I have to say it's nice not to be emotionally invested in any one candidate.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Have a nice evening...

[Turin_C3PO]

1. Yes it is.

I learned my lesson in 2016.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. I see all these intramural battles here and feel no need to join them.

[True Dough]

4. I'm sure Cory Booker

with be disappointed in your withdrawal.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. I like Cory, Kamala, Joe, Pete, Jay, and Marianne but I'm not emotionally invested in any of them.

[True Dough]

13. Just remember

Let that set you free.

[RHMerriman]

2. Good to be invested in a party that fights the enemy, as well...

Good to be invested in a party that fights the enemy, as well...

as opposed to attacking your allies.

[PatSeg]

7. Absolutely

Democrats need to stop looking for some savior, another FDR, JFK, etc., and focus on reality. We need talented and progressive people in congress and state and local government as well. ONE wondrous person is not going swoop down and fix all our problems.

I say this as a Democrat who was always looking for that one inspirational person and in the process, I didn't see the big picture. I am a die-hard liberal and optimist, but age and experience has added a dash of realism and pragmatism to the mix.

We need to stop having unrealistic expectations for our candidates and stop eating our own.

[Skya Rhen]

11. Agreed!

[pazzyanne]

21. Totally agree!

[RHMerriman]

22. As Franklin said:

As Franklin said:

We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.

[PatSeg]

34. Oh yes

But of course not like republicans, who blindly follow their leaders like sheep. We can be independent and still be unified in purpose.

[RHMerriman]

37. True ... I'd just prefer we not knife our side

True ... I'd just prefer we not knife our side

[PatSeg]

38. Same here

People can disagree civilly about issues, but there is no reason for attacks on fellow Democrats.

[RHMerriman]

40. Yep ... sort of makes one wonder whose side some people are really on...

Yep ... sort of makes one wonder whose side some people are really on...

[PatSeg]

41. And after 2016,

most of us are reading between the lines.

[RHMerriman]

42. Yep...

If Biden does get it, I hope he thinks long and hard about who gets the VP slot. It does not need to be one of the other presidential candidates ... Secretary Clinton selected Sen. Kaine, after all.

Biden could really throw a wrench in the GOP's bullshit and come back with someone like Stavridis (who Clinton considered) or McRaven (who essentially told Trump to fuck off.)

McRaven could also put Texas into play, which would be a hell of a thing; so could Castro or O'Rourke, of course, but a retired flag officer throws the GOP completely back on the heels ... and, as said, McRaven is a Texan. Stavridis is a Floridian, so that's an interesting possibility as well.

I think all the Democratic candidates who are in the Senate should stay there, frankly, and those with a shot at turning a seat in 2020 or 2022 (Castro and O'Rourke, for example) should be focusing there; if we do get a Democratic president in 2020, we need Democratic control of both Houses of Congress to repair the damage McConnell, Ryan, and Trump have done, much less any chance at passing liberal priorities.

Biden-McRaven 2020.

[PatSeg]

43. Oh, I don't know

I would bet money that Joe would definitely pick a woman as a VP and I'd be very disappointed if he didn't. It is also likely it would be someone with name recognition. I was so disappointed with Hillary's choice in 2016. It was uninspiring and predictable. I thought she'd go for someone like one of the Castro brothers or even more daring, a woman running mate like Elizabeth Warren.

With a dictator wannabe in the White House right now, I don't think people would warm up to a military guy on the ticket right now.

I do agree that a lot of these presidential candidates would serve us better by running for a senate seat (or staying there if they are already senators). Not everyone can be president and it takes more than a president to run and sustain a democracy.

[RHMerriman]

44. In a normal election year, I'd agree... but this is not a normal election year

In a normal election year, I'd agree... but this is not a normal election year.

Our country is - literally - one election away from a president who would feel emboldened enough to order federal troops into the streets to stop demonstrations against his Administration.

Our country is - perhaps - even closer to a president who would feel emboldened enough to order federal troops or law enforcement to seize ballot boxes, state elections offices, or even close polling stations.

My expectation is the military would say no, and other than - perhaps - ICE/CBP, law enforcement would say no as well.

But that's my expectation, not a certainty.

Trump is the most dangerous man to serve in the White House since Franklin Buchanan.

Beyond that, this election has to be a national security election. The basic democratic process is under attack by a foreign power; the US is enmeshed in ground wars in Southwest Asia that have lasted for 17 years, and our country and our true allies in the Western Hemisphere, Europe, and the northwest Pacific face nation state competitors that have formidable military power.

Biden is a Washington veteran, but other than serving in the Obama Administration and his work in Congress, he has no real diplomatic or military experience. The other candidates have even less, with the exception of Buttigieg, but Pete's political experience is limited to serving as mayor of a city of 100,000.

IF - and that remains a huge IF - we get a Democrat elected in 2020, simply rebuilding our alliances and reorganizing the DoD will be a major task, and a president alone can't do it.

A vp candidate like McRaven fills a lot of needs; and, as someone born and raised in Texas, and the former chancellor of UT, he throws the state into the truly contested pile.

And can you imagine someone like that facing off against Pence? And serving as the "bad cop" against Trump, while Biden does the "good cop" routine?

Like I said:

"Have you had enough of Trump? Bring back people who know what they're doing. Biden-McRaven 2020."

[PatSeg]

45. Actually Joe has had a lot of foreign affairs

and diplomatic experience, plus close ties to the military even though he did not serve.

I just don't think most voters will warm to a white military man on the ticket this time around. Of course, it WOULD be fun watching the VP debate with McRaven though!

[RHMerriman]

46. I did say:

other than serving in the Obama Administration and his work in Congress, he has no real diplomatic or military experience.

which is true. Biden has never served in a diplomatic or quasi-diplomatic position, and is not a veteran.

Hence my point that a VP candidate like McRaven would bring a lot to the table.

And yes, having the Democratic VP be a decorated combat veteran and retired flag officer, when both of the Republicans managed to avoid any military service, would be a huge benefit to the ticket. As would McRaven being a Texan and Stavridis being a Floridian.

I don't see anyone even remotely close to that sort of benefit.

Anyway, I'm going to drop off - apparently the moderators are watching.

[PatSeg]

47. They are watching?

Didn't think we were being controversial.

I guess we will just have to disagree on this one, which is fine. Democrats CAN disagree and still be civil. Have a great weekend.

[Still In Wisconsin]

5. I agree. In 2004 I became, for various reasons, very emotionally invested in John Kerry

Yeah I know, I know, a lot of people weren't into him at all- but I was. When he "lost" I became depressed. As in, clinically. I was not well, for about 18 months. I considered (but never attempted) suicide.

Cautionary tale.

[Turin_C3PO]

8. 2004 and 2016.

I was so depressed after those elections. Devastating.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. 2016 was a shock. Kerry was an underdog but he sure did make it close.

[Still In Wisconsin]

15. He did. It came down to Ohio. Damn.

I actually met Kerry at a rally here in Wisconsin on election day, then he jumped on a plane to go home and vote, and I headed back to the NICU to be with my wife and prematurely born son. I think Kerry would have been a great President. He wasn't just "not Bush" to me, he was and is a really good person and would have done a great job. Same for Madam Secretary in 2016, but not to be I guess.

Good thing is, we've got several people in contention now who I think would be really good/great Presidents.

[Still In Wisconsin]

10. A lot of us were.

The 2016 one- I don't know, lots of therapy and the fact that I'm now in recovery (I am an alcoholic) kept me from totally losing my grip. Not that I don't have my moments because God help us, living with this Schmuck as President.

[karynnj]

18. John Kerry was, by far, the candidate I became the most committed to

Part of the reason was that unlike most candidates, the more I looked into who he was and his life, I became more and more convinced that he was an unusually good, decent man, of great integrity, with the strength of character to take on tough challenges.

When he lost, I found DU JK. It was important to me then to have a virtual community that saw what we lost. As much as I respected him in 2004, after watching him for more than a decade, I am even more impressed. His book is a very interesting account of the last half century and it shows more of this very private public man.

[blue cat]

27. Me too

You could be talking about me. I hear what your saying.

[JI7]

31. i was very much into him and it took Obama winning the presidency

to get out of that bad place emotionally from the loss.

[CentralMass]

12. Well there are 20 or so to chose from. I've heard some of them are very nice.

[tishaLA]

14. The only candidate I've been emotionally invested in is Obama

and I don't regret it. But for now I remain a free agent who believes that some candidates are preferable to others.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. He was sui generis.

[IluvPitties]

19. Obama was my guy.

The JFK of my generation, and one of the greatest modern presidents.

[True Dough]

26. Not a word of a lie

I just finished tell my wife of a dream I had last night. She and I were among a huge crowd present in an arena during a speaking engagement. We were all enthralled and hanging on his every word. The occasion was uplifting and inspiring. Then, just before I woke up, I felt this profound sense of sadness. I realized that while Obama boosted our spirits, he would be getting on a plane and flying elsewhere, no longer part of our lives, and we'd still be left to deal with the Orange BLOTUS.

Talk about an emotional rollercoaster of a dream!

[ecstatic]

39. +1000. nt

[lunamagica]

17. MTE

[comradebillyboy]

20. I would be ok with any of the actual Democrats running.

Obviously some are more electable but there is only one candidate I...

[genxlib]

23. There is really little point

If you live in a late primary state like I do. Usually the choice is made by the time I get to vote. At best, it will be winnowed down to a few people still in contention.

Choosing now is just a recipe for disappointment.

[Peacetrain]

24. oh DSB... I am invested..but that does not mean I shoot myself in the foot

if someone else took the nod.. I am one of those, who has to be invested in a candidate to be willing to go and caucus for them and speak for them.. etc etc.. but with that comes the baggage of not being happy if you sense they are being unfairly attacked.. As an Obama supporter I spent a tremendous amount of my time out in limbo.. because my heart was so with him.. and do not regret it one moment.. did the same with HRC (after my original candidate Martin O'Malley who I was captain for in our caucus left the election) in 2016, (which is so funny, because it was the HRC people who literally drove me out of here in 2008).. so its all good in the end.. we will all make up.. well most of us will..

[Honeycombe8]

25. I feel your non-pain.

I just expressed support for Pete, but we all know he's not likely to win the nomination.

I see the attacks going back and forth against the various candidates. Some are fair, some are not. I can be impartial.

I think it's healthy to root out the issues with each candidate. Because they'll come out for the GE.

[MoonRiver]

28. I have my favorite, but am not about to get into food fights over her versus others' choices.

OTOH, I do have a couple of candidates I am strongly against. I will leave it there.

[JI7]

29. I am most emotionally invested in beating trump and that means

fully supporting whoever ends up the nominee .

[Turin_C3PO]

30. This.

I’ll be devastated if we don’t kick his sorry ass out of our White House.

[Mach1miles]

32. It's still early.

I’ll see how this plays out. Sending a few dollars to my favorites.

[cwydro]

33. I really don't get the "swooning" thing that so many seem to have for their candidate.

Some here seem to be incredibly attached.

I’ve never needed to be “in love” with a candidate. I want someone who can run the country, an intelligent person who can meet foreign leaders on equal terms.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

35. I find this dynamic fascinating.

Candidate X attacks Candidate Y and then the partisans of Candidate Y attack Candidate X. Then the partisans of Candidate Y attack Candidate X. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

[cwydro]

36. Well this forum is pretty much the same every time the primaries roll around lol.

You’re right about that.