Nothing worse than this

[bigtree]

...finding almost everyone talking past my choice in this primary before the first contest has even be held.

Worse than that, this primary has been DOMINATED by polls. Fricking Silver and others OWN our election process and lead our electorate around by the nose as media coverage follows these self-actualizing surveys.

I can honestly say I've never felt so shut out of an election before. O'Malley has led his rivals in this primary, on the vast majority of important issues, in presenting detailed, innovative, and progressive proposals. But the polls became the narrative, along with the media show of the 'socialist' against the 'capitalist' dominating the coverage.

It's hard to feel as if O'Malley hasn't just been humored by the media (and others) every step of the way: 'Well-meaning, good cabinet or vice-president material...' Bull. O'Malley has just as much experience or more than his rivals and is just as qualified as ANY candidate in this upcoming election.

Also, the money...all of the talk about money and it's undue influence on the process. Almost no discussion anymore about media access and the imbalance created by the inability of candidates to get their messages to the public past the wall of bought and sold coverage. No talk anymore about (real) public financing which doesn't hobble candidates, or equal opportunities to present their message to the voting public.

We're still hobbled by the cost of advertising on compromised media outlets. The contest is rigged, from the start, in favor of the moneyed and those candidates with a built-in following. Relative unknowns only get as far as the celebrity they can generate, or the controversy they provide for the media show.

One campaign bankroll is seen as corrupt, and the other is viewed as grassroots, but the fact remains that money trumps everything in our elections.

For the first time, I truly feel shut out by the election process. There are a variety of issues which I don't feel are represented adequately by the other candidates, and my only outlet, my only platform has been reduced to patronizing dismissal. I am so not ready to settle for the focus of the other campaigns, but this is what am I left with. There hasn't been any overt appeal to O'Malley voters from these campaigns that I can see. I guess they're hoping he just fades into the woodwork.

I'll tell you, though, my support for O'Malley isn't anti-Hillary or anti-Bernie - it's an advocacy for more focus on issues like immigration, gun safety legislation, the plethora of other progressive initiatives and concerns which O'Malley has already legislated or enacted in my state.

I'm not anywhere ready to compromise, but before any voters have made their official choice, my own is being virtually shut out. It's not hard to imagine what will happen to the issues he's advocating for.

For me, so far...worst primary ever.

[virtualobserver]

1. The problem is Hillary

In a primary of unknowns, he would have made his mark. She leaves very little oxygen for anyone.

Bernie was the perfect contrast to Hillary, but he had to claw and scratch for months to get traction. If Bernie had not run, however, we would have all been O'Malley supporters.

I feel for you . Bernie is up against the same machine, and it is out to destroy everything in its path.

[StevieM]

8. This is silly.

First of all, it's absurd to say that "all" Sanders supporters would vote for O'Malley. You have no polling evidence to support that, and most polling shows that Clinton supporters like Sanders and Sanders supporters like Clinton.

And it makes no sense to say that Hillary is out to destroy everything in her path. This has not been a negative campaign at all by historical standards. All Hillary is doing is running. There haven't even been any negative ads.

Carter/Udall, Mondale/Hart, Gore/Gephardt/Dukakis, Clinton/Tsongas/Brown, Gore/Bradley, Gephardt/Dean/Kerry and Clinton/Obama were all more negative races. Clinton vs. Sanders has been a stunningly respectful campaign, at least from the candidates.

You just don't like Hillary and so you're tagging her with negative labels.

[Live and Learn]

13. I am pretty sure the majority of Democratic Sanders' supporters would have chosen MOM over Hillary.

I don't think MOM would have pulled in all the youth vote or the Independents but he definitely would have gotten the liberal, progressive voters.

And yes, a whole lot of us just do not like Hillary for very good reasons.

[StevieM]

16. Well maybe there will be exit polls in New Hampshire that ask voters who they would have voted for

if Clinton or Sanders weren't in the race.

I think most voters, like myself, like Clinton, Sanders and O'Malley. And if Hillary is the nominee I hope you give her a chance, just like I will enthusiastically support Bernie Sanders or Martin O'Malley if they are the nominee.

[virtualobserver]

17. He plays the guitar....he is a vibrant, handsome guy....he could have nailed down the youth vote

[restorefreedom]

20. i would definitely vote om over clinton

and the press has treated him like dogshit, alternating between full out ignore and patronizing sympathy, asking when he is getting out.

loathesome cretins at m$m, pretty much every one

[virtualobserver]

15. I had a poll done privately and it confirmed the accuracy of my statement

as we speak, Hillary's troops are massing on the Missouri border preparing to lay waste to Iowa.

I love Hillary....it is her ruthlessness that draws me to her.

[delrem]

19. "I love Hillary....it is her ruthlessness that draws me to her."

cool.

[VulgarPoet]

35. I read that, and my mind jumped to the atrocities we kickstarted in the ME.

This is why I cannot, and will not vote for her.

[delrem]

18. There's no question in my mind that the massive majority would prefer O'Malley to Clinton.

There's nothing silly about that judgement, and in fact there are a lot of posts to DU by Sanders supporters saying that they genuinely like O'Malley, and also agree with bigtree's OP on this matter. However, a large majority of THESE also have substantial policy differences with O'Malley, where they prefer Sanders on the issues. Perhaps they just dream bigger? There's extremely rare if any evidence that Sanders supporters would break for Clinton, preferring her over O'Malley if that choice occurs.

On the other hand, I have a very strong feeling that should O'Malley drop out, many of the O'Malley supporters on DU will break for Clinton. But that's just my perception -- and of course I'm biased.

In my dream world, Clinton would be pushed out and the debate would be between the overtly "socialist" policy proposals set out by Sanders and O'Malley's more "moderate liberal" incremental approach toward fixing the same problems. IMO Hillary Clinton is pushing an extreme neocon/neolib economic/war/military foreign policy perspective, 100% in tune with Kagan, Kissinger, and some of the worst war criminals in recent history. On that score she doesn't offer even an iota of hope. She's now dedicated to ensuring that universal single-payer health care "won't ever, ever come to pass" (her recent assertion) in the USA. Whereas O'Malley can lay claim to the description "he's a liberal", Hillary Clinton is NOT a liberal. Her game has been to use political triangulation to further the aims of the economic/military right wing while levering the liberal left out of existence - in the party that was once their base. But of course, she's pro-choice. So that redeems everything.

[PatrickforO]

33. If Bernie weren't in the race and it was O'Malley vs Clinton, I'd be

a fervent O'Malley supporter.

I just can't stomach Clinton.

[840high]

34. Count me in.

[jfern]

42. Not all, but plenty of us would certainly vote O'Malley over Hillary

[loyalsister]

36. Not just Hillary

Hillary vs. Bernie has been the conflict driven, political WWF that the 24 hr. news and reality TV afficianados love. Bernie started getting traction when Hillary claimed she was being attacked. Since then, it appears that the politico population has been enjoying it. Infotainment has been screwing up our opportunity to get a comprehensive look at a very qualified, forward thinking candidate who has successfully implemented many progressive policies.

[Betty Karlson]

38. I think so too - my preference for Sanders is that he draws the sharpest contrast to Clinton.

But if he hadn't run, I'd have sung the praise of Martin O'Malley almost just as loudly.

[dsc]

2. I like O'Malley

had he shown any ability to move the numbers I might well have been supporting him instead of Hillary but even in Maryland his numbers were stuck in the low single digits. Like it or not one of the things that a person needs to do to win office is get people to vote for them and he just couldn't get that to happen. I think part of his problem was the horrible luck of Baltimore becoming a national issue but given that his Lt Governor lost when he ran for governor that means there was some issue brewing already with him in Maryland. I hope he keeps in the game and runs in 8 years.

[bigtree]

3. »

[Nanjeanne]

4. He's my second choice

But unfortunately by the time he jumped in, there wasn't much room left.

He is young though. He still has a shot.

[bigtree]

5. he has a shot

...beginning in Iowa, Monday.

[Betty Karlson]

39. O'Malley 2024? Inheriting the mantle from president Sanders?

One can only hope...

[Luminous Animal]

6. I agree that he's gotten short shrift.

[Armstead]

7. I'm a Bernie supporter but I agree that O'Malley has gotten a raw deal

[tblue37]

11. +1. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. I like O'Malley and would work for him and vote for him

I'd vote for Bernie, but I wouldn't walk precincts for him. O'Malley, yes.

He's gotten a raw deal, no doubt. But he's a comer.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Trump is the one who has sucked all the oxygen out of the room./nt

[elleng]

14. Sorry, but what bigtree describes has gone on for much longer than the trump circus.

[elleng]

12. 'It's not hard to imagine what will happen to the issues he's advocating for'

at all. Forget them. Joke here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511100085

[delrem]

21. That link promotes Hillary Clinton,

and it attacks what is seen as a Sanders weakness "on the left".

Can you not come up with an example which distinguishes O'Malley?

[elleng]

22. My point is that one of MO'M's big issues is ignored,

as always, by media b.s.

[delrem]

23. What "big issue" is shown to be ignored, in that link?

The link goes to a hit piece on Sanders, where Clinton and O'Malley are touted as being tough on the NRA, Sanders being the NRA's brogressive boy toy.

[elleng]

24. O'Malley's strength is in his experience against NRA in MD,

and his plans to prevent and reduce gun violence. He is much tougher on the issue than Obama, Clinton, or Sanders.

https://martinomalley.com/policy/preventing-and-reducing-gun-violence/

[delrem]

25. The link you provided was to a pro-Clinton hit piece on Sanders,

where O'Malley was given kudos en passant.
It was posted by an ardent Clinton supporter and attracted other Clinton supporters to the game of smearing Sanders on gun violence and the NRA.

I AGREE WITH YOU that O'Malley is very good on this and other issues, and I agree with you and bigtree and others that it's a damn shame that rational discussion and debate on the specifics of this and other issues that O'Malley is strong on is not happening.

But the link you gave is to a Clintonesque hit piece, attacking Sanders as a demon NRA supporting brogressive .... it is NOT HELPFUL!

[elleng]

26. 'kudos' en passant is my point.

[delrem]

32. In any case I agree with bigtree's OP. It's a damn shame.

I have to remind people now and then, that I'm a Canadian.
I don't have a seat at the table.
Canadian politics isn't similar, not at all. Not at all!
I have no idea what it would be like to be a US citizen, possibly being faced with a choice between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Donald Trump. I don't know if I could live with the choice of either. I think that in either case there'll be too much blood. Then the follow up, the blame game.

[Vattel]

27. I agree that the media plays a huge and often pernicious role in determining who ends up in office.

And O'Malley has definitely been a victim of the influence of the media in this campaign. O'Malley has been hampered by other things as well. The fact that his presidential bid had so little support in his home state didn't help him, for example.

[Jarqui]

28. I like him

I think he's given a good account of himself.

He got screwed in some of those debates - treated like a bystander.

I frankly do not understand his low polling numbers.

In the next primaries, as is often the case, I expect he's going to do much better.

[Agnosticsherbet]

29. Clinton has most of the Mainstream Dmeocratic Voters, and Sanders the insurgent left...

This leaves little room for O'Malley.

I think he is a great candidate, and my second choice. I think in four (if the unthinkable happens) or eight years he will play a much bigger role.

[Arazi]

30. Agree. 100% agree. MOM is a terrific candidate

the tides of history for this run just overcame his chances.

I looked at every position paper, studied his website and would proudly vote for him.

He still has time to be a player in the future. He's not off the national stage and I foresee great things ahead for him

[JonLeibowitz]

31. Agreed 100% bigtree. I would much rather see a battle of ideas between MOM and Bernie.

Hillary unfortunately has lied.

I hope that MOM has a bright future in the democratic party; truly the Clintons' power and influence is frightening, that a impassioned governor such as MOM could fail to catch hold.

I'm going to keep my eye out for him. He impressed me.

[pinebox]

37. O'Malley is a perfect example why DWS has to go

He has been royally screwed by the DNC and honestly, I think he would make an excellent VP choice. I don't see him straying far at all so don't fret too much. I like the guy, he has some killer ideas and he's genuine. The 6 debate schedule has just really hurt him a great deal.

[lovemydog]

40. Martin O'Malley - an accomplished executive with a strong and specific

and liberal plan for America.

I hear you bigtree. I thank you you and other O'Malley supporters here who do a fabulous job sharing his vision and his specific policies.

[JustAnotherGen]

41. Great post bigtree n/t

[Squinch]

43. I think MOM is great.

I know this is not what MOM supporters want to hear, but I don't think he has a chance in this election.

However, I do think this election is crucial in that it is positioning him very well for a future election. It's gaining him name recognition and it's showing him to be a serious and brilliant guy.

Look at this thread: Both Hillary and Bernie people like him, and right now we don't agree that water is wet.