Martin O'Malley expected to announce presidential bid in late-May

[Raine1967]

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/martin-omalley-forces-ramp-up-for-late-may-launch-117254.html

“There’s a base of progressives out there nationally looking for a voice, and they’ve been funding people for a while,” says O’Malley senior adviser Bill Hyers, who managed liberal darling Bill de Blasio’s New York mayoral campaign in 2013. “There’s definitely a group we can tap into that is looking for Gov. O’Malley.”

But as O’Malley seeks to sharpen the contrast with Clinton, aides said, he is unlikely to lash out at her directly anytime soon.
Instead, he will continue to point out her policy shifts, talk about a need for new leadership and tweet videos highlighting his stances on specific issues when he and Clinton disagree, according to people familiar with his plans.

While the O’Malley brain trust is invested in raising the likely candidate’s name recognition levels in the early-voting states, his advisers see no benefit in doing so by attacking Clinton, whose campaign looks and feels like a juggernaut. It’s not productive for O’Malley to become known for anti-Clinton attacks, they believe, preferring that he focus on specific issues — like strengthening Wall Street regulation and opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal — that excite liberals.

Ultimately, his strategists hope to position him as a liberal with executive experience, funded largely by a robust online donation operation.

[SheilaT]

1. Good. I don't know very much about him, so I'll need to learn.

My great fear these recent months has been that the Hillary supporters would succeed in their "Sit down and shut the fuck up campaign" and that she'd be nominated with no challenge.

To say I'm not at all a Hillary supporter vastly understates how I feel, but if she wins the nomination in a competitive primary, as unhappy as I'll still be, I'll be relieved she wasn't just crowned.

[elleng]

2. Glad you're here, SheilaT.

Info about O'Malley is pinned above, so people can learn about him.

[FSogol]

3. K&R. n/t

[Koinos]

4. Not much happening?

Not a peep out of the O'Malley campaign for almost a week. No emails, no comments, no interviews. It's almost as if he is on retreat. Does anyone have any news?

I doubt he will announce on May 26, because that is the day of Sanders' official announcement.

Maybe he will wait until the last day of May.

I'm not an expert at this stuff, but is there such a thing as announcing too late these days?

I'm eager to hear something. I think his standing in the polls will go up immediately, when he actually declares.

Many people are already -- prematurely perhaps -- treating this as a two-person primary race.

[Raine1967]

5. As soon as I hear anything, I promise to post here.

[Koinos]

6. Thank you.

It is very quiet though.

[askew]

7. He did a fundraising event in Miami last week.

He's supposed to be going back to NH this week I believe and he did the Redlands event last week as well.

He also hired a new political director last week. He's going to run but I am thinking we'll get the announcement the first week in June.