2 days ago, I was strongly impressed by the NYT article that promoted the Senate Foursome (Harris, Gillibrand, Warren, and Booker) and, on their behalf, gave the BBB triad a shove:
For the Senate foursome, moving quickly into the race is also a pre-emptive effort to undercut the early advantages of a duo of universally known contenders, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who may enter the race in the coming months. Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders would start off with important advantages....So let's take a closer look at Chait's plan to get Bernie — or is it just his "movement"? — to crush Beto. (Maybe get the BBB triad to fight itself and leave The Foursome free to perform more appealing feats?)
But as white men, Mr. Biden, Mr. Sanders and Mr. O’Rourke do not reflect the gender and racial diversity of many Democratic candidates and swaths of the electorate that dominated the 2018 midterms. Ms. Harris, Ms. Warren, Ms. Gillibrand and Mr. Booker, by contrast, would instantly make the 2020 Democratic field the most diverse array of presidential candidates in history. And they might well scramble the early polling leads held by Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders, who benefit from strong name recognition but would be in their late 70s by Election Day 2020, at a moment when some in the party are agitating for generational change....
[O'Rourke] has replicated aspects of Sanders’s appeal — his positivity and refusal to accept PAC money — while exceeding it in some ways. Sanders is charismatic in an unconventional way, the slovenly and cranky but somewhat lovable old uncle, while O’Rourke projects a classic handsome, toothy, Kennedy-esque charm that reliably makes Democrats swoon. Hard-core loyalists find the contrast irksome....So, about that headline — "Why the Bernie Movement Must Crush Beto O’Rourke." I don't think it's Chait saying this is what he wants to happen. I think it expresses the point of view of "the Bernie Movement" (i.e., real socialists). The idea is that Beto (like Obama) isn't a real socialist and he's a threat to the socialist agenda, therefore those who care about socialism must get Beto defeated.
The frequently invoked comparisons between O’Rourke and [Obama] explain both O’Rourke’s wide appeal within the party ranks and the mistrust he has inspired on the far left. Socialists generally regard Obama as a failure....
Baffled liberals, many still nursing wounds from 2016, see the passionate intensity of the Bernie movement as a personality cult, propelled by unthinking devotion to him (or spite at the party that they believe rigged the primary against him). It is anything but. The socialist left belongs to Sanders simply because there is no other presidential candidate who meets their exacting ideological criteria. They see O’Rourke as a threat to their project because, in important ways, he is.
The NYT was trying to crush the BBB triad in one fell swoop, for the sake of The Foursome. Chait is talking about socialists getting a good footing as the race goes forward, and opining that it won't happen at all unless Bernie has that niche. Beto is blocking Bernie's access to the niche.
By the way, beginning with this post, I'm using Beto to refer to Beto O'Rourke. I generally use last names, but there are some exceptions, and one of them is Bernie, and I like grouping the 3 B's together — Bernie, Beto, Biden. I made a new tag: the Bernie-Beto-Biden triad.
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Does anyone seriously want to throw money at Biden? I just don't see it.
The Warren announcement and the endless NYT pieces. Jesus can these people leave us alone for until at least the autumn. We are in for an ugly, ugly 22 months.
By attributing “passionate intensity” to Bernie supporters, is Chait trying to paint them as “the worst?
Because I don’t think many people will get the allusion.
If the Democrats do go for a white male, he will be Beto, a rent-boy, just like the last white male that ran.
But as white men, Mr. Biden, Mr. Sanders and Mr. O’Rourke do not reflect the gender and racial diversity of many Democratic candidates
How does an individual represent gender and racial diversity?
You create a group that you use as a contrast.
There's some fun we can have with this concept.
But as doddering geriatrics, Mr. Biden, Mr. Sanders, and Ms. Warren do not reflect the quintile diversity of many Democratic candidates
But as unwrinkled youths, Mr. O'Rourke, Ms. Gillebrand, and Ms. Harris do not reflect the geriatric extreme of many Democratic voters.
My question from a previous post was will Black Males vote for a Black Female (sorry about using traditional terms - NOT) such as Harris? And yes it will be Harris. Will they need a White Male in the VP slot to get White Male voters? Dems have a real quandary. It might be fun watching except that it will mean having to put up with the nonsense for the next 22 months. Holy Crap, Batman.
No the beatings will continue till morale improves.
I'll believe any of these "socialists" are socialists when they call for the workers and Google and Amazon to seize the Means of Production, and for San Francisco and Seattle real estate to be redistributed to The People.
Ann:
Can you make a tag "Kamala Kardashian Harris?"
Will the 3-name tag continue after the first one drops out?
We need a very large Venn diagram. Socialist, women, color, etc.
Why should anyone try to please or give ANY ground to a socialist?
And Chait lies. "Believed to have stolen the primary".
No, Chait you lying sack of shit. You did not get rid of Debbie Wasserman Schultz for a RUMOR. She had EMAILS specifically using Press Trolls like yourself to swing the nomination and knee cap Saunders during campaigns.
I get why this anti-Semitism and displayed bias would trouble Chait's appearance of impartiality (not that he ever owned any). But that whore is already out of the brothel, you supercilious twit!
Did you all hear they cancelled the LA (or CA?) women's' march because it is too white.
Hey white gals - now you know how it feels to be a male. You are no longer needed!
The democrats need a gimmick candidate. The person who will give Nancy the power to further us down the road to Venezuelan fairness and "we must pas it to find out what's in it" goodness.
We have the gang of four vs the BBB triad. It's like a Hong Kong martial arts movie.
That leaves out a lot of other candidates.
Here's Rolling Stone's ranking.
Interesting, Rolling Stone points out some names that the New York Times seemingly avoided in their diversity round-up, notably Stacey Abrams. Perhaps the gang-of-four should be the fearsome five?
As for boring white men, the BBB needs another B: Sherrod Brown.
Yes chaitred sedaris can you find more fools and perverts like Louis ck?
", I'm using Beto to refer to Beto O'Rourke"
Why not Bob?
Bernie, Bob and Biden.
You ok with cultural appropriation except when it involves yoga?
Otherwise known as restraining order, pick your poison.
This gives the Twilight people something to argue about.....you know.....Team Edward or Team Jacob, and how it reflects upon your many virtues.
Bernie is a millionaire.
Bob is a billionaire.
That's funny.
The Killer B's v. the Fearsome Foursome! D-Fence! D-Fence, D-Fence!
When do they roll out Booker? Interesting that people don't consider him to be a man worthy of being crushed. Putin probably thinks so as well.
I wonder what percentage of the Democratic vote in recent elections has been white males? 30%, maybe? Almost certainly more than any other race-ethnic group except white females, I wager.
But they don't reflect the Party? Hmmm...
The "gender gap" where women lean Dem and men lean GOP is always presented as the men are a problem. That makes no sense. It takes two to make a gap.
I don't see why any black person would vote for the three old white males. They didn't vote for Bernie in 2016 and won't this time. Biden is a dope. Irishman Beto is a fake.
Nope it'll have to be Harris or a white chick.
The Democrats are the chick and black party. What better candidate than a two-fer?
Beto tried to join the Hispanic caucus on the grounds that his family’s maid nicknamed him “Beto.” Imagine trying to join the Black Caucus because your black made had nick named you “Ted” or something.
The white gang of three.
You ok with cultural appropriation except when it involves yoga?
Maybe the family maid who named him Beto should run instead?
If you affirm "Beto" you're affirming his bullshit marketing. I prefer to call him O'Rourke.
And he couldn't even win his own state. Come on.
The last person who won the presidency straight from the House without being elected to the Senate was Franklin Pierce.
None of those seven options has the stones to unite the Democrat base at all. Half of them are easily identified rich sellout bullshit artists (O'Rourke, Warren, Sanders) and the other half don't have broad appeal ~ a gay black New Jersey guy is not going to motivate low-engagement blue leaning voters in Idaho and a do-nothing senator whose signature issue is elevating false rape accusers is not either.
@Martin: The "gender gap" where women lean Dem and men lean GOP is always presented as the men are a problem. That makes no sense. It takes two to make a gap.
You're asking a lot of women to see themselves as a problem. Not gonna happen.
Don't be square, be cubed.
I'm not sure that I see black guys voting for the woo-woo far left half black half Indian chick who slept her way to the top ~ but I definitely see Hillary women voting for her. They will eat her up with juices dripping down their chins. It'll be Harris.
Bernie, Biden, and Beto -- The Three Splooges
Or The Three Amigos.
Baffled liberals, many still nursing wounds from 2016, see the passionate intensity of the Bernie movement as a personality cult, propelled by unthinking devotion to him (or spite at the party that they believe rigged the primary against him). It is anything but. The socialist left belongs to Sanders simply because there is no other presidential candidate who meets their exacting ideological criteria.
Do these “baffled liberals” understand that they were never more than a small fraction of Sanders’ support? Do they understand that, as the most viable “anybody but Hillary” candidate he attracted Democrats who would sell their grandmother rather the vote for Hillary Clinton? Do they know what fraction were desperate for a candidate who would deliver “change you can believe in”? These latter two groups almost certainly voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump. Trump’s problem is to get them to vote for him a second time, and that Warren and Harris are Trump’s best bet to get them to do just that.
Instead of "Beto," I vote for "Roberto Rourke."
It gets you to the same place, and is less disingenuous.
Feliz Ano Nuevo!
"Socialists generally regard Obama as a failure...."
"The idea is that Beto (like Obama) isn't a real socialist and he's a threat to the socialist agenda, therefore those who care about socialism must get Beto defeated."
So what counts as successful? Stalin? (23 million citizens dead) Mao? (65 million citizens dead)
Heck, Obama only droned a few US citizens overseas, plus Seth Rich. What a piker!
John Edwards is tanned, rested and ready.
Bay Area Guy said...Instead of "Beto," I vote for "Roberto Rourke."
I see what you're eliding to there. Bravo!
Can it be true that Trump is sucking up all the toxic masculinity in the room?
Socialism fails every-time it is tried. Mixed. The far left consider "Obama to be a failure".
Gee. Puzzling. We better keep trying.
Like Beto, growing up, we too had a Hispanic housekeeper. Cecelia was her name, just like the song by Simon & Garfunkel. I was totally in love with Cecelia -- she looked just like Rita Moreno.
She used to call me her little "Chimichanga."
Doesn't O'Rourke get points for being Latino anymore, or was that just used to try to defeat that white man Rafael Cruz?
Anyway, I'm sure Beto at least twice as Indigian as Fauxcahontas Warren.
I think, in the end, both Biden and Sanders will bow out before the end of this coming Summer.
In any case, there really is only room for one white male in the Democratic primaries, and I think O'Rourke is clearly positioning himself to be that only one. I saw a headline today that Bloomberg has said he would run as a Democrat, so he is also out of the running.
If O'Rourke can be the lone white male standing after the end of February, he will be the nominee. If Biden and Sanders do run and are still in the race after New Hampshire, then I would put my money on Harris given how I do think the media are lining up behind her already, but I do think Clinton is running and will find a way to take Harris out early on.
Jonathan Chait is not really a good reference point for any political observation or insight.
He's basically a 45-year old socialist loser, perpetual renter, no kids, probably can't scrape together $100 bucks.
It's good to read him for the sole purpose of seeing what not to do. As for his enmity towards Beto, well, that's obvious. Beto is a rich, spoiled dilettante, financed by his wife's father - a billionaire real estate mogul, William Sanders (no relation to Bernie).
Bernie, to his credit, lived the life of a socialist, abandoning his family, never working, never earning any money, espousing all this political nonsense. This is the type of socialist that appeals to Chait, not rich poseur socialists, like Beto.
Feliz ano nuevo!
I wasn't able to read beyond this point because of the impression made by Althouse's use of a numeral to begin a sentence.
Yes, as a matter of style 2 is a figure. To begin a sentence a figure is odd. When in doubt, spell it out.
"I'm using Beto to refer to Beto O'Rourke"
Why not Bob?
What I'm going to pay careful attention to in the next quarter is campaign management leadership and which of these campaigns get the very best top leadership.
In the top leadership roles in a campaign, like anything else, there's a big difference between the top three folks in the country at (say) digital campaign outreach and those who are pretty darned good but not top-of-class.
My belief is that those elite campaign staffers, more than anything else, want to be on a winning campaign (i.e., they want that more than they want to be deeply smitten with a particular candidate).
They're looking around trying to decide which campaign to pick. I figure that they'll be better at sensing who is a winner than (a) most of the rest of us and (b) political journalists at the NYT and Politico.
The bigger question is- What name will DJT bestow upon the contestants?
For Bobby O'Rourke, I propose Bucktooth Beta O'Rourke.
P.S. Some of the very best campaign talent has never served on a presidential campaign team.
A friend of mine attended a Beto/Cruz post-mortem in Texas a few weeks ago and came away struck by the energy, confidence and capability of the Beto team. I'm sure they are looking to slay some dragons....the dragons for them not being the Senate 4, but their campaign staff counterparts.
The big question is - how can the Clinton Crime Family take all these people out?
The donors are still waiting for their pay back.
Bay Area Guy said...
"Bernie, to his credit, lived the life of a socialist, abandoning his family, never working, never earning any money, espousing all this political nonsense. This is the type of socialist that appeals to Chait, not rich poseur socialists, like Beto.
Bernie got rich the old fashioned way. Tax payers.
Roberto Rourke!
Roberto Rourke!
Roberto Rourke!
If you say it 3 times fast, it really works.
I really should be a political strategist.
Bob gets all that energy and confidence from a fawning press.
Black conservatives don't get any of that. Ever.
I always call him "Beto".
Biden is a former vice president and therefore not qualified. I don't understand why he is pretending that he is.
And don't you mean "Bobbie" O'Rourke? Don't help enable his Mexican imposturing.
John Henry
David,
Is there a kamala-kardashion connection?
If so could you explain?
John Henry
Bobbie got his money the old fashioned way. He married it. Like john kerrys wife did.
Kamala succeeded in politics the old fashioned way. Sex. Just like Hilary.
John Henry
Good thing O'Rourke didn't have a Korean Maid, then he'd be:
Baegchi O'Rourke
and that won't win you many votes.
Here is up and coming Kamala Harris type in Silicon Valley town. Equating (legal)marijuana shop with slavery
“The marijuana industry wants to take over your town, and the way I see it, we need to protect our town,” newly elected Councilwoman Carmen Montano said.
.....
“Sometimes laws are made, but not all laws are good,” she said. “Just like slavery was a law, was that good? No it wasn’t. So two wrongs don’t make a right.”
Biden will do it if called. I doubt he wants to. He's regretting not stepping up in 2016 because perhaps he, instead of Private Server for Russian Cash Hillary, could have beat Trump.
but now Biden is up there in age and the younger whipper snappers who compare Immigration and Customs agents to the KKK are taking over.
Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat and has NEVER been a Democrat. Except 4-5 months in 2016
Why shouldn't Democrats position be to ignore him? What has he ever done for the party?
Why, if he is so much an independent doesn't he run for president as one? It seems fundamentally dishonest on his part and on the party's part
John Henry
I don't think you can literally crush something as soft as Robert "Beta" O'Rourke.
Beta O'Rourke is pretty good.
Roberto Rourke or Beta O'Rourke -- Althouse should take a poll.
Beta Bob the Billionaire.
Bay Area Guy (11:46am):
You do know that "Feliz ano nuevo!" with no tilde on the first 'n' means "Happy new asshole!", I hope. If so, I'm wondering which of the candidates is the new one? Beto?
No one's talking about experience, character competence (both kinds). Not to mention vision, platform. There are some palatable dem guv's but they're all white men. Hickenlooper, Mark Warner, etc. Like cali they send the poc and women to congress and the white men to Sacramento.
Chait gets it? I sure as hell don't.
Sanders, a septuagenarian socialist who owns three houses and became a millionaire despite never having held a real job.
Biden, another septuagenarian, can't keep his hands off women and girls and never had an original thought in his life.
O'Rourke doesn't have a notable accomplishment to his name beyond his hit-and-run DUI (although that does help build that coveted "Kennedy-esque" reputation).
These are the "stars" of the Democrat party?
@Dr. Weevil,
Bay Area Guy (11:46am):
You do know that "Feliz ano nuevo!" with no tilde on the first 'n' means "Happy new asshole!", I hope. If so, I'm wondering which of the candidates is the new one? Beto?
Thank you, Doc. I've been assisting my youngest in his SAT preparation, and I believe that would fall under the category of "malapropism."
I figure since Hillary lost the Democrat primary in 2008, and lost the general election in 2016, that third time's a charm and she will lose again in 2020.
Alf Landon ran for President nine times and lost all of them, so there's that.
Bernie-Beto-Biden: The Pep Boys.
Bill, Republic of Texas said, '", I'm using Beto to refer to Beto O'Rourke"
Why not Bob?
Bernie, Bob and Biden.'
I think we should stick with "Beto". The other Democratic candidates will gang up on him for his faux-Hispanic nonsense. Trump won't even need to.
Also, why is it only three "B's"? What happened to New York Michael?
Bernie, Beto, Bloomer, and Biden...
-- Bob from Alhambra
When it comes to Beto, I don't really get the Kennedy nostalgia. JFK was better looking, better educated, more urbane, and more substantial than Beta Beto. Plus Kennedy was "to the manor born", not to mention that his father rubbed elbows with Roosevelt and had considerable government experience. Beto merely married money and then shilled for it as city councilman.
Of course, he does have in common with another Kennedy a predilection for "impaired" driving.
-- Bob from Alhambra
Beto will do well. He’s The Boyfriend candidate to the lonely women that populate Dem primaries.
He’s also the smartest of the named crew. Bright lad, that Beto. The rest are dimwits.
W got a DUI at age 30. He was 40 before he got his act together.
Beto learned his lesson at 26. He also started a company.
Beto is more substantial than W was. Not that it says much.
Do it with two n's in Latin, and you have no problem, yes o'Rourke is the adopted kennedy.
Election 2020 - The Lord of the Venn Rings.
I like Bobby O because its got that Kennedy family vibe, twice over.
Wow! Racism and sexism are all the rage now. You know who else picked leaders based on race?
Satin is a persistent little devil. He just won't let us progress.
"Beto is more substantial than W was."
In addition to what Beto has, W. flew fighter jets, and was a very successful Governor of a large state. Beto is just some average guy who pretends to be a minority, and his most recent accomplishment politically is losing to a guy who has few natural advantages beyond intelligence, and who a lot of people really dislike. Beto is only impressive in the ways that Dems are impressed: looks and words.
Then only winnable Democrat candidate against Trump is Oprah. Will she be drafted?
I like satin sheets, but they're kind of devilish to keep tucked in.
Governor of a large state is nothing compared to getting a rich girl to marry you. Which is the smartest way to get rich with the least work? Ask any economist, marry rich.
Other than as a spectacularly successful gigolo, and as a favorite of his Hispanic housekeeper, where is the beef with O'Rourke? Women like him, we get it.
All of the pictures of Trump looking angry are supposed to frighten us, but there seem to be a lot of pictures of angry Democrats nowadays.
Beto learned his lesson at 26. He also started a company.
Beto is more substantial than W was. Not that it says much.
More substantial? How so? I don't see anything of substance. And If turning $millions into $billions is not worthy of business ecumen, "starting"a business, is weak.
Beto will win it. A smile and a Disney World actor performance to appeal to the perception bias liberals is all the Dems can afford if they want to win. Being passionate idealists like Communists can’t beat DJT.
Sideshow Beto.
Beto has every qualification needed to be the Dem nominee. I remember during the election run that some people asked Hillary fans what she had ever accomplished, and those fans always came up empty. Beto is just as accomplished and less criminal so far, so he's awesome!
I prefer my President to look a little mean and scary, but Hillary seemed to be directing it at me, and she even said so more than once.
***Maybe the family maid who named him Beto should run instead?***
If that's the story, have anyone looking into her legal status yet?
Quite frankly, the Democrats' best bet probably lies in nominating one of the BBB triad as opposed to one of the Gang of 4 from the Senate.
The one thing the BBB triad all have in common, other than being men, is that they have shown some ability to connect with voters in the past. If there is one thing Trump has consistently shown since he came on the scene in 2015 it's that he is able to connect with a lot of voters and the Democrats need somebody like that.
None of the Senate choices seem to have that appeal. Warren may have slick advertising and may have gotten in first, but I highly doubt a party consumed by identity politics will nominate a woman who appropriated a minority identity for her own benefit without even bothering to try to act the part a la Rachel Dolezal. Each of these four is an identity politics type of campaign, with three of them as potential "firsts", and while it may help win the nomination, it's uncertain the general public will buy the theme, especially if the identity politics takes center stage.
The X-factor in all of this is what role the Clintons will play in the nomination, including whether she runs again and whether she decides to use whatever dirt she has on candidates she doesn't like. The Democrats had 2 years to bury Clinton to make her a non-factor in the race, but didn't because they had to keep alive the idea that Clinton was cheated out of the presidency.
traditionalguy said... Beto will win it
sorry, i just do not see it.
You'd have
a young, inexperienced, good looking, billionaire;
running against a
a older, experienced, (formerly?) good looking , billionaire;
that seems too close to call. The demos will want The Anti Trump
Kamela Harris with Spartacus as vp i'm going to say i told you so in 6 months
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