1/Some morning thoughts on the state of the Democratic Primary.
What worries me most is the struggle whomever the nominee is will have in bringing the party together, uniting Democrats to go into battle this fall.
What worries me most is the struggle whomever the nominee is will have in bringing the party together, uniting Democrats to go into battle this fall.
2/I think if Bernie becomes the nominee he's going to have a very hard time leading the Party. He isn't now and hasn't been a Democrat in his decades long career. He's contemptuous of the achievements of recent Dem Presidents. He has almost no support fr leaders he's served with.
3/Bernie still feels very much like an insurgent, a factional leader, and not one who has the skill, staff, experience to bring together a factious and diverse party.
Sure he can grow but that he's put Jill Stein supporters in prominent leadership positions is a really bad sign.
Sure he can grow but that he's put Jill Stein supporters in prominent leadership positions is a really bad sign.
4/Bloomberg. As a native New Yorker, I've admired the Mayor from afar. Never met him, don't really know much about him other than the good things - important leadership on climate/gun safety/teen smoking, deep admiration from other mayors, remarkable philanthropy.
5/But man do I have reservations. As someone who worries deeply abt the dangers of oligarchy and the corruption of the politics of the West, the way Bloomberg is running his campaign doesn't sit well w/me.
I agree w/@ezraklein's take on this 👇 vox.com/policy-and-pol…
I agree w/@ezraklein's take on this 👇 vox.com/policy-and-pol…
@ezraklein 6/Like Bernie, Bloomberg's years outside the party makes it hard to now be trusted to lead it. How can he explain spending years as a GOPer, not endorsing Obama/Biden in 2008, working to elect folks like George W. Bush, Pat Toomey and Lindsay Graham? nytimes.com/2019/11/26/us/…
@ezraklein 7/I also think his forcing changes in NYC law to allow him to run for a third mayoral term feels a bit too Trumpian to me right now. It's an ugly story.
@ezraklein 8/As someone who has fought hard to help Democrats build a new coalition around a changing electorate, the issues Warren brought up last night - and which he couldn't muster even a crappy response - seem on the verge of being disqualifying for him w/Dems. nytimes.com/2020/02/19/us/…
@ezraklein 9/Which leads me to this - Joe Biden's broad support in the Dem family all of a sudden really matters now. Someone has to put this factious, diverse party back together this summer.
Joe isn't perfect, and Trump has pummeled him - but he is a Democrat.
Joe isn't perfect, and Trump has pummeled him - but he is a Democrat.
@ezraklein 10/I've also been really impressed w/the performance of Warren, Pete and Amy Klobuchar.
Regardless of their merits, it will be very hard for Bernie or Bloomberg to lead a party they've chosen not to be part of; the doubts Ds will have abt either of them could easily exploited.
Regardless of their merits, it will be very hard for Bernie or Bloomberg to lead a party they've chosen not to be part of; the doubts Ds will have abt either of them could easily exploited.
