about the top few.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:20 PM

6. No, of course not,

but like others, you have ignored Martin O'Malley.

'Neither one of them can really point to a record of bringing people together and bridging divides to get things done. Senator Sanders has always been a bit of a loner, God bless him, in the United States Senate, not a coalition building, and that’s what it takes to get things done. There’s a different combination of votes on every issue and a different combination of coalitions. And Secretary Clinton famously in the very first debate declared she was proudest to declare that all Republicans are her enemy. That’s not a real good way to begin a candidacy. So I don’t believe that all Republicans are our enemies and I don’t believe that all millionaire and billionaires are our enemies, anymore that I believe that American Muslims or immigrants are the cause of our problems. And in my own history, I’ve brought people together in a very divided city on one of the toughest issues there is, given the legacy of slavery, and that is public safety. And then as governor, Republican members of the Senate and the House said that they were over to the governor’s mansion to break bread more in my first year than they were in their own governor’s prior four. Marriage equality, repealing the death penalty, those things weren’t easy. They didn’t get done on the first try, but they did get done with some Republican votes. That’s what you learn as an executive, you have to pick up the phone. It’s not enough to be convinced of the soundness of your own policy choices, you have to pick up the phone and call members of both parties and particularly members of the opposite party.'

http://time.com/4191712/martin-omalley-iowa-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders/

Martin O'Malley:

1. Ended death penalty in Maryland
2. Prevented fracking in Maryland and put regulations in the way to prevent next GOP Gov Hogan fom easily allowing fracking.
3. Provided health insurance for 380,000
4. Reduced infant mortality to an all time low.
5. Provided meals to thousands of hungry children and moved toward a goal for eradicating childhood hunger.
6. Enacted a $10.10 living wage and a $11. minimum wage for State workers.
7. Supporter the Dream Act
8. Cut income taxes for 86% of Marylanders (raised taxes on the rich).
9. Reformed Maryland’s tax code to make it more progressive.
10. Enacted some of the nation’s most comprehensive reforms to protect homeowners from foreclosure.

Mother Jones magazine called him the best candidate on environmental issues.
Article here:
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/12/martin-omalley-longshot-presidential-candidate-and-real-climate-hawk

O'Malley's plans:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12813600

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Response to elleng (Reply #6)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:57 PM

18. I would be extremely surprised if O'Malley

 

doesn't have a bright future in national politics. I think highly of him.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:21 PM

7. The party of FDR and JFK didn't find Bernie. We people did.

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Response to Autumn (Reply #7)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:44 PM

13. +100000000

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Response to Autumn (Reply #7)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:56 PM

17. Indeed. If FDR magically returned to life today

 

hale and hearty, DWS would push him into the Potomac,wheelchair and all.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:23 PM

8. What do think of Martin O'Malley?

I think he's very impressive and will be the nominee should Hillary need to withdraw for any reason.

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Response to Nye Bevan (Reply #8)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:37 PM

9. O'Malley is OK with me. He's young enough to wait 4 or 8 years. I'm glad

 

he is running now. This is giving him the exposure that he needs for future elections.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:39 PM

10. Not sure what you define as "best", but I can tell you what I define it as.

 

Senator Bernie Sanders is hands-down and without a doubt, the BEST Democratic Candidate I have ever had the privilege to vote for in my entire voting career (and that's longer than I would like to admit). Honesty and compassion for your fellow man are extremely rare qualities in a politician, but Bernie has lived it for over 25 years. I expect my public servants to be public servants and do the peoples work, and not simply taking advantage of a sweet situation for personal gain.

I feel damn lucky to have this once in a lifetime opportunity to vote for a candidate of character and truth.

Anyway, that's my opinion.

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Response to NorthCarolina (Reply #10)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:51 PM

28. I would guess I have a longer voting career than you do,

if only because I have a longer voting career than most people. :>)

Bernie Sanders IS a Once In A Lifetime opportunity for America!


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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:43 PM

11. YES they are. especially HILLARY

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:43 PM

12. IMO Bernie may be the best candidate for the presidency

 

since Robert Kennedy. Not sure what you are looking for.

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Response to hifiguy (Reply #12)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:46 PM

15. I'll drink to that hifiguy....

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Response to onecent (Reply #15)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:54 PM

16. Eeyup!

 

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Response to hifiguy (Reply #12)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:00 PM

20. +1,000,000 eom

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Response to hifiguy (Reply #12)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:58 PM

34. Better than Bill Clinton or Obama?

 

Why? If he wins the nomination he certainly won't have the popular support of either.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:46 PM

14. Bernie is the best candidate we have had in a long time.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 07:59 PM

19. Sanders is NOT a recent convert to the party

he caucused with the Democrats all along in the Senate.

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Response to LiberalElite (Reply #19)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:42 PM

25. As an Independent ...

 

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Response to CommonSenseDemocrat (Reply #25)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:47 PM

27. I doubt that made a difference to the democratic caucus when they saw the vote totals.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:00 PM

21. Um, well yeah. Actually they are both excellent candidates

I think maybe your question should be, "Is that the best republicans can do?" Cause their line-up is a joke. Makes for great entertainment though. So I guess it's not all a wash. Still pretty sad that's all they can muster.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:08 PM

22. Sanders is the best any party can do!

He's great!

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:10 PM

23. What's bad was the Democrat primary was being heavily regarded as a coronation for Hillary

 

I think that scared a lot of folks from throwing their hat in. And in the end, it might hurt the party and country. We didnt get the debates and the throwing around of ideas.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:34 PM

24. I agree out of a nation of about 350 million this is the best we can come up with

I am talking both parties. sad

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:45 PM

26. Three Democrats are in the race

at this point. There are cases to be made for any of the three.

The herd has thinned, but early on about two dozen Republicans were running. And every single one of them sucked.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:52 PM

29. Hillary is the best qualified candidate running, has experience and

Knowledge to hit the ground running the first day.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:53 PM

30. You must be joking

 

Bernie will be historic. Already is.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:55 PM

31. No they are not the best

O'Malley is the best but the MSM has made this a two person race just like DU has, and they overlook the facts that O'Malley has better plans, they are all in writing for everyone to see, and has done many of the things the other two talk about, but have not done themselves.

He may be behind, but the votes are not in yet, so we will see what happens.

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Response to TeddyR (Original post)

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:58 PM

33. Locking. Wrong Forum

Please repost in GDP.

Thank you

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