Martin O'Malley's Comprehensive, Progressive Trade Policy

[bigtree]

23. tell me though

...how many appearances of his have you seen?

O'Malley has been described by those who have had the opportunity to attend his events as passionate, engaging, well-prepared and informative, as well.

This comment of yours really isn't supported by anything I've witnessed in the countless appearances I've watched from beginning to end in this campaign:

"O'Malley tends to follow the pattern of detailed proposals, while not conveying a sense that we really do need to challenge a bad system."

I've had the opportunity to witness the passion and commitment of Gov. O'Malley in my state of Md.. It was an asset to his progressive legislative successes that he waged his political fights armed with solutions to match his rhetoric, and it didn't limit him from doing the harder and necessary work of selling his proposals and initiatives to the public.

He waged many of his campaigns that way as well, with substance, and an ability to engage the public debate with deftness of purpose - not just bluster and scorn. I think we'll see a demonstration of that quality in the upcoming debate. He's preparing for that appearance in much the same way he prepares for all of his political battles...

TIME today:

The former Maryland governor is known as an assiduous debate preparer, mastering long lists of fact sheets and minute policy differences. He has practiced a series of particular phrases during his months of campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire this year, including “new Americans” and “new leadership.” Advisors say the self-proclaimed policy wonk has pored over the data in preparation.

“He was very disciplined,” said former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich, who faced O’Malley in debates in 2006 and 2010. “He knew what he wanted to say, and he was just going to say it. He went on some riffs, he knew his base and he always brought a lot more people to the debates than we did.”

...more to the point, O'Malley defining his view of his efforts:

"I am the only candidate (on that stage) who will be able to point to fifteen years of executive experience, actually pulling people together to get difficult things done, things that many of the other candidates will only be able to talk about, whether it was making college more affordable, making our schools number one, passing a living wage, passing comprehensive gun safety legislation, Dream Act, marriage equality. These are all things that I've gotten done. They were actions, they weren't words, and that is what people are looking for right now."

"I think in the opening rounds of this presidential selection process that in both parties in our search for a new leader I believe that voters gravitated to those candidates that most firmly repudiated the establishment. And in the Republican Party that candidate was Donald Trump. And in our party it has been Bernie Sanders. But what people say to me whenever I'm in Iowa after they have come out and kindly heard what I have to offer and the vision for a future where our economy works for all of us again, people say I'm glad to know we have an alternative. I've never heard of you before. I'm glad I came out today. So that tells me people are shopping. People are looking for a new leader. And neither party ever nominates angry."