In politics, it’s never too early to start thinking about the next election. Even though the last presidential contest ended just six months ago, Democrats are already looking around for their next savior.
Who will Democrats in 2020 put up against the disaster otherwise known as Donald Trump (assuming he makes it to the end of his term without being impeached or forced to resign)?
Without a clear frontrunner, the prospect of getting a Democrat back to the White House will no doubt attract an array of hopefuls … from senators and governors, to showbiz types and businessmen.
Here are some potential candidates to watch:
- Elizabeth Warren – Some are calling her the leading contender for 2020. Her populist cred includes having created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from scratch. While she is feisty, a good speaker and is beloved by many Democrats, would Dems be spooked over picking another woman to head their ticket?
- Cory Booker – Far from being the most liberal member of the Senate, the relatively young Booker (47) is media savvy and the darling of the Manhattan donor class. But is the country ready for it’s second African-American commander in chief?
- Andrew Cuomo –The ambitious New York governor has put together an impressive list of accomplishments, including his recently passed universal college tuition program. But in a party where the left is on the rise, would Dems go for a man who has positioned himself as a centrist?
- Al Franken – During Senate confirmation hearings for Trump’s cabinet picks, Franken has been a breath of fresh air and a beacon of common sense. Some say the ex-comedian’s devastating wit is the perfect foil for the likes of a Donald Trump. But would Dems seriously consider the former star of Saturday Night Live?
- Kamala Harris – She’s African-American and female. To many Democrats, she’s a dream candidate. But the first black woman to serve as California Attorney General just got to the Senate. She may be interested in higher office but has she paid her dues yet?
Here are some other names being bandied about for 2020: Sen. Kristen Gillibrand; Gov. Deval Patrick; Sen. Amy Klobuchar; Sen. Tim Kaine; Sen. Chris Murphy; Gov. John Hickenlooper; Sen. Sherrod Brown. Believe it or not, some are even mentioning Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden … and wait, Hillary Clinton! For some real long shots, how about Oprah Winfrey, Michele Obama, billionaire Mark Cuban or Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson?
Many are calling Barack Obama a once in a lifetime figure. For Democrats eager to regain the reins of power, can lightning strike twice?
(AP Photo/Gabriel Bouys, Pool)
At this point before the 2008 presidential election, Obama wasn’t even on the radar. Could be anybody.
Let’s hope there is another Barack Obama hiding somewhere in the bushes.
I thought Spicee was the one hiding in the bushes.
HAHA
“The Democratic Party cannot just wait for the next Barack Obama to come along. The president is a unique political talent of the kind that appears only once in a great while, when the stars magically align. Instead, Democrats need to do what Republicans did, which is to build from the ground up and start winning state and local elections.”
-Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post, 11-17-16
David, as always, Mr. Robinson is right.
One characteristic the Democrats’ candidate needs is an ability to put Bernie Sanders’ message in more widely appealing terms. If they pick another “third way” radical centrist that ignores the broader concerns of Americans to chase Republican votes they’ll get exactly what they deserve. Relying only on Trump and Republican awfulness won’t cut it either.
Yes. But it also would help if Russia, next time, is on the Democrats’ side!
The Russians didn’t help, but they didn’t convince Clinton (who I voted for) to ignore Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and not even make a campaign stop in Wisconsin. So much for the “listening tour”, the campaign seemed oblivious to conditions on the ground. Sanders won 22 states. There was a clue in there somewhere.
With all her mistakes, I believe the deciding factors in Clinton’s loss were Comey and the Russian interference (oh, and you can include the Republicans’ effective voter suppression tactics)