Jim Webb interview on Morning Edition

[Averroës Nix]

JANUARY 30, 2015 - Former Democratic Sen. Jim Webb Explores Presidential Bid

It's seven minutes long. Do you care enough about Webb's campaign to listen for that long? Probably not, and you probably shouldn't. But, if you're so inclined, you won't hear anything especially surprising. I couldn't find a transcript, so here are a few notes.

• He's concerned that Democrats have ignored the "white working class" who are misunderstood as racist "in many cases."
• Democrats need to "return to their principles" because they can't rely on minorities to turn out in large enough numbers to win while "winning less than 40% of the white vote."
• He admires Andrew Jackson as "the first President who was not of aristocratic descent" and for shaping "the American philosophy."
• He shies away from criticizing BO's SOTU proposals, but expresses dissatisfaction with the recovery. Hints at a populist economic agenda, but doesn't get more specific than pointing out that rising stock indices have had very little effect on many people.
• He also declines to comment on HC's candidacy. "She has not announced that she's running. If I run, it will not be as a counterpoint to her [candidacy]."

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Democrats need to drop their support for affirmative action, and opposition to drug tests for welfare recipients and whatnot if they want to appeal to the "working class" voters again.

[IceSpear]

• Democrats need to "return to their principles" because they can't rely on minorities to turn out in large enough numbers to win while "winning less than 40% of the white vote."

Is he referring to midterms here? Because this just happened in 2012...

[IceSpear]

• Democrats need to "return to their principles" because they can't rely on minorities to turn out in large enough numbers to win while "winning less than 40% of the white vote."

Is he referring to midterms here? Because this just happened in 2012...

Obama won 40 percent of the white vote in 2012. He's saying if it drops below that, there might be problems, which I kind of agree with.

39%.

[Averroës Nix]

• Democrats need to "return to their principles" because they can't rely on minorities to turn out in large enough numbers to win while "winning less than 40% of the white vote."

Is he referring to midterms here? Because this just happened in 2012...

His presumption is either that Democrats will win a smaller share of black voters or that fewer black voters will turn if a black candidate is not on the top of the ballot. In context, it's not clear which of the two he's getting at.

[Oak Hills]

• Democrats need to "return to their principles" because they can't rely on minorities to turn out in large enough numbers to win while "winning less than 40% of the white vote."

Is he referring to midterms here? Because this just happened in 2012...

He's saying that that won't work long term, i.e. minority turnout will likely not be quite as high as it was in 2008/12.  I don't think I agree with that, but I'm pretty sure that's what he's saying.

[Skill and Chance]

It is true that Democrats fall off a cliff in the electoral college until the 2040's if the Dem share of the white vote falls below 35%.  They end up in a situation of needing Florida and/or Texas:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/04/30/us/politics/presidential-math-demographics-and-immigration-reform.html

That having been said, the 37-39% share has been remarkably resilient for Democrats throughout the Obama presidency, including both midterms.  And there's some reason to expect that polarization will relax a bit after Obama leaves office.

[Miles]

Thanks for the OP. I actually got text from my dad today telling me to find this. He'll support Hillary if he absolutely has to, but he's trying to get me into the Democratic alternatives.