If Kirsten Gillibrand is our Democratic Party candidate for President iin 2020

[CTyankee]

I will vote for her.

In 2016 I voted for Bernie in the CT primary, HRC in the general and I did GOTV calling for the party as well. I did this in an effort to press the party towards a more progressive stance. Altho my husband was HRC all the way and he differed in my political strategy, he respected my opinion and I respected his.

If Gillibrand is a candidate in our primary, I will carefully weigh the options of one Democratic candidate against the other. What those options may be, I cannot guess at this point. I am now reading up on Gillibrand as I have read up on other Democratic candidates. I want to be a well informed voter.

I will continue to press for the most progressive ideas that we as Democrats can offer. I am also deeply committed to having a woman on our ticket, preferably at the top.

[shraby]

1. Hear you and agree! I did the same last election.

And will do the same in 2020, and straight Dem. in 2018.

[CTyankee]

5. Who knows what shit will come next...

I just wanted to get past the Franken episode and state clearly my objectives. I truly mourned Al Franken. I've loved him for years, even before he was a Senator when I used to eagerly tune in his radio show each day it was on. I hope he stays with us and keeps contributing his invaluable insights and talent to our party. I don't want to lose his voice!

[Demsrule86]

13. I always vote for the Democrat...but she won't be the nominee...

She blew it.

[peequod]

78. Agreed.

I try not to be too tribal in my thinking, but she has Dem blood on her hands.

[greeny2323]

2. I'll be voting for the Democratic nominee in November 2020

But Gillibrand will never get any money from me.

[Sophia4]

3. Gillibrand would be a horrible, horrible candidate. Yuck!

[ClarendonDem]

7. Who would you prefer?

[Demsrule86]

11. Almost anyone.

[ClarendonDem]

21. Anyone specifically?

I think the Dems have a number of great options -- Sanders, Biden, Gillibrand, Booker -- and I'll vote for whoever ends up being the nominee, but do you have a favorite?

[Demsrule86]

61. I will vote for the nominee in the General...not not any of those you mention in a primary.

And I hope they don't win the primary. I want someone who can fight the GOP and not cave.

[stonecutter357]

16. Al Franken !

[ClarendonDem]

22. He's probably a non-starter at this point

Booker might be my choice.

[Sophia4]

25. Not mine!

Too conservative for me. Too sold out!

[ClarendonDem]

29. What makes Booker conservative?

Haven't heard that about him. If he's too conservative, who falls in your wheelhouse?

[CTyankee]

39. who are you looking to at this point as our standard bearer in 2020?

[Sophia4]

59. I have not decided, but I want someone who has worked and knows what it is

to really work at something other than reading books, law, etc.

I want someone who understands what it is to be born to parents who weren't or aren't wealthy.

I'm sick of candidates who can't relate to ordinary Americans.

[stonecutter357]

28. so is she....

[ClarendonDem]

31. I honestly don't think that anything Gillibrand has done recently

Disqualifies her at all. Would you prefer Gillibrand or Harris, both of whom thought Franken should resign?

[stonecutter357]

56. Franken all the way ......fuck putin ......tinyhands.....

[ebbie15644]

36. Agree

[stonecutter357]

55. thank you ...

[avebury]

35. Sally Yates nt

[JimBeard]

100. Not a bad suggestion.

[onetexan]

111. Franken & Yates

[CTyankee]

8. Then I hope you work hard for your Democratic candidate to win. I want your voice

to be heard and look forward to strong debates here on DU. But as of right now, that is my intent.

We should all welcome a strong debate amongst ourselves as Dems as to who our standard bearer should be in 2020!

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Fortunately, she won't even come close.

No need to worry about having to make that choice.

[Egnever]

6. She wont be

She has disqualified herself in many eyes. That is no way to get the nomination. We have a lot of potential candidates I think the blowback from this is pretty clear.

you can skate through the general with huge warts because a large portion is uninformed the primaries are much harder and that i think is where her candidacy will die.

It is not too late for her to save herself she can stand up and do what is right and admit she rushed to judgement but I would be willing to bet she wont.

Should she become the candidate it will be very very difficult for me. Even more so if we control the senate and house at that time and the republicans don't run a complete nutjob.

[LanternWaste]

91. You artfully created a distinction lacking any relevant difference.

"She has disqualified herself in many eyes..."
Your premise is both true and accurate of all politicians. You artfully created a distinction lacking any relevant difference.

All else in your post is but bias lacking any evidence to support it. However, I certainly understand bias often compels us to throw as many bumper-stickers at the wall and hope at least one of them becomes a trendy little t-shirt.

[JimBeard]

101. What?

[DesertRat]

9. Ill always vote for the Democratic nominee

[Demsrule86]

10. She won't be...I have seen social media...her chances are gone after Franken.

[flamingdem]

14. A silver lining imo

She seems to have the support of enough people that this could have happened in spite of the reaction of the party voters we've seen over the last few days.

[CTyankee]

18. Who do you think would best lead our party in 2020 (know it's early)?

I think we have to have a woman on the ticket, preferably at the top. I am taking a long look at my 44 year old Senator, Chris Murphy. Paired with an outstanding Democratic woman would be great. But then I think we have to look to Klobuchar or Kamala Harris as running mates or at the top of a ticket. Klobuchar is good. Harris is good, too, and that would be good demographically.

BTW, neither of our two senators signed on the call for Franken's resignation...

[Demsrule86]

63. I am not sure. I like Joe Kennedy III

Many of those I liked caved to the GOP on the Franken thing. I just don't think I can support them.

[R B Garr]

20. GOOD, that is good news. Franken is an absolute star. And he got where

he is without having to rely on the Clintons! What a hypocrite. There is just no excuse for her trying to make a name for herself on the backs of the Clintons and now Al Franken. Glad to see social media recognizes that.

Hillary for New York Senate -- again!

[CTyankee]

26. But look at what the pukes tried to do with him and how that awful attempt at

disqualifying him turned out! Yes, he got into office and I'm thankful he did, but shit they threw at him was sickening.

HRC would be a fabulous senator (again) from NY.

[customerserviceguy]

85. Yes

Trump attacking her doesn't change a thing she did to railroad Franken, and it doesn't change how I feel about that.

[Paladin]

12. I'd vote for her. I just wouldn't be very happy about it. (nt)

[stonecutter357]

15. I will be writing Al Franken in .

[CTyankee]

23. In CT, that can be done in the General. I think that's great.

I understand your position and think your idea is fine for you. But I want our team to win and I think Kirsten might turn out to be a strong candidate against god know who the pukes will run (that is, if there is still a GOP as we now know it by then).

[ebbie15644]

37. Hell NO

I will work as hard as I can to see she never gets the nominations

[CTyankee]

43. I haven't decided who I'll work for/contribute to in the primary.

It's too early.

Also, we don't know what's going to happen with Trump. Too much is up in the air for us to assume he will be the GOP candidate in 2020. Could be Pence, who won't be so obviously offensive to many voters who don't know his vile policy ideas and what a POS he is.

[OnDoutside]

103. Do you not see the irony of talking about teamwork and then

recommending a selfish solo artist like Gillibrand, while Franken was told to take one for the team ?

[CTyankee]

105. I thought we were all Democrats here, irony or not.

Go back to my original post and where I said that IF she were our party's nominee for President I would vote for her. I believe that is a rule here at DU.

[OnDoutside]

106. Of course but at this stage there's more chance of Trump being

the party nominee, so it's a moot point. If DU is a guide, primary voters will long remember such a grossly self interested takedown of a Democratic colleague and a much loved person. And well they should, decency is what separates Democrats from Republicans.

[CTyankee]

107. I think you should take your energy and work for the Democratic candidate you

want to see as our standard bearer. It is of no use for you to tear me down for simply saying I will vote for our Democratic Party candidate for president. I believe that is a rule here at DU.

[OnDoutside]

108. Don't make stuff up. I didn't say that.

I said she'll not get out of the Primaries, so it's a moot point. Of course all Democratic supporters should support the nominee.

[CTyankee]

109. Fine. I will support the candidate that emerges as our party's candidate.

[jrthin]

17. I'll vote for the democratic candidate, but she'll

Last edited Sat Dec 9, 2017, 06:16 PM - Edit history (1)

not get one penny from me. Further, as some posters here suggest, she'll blow it. And btw, how come she gets to step in front of Ms. Harris?

[CTyankee]

19. She didn't and hasn't. I said "if." I think Harris is strong and I would happily vote for

her. I am just saying that if Gillibrand is our party's candidate in 2020 after the primary dust has settled, I will not stay home, and I will not vote Independent. I will be working for gender parity within our party.

[oberliner]

24. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) calls on Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) to leave office

http://www.wthitv.com/content/test/462393613.html?ref=613

[Skittles]

27. she won't make it that far

for good reason

[Motley13]

30. Can't imagine who the repugs could put up that would be the least bit

palatable

[guillaumeb]

32. A list of her contributors:

https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/contributors?cid=N00027658&cycle=CAREER


A list of well connected law firms, and Wall Street players. What shall we expect?

[CTyankee]

45. Good information, thanks! She should be seriously challenged on some of these

campaign supporters and let's see what happens. I'll be eager to hash this stuff out...

[guillaumeb]

47. One wonders if every Senator were to be looked at,

would they all be roughly the same?

In a country where the SCOTUS equates money with speech, those with money speak loudest.

[CTyankee]

52. well, it's up to us Dems to fight this...we gotta have some sanity here...

[lapucelle]

83. People would probably be surprised

at some of the names on the list of candidates who accepted contributions from Davis, Polk & Wardwell, Paul, Weiss et al, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, and Pfizer Inc. in the 2016 cycle.

[guillaumeb]

88. Yes, some would be surprised.

The 1% generally hedge their bets by contributing to both major parties, and they are generally rewarded for doing so.

[lapucelle]

89. The surprise concerns those who accepted the contributions, not those who made them.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

58. There is nobody terribly interesting or sinister on that list.

[stevenleser]

64. Even worse, characterizing it as those firms contributing is dishonest. The page itself says it was

almost all individuals, not the firms themselves.

[guillaumeb]

75. I included the link.

And yes, the contributors "just happen" to be from connected law firms and Wall Street financial firms.

[stevenleser]

82. I know you did, thats why your mischaracterization is so puzzling. Nt

[guillaumeb]

74. That depends of course on the person reading the list. eom

[stevenleser]

62. Nope, we have been through this before. Individuals who happen to work there contributed.

Those firms did not contribute in almost all of the cases, and those few that did it was paltry compared to the individuals. The data is in the link you provided.

[jalan48]

33. We will lose.

[Awsi Dooger]

42. Exactly...I'll vote for her but the campaign won't be worth following

Gillibrand is not going to oust a presidential incumbent. Trump may be a disgraceful human being but those surreal advantages of incumbency aren't going away.

We need a perfect choice to get rid of him

[CTyankee]

48. I'm not sure of that. Trump is an increasingly unhinged man and I think it is scaring

the living hell out of lots of republicans in leadership positions. We saw what happened to Richard Nixon and Trump is a gazillion worse than even Nixon was (I thought I'd never see the day when I'd say that).

[tazkcmo]

34. Good for you. n/t

[Guilded Lilly]

38. I will vote for the Democrat. It is the party that speaks to my beliefs n/t

[bobbieinok]

40. Didn't know much abt her before. Thought her just another politician trying to break out from crowd.

[blue cat]

41. I want a woman president...

But not her. I won't send any money or GOTV.
I'll vote for her if I have to but will fight against her during the primary.

[CTyankee]

51. which woman would you favor at this point?

[jalan48]

53. If she wants to run I think Tammy Duckworth would win.

[ClarendonDem]

76. Id fully support either Gillibrand

Or Duckworth.

[Exultant Democracy]

44. Well we cant afford to play chicken with the new never Gillibrand wing

If we learned one thing last time it’s that when a bunch of people say they will never vote for someone assuming they will come home in the General is suicide. She ruled herself out as a credible candidate and if she were to win the primary she represent the best hope for 4more years of Trump.

[CTyankee]

49. Interesting view. Glad you contributed that. It will be an important factor as we consider

who is best for election success in the primaries going forward.

[SFnomad]

68. The "Never Gillibrand Wing"? aka, the I'd rather be pure and have tRump for 8 years wing?

And a cousin to the Never Hillary Wing, a group that helped bring us to our current fiasco.

[Exultant Democracy]

70. Yeah, exactly. Dont expect people to change all a sudden

and believe them when they tell you who they are.

I have a sneaking feeling that Al has a far deeper emotional well with a larger segment of the liberal population than Bernie has. We know how the Russians the the Republicans will use the wound if they are put into a position to exploit it.

[Polly Hennessey]

46. No.

Too much baggage:
Clinton bashing
Big Tobacco advocate
Al Franken

[CTyankee]

50. At this point, who do you favor?

[kacekwl]

54. I think at this point the Democratic party should

start focusing on having fair elections, stopping the madness of clearing voter registration rolls by Repukes , and getting as many people registered properly and prepared to vote in every election.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

57. Even if none of this happened Gillibrand would struggle in the primaries

Her private sector career is inextricable from Phillip Morris and her primary opponents won't let anyone forget that.

[stevenleser]

90. I'm not a fan of her running for President, but silly accusations like these are unacceptable.

She never worked for Phillip Morris.

She was an attorney at a big law firm assigned to represent them.

Anyone who uses that as the subject of demagoguery is not worth discoursing with.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

98. You will have ample opportunities to make that point

I'm frankly sympathetic, I have worked on projects in the Alberta tar sands and on oil pipelines, I would no doubt be similarly smeared.

[Dalton Mac]

60. She Won't Be

/

[Demsrule86]

65. I would vote for her too in a general...but not a primary.

What part of Connecticut are you in? I went to High school in Ridgefield and lived in Brookfield after I graduated from UConn.

[CTyankee]

67. The Peoples's Republic of New Haven!

My husband is a huge fan of the UConn basketball team and Geno Auriemmo. Also Yale football. We won The Game this year against you-know-who. Go Bulldogs!

[ecstatic]

66. Loyalty is important to me. I'd vote for her if she were the nominee,

But not in the primaries. We've already witnessed her kick at least two democrats under the bus. I don't like that. Who else will she kick under the bus during a crisis? Which parts of the base are expendable in her eyes?

[CTyankee]

69. At this point it's hard to tell, but I think her decision to do what she helped do was

a part of a strategy to make it harder for the pukes to pursue their strategy of "whataboutism" (the added benefit of getting rid of a liberal Senator). That is the "Occam's Razor" of many Democrats who signed on to the call for Franken's resignation. Personally, I just think he got caught in that strategy and that old photograph just made it all worse for him. I don't think the photograph proved anything and I don't ascribe bad things to Al for it. I do believe Leeanne is a Trumpster who was used by the GOP to get Franken. Whether or not Kirsten and other Dems strategy was a good one remains to be seen...

[Denzil_DC]

71. Well, it's wrongheaded.

How many years do you (i.e. one, not you personally) have to follow the antics of the Republicans before you realize that double standards and whataboutery are ingrained in their nature as a party?

Franken stayed? Look at how horrible these Democrats are, the party of abusers daring to point their fingers at us!

Franken resigned? Well, he was obviously guilty. Look at how horrible these Democrats are, the party of abusers daring to point their fingers at us!

There are a few prominent Republicans I can point to who do seem to have a higher standard, but I doubt enough to swing a vote in a crunch.

So a valuable senator is lost, possibly a seat in 2018, and nothing's gained. To call it a strategy is unduly flattering.

[CTyankee]

72. This is a political strategy that is all too common.

We "clean" our house so the pukes don't come back at us.

This is why so many of us loathe the politics that make this politics. I have been totally sick thinking how this all turned out. Politics at its WORST.

[Denzil_DC]

73. Agreed.

And some here have been gloating openly today that Gillibrand has cleverly gotten rid of two challengers and repeatedly posting the ROFL smilie while people have been expressing their anger.

With supporters like that, Gillibrand doesn't need enemies!

And I want to say I really appreciate the civil way you've conducted yourself in all the threads under this OP.

[chillfactor]

77. I do not like her...

I hope someone else is our nominee.

[CTyankee]

81. Who are you looking at right now?

[samnsara]

79. i will vote for the Dem candidate as long as they are not a crazy ass populist...

...I may not campaign for the person chosen....if they aren't MY choice...but I will vote for them.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

80. I don't know how I feel about her prospective candidacy.

I know I stand by her in her battle with Chump.

[customerserviceguy]

84. Yes, we'll be stuck with her

But I don't think that is going to happen. We only had one female candidate in 2016, and we probably will have at least three in 2020. The progressive women's vote will likely be divided.

Just because the Orange Menace targeted her today doesn't change what I felt about her two days ago.

[NewJeffCT]

86. I have not gotten caught up in any primary wars here on DU

so, I suspect I won't for 2020, either. And, I will vote for the Democratic candidate in the general over Trump, Pence, or whoever is running for the Republicans

[ananda]

87. I will never support or vote for her for anything!

And you know why ... and it's a very good reason!

The good Al Franken.

[Trumpocalypse]

95. So if she were the nominee vs Trump in 20

you're ok with Trump winning re-election.

[snooper2]

92. 2020 DU Primary wars and nobody has even announced they are running

oh, wait...

need more---

[apnu]

93. I voted for Bernie in the IL primary, Hillary in the GE.

I have no problems voting for Gillibrand.

I'll want to see the field first, of course, but if its Gillibrand in the GE come 2020, she's got my vote right now.

[CTyankee]

94. Of course. We don't know now who will make it to the "finals" but Gillibrand is far

from the worst we can do! After Trump's disgusting tweet, she is getting a lot of sympathy and she is standing up to him. That throws new light on her, IMO. She is getting a LOT of sympathy and support.

[apnu]

97. I don't think she's that bad.

I'm a progressive, yes, but also a realist. Gillibrand is moderate compared to where I'm at. And that's OK. I know I'll never see all the progress I wish for in my life time, but she'd be several good and important steps down that road.

The Right is so out of control that even moderate liberals like Gillibrand look like crazy far-left hippies. Its not us that moved to the left, it was them sprinting to the right.

Given that the GOP base is now all the hatred filled conservative evangelical Christians and the sewage of the neo-fascist and racist collective, they are alienating middle America.

Democrats have a opportunity to pick up the middle right now. But to do so all of us liberals have to be ready to compromise, especially us progressives.

I think progressives have their hearts in the right place but are impatient with the long slog of changing things and making it stick. That kind of structural change takes time and sustained will to see it through on a generational level. Look how we are fighting to keep the core aspects of the New Deal alive today.

Progressives like myself have to keep an eye on the long view and chip away towards that in the near term. Anything else is madness.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

96. Gillibrand will not be our candidate in 2020, will not be popular outside of Wall street.

Basically we would be better off not to have a candidate from either NY or the senate.

[Willie Pep]

99. I will too.

Although I think there are better candidates, including better female candidates. I have warmed up to Kamala Harris lately.

[SHRED]

102. No way

Too quick to judgement.

[OnDoutside]

104. And judgement which is poor. I would also discount anyone who piled in early against

Franken.

[Baconator]

110. Candidate,gender, race, history doesn't matter...

What will their message be and it sure as shit had better be something better than "We aren't Trump"...

[DonCoquixote]

112. let me be blunt

In the primary, I intend to support the farthest left withing, emphasis WITHIN the Democratic party. Sanders is nice, but my efforts would be for people that tried to work from within rather than snipe from beyond the wall. Yes I hope Liz runs.

Come General, if my candidate does not win, I will vote for WHOEVER did. I will not even care if I hate the person, hell, I do not care if the Democrats nominate an egg salad sandwich. That last line should have been a joke, but in terms of literal truth, a sandwich would actually be a lot less dangerous than Donald Trump, and less disgusting. It would nto start world war III over it's Twitter feed.

[DFW]

113. I will vote for our nominee

I will NOT vote for Gillibrand in the primaries.

I am committed to having a smart, competent, decisive, aware, dedicated candidate for president in 2020.

I care not one whit about that candidate's color or gender.

[beachbum bob]

114. gilliband would have ZERO problem calling trump an "asshole" directly to his face in any debate

the time for being "nice" is over. We take back oor country or have forever destroyed

the choice is clear

[Demsrule86]

115. Gillibrand caved to a right wing hit job on Franken. I don't think she is tough enough to be

our nominee. Also, running someone from New York will not get the voters we need geographically...I would vote for Gillibrand if she was the Democratic nominee of course, but I don't think she will be the nominee...She seems to represent New Yorkers quite well. I just want a president with better judgement.

[Rene]

116. She won't be the nominee after her back stabbing efforts against the best Senator Al Franken