Why is Martin O'Malley running?

[IceSpear]

I ask because he's likely going to get humiliated, finishing not only far behind Hillary but probably far behind Sanders as well.

Of course I'd ask the same for Chafee, but it's pretty obvious he has no shame, so that's not a factor for him.

[Maxwell]

Because he is very vain and not very smart.

[retromike22]

Both as the back-up but also to be VP.

I imagine he thought Hillary would win in 2008 and he would have an easier time now.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Because he wants to stay relevant. Nothing to do after governorship. But, had Sanders stayed out, he would of had a campaign.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

All of above.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

If he really wanted to, he could've ran for Senate. I think that he's a bit like Christie in that he wants to run even if he has no chance of winning. He doesn't really have a niche, to be honest.

[WVdemocrat]

Because he wants to be president. Just like everyone else who runs for president, save for the ones who are just trying to sell books.

EDIT: Let me elaborate, 2016's a tough year for anyone to beat Hillary in the primaries. He's before acknowledged his low poll numbers, so he's aware of that. Maybe he wants to get his name out there for 2020 (if Hillary loses) or 2024 (if Hillary wins). BTW if Hillary weren't such a juggernaut, he wouldn't be considered a joke candidate. Back when people thought Hillary wasn't going to run in 2016, his name was tossed around as a serious candidate - which he is, it's just 2016 really is Hillary's year. The only reason he's considered a joke is because Hillary is in such a dominant position in the field.

BTW IceSpear, nothing personal, but it seems like you always make threads or comments bashing O'Malley. Why all the hate? Aren't Webb and Chaffee just as much of long shots as O'Malley?

[Figueira]

Because he wants to stay relevant. Nothing to do after governorship. But, had Sanders stayed out, he would of had a campaign.

Not as much as Sanders is in reality, though.

I'd say it's a mixture of running for VP, setting himself up for 2020, and believing there's a small chance he can win.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I guess option 4 is the closest to correct. He's got a better chance in some future election.

[Thunderbird is the word]

I think he does seriously think he can win and is trying to find a niche for people who want an alternative to Hillary without the stigma of the word Socialist that Sanders has. The problem of course is that he himself really isn't all that left-wing and only seems to be opportunistically positioning himself that way. Also any slim chance he might have had was blown when Baltimore happened.

[Oak Hills]

He had been laying the groundwork for a run for years.  I think he just decide to go ahead with a run because he's got nothing better to do.  I voted boredom.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

He actually thinks he can win. Which is stupid, because nobody can beat Clinton, except Obama, obviously.

[Maxwell]

Because he wants to be president. Just like everyone else who runs for president, save for the ones who are just trying to sell books.

EDIT: Let me elaborate, 2016's a tough year for anyone to beat Hillary in the primaries. He's before acknowledged his low poll numbers, so he's aware of that. Maybe he wants to get his name out there for 2020 (if Hillary loses) or 2024 (if Hillary wins). BTW if Hillary weren't such a juggernaut, he wouldn't be considered a joke candidate. Back when people thought Hillary wasn't going to run in 2016, his name was tossed around as a serious candidate - which he is, it's just 2016 really is Hillary's year. The only reason he's considered a joke is because Hillary is in such a dominant position in the field.

BTW IceSpear, nothing personal, but it seems like you always make threads or comments bashing O'Malley. Why all the hate? Aren't Webb and Chaffee just as much of long shots as O'Malley?

As a Rand Paul supporter who understands supporting a candidate whose chances are... slim than I'd like, I understand your pain (though I will 1000% disagree with your choice).

[WVdemocrat]

Because he wants to be president. Just like everyone else who runs for president, save for the ones who are just trying to sell books.

EDIT: Let me elaborate, 2016's a tough year for anyone to beat Hillary in the primaries. He's before acknowledged his low poll numbers, so he's aware of that. Maybe he wants to get his name out there for 2020 (if Hillary loses) or 2024 (if Hillary wins). BTW if Hillary weren't such a juggernaut, he wouldn't be considered a joke candidate. Back when people thought Hillary wasn't going to run in 2016, his name was tossed around as a serious candidate - which he is, it's just 2016 really is Hillary's year. The only reason he's considered a joke is because Hillary is in such a dominant position in the field.

BTW IceSpear, nothing personal, but it seems like you always make threads or comments bashing O'Malley. Why all the hate? Aren't Webb and Chaffee just as much of long shots as O'Malley?

As a Rand Paul supporter who understands supporting a candidate whose chances are... slimmer than I'd like, I understand your pain (though I will 1000% disagree with your choice).

Likewise, on both counts.

[Fritz]

Options 1, 2, and 4.

[IceSpear]

Because he wants to be president. Just like everyone else who runs for president, save for the ones who are just trying to sell books.

EDIT: Let me elaborate, 2016's a tough year for anyone to beat Hillary in the primaries. He's before acknowledged his low poll numbers, so he's aware of that. Maybe he wants to get his name out there for 2020 (if Hillary loses) or 2024 (if Hillary wins). BTW if Hillary weren't such a juggernaut, he wouldn't be considered a joke candidate. Back when people thought Hillary wasn't going to run in 2016, his name was tossed around as a serious candidate - which he is, it's just 2016 really is Hillary's year. The only reason he's considered a joke is because Hillary is in such a dominant position in the field.

BTW IceSpear, nothing personal, but it seems like you always make threads or comments bashing O'Malley. Why all the hate? Aren't Webb and Chaffee just as much of long shots as O'Malley?

I bash Chafee far more than I bash O'Malley. You must not be paying attention.

As for Webb, in the past people frequently called me a "deranged Webb hater" because of some of my posts, LOL. But I don't even hate him, I just thought it was hilarious how people looking for a "progressive alternative" to Hillary were backing him, and also that people actually thought he had a chance to win. He hasn't been very relevant lately.

[IceSpear]

I think he does seriously think he can win and is trying to find a niche for people who want an alternative to Hillary without the stigma of the word Socialist that Sanders has. The problem of course is that he himself really isn't all that left-wing and only seems to be opportunistically positioning himself that way. Also any slim chance he might have had was blown when Baltimore happened.

Yeah, that's been the conventional wisdom. But that's a pretty small group. The type of people who think Hillary is too right wing and look for an alternative aren't going to be scared off by the socialist label, if anything it will be a positive in their eyes.

[Thunderbird is the word]

I think he does seriously think he can win and is trying to find a niche for people who want an alternative to Hillary without the stigma of the word Socialist that Sanders has. The problem of course is that he himself really isn't all that left-wing and only seems to be opportunistically positioning himself that way. Also any slim chance he might have had was blown when Baltimore happened.

Yeah, that's been the conventional wisdom. But that's a pretty small group. The type of people who think Hillary is too right wing and look for an alternative aren't going to be scared off by the socialist label, if anything it will be a positive in their eyes.

True, maybe the other group that he'd attract would be Obama diehards still holding onto a grudge from 08.

[WVdemocrat]

Because he wants to be president. Just like everyone else who runs for president, save for the ones who are just trying to sell books.

EDIT: Let me elaborate, 2016's a tough year for anyone to beat Hillary in the primaries. He's before acknowledged his low poll numbers, so he's aware of that. Maybe he wants to get his name out there for 2020 (if Hillary loses) or 2024 (if Hillary wins). BTW if Hillary weren't such a juggernaut, he wouldn't be considered a joke candidate. Back when people thought Hillary wasn't going to run in 2016, his name was tossed around as a serious candidate - which he is, it's just 2016 really is Hillary's year. The only reason he's considered a joke is because Hillary is in such a dominant position in the field.

BTW IceSpear, nothing personal, but it seems like you always make threads or comments bashing O'Malley. Why all the hate? Aren't Webb and Chaffee just as much of long shots as O'Malley?

I bash Chafee far more than I bash O'Malley. You must not be paying attention.

As for Webb, in the past people frequently called me a "deranged Webb hater" because of some of my posts, LOL. But I don't even hate him, I just thought it was hilarious how people looking for a "progressive alternative" to Hillary were backing him, and also that people actually thought he had a chance to win. He hasn't been very relevant lately.

I guess I just notice the O'Malley comments more.

And yeah, looking for a progressive alternative in Webb is, to put it lightly, dumb.

[Suburbia]

To stay relevant, and to be Hillary's VP. He's more progressive than her, and he could help in Catholic states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia.

[SWE]

Masochism

[Famous Mortimer]

To be the establishment left option to Hillary. Unfortunately for him Sanders has taken all the wind out of his sails.

[Progressive]

He wants AG

[Badger]

I think a combination of #1, #2, and the last option.

[Leinad]

It's probably a little of each:

1. #2, to be the DNC's parachute target; the in-case-of-emergency-break-glass alternative to Hillary.

2. #4, to stay relavent. So he can be a front-runner in 2020 or 2024. McCain's success in '00 paved the way for an '08 nomination, same with Romney from '08 to '12 and probably Hillary from '08 to '16. Even looking back: Dole from '88 to '96, Reagan from '76 to '80, and probably others--a primary campaign can help a lot for future campaigns. This is also in the equation for Rubio, Rand, Cruz, and Walker.

3. #6, he thinks he can win. Or at least has a shot. Who knows, Obama was a bit of a longshot compared to Hillary in '08--of course not nearly as much as O'Malley is to her, but you never know until the votes are cast.

4. #1, to be VP. I don't think he'd be that bad of a choice, and a primary campaign is a BIG help in getting the name recognition for selection.

5. #3, boredom? If this is the reason, why doesn't he go for the Senate? I mean, Barbara Mikulski is retiring, so the Maryland seat is open. He clearly has extra motivation to run for the presidency.

6. #5, to sell a book? Is he even writing a book? Not sure. Even if he is, name recognition and a slight chance at the White House is probably more in his mind than that.