Lincoln Chafee launches presidential exploratory committee

[Thunderbird is the word]

Chafee has the potential to challenge Hillary, especially in New Hampshire. It's fantasy, probably, though to say he could win the nomination.

He certainly has more potential then Webb or O'Malley.

I agree that Chafee could successfully challenge Hillary in New England but the idea that he has more potential than O'Malley or Webb is absurd. O'Malley is a terrible candidate but he was an accomplished progressive governor, which gives him some credibility. Webb is also a terrible candidate but he has a "natural" base among Demosaurs.

Chafee? He was a disastrous governor. He's also a former Republican. Strangely enough, I think he'll complicate things for Sanders in New Hampshire. Affluent "latte liberals" love insurgent candidates and have the tendency to support both firebrand leftists and meek social liberals/doves.

He could also do well among the type of independent swing voters in NH that voted for Huntsman in 2012.

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

Chafee has the potential to challenge Hillary, especially in New Hampshire. It's fantasy, probably, though to say he could win the nomination.

He certainly has more potential then Webb or O'Malley.

I agree that Chafee could successfully challenge Hillary in New England but the idea that he has more potential than O'Malley or Webb is absurd. O'Malley is a terrible candidate but he was an accomplished progressive governor, which gives him some credibility. Webb is also a terrible candidate but he has a "natural" base among Demosaurs.

Chafee? He was a disastrous governor. He's also a former Republican. Strangely enough, I think he'll complicate things for Sanders in New Hampshire. Affluent "latte liberals" love insurgent candidates and have the tendency to support both firebrand leftists and meek social liberals/doves.

He could also do well among the type of independent swing voters in NH that voted for Huntsman in 2012.

I think they have the same probability of supporting Sanders but a low probability of backing Clinton. Those "independent swing voters" are mostly left-leaning. See: the overlap in McCain and Huntsman's support with Dean's and Bradley's support. For whatever reason, there is a solid contingent of left-leaners in New England that tends to back either the most liberal Democratic candidate or the most moderate Republican in primaries.

[Oakvale]

Jerry Brown needs to stop messing around and run tbh.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Jerry Brown needs to stop messing around and run tbh.

Why not Michael Dukukis?

#Ready4theduke 

[Vega]

As a Republican, I would very much like to see Chafee as the Dem nominee.

If you're supporting him out of principle, that's great, but if you're supporting him because he used to be a Republican, well, he's to the left of Hillary Clinton (thankfully).

[Vega]

As a Republican, I would very much like to see Chafee as the Dem nominee.

If you're supporting him out of principle, that's great, but if you're supporting him because he used to be a Republican, well, he's to the left of Hillary Clinton (thankfully).

So what? I also support him, even though he is to the left of me on social issues. But he is a principled great guy.

And I'm glad you are.

[Mr. Morden]

From the subsequent reporting on this, it sounds like Chafee is prepared to be the anti-Clinton attack dog in a way that O'Malley, Webb, etc. are not:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/09/politics/lincoln-chafee-2016-presidential-plans/

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Also, Chafee concedes that he's not inevitable, with a rather stunning admission:

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[IceSpear]

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LMFAO.

Chafee is such an unexpected goldmine of comedy.

[Blair]

I'm guilty of it, but why is there a massive desire in Presidential Politics for centrist figures like Huntsman, Bloomberg, Chaffee etc?

[Vega]

I'm guilty of it, but why is there a massive desire in Presidential Politics for centrist figures like Huntsman, Bloomberg, Chaffee etc?

Chafee isn't centrist. He's to the left of Hillary Clinton on a number of things.

And he has a pathway to victory, a clear one at that. Especially if Sanders doesn't run.

[IceSpear]

I'm guilty of it, but why is there a massive desire in Presidential Politics for centrist figures like Huntsman, Bloomberg, Chaffee etc?

Chafee isn't centrist. He's to the left of Hillary Clinton on a number of things.

And he has a pathway to victory, a clear one at that. Especially if Sanders doesn't run.

Does that pathway involve Hillary dying before the Iowa caucus but after the filing deadline?

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

I'm guilty of it, but why is there a massive desire in Presidential Politics for centrist figures like Huntsman, Bloomberg, Chaffee etc?

Chafee isn't centrist. He's to the left of Hillary Clinton on a number of things.

And he has a pathway to victory, a clear one at that. Especially if Sanders doesn't run.

Does that pathway involve Hillary dying before the Iowa caucus but after the filing deadline?

Well, she wouldn't have to *die*. The problem with Chafee as an anti-Hillary is that he has the charisma of a squashed grape. Even Sanders excites people more.

[Ebowed]

From the subsequent reporting on this, it sounds like Chafee is prepared to be the anti-Clinton attack dog in a way that O'Malley, Webb, etc. are not:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/09/politics/lincoln-chafee-2016-presidential-plans/

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This is excellent.

[Ebsy]

I don't mind Chafee in the role of gadfly.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

I don't mind Chafee in the role of gadfly.

Me neither. Anything to make it interesting (and to make maps that aren't just one color).

[Mr. Morden]

At the ~4:30 mark in this clip, David Brooks calls Chafee "inevitable":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_R3w_LJEKc&t=4m29s

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

At the ~4:30 mark in this clip, David Brooks calls Chafee "inevitable":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_R3w_LJEKc&t=4m29s

YES!!! Go CHAFEE GO!!!!!

[The Other Castro]

At the ~4:30 mark in this clip, David Brooks calls Chafee "inevitable":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_R3w_LJEKc&t=4m29s

YES!!! Go CHAFEE GO!!!!!

Ok, which one of us is secretly David Brooks?

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

"Well, obviously, I think Lincoln Chafee's inevitable, I think he's a juggernaut. No one will stop him. No, he's not."

Golden.