Seriously though. Can we stop pretending like being 81 isn't a liability? And a reasonable concern?
If Democrats had brains, they'd run a buff, tall white guy with progressive policies and a hot wife. Fascists follow strength and heteronormative values, so? Just use it against them. Trump only looks strong next to an 81 year old dude with a speech impediment. All love to Biden, but hang 'em up, bro, damn.
Guy can't let go of the game even though the game let go of him.
Jeff Jackson of North Carolina would be my personal pick. He's just too new. If he were 4-8 years further into his career I think it would be a slam dunk.
You know... The first half has catapulted me into a constant state of chagrin. But I think you've got a plan that can turn it around. He's so good at the game, he could probably pull it off without even throwing Biden under the bus lol
In Newsom's defense, his state is overrun with the largest, most politically-active companies on the planet - but I can't say he's actually done much to fundamentally improve working-class conditions or addressed housing affordability or COL. He's applied a lot of band-aids, though.
He's a loud voice in a liberal state, but he's essentially just a younger Biden. He does the most optically-left thing he can without ruffling any feathers of the biggest DNC donors.
Fuck yeah. Great selection! I wish we were still on trajectory for AOC, but 2016 set us back decades overnight. That's how we got Biden. Walz is a great milk toast caring Dem, definitely great in Midwest, not sure about angry rust belt, don't know his policy stances as well. Fain.. oh man. That MF cares about us. He can get the Bernie vote, the wannabe libertarian vote, etc
I might feel slightly less critical about what Gavin done here than I'm imagining your sentiment, but I can't say you're wrong, especially on housing. You're absolutely right he hasn't done the real work to make systemic changes. I do think we have tons of QoL improvements.
To be fair, that's my exact point. Biden's most unelectable quality is his age. Newsom's perfectly polished and architected candidate for this age. And he's hot and charming. Very electable. Could probably even spin his ex for some kind of GOP brownie points?
On the contrary, Walz has been anything but milquetoast, he's just not as publicity-oriented as Newsom. He's passed a number of extremely popular progressive policies, including a campaign finance reform banning corporate contributions from companies who have 5% or more foreign ownership (that's poised to be struck down, but still an unambiguous signal against monied interests). Minnesota also has one of the lowest inflation rates in the country.
He's done his wildly progressive legislating while lowering taxes and running a surplus.
But Newsom is the Democratic darling because he's.... Hot? Idk what makes him a good candidate other than his optics, and even then, he'd have almost as bad a time as AOC would agaist a reactionary GOP, but with none of the desirable progressive policies we actually need. I'm honestly a little frustrated by this sentiment... He's a neoliberal candidate that has no other actual qualifications other than his media literacy and age, but he's also basically the GOP's definition of 'Elite-westcost-liberal'. I think he's the worst of the losing choices.
I don't think you're hearing my point. Electability, not policy. I agree with you on what makes for good policy. It unfortunately doesn't stop a Trump election win
For president? Yes. Policy will not change hearts and minds anymore. (Unless you're a union organizer..I really do wish he would run!) Purported independent swing voters are spineless and vote for character stories and who they like, if they aren't full of shit Republican voters to begin with.
You feel that way about him because you're intelligent, critical, and seeking substance. Do you think you're the voter we're talking about persuading?
I'm not trying to get into an argument over electoralism right now, but I think you underestimate people's sensitivity to their material conditions.
Candidates like Newsom are the reason why people disengage from politics entirely. It's why I like Walz, he's been extremely effective at passing popular policies while heading off the most common GOB objections.
Someone with that kind of record would be way more electable than a Newsom or a Biden. Even the most reactionary people in my life have nothing to complain about with Walz. We haven't had an effective Democratic president since FDR, and it's the reason our economy continues to get worse for the working class.
Trump’s campaign is going to be “Let me finish what I started…Trust what you saw last time.” - so he can leverage both voters who want change and those who want the same old.
If there’s a new Dem candidate, all of a sudden they’re trying to convince people to expect stability from trying something new.
Compared to that, Trump looks a lot more reliable.
And that’s before you even get into the personal attacks (which Biden thinks he’s already covered).
We’ve also already passed the point at which the DNC would start backing a new candidate. We’re stuck with Biden unless he croaks before election night.
Incumbent bump, appeal to moderates/neo-libs, decades of experience in D.C. I suppose the mentality is that Trump will get the MAGA and R-no-matter-who voters, which form too great a bloc to gamble against.
He isn't, but he beat Trump once already. He may not see anyone in the Democratic field that he trusts to win. It's his decision to run or not; he's going to follow what he thinks is the best course to deny Trump a second presidency. Not running means he has no control over the outcome.