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Well, THAT Was a Different Debate

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What Changed? What Did We Learn?

We Who are About to Die Salute You

The 9th Democratic Presidential Debate held in Las Vegas was quite different. It had a manageable number of candidates (six), so more time for direct candidates’ cross talk. Mike Bloomberg had his first round in such a forum. The knives were out pretty much all around. So much for playing nicely with each other.

For a minute there, I thought I was watching a replay of a Sharks vs Jets scene from West Side Story. And over it all, the omnipresent shadow of the clock – we are in the stage wherein things begin moving quickly.

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And Then There is Joe

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The Former Vice President Holds a Lead, but its Tenuous. Is He “The One?”

 

Joe Biden has been a major presence in this campaign, from the beginning – even before he declared his candidacy. Once he did declare, he went immediately to the top of the polls. He still leads in most polls. Slam dunk, right? Not so fast, there.

Yea, Joe

Biden is seen by a lot of Americans as the most electable candidate, the most likely to beat Trump. A lot of people are comfortable with him as a person.

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Guns and Health Care: Touchstones or Third Rails?

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Yes, They Are

Some interesting currents are afoot as we approach a presidential election year. The Democrats have choices to make on two defining issues. Guns and health care are at once rewarding and dangerous for Democrats

Whether one agrees with her positions on these two issues, Elizabeth Warren has done an admirable job of defining the question. Will her party go bold or go home?

There are plenty of nuances at work, of course. But in general, there are two Democratic approaches. Some lean toward modest positions. They do so,

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Thoughts on the Next Round of Debates

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The Number of Participants is Way Down – Now What?

As of Tuesday morning, August 27, 10 candidates have qualified for the September debate(s). There is one more day to qualify. If no one else qualifies, it looks like all 10 will go on for one night. If one or more are added, there will be a drawing to divide them up into two nights, with 6-7 on each night, Some thoughts about all that:

  • Second night crowds tend to be smaller than first nights, but frankly, I would like to see two nights even with 10 candidates.

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Making Super Tuesday Actually Super

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A Proposal to Make a Most Important Day and the Rest of the Election Cycle Work

 

Before starting this conversation, let’s be clear about something. The national parties do NOT organize primaries (date, open or closed, primary or caucus). States do their own thing, yielding various kinds of chaos and skewed outcomes. The national parties can cajole. They can threaten sanctions at the convention. But they have remarkably little control. More on that later.

A Killer Calendar

Super Tuesday in the 2020 election cycle comes on March 3 this time around.

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And a Lump of Coal for You, Voter!

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Republicans in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Elsewhere Have Shown What They Think of Voters

Most of us have heard that in Michigan and Wisconsin lame duck sessions are doing evil work. They are building poison pills for the November elections. Let’s be clear about what is going on, what’s the history, and who should stand against such piracy. The answer to that last question may not be what you think.

What is Going On?

The voters in these and other states came out in record numbers and made their choices clear.

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A Simple Thing is the Undoing of the Republicans

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“What Goes Around, Comes Around” has a certain ring to it

 

“Politics is not beanbag” is a well-known truism. It can be a tough business. Political parties will go to great lengths to win. The histories of both major parties are full of abuse of power and unfair or illegal acts to gain advantage. Gerrymandering was not invented yesterday.

Yet, today’s Republican party has crossed too many lines for most Americans. Process and protocols are pretty simple, yet their importance is significant. When “anything goes” is the norm,

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