And They're Off! The Democratic Candidates for 2020

[71 dB]

Sanders heart attack.

According to Bernie's doctor Bernie is unlike to have any heart problems for years thanks to the operation last fall.

[Ratliff]

Interesting. I was wondering if its a more relevant factor that should be addressed sooner rather than later as both septugenarians have issues in addition to age - Sanders heart attack and Bidens perceived by some mental decline - that give a higher than usual chance that the running mate will take over as president. But I haven't read anyone pushing to know, and to make that a factor in their decision.

As far as I know there is no rule that says the presidential nominee picks the running mate. The delegates get to decide, in principle, but customarily defer to the nominee. Usually the main motivation is electability, helping demographically. That's how Trump gets Pence, and why Kennedy choose Johnson.

[SimonNZ]

According to Bernie's doctor Bernie is unlike to have any heart problems for years thanks to the operation last fall.

Firstly: link?

Secondly: that doesn't sound like something a doctor can claim is "unlikely", especially for someone his age in a high-stress environment.

Thirdly: You don't have to feel obliged to chime in whenever someone says "Sanders". This isn't some Pavlovian experiment.

[SimonNZ]

As far as I know there is no rule that says the presidential nominee picks the running mate. The delegates get to decide, in principle, but customarily defer to the nominee. Usually the main motivation is electability, helping demographically. That's how Trump gets Pence, and why Kennedy choose Johnson.

If you were playing the game who would you pick as running mates for both Sanders and Biden, both for electoral math and as potential successors?

[Ratliff]

Biden should pick Warren to generate enthusiasm in progressives and those who value diversity. Sanders, that's moot since he won't be nominated.

[JBS]

John McCain announced his choice of Sarah Palin shortly before the Republican convention began, before he was officially nominated. By then he had enough delegates to guarantee an uncontested nomination. I can't think of anyone having announced a planned running mate before their nomination was effectively guaranteed.

Cruz announced he would pick Carly Fiorina, but that was a desperate gambit to keep his candicacy alive. And it failed.

But among actual nominees, I think you are correct.

[71 dB]

Firstly: link?

Kyle Kulinski said it if I remember correctly, but here is link:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/30/bernie-sanders-doctors-president-heart-attack

[Madiel]

Biden should pick Warren to generate enthusiasm in progressives and those who value diversity. Sanders, that's moot since he won't be nominated.

I've been thinking about this too. Warren does seem like an option. Is Kamala Harris viable?

[SimonNZ]

I guess that leads to another question: how often does a running mate pick come from one of the other contenders in the primaries? Much as I like both Warren and Harris (from this distance, etc) I assume its hard to extend an olive branch after the traded bodyblows of the debates. I'd imagine their criticisms of each other would be played on endless repeat by the other side during the general.

[Ratliff]

I guess that leads to another question: how often does a running mate pick come from one of the other contenders in the primaries? Much as I like both Warren and Harris (from this distance, etc) I assume its hard to extend an olive branch after the traded bodyblows of the debates. I'd imagine their criticisms of each other would be played on endless repeat by the other side during the general.

The vice presidential nominee is often, but not always, one of the contenders for the nomination. Those that were, Obama/Biden, Clinton/Gore, Reagan/Bush. Those that weren't, Trump/Pence, McCain/Palin, Bush/Cheney, Dukakis/Bentson, Bush/Quale.

[Herman]

According to Bernie's doctor Bernie is unlike to have any heart problems for years thanks to the operation last fall.

Doctors shouldn't not lend themselves for this stuff.

[Karl Henning]

Kyle Kulinski said it if I remember correctly

And Kyle is my sole news source
Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie I'm entitled to parrot Kyle Blah Blah Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie

[Karl Henning]

Doctors shouldn't not lend themselves for this stuff.

Maybe Bernie and Trump have the same PCP

[71 dB]

Doctors shouldn't not lend themselves for this stuff.

Whatever you mean by that, this is the information Bernie released about his state of health. It's important for the voters to know he is physically fit to become the president.

[71 dB]

And Kyle is my sole news source
Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie I'm entitled to parrot Kyle Blah Blah Kyle Bernie Kyle Bernie

You tell me who should be my news source. Rachel Maddow? Jake Tapper? Sean Hannity? Ben Shapiro? Who?

[drogulus]

Which Dem proposals? Those range from good to bad. More war? Tax cuts for the rich? Wall Street bailouts? New Green Deal? Medicare for All? It depends on the proposal whether I wish to have it enacted or not.

     The Dem ones, as I see it, are those Dems say they want to enact.

     Before the virus crisis, I had this idea that what the country needed was an expansion plan that encompassed fixing and building things. History says your biggest problems tell you where the biggest effort should be. For cost/benefits, the costs are part of the benefit. Money is spent on doing useful work. What would a "free lunch" be worth?

     So I thought a comprehensive health care plan, infrastructure and new energy construction had to be where expansion was best directed. Big bucks in, big bucks out, biggest net wins.

     Now we have the virus crisis and that changes......what? Now we need a comprehensive health care plan, infrastructure and new energy construction. The need for expansion is more immediate, but it follows from well, everything, that the elements will in most respects be the same.

     

[drogulus]

You tell me who should be my news source. Rachel Maddow? Jake Tapper? Sean Hannity? Ben Shapiro? Who?

     I do the hard news first usually, though I often will put on a show in the evening and see a topic discussed then go up the chain to a primary news outlet. A little trick people learn is that "primary news source" is defined by factors of reliability over time, not the absence of bias. It's the "it's even in the NYTimes!" factor demonstrated again and again. A Fox news viewer can check a primary source to see if the bilge on Fox is kind of, you know, true. A primary news reader won't check Fox for the same reason. The bias factor washes out quickly when what you want is knowledge.

[SimonNZ]

You tell me who should be my news source. Rachel Maddow? Jake Tapper? Sean Hannity? Ben Shapiro? Who?

Try Al Jazeera or BBC World. For a start.

[drogulus]

     As the crash deepens, Trumpists are trying to figure out how to reflate the stock market without doing any useful work in the real economy. You can practically see the gears in their little minds clanking away. How about a payroll tax cut to help cut entitlements down the road? We're running out of dollars more!!

     What a bind Repubs are in.... they desperately need something that works, while what works is occupied territory. Just about everything they need to do is either in a Dem plan or is more ambitious than Dems are willing to offer, things that not only work but work well.

[Karl Henning]

From the Department of Guarded Optimism

Biden has all but won the nomination – and Trump is looking vulnerable