Three's a (good) crowd

The most striking takeaway from last Friday's Democratic Presidential Forum with Rachel Maddow was that of the three remaining candidates--Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, and Bernie Sanders--she interviewed, all three came across as legitimately able to be our next President.

And after watching the circus that has been the republican campaign thus far, that's three more than they have out of their fifteen remaining candidates.

Peace,
emaycee

The first Democratic Debate, in a word

For those of you who don't have the time for lengthy recaps:

Jim Webb:  Republican
Lincoln Chafee:  WTF?
Martin O'Malley:  SOL
Bernie Sanders:  Inspiring
Hillary Clinton:  Formidable
Joe Biden:  Superfluous
The Democratic Party:  Righteous!

Peace,
emaycee

And O'Malley makes three

Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley yesterday became the third Democrat to enter the race for the party's 2016 Presidential nomination.  O'Malley has strong progressive credentials and will offer youthful good looks and exuberance to potential Democratic voters.

Unfortunately for O'Malley, Bernie Sanders is already in the race running to Hillary Clinton's left (one supposes should Jim Webb enter the race he will run to Hillary's right--and good luck with that in Democratic primaries) which leaves O'Malley the unpalatable option of claiming he's more electable than Sanders.  That ought to go over really well with the die-hard Liberal base.

Don't get me wrong--I like O'Malley and would have no problem voting for him.  I just think he has very long odds considering he has to beat electoral behemoth Hillary Clinton and left wing darling Bernie Sanders, both of whom are far ahead of him in name recognition as well.  He also has one big caveat:  as Mayor of Baltimore, his hardcore policing tactics have many believing his leadership on crime prevention played a large role in the recent strife in the city following the death of Freddie Gray, and O'Malley will certainly face hard questioning in regard to said role.

On the coolness quotient, though, O'Malley is a shoo-in.  He'd be the first President who can play guitar (that I know of) and he's actually pretty damn good at it:

If only it were that easy.

Peace,
emaycee

Leftward ho!

Well, isn't this interesting...

Seems that Hillary Clinton has been getting downright progressive economically in her speeches lately, noting the toll income inequality has taken on the middle class and its toll on working women.

Really Hillary?

Don't suppose it has anything to do with Bernie Sanders visiting Iowa to celebrate his Presidential bona fides or Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley reportedly telling fundraisers he's going to challenge Hillary Clinton, do you?

Neither probably has much chance of winning (though I can definitely see O'Malley as her running mate), but any candidates that can pull Clinton to the left at least economically is a good thing for working class Americans.

A very good thing.

Peace,
emaycee

Can Hillary blow it?

If her statements and inaction over the past week or so are indicative, yes, yes she can.

For starters, Ms. Clinton seems to be distancing herself from President Obama's foreign policy.  This is strange because a) Clinton's politically strategic vote on the Iraq War probably cost her the last election (I know it cost her my vote); b) Obama looks like Winston Churchill times ten on foreign policy compared to the debacle that was Bush the Lesser; and c) she was an awfully big part of it for four years as our Secretary of State.  And it's not like doing so is going to gain her any republican votes in the 2016 election--if she wins, it'll be because of Democrats.

Needless to say, republican upstart and a man who will never be President, Rand Paul, is already attacking Ms. Clinton as a "warhawk."  How inept must you be when your comments cause a republican to call you, a lifelong Democrat, a hawk?

Notice anything about Ms. Clinton's comments on the uproar in Ferguson, MO?  Of course you didn't--becuase she has said nothing.  How much of a kick in the ass is that to black Americans after they came out in full force to help put the Clintons in the White House?

It's not 1992 or 1996--it's going to be 2016 when the next Presidential election arrives, and the way to win is not to run as republican lite.  The path to victory is to run as a Democrat.  Frankly, I'm really beginning to believe that she might fuck up her chances a second time--she's either inept at Presidential campaigning or just flat doesn't fucking get it.

Either way, Martin O'Malley anyone?  How about Deval Patrick?

Will a real Democrat please run?

Peace,
emaycee

The hammer of justice

It doesn't surprise me that conservatives would turn to ugliness and false witness when it comes to the immigrant children from Central America arriving at the borders of the land of the free and the home of the brave.  Despite their disingenuous "Moi?" protests, it's their M.O.--if you aren't a white Christian, they aren't interested.

It does surprise (and disconcert) me, however, that Democrats are not pushing back on the hate and championing these children as political refugees--it's not only the right move morally, it's also the right move politically.  From President Obama to Harry Reid to Nancy Pelosi and on down the Democratic food chain, there is not one Democrat who should not be celebrating their supporters.   There is not one who should not be speaking out for them like Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley did this week--and without the bogus blowback because his reminder that we are America and we do not abandon helpless children made the Obama administration look bad with its continued calls for deportation that will send them back to the earth equivalent of hell.

My God, they're children from violence ravaged nations.  Let's turn them into productive American citizens--in time, they'll be a whole hell of a lot more worthwhile to America than any republican.

Peace,
emaycee

Uh-oh...

Well this is a fine kettle of fish...

A report has surfaced that Hillary Clinton, our best hope in 2016 Hillary Clinton, recently spent some time at Goldman-Sachs headquarters kissing banker ass and saying that lambasting Wall Street wasn't doing anyone any good (Digby notes the report is second hand and since it's coming from a Wall Street psychopath that caution in reaction is warranted).

Funny this should come out just as I was beginning (as I did before the 2008 Democratic primaries and decided to go with Obama instead) to have my doubts about Hillary Clinton.  Frankly, I wouldn't at all be surprised if Ms. Clinton did utter the remarks--her husband wasn't exactly an economic populist and I've never seen any reason to believe she was either.  No only that, but after watching Elizabeth Warren be an actual Democrat and stand up for the working class (and isn't it a hoot to watch?) I keep thinking how nice it would be to have Warren's heartfelt economic populism (she's not running) in the Presidency and not another half-hearted economic populist like Obama.

Might be a good time to take a good long look at Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who's rumored to be considering a run and has actually governed (successfully, too) like a Liberal Democrat.

Peace,
emaycee