2016 USA Presidential election thread I: The warm-up

**Greatguardian** · 2016-06-20 16:46

Originally Posted by Andalusian girls

the vice president has exactly as much power as the president desires them to have. Cheney was for a time the second most powerful man in Washington, Biden has had considerably less but still was probably more influential than any single senator.

A VP working in conjunction with a friendly president can have some measure of influence and public presence. A VP lacks the constitutional authority to do what they want when they want, though. Their only constitutionally mandated duty is to preside over the senate and cast a vote in the case of a tie. They have no executive powers that aren't explicitly granted on a statutory basis, and no legislative powers barring a 50-50 tie.

Considering Clinton and Warren's history, I wouldn't expect the kind of Biden Bromance we currently have in the oval office. And I certainly wouldn't expect the kind of mentor relationship Cheney had with Bush2. These are two high-profile, ambitious, successful politicians who haven't always seen eye to eye.

**Gredival** · 2016-06-20 16:51

Originally Posted by Quicklet

It's clear at this point that Warren is the favorite for VP. Harry Reid wants her as VP. Bernie supporters would love her as VP. She's already shown herself to be effective in attacking Trump in a way that other picks would be unknowns. If she's not picked as VP it's hard to see how it's not over either this or not wanting to lose her Senate seat. I mean maybe you could argue that having two women on the ticket would be too much but that seems like such a nonsense argument to me.

Also, I'm pretty sure if Warren doesn't get picked and it's because of this, word will get back to her.

There was also all that rage Warren got on her social media after endorsing Clinton. She's a leftist pick, and in that respect it's an olive branch to the other side of the party.

But there's more to a good VP than that. Obama and Biden's partnership was effective and great because the two had a legitimately solid personal connection (albeit one that was built during their tenure together and not beforehand). When Biden did something or said something, people treated it with the weight of the Obama administration because they knew Biden had the authority to speak for Obama.

If a pick is purely political, the VP doesn't get that sort of power. So what's the point of taking Warren as a simple token? Although I'm sure that they could work together "adequately" on a lot of policy, she would probably do just as much good in the Senate in that case. You want a ticket that brings out the best in both people.

And this article points out that HRC would do well to pick someone she genuinely likely and trusts

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/20/us...dent.html?_r=0

**Dotsudoku** · 2016-06-20 17:52

there's an onion article begging to be written about Hillary choosing the whole of Wallstreet as her VP

**6souls** · 2016-06-20 18:02

A 19 yr old Brit attempted to kill Trump at a rally in Vegas this past weekend. He had never fired a gun, let alone own one. It took a year to work up the courage and he went to a gun range on the 17th for the first time to learn how to fire. At the rally he reached for an officer's gun which was unlocked. He had hopes to get 2 shots off before being killed. He was arrested without actually getting a hold of the gun.

**6souls** · 2016-06-20 18:06

http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-36582770

**Krandor** · 2016-06-20 18:13

Originally Posted by Dotsudoku

there's an onion article begging to be written about Hillary choosing the whole of Wallstreet as her VP

If only the Onion wasn't owned by one of her top donors.

**Krandor** · 2016-06-20 21:37

Also about the dude trying to kill Trump, my understanding is that it wasn't "unlocked" he just didn't understand how to get around the security/safety strap most LE officers have on their holsters.

**Gredival** · 2016-06-20 21:55

Such a low energy assassination attempt.

**Byrthnoth** · 2016-06-20 22:06

lol, citizens of allied countries are trying to kill Trump because of the very possibility that he might be elected. Is that some kind of record?

Honestly though if he had martyred Trump for the anti-PC illuminati-is-real crowd, I'd have been pissed. If someone is going to kill Trump, it has to be because he owes them money.

PS. further lol: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...ud-laws-224510

**Marootsoobutsu** · 2016-06-20 23:56

Originally Posted by Byrthnoth

lol, citizens of allied countries are trying to kill Trump because of the very possibility that he might be elected. Is that some kind of record?

Honestly though if he had martyred Trump for the anti-PC illuminati-is-real crowd, I'd have been pissed. If someone is going to kill Trump, it has to be because he owes them money.

PS. further lol: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...ud-laws-224510

Why is it, that of all the shooting attempts we have, Trumps has to be the one that fails?

I wouldn't see him as a martyr: I'd see it as a mercy flush.

**Greatguardian** · 2016-06-20 23:57

I mean, in the off chance Trump were assassinated (and I'd never encourage that), we'd only come right back to Cruz who is arguably an even worse opponent for Democrats because he's somehow more tolerable to the Republican base.

**Marootsoobutsu** · 2016-06-21 00:30

Honestly, Cruz wouldn't get the nomination if Trump were assassinated. It doesn't matter that he was the last man standing (other than Kasich, who was never really standing). He's hated just barely less than Trump. It would likely be Ryan if it came to that, possibly Rubio. It would be someone semi-establishment at least, someone young-ish, and someone as far from controversial as possible when you're talking politicians.

And while I wouldn't encourage assassination, I'm kind of rooting for a fatal heart attack. Let him be a martyr for heart disease awareness.

**Krandor** · 2016-06-21 07:16

In an exciting turn of events, the guy who tried to assassinate Trump was in the country illegally (expired VISA)

**Ragnus** · 2016-06-21 08:49

Yeah, but he's white. This puts Trump in an odd position when it comes to his xenophobic immigration policies that previously targeted Mexicans.

**archibaldcrane** · 2016-06-21 09:26

Trump's campaign has only 1.2 million in cash on hand. He's broke, and seemingly has little interest in courting the GOP donor class. With polling averages having him down 6 and falling, I don't know that anyone wants to waste money on him. This could be a spectacularly one-sided affair.