The “Who is running in 2020?” tea leaves thread, Part 4

[Mr. Morden]

Another story about how Bloomberg’s decision is planned to be reached in “days, not weeks”:

https://www.axios.com/bloomberg-2020-decision-ad-campaign-671a5d60-dd6a-4fdf-9821-8be90a10b60c.html

Michael Bloomberg's final decision on a presidential run is "days, not weeks" away, a person familiar with his thinking tells Axios — with an announcement expected before Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, Garcetti insists that he’s not going to join the list of potential candidates who changed their mind and decided to run after all:

https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article237425549.html

“Today, I can make news for sure. I will not be on that list. I’m definitely not running. It was absolutely the right decision to make” Garcetti said Friday night during a taping of The Bee’s ‘California Nation’ podcast.

[Mr. Morden]

Chafee:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/rhode-island/2019/11/19/lincoln-chafee-doing-things-that-presidential-candidates/g3gwL6INX5Wm5j833zTloK/story.html

Lincoln Chafee isn’t quite ready to announce a longshot bid for the White House as a Libertarian candidate next year, but the former Rhode Island governor and US senator appears to be taking steps to prepare for the race.

Chafee was in Miami over the weekend for the quarterly meeting of the Libertarian National Committee, where he became a “life membership level” donor and met with party activists, according to Christopher Thrasher of Ballot Access Marketing, a consulting firm that helped get Gary Johnson and Bill Weld on the ballot in all 50 states in 2016.

In September, Thrasher’s company registered LincolnforLiberty.com, and Chafee now goes by @LincolnforLiberty on Facebook. A separate Facebook page called “Virginia for Lincoln Chafee 2020” was created last week.

Reached Monday, Chafee declined to confirm that he intends to run for president, but he acknowledged that if he does run for office again, it will likely be for commander in chief.

“It’s early, I’m just getting to know them,” Chafee said, referring to the Libertarian Party.

[Kung Fu Kenny]

Gotta love that grift.

[AltWorlder]

it's cool that with every presidential election the Libertarian Party exists to be a safe haven for former Rockefeller Republicans

Why doesn't the Green Party provide the same sort of thing for far left Democrats?

[The Mikado]

it's cool that with every presidential election the Libertarian Party exists to be a safe haven for former Rockefeller Republicans

Why doesn't the Green Party provide the same sort of thing for far left Democrats?

They ran Cynthia McKinney for President. How much more do they need to do to qualify as that for you?

[AltWorlder]

it's cool that with every presidential election the Libertarian Party exists to be a safe haven for former Rockefeller Republicans

Why doesn't the Green Party provide the same sort of thing for far left Democrats?

They ran Cynthia McKinney for President. How much more do they need to do to qualify as that for you?

When they do it in more often. The Libertarians have nominated both Gary Johnson and Bob Barr. So maybe the Greens should select Jay Inslee or Maxine Waters or somebody

[The Mikado]

it's cool that with every presidential election the Libertarian Party exists to be a safe haven for former Rockefeller Republicans

Why doesn't the Green Party provide the same sort of thing for far left Democrats?

They ran Cynthia McKinney for President. How much more do they need to do to qualify as that for you?

When they do it in more often. The Libertarians have nominated both Gary Johnson and Bob Barr. So maybe the Greens should select Jay Inslee or Maxine Waters or somebody

Jay Inslee is far left?

I think that'd be news to everyone, but especially to Jay Inslee.

[AltWorlder]

Inslee isn’t Green as in far left, he’s green as that’s his shtick- to be the environmental focused candidate. Maybe he’d fit better in a Canadian or European Green Party than our can’t-call-it-socialist-to-be-electable-in-America Green Party.

[RFK Jr.’s Brain Worm]

https://twitter.com/catargetbot/status/1214004938780491776?s=21

FEEL THE CHAFE 2016 2020

[Mr. Morden]

Kerry:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/john-kerry-overheard-discussing-possible-2020-bid-amid-concern-sanders-n1128476

Former Secretary of State John Kerry — one of Joe Biden's highest-profile endorsers — was overheard Sunday on the phone at a Des Moines hotel explaining what he would have to do to enter the presidential race amid "the possibility of Bernie Sanders taking down the Democratic Party — down whole."

Sitting in the lobby restaurant of the Renaissance Savery hotel, Kerry was overheard by an NBC News analyst saying "maybe I'm f---ing deluding myself here" and explaining that in order to run, he'd have to step down from the board of Bank of America and give up his ability to make paid speeches. Kerry said donors like venture capitalist Doug Hickey would have to "raise a couple of million," adding that such donors "now have the reality of Bernie."

Asked about the call later on Sunday, Kerry said that he was "absolutely not" contemplating joining the Democratic primary race.

[Mr. Morden]

Kerry denies that he's thinking about running:

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/02/kerry-unloads-nbc-2020-bid-110389

Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee for president and former secretary of State, emphatically denied he had renewed White House aspirations, tweeting "any report otherwise is f---ing (or categorically) false.”

He later deleted the tweet with the expletive and re-posted a full statement adamantly denying he had any interest in running and that he was fully behind Biden’s candidacy.

“As I told the reporter, I am absolutely not running for president. Any report otherwise is categorically false. I’ve been proud to campaign with my good friend Joe Biden, who is going to win the nomination, beat Trump, and make an outstanding president," he wrote.
.
.
.
"This is a complete and total misinterpretation based on overhearing only one side of a phone conversation,” Kerry told NBC News. “A friend who watches too much cable called me wondering whether I’d ever jump into the race late in the game if Democrats were choosing an unelectable nominee. I listed all the reasons I could not possibly do that and would not — and will not under any circumstances — do that.”

[Mr. Morden]

Joe Walsh won't rule out running 3rd party or Independent:

https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/1229557982033301505

Sounds like he thinks there should be some McMullin-esque conservative Indy candidate this fall, and would consider doing that if no one else does.

[Former Crackhead Mike Lindell]

Probably nothing...

Bob Iger to step down as Disney CEO, effective immediately

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/25/disney-names-bob-chapek-next-ceo.html

[Mr. Smith]

Probably nothing...

Bob Iger to step down as Disney CEO, effective immediately

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/25/disney-names-bob-chapek-next-ceo.html

Well, he got out doing a better job than Eisner or Miller.

[Mr. Morden]

Mark Cuban, when asked about running as an Independent this year:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/mark-cuban-says-he-s-not-ruling-out-late-third-party-run-for-president-due-to-coronavirus/ar-BB12x2fE

”Unique circumstances, you just never know Chris. I never would have considered it prior to a month ago, but now things are changing rapidly and dramatically. There’s different ways to get through those issues you mentioned. I'm not saying no, but it's not something I'm actively pursuing. I'm just keeping the door open.

So much can change. You just never know. This is not something we’ve seen before. This is obviously a unique set of circumstances, and so I’m just not going to say no. You just don't know what can happen between now and November."

[Mr. Morden]

Amash says running for president is something that he's "looking at closely" this week:

https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1249840522186948615

https://twitter.com/justinamash/status/1249858294488989698

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Libertarian or indie is what I'm wondering.

[Mr. Morden]

Joe Walsh won't rule out running 3rd party or Independent:

https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/1229557982033301505

Sounds like he thinks there should be some McMullin-esque conservative Indy candidate this fall, and would consider doing that if no one else does.

I guess this isn't happening, since Walsh is now chastising Amash for considering the same thing:

https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/1249876743088988160

[Canis]

If walsh ran hed get 0.3% of the vote anyway Amash I see maxing out at around 2.5%

[Mr. Morden]

More from Cuban on the possibility of an independent run:

https://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/mark-cuban-discusses-potential-presidential-run-on-coffee-with-cal/

In an appearance on “Coffee with Cal,” Calipari’s brand new weekly Facebook Live video series, Cuban said he “always keeps a door open” and that you “never want to say never” on opportunities as significant as running for president.

“I mean, I don’t know. It’s just one of those things, I’m the type of guy that always keeps a door open because you never want to say never,” Cuban said. “Because, who would have thunk [the COVID-19 pandemic] would happen? This is the ultimate definition of a Black Swan event.”

Meanwhile, Cuban has joined (in an advisory capacity) Trump’s “opening our country” economic council:

https://twitter.com/swin24/status/1250242591754465282

[Mr. Morden]

Amash:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics/justin-amash-presidential-run-decision-soon/index.html

Justin Amash, a former Republican-turned independent congressman from Michigan, said Wednesday that he stopped actively campaigning for his House seat in mid-February as he has been considering running for president as a libertarian.

"He has been discussing the potential campaign with his family, his friends, his team, and others, and a decision can be expected soon," Amash's campaign said in a statement.

[Lisa's voting Biden]

Amash:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics/justin-amash-presidential-run-decision-soon/index.html

Justin Amash, a former Republican-turned independent congressman from Michigan, said Wednesday that he stopped actively campaigning for his House seat in mid-February as he has been considering running for president as a libertarian.

"He has been discussing the potential campaign with his family, his friends, his team, and others, and a decision can be expected soon," Amash's campaign said in a statement.

Oh please no

[Kung Fu Kenny]

Amash:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics/justin-amash-presidential-run-decision-soon/index.html

Justin Amash, a former Republican-turned independent congressman from Michigan, said Wednesday that he stopped actively campaigning for his House seat in mid-February as he has been considering running for president as a libertarian.

"He has been discussing the potential campaign with his family, his friends, his team, and others, and a decision can be expected soon," Amash's campaign said in a statement.

PLEASE NO

[President Johnson]

Amash:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/15/politics/justin-amash-presidential-run-decision-soon/index.html

Justin Amash, a former Republican-turned independent congressman from Michigan, said Wednesday that he stopped actively campaigning for his House seat in mid-February as he has been considering running for president as a libertarian.

"He has been discussing the potential campaign with his family, his friends, his team, and others, and a decision can be expected soon," Amash's campaign said in a statement.

Who care? He will get like 1%.

[Mr. Morden]

Ventura:

https://nypost.com/2020/04/23/ex-wwe-star-jesse-ventura-slams-rumors-hes-running-for-president/

Former WWE star Jesse Ventura early Thursday slammed rumors that he has filed paperwork to run for president.

Despite previously hinting at plans for a “surprise” last-minute run, the wrestler-turned-Minnesota governor went on a Twitter tirade against “salacious click bait articles” suggesting he’d filed paperwork.

“Earn your paycheck. Verify something. Anything. Let’s start with: No, I haven’t filed to run for office,” the 68-year-old strongman railed against journalists suggesting otherwise.

Ventura’s tirade followed a late-night Twitter rant that stretched into the wee hours about the election and his plans to support the Green party.