Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumAmy Klobuchar's Big Idea: Bipartisan Appeal Can Beat Trump
New York TimesBut Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, is making a rather traditional political bet. While primary voters might flirt with flashier presidential candidates, in the end, they will settle down with a steady Midwestern senator in 2020.
People are so mad about Donald Trump and the Republicans, she said during a recent interview in Des Moines. But remember, this is about actually getting things done. And first of all, winning an election. Theres nothing wrong with anger and passion, but its putting it into something that will get results.
Since entering the race more than two months ago in the midst of a Minnesota blizzard, Ms. Klobuchar has been resolutely inching her way forward. Forgoing packed rallies and soaring rhetoric, she is trying to sell voters on the politics of the practical, arguing that her record can win back some of the coveted Rust Belt voters who supported President Trump.
Instead of high school gymnasiums crowded with sweaty, cheering Democrats, there have been health care round tables and tours of ethanol plants. As other candidates roll out the policies of left-wing dreams, Ms. Klobuchar has focused her early proposals on reliably bipartisan concerns like infrastructure and privacy protections for personal data.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BeyondGeography
(39,374 posts)Because it aint gonna happen. Eight years of watching Barack Obama getting his outstretched hand slapped should have taught us something. And he came in with a ten million vote margin of victory. Ryan and Swalwell are making the same noises. Forget it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
yaesu
(8,020 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Maven
(10,533 posts)Agree with everything you said.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,735 posts)but Klobuchar is doing just what she's always done as a MN senator, which is going wishy-washy and trying to please everybody. It's why I was never that crazy about her and didn't expect her presidential campaign to go very far. She's been doing a good job in the various committee hearings but I don't think she has enough spine to be president.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
question everything
(47,487 posts)Having the courage to stand in front of college students and to not support free college for all, debt forgiven, and other freebies shows a core of principles.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,735 posts)there have been too many occasions where the positions she took on controversial issues were timid and vague. I wrote to her office a few times about those issues and got boilerplate responses that didn't really say anything at all, and I was left with no idea what she really thought or what she was going to do. So although she's done a good job in hearings as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and she's been presenting herself well in interviews, I'm not yet convinced that she has enough backbone to be a strong president. She has always seemed to be trying to please everyone. I'm willing to be persuaded but I'm not there yet.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PeeJ52
(1,588 posts)the floor for a vote, other than bills he thought he could embarrass Democrats over. Nothing.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Mme. Defarge
(8,034 posts)Joes running mate.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
USALiberal
(10,877 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
elleng
(130,974 posts)Pete too!!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
shanny
(6,709 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)She probably realizes that. She's a clever person. Really, by the time Iowa, New Hampshire and the Super Tuesday crowd of primaries happens, the field will get reduced to just four or five front-runners, with the rest trailing along and dropping off one by one.
Klobuchar's one of my Senators, and I like her very much. She's a good thinker, a good politician and reliable as can be. But, things are hopping in the Democratic primary race, and only the most vocal idea-mongers are going to rise to the top for this round. Biden, Bernie, Mayor Pete, Kamala Harris and maybe one or two others. The rest will be also-rans in the history books.
That's my opinion, and I doubt it will change much before March 4. If I'm surprised that day, I'll be very surprised.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
empedocles
(15,751 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
elleng
(130,974 posts)and I'd be happy to see her win. (ALL the other Dems too, of course!)
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Bettie
(16,110 posts)in reality, these days it means "start with what the Right demands, then give them some more, and they might, well, no they won't, give you a crumb of what you want".
If we were negotiating with people who had even a shred of decency in them, there might be a chance, but these people are utterly in thrall to interests that have no interest in doing anything for human people making less than, I'll be kind and say ten million a year.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
empedocles
(15,751 posts)be looking for distance from the rw. Not necessary to give up all hope, write them off, at this point.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Bettie
(16,110 posts)but current Republican leadership? Never, ever trust them.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)neither does Booker or really anyone other than the big 5-6
Biden
Bernie
Harris
Buttigieg
Beto
and maybe Warren.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
elleng
(130,974 posts)Theres nothing wrong with anger and passion, but its putting it into something that will get results.'
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Klobuchar
Getting elected (Yeah, this is Minnesota...)
Klobuchar ran for a third term and was reelected by a 24-point margin.[26] The Republican nominee was State Senator Jim Newberger. The race was not seen as close, with Klobuchar out-raising Newberger $9.9 million to $210,066 as of October 17. Klobuchar maintained a double-digit lead in the polls all autumn.[
Working across the aisle...
Getting things done...
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Paladin
(28,264 posts)We're currently burdened with a president who treats people like shit. I see no reason to replace him with another abusive executive, given the strong field of decent Democratic candidates available to us. Those of you who have suffered the effects of a hateful supervisor know what I'm talking about.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,321 posts)I am not bothered by these charges
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)I like her, and I like Democrats who campaign on representative democracy, which requires bipartisanship. Democracy that serves one party is dangerously broken and in danger of failing.
It simply cannot work. As we're seeing.
All our good candidates know we must repair our democracy and make it function as it's supposed to and be properly representative. Amy's experience and bona fides are among the strongest, though. She's rated as the most effective senator in the Democratic caucus during this mostly hamstrung period out of power.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BlueWI
(1,736 posts)I am favoring two liberal wing candidates who I think are the strongest in the field (Inslee and Warren), but Kloubuchar for me is #1 from the moderate wing of the party. She's underrated and to me would be a much better pick than Biden if you like moderates.
She would shred Trump in a debate.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)about being more moderate than I'd personally prefer. It's not what they promise, though, it's what they can and will deliver and what state they will leave our anxious, divided nation in.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
A win of the presidency and Senate is what's needed!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Luciferous
(6,084 posts)work with Democrats.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Gothmog
(145,321 posts)Amy is a very effective Senator who I might support
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
question everything
(47,487 posts)(snip)
In a five-year period from 2014 to 2018, according to GovTrack.us, Sen. Klobuchars allegedly browbeaten staff helped her co-sponsor 1,967 billsmore than any other senator except Connecticuts Richard Blumenthal. Another study, conducted in 2016, ranked her No. 1 in the Senate in lending her name to bills that were enacted into law. Perhaps her former staffers wouldnt have become so disgruntled if theyd gotten more sleep.
Another factor that hasnt been thoroughly explored is something Sen. Klobuchar flicked at on CNN. Before winning her first election in 1998, she spent 14 years in the private sector managing teams at law firms. If she learned about leadership in a rough-and-tumble corporate performance culture, its probably safe to assume that she runs her Senate shop a bit differently than a career politician.
(snip)
Sen. Klobuchar is clearly wired to be a demanding boss. Its also possible that the spotlight of the presidential campaign will reveal her to be a genuinely defective one. Either way, shes likely to lose some employees. Trust and loyalty are fragile, and a single ugly episode can shatter them forever.
The important question for voters to ponder is whether Sen. Klobuchars management style is unacceptable, or whether it generally falls inside the range of whats tolerable for most people. If the former is true, she shouldnt be elected. If its the latter, however, theres a strong argument for letting her be. A time then when good leaders are hard to find is a terrible moment to toss out every candidate on the aggressive side of the spectrum.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/13001
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
samnsara
(17,622 posts)....is that a combo to be aware of?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
dogman
(6,073 posts)If she pulls that off she''l get attention.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided