As promised – here is the 2016 Democratic Candidate Pool Well if you happened to take the time to read my earlier post regarding the GOP hopefuls for office you are really going to love this one. As a life-long Dem I’m not above admitting that my party has their fair share of whack-jobs seeking the highest office in the land. Read on and see if you agree Candidates who have already announced their candidacy: Jeff Boss – Jeff is a Jersey boy so he’s got that going for him. Unfortunately that is about all he has going for him. This will be his third run for the Presidency and I will bet this is the first you are hearing of him. What Jeff is infamous for is being a 911 Truther. In fact he is quite specific about who brought down the towers. It was the NSA! He claims to have personally witnessed NSA Top Officials planning the attack. Unfortunately like most conspiracy theorists he doesn’t present any proof to support his theories, but presents an argument that can’t be disproved. His 2013 NJ Governor’s Bid Campaign Slogan was “NSA did 911”. He gave the NJ Governorship a run for their money receiving a whopping 0.1% of the vote. Vermin Supreme – Mr. Vermin was born and raised in Boston, MA. While this will be his third run for office, Vermin is far from serious. His continual bid for the Presidency is intended as more of a mock of the American Political system than anything else. Vermin is a Performance Artist best known for his boot-shaped hat and carrying a large toothbrush where ever he goes. His political platform touts important issues like “Zombie Apocalypse Awareness” and a “Free Pony for Every American”. Vermin has been running for various public offices since 1988. Robby Wells – Robby is the one outsider that actually seems to be a serious candidate. He ran for the Presidency in 2012 as the Constitution Party Candidate on the platform that the political system is broken and the country needs a third option. However this guy is a political ghost. He was the former head coach at Savanah State running their football program but that is about all there is to know about this guy. He’s got some cool ideas like his plan to revitalize cities across America but I’ve heard nothing about how he might accomplish this. Well all I can say is “Good for you Robby. You keep chasing that dream”. Democrats who have expressed “Public Interest” in running: Joe Biden – Ah Uncle Joe. That’s what I want to call this guy. Uncle Joe. Firstly because that is how he comes across. He’s your smart ass uncle that knows everything and isn’t afraid to remind you that he knows everything. The other thing about Biden is that his very existence seems to really piss off the Right Wing Machine. That’s a huge plus in my book. One thing I would watch uber-carefully is who he picked for VP. If Biden got elected he would be 74 when he took office. While it’s obvious this guy takes care of himself I hear it’s a tough job. Pick wisely Joe. Hillary Clinton – Hmmmm. I’ll admit. I like the “idea” of Hillary Clinton as president, but I’m not completely sure why? I’m old enough to remember that Hillary was one of the staffers fired during the Watergate Scandal. Granted that was a long time ago but there has been a string of inconvenient events ever since. As a Senator she passed zero legislation. As First Lady she proposed a healthcare plan that bombed despite the fact that both the house and senate were Dem controlled. The list goes on. However if she runs I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if she was the Democratic Nominee. Face it. Politics is a popularity contest. Howard Dean – Dr. Dean is a true progressive. He has often been the lone decenter in his political career that is blasted for his opinions and later found to be 100% spot on. Anyone remember the few lone voices against the 2003 invasion of Iraq? Those decenters were led by none other than Dr. Dean. Howard is also an advocate of Universal Healthcare. Always had been. While President Obama is often touted at the first candidate who utilized the internet to get out his message and raise money, it was Howard who started that four years earlier. His one downfall? I don’t see much of a record of reaching across the aisle. Howard is truly a man of conviction which in Washington only means four more years of Republican Obstructionism. Luis Gutierrez – Take that Rubio! We got our own Latino! No seriously folks. Luis is a Chicago political powerhouse. He is another true progressive that stands firmly for LGBT Rights, Gender Equity, Worker’s Rights and so many other Progressive causes. Many have compared his fervor for Civil Rights to that of Dr. Martin Luther King. Born and raised in Chicago, Luis has worked his way up the political food chain to be one of the most loved, most powerful of the Chicago Political Elite. Now I know that Chicago politics has a bad name but the truth of it is that the state of IL has always been and always be an incubator of political kings. I like this guy, a lot! Joe Manchin – Joe is the guy who replaced Byrd back in 2010. Joe is from W. Virginia. I’ve been to W. Virginia. Done. Dude. No matter what you accomplish in life, you are still from W. Virginia. You endorsed Bush in 2004. You‘ve threatened to flip parties on several occasions. You claim to be a Dem but you expressed obvious frustration when Obama won. Oh. And did I mention you are from W. Virginia? No one that matters takes you seriously man! Martin O’Malley – Can I start by saying that as Governor of MD, only 22% of the people polled in his own state would vote for him if he ran for President? Hmmm. Here’s a guy who totally fits the Progressive bill in everything he does. He supports all the right causes and he plays guitar in a cover band. This guy is cool. Not to mention that as both the Mayor of Baltimore and the Governor of Maryland he has done a decent job. Not great. But decent. It is probably pretty darned easy to be a Liberal in Maryland. You don’t get much in the way of competition. But on the National stage? I just don’t think this guy has what it takes. Face it Martin. You are a nice guy but your just ho-hum…white bread…boring. Sorry dude! Ed Rendell – It’s a not often spoken truth that there are two PA’s There is Philly, and then there is the rest of PA. Sorry all you Steelers fans but it’s true. Ed is a Philly boy. That right there is points in my book. As one of the most quoted Dems in modern history, Ed Rendell is another of the rare breed that speaks his mind. This guy can be so “In Your Face” that it is rumored that Romney skipped a PA Campaign stop just because Rendell announced that he would be there. One of my favorite Rendell quotes, “I’m a free spirit. I tell the truth and I like to mix it up.” I can imagine him and Christie going toe-to-toe on the National stage. In fact he has quite a bit to say about the NJ Governor. “Pathetic” is one adjective that comes to mind. Everything you need to know about how Rendell does business can be summed up in his book title, “Nation of Wussies”. But Ed! Do something about that comb-over! Bernie Sanders – Would I love nothing more than to live in a world that Bernie Sanders had a real shot at the Presidency. Bernie is an outspoken Independent that actually makes sense. Here is a (mostly progressive) politician that actually takes the time to learn about an issue before he opens his mouth. Whether he comes out on the left or right of an issue it is the side that Bernie truly believes is the correct stance. Admittedly he comes out on the left more often than not. But he possesses the one quality that guarantees he will NEVER be President. Conviction. Not to mention that America is not yet ready for true Socialism. Someday maybe. But not yet. Brian Schweitzer – Former two-term Governor of Montana, Brian is an outspoken Democrat that is never short of talking points. When I hear he is going to make a TV appearance I always try to tune in. Brian comes across as the likable, farm boy that just happens to know everything about everything. Many a Dems are excited by this guy because he represents the portion of the Democratic Party that has come to be known as the “Anti-Obama” Democrats. In an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, Brian was asked, “…is there a single thing President Obama has done that you consider a positive achievement?” Brian looked up as the ceiling for a moment and replied, “My mother, God rest her soul, told me that if you can’t think of something nice to say, change the subject.” Well Brian. Sorry to say President Obama’s overall approval rating is currently 49%. In fact if current trends are correct he will leave office as the 5th most popular president in modern history. Best of luck getting that vote. So there you have it. Let’s get this party started!
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 19:06:27 +0000