The Democratic leaders who gave us the biggest victories, FDR and LBJ

[speak easy]

were not nice guys. At those times of greatest division, you never heard them talking about healing the nation. They faced the greatest challenges: Ending the Great Depression and Segregation in the South. They were 'mean' - take no prisioners mean - bringing flamethrowers to a knife fight mean. IMO opinion, that is what we need now; Someone who will kick MAGA in the balls, and keep on kicking them when they are down until they can't get up again.

So, a mean streak. Gavin Newsom has it. Some others may too. But I do not want to hear about healing until the chemo is over, and a Dem AG has brought the MAGA Nazis to justice.

[efhmc]

1. They gave us the biggest victories for our country. Which are now being torn away.

[speak easy]

2. "Which are now being torn away."

No less than the catastrophe FDR faced.

[tman]

3. I like Newsom, though I don't think he's as tough as some here believe.

He's a combative, walking fact checker, except when he's hosting far right grifters on his podcast.

I doubt he can win a general election.

[speak easy]

4. Newsom has a solid history with Latinos.

I don't have a dog in this fight.

[brush]

5. I agree with the sentiment. We Dems need a tough presidential nominee...

who has a mean streak if needed. Gov. Newsom of California has it, so does Gov. Pritzker of Ill. and Sen. Kelly of AZ.

California has a huge EC vote sum, 54, which is an advantage.

Others may emerge.

[Bettie]

6. We need someone who is not only willing to knock them down

but kick them while they are down.

"Healing" is not what we need right now, you need to cut out the rot before you can fix it.

[betsuni]

7. Biggest Democratic majorities in Congress, biggest victories.

[newdeal2]

8. Trump doesn't have that right now

Barely a majority in both chambers, less than 50% of the vote, and a tanking approval rating. He does have SCOTUS though.

Next Dem president has to have the fortitude to use all levers of power.

[Cirsium]

9. "I welcome their hatred"

Campaign Address at Madison Square Garden, New York City. "We Have Only Just Begun to Fight."
President Franklin Roosevelt
October 31, 1936

For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.

We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.

They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.

Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.

[SocialDemocrat61]

17. And 4 years later he partnered with every one of them

to create the military industrial complex making them much richer than they were before.

[betsuni]

22. There's an obsession with that speech as proof fighting and collecting enemies is the only Way of Progress.

That everyone's corrupt except me, only I (or people I endorse) can save you. That strongly worded speeches about "fighting for" and "standing up to" and "taking on" magically breaks the evil oligarchs' spell. That compromise and incrementalism is part of the evil.

Major New Deal reforms had already been enacted by '36. A biographer says, "The more often Roosevelt sought combat over compromise, the less he signed into law."

People should stop trying to make FDR a democratic socialist populist, stop accusing Democrats of not having New Deal type policies because they're corrupt and ignore the working class and all the other fucking stupid garbage can of lies.

[SocialDemocrat61]

24. True too many

idolized FDR to a ridiculous and unrealistic extent. He was a great president but not perfect by any measure. He and the new deal had many flaws, especially regarding several minority groups.

[betsuni]

36. There's one of those "Democrats should have FDR style policies" in this thread, as always, the ridiculous lie that

the party has shifted Right, abandoned unions/white working class/New Deal for Wall Street and same neoliberal economic policies as Republicans and that's why Republicans win. It doesn't make sense. Whenever I ask for proof it's some half-assed whining about Bill Clinton ruining America, sometimes disinformation about the ACA (of course the Gingrich and McConnell led Republicans controlling Congress for majority of those administrations and Biden's and now the extremist nuts in charge are invisible and harmless as kittens).

I guess these people also totally forget that FDR policies included internment camps and other racist things. Just make up the history you want! Easy! As long as it demonizes Democrats!

[SocialDemocrat61]

37. They also forget

that when Social Security was established the average life expectancy was about 62. Many on the left criticized FDR for setting the retirement at 65. They said average people would be paying for the retirement of the elite. Plus there was supposed to be a healthcare component which FDR also abandoned.

[Cirsium]

34. Oh really?

I didn't realize that posting quotes from FDR was a problem here. That's new.

[Cirsium]

33. I know

My point was not to praise FDR, but rather to give an example of a strong message. I chose a Democratic party president because this is Democratic Underground. Over at Socialist Underground (I made that up) I might have quoted Eugene Debs or William Z. Foster or Williana Burroughs or Shirley Graham Du Bois.

[SocialDemocrat61]

35. There's no Socialist Underground???

Damn where will I go when I’m banned here? 😉

[Wonder Why]

10. I disagree that they "were not nice guys." Yes, they had to be tough. Yes, they had to fight long

and hard to get what they wanted. But being tough and fighting a bigot does not mean you are not a nice guy. It means that you are willing to face the consequences for a just cause.

[WarGamer]

11. Leaders derive their power from the people.

At this point in history... there IS NO mounting wave of support for Left of Center candidates...

Run Mamdani in the 28 POTUS election (if he was eligible, he's not) and he'll get 35% of the vote...

Thus if the popular support isn't there for a far left firebrand, why advocate for it?

In reality it's a tightrope.

Our next Party leader needs to be cool and calm, like Obama... fun and relatable like Bill Clinton, populist like Bernie... energetic like AOC,

All wrapped up in a 50 state palatable package like Tim Ryan or Governor Whitmer

[speak easy]

18. We are not going to win back many young men with a woman.

And Trump won a majority of Latino males. We just cannot take any chances in 2028. And I say that as someone wanting to see a woman president before I die. 2016 was the worst night of my life (political) life.

[WarGamer]

21. So a Tim Ryan-ish dude... or Newsom?

As a Californian and one who traveled a lot... selling the "California Thing" in many parts of the country will be tough

[speak easy]

25. I don't know. Whoever wins the primaries.

Newsom has a strong relationship with Latinos, but California liberal is a dead weight. I'd be rooting for Big Gretch at only other time But I don't want a nice GE campaign this time. More something like the way LBJ took apart Goldwater in '64.

[ancianita]

12. Gavin Newsom For The People! For President! Donate!

https://campaignfordemocracy.com

I donated to Maxwell Frost, Jon Ossoff, and now Governor Newsom.

We should get behind the fighters! Early!

https://archive.ph/7LcRe

[leftieNanner]

13. Cory Booker has guts. Nt

[flashman13]

14. You are absolutely correct. This is war and it must be fought like a war.

The Rs are the enemy and must be treated as such.

[leftstreet]

15. Maybe some FDR style policies?

For people to get behind...

[SocialDemocrat61]

16. The Great Depression and JFK's assassination

had a lot to do with those victories. So the real question is, do you want to crash the economy and put millions out of work or whack someone?

[speak easy]

19. "do you want to crash the economy"

Who said anything about particular policies?

[SocialDemocrat61]

23. Because policies matter

[speak easy]

26. So does the candidate who has to sell them,

while taking apart the opposition.

[SocialDemocrat61]

28. True

but you need both, not just one. Plus both have to reflect the situation in the country at the time.

[speak easy]

31. "the situation in the country at the time"

Heaven knows what that will be in 2028

[SocialDemocrat61]

32. Good thing

There is an orange election next year.

[EnergizedLib]

20. Every single person in this White House deserves jail time

The nude model and the kids deserve deportation.

Get mean. Stop being feckless.

[Jilly_in_VA]

27. We do need someone with a mean streak

not sure Gavin is the guy, but if he's the nominee, I'll vote for him.

[questionseverything]

29. It's not a mean streak we need, just someone who will enforce the law equally

[Ms. Toad]

30. Capitulating/placating MAGA on human rights issues is not a mean streak.

ETA: I am not saying that I agree with needing a mean streak, but some folks' memories seem to be limited to the last thing Newsom did - while ignoring throwing trans people under the bus just a short while ago.