I agree that it will most likely be a man. The Democrats won’t take their chances again with a female candidate until another win unfortunately.
I’ve been reading quite a bit of analysis and opinions (combined) online and I reckon, and don’t quote me on this, but I think the Democrats can’t just choose a candidate that ‘fits the bill’ of being either a southerner or a Californian liberal. They need someone who can stand out from the crowd and run their own race rather than beheld by the establishment of the Democrat left or right.
We can all speculate the likes of Newsom, Beshear, Shapiro etc but at the moment all of them (maybe except for Beshear) are all associate with the Democrat brand, which stinks right up to high heavens. If any of them can show some bold vision that encapsulates economically centrist and socially progressive reforms they’ll be able to win in 2028. They also need to have a sense to understanding of the people and how they speak, which is what Clinton did so well compared to Bush Senior in 1992. Be relatable and speak for them, not against them. Tim Walz did that very well, but he didn’t get a chance to shine behind Harris. Frankly he could’ve been a great Presidential Candidate if he didn’t run for VP this year.
That’s what Clinton won, not solely because he and Gore were Southerners. Frankly if the Democrats play the ‘I’m a Southerner therefore I’m broad-appealing’ card they’ll fail miserably like they did with Clinton in 2016 and Harris in 2024. Their candidate (and VP candidate) needs to be relatable, likeable, down to earth, and most importantly, smart.
Unfortunately given that since 1992 the political landscape is so polarised it’ll be hard to see any presidents sweep 30+ states again, seeing the south won’t ever vote Democrats and the west/north-east won’t ever vote Republicans. It really is about just securing the rust belt and sun belt and convincing them why they deserve to be voted in, not why the others deserve to be voted out.
I didn’t say greatest. I don’t think there is one “greatest” nation on earth.
I said successful.
Who else would be in the running - Germany, Australia, China, Canada - what would historians consider the greatest success in the last 100 years? I think the pendulum still swings to the US.
I saw a headline y/day that more Britons think favourably of Trump than Keirs Starmer.
Then there is this - Aussies are warming up to him too.
I didn’t vote for him - I couldn’t bring myself too. But I am starting to warm to his no-nonsense and different approach - particulary when it comes to immigration and cutting govt. spending. And I think I’m not the only one.
Conversations seems to be turnng too “I don’t really like him - but lets see what he does”. It’s certainly where I stand.
I don’t know… I’m wary of these polls because they’re often skewed towards whatever result the outlet publishing them wants to present. The Trump/Starmer poll was in the Telegraph, which hates Starmer (as well as anyone to the left of Rishi Sunak) and is often sympathetic to Trump.
Yeah, and in 2016/17 that was a perfectly understandable point of view. I thought the same back then too. But in 2024? When he is a known quantity, one who is not only a convicted felon, but also someone who tried to overturn the results of a democratic election? Nah.
With respect I think you and a lot of others are trying to convince yourselves ‘oh, he’ll be all right, at least you know where you stand with Trump…’ and I guess in some ways you do. Only you’re standing in a waist-high pile of manure.
Obviously we have to accept that he won - which is more than he and his lackeys did for Biden in 2020 - but I don’t think that means we need to bend the knee and start supporting him.
As awful as he was last time, he did generally surround himself with experienced operators, mostly standard Republicans. Some bad hombres - some, I assume, are good people. This time he’s got a load of hangers-on, creepy techbros, far-right opportunists… and his kids. I think the best we can hope for is that they’re so ineffectual nothing gets done, and a Democrat gets elected in 2028… that is, if Trump and his goons haven’t completely gutted American democracy by then.
I hope I’m wrong and you’re right - for everyone’s sakes. But given his track record, and the people he’s appointed so far… I’m not terribly hopeful.
You make all valid points. And I largely agree.
I’m not saying I’m right on Trump. I’m just sharing my honest sentiments and in wide ranging conversations I feel people are increasingly sharing my sentiments.
Honestly - Nancy Polisi making hundreds of millions on inside trading (and most politicians) bothers me far more than Trump paying off a porn star.
I’m more concerned with record immigration and record taxation than I am with trump lying about his net worth.
Don’t aussie politicians retire with salary for life?
It’s these kind of things that bother me more than many of trumps things.
We have him now. For 4 years. It is what it is. I don’t think America will implode in 4 years. A month ago we all had the chance to make a difference. Now we don’t - it is what it is.
It would be far better if the democrats start trying to identify new leadership and start to disect what went wrong and move to the centre on many issues
You make a lot of valid points, too. And again, for everyone’s sake, I hope you’re right and I’m wrong. I think the best case scenario is that he spends most of his presidency eating McDonald’s and watching Fox News, and then he’s quietly shuffled off into the sunset for 2028. Not that I think Vance would be any better…
As for the Democrats… I agree that they suck as well. Though I would still vote Democrat over Republican any day. Saying that they’re deeply moribund. The Dems desperately need new blood, new ideas. No more Clintons, no more Harrises, definitely no more Pelosis. How about some real economic policies, that help the working and middle classes, not some nonsense about protecting black men’s crypto investments?
I think Harris was a woeful candidate. I wanted her to win, I really did, because the alternative was too frightening to fathom. But she was hopelessly ineffectual. She was barely visible as VP - it seemed as if Biden wanted the limelight all for himself. And she was a terrible speaker. Half the time she sounded drunk! (Yes, I know she wasn’t actually drunk, before someone jumps down my throat…) No wonder people were skeptical.
Really I think all this is on Biden. He was only ever supposed to be a one-term president. But he, or his family/aides, insisted he run in 2024. Had they done the decent thing and eased him out, there could have been a proper primary, and a viable candidate could have emerged. But no. He stepped down far too late and we were stuck with Harris. The only person, next to Clinton, who could have lost to a man who tried to overturn a democratic election.
But anyway… like you say, it’s all over now. All we can do is sit back and watch what happens.
Hang on there. Nancy Pelosi has not been charged or even investigated over any ALLEGED insider trading. The only people making screeching allegations are Trump and Fox News.
Yet you’re prepared to say she’s guilty of something and that it “concerns” you more than the actual criminal convictions of Trump?
Yeah nah both are incredibly stupid things to do in this day and age, although at least the former isn’t as morally corrupt as the latter, nor is it illegal.
Just curious, @NuStraya who do you think would be good presidential and VP candidates for 2028?
The good thing going for Democrats is that they do have a good pool of high profile politicians in the senate and governorships who would do a fine job (but really anyone would do better than Trump or Vance, who let’s face it, in part ‘Bradbury’d it because the Dems kept shooting themselves in the foot with the same old).
But if any of them want a chance, they need to come back down to earth from ‘Washington Heaven’ and actively reach out to people, listen to them, speak for them and not to them, and just, you know, do what you’re being democratically nominated and voted for. See my previous comment about 10 posts up for specifics. No quota, no box ticking, just needs to be someone who’s ‘reachable’ and as much as I hate to say it, it will have to be a man (possibly with a woman as VP though).
As for Biden, completely agree. It’s as if he got older he became more deluded about his ability (or let’s say inability) to rule. Harris I thought was fine but she had to be a standout which she unfortunately wasn’t. But I guess the one good thing about Harris running instead of Biden was, I guess they avoided a complete wipeout which they would’ve under Biden?
Insider trading is very much illegal under most scenarios. But my point was it has to be investigated and she would need to be actually charged before people throw around unfounded allegations.
Republicans have done this again and again with Pelosi. Trying to paint her as a west coast elite. Trump has gone so far as to celebrate the home invasion which put her husband in hospital. Yet the Fox News Maga crowd seem to think that’s ok. Again it’s so f’d up.
Yeah sorry I didn’t read it clearly as I was on the bus to work this morning. But yes the fact that Republicans are having a hard on for Pelosi whilst calling Trump’s felon charges a ‘witchhunt’ says it all. They have no morality.
Yet the same schmucks would call for the heads of whoever tried to suggest Trump should be incapacitated and the same crowd would fall hook line and sinker to it is just astounding. It’s almost as if Trump is a god to them that could do no wrong yet the Democrats are the worst in the world for being, you know, just politicians.
“Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.”
He added: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
Well done Biden. Blowing up the last bit of goodwill that people had towards you.
Mind you Trump would be in the same boat but still, if Hunter’s been convicted and found guilty then it’s just all wrong for his father as president to do it.
There was talk on the right that Trump and Biden might be swapping pardons. ie. Trump pardons Hunter and Biden pardons Trump or the J6 prisoners. But with the prosecutions of Trump disappearing there’s no upside for Trump in it as Trump will want credit for any pardons for the J6 prisoners and won’t want the blowback for pardoning Hunter. If any deal was done, it’s probably just for silence from each other about whatever pardons they deliver. Of course if Trump starts ranting on X or Truth shortly then we’ll know that no deal was done at all.
I’m honestly gobsmacked he would do this. He has literally blown up any chance the Democrats have of criticising whoever Trump chooses to pardon or give preferential treatment to. And he has further emboldened the magas who push the narrative that the Democrats are corrupt. Urgh no words really.
One of the most narcissistic and egotistical things you could do.
Undermines your credibility as a leader - which to be fair is already in tatters. He can barely lift a finger to do anything about Gaza, and his ego hindered the party’s chance of re-election.
He will go down as one of the worst presidents in American history, honestly.
