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You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2016 / Martin O’Malley’s (Almost) In the Race

Martin O’Malley’s (Almost) In the Race

by Anne Laurie|  May 14, 20159:45 pm| 48 Comments

This post is in: Election 2016, Open Threads

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Martin O’Malley to top progressives: Warren’s not running, I am, by @anniekarni http://t.co/RkYyw0mu81 via @POLITICO

— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) May 13, 2015

From the Washington Post:

DURHAM, N.H. — Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, who has been ramping up for a potential White House bid, plans to make an announcement about his political future on May 30 in Baltimore, aides said Wednesday.

O’Malley, who is widely expected to run for the Democratic nomination, will tell donors and other supporters about the announcement in a conference call scheduled for Thursday night, according to aides who requested anonymity in order to speak more freely.

The aides expect O’Malley to say he is inclined to run but to remain somewhat circumspect about his intentions. Were he to tell them outright that he plans to enter the race, he could trigger a 15-day window that would require him to file candidacy papers before May 30…

O’Malley spent Wednesday in New Hampshire, the nation’s first presidential primary state. He looked very much like a candidate during stops at a diner in Manchester and a house party here. The house party drew about 50 people, many of whom were seeing O’Malley for the first time…

As he visited New Hampshire on Wednesday, O’Malley defended his policies, which were credited for reducing violent crime, and said the country needs to invest more heavily in its cities, which he said policymakers from both parties have neglected for years…

Buzzfeed found itself a gotcha: O’Malley “took a private jet to his most recent campaign swing in New Hampshire” and “has regularly used the private jet owned by John Coale, a retired lawyer and the husband of Fox News host Greta Van Susteren.”

First of many posts, as more details emerge. Explanation for the new “O’Malley’s March” label here.

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48Comments

  1. 1.

    JPL

    May 14, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    Buzzfeed found itself a gotcha: O’Malley “took a private jet to his most recent campaign swing in New Hampshire” and “has regularly used the private jet owned by John Coale, a retired lawyer and the husband of Fox News host Greta Van Susteren.”

    Nice to know that they are no longer hoping for a Sarah run.

  2. 2.

    Baud

    May 14, 2015 at 9:54 pm

    has regularly used the private jet owned by John Coale

    As long as he doesn’t comment on a blog owned by John Cole, he’ll be OK.

  3. 3.

    Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)

    May 14, 2015 at 9:57 pm

    So, this makes how many so far? Clinton, Sanders, Webb, O’Malley… Any others? At least I could see any of them making a creditable president, which is more than I can say of the Republicans. I’m really, truly, deeply unenthusiastic about a Hillary Clinton presidency, so I hope one of these guys gets a foothold and makes a real run.

  4. 4.

    askew

    May 14, 2015 at 9:58 pm

    Finally some good news. He’ll get 3 votes in Iowa and be done but until then I can pretend until then.

    He’s leased office space in Baltimore and hired a great political director, Karine Jean-Pierre. O’Malley’s also staffed up in Iowa with local Iowans which should help him navigate the caucus system.

    As for the private plane, he’s been flying around in it since 2014. Not news.

  5. 5.

    askew

    May 14, 2015 at 9:59 pm

    @Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.):

    I don’t think Webb runs. He hasn’t been staffing up. We’ll end up with Chaffee, Sanders and O’Malley as the alternatives to Hillary Clinton.

  6. 6.

    Howard Beale IV

    May 14, 2015 at 10:01 pm

    @JPL: Oh, great-to be associated with a Scientologist. And Coale describes himself as an ambulance chaser. Way to go, Marty!

  7. 7.

    Mike in NC

    May 14, 2015 at 10:17 pm

    We recently saw how O’Malley’s record as mayor of Baltimore and fudged crime statistics will be a stumbling block.

  8. 8.

    Gin & Tonic

    May 14, 2015 at 10:18 pm

    @askew: One “F” Chafee doesn’t appear to have been staffing up, either. He’s just “exploring” at this point, and I predict his candidacy will last as long as a one-stick popsicle in NYC on the 4th of July.

  9. 9.

    Larv

    May 14, 2015 at 10:43 pm

    I actually saw O’Malley’s March in concert back when he was mayor of Baltimore, must be close to ten years ago. He was opening for Shane MacGowan at the Recker in B’more. They were okay, but not particularly memorable. That may be because MacGowan was much more memorable, as he was two hours late, roaring drunk, completely incoherent and still pretty spectacular. Hard for somebody as vanilla as O’Malley to live up to that.

    As a Marylander, my feelings about O’Malley as mayor and governor are similar. Meh. He’s always seemed more focused on the next job than on his current one. Maybe that wouldn’t be a problem as president because there isn’t anywhere further to go, but I’m still pretty lukewarm about him. I think he’s running as a true progressive less because he is one than because he sees an opportunity in appearing as one to capture the Warren wing of the party. He always struck me as pretty centrist.

  10. 10.

    NotMax

    May 14, 2015 at 10:44 pm

    First of many posts

    For pity’s sake, why “many?” Incipient gotcha-ism? Post when he makes the announcement.

  11. 11.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 14, 2015 at 10:45 pm

    @Larv:

    That may be because MacGowan was much more memorable, as he was two hours late, roaring drunk, completely incoherent and still pretty spectacular.

    So Shane was Shane.

  12. 12.

    Anne Laurie

    May 14, 2015 at 10:52 pm

    @NotMax:

    For pity’s sake, why “many?”

    People complain that I don’t post enough about our candidates / tell the good stories / share what’s truly important.

    O’Malley is, pretty clearly, gonna be a candidate in the Democratic primaries, and deserves to be treated seriously. So he gets his own BJ category now, and will be the subject of more posts (not just by me, I’m sure) as his candidacy ripens.

  13. 13.

    BubbaDave

    May 14, 2015 at 10:53 pm

    @Larv:

    Maybe that wouldn’t be a problem as president because there isn’t anywhere further to go

    He’s really running for Pope!

  14. 14.

    Larv

    May 14, 2015 at 10:54 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Pretty much, yeah. I can’t say any of it was unexpected. He’s apparently cleaned himself up some over the last few years, but this would have been at the peak (or nadir) of his dissolution. It was an impressive performance, for certain values of impressiveness.

  15. 15.

    NotMax

    May 14, 2015 at 11:00 pm

    @Anne Laurie

    All well and good, but the way it reads is either that there will be many posts for the sake of having many posts regardless of substantive data or that you have an inside track and will be dribbling out details.

  16. 16.

    NotMax

    May 14, 2015 at 11:04 pm

    @NotMax

    Oh, it also reads as if there will by necessity many posts (by you, not by others) on O’Malley between today and May 30.

  17. 17.

    bk

    May 14, 2015 at 11:16 pm

    @NotMax: Pick those nits.

  18. 18.

    askew

    May 14, 2015 at 11:27 pm

    @Mike in NC:

    That BS about fudged #s in Baltimore has been debunked multiple times. It was a huge deal in O’Malley’s first Governor’s race and his opponents and journalists could never find any evidence. Hasn’t stopped Simon and others from pushing a bullshit theory. But, it is no more true than Hillary killing Vince Foster is true.

  19. 19.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 14, 2015 at 11:27 pm

    @bk: Nits don’t pick themselves, do they?

  20. 20.

    askew

    May 14, 2015 at 11:29 pm

    @Larv:

    He was the most progressive Governor in the country by far while Governor of Maryland. More progressive than CA’s Brown, MN’s Dayton, MA’s Patrick, etc. He has a legitimate record of progressive accomplishments to run on. He actually has the most accomplishments between Sanders, O’Malley and H. Clinton period.

    He is a bit vanilla, but his record as Governor is pretty much a progressive’s dream list.

  21. 21.

    Haydnseek

    May 14, 2015 at 11:30 pm

    Shorter O’Malley: “You wanted a pony, you’ll get a hamster.”

  22. 22.

    askew

    May 14, 2015 at 11:32 pm

    @Anne Laurie:

    I’ve bitched about your slanted Hillary posts, so here is kudos for your putting up threads on other candidates. Unlike Daily Kos’s front page, at least this site recognize there are other candidates beside Hillary.

    Bernie is doing his official announcement on the 26th. Hope we’ll see a post on him then as well.

  23. 23.

    jl

    May 14, 2015 at 11:34 pm

    @askew:

    ” Bernie is doing his official announcement on the 26th. Hope we’ll see a post on him then as well. ”

    Yeah, equal time for Bernie after he announces.

  24. 24.

    Brandon

    May 14, 2015 at 11:42 pm

    @Larv: As a fellow Marylander, meh has to be the right word for him. He was light years better than Ehrlich, but really that wasn’t hard to do because Ehrlich was such a corrupt disaster. And I would certainly take him back over Hogan any day, but on the other side you cannot really say that he did anything really important or spectacular either. Gay marriage went to a public referendum.

    You couldn’t even make him out as a good government type because his support for the unnecessary, under utilized and ridiculously expensive ICC in what appears to be exchange for contributions from developers betrayed that notion.

    So what’s left? Is basic and nominally inoffensive executive competence now turn someone into a liberal hero? If that is where we are as a country, I fear for our future. But would probably also suggest better potential candidates meeting that description, like Gary Locke.

  25. 25.

    Villago Delenda Est

    May 14, 2015 at 11:47 pm

    @Mike in NC: Yes, that makes him a no-go for me. He’s fundamentally dishonest and is willing to sacrifice real people to advance his career.

    Fuck him.

  26. 26.

    askew

    May 14, 2015 at 11:48 pm

    Ok, from this article, I want to know who this could be:

    The call featured about 200 donors, including 100 from Maryland and 100 from other states, one person on the call told msnbc. Donors were told that current and former governors and mayors were on the call as well.

    Current Dem Governors who aren’t already backing Hillary are pretty slim. Jerry Brown, John Hickenlooper, and Dan Malloy are the only ones who I could see backing someone besides Hillary. And considering O’Malley’s polling at 2% that is a pretty big risk to go against the Clintons who will hold a grudge.

  27. 27.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 14, 2015 at 11:57 pm

    @askew:

    a pretty big risk to go against the Clintons who will hold a grudge.

    How many career politicians don’t keep score?

  28. 28.

    askew

    May 15, 2015 at 12:23 am

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Obama doesn’t. But, no one does it on the level the Clintons do. They may forgive Republicans but they are ruthless to Dems who don’t back them.

  29. 29.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 15, 2015 at 12:25 am

    @askew: Oh, bullshit. Obama keeps score just like any other politician. How he acts on those scores may be different than some others might, but don’t tell me he isn’t keeping a mental tally.

    ETA: I really do think you attribute nefarious motives to the Clintons when ordinary motives are sufficient.

  30. 30.

    askew

    May 15, 2015 at 12:32 am

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    I’m not saying anything that isn’t common knowledge.

    Obama is known for not holding grudges. He brought on Hillary and lot of her staff from her campaign. Clintons are known for holding grudges against Dems who cross them.

    And now, I remember why engaging with you is pointless. You always resort to personal insults. This entire thread was perfectly friendly until you came in being an asshole.

  31. 31.

    David Koch

    May 15, 2015 at 12:33 am

    Obama keeps score just like any other politician

    Which why he named this person to his cabinet.

  32. 32.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 15, 2015 at 12:42 am

    @askew: You are remarkably thin skinned. I did not insult you. I made an observation. You may agree or disagree with it.

    Politicians do not get anywhere if they do not keep score. As I said, different politicians may do different things with the score card. And appointing a prominent rival to a major cabinet post is a very reasonable thing. So is casting the rival into Coventry.

  33. 33.

    David Koch

    May 15, 2015 at 12:45 am

    @JPL:

    Buzzfeed found itself a gotcha: O’Malley “took a private jet to his most recent campaign swing in New Hampshire”

    yeah, if O’Malley is gonna get our vote he gonna have to campaign on a 1968 VW Bus that runs on solar and wind or a majic carpet like.Bernie.

  34. 34.

    Omnes Omnibus

    May 15, 2015 at 12:51 am

    @David Koch: Yep, there are no alternatives in between.

  35. 35.

    EconWatcher

    May 15, 2015 at 1:01 am

    Really (really, really) unenthusiastic about Hillary, but my gut tells me she’s a better choice than O’Malley. He’s got a little vibe of that John Edwards shadiness that might blow up majorly later.

    This is of course based on no evidence whatsoever. But I liked Obama immediately upon first exposure, and had the exact opposite reaction to Edwards, so maybe my gut isn’t entirely useless.

  36. 36.

    askew

    May 15, 2015 at 1:30 am

    @EconWatcher:

    I don’t think he is anything like Edwards. Edwards was a lightweight who only served 1 term in the Senate and the only thing he had to show for it was pushing through the Iraq War and then he turned around and ran as a progressive. O’Malley’s record matches his rhetoric and he’s gone through 4 tough elections where his opponents dug and dug looking for dirt in his personal life and didn’t find any. The GOP ended up making up a story about adultery and getting caught doing it because they couldn’t find any dirt.

    Plus, O’Malley’s colleagues actually like him. It was pretty telling that no one in the Senate backed Edwards in his presidential race and that Feingold came out and attacked him for being a joke.

    I saw Edwards give a speech in 2004 and he just reeked of smarm. I think O’Malley is too bland to be that smarmy. That is O’Malley’s biggest negative. He is pretty dull. But, I’ll take dull over the other options.

  37. 37.

    EconWatcher

    May 15, 2015 at 1:48 am

    @askew: These are helpful and interesting points, cogently expressed. But I prefer hyperbole and rank speculation. It’s a question of taste.

  38. 38.

    David Koch

    May 15, 2015 at 3:03 am

    Why would O’Malley want to do something sexist like run against Hillary?

  39. 39.

    Eric

    May 15, 2015 at 4:04 am

    It’s funny that O’Malley has a vanilla reputation. The first time I was exposed to him was an election night rally in Philly in ’08. He was actually the liveliest speaker that night. And more than one person walked away impressed with him.

    Of course the other speakers were a baseball player, Ed Rendell and the Bidens. So perhaps it was all relative.

  40. 40.

    Eric

    May 15, 2015 at 4:06 am

    The player was Jimmy Rollins, if it matters…

  41. 41.

    NonyNony

    May 15, 2015 at 7:53 am

    Someone explain to me why I should vote for O’Malley in the primary when Bernie Sanders is an option.

    And I mean that sincerely – what does O’Malley bring to the table that I’m not going to get from Sanders?

    And to just frame the argument a bit – I’m assuming that barring a massive flameout by Clinton she’s going to be the nominee. My primary vote this cycle is more likely to be a strategic vote intended to help pull the discourse to the left in this country (or at least within the Democratic Party) than it is a vote for someone who will actually be going on to run for President. So given THAT background – why should I vote for O’Malley over Sanders?

  42. 42.

    Bobby Thomson

    May 15, 2015 at 10:14 am

    @NonyNony: that’s where I am, too.

  43. 43.

    askew

    May 15, 2015 at 10:59 am

    @NonyNony:

    O’Malley has more executive experience. He has a strong record of progressive accomplishments not just votes in Congress on bills that never made it into law, which is my primary reason for supporting him. He doesn’t have the DC stench on him. He’s to Sanders’ left on gun control.

    Sanders is great and if O’Malley doesn’t run, I’ll be supporting him. I just wish he was 25 years younger and was better on gun control.

  44. 44.

    askew

    May 15, 2015 at 11:02 am

    @Eric:

    Wow, more lively than Joe Biden? I think that guy gives a good speech. A block of wood would be more lively than Rendell especially since he’s isn’t the biggest Obama fan. I am sure 2008 was bittersweet for him since it meant no cabinet job in Hillary’s administration.

    Maybe O’Malley just doesn’t translate well to tv. People who have seen Hillary speak live swear to me she is lively and charismatic. She doesn’t come across that way on tv though.

  45. 45.

    rusty

    May 15, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    I’m trying to imagine the experience of being married to Greta Van Susteren, but every time my imagination hits a hard stop… does not compute.

  46. 46.

    David Koch

    May 15, 2015 at 4:06 pm

    @rusty: they’re both Scientologists

  47. 47.

    Carl Nyberg

    May 15, 2015 at 4:36 pm

    @NonyNony:
    Governors have proven more likely to win in general elections:

    2012 Gov vs. incumbent POTUS (former US Senator)
    2008 US Sen vs. US Sen
    2004 incumbent POTUS (former Gov) vs US Sen
    2000 Gov vs. VP (former US Senator)
    1996 US Sen vs incumbent POTUS
    1992 incumbent POTUS (former executive branch guy) vs Gov
    1988 incumbent VP (former executive branch guy) vs Gov
    1984 incumbent POTUS (former Gov) vs US Sen
    1980 Gov vs incumbent POTUS (former Gov)
    1976 incumbent POTUS/VP (former US House leader) vs Gov
    1972 incumbent POTUS (former VP/US Sen) vs US Sen
    1968 former VP/US Sen vs US Sen
    1964 US Sen vs incumbent POTUS/VP (former US Sen)
    1960 incumbent VP (former US Sen) vs US Sen

    Since 1960, the governors who broke in were Carter, Reagan, Clinton & George W. Bush. The governors who got the nomination but lost were Dukakis & Romney.

    Since 1960, the US senators who broke in were JFK & Obama. Those that got nomination and lost: Goldwater, Humphrey, McGovern, Mondale, Dole, Kerry & McCain.

    Based on this data, it suggests that O’Malley would be more likely to win general election than Sanders.

  48. 48.

    NonyNony

    May 15, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    @Carl Nyberg:

    Based on this data, it suggests that O’Malley would be more likely to win general election than Sanders.

    Yes and if I didn’t already believe that Hillary Clinton has this one in a walk I’d vote for the governor over the Senator every time.

    That’s why I put the context in my post – assuming that I believe that Hillary Clinton has this already won and my vote is to support someone to send a message to the Democratic Party WHY should I vote for O’Malley over Sanders? Don’t explain to me why he’d make a better President because I don’t think either of them will ever be President (again – barring an epic flameout by Clinton in the early primaries at which point I’ll re-evaluate my vote before our primary). Explain to me why a vote for O’Malley sends a better message to the Democratic Party and help move the party (and hopefully the country) to the left than a vote for Sanders would.

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