Democratic debate

[rubato]

I don't have strong feelings either way. He is not a threat to HRC getting the nomination but he could be useful as a backup candidate if something goes really wrong.


yrs,
rubato

[RayThom]

Run, Bernie, run.

And God bless America.

[Lord Jim]

I'm somewhat surprised; he's been signaling pretty strongly in a wide variety of ways that he was going to get in...

[Guinevere]

Is there where I say "I told you so?"

As I said several times here, he never had the heart for it. You cannot run for President it you truly don't have the desire, despite pressure, polls, and ability to raise money.

I'm just glad we are done waiting for Godot.

[RayThom]

Is there where I say "I told you so?"

“Yeah, almost everybody knows that, but did you know that playing cards with Kenny Rogers gets old pretty fast?”

(♪, ♫)“You’ve got to know when to hold ’em / Know when to fold ’em / Know when to walk away / Know when to run...”

[Guinevere]

Do we need to check off that a Mister Metric Chafee mercifully dropped out today?

[RayThom]

Do we need to check off that a Mister Metric Chafee mercifully dropped out today?

Who???

[Lord Jim]

Is there where I say "I told you so?"

As I said several times here, he never had the heart for it. You cannot run for President it you truly don't have the desire, despite pressure, polls, and ability to raise money.

I'm just glad we are done waiting for Godot.

I'll give you props for calling the ultimate decision correctly, but I disagree with what you see as the reasoning behind his decision...

I think he demonstrated quite clearly that he had "the heart" for it...

In watching that Rose Garden speech, I saw a man who really, really wanted to run...

He made clear from the outset that the grieving process was behind him, and he was ready to run...

In fact he was so ready to run, that after announcing that he wouldn't run, he went on to make the speech that he would have given had he decided to run...

A part of the speech which he gave with great enthusiasm and passion...

Unlike the first part of the speech where he announced he wasn't running...

Remember, this is a guy who ran for President twice before, and seriously considered running two other times...

This is a man who has for several decades firmly believed he would make an excellent President, and firmly had "the heart" to make one last run...

I think you've got the wrong end of the stick in terms of why he decided not to run...

I think he decided not to run, for the reason he stated...

That he believed that the "window has closed" on his ability to mount a winning campaign for the nomination...(Having attempted this twice before, he has some knowledge on the subject)

The unspoken but clearly implied bit in the "window has closed" comment, is that the money people and the organization people told him that it was too late to mount a successful campaign against the Team Clinton Juggernaut...

Joe Biden's decision not to seek The Presidency was a decision he made with his "head", not with his "heart"....

His heart clearly wanted to give it one more shot....

[Econoline]

OK...*NOW* is it clear why Hillary won? (Her Secret Weapon was her Foam Finger. Take THAT, Bernie!)



The only thing that might have made this better is a few zingers from Joe Biden...

[Guinevere]

I completely disagree with you LJ. In his interviews, his lips may have been saying it was about the "ability to win," (a point you would disagree with him about, as I recall) but his eyes were saying it was an emotional decision. The comment from/about his granddaughter just underscored that for me.

[rubato]

It plainly was about the ability to win; to a great degree. I pointed out numerous times that he was not a threat to Hillary for the nomination and he made the same calculation. He was late to the game and does not differentiate enough to pull back very many current Hillary voters. He was a 'safety' candidate.


yrs,
rubato

[Lord Jim]

I completely disagree with you LJ. In his interviews, his lips may have been saying it was about the "ability to win," (a point you would disagree with him about, as I recall) but his eyes were saying it was an emotional decision. The comment from/about his granddaughter just underscored that for me.

Well, Guin, I'm afraid we're just going to have to agree to disagree about this...

It plainly was about the ability to win; to a great degree.

yrs,
rubato

I find myself in the unfortunate (always unfortunate) position of having to agree with rubato....

Frankly, I'd rather take a whipping...

[MajGenl.Meade]

Really?

[Lord Jim]

I see that Rachel Maddow is moderating a so-called Democratic "debate" tonight...

Wow, the hard balls are sure to be flyin', yeah buddy...

RM: "Senator Sanders, what do you think is worse about the Republican Party, their slavish allegiance to the wealthy, or their callous indifference to minorities?"

RM: "Secretary Clinton to what do you attribute the toughness that you have developed to stand up to all the unfair attacks on your character and honesty? Do you think that the reason you're getting this treatment might be because you're a woman?"

RM: "Governor O'Malley, if you were to drop out of the race, which of these other two outstanding candidates would you endorse?"

This isn't going to be a debate; it's going to be an infomercial...

I thought it was silly when Ted Cruz suggested that Sean Hannity moderate a GOP debate, but if the Dem's can have Rachel Maddow, why not?

What a joke...

Don't expect any questions about greatest weaknesses, or whether somebody has the moral authority to be President...

[Big RR]

Don't expect any questions about greatest weaknesses, or whether somebody has the moral authority to be President...

Personally, I couldn't care less about the answers to those questions; moral authority? Please. I'd rather hear more about their positions on the issues. But then, that's not too likely no matter who the moderator is.

[wesw]

gosh those guys look like clowns compared to Hillary. it has to be on purpose, right?

o malley and sanders sounded so full of crap about isis.......

[wesw]

getting better, but everyone agreed that the e mails were a non issue...

Bernie Bernie Bernie...
you ain t getting the VP dude...

[RayThom]

What Democratic candidate used the phrase "immigrant-bashing carnival barker" and upon whom was that accolade bestowed?

It was nice to see a civilized "debate." As expected, Hillary did the best job and shows that Sanders and O'Malley have much work to do if they are to keep up with her. Regardless, her nomination at the DNC convention in July is preordained.

I still can't trust her though, she still creeps me out. No way she gets my vote in November.

Trump/Carson...2016

[liberty]

What Democratic candidate used the phrase "immigrant-bashing carnival barker" and upon whom was that accolade bestowed?

It was nice to see a civilized "debate." As expected, Hillary did the best job and shows that Sanders and O'Malley have much work to do if they are to keep up with her. Regardless, her nomination at the DNC convention in July is preordained.

I still can't trust her though, she still creeps me out. No way she gets my vote in November.



Trump/Carson...2016

You are a brave man.

[Lord Jim]

What Democratic candidate used the phrase "immigrant-bashing carnival barker" and upon whom was that accolade bestowed?

Who is Martin O'Malley referring to Donald Trump, Alex...