Given that just about everyone in the Democratic Party ran this year, I'm not sure what 'better candidates' you would be referring to? :lol:

But how many of them were any good? And, if they were good, why did Democrat supporters choose to vote for someone else?

Fundraising capabilities, name recognition, media attention, the pretty obvious occurrence of every other moderate candidate falling in line behind Joe Biden once it was clear it was him or Bernie. There's some straight lines to how this ended up the way they did and very little of it has to do with Biden's worth as a candidate.

 

The Democratic party think Trump will be a cakewalk. They're wrong, but they do, or they'd have thrown their media weight behind Sanders/a candidate with significant policies. They've always thought that Trump is easily beatable. So I really don't think this is a case of better candidates saving themselves, because they'd be assuming that the Democrats will win this cycle and then it really would be 8 years.

@1247914464319504385

Fundraising capabilities, name recognition, media attention, the pretty obvious occurrence of every other moderate candidate falling in line behind Joe Biden once it was clear it was him or Bernie. There's some straight lines to how this ended up the way they did and very little of it has to do with Biden's worth as a candidate.

 

The Democratic party think Trump will be a cakewalk. They're wrong, but they do, or they'd have thrown their media weight behind Sanders/a candidate with significant policies. They've always thought that Trump is easily beatable. So I really don't think this is a case of better candidates saving themselves, because they'd be assuming that the Democrats will win this cycle and then it really would be 8 years.

Some of those who withdrew early may have entered in the first place simply to raise their profile with a view to making a proper run in four years' time. The simple fact remains that none of the Democrats who have run against an incumbent Republican president since Carter against Ford in 1976 have enthused me in the slightest. It is also the case that the 1976 election was always likely to result in a Democrat victory from the moment Nixon resigned.

Some of those who withdrew early may have entered in the first place simply to raise their profile with a view to making a proper run in four years' time. The simple fact remains that none of the Democrats who have run against an incumbent Republican president since Carter against Ford in 1976 have enthused me in the slightest. It is also the case that the 1976 election was always likely to result in a Democrat victory from the moment Nixon resigned.

 

Clinton won against an incumbent in 1992 didn't he?

 

I don't see why it wouldn't be even more likely this year given how polarised yet engaged the electorate is, but frankly having an opponent as comically weak as Biden is really going to sap a lot of the needed energy for this election.

Clinton won against an incumbent in 1992 didn't he?

 

I don't see why it wouldn't be even more likely this year given how polarised yet engaged the electorate is, but frankly having an opponent as comically weak as Biden is really going to sap a lot of the needed energy for this election.

Oh yes, so he did. As for this year, Trump should be more vulnerable after the last few months but the damage has been done and we are lumbered with Biden as the alternative. Perhaps the best hope is that he picks a good running-mate, wins and then gives the VP a higher profile than normal. Having done that, he then announces his intention to serve just a single term.

Clinton won against an incumbent in 1992 didn't he?

 

I don't see why it wouldn't be even more likely this year given how polarised yet engaged the electorate is, but frankly having an opponent as comically weak as Biden is really going to sap a lot of the needed energy for this election.

 

There was a popular 3rd party candidate in Ross Perot in 1992, which might have helped Clinton in that election.

There was a popular 3rd party candidate in Ross Perot in 1992, which might have helped Clinton in that election.

 

Oh, I didn't realise that. I wonder if strong support for a 3rd party candidate will emerge in the coming months? I'd say the current situation could be quite favourable, but let's see.

With Sanders having effectively given his endorsement to Biden, there doesn't seem much prospect of a third-party candidate. Not one with any sort of name recognition anyway.

There's an interesting article on the Presidential election on the BBC website today - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52326166

 

The gist of it is that the date of the election is governed by federal law, not the constitution. Therefore, the date can be changed. However, that fact is rendered largely irrelevant by the fact that the four-year term is governed by the constitution. Regardless of when (or whether) the election is held, Trump's term ends on 20 Jan 2021. The term of the next two people in line (Mike Pence and Nancy Pelosi) ends on the same date.

 

Just to add to the fun, there is a reminder that - in theory - the President is elected by the electoral college, not the people. The individual state votes are advisory, not binding (that bit might sound familiar). States could try to insist that the electoral college can go ahead without an election. What fun!

Quite concerning about the House and Senate races - with likely limited opportunities to properly hold primaries there might be legal challenges there to ensure the electorally correct candidates are selected, and in scenarios where the elections just don't happen they you have literally only 2/3rds of a Senate legally in office across both houses.

 

It won't look pretty either if the electoral college decides on some seemingly arbitrary basis what to vote for either.

 

Perhaps a big part of what those looking to defend the constitution should be doing is arranging and publicising the ability for universal mail-in ballots.

 

(I have no idea how South Korea managed to pull off their election a few days ago even with their comparatively good situation)

https://medium.com/@ruthannoskolkoff/party-...ng-517601f1d9bb

 

Aand that was written back in January! Hence Warren randomly attacking Bernie in February, Pete mysteriously dropping out in 2nd place, 100s of poll closures, exit polls being massively wrong, etc. They went and stole it again!

 

On the Russian thing: my Bernie friends have bren accused of being Russian bots for months.

 

Warren is going to be vp. Greaaat! That's their attempts at swaying Bernie voters. Too and they have seen through her and want to primary hwr in hwr own state!

(I have no idea how South Korea managed to pull off their election a few days ago even with their comparatively good situation)

 

Apparently they had two different voting booths - one for those definitely without symptoms/virus and one for suspected cases, hand sanitiser and plastic gloves were provided and social distancing maintained and masks recommended. I guess it isn't too different to how we've been shopping in supermarkets, with screens to protect those working there. Governments in Europe and the rest of the west have a lot to learn from them, although it did give a (likely unrepresentative) poll boost to the incumbent so in the case of the UK, maybe don't learn these lessons, thanks. x

So in light of the Tara Reid allegations, and Joe's general awfulness and creepiness, rumours abound that Pete has been privately declaring himself the new presumptive nominee. Meanwhilw, presumptive VP pick, Warren, has been negotiating for TOP of the ticket, and Noam Chompsky has been mediating a Warren-Bernie discussion. It appears that Bernie wants witnesses for any and all future meetings with The Snake.

It's all kicking off isn't it, Trump had a meltdown yesterday and Biden can't stop saying the word 'intercourse' in interviews.

 

We are witnessing an inward turning America sliding rapidly away from its global dominance to be replaced by China imminently...

God we need the European Union. Every step I see the US makes underlines that, for me, the world would be in a better place where the EU replaces the US at the top of the western hierarchy. It’s not flashy and fancy and it’s deeply flawed but it’s stable and moves with thought and diligence

I worry about the big world power passing from the US to China during this century, it's been a while since a great power wasn't a democracy!

The local town in from in a NI was featured in the Ch4 news tonight 😀 Quite cool as I riding expect it and watch the ch4 new religiously every night, by far the best news programme!

The local town in from in a NI was featured in the Ch4 news tonight 😀 Quite cool as I riding expect it and watch the ch4 new religiously every night, by far the best news programme!

 

What did they have to say about Trump? :o

Nothing about Trump lol just NI restrictions!