Talk Elections

I'm genuinely curious. I think that a lot of displeased progressives may focus their attention on a "grassroots, insurgent-type" candidate again, as many obviously believe Obama has not governed with them. On the other hand, the Democratic establishment may force through a more electable candidate, with centrist credentials, as they will probably be fearful of not being to appeal to more conservative Democrats. With Obama not on the ticket, it seems fairly likely that black turnout is reduced, which will probably make North Carolina and Georgia more favorable to the GOP. And if the wrong candidate is nominated, several core votes (labor, latte, et cetera) may be turned off.

So, what do you (especially Dems) think the path forward is? A more moderate candidate, or a more liberal candidate?

Schweitzer. Depending on how you look at him, he could be a Blue Dog or a progressive.

All the favourites (barring Gilliband and O'Malley) appear to be moderates.....

Probably to the right. Regardless, I'll be supporting Cuomo or Schweitzer most likely. :)

It depends if he can win his re-election in Montana.

Schweitzer's term-limited isn't he?

Hmm. But there will be a left-wing alternative if the rest of the field is centrists. Kucinich might even get 25-30% if nobody else decides to run(Feingold). Warren might also get quite a large following.

Bobby Rush '16! :P

He's term-limited. Even if he weren't, he'd easily win a third term.

Feingold will be my default choice if he runs in 2016.  If not, I'm a little split between Cuomo, Kaine, and Schweitzer.  I could support one of them or even neither of them.

It's difficult to say.

Tell me if the following politicians are what you'd call to Obama's left or right.

Andrew Cuomo
Martin O'Malley
Brian Schweitzer


...It really gets hard, doesn't it?

They're going to have to be to the right if they want to win in America circa 2016.

D E M O G R A P H I C  T R A I N W R E C K

I spelled it out for you.

Someone who can obfuscate enough to avoid being labeled one or the other definitively.

Cuomo is to Obama's right on most issues but there are of course exceptions. Economically he's too right-wing for me to consider supporting in a primary. O'Malley strikes me as quite similar to Obama but I could be missing something. Schweitzer is for the most part substantively to the left of Obama except on those issues that someone in Montana specifically has to pander on but with an odd Western populist-libertarian streak that makes him hard to pin down stylistically. I really like Schweitzer.

...You're right, this is hard.

Cuomo: Right
O'Malley: Left
Schweitzer: Left, though on the Montana issues (guns) he's to the right

I'd say slightly to the left, but only because I want Bennet to run and win. :D

I'd say about the same.

To get to the left of Obama you'd have to nominate George Soros. There can't possibly be more than 5 people on our continent to his left and besides, if Obama wins this year, I can guarantee he leads without a care for what the public thinks and only screws his party's chances for 2016. Under those circumstances, having a candidate like George Soros or Dennis Kucinich doesn't seem to help at all. We'll have to wait and see who the elders and donors of the Democratic Party decide is going to be their nominee by that point.

So your essentially saying he's a communist. Very original.

Schweitzer is the perfect nominee for the Dems in 2016. I'd say he's slightly more to the left on economic/energy issues, but to the right on gun control.

The Dems will not choose someone more "authoritarian" in 2016, like Klobuchar or Cuomo.

Schweitzer would be the best nominee, particularly because he is somewhat ambiguous on whether he is to the left or the right. He is certainly to the left on issues like energy independence, but to the right on issues like gun control. He can appeal to liberals as well as rural areas that might otherwise lean Republican.

>mfw you know absolutely nothing about the Obama presidency or the opposition to him from the left.

That sounds far to the right of Obama.

I measure opposition in votes not voice! Let them vote for someone else if they think he's so bad.

The Democratic  nominee in 2016 will be to the left of Obama, and the country will be ready for it. The political "center" has been dragged to the right by Republicans refusing to compromise for quite a bit of time, to where we now have a centrist party and a far-right party in this country. Obama's skin color, quite frankly, is what has prevented the left from pulling the right back closer to the middle by moving further back to the *actual* left. There wouldn't have been half of the fuss about all of the semi-progressive things that Obama has done if it were Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton doing it.

Definitely too the left on social issues.  I don't see how the next Democratic nominee could be against same-sex marriage publicly.  On the economy if the Republicans win and try more of the supply side economic failures then we could easily see a more liberal president with regards to the economy.

Lol. On the real issues Schweitzer is to the left of Obama at the moment. Once campaign donations start coming in, I can't be so certain.

I'd say there will be no significant difference between Obama and the 2016 Democratic nominee in fiscal or social policy. Maybe one issue or two, but by and large I expect them to be quite similar given the neoliberal owned political system ultimately controls policy and decides what positions are acceptable for Presidents.

Further to the left. Plus Obama will lose in November. He may try to pull a Cleveland but Occupy won't be there to help him. A major third party is being formed. Both GOP and the Dems will not be the same when it comes.

Agreed. He's probably going to be the nominee, and he's going to be the kind of moderate that can appear to be on the left and right depending on the issue. Schrodinger's Nominee, if you will.

Schweitzer's probably overall slightly to the left of Obama except on gun control and other big Montana issues.

Cuomo or Martin O'Malley are my choice for Dem Prez nomination.

Here's what I think:

(Clinton - slightly to Obama's right, but with more of a spine)
Cuomo - right
(Biden - right)
O'Malley - very similar. Very slightly to Obama's left, though.
Schweitzer - left, except on Montana issues
Gillibrand - left (though she was kinda conservative in her house district - maybe she'll move to the center for the general election)
Warner - right
McCaskill - right
Beebe - right
Casey - left, except on abortion
Feingold - left
Warren - left
Kloubchar - right

Anyone else?