So true... it's not exactly 'any warm body' as long as a Dem wins, but the win is what matters above all of our preferences. That said, I really do admire Kamala, and do feel she would stand up to the pressures of all the gaslighting and the BS that will be slung at any Dem nominee whose picking up the aftermath of the Debacle that is T***p.
Kamala is very strong and focused, and I feel she would be a wonderful diplomat on the world stage as well, which we will need desperately... the real issue, as you stated sidwich, are those important votes from conservative states, and just who is going to appeal enough to WIN, sad to say.
I would vote for Kamala Harris in a New York minute though if I thought she could carry that win ?
Resurrecting the Biden thread.
For some time I have felt a concern regarding Biden running. I have loved Biden for years and also loved his humanity. He has always seemed real and human, gaffes and all.
However, a quiet warning came to me when he decided to run. Related to his age and health, and mental health in particular. I would like to think I am not biased against older people being President but we have a president who is old and one of the glaring difficulties we have had with him is the issue of dementia. I have been concerned question of having a clear and sharp mind might become an issue for Biden. This week my concerns seem to be getting some traction. It is difficult to know if the manner in which a person makes mistakes is just their bumbling personality or if it is something more concerning. We adjust our expectations when gaffes are their accepted normal. So when is it more than their normal? I don't think anyone in the media wants question the cognitive health of Joe Biden. They have however begun to question his recollection and clarity of remember events from the past.
This is not good for "candidate" Biden because we are already dealing with the current "placeholder"in chief who is living in his own reality. Whether or not Biden is actually having memory issues, our nation is going to be very sensitive to factual mistakes. This is not going to go well for him if it continues.
f.
@lovendures, I am a senior (67) and agree with you. Frankly, my preference would be to have someone younger in that position. Even though Joe has always been bumbling at times, I believe there are some cognitive issues. I don't know how serious they are, but at the very least, it is a product of aging. And when you consider how stressful that job can be ... well, it makes me nervous.
You stated "We adjust our expectations when gaffes are accepted normal." That is so true. It happened with Reagan. Remember his memory lapses and the crazy stuff he would sometimes say? People adjusted to that because they liked Reagan (I was not a fan.) And now we've got pure insanity being spewed from the WH. We've accepted a new abnormal normal. Scary.
I really like Joe Biden, although I've never forgotten what he did to Anita Hill. He is a good, insightful, passionate, flawed man. What concerns me is many people feel so comfortable with him that they aren't paying that much attention to other candidates. They'd rather go with Uncle Joe, the guy they know and like. But the fact that Warren has gained so much traction is impressive, and gives me hope.
Another concern I have about Biden: would young people come out and vote for him?
Having said that, I do believe that Biden would do a good job, insofar as he would focus on the needs of our country. He would genuinely surround himself with the best advisers. And I would hope Biden would be smart and choose a young, progressive person as his running mate.
Anyway, it's still early in the game. We shall see.
@Lovendures and @Deetoo: I agree. Biden is too old school, his style is too go-with-the-flow. The "flow" is taking us to the edge of Niagara Falls, in a canoe. Borrowing from Barbara Kingsolver:
"The Arctic is genuinely collapsing. Scientists used to call these things the canary in the mine. What they say now is, The canary is dead. We are on top of Niagara Falls in a canoe. We got here by drifting, but we cannot turn around for a lazy paddle back when they finally stop pissing around. We have arrived at the point of an audible roar. Does it strike you as a good time to debate the existence of the falls?"
Biden will be too little too late. Under him, it will be like we are in hospice care when we really need someone to do CPR. He will be sweet and kind, but he's not strong enough to push through. We need the likes of AOC but she's not running, too young, and can't win. Warren is the stand-out candidate with the gusto, brains, and heart to get it done. This is my intuitive, psychic, vision of what needs to happen to turn that canoe around.
Quote is from Kingsolver's 2012 novel Flight Behavior
I agree with you all about Biden. He's too old, and too set in a mindset of the past to be an effective president in this critical time.
My $ is on Buttigieg, whom I think is not only young, energetic, progressive and pragmatic, but I think he can unite the country rather than further polarize. I have a feeling it will come down to Warren and Buttigieg, but my gut still says it will be Buttigieg in the end, mainly due to cross-over appeal.
I keep asking what the zodiac sign of the Democratic Candidate will be. I've gotten Aries or Scorpio several times I've asked (Sanders is Aries and Harris is Scorpio). But the card that comes up the most is the High Priestess (using Rider Waite there is that B and J on it). The High priestess represents the Moon and no zodiac sign is associated with it. Does anyone think that perhaps the High Priestess means Biden or Buttegieg?
Could the High Priestess and the lack of any associated zodiac sign mean that the question of the Democratic nominee is unsettled and that multiple dueling forces have yet to play out? That's how I've been feeling about the nominating process.
@triciact, Although the High Priestess isn't associated with any Zodiac sign, as you mentioned it does represent the Moon. And isn't the moon associated with Cancer? Could it be Warren? Her birthday is June 22nd.
Of course it is human nature to sometimes see what we want to see. Because I like Warren, it could be wishful thinking on my part!
I don't know if he'll be the nominee, but a young hotshot vp candidate in that case is crucial.