Something about Brian Schweitzer

[Simfan34]

I don't get his appeal. He's a kind of moderate whose main claim to fame is distinctiveness- the boloes, the branding iron, etc. He's very moderate- strongly anti-gun control, skirts around gay marriage, pro-choice "because the SCOTUS said so".

I think, by 2016, the Democrats are going to want a strong, principled, liberal, who might be a bit unpolished but can get people excited- after Obama's moderation, and his probable loss (or flailing second term), they may very well want a firebrand, even a Goldwater-analogue. That's not Brian Schweitzer. 

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Gun control is if anything less popular with progressives than your typical Democrats.

He's pro-marijuana and anti-war. Plus, even if he's not economically to the left of Obama, the fact that he has fight in him would make his presidency more liberal by default.

If a Republican wins in 2012, I'd like to see Feingold come back; he has ruled out a senate run in favor of helping Obama win, but the near-certain recall election in Wisconsin has his name written all over it. He's intelligent, principled, can truly work with Republicans, and would have the instant support of the Occupy movement.

[Skill and Chance]

You can't really say Obama is a moderate. Ideologically, he's probably in line with FDR and LBJ.  If the  Democrats had about 300 House seats and 70 Senate seats in Jan 2009 like those two former presidents did, we would have had card check, a carbon tax, and something functionally equivalent to single payer (perhaps allowing anyone to buy in the medicare at half the private market rate) in the first 100 days. 

Anyhow, Schweitzer would work best if Obama loses and the economy is still bad in 2016.  The Dems would want a firebrand populist to capitalize on the bad economy and heavy budget cuts.  Elizabeth Warren also comes to mind if she wins the senate seat.

[LastVoter]

He wants to pass Single payer healthcare in montucky. I think that's all you need to know about him.