2016 USA Presidential election thread I: The warm-up

[notorious bum]

I agree, even people who support him have brought that up. The same thing they did to McCain(for good reason), and Mike Gravel. Sanders is a very cognizant and articulate old man, he'll give all of those who dare challenge his age a real lashing. We all know those attacks will mostly come from disembodied voices (i.e. Hilary's corporate think tanks).

[Sho]

Yeah, and the attacks will hold no real merit other than scaring people into believing that an older gentleman is unfit to run the country.

Whatever bullshit tactics work, I guess.

[Waraji]

Forget that just a couple of years ago, FOX was in a tizzy (lol when are they not) about Clinton being in the hospital for some head issues.

[Sho]

You would have thought the world was ending back then, the way FOX talked about it, lol.

[Andalusian girls]

I'd rather not be so pessimistic. We have another 8 years of the youth who voted in Obama. They'll vote in larger numbers, with another semi-generation of potential voters to tap into. The buzz is really impressive, FAR bigger than Ron Paul, IMO, and we've only just started. If Warren endorses Sanders the D base could get closer to split. And then some debates to destroy Hillary and it could be a close battle. Sanders is a total underdog, and the R's have been running anti-Hillary ads for years, he gets free negative ads and has 30 years of media presence with the same issues to fall back on. I don't think he'll be quite like Kucinich or Paul in this attempt.

i don't feel as though that was a pessimistic appraisal of Bernie's fate, a worst case scenario would have him entirely marginalized and ignored as Kucinich in 2008 or Huntsman in 2012 or the majority of candidates are every election cycle.

i like Sanders more than most politicians as i find less artifice about him than is usual but people expecting him to mount a serious challenge are primarily engaging in wish fulfillment. money wins most elections, charisma the rest, Sanders has neither. he is an intelligent speaker but not an especially engaging or compelling one, and unlike in 2008 where a cheeky upstart dethroned Hillary by spending as much as her, Sanders will be out-fundraised by hundreds of millions of dollars in the most expensive election in history.

[Kanriel]

i don't feel as though that was a pessimistic appraisal of Bernie's fate, a worst case scenario would have him entirely marginalized and ignored as Kucinich in 2008 or Huntsman in 2012 or the majority of candidates are every election cycle.

i like Sanders more than most politicians as i find less artifice about him than is usual but people expecting him to mount a serious challenge are primarily engaging in wish fulfillment. money wins most elections, charisma the rest, Sanders has neither. he is an intelligent speaker but not an especially engaging or compelling one, and unlike in 2008 where a cheeky upstart dethroned Hillary by spending as much as her, Sanders will be out-fundraised by hundreds of millions of dollars in the most expensive election in history.

I don't see how you can say a persons chances are between 0 and 0 and not refer to that as pessimistic.

We've now had 16 years of lackluster presidents. We have a growing internet generation. And internet/social media word of mouth/buzz is far cheaper than TV ads and the like. Money is a big deal, absolutely. But he only needs to beat Hillary for now. And while he personally won't out spend her, combine the buzz and what money he will acquire compared to the money that will be spent trying to nuke Hillary from the right. Money spending will be a bit closer than simply who is raising the most money.

[Tyrath]

Just because you face realities doesn't mean you're pessimistic.

[Kanriel]

Just because you face realities doesn't mean you're pessimistic.

Crazier things have happened in political history than the potential for Sanders to get elected.

[Tyrath]

Crazier things have happened in political history than the potential for Sanders to get elected.

That literally has nothing to do with being realistic about his chances being the same as being pessimistic.

[Serra]

Nothing is going to stop the Clinton machine, end of story. It's like the Romney machine in 2012, except she's actually at the top of the polls.

[archibaldcrane]

Crazier things have happened in political history than the potential for Sanders to get elected.

No they haven't.

Even if Hillary died tomorrow Sanders would have no chance of winning the Democratic nomination as a professed Socialist.

[Waraji]

Assume for a moment that the Hillary machine gets knocked off the rails by the republican establishment attempting to "fix" the democratic nomination to be Sanders. In that case, what are the likely scenarios he will face going head to head with an establishment/teaparty republican?

[Andalusian girls]

mostly that he's a socialist in a center-right country

also that he will get outspent by a billion dollars

[Pirian]

"socialist" is still a derogatory word in the American vocabulary. Until that changes, he doesn't stand a chance

[Tyrath]

I don't see it changing anytime soon sadly.

[Sho]

Nothing is going to stop the Clinton machine, end of story. It's like the Romney machine in 2012, except she's actually at the top of the polls.

McCain almost outplayed the Romney machine at one point. She is at the top of the polls, however.

[Waraji]

Carson tells TV station he'll seek Republican presidential nomination

http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources...=LYNXMPEB420J0

"I'm willing to be part of the equation and, therefore, I'm announcing my candidacy for president of the United States of America," Carson said in an interview with CBS affiliate WPEC-TV in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Sign me up for the shit show Johnny!

[GoggleHead]

So is there a candidate worth voting for yet or am I gonna have to write in "Elizabeth Warren" on my ballot?

[notorious bum]

REALLY?

[Serra]

Why not just stay at home and make a sandwich? Better use of your time.

Actually, that goes in all cases..