Break Glass - 2020 USA Elections

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  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    Tom Steyer has dropped out.

    Pete Buttigieg has also dropped out.

    Stay tuned.
  • NicoleMR wrote: »
    Well dang. Pete Buttigieg is suspending his campaign!
    I just heard that.
    :cry:


  • Hope we have not heard the end of Pete Buttigieg in service to the country. He was not my candidate but I do appreciate him.
  • Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    NicoleMR wrote: »
    Well dang. Pete Buttigieg is suspending his campaign!
    I just heard that.
    :cry:
    I know how you feel. :disappointed:

    We vote on Super Tuesday. I usually do early voting, but decided not to this year for this very reason—I didn’t want to vote for someone, only to have them drop out before the actual primary day.

  • I agree with Graven Image. I don't think we have heard the last of Mayor Pete. He has built a solid foundation this campaign.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    I am in agreement, I think Pete is angling for at least a cabinet position. Since he has a military background, I could see Secretary of Defense. However, another possibility would be Housing and Urban Development, or Veteran's Affairs.
  • NicoleMRNicoleMR Shipmate
    I understand he is giving his support to Biden.
  • Arizona votes on March 17. My ballot is sitting here unmarked, as I've been waiting to see who is left after Super Tuesday. I'm having a hard time working up any enthusiasm about any of the remaining names. The best I can say about most of them is that they're not T*ump.
    :cry:
  • Good thing I didn't vote for him, then! ;) Mailed in my ballot today, marked for Elizabeth Warren. I think that her talents and temperament are much better suited to Congress. But she''s the best choice of the lot, IMHO.
  • Does anyone know, or know where I can find, information about the remaining candidates who are currently in the Senate (Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar) -- who's in the final year of their term, who's rerunning for re-election if not the presidential candidate, etc.? Yesterday a friend and I were talking about, specifically, Warren and Klobuchar and feeling we needed to keep them in the Senate. So I'm just wondering if any or all of the three would remain Senators if not moving to the Executive Branch (as POTUS or VPOTUS).
  • You might find some of that at the Senate site. E.g., senators have their own pages.
  • Clarification:
    Golden Key wrote: »
    Good thing I didn't vote for him, then! ;) Mailed in my ballot today, marked for Elizabeth Warren. I think that her talents and temperament are much better suited to Congress. But she''s the best choice of the lot, IMHO.

    "Him" is Buttigieg. Was responding to a post that was just above, at that time.

  • Nick Tamen wrote: »
    We vote on Super Tuesday. I usually do early voting, but decided not to this year for this very reason—I didn’t want to vote for someone, only to have them drop out before the actual primary day.

    Mailed in my California ballot today. Believe it or not, it still had the dozen or so candidates we started with. Probably was printed way in advance.

  • Good luck making your decision, voters. May you be choosing the next President of the USA. Whoever it is, this little black duck will sleep easier knowing that Trump is gone.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    NicoleMR wrote: »
    I understand he is giving his support to Biden.

    There are rumors of consolidating the campaigns but no one has announced anything official yet. This may (or may not) be anonymous sources following their own agendas.

    Buttigieg's withdrawal is significant because he is the first candidate with any pledged delegates to drop out. It should be noted that Buttigieg could still theoretically win more delegates since some early or absentee ballots for Super Tuesday have already been cast.
  • Steyer's TV ads are still running here. I don't know what kind of contracts are involved. Maybe they pay for a whole series at once, and can't cancel?
  • stetsonstetson Shipmate
    NicoleMR wrote: »
    Well dang. Pete Buttigieg is suspending his campaign!

    Which should bring the average age of the candidates up to about 89.

  • Golden Key wrote: »
    Nick Tamen wrote: »
    We vote on Super Tuesday. I usually do early voting, but decided not to this year for this very reason—I didn’t want to vote for someone, only to have them drop out before the actual primary day.

    Mailed in my California ballot today. Believe it or not, it still had the dozen or so candidates we started with. Probably was printed way in advance.
    Undoubtedly they were printed some time ago. Here, ballots were printed in early January, so as to be ready for absentee voting, which started in mid-January. (Federal law, if I recall correctly, requires 45-60 days of absentee voting for military and overseas voters).

  • stetson wrote: »
    NicoleMR wrote: »
    Well dang. Pete Buttigieg is suspending his campaign!

    Which should bring the average age of the candidates up to about 89.

    That low?
  • Hope we have not heard the end of Pete Buttigieg in service to the country. He was not my candidate but I do appreciate him.

    He'll run every four years for the rest of our lives.
  • Hope we have not heard the end of Pete Buttigieg in service to the country. He was not my candidate but I do appreciate him.

    He'll run every four years for the rest of our lives.

    Ugh, seriously. I wish he would find something useful to do at state level, or run for Congress or something, and get some experience under his belt.

    I keep hearing about how the Democrats keep getting whipped by Republicans at state level because the party focuses too much attention on the presidential race and don't support their down-ballot candidates, and hence we have Republican governors and state legislatures all over the country.
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    stetson wrote: »
    NicoleMR wrote: »
    Well dang. Pete Buttigieg is suspending his campaign!

    Which should bring the average age of the candidates up to about 89.

    Really about 75. Oldest is Sanders at 79, Biden and Blomberg 78. Warren 70 and Klobuchar 59.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    stetson wrote: »
    NicoleMR wrote: »
    Well dang. Pete Buttigieg is suspending his campaign!

    Which should bring the average age of the candidates up to about 89.

    Really about 75. Oldest is Sanders at 79 [ 78 ], Biden [ at 77 ] and Blomberg 78. Warren 70 and Klobuchar 59.

    [ Ages corrected ]

    67.2 if you include Tulsi Gabbard, who is still running. With Pete Buttigieg the average age was 63.0. It should be noted that if he had been elected Buttigieg would have been the youngest president in American history. Same for Gabbard, for that matter.
  • Hope we have not heard the end of Pete Buttigieg in service to the country. He was not my candidate but I do appreciate him.

    He'll run every four years for the rest of our lives.

    Ugh, seriously. I wish he would find something useful to do at state level, or run for Congress or something, and get some experience under his belt.

    I keep hearing about how the Democrats keep getting whipped by Republicans at state level because the party focuses too much attention on the presidential race and don't support their down-ballot candidates, and hence we have Republican governors and state legislatures all over the country.

    He would make a great Governor, Senator, or Representative -- but he's in Indiana, aka Mike Pence territory.

    I do think the future will hold great things for him and Chasten, and I'm sure they'll figure out the way ahead.

    I was upset to hear his announcement yesterday -- I was not really surprised, but I thought he'd wait until after Super Tuesday, and hoped he'd wait until after the Arizona Primary on March 17 so that I'd be able to vote for him. But rather than regret the support I gave to his campaign, I feel good knowing that at least I tried. If I hadn't, I might be thinking "If only I had made an effort." I believed in his candidacy and I put my money where my heart was. And... I was delighted to meet Chasten (and have a delightful photograph of the two of us).

    I shall continue to support my candidates for Senator and Representative (and the Democrat running against Mitch in Kentucky).
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    He would make a great Governor, Senator, or Representative -- but he's in Indiana, aka Mike Pence territory.

    I'm pretty sure that one of the reasons that Republicans have such a hammer-lock on the state of Indiana is that ambitious up-and-coming Democratic talent like Buttigieg just assume there's no future for them at the state level. "We are the change that we seek", said someone or other.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    And just like that Amy Klobuchar is out, too.
    Sen. Amy Klobuchar ended her presidential campaign on Monday, and planned to endose former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic race.

    A campaign spokeswoman said Klobuchar was flying to Dallas to join Biden at a rally on Monday evening. Her decision further consolidates the Democratic field ahead of Tuesday’s 14-state primary; Klobuchar dropped out less than 24 hours after former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., who has not yet endorsed.

    Apparently the moderate wing of the Democratic party is both aware of Duverger's law and remembers the 2016 Republican primary, where a truly off-the-wall candidate was able to win with ~30% support because the opposition to him was so divided.

    Given that most of the polling so far includes Buttigieg and Klobuchar as candidates it's fair to say that at this point no one knows what's going to happen on Super Tuesday (a.k.a. "tomorrow").
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Does anyone know, or know where I can find, information about the remaining candidates who are currently in the Senate (Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar) -- who's in the final year of their term, who's rerunning for re-election if not the presidential candidate, etc.? Yesterday a friend and I were talking about, specifically, Warren and Klobuchar and feeling we needed to keep them in the Senate. So I'm just wondering if any or all of the three would remain Senators if not moving to the Executive Branch (as POTUS or VPOTUS).

    Of all the current U.S. Senators who ran for their party's presidential nomination in 2020 the only one who's up for reelection this year is Cory Booker. (Bernie Sanders technically isn't a Democrat but his Senate term doesn't expire until 2024 either.)
  • Gramps49Gramps49 Shipmate
    [quote
    Crœsos wrote: »
    And just like that Amy Klobuchar is out, too.
    Sen. Amy Klobuchar ended her presidential campaign on Monday, and planned to endose former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic race.

    A campaign spokeswoman said Klobuchar was flying to Dallas to join Biden at a rally on Monday evening. Her decision further consolidates the Democratic field ahead of Tuesday’s 14-state primary; Klobuchar dropped out less than 24 hours after former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., who has not yet endorsed.

    Apparently the moderate wing of the Democratic party is both aware of Duverger's law and remembers the 2016 Republican primary, where a truly off-the-wall candidate was able to win with ~30% support because the opposition to him was so divided.

    Given that most of the polling so far includes Buttigieg and Klobuchar as candidates it's fair to say that at this point no one knows what's going to happen on Super Tuesday (a.k.a. "tomorrow").

    The most recent polls had shown that if the field did not narrow down going into Super Tuesday Biden would have not gotten 15% of the votes in California and, therefore, would not have gotten any delegates.

    With Pete and Amy both dropping out, I get the impression this is a way to try to Stop Bernie and save Biden.
  • TwilightTwilight Shipmate
    Crœsos wrote: »

    Apparently the moderate wing of the Democratic party is both aware of Duverger's law and remembers the 2016 Republican primary, where a truly off-the-wall candidate was able to win with ~30% support because the opposition to him was so divided.

    Given that most of the polling so far includes Buttigieg and Klobuchar as candidates it's fair to say that at this point no one knows what's going to happen on Super Tuesday (a.k.a. "tomorrow").

    Well that's very interesting. That wiki definition of Duverger's law has fully six phrases in blue, meaning someone like me might have to look those up, so I barely understood it, but the helpful example of the 2016 Republican primary explained it all for me.

    So if Buttigieg and Klobuchar, two moderates I admire, have dropped out for fear that votes for them will help Sanders win, indicated by their endorsement of Biden, then that has convinced me to vote for Biden.

  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Gramps49 wrote: »
    The most recent polls had shown that if the field did not narrow down going into Super Tuesday Biden would have not gotten 15% of the votes in California and, therefore, would not have gotten any delegates.

    Well, not many. As I pointed out back in January most states in the Democratic primary award some of their delegates on a Congressional District or county level. For example, anyone with at least 15% of the statewide vote in California will split 144 delegates proportionally with everyone else who clears the 15% threshold. California will also award 271 delegates proportionally based on the 15%+ winners in each of its 53 Congressional Districts. If you're at ~13% statewide (best estimate of Biden's position within California as of pre-Buttigieg/Klobuchar withdrawal polling) then you're likely above 15% in at least some of those Congressional Districts. That's how Klobuchar managed to snag a delegate in Iowa despite coming in at ~12% statewide.
    Twilight wrote: »
    So if Buttigieg and Klobuchar, two moderates I admire, have dropped out for fear that votes for them will help Sanders win, indicated by their endorsement of Biden, then that has convinced me to vote for Biden.

    Well, Buttigieg hasn't endorsed Biden yet, though his people have hinted about it. Klobuchar has, though.
  • Crœsos wrote: »
    Of all the current U.S. Senators who ran for their party's presidential nomination in 2020 the only one who's up for reelection this year is Cory Booker. (Bernie Sanders technically isn't a Democrat but his Senate term doesn't expire until 2024 either.)
    Thanks, Crœsos. That makes voting for Biden in the Arizona primary a little more palatable, as it would mean keeping the other three two in the Senate, where we need them.


  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Thanks, Crœsos. That makes voting for Biden in the Arizona primary a little more palatable, as it would mean keeping the other three two in the Senate, where we need them.

    I'm pretty sure Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders would rather have your primary vote.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    For those still keeping track at home, the candidates still in the Democratic presidential primary are:

    1. Bernie Sanders
    2. Joe Biden
    3. Elizabeth Warren
    4. Michael Bloomberg
    4. Tulsi Gabbard
    [ ranked in descending order of delegate count ]

    As noted, there's a 15% threshold for winning delegates in a Democratic primary. That means that each jurisdiction can theoretically award delegates to at most six candidates. (In practical terms the limit is probably four.) This is the first time since early 2015 that there have been fewer than six candidates in the race.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    That last post should read " . . . since early 2019 . . . "
  • Crœsos wrote: »
    Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Thanks, Crœsos. That makes voting for Biden in the Arizona primary a little more palatable, as it would mean keeping the other three two in the Senate, where we need them.

    I'm pretty sure Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders would rather have your primary vote.

    Tough! What they would rather have is of no concern to me. At this point I'm only looking at Biden as the least bad, and putting more effort into having both Houses of Congress blue.

    I am NOT a happy owl.
  • HedgehogHedgehog Shipmate
    Crœsos wrote: »
    For those still keeping track at home, the candidates still in the Democratic presidential primary are:

    1. Bernie Sanders
    2. Joe Biden
    3. Elizabeth Warren
    4. Michael Bloomberg
    4. Tulsi Gabbard
    [ ranked in descending order of delegate count ]
    Average age: 68.6. Without Gabbard, the average age would be...76.25.
  • Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Crœsos wrote: »
    Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Thanks, Crœsos. That makes voting for Biden in the Arizona primary a little more palatable, as it would mean keeping the other three two in the Senate, where we need them.

    I'm pretty sure Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders would rather have your primary vote.

    Tough! What they would rather have is of no concern to me. At this point I'm only looking at Biden as the least bad, and putting more effort into having both Houses of Congress blue.

    I am NOT a happy owl.

    Why do you resist? We only want what is best for you, universal medicare for all ages.

    You too will become one with The Bern.
  • I really don't want Biden. He periodically bumbles--not as badly as T, but... Plus #MeToo.

    Perhaps Buttigieg and Klobuchar are hoping for cabinet posts with Biden, or have had the possibility mentioned to them?
  • Though again, I'll take a flying squirrel over Trump.
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    Though again, I'll take a flying squirrel over Trump.

    Or either one of my cats, or a grilled cheese sandwich ...
  • Yes, and I will vote in the fall for whoever the Dem nominee is. I don't really want any of the candidates, but any one of them is far better than T.
  • CrœsosCrœsos Shipmate
    Golden Key wrote: »
    Perhaps Buttigieg and Klobuchar are hoping for cabinet posts with Biden, or have had the possibility mentioned to them?

    Possibly, or the merely pragmatic assessment that they prefer Biden over Sanders, Warren, or Bloomberg (the other plausible Democratic nominees) and that this is the last point at which their influence could be crucial.
  • Well I have learned my lesson, never again will I vote by mail early. I just threw away a vote, and now I can not vote for who is left. I will however vote for who ever makes it on the November ballot that is not Trump.
  • Well I have learned my lesson, never again will I vote by mail early. I just threw away a vote, and now I can not vote for who is left. I will however vote for who ever makes it on the November ballot that is not Trump.
    One of the reasons having primaries and caucuses on different days is stupid.
  • A grilled cheese sandwich would be really good.
  • RuthRuth Shipmate
    lilbuddha wrote: »
    Well I have learned my lesson, never again will I vote by mail early. I just threw away a vote, and now I can not vote for who is left. I will however vote for who ever makes it on the November ballot that is not Trump.
    One of the reasons having primaries and caucuses on different days is stupid.

    Huh? Early voting and spacing out the primaries and caucuses are different things. I never vote by mail because it's possibly and sometimes likely that things will change between the day I fill out the ballot and election day. But I don't have a problem with the primary season being stretched out over several months, as a one-day nationwide primary would make it too hard for a lot of candidates to run -- the country's just too big.
  • Hmmmm...maybe if a candidate promised a grilled cheese sandwich in every pot*? (With alternatives available for people on diets that are vegetarian/vegan, low-/no-carb, halal, kosher, fruitarian, breatharian, etc.)

    *Paraphrasing an old campaign saying/promise of "a chicken in every pot". I *think* it was either Truman or FDR.
  • Simon ToadSimon Toad Shipmate
    edited March 2020
    I suppose you can't vote Wilkinson, but if she's out Harris but if she's out Castro but if he's out Yang...

    I honestly don't understand people's 'I don't like any of them' response. Warren is a superb candidate. Klobachar had potential, Bernie has great policies and is getting the young out. What are the qualities people expect of candidates?
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host, Epiphanies Host
    I think Joe Biden has a better chance of winning than Bernie.
    He seems more likely to get general support. I appreciate that Bernie has a lot of support from young people but I can't see that support staying away or voting for Trump. A toasted cheese sandwich is better than that mountebank and I'm sure the young will see that.

    I'm sure Trump already has dirty strategies in waiting for either of them. In Biden's case it will probably include a variation of 'Crooked Joe - lock him up' re Ukraine. Coupled with an attack on his age. With Sanders it will be socialism plus age and health.

    Trump's biggest threat is an economic downturn. He hasn't helped his cause by talking nonsense about the Coronavirus in an attempt to avoid/mitigate the market course correction.
  • stetsonstetson Shipmate
    Golden Key wrote: »
    Hmmmm...maybe if a candidate promised a grilled cheese sandwich in every pot*? (With alternatives available for people on diets that are vegetarian/vegan, low-/no-carb, halal, kosher, fruitarian, breatharian, etc.)

    *Paraphrasing an old campaign saying/promise of "a chicken in every pot". I *think* it was either Truman or FDR.

    It was a Republican campaign slogan in 1928. And, at least according to that site, it wasn't a promise for the future, but a statement about the present, ie. the US was supposedly very prosperous under Hoover.

    But yes, I think many people(myself included) have, at times, wrongly linked it to the Democrats and FDR's 1932 campaign, during the Great Depression. Even after I found out it was from Hoover, I assumed he had made it after the stock-market crash.
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