A Few Thoughts About the Debates and the Primaries in General

So, it’s the day after the first debate and I’ve already seen a couple of worried sounding posts that we have to unite and not damage our potential nominee.

I’d like to address that by saying that this was week one. I know that more than a few DUers stay in a state of high anxiety during the primary season but here’s the part we should all remember. We have a great pool of candidates. I don’t remember our bench being this deep in my adult life. Also remember, if polling data is to be believed, Trump loses to every Democrat that he’s been matched head to head with.

I have my favorites and other people will have their favorites but when we have our candidate, we’ll all unite and support whoever that happens to be.

Trump won by flipping four states with around 100k votes. I won’t say he can’t repeat because anything is possible, but I don’t think he’s added even one voter to his base. I am certain he’s lost a lot of voters. People who believed he was really a successful businessman or that coal was coming back, or that he would grow into the job, who now see him for what he is, a loudmouthed incompetent bully.
Right at this moment, I’m supporting Elizabeth Warren. She’s a strong progressive and enough of a wonk to know what she’s talking about.

While I will be enthusiastically supporting whoever wins the nomination, I am hoping it’s someone besides Bernie or Biden.
Joe Biden served honorably in the Senate and two terms as VP. But he’s had his day and now he needs to pass the reigns and help the younger generation of Democrats transition into leadership roles.
I’m not concerned about Joe and his no vote on bussing. He voted the wrong way. That happens to every politician at some point in their career. I don’t think we should forget the past but at the moment the danger is in the present and the future and that danger is immediate enough that it can’t be ignored.

Whatever your feelings are about Bernie, love him, hate him, don’t care either way, he has been successful at pulling the party back to its roots. His message has resonated with millions of Americans but he should let someone else be the messenger.
Every two years I see progressives and liberals at all levels bemoaning the fact that we could really fix a lot of our problems and stifle the conservatives if the youth vote would only turn out and vote. I would like to point out tho, if I were in my twenties, and the top of the ticket and the party leadership was old white men, I’d have a hard time taking it very seriously.
Our message can’t be: Vote for us because we want to make things better for all Americans……but, it’s going to take thirty years and in the meantime you’ll still have issues with healthcare and wage disparity, crippling student debt and equality issues if you’re a woman or a person of color, but still vote for us because we’re better than the GOP.