Which potential candidate would Trump have a harder time picking apart?

[IceSpear]

JOE SESTAK.

Military. Moderate. And anti-establishment.

Did I inspire this a few days ago?

I think you're absolutely right for the record, but I think other options are also possible - John Allen had a great convention speech and has progressive credibility as president of the Brookings Institution, Bill McRaven has an incredible record (who can attack a Navy SEAL who took down Bin Laden?) and has made public statements against Trump's attacks on the media immediately after his inauguration. Seth Moulton also applies - very anti-establishment internal to the Democratic party with a stellar war record.

I've actually had my eye on Sestak for 2020 for some time now. It's just, all the pieces seem to fit so well with him. He's got military background, but not just any miltary background, he's an admiral! The highest ranking military officer ever to serve in Congress! Against an administration that's always pushing itself as pro-military and pro-"The Generals", "The Admiral" would literally be their worse nightmare. He may not be apolitical like RFKFan wanted, but his political credentials actually boost him IMO. He has strong liberal social positions (he helped lead the fight against DADT), but some more moderate fiscal positions. He also has very strongly liberal positions on healthcare, and an extremely sympathetic reason for his support for government health programs: His daughter survived cancer because of Tricare, the government's health program for military families. And to top it all off, the Democratic establishment hates his guts. They hate him for running against (and beating) Arlen Specter, whom they enticed to join their party to have an easier run for reelection. They hate him for not submitting his campaign in 2016 to the party machine. So none of Trump's "crooked" talk works on him at all!

Pair it with Harris and you have Trump's kryptonite.

I agree with some of your other picks there, however, I'm not sure if any of them have quite the combo Sestak has, especially with his extremely high rank.

Sestak might be a Senator now if not for all the idiotic national Democrats who shilled for McGinty.

[IceSpear]

JOE SESTAK.

Military. Moderate. And anti-establishment.

Did I inspire this a few days ago?

I think you're absolutely right for the record, but I think other options are also possible - John Allen had a great convention speech and has progressive credibility as president of the Brookings Institution, Bill McRaven has an incredible record (who can attack a Navy SEAL who took down Bin Laden?) and has made public statements against Trump's attacks on the media immediately after his inauguration. Seth Moulton also applies - very anti-establishment internal to the Democratic party with a stellar war record.

I've actually had my eye on Sestak for 2020 for some time now. It's just, all the pieces seem to fit so well with him. He's got military background, but not just any miltary background, he's an admiral! The highest ranking military officer ever to serve in Congress! Against an administration that's always pushing itself as pro-military and pro-"The Generals", "The Admiral" would literally be their worse nightmare. He may not be apolitical like RFKFan wanted, but his political credentials actually boost him IMO. He has strong liberal social positions (he helped lead the fight against DADT), but some more moderate fiscal positions. He also has very strongly liberal positions on healthcare, and an extremely sympathetic reason for his support for government health programs: His daughter survived cancer because of Tricare, the government's health program for military families. And to top it all off, the Democratic establishment hates his guts. They hate him for running against (and beating) Arlen Specter, whom they enticed to join their party to have an easier run for reelection. They hate him for not submitting his campaign in 2016 to the party machine. So none of Trump's "crooked" talk works on him at all!

Pair it with Harris and you have Trump's kryptonite.

I agree with some of your other picks there, however, I'm not sure if any of them have quite the combo Sestak has, especially with his extremely high rank.

Sestak might be a Senator now if not for all the idiotic national Democrats who shilled for McGinty.

God, she was such a garbage candidate. Why they all lined up for a Senate candidate who came dead last in the previous gubernatorial primary and couldn't even figure out how doors worked, I'll never know.

I don't think she was QUITE that bad, but yeah, she was bad. Sestak was leagues above her, no question. Considering Dems won the other statewide offices besides president/senate, there's a pretty good chance Sestak would've won too. The Democrats gifted that seat to the Republicans due to their petty and spiteful vendetta against Sestak all because he ran against (and had the NERVE to even win against!) Specter in 2010.

[IceSpear]

What is this fetish for ex military men?

Well personally, I'd like to see Jason Kander do many other things blindfolded besides make me a gun...