Democratic 2016 Presidential Field

[MarkWill]

Bernie Sanders is farther left than Warren. Neither are credible alternatives to Clinton, whose own standing has been diminished over the revelations of the donations to the Clinton Global Initiative. She's scandal ridden and has plenty of missteps and faults that can be pointed to over her nearly three decades in the public spotlight. It's not a matter of if she makes any more gaffes (such as claiming she was "dead broke"), but when. She can try and act like a poor standard bearer for progressive values, but the left wing of the Democratic Party will never be comfortable with her. This is displayed through numerous polls showing she has 60% of Democratic support despite half wanting a primary opponent. She's always been seen as detached, calculating, and politically motivated.

I believe it will still take a credible opponent to defeat her, considering she is a woman and the fact that perception is reality in politics. Now, I'm not one to judge candidates based on gender or other characteristics which have nothing to do with policy, but there is an undeniable portion of the electorate that sees her for (quite literally) for what she is: a woman; and no doubt, these people will try and make history as they did, albeit poorly, in 2008.

Out of the current field of GOP presidential hopefuls, I am pining for Jeb Bush. He can reach out to the Hispanic community as much as, or perhaps even better, than his brother did in 2004, and he is more moderate than his other challengers (both in perception and reality), so there's some advantages. In my opinion, any candidate who ran in 2012 plus Ted Cruz and Rand Paul don't have a chance. I don't believe the Republican Party is ready to nominate a Libertarian (I definitely don't support Paul), and Ted Cruz has simply staked out positions that are too conservative. Cruz hasn't also been the greatest of companions in the Senate either. Even though I do believe he's a smart guy, the positions he's taken to occupy a niche and to be able to establish himself has only cooped him up, and I can't see him even winning one primary state. As for Marco Rubio, he's had only Senate experience and he's flip flopped on immigration. Even though he is Cuban himself, the positions he's taken don't really line up with the majority views of Hispanics as well as Jeb's does. As for Chris Christie, I think he is politically dead. Perhaps in another field where there weren't as many suitable competitors, he might have a chance, but the numerous credit downgrades in New Jersey and the (unfair) media scrutiny on Bridgegate have only hurt him.

[TheNewGuy]

I am pining for Jeb Bush.

God you Republicans are really homoerotic for homophobes, sometimes.

[MarkWill]

I am pining for Jeb Bush.

God you Republicans are really homoerotic for homophobes, sometimes.

I didn't mean it that way but okay.

[MichaelReilly]

To quote the Washington Post: 'Bernie Sanders isn't going to be president. That's not the point.'

Of course he isn't going to win. But he's going to ruffle some serious feathers and hopefully push the campaign to the left.

[Batman337]

To quote the Washington Post: 'Bernie Sanders isn't going to be president. That's not the point.'

Of course he isn't going to win. But he's going to ruffle some serious feathers and hopefully push the campaign to the left.

So he is Mike Huckabee

[PaleRider]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... NdH-Bs72QQ

Bernie Sanders is picking up steam it seems....and Lincoln Chafee, former Republican Senator from Rhode Island, former Independent Governor of Rhode Island and now Democrat threw his hat into the shallow Democratic ring (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 7229,d.cGU ).

And Hillary Clinton's poll numbers keep dropping like a concrete block in water...

[CanadianEh]

I still want a female President for the U.S., and it's not like Hilary Clinton is incompetent.

[JuliaAJA]

Everyone who says that Bernie Sanders cannot win:
1) [self-censored]
2) Ignores numbers
3) Watches mainstream media

[CanadianEh]

Bernie Sanders is not as high profile as Hilary Clinton, but he is a bit more left than her and it is true that he has always been socially left while Hilary has moved from the Social Centre to the social Left rather quickly in the past year or two.

[TheNewGuy]

Bernie Sanders is not as high profile as Hilary Clinton, but he is a bit more left than her and it is true that he has always been socially left while Hilary has moved from the Social Centre to the social Left rather quickly in the past year or two.

Anybody who's even remotely close to center on social issues will vote Democrat regardless of Hillary or Bernie. When you've got Scott Walker and the like as the Republican options, our generation and (increasingly) older generations know where to vote on social issues. That's not where Bernie wins, although he does win there.

Bernie beats Hillary hands down on foreign policy and on the economy. Hillary is a warhawk, and Hillary is a corporatist. Bernie is neither of these things. That's why people go out to hear him in higher numbers than any other candidate: he's talking about fixing the economy, and he's talking about non-interventionism (which is the same reason, interestingly, Rand Paul is doing well). Bernie knows legalization of weed, gay marriage, etc. are all coming. Why waste his time on that crap when it's written on the wall? Bernie's focusing on the real issues, which is what's so refreshing.