MSM flavor-of-the-day Dem candidates are already imploding

Submitted by gjohnsit on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 5:05pm

Remember Beto? The guy who managed to lose to Ted Cruz - a senator that even Republicans don't like? Did he ever feel like a manufactured candidate to you?
Then you'll like the New And Improved Beto.

Beto O’Rourke is reportedly planning to relaunch his 2020 presidential bid less than two months after his record-breaking campaign launch.
In an acknowledgement that his campaign is stalling, the former Texas congressman is said to be planning a “reintroduction” ahead of next month’s Democratic presidential debate.

Nothing says "forgettable" like "reintroduction".
Speaking of forgettable, people have already forgotten that they once supported him.

You can see O'Rourke's struggles most clearly in the polls. In an average of national polls taken since Biden entered the race, O'Rourke has fallen to just below 5% support. That's the lowest he has been since at least December.
But it's not just that O'Rourke has seen his numbers decline nationally -- it's that his polls look even worse in the early caucus and primary states. I could not find a single poll in Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina conducted after Biden entered in which O'Rourke polled above 3%. These, of course, are the states that O'Rourke has been visiting over and over again throughout the last few months. It apparently hasn't done any good.

Another flavor-of-the-day candidate is Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
Mayor Pete came along months after Beto, so he is still in the getting-to-know-you stage for most of the country.
However, people in Indiana are already familiar with him.

Though Buttigieg is viewed favorably among voters in his party, the poll says former Vice President Joe Biden "would cruise to a comfortable victory in Indiana." One-third of the self-identifying Democrats who indicated they'd vote in next year's Democratic primary for president said they'd vote for Biden, compared to 23% for Sanders and 20% for Buttigieg. An additional 15% are undecided.
The margin of error for the entire poll was 3.46 percentage points. A spokesman for the Buttigieg campaign declined to comment Thursday on the poll.

Coming in 3rd in your home state isn't very impressive.
Pete Buttigieg is polling at 0% among black voters in South Carolina.

The third centrist on my list is Kamala Harris.
Her numbers might be the worst of all.

Recent polls show Harris has dropped several points since her strong start to the race earlier this year. Her support among nonwhite voters is relatively low at 4%, according to a late April CNN poll, after former Vice President Joe Biden's entrance into the race late last month. The CNN poll found Biden has 50% support among nonwhite voters.

When a woman-of-color can't get the support of women-of-color, she is sunk.
Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to have already jumped ship.

Newsom endorsed Harris on a Friday night in February. Most politicians dump bad news on Friday nights. The two share the same political advisers, but Newsom delivered his nod unceremoniously during an MSNBC interview. Now, he’s cozying up to her rivals.
Why the hedging? For one thing, Newsom’s an experienced politician. He knows it’s smart to keep a wide network of options. But Newsom’s outburst of public praise for Harris’ rivals also reflects the fact that her White House campaign has encountered serious turbulence.

By the time the debates come around they may no longer be candidates anymore.

Tags:

Beto O'Rourke

Pete Buttigieg

Vote

Comments

Submitted by Bollox Ref on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 5:56pm

I try to forget Beto

Perhaps he can reboot himself as Robert Francis O'Rourke this time.

Not much you can do with the jumping on tables and waving your arms around. Straitjacket maybe?

'Mayor Pete' is little more than a Log Cabin Republican.

Who was the third candidate discussed?....

(Edited)

—

Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Submitted by Wink on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 6:22pm

Kamala. n/t

@Bollox Ref

—

the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.

Submitted by Bollox Ref on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 6:30pm

Ahh.....

@Wink

Thanks.

No wonder I forgot.

—

Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Submitted by edg on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 7:05pm

Jumping on furniture...

@Bollox Ref

That damaged Tom Cruise back in the day and I don't think he ever fully recovered.

Submitted by GreatLakeSailor on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 7:02pm

from Nate's Liver (formerly Peter Douche)

I can't believe this didn't catch!?!?

#TuesdayThoughts
"From atop a great American crane painted of red. Near many windows. Framed by steel. Or aluminum. I speak to you. On this day. At this hour. At this very precise minute. To say these exact things. I see my kids down there. Fuck yes."#Beto2020StandOnSomething pic.twitter.com/Ivf64Ma5vQ

— Nate's Liver (@SilERabbit) March 19, 2019

—

Compensated Spokes Model for Big Poor.

Submitted by wokkamile on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 7:52pm

Beto had his

3 weeks of intense and fawning media coverage. Cover of Vanity Fair in Feb was it?

Then the MSM moved on to the other new toy in the bunch, Pete Bootajudge. 3 weeks of adoring coverage for him.

Now Joe. Bernie stays up in the mix b/c of very good pre-Joe polling numbers and b/c he is directly challenging Joe's very mixed public record.

Kamala had a brief fling with the media back in Jan/early Feb as I recall, just not as fawning and intense as a couple of other candidates.

Gene McCarthy back in the 60s said the media was like a flock of blackbirds -- when one lands on the line they all do, and when one leaves the line they all leave. They arrived and left for Beto, and now Bootajudge is probably going to experience the same thing.

Beto hopefully has taken this time off from media attention to work on his non-verbal stump speech tics, all the frantic arm waiving. As I recall, Bobby Kennedy, whom Beto strikingly resembles and who appears to have reincarnated as Beto, also had public speaking problems and really had to work at it to improve. Even with that, he was still very nervous, but at least in most other ways he got much better on the stump and likely was on his way to the Dem nomination. Beto might need to add some hidden heavy arm weights to make waiving them around less appealing.

He also needs to add some policy specifics to punch up his appeal. Save the platitudes for late in the general election. It's almost time for the debates, and Dems tuning in will want to hear specifics -- especially on M4A -- and not pol speak empty words.

Submitted by WoodsDweller on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 8:00pm

If Biden manages to stay in the race

then he pulls support primarily from other centrist candidates. If/when he drops out each centrist voter will move to their second choice. The ideal situation would be a substantial field of centrist candidates each drawing under 15%.

—

"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone

Submitted by Fionnsboy on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 9:21pm

@WoodsDweller Yes, that's what I'm

@WoodsDweller Yes, that's what I'm hoping for. And I understand that no delegate votes get awarded if a candidate wins less than 15% of the vote. It would be rich indeed if all the DINOs got less than 15%, and Bernie ended up with all the delegates. Has ANYONE met anyone in real life who supports Biden?????

—

Semper ubi sub ubi

Submitted by TheOtherMaven on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 10:28pm

Nice pipe dream, but

@Fionnsboy

you know what will actually happen. They will declare that "no one" got enough votes and summarily pick whoever they want as candidate - probably Herheinous, possibly ByeDone (worst case scenario, both of them as a Pres/VP team).

—

There is no justice. There can be no peace.

Submitted by The Voice In th... on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 9:44pm

Biden beats Bernie in Indiana?

Then the Dem nomination is lost. Been voting for 53 years. Next year I won't bother.

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

Submitted by Dr. John Carpenter on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 10:09pm

Indiana is weird.

@The Voice In the Wilderness Indiana tends to like its Democrats to be Republicans (last governor’s race, for instance, the two candidates were pretty much identical in policies and either would have felt at home in the Republican Party.) But, Bernie beat HER in 2016 by a few points, which is still surprising to me. I’d think that would put him at an advantage, but who knows?

—

Idolizing a politician is like believing the stripper really likes you.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 11:13pm

Only if you believe the polls

@The Voice In the Wilderness

I can't believe that ByeDone is as far ahead as the polls say he is. Plus there was some hanky panky with some of them. Every poll I've seen has Bernie winning.

Submitted by bobswern on Mon, 05/13/2019 - 9:47pm

Politico: Cong. Black Caucus likes a Biden-Harris ticket...

‘A dream ticket’: Black lawmakers pitch Biden-Harris to beat Trump

Senior members of the Congressional Black Caucus say it’s an ideal ticket if the former vice president stays atop the polls.

By HEATHER CAYGLE and JOHN BRESNAHAN 05/12/2019 06:56 AM EDT
POLITICO

The Congressional Black Caucus may have found an answer to its Joe Biden dilemma: Vice President Kamala Harris.

Some black lawmakers are agonizing over whether to back Biden or two members of the close-knit caucus — Sens. Harris and Cory Booker — who also are vying for the White House, according to interviews with a dozen CBC members.

But with the former vice president jumping out to a huge, if early, lead in the polls, several CBC members are warming to the idea of a Biden-Harris ticket to take on President Donald Trump.

“That would be a dream ticket for me, a dream ticket!” said Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.). “If she is not the nominee, that would be a dream ticket for this country.”

Harris is everything the 76-year-old Biden is not. The freshman senator from California is younger, a woman and a person of color. As Biden gets dinged for his bipartisan bromides, Harris is winning applause from progressives for her merciless cross-examination of Trump officials.

Democrats also are desperate to boost black turnout in 2020, blaming the drop-off from Barack Obama’s wins as one reason for Hillary Clinton’s defeat.

“Either combination there, I’d love,” said Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.). “I think he’s going to look to balance his ticket so that the ticket itself is more appealing. ... I think it would make sense and it wouldn’t surprise me if he picked a woman of color.”

No one in the caucus is declaring Biden the winner of a presidential race that has nearly two dozen candidates and is still nine months from the first primary contest. And Democrats cautioned that they’re not counting out Harris or Booker and would be thrilled if either won the Democratic nomination. Both senators have actively courted members of the CBC.

Yet there is no question that Biden — thanks in part to his close relationship with Obama — is popular with African-American voters, according to several polls since he entered the race. That support from within the black community translates into backing from black lawmakers as well.

“But for the fact that we have two of our own who are both quite capable of being president, I’d say probably a lot of the members would’ve already announced for Biden,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).

Were Biden to prevail in the fight for the nomination, Harris would be many members’ vice presidential pick.

“If [Biden] becomes the nominee, that certainly would be my choice,” said Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), a senior member of the caucus. “Right now, I’m still believing that Harris can be the top of the ticket.”

“It would absolutely be a very strong ticket, no question about that,” Fudge added. “1 and 2, 2 and 1. Either way, it would be great.”

Biden has a deep well of support within the influential group of 55 black lawmakers, having served alongside many of them in his 36 years as a senator and eight years as vice president under the first African American president. Biden has already racked up some key endorsements within the caucus, including from former CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.).

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking African American in Congress, often speaks fondly of Biden, a longtime friend, though Clyburn has said he won’t endorse anyone before his home state’s primary.

“I said a few weeks ago that if [Biden] were to get in, everybody else would be running for second place. I said that over a month ago. And he got in, and the polls said everyone else is running for second place,” Clyburn said in an interview.

It should also be of no surprise that Biden is polling well among black Democratic primary voters, he noted.

“The data are clear that he has strong support among African Americans,” Clyburn said. “It’s just that simple. He’s had that for a long, long time, and he’s kept it steady so far.”

The CBC isn’t expected to endorse in the Democratic race, although its political arm, CBC PAC, will likely wade into the crowded contest at some point. In the meantime, Biden, Harris, Booker and other candidates are all wooing members of the CBC, who have outsize influence with African American voters.

Biden is a creature of Capitol Hill, with relationships that go back decades with some of the most senior members of the caucus. He happily refers to his former boss, the first black president, as “my buddy Barack” on the campaign trail.

“I don’t think people should underestimate the significance of this older white guy playing the role of second, a supportive second, to a younger man who is African American,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). “And people felt this was real and authentic, [Biden] wasn't faking it. There was a real friendship there.”

Biden also has a natural ease in the black community in a way that other white Democratic candidates don’t, according to some caucus members...

—

"Freedom is something that dies unless it's used." --Hunter S. Thompson

Submitted by Anja Geitz on Tue, 05/14/2019 - 12:44pm

Their self aggrandizing pandering is stunning

@bobswern @bobswern

Maybe we should also ask them if they found any polyps up there while their heads were up the ass of those who dole out political favors and money.

‘A dream ticket’: Black lawmakers pitch Biden-Harris to beat Trump

Senior members of the Congressional Black Caucus say it’s an ideal ticket if the former vice president stays atop the polls.

By HEATHER CAYGLE and JOHN BRESNAHAN 05/12/2019 06:56 AM EDT
POLITICO

The Congressional Black Caucus may have found an answer to its Joe Biden dilemma: Vice President Kamala Harris.

Some black lawmakers are agonizing over whether to back Biden or two members of the close-knit caucus — Sens. Harris and Cory Booker — who also are vying for the White House, according to interviews with a dozen CBC members.

But with the former vice president jumping out to a huge, if early, lead in the polls, several CBC members are warming to the idea of a Biden-Harris ticket to take on President Donald Trump.

“That would be a dream ticket for me, a dream ticket!” said Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.). “If she is not the nominee, that would be a dream ticket for this country.”

Harris is everything the 76-year-old Biden is not. The freshman senator from California is younger, a woman and a person of color. As Biden gets dinged for his bipartisan bromides, Harris is winning applause from progressives for her merciless cross-examination of Trump officials.

Democrats also are desperate to boost black turnout in 2020, blaming the drop-off from Barack Obama’s wins as one reason for Hillary Clinton’s defeat.

“Either combination there, I’d love,” said Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.). “I think he’s going to look to balance his ticket so that the ticket itself is more appealing. ... I think it would make sense and it wouldn’t surprise me if he picked a woman of color.”

No one in the caucus is declaring Biden the winner of a presidential race that has nearly two dozen candidates and is still nine months from the first primary contest. And Democrats cautioned that they’re not counting out Harris or Booker and would be thrilled if either won the Democratic nomination. Both senators have actively courted members of the CBC.

Yet there is no question that Biden — thanks in part to his close relationship with Obama — is popular with African-American voters, according to several polls since he entered the race. That support from within the black community translates into backing from black lawmakers as well.

“But for the fact that we have two of our own who are both quite capable of being president, I’d say probably a lot of the members would’ve already announced for Biden,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).

Were Biden to prevail in the fight for the nomination, Harris would be many members’ vice presidential pick.

“If [Biden] becomes the nominee, that certainly would be my choice,” said Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), a senior member of the caucus. “Right now, I’m still believing that Harris can be the top of the ticket.”

“It would absolutely be a very strong ticket, no question about that,” Fudge added. “1 and 2, 2 and 1. Either way, it would be great.”

Biden has a deep well of support within the influential group of 55 black lawmakers, having served alongside many of them in his 36 years as a senator and eight years as vice president under the first African American president. Biden has already racked up some key endorsements within the caucus, including from former CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.).

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking African American in Congress, often speaks fondly of Biden, a longtime friend, though Clyburn has said he won’t endorse anyone before his home state’s primary.

“I said a few weeks ago that if [Biden] were to get in, everybody else would be running for second place. I said that over a month ago. And he got in, and the polls said everyone else is running for second place,” Clyburn said in an interview.

It should also be of no surprise that Biden is polling well among black Democratic primary voters, he noted.

“The data are clear that he has strong support among African Americans,” Clyburn said. “It’s just that simple. He’s had that for a long, long time, and he’s kept it steady so far.”

The CBC isn’t expected to endorse in the Democratic race, although its political arm, CBC PAC, will likely wade into the crowded contest at some point. In the meantime, Biden, Harris, Booker and other candidates are all wooing members of the CBC, who have outsize influence with African American voters.

Biden is a creature of Capitol Hill, with relationships that go back decades with some of the most senior members of the caucus. He happily refers to his former boss, the first black president, as “my buddy Barack” on the campaign trail.

“I don’t think people should underestimate the significance of this older white guy playing the role of second, a supportive second, to a younger man who is African American,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). “And people felt this was real and authentic, [Biden] wasn't faking it. There was a real friendship there.”

Biden also has a natural ease in the black community in a way that other white Democratic candidates don’t, according to some caucus members...

—

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Submitted by bobswern on Tue, 05/14/2019 - 8:12pm

Anja...

@Anja Geitz

I LOVE your comment! LOL! You're a woman after my own heart!

—

"Freedom is something that dies unless it's used." --Hunter S. Thompson

Submitted by chambord on Tue, 05/14/2019 - 7:19pm

politics

@bobswern Has anyone noticed- Not one of the people quoted is under age 70.. I have not checked their ages but I have seen them on tv.

‘A dream ticket’: Black lawmakers pitch Biden-Harris to beat Trump

Senior members of the Congressional Black Caucus say it’s an ideal ticket if the former vice president stays atop the polls.

By HEATHER CAYGLE and JOHN BRESNAHAN 05/12/2019 06:56 AM EDT
POLITICO

The Congressional Black Caucus may have found an answer to its Joe Biden dilemma: Vice President Kamala Harris.

Some black lawmakers are agonizing over whether to back Biden or two members of the close-knit caucus — Sens. Harris and Cory Booker — who also are vying for the White House, according to interviews with a dozen CBC members.

But with the former vice president jumping out to a huge, if early, lead in the polls, several CBC members are warming to the idea of a Biden-Harris ticket to take on President Donald Trump.

“That would be a dream ticket for me, a dream ticket!” said Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.). “If she is not the nominee, that would be a dream ticket for this country.”

Harris is everything the 76-year-old Biden is not. The freshman senator from California is younger, a woman and a person of color. As Biden gets dinged for his bipartisan bromides, Harris is winning applause from progressives for her merciless cross-examination of Trump officials.

Democrats also are desperate to boost black turnout in 2020, blaming the drop-off from Barack Obama’s wins as one reason for Hillary Clinton’s defeat.

“Either combination there, I’d love,” said Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.). “I think he’s going to look to balance his ticket so that the ticket itself is more appealing. ... I think it would make sense and it wouldn’t surprise me if he picked a woman of color.”

No one in the caucus is declaring Biden the winner of a presidential race that has nearly two dozen candidates and is still nine months from the first primary contest. And Democrats cautioned that they’re not counting out Harris or Booker and would be thrilled if either won the Democratic nomination. Both senators have actively courted members of the CBC.

Yet there is no question that Biden — thanks in part to his close relationship with Obama — is popular with African-American voters, according to several polls since he entered the race. That support from within the black community translates into backing from black lawmakers as well.

“But for the fact that we have two of our own who are both quite capable of being president, I’d say probably a lot of the members would’ve already announced for Biden,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).

Were Biden to prevail in the fight for the nomination, Harris would be many members’ vice presidential pick.

“If [Biden] becomes the nominee, that certainly would be my choice,” said Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), a senior member of the caucus. “Right now, I’m still believing that Harris can be the top of the ticket.”

“It would absolutely be a very strong ticket, no question about that,” Fudge added. “1 and 2, 2 and 1. Either way, it would be great.”

Biden has a deep well of support within the influential group of 55 black lawmakers, having served alongside many of them in his 36 years as a senator and eight years as vice president under the first African American president. Biden has already racked up some key endorsements within the caucus, including from former CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.).

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking African American in Congress, often speaks fondly of Biden, a longtime friend, though Clyburn has said he won’t endorse anyone before his home state’s primary.

“I said a few weeks ago that if [Biden] were to get in, everybody else would be running for second place. I said that over a month ago. And he got in, and the polls said everyone else is running for second place,” Clyburn said in an interview.

It should also be of no surprise that Biden is polling well among black Democratic primary voters, he noted.

“The data are clear that he has strong support among African Americans,” Clyburn said. “It’s just that simple. He’s had that for a long, long time, and he’s kept it steady so far.”

The CBC isn’t expected to endorse in the Democratic race, although its political arm, CBC PAC, will likely wade into the crowded contest at some point. In the meantime, Biden, Harris, Booker and other candidates are all wooing members of the CBC, who have outsize influence with African American voters.

Biden is a creature of Capitol Hill, with relationships that go back decades with some of the most senior members of the caucus. He happily refers to his former boss, the first black president, as “my buddy Barack” on the campaign trail.

“I don’t think people should underestimate the significance of this older white guy playing the role of second, a supportive second, to a younger man who is African American,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.). “And people felt this was real and authentic, [Biden] wasn't faking it. There was a real friendship there.”

Biden also has a natural ease in the black community in a way that other white Democratic candidates don’t, according to some caucus members...

—

It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back. Carl Sagan

Submitted by bobswern on Tue, 05/14/2019 - 8:13pm

I think it was a laxative commercial... n/t

@chambord

—

"Freedom is something that dies unless it's used." --Hunter S. Thompson

Submitted by UntimelyRippd on Tue, 05/14/2019 - 12:34pm

Huh. Guess I must be hanging out with the wrong progressives.

Harris is winning applause from progressives for her merciless cross-examination of Trump officials.

—

The earth is a multibillion-year-old sphere.
The Nazis killed millions of Jews.
On 9/11/01 a Boeing 757 (AA77) flew into the Pentagon.
AGCC is happening.
If you cannot accept these facts, I cannot fake an interest in any of your opinions.

Submitted by Mark from Queens on Tue, 05/14/2019 - 5:20pm

Not according to this "CNN panel," almost making Tim Black vomit

As Tim remarked after showing the clip,

"Depressing. Frustrating. Mind-numbing. Excruciatingly bewildering. Distraught. Vomit-inducing. Flabbergasted. Perplexed. Discombobulated. Mind-screwed.

After all those things that's what I felt. I went through a triathlon of emotions after watching that, realizing that only one person on that panel even mentioned policy.

Someone recently reminded me that Donna Brazile said president are chosen by uninformed voters. Donald Trump famously said in 2016 I love the uneducated voter, I love the
uneducated voter - they're the greatest."

Sad, pathetic stuff in that panel. And as much as we know that's a pretty good representation of the vapid American voter's mindset, you have to wonder if they purposely crafted this one for the sole intent of keeping the all-important horse race game alive to keep their viewers in thrall so that the money follows.

The last one I saw covered it was all Bernie, with plenty of very critical views about an out-of-touch Democratic Party and heavy on policy. This one was as milquetoast and vapid as could be.

—

"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:

THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"

- Kurt Vonnegut