Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

“woke” is the new caravan.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Let there be snark.

Let’s finish the job.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

No one could have predicted…

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Russian mouthpiece, go fuck yourself.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / 2020 Elections / Open Thread: Voters Make Their Choices

Open Thread: Voters Make Their Choices

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342Comments

  1. 1.

    The Dangerman

    Had they gone w Warren, outcome might have been different…

    This may be accurate. I don’t think there would have been that “are you shitting me?” moment when BS looked like the favorite and, just as with stocks in a storm, people fled to safety

    ETA: This assumes CA follows the pattern and doesn’t do something … interesting.

  4. 4.

    Adam L Silverman

    Texas is too close to call. And So is Massachusetts. Michael Moore is going to stress eat the Upper Peninsula of Michigan before tonight is over!

    Open Thread: Voters Make Their Choices

  5. 5.

    jl

    Hope everyone stays calm tonight. I’m not paying attention, since no point. I voted for Warren first thing this morning.

    As for one of the tweets:

    ” They won’t like hearing this but progressives overreached w Sanders & cost themselves their 1st real shot at the party’s nomination. Had they gone w Warren, outcome might have been different but too many people are spooked by the actual socialist thing. There’s a lesson in that ”

    As a progressive, and Warren supporter, I have to say that I’m not interested in her lesson for me. And I don’t think that attitude is good for unifying different factions of the party.

    Some of our worry is due to the candidates’ faults, and every human has faults. I would rather Sanders not run, and if he did run, not run like a recording of his 2016 campaign. I wish Biden had started his run with some policy and showed more of his progressive side, rather than starting with a nostalgia tour. And I wish Warren had not gotten caught in her famous ability to come up with a plan for everything and let her overall message get lost in the weeds of health care policy details.

    And there is no ‘progressive’ mindmeld and borg that controls how they all vote.

  8. 8.

    zzyzx

    I was thinking that it might be interesting if there was a candidate that had Bernie’s beliefs and Biden’s political skill and then I remembered that that was Warren. It is stunning she didn’t do better.

  9. 9.

    Jeffro

    Pretty amazing to see Biden winning and/or doing well across the board.

    If one were to add Bloomberg’s numbers…or even just most of his numbers…into Biden’s %s, which is where they would naturally go, the message is pretty clear.

    I’m relieved beyond words.  I want eight straight months of pounding on trumpov and his enablers/henchmen.

  11. 11.

    jl

    As for the GOP antics in the primary, I am torn between two alternatives:

    Root for Biden because the Trumpsters were scared enough of him to start smearing him first.

    Root for Sanders becuase the Trumpsters think he’d be an easier candidate to beat, and they are dumb and wrong about everything and bring disaster upon themselves.

    It’s a hopeless conundrum, which maybe explains my support for Warren.

  12. 12.

    Princess

    Maybe “Bend the Knee” was not such a great slogan after all.

    Maybe the Sunday before SC was not a good time to set the record straight about Fidel Castro’s better points.

    Maybe it’s a bad idea for your spouse to gratuitously trash a Dem senate candidate whose you need to defeat a GOP incumbent

    (All that being said, if Biden ends up as the nominee, he should invite Bernie to be his VP. Bernie has earned it and it would do a lot to unite the party. Don’t @ me.)

  17. 17.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @BGinCHI: You wonder if he and Julia Louis-Dreyfus ever sit on their matching piles of doubloons and emeralds and crank call Lorne Michael

    ETA: Bernie’s daughter (I’m guessing cause she looks like Jane) looks like she’s trying to remember if she left anything off her shopping list

  18. 18.

    Jeffro

    Bernie’s on the TV trying to pretend he’s a Uniter and draw contrasts with him and Biden.

    Biden: “Well Bern, I agree with you on about 90% of the issues, but…why are you trumpov’s preferred opponent?”

  19. 19.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    Veteran commenter, new nym. If you think you know, you know.  Let me in pls moderator.

    Committed to myself to write postcards for my candidate for the rest of the primary season. Then, if my current hopes and dreams finish crumbling, that candidate will be Joe Biden. A block in me just gave way today and I realized I’ll feel good about our candidate no matter whom we go in with.

    Also, I’d like to thank joel hanes if he’s here for one of the better reminders I’ve had in a while that I’m still welcome here to some people.

  22. 22.

    mayim

    Mentioned this at the end of the last thread, but repeating here: the 27% crazification factor has been spotted again.

    In Maine, there was a statewide vote today on whether any non-medical exemptions should be allowed for vaccinations. The medical only side got 70+% of the vote, while the side wanting religious/non-medical exemptions got 27%.

    I drive by the building the Christian Civic League is in on my way to work every morning. I’ve decided I’ve done my due diligence in research (even by my standards as a reference librarian) if I vote the other way than what the signs outside the CCL building urge ~ they are firm members of the 27% club. Hasn’t failed me yet ;-)

  24. 24.

    lamh36

    Uh…why is Sanders giving a “victory” speech.

     

    Anyway…Chris Hayes is so much a Bernie-bros he’s basically no even giving analysis anymore.  He’s basically just spinining for Bernie before Bernie spoke. Then after maybe someone spoke in his ear cause now he speaking more realistic than before.

  27. 27.

    guachi

    Minnesota exit polls:

    Decided in last few days: 49-21 Biden-Sanders.

    Decided before that: 45-21 Sanders-Biden

  28. 28.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Bernie goes to MN to force Klobuchar out, AK endorses Biden, Biden wins MN.

    I am pleased.

  29. 29.

    Martin

    @Adam L Silverman: And for people not familiar with the pattern, today will be early mail-in votes, and same day machine votes. Missing will be a few other categories:

    1. Mail-in ballots dropped off at a polling place (we do a LOT of this here)
    2. Any provisional or improper votes. The state will contact you if there’s a problem with your ballot – you forgot to sign it, it’s ambiguously marked, etc. The state doesn’t toss them, they  follow up with he voters so you can clarify the ballot.

    Processing 1 takes some time, since we’re talking millions of ballots in that category. 2 takes even more time but the numbers are smaller.

    So, we’ll get a bunch of votes from weeks ago, favoring Sanders, we’ll get todays votes presumably favoring Biden (or less favoring Sanders) and then over time the drop-off which will probably favor Biden (or again, less favoring Sanders) since most of these ballots were likely filled out yesterday.

  30. 30.

    zhena gogolia

    @jl:

    You’re not factoring in Putin. He’s not dumb. He wants Bernie so he can lose to Drumpf.

  32. 32.

    lamh36

    Biden projected to win Minnesota.

    With most of the vote already early voted in Minnesota, I wonder if Amy folks already knew the numbers for Amy was gonna be enough for her to win against Bernie, even in those early votes!

  38. 38.

    kindness

    Meh.  Progressives didn’t over-reach so much.  More of a dedicated cadre of supporters convinced themselves they were the only progressive voices that mattered and ran a campaign on it.  Progressives went for lots of candidates.

  39. 39.

    The Dangerman

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    …but we’ll have a pretty good idea later tonight…

    It wasn’t THAT long ago that the only one in CA over 15% was Sanders. Someone mentioned it above; the bottom gave way (look out belowwwwwww) when Sanders decided to give Fidel his props.

    Assuming Biden (I heard someone on TV say about a 70% chance, which is good enough for me tonight), one has to wonder about VP. As a CA type, Harris? OK, but does she flip a state? Warren? Same issue. I’m a Warren person but maybe one needs someone a bit younger. I dunno, there should be some stars from the Midwest to choose from that I’m missing (I pondered, and quickly dropped, Mayor Pete).

  41. 41.

    Feathers

    @Princess: Ha. This was suggested on the twitters and my response was that the Vice President’s one job is not to fuck things up and that meant Bernie was not qualified for VP.

  47. 47.

    MoCA Ace

    All that being said, if Biden ends up as the nominee, he should invite Bernie to be his VP. Bernie has earned it and it would do a lot to unite the party

    Please Joe… Hard Fucking Pass!

    Was really hoping I wouldn’t be voting for an old white guy this time.  FWIW I’m not quite and old white guy but I can see it from my house.

  48. 48.

    scav

    Deliberately avoiding things — I’ve never been so ahead in late winter pruning — but my quick peek netted me Super Tuesday: BBC finds Bloomberg campaign offices empty which, well, I did find him vaporware, so . . . giggle achieved. Now to quit while I’m ahead.

    Has the great leader demanded his Nobel Prize in Medicine for curing cancer through supply side doubling down yet?

  49. 49.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @guachi: MSNBC says Biden didn’t spend a dollar there. Amazing.

    Biden, he is feeling some oats tonight. Takes credit for increasing turn out which might just be a deliberate kick in the nuts for Bernie.

    (keep it short, Joe, keep it short)

  50. 50.

    Kent

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Bernie goes to MN to force Klobuchar out, AK endorses Biden, Biden wins MN.

    I am pleased.

    Honestly, this is the first point in this long long campaign that i’m actually starting to smile and feel a little bit OK.

  52. 52.

    lamh36

    Maddow just said Biden didn’t spend any money in Minnesota.

    So Biden is winning states where he didn’t even spend any money!

    Wow.  This is more than just never trump, this seems to me to also be never bernier…damn

  53. 53.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Princess: (All that being said, if Biden ends up as the nominee, he should invite Bernie to be his VP. Bernie has earned it and it would do a lot to unite the party. Don’t @ me.)

    Okay, let’s start with something easy – one of the big objections to both Biden and Sanders has been their age.  How the fuck is it a good idea for both to be on the ticket?  Next, just fuck no; that’s an insane idea for so, so many reasons.  As far as your “Don’t @ me” goes, I say “Don’t start no shit, won’t be no shit.”

  57. 57.

    scott (the other one)

    I cannot emphasize how much I love Warren and for how long and how much I wish she were the nominee/president. But her senate seat is absolutely vital. So if she’s not the nom, I hope she doesn’t become veep—much better she stay in the senate.

    I’m hoping Kamala Harris.

  61. 61.

    Kent

    @The Dangerman:Assuming Biden (I heard someone on TV say about a 70% chance, which is good enough for me tonight), one has to wonder about VP. As a CA type, Harris? OK, but does she flip a state? Warren? Same issue. I’m a Warren person but maybe one needs someone a bit younger. I dunno, there should be some stars from the Midwest to choose from that I’m missing (I pondered, and quickly dropped, Mayor Pete).

    Val Demings.  Maybe she can win Florida:  https://youtu.be/ANtMp7DsxTQ

  62. 62.

    lamh36

    friend of mine says The current vote count in Texas has Sanders ahead, but Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth and their huge African-American turnout today haven’t been counted yet.  Biden is gonna do well in Texas and may even win if the numbers are as big as they have been in other states with big AA turnout!

  63. 63.

    satby

    @zhena gogolia: not just a bad idea, a borderline insane one.Two old codgers as Pres and VP with the VP actively undermining the President every time he opened his mouth? NOPE!

    And Bernie hasn’t earned squat. Except the next heart attack he’s assiduously trying to have with his daily ragegasms.

  68. 68.

    dmsilev

    @lamh36: For whatever it’s worth, NYT’s Needle Of Prognostication currently has Texas predicted to go for Biden by a hair.

  72. 72.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Omnes Omnibus: The actuaries are sticking their fingers in their ears and screaming “lalalala I can’t hear you.”

    It’ll be a race to see who dies first. It is virtually certain that one of them will die before the end of 2024.

  74. 74.

    Kent

    @L85NJGT: So far Wilmer’s best state is CO at 36%

    You forgot Vermont!   He hit 50% in Vermont which is only 30 points lower than where he was in VT in 2016.

  80. 80.

    The Dangerman

    @Kent:

    Val Demings

    I’m reasonably well read (after several cups of morning caffeine anyway) and I’d never heard of this person until this week. I dunno

    ETA: I feel Pence getting dropped from the ticket for a woman so …

  82. 82.

    Kent

    @Omnes Omnibus:Okay, let’s start with something easy – one of the big objections to both Biden and Sanders has been their age.  How the fuck is it a good idea for both to be on the ticket?  Next, just fuck no; that’s an insane idea for so, so many reasons.  As far as your “Don’t @ me” goes, I say “Don’t start no shit, won’t be no shit.”

    Either is likely to be a 1-term president.   The VP automatically becomes the next president in waiting and the 2024 front runner.  This is the most consequential VP pick in at least a century and perhaps the history of the country.   We need a VP who can run in 2024 in the prime of their life and hold down the office for 8 more years.

  86. 86.

    Amir Khalid

    I am not comfortable with the obituaries already being written for Elizaneth Warren’s campaign. She’s still in with a chance, and while I am satisfied Biden would be a decent POTUS I would be happier with someone of similar ability with a bit more drive and physical vigour like Warren.

  88. 88.

    AM in NC

    Well, at least the two local candidates I volunteered for here in NC won tonight. Sad about Warren. Exhausted by the misogyny that is still so fucking prevalent in our country. Will take a few days to recover and then figure out how to best work toward Democratic victory across the board in November.

  89. 89.

    zhena gogolia

    Joe Biden won 63% of the black vote in North Carolina. Folks, it's ain't the "establishment" changing the race, it's the black people.— Corey Richardson (@vexedinthecity) March 4, 2020

  90. 90.

    dmsilev

    @Kent:

    This is the most consequential VP pick in at least a century and perhaps the history of the country.

    FDR might well have had a sense in 1944 that he wouldn’t live out his term, so I’d put that one up as a possibility.

  91. 91.

    Shalimar

    The lesson I take from tonight is that Bloomberg doesn’t have a national constituency in any party.  Hopefully this will end any thought he had of running as a third-party candidate.

  93. 93.

    Miss Bianca

    @Princess: What Bernie has ‘earned’ is a giant boot in the ass, as far as I’m concerned. I imagine there are quite a few Democrats out there who think like me.

  96. 96.

    guachi

    Movement to Biden according to exit polls asking if decided “last few days” or “before that”:

    Alabama: +3 (39% of voters decided last few days)

    Minnesota: +28 (54% decided late)

    NC: +7 (32% decided late)

    Oklahoma: +10 (50% decided late)

    Tennessee: +27 (27% decided late)

    Texas: +20 (22% decided late)

    Virginia +9 (49% decided late)

    Vermont +22 (38% decided late. Biden won late deciders)

    EDIT: “Movement” means the increase in his vote percentage .

  97. 97.

    catclub

    With any luck, this will not enrage Bloomberg and keep him in the race:

    Meanwhile, Trump weighs in on Mike Bloomberg’s poor showing.

    Donald J. Trump

    @realDonaldTrump

    The biggest loser tonight, by far, is Mini Mike Bloomberg. His “political” consultants took him for a ride. $700 million washed down the drain, and he got nothing for it but the nickname Mini Mike, and the complete destruction of his reputation. Way to go Mike!

  98. 98.

    RinaX

    It’s looking like Biden pulled the ultimate reverse Uno card with that double endorsement from Amy K. and Pete B. Wow. I’ve finally settled down enough to eat something.

  99. 99.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Shalimar: I have two good friends who are Bloomberg supporters. One works in advertising, and the other works in investment banking research. That’s Mike’s “natural constituency” right there.

  100. 100.

    The Dangerman

    @Shalimar:

    Bloomberg doesn’t have a national constituency in any party.

    All that money, pissed away. Kinda amazing. Might as well have poured lighter fluid and lit it for all the effect it had.

  101. 101.

    Kent

    @The Dangerman:  Val Demings

    I’m reasonably well read (after several cups of morning caffeine anyway) and I’d never heard of this person until this week. I dunno

    ETA: I feel Pence getting dropped from the ticket for a woman…

    Watch the impeachment opening remarks I linked to and imagine her debating Pence.  She has that same black woman’s gravitas as a Toni Morrison or serious Oprah in my mind.  When she talks you LISTEN.

  102. 102.

    dmsilev

    @Amir Khalid: I voted for Warren, but it’s really hard to see a plausible path forward for her now. Looks like she’s not going to finish higher than third anywhere, including her home state. That’s not good. I don’t think she’s under any obligation to quit now; if nothing else, staying in and amassing what might be a swing block of delegates could give her a lot of leverage, but I can’t see her winning outright.

  103. 103.

    West of the Rockies

    I voted EW in California, but it seems clear it’s time for her to bow out. Any chance she endorses Joe?

    Barack, when are you going to step forth?

  105. 105.

    Kent

    @Gin & Tonic:@Shalimar: I have two good friends who are Bloomberg supporters. One works in advertising, and the other works in investment banking research. That’s Mike’s “natural constituency” right there.

    That’s a 51% coalition right there!

  107. 107.

    Marcopolo

    Remember folks in 2016 MN was a caucus state & BS won it handily. Losing to Biden there is gonna leave a mark. I think the same thing goes for OK. Anyone here from ME? Wasn’t that also a caucus state that went BS in 2016? Too lazy to google it atm.

  108. 108.

    Miss Bianca

    @lamh36: Wow, huh? Kind of shocked at how fast the wave of JOE-MENTUM seems to be rolling in. But as someone perilously close to a never-Berner myself (I mean, I was feeling literally nauseated at the thought of having to vote for the alte kocher), I am feeling not only relieved, but even kind of…happy. Even tho’ my preferred candidate likely gets shellacked tonight.

  109. 109.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Shalimar: he said they moved around after they got out there

    you could study the tapes, if it’s important to you

  110. 110.

    zhena gogolia

    @Kent:

    She’s great. I just wonder how many people are aware of her. But I heart anybody who was in Schiff’s army.

  111. 111.

    NoraLenderbee

    Sad about Warren. Biden wasn’t my 1st pick, but thank heavens it isn’t Sanders.

  112. 112.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @The Dangerman: All that money, pissed away. Kinda amazing. Might as well have poured lighter fluid and lit it for all the effect it had.

    Hey, political consultants are an important part of the economy. Just think of the boost Bloomberg single-handedly gave to the martini manufacturing industry.

  113. 113.

    catclub

    @Shalimar: Bloomberg wanted to winnow the field and make it a two person race, that Sanders was unlikely to win.  His work seems to be done. He has repeatedly said his goal is to dislodge Trump and that he will back the democratic candidate – whoever that is. He could be lying but I am taking his word so far.

  114. 114.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Had they gone w Warren, outcome might have been different but too many people are spooked by the actual socialist thing.

    Yes,  well Warren wasn’t promising magic ponies, just something that was possible in the real world so we can’t have that.

  117. 117.

    Ohio Mom

    [email protected] 70: It’s a good night for all of us Please-not-Bernie people, isn’t it?  I hope you are enjoying feeling relieved.

    Time to get started on my evening ablutions. Sweet dreams all!

  118. 118.

    zhena gogolia

    @Shalimar:

    Trump can’t move normally or talk normally so I think Biden’s “gaffes” are not going to get much traction. Trump can’t even stand without clutching a podium.

  121. 121.

    Jeffro

    After the exchanges I had with my TCNJ dad and bro earlier today, I am just over the moon.

    My dad is the worst, as my brother’s head-in-the-sand ways apparently work for all occasions.  Dad sees what’s coming for trumpov and co…he thought the GOP was gonna be able to thoroughly sandbag Biden and leave us with Bernie, but a united Dem party has the potential to drive turnout through the roof and not just elect Biden but take back the Senate.

    WITHOUT fake Dem Bloomberg, too!

    LOL

    I’m going to start sending him ‘countdown to packing SCOTUS’ updates every 48 hours from now ‘til Inauguration Day.. =)

  123. 123.

    zhena gogolia

    @Ohio Mom:

    Yes, it’s better than I expected. Having Sanders anxiety and Covid-19 anxiety at the same time was really doing a number on me. I know the anxiety isn’t over, but I’m somewhat relieved.

    And now to bed!

  124. 124.

    lamh36

    If Bloomberg leaves and Liz doesn’t leave, then the next debate, Liz, Biden and Bernie will be on the debate stage.  Without Bloomberg in the race, who will be the target of attacks?  Will Bernie go after Liz?  Will Biden go after Bernie?  With Bloomberg out of the race, he’s the one she’s focused most of her debate attacks on, who will Liz focus her critiques on (other than Trump)

    I know what I supsect will happen in the next debate.  What do ya’ll think?

  125. 125.

    Miss Bianca

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    I say “Don’t start no shit, won’t be no shit.”

    And so say all of us. Or so say some of us. Or – wait, what?

    Yeah, Biden/Sanders is a ridiculous pairing. But the most ridiculous pairing I’ve seen so far was a proposed Bloomberg/Sanders ticket. To which I had to just say, “Whhhutttt”…

  126. 126.

    Kent

    @Amir Khalid:I am not comfortable with the obituaries already being written for Elizaneth Warren’s campaign. She’s still in with a chance, and while I am satisfied Biden would be a decent POTUS I would be happier with someone of similar ability with a bit more drive and physical vigour like Warren.

    I was canvassing for Warren last weekend in a working class part of Vancouver.   In 40 houses I didn’t find a single Warren supporter.  She is going to be out of money and unable to raise much more going forward.  She just never caught the attention of anyone outside a fairly narrow white educated professional elite.

    I agree with you and she was my pick after Harris. But she just got no traction anywhere outside of liberal white professional Democrats.

  127. 127.

    Martin

    So, Biden winning without spending a dollar is impressive, but stupid as hell. It reeks of not worrying about PA, MI, WI because they always go blue.

    Joe has to fix that shit, and in a big way.

  129. 129.

    Jeffro

    @zhena gogolia: this was one of the things my TCNJ dad tried to raise today…Biden ‘gaffes’ and wandering sentences.

    I was like, “are you KIDDING me?”  But I didn’t waste time on it – just reminded him that at this point, it’s not like he’s voting based on who completes sentences, he just wants whomever will keep white guys in power.

    Which is why Bloomberg doing so poorly is beyond rich.  =)

  130. 130.

    West of the Rockies

    Is Subaru Diane doing okay?  I haven’t seen her comments here in a few days.  Maybe I’m just on at different times?

  133. 133.

    Adam L Silverman

    @BGinCHI: Mr. Cole please stop answering every question with “Go Eers!” Mr. Cole, please do up the front flap of your overalls. Mr. Cole, you cannot bring your pet bobcat on the stage for the debate. Mr. Cole, please stop showing the audience pictures of your dog you have on your cell phone.

  135. 135.

    Kent

    @catclub: Bloomberg spent the past 2 months torturing Trump and making him crazy.  I don’t think he mentioned any other Dem candidates in any of his ads.  I’m fine with it.  By being a candidate he paid 1/2 the price he would have if he were not a candidate.

  136. 136.

    Jeffro

    @Kent: yup, true.

    I think we will hear from her in the next day or two.  Sure hope she throws her support to the remaining Democrat in the race.

  140. 140.

    Anya

    Biden shouldn’t campaign. He keeps winning all kinds of states where he didn’t even campaign at. Bernie not winning Minnesota and Massachusetts despite throwing his weight around must be a severe blow.

  142. 142.

    Kent

    @Martin:

    So, Biden winning without spending a dollar is impressive, but stupid as hell. It reeks of not worrying about PA, MI, WI because they always go blue.

    Joe has to fix that shit, and in a big way.

    You don’t think the Democratic party isn’t going to mobilize a 50 state strategy in November?   It will all happen organically.

  143. 143.

    Miss Bianca

    @L85NJGT: Oh, great. My state. How have I managed to end up living in a state where the only people who annoy me just as much as the Republicans I live among are the *Democrats* I live among?

     

    And how have we managed to count our votes so much faster than Cali? Is it a difference of just sheer numbers?

  144. 144.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Miss Bianca: As someone who originally supported Harris and then sort of slowly backed into supporting, Biden, I am happy with this result.

    This a very white, very educated crowd here at Balloon Juice.  This place and the people here are Warren’s base.  This place and the people here are not typical of Dem voters.  For better or for worse.

  147. 147.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Kent: The question is whether she can scale in Florida. She’s great. I think she’s an amazing member of Congress. But winning statewide in Florida is very different than winning a congressional district.

  149. 149.

    feebog

    About the VP pick should Biden be the nominee.  He was just endorsed by three former candidates any of whom would be able to step into the Presidency.  Add to that mix Harris, Booker and Warren, three more candidates who would be highly qualified.  The thought you would choose the old crank with a bad ticker is, well, ludicrous.

  150. 150.

    Shalimar

    @Adam L Silverman: Bernie supporter from 2016.  Some here have argued heatedly with him/her, but I personally don’t remember anything really bad.  I don’t read every thread though

    edit: this is a time for uniting, so even if there was something bad, it seems like a good time for new starts for all of us.

  151. 151.

    guachi

    @Martin: It was Minnesota. As long as Klobuchar was in the race it would have been a waste of resources to spend money in Minnesota.

  154. 154.

    The Dangerman

    @Subsole:

    Would the Evangelicals go for that, though?

    The Evangelicals sold their souls for Trump. A Faustian Pact that ain’t going anyplace.

  155. 155.

    Kent

    @The Dangerman: She rose from poverty to rise up the ranks to become chief of police of Orlando, a big Southern city.  She runs 1/2 marathons at age 61 and rides a Harley.  She is a trained marksman.  Very badass all around.  I just want to see all the “Harris is a cop” Bernie-bot heads explode.

  158. 158.

    CaseyL

    Hi, all y’all. I had a doctor’s appointment and missed the early returns.

    I really wish Warren had done better – not just tonight, but all along.  But Biden is fine.  If it can’t be Warren, or Harris, I’m fine with Biden.  Dr.  Jill will make an excellent FLOTUS.

    As for offering Bernie the VP slot:  No. Fuckin. Way.  He’s anything but a team player.  He brings nothing to the ticket but his one-shot pony routine.  His staff are toxic and his followers (not supporters, mind, but his followers) are the flip side of MAGAts.  Gawd, no.

    Not a bad night, all in all.

  159. 159.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @Martin: Joe had very limited resources. He couldn’t spend them everywhere. The fact that he prevailed on just lingering good will is very impressive.

  160. 160.

    hueyplong

    @A Ghost To Most: There would be no one better to swat down any bullshit “Biden scandal” nonsense.

    He has, as I think people around here like to say, a shit ton of receipts.

  162. 162.

    Martin

    If Biden is ahead of Bernie after today, and the party is focusing clearly on Biden, I think Bloomberg be happy.

    Yo! What the fuck is with the voting line here in OC? We run elections properly here – we don’t do this shit.

  164. 164.

    Kent

    @Adam L Silverman:@Kent: The question is whether she can scale in Florida. She’s great. I think she’s an amazing member of Congress. But winning statewide in Florida is very different than winning a congressional district.

    Yeah, who knows.  She would also be a great Attorney General I think.  Nation’s top cop.   I don’t think the Attorney General has to be an actual attorney.   It’s entirely an administrative job.

    She is a rare talent and I just want to see her somewhere on the national stage.

  169. 169.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    Chris Hayes looks like a kid who was just told there’s no Sanity Clause

  170. 170.

    The Dangerman

    @A Ghost To Most:

    Adam Schiff would be a karmic Veep choice.

    That’s kinda inspired. Me likey. Also, make sure there is a spot for Lt. Colonel Vindman in the next Administration.

  174. 174.

    lamh36

    @dmsilev: seeing alot of EW supporters on social media saying a brokered convention IS the path that EW will take and why she should stay in?

  175. 175.

    Miss Bianca

    @Martin: I imagine that after tonight, Joe will actually *have* the money to run ads in those states. Maybe Bloomberg will lend him his ad guys. Or pay for them himself, that would be an actually classy touch, which would have the added benefit of driving Trump foaming mad.

  177. 177.

    Kent

    @Adam L Silverman:@zhena gogolia: I’ve seen a lot of dysfunctional relationships. I’ve seen some abusive ones. I’ve even seen perfectly happy dominant/submissive ones. But those two have to have THE MOST bizarre one I’ve ever seen.

    James Carville and Mary Matalin

  180. 180.

    lamh36

    @Shalimar: it’s bad that those protestors made it as close to Biden and Jill as they did.

    Fuq if he was confused about it…his sister was behind him wearing and then some strange woman was…anyone might be confused.

  182. 182.

    Immanentize

    No finals yet, but it looks like Warren will get state-wide delegates at least from Maine, Massachusetts, Colorado and Minnesota.  She is also close in two or three other states. I don’t think she will be dropping out in despair anytime soon.

  184. 184.

    Brachiator

    @Adam L Silverman:

    We won’t have accurate, final results in California for at least two weeks. If not longer.

    That may have been my fault. I bumped into one of the new electronic voting machines yesterday.

    More seriously, this is a bummer.  I thought that some of the voting changes would make tabulating the results easier, faster, something.

    I hope California officials have learned something from this that can be used in the general election.

    One thing: since there will not be a slew of candidates in November, early voting won’t mean a potentially wasted vote.

  185. 185.

    Marcopolo

    @dmsilev: Well, your question was good VP choices.  Almost default comes down to that kind of situation. For example, Teddy Roosevelt was another good VP to P person but McKinley too was assassinated.  Andrew Johnson, OTOH was definitely not.

  186. 186.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @lamh36:

    Maddow just said Biden didn’t spend any money in Minnesota.

    They also just said he didn’t spend a penny in Massachusetts.

  188. 188.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Immanentize: CA and TX too, I’d imagine

    What’s the list of states Biden won without campaigning or spending money in? I think I heard both were true of MN and MA

  189. 189.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @Shalimar: Bernie supporter from 2016.

    I’ve been kicking around since the 08 primaries. Guess I didnt didn’t make much of an impression right off the bat.

    Eta: And Adam Silverman, unless I’m much mistaken, we’ve met in person. I think you refused money for an appetizer at a meetup in Boston when Cole was there.

  191. 191.

    Kent

    @lamh36:@dmsilev: seeing alot of EW supporters on social media saying a brokered convention IS the path that EW will take and why she should stay in?

    I’m an EW supporter but that’s grasping at straws.  I guess the theory is that if she is in 3rd place in the delegate count and a brokered convention can’t decide between Biden and Sanders then she would be the logical compromise candidate?

    I can’t decide if her staying in hurts Sanders or Biden more.  You could argue the point either way.

  192. 192.

    Miss Bianca

    @Omnes Omnibus: I liked Warren, but I also like Joe. I mean, I *like* Joe. I think of him as “Joe”, for God’s sake. And I think that quality – of just being a sane, nice, *likable* guy – is much, more important to me in a POTUS than I ever would have thought it before 2016 and all its attendant horrors.

  194. 194.

    Another Scott

    @Martin: Joe was broke.  He didn’t have any money to spend there.

    He doesn’t have that problem any more after SC.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  196. 196.

    Martin

    @Kent: One of the things that I didn’t like about Hillary was that I thought she ran poor campaigns. It was better in 2016 than 2008, but it wasn’t better enough.

    If we’re going to win this, we need to execute flawlessly. Joe has a  lot of ground to cover there.

  201. 201.

    Brachiator

    @lamh36:

    Anyway…Chris Hayes is so much a Bernie-bros he’s basically no even giving analysis anymore. He’s basically just spinining for Bernie before Bernie spoke. Then after maybe someone spoke in his ear cause now he speaking more realistic than before.

    Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich has a strongly pro-Bernie YouTube channel.  It will be interesting to see what he has to say about all this.

  205. 205.

    Kent

    @Martin: @Kent: One of the things that I didn’t like about Hillary was that I thought she ran poor campaigns. It was better in 2016 than 2008, but it wasn’t better enough.

    If we’re going to win this, we need to execute flawlessly. Joe has a  lot of ground to cover there.

    Oh, I agree entirely.  On both counts.  I’m just saying that lack of a ground operation in the primary doesn’t equate to lack of a ground operation in the general.  There will be Dems coming out of the woodwork in every town and city in the country.  Organizing all of that is WAY WAY beyond the energy and decisions of any one specific candidate.     I do expect Biden to be laser focused on the swing states and not doing late October swings through CA to run up the score like Hillary did.

  206. 206.

    BlueDWarrior

    Another site I frequent is positively distressed that Bernie isn’t blowing the doors off Biden. The complaining that people are not coming around to the one true faith of Berniedom.

    And people have been trying to tell them since forever that people are honestly turned off by Bernie’s personality and constant harping of inherent superiority in his positions that other people have yet to be convinced of.

    I guess they’ll get it when they see Biden having dodged the bullet tonight and getting a bunch of contests on his his territory for the rest of the month.

  207. 207.

    Subsole

    @Adam L Silverman: I still think that has to be some kind of face/heel act.

    Then again, I remember reading an article about a Serbian genocidaire and his Muslim wife…people are strange, no?

  209. 209.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Miss Bianca: simple likability (did I spell that right, is it a word?) and the appearance of decency will draw in a lot of voters, I think

    I’m aware, painfully aware, frightenedly aware, of his flaws, but I also saw Mark Kelly’s endorsement, Jaime Harrison (I swear I’m right about this) subtly but publicly calling for K Harris to endorse him, I saw the numbers in North Carolina tonight where Cunningham has pulled even and in some polls pulled ahead of Tillis. I think Biden puts FL and AZ in play again

    Maine is interesting– MomSense here tonight?– I think they said Bernie won it in the ’16 primary and Biden is slightly ahead of him right now.

  210. 210.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Miss Bianca: That is going to be a big thing in his favor.  Having a palpably decent person in the WH again would solve a lot of our collective agita, and that alone might make it possible to start addressing all the other shit.

  211. 211.

    Poe Larity

    @Martin: LA alone has more registered voters than 42 states. Motor Voter doesn’t bring higher turnout. Just more mail ballots in the trash and a lot fewer physical polling stations.

    Maybe there will be an app for that

  212. 212.

    Miss Bianca

    @David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch: Kay left, it seems to me, because she got really freaked out over Bloomberg-curiosity. I think I was probably one of the people getting Kay’s goat by saying that as far as I was concerned, Sanders was just as bad, as fake, a Democrat as Bloomberg. She was really, really down on Bloomberg – for good reason – and I think it freaked her out to hear that any of us would even have thought about voting for him over Bernie, if it came to that.

    For what it’s worth, I’m no longer sure that’s true. I’m just thankful that it looks like I won’t have to make the choice.

  214. 214.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Kent: She may actually have a law degree. A lot of senior law enforcement officers do.

    That said, the issue in Florida is that it is a weird state. Elections here statewide, with quality candidates on the Democratic side, are still decided by 1 to 2% no matter how bad the Republican candidate is. And Florida, especially north Florida, the panhandle, and the more rural parts of the interior of the state, still have real issues with race and misogyny.

  219. 219.

    Brachiator

    @The Dangerman:

    Assuming Biden (I heard someone on TV say about a 70% chance, which is good enough for me tonight), one has to wonder about VP. As a CA type, Harris? OK, but does she flip a state? Warren? Same issue. I’m a Warren person but maybe one needs someone a bit younger.

    Biden needs someone a lot younger. Being an optimist, Biden  wants someone who will still be young when he finishes his full eight years in office.

  220. 220.

    lamh36

    @Kent: And don’t forget, if Biden pulls it out…BIDEN/OBAMA campaigning together again, without overshadowing the VP of course

  221. 221.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Miss Bianca: mea culpa, too, I guess. I thought, and think, Bloomberg would be a stronger GE candidate than Sanders, even if I think Sanders would probably be a less bad president. And I don’t agree with the people, including some here, who see no difference between trump and Bloomberg, much as I don’t like the latter

  222. 222.

    Kent

    MSNBC saying that Biden could actually win TX.  Much of the remaining vote to be counted is same day vote from Houston which is a lot black.

  227. 227.

    James E Powell

    @Martin:

    If we’re going to win this, we need to execute flawlessly. Joe has a lot of ground to cover there.

    Nobody executes flawlessly. If we’re going to win this, we all need leave our differences behind, pick up the tools, and get to work. We have a lot of ground to cover.

  229. 229.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @satby: I dont regret.my 2016 vote for Sanders for a second. And I still believe some here went a little beyond appropriate behavior in their opposition to him.

    This season was different. There were a lot of candidates I actually liked. I was just kinda settling for Bernie last go around.

    I maintain that Clinton was a million times better than Biden, but at least this time I think a more legitimate debate happened over the course of the party. Neither the left nor center chose anywhere close to their best representative as I see it, but c’est la vie. Sometimes you can’t get over the familiarity hump.

    Also, too, this place is way less acrimonious this time with few exceptions. That helped a lot.

  233. 233.

    joel hanes

    Hundred-person line at the Santa Clara Public Library … they print the ballot fresh for each voter after sign-in, and apparently the printers are the bottleneck.

    But it looks to me as if the Dem primary turnout is going to be huge.

  235. 235.

    Kent

    @Adam L Silverman:

    @Kent: She may actually have a law degree. A lot of senior law enforcement officers do.

    That said, the issue in Florida is that it is a weird state. Elections here statewide, with quality candidates on the Democratic side, are still decided by 1 to 2% no matter how bad the Republican candidate is. And Florida, especially north Florida, the panhandle, and the more rural parts of the interior of the state, still have real issues with race and misogyny.

    No, I agree with you entirely.  Most of my experience in FL is visiting the Panhandle and Tallahassee.  Lots of beach trips to Destin and Pensacola.  And also the Gainesville area doing cave diving in rural hick parts of the state.   Based on my limited experience I gotta think if any black woman could win up there it would be a law and order gun toting black woman on a Harley.  WAY more than someone ‘fancier’ like Kamala Harris.

    I just want to see the Dem party cultivate more of the up and coming talent that we aren’t all talking about.

  236. 236.

    ByRookorbyCrook

    Sad about no Warren Miracle today, but I am starting to get excited for the general. Biden was not in my top 5, but I am getting excited by Democrats working together. Big turnout, big coattails, big possibilities. The only caveat is I was hoping for a Warren miracle, so my viewpoint might be a touch optimistic. We needed to get this bus going and Jim Clyburn and the AA community got this bus on the road and up to speed. I am stoked for a Democratic wave election. 2020 is a big fucking deal.

  239. 239.

    Brachiator

    @catclub:

    Meanwhile, Trump weighs in on Mike Bloomberg’s poor showing.

    I love that Trump is focused on inconsequential minutiae.

    Meanwhile, in Mother Russia, Putin must be asking for explanations as to why his lackeys were not able to do more to help Sanders.

  241. 241.

    pattonbt

    @Kathleen: Al Giordano…I haven’t heard that name in a long while!  in TX is there that much of the vote outstanding to swing it to Biden by that much?

  242. 242.

    Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]

    Just an interesting observation.  I think that the rapid moves in public opinion to Biden should TERRIFY the Republican party for a few reasons.  First, it shows that the Democratic party is  extremely engaged and mad as hell.  There is very little “vote for your heart” and a lot of “defeat that orange bastard”. Second, the democratic party has become really resistant to outside ratfucking, either from the media or other groups.  Finally, and hopefully most terrifying for the Republicans, this is being driven from the bottom up, and not from the top down. If he becomes the front runner (Looking good, but waiting until it’s sure), there will be an organic “Elect Biden, even when he does stupid technical electoral shit” that we have seen the first seedlings of with this super Tuesday.

    (I rage that Warren isn’t the front-runner, but getting that orange pustule out of office before those corrupt neo-royalists lock us forever from power takes all precedent)

  243. 243.

    Spider-Dan

    @The Dangerman: I’d be happy with Castro or Beto as VP.  TX is valuable and in play, we’re not taking anyone out of the Senate, and those guys have hit their ceiling anyway.

  244. 244.

    catclub

    @Miss Bianca: Or pay for them himself, that would be an actually classy touch, which would have the added benefit of driving Trump foaming mad.

     

    Another added touch is that would be totally illegal.  … But the FEC commission is short of a quorum thanks to the GOP.  THAT would be hilarious unintended consequences.

  245. 245.

    Kent

    @Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]: I agree.  This  has been the most interesting week of politics in my living memory.  Usually the pollsters know all the answers before we even vote.

    Biden was not my top choice, but it would be poetic justice of the HIGHEST cosmic and karmic order if Biden is the one who beats Trump after the Ukraine impeachment fiasco.

  246. 246.

    lamh36

    @sbg1
    Follow Follow @sbg1
    More
    One and only one takeaway for me tonight: Democrats really really want to get rid of Trump.

    10:15 PM – 3 Mar 2020

  247. 247.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Kent: I did my PhD at UF, so you have visited some of my favorite places to go tubing and rafting.

    And I agree with you completely.

  248. 248.

    Another Scott

    @Spider-Dan: It would be very good to see a woman on the ticket.  If we’re picking Texas, how about Wendy Davis?

    (I’m sure there are others as well.)

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  249. 249.

    johnnybuck

    @Krope, the Formerly Dope: Long time lurker here, sometime commenter. Folk want to police things around here too much, I thought you were an asshole but what the hell. That used to be a balloon Juice tradition. honestly glad you’re back.

  252. 252.

    Kent

    @pattonbt:@Kathleen: Al Giordano…I haven’t heard that name in a long while!  in TX is there that much of the vote outstanding to swing it to Biden by that much?

    According to MSNBC, much of the outstanding vote is same-day voting in Harris County (Houston) which is the most African American big city in Texas.  So Biden’s most natural constituency and post South Carolina vote.

  254. 254.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Dave Wasserman
    @Redistrict
    20m
    I’ve seen enough. Projection: Joe Biden wins the Texas primary.

    Wasserman has a pretty good track record from what I recall from ’18

  255. 255.

    guachi

    As I understand it, if a candidate drops out and endorses another candidate all of his delegates go to that candidate on the first ballot, correct? So the several hundred delegates Bloomberg will get tonight can probably be counted as Biden delegates?

  257. 257.

    MoCA Ace

    @catclub:With any luck, this will not enrage Bloomberg and keep him in the race:

    Hope it enrages him enough to throw a half billion to the Democratic nominee!

  258. 258.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Matt Grossmann @MattGrossmann
    CA exit poll has:
    Bernie 38%
    Biden 23%
    Warren 15%
    Bloomberg 11%
    If right, that should help Bernie make up a lot of delegate ground.

    If right… I’d be very happy if Bloomberg doesn’t get any delegates out of CA

  259. 259.

    Kent

    @Adam L Silverman:

    @Kent: I did my PhD at UF, so you have visited some of my favorite places to go tubing and rafting.

    And I agree with you completely.

    I learned to cave dive at Ginnie Springs and when I was still single I would make an annual pilgrimage from Alaska down to Wakulla to cave dive with the Woodville Karst Plains exploration project back in the 90s.    There is some serious backwoods country around there.

    When I got married the cave diving got vetoed and I had to settle for less dangerous hobbies.

  260. 260.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @johnnybuck: Thanks, but again, never left. My nym has been Kraux Pas for about three years.

    Also, lurker though you may be, I’ve def seen you around.

    Hey, if anyone more experienced in the matter than I am wants to help, I have to research how to go about the postcard thing. Any good leads?

  261. 261.

    Another Scott

    took the guy like a decade to rethink a totalitarian program of relentless causeless groping of brown people, but one bad night and he's ready to throw in the towel on this thing

    Christ, what an assholehttps://t.co/GjSqQKBztR— SexyVixenHat (@Popehat) March 4, 2020

    Maybe it will be a lesson that non-Democrats shouldn’t run for the Democratic presidential nomination. Maybe??!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  266. 266.

    Martin

    Bloomberg will re-evaluate tomorrow. Better than even odds he drops out.

    A consideration regarding CA: we have jungle primaries here –  top two vote getters advance. We  don’t have a lot of Republicans to start with, but with Trump assured to win the primary, I wonder if GOP turnout is low. If so, there may be more House races where no Republicans qualify for the Nov ballot. I’ll take every free Dem seat I can get right now.

  267. 267.

    lamh36

    WHAT THE HELL TEXAS!

    Harris County has a large African American population. We see what ya’ll tried to do Texas Republicans…but folks are staying in line!!!

    @jamiedupree
    Follow Follow @jamiedupree
    More
    John King just said on CNN that half of the polling places in Harris County, Texas are still open because of the long lines of voters. The polls “closed” over two and a half hours ago.

    10:37 PM – 3 Mar 2020
    https://twitter.com/jamiedupree/status/1235061826100039680

  271. 271.

    Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]

    @Kent: I only have an open water cert, so I have a vague understanding how crazy dangerous that is, you might as well be doing a space EVA, you screw up, you are dead.

    The closest I ever got to cave diving was the Cathedral dive on Lanai in Hawaii. It was a guided tour when I was a teenager.

  272. 272.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: That’s because the state of Texas has closed more polling places in the past four years than all the other states combined that used to be covered under the Voting Rights Act pre-clearance that was overturned in Shelby County. And the vast majority of them are in predominantly African American and LatinX areas.

  274. 274.

    Raven Onthill

    This was pretty much the way it looked from the beginning; Sanders has made a better showing than I expected. Sisterhood is still not powerful enough to elect Warren.

    A Biden Presidency is going to be hideous. Michael Bloomberg can relax; his tax cuts are safe with Biden. All the corruption issues are going to be let go and people will go around asking “Was this what we voted for?”

    Warren is not a likely VP; she’s been Biden’s opponent for decades and she’d have to give up on ideas she’d pursued for decades to back Biden. I think it almost has to be a woman, and a woman of color would be a better choice. Harris is likely VP because of her skin color and sex, and because she let the banks off in California.

    OK. We still need to plan on getting Biden elected even though he turns my stomach.

    Meantime, doesn’t anyone have delegate numbers?

  275. 275.

    Lyrebird

    @Miss Bianca: 

    just being a sane, nice, *likable* guy

    Agreed… I think one of the never-Trumper Republicans provided the quip “Any Decent Human Being 2020” …after the occupant of the White House tried to make a synagogue shooting all about himself.

    The other thing I’ve been thinking about wrt Ol’ Handsome Joe (from Wonkette) is this: he would NEVER sell out our Kurdish or other allies. He can find Afghanistan AND Bosnia on a map. This does not take away my bitter views on misogyny in this country, but it adds to my general gladness about Dems getting in array! Go Joe!

    Warren has been an inspiration and I hope she keeps on pushing the country forward, which her Senate seat may help her do as well.

  277. 277.

    Kent

    My hot take on all this?

    There are a shitload of Democrats who are just weary of all the partisan bickering about healthcare and wealth taxes and all the rest.  And just fucking want TRUMP GONE.

    Once he is gone, then we can sort out the rest of it.

    It’s basically the victory of common sense over Rose Twitter and all the silliness.

  278. 278.

    Amir Khalid

    @dmsilev:

    It has been a disappointing few days for me. First Liverpool lost their first match of the Premier League season after three quarters of the season undefeated, and got knocked out of the FA Cup. And now my favourite POTUs candidate, the one I consider by far the best of the Democratic field, is not performing to my expectations in the primary. I’m going to vent my frustrations; if I don’t, I’m gonna blow a 50-amp fuse.

  279. 279.

    MomSense

    Woah, I fell asleep and woke up to a big night for Joe.  It’s basically a tie between Biden and Bernie here in Maine which is shocking.  I was sure Sanders was going to win big again.

    Warren and Buttigieg both did well here.  What’s interesting is that it looks like Biden did better in the more conservative second district and Bernie did better in the first district.  Trump won  the electoral college vote in CD2 in 2016.  First district is more populated and a lot more affluent.

    The big news is we successfully defended our new vaccination law that removes the religious and philosophical exemptions.  The antivaxxers had a lot more money, so I was concerned.

  282. 282.

    Ken

    @Omnes Omnibus: one of the big objections to both Biden and Sanders has been their age. How the fuck is it a good idea for both to be on the ticket?

    It focuses attention on keeping Democratic control of the House, in case they have simultaneous myocardial infarctions and the Speaker becomes President?

    Other than that, I can’t think of any positives.

  283. 283.

    pattonbt

    Biden was not my first choice, but Sanders was my last choice (of the “main” candidates).  If Biden walks away today “close” to Sanders (or one can dream, ahead), then I think he will take the majority of the rest.  It seems giving the D electorate one “viable” (whatever the hell that means) anti-Sanders candidate to get behind will be enough to sink Sanders.  It still may not be officially sorted by the convention, but if Biden is ahead by then, it’s his.

    There’s going to be a lot of same day / early voting breakdown reviews in the coming days which will help Biden’s narrative going forward.

    Like most others here, though, whoever is there at the end gets my vote no matter the warts (and they all have some).

    Of course, I am an idiot, so who knows.

  284. 284.

    Kent

    @Hkedi [Kang T. Q.]: Well, if you cave dive with competent teams there is a ton of redundancy so it’s not really dangerous.  People who do it solo are crazed.  I used to do a lot of deep water shipwreck diving in Alaska too which is a LOT scarier than cave diving because of the tides and currents and lower visibility and freezing temps.

    It was the young and single time period of my life.

  287. 287.

    Ken

    @Adam L Silverman: They just called Massachusetts for Biden.

    “Calling” just means plurality of votes and delegates, right?  Do any of the states have winner-take-all primaries?

  288. 288.

    catclub

    @Martin: Bloomberg will re-evaluate tomorrow. Better than even odds he drops out.

     

    As far as I counted, Warren was second in NO primaries.  Bloomberg may have some second place finishes ( not to mention winning Guam!),

    but the expectation that he drops out after tonight (and Warren Doesn’t)  is suddenly surprising.  Everything is beating expectations.

  289. 289.

    Bill Arnold

    @Amir Khalid:

    I am not comfortable with the obituaries already being written for Elizaneth Warren’s campaign.

    Seems prudent to have her in as a backup candidate at a brokered convention, if the leader is incapacitated somehow, e.g. a killer oppo research dump(or dump premature leak) or personal illness. Haven’t rigorously analyzed it though.

  291. 291.

    catclub

    @Ken: Do any of the states have winner-take-all primaries?

     

    Sure, if you get a majority in each district.

  292. 292.

    Ken

    @Kent: The next Speaker doesn’t have to be Pelosi.  I have this vague recollection that there was talk of her stepping down after this session – but I don’t remember if that was from her, or from other people.

  293. 293.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Ken: No. The Democratic primaries are all proportional awards/allocations. GOP primaries are winner take all, even if the winner is just a low plurality. This is how the President was able to rack up his primary win in 2016.

  294. 294.

    Miss Bianca

    @Raven Onthill: You know, I think I’m going to get really tired, really fast, of you or anyone else moaning about how “hideous” Biden is going to be. Compared to what? Compared to Saint Sanders? Compared to what we have *now*? Jesus. It’s really true what my momma always told me, some people have more nerve than sense.

  295. 295.

    Fair Economist

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Bernie goes to MN to force Klobuchar out, AK endorses Biden, Biden wins MN.

    That, in a nutshell, is why Sanders isn’t the nominee. He makes too many enemies. Dems want a uniter.

  297. 297.

    Bill Arnold

    @catclub:

    $700 million washed down the drain, and he got nothing for it but the nickname Mini Mike, and the complete destruction of his reputation. Way to go Mike!

    This was a mistake on DJT’s part; it will probably mean at least 500M if not 1+B spent on aggressive/vicious anti-DJTrump adverts and a concurrent social media campaign. I am looking forward to this. :-)

  299. 299.

    guachi

    I hope Bloomberg maintains above 15% in California just so his votes are denied to Sanders. I’m sure he’d endorse Biden over Sanders so all of his delegates would be Biden delegates rather than 60% of them going to Sanders.

  301. 301.

    Amir Khalid

    @Raven Onthill:

    If Biden has the physical vigour to stay on top of things for the duration of his term(s), and if he knows better than to keep futilely reaching out to Republicans, I think he’ll be a decent POTUS. He’s a capable executive with proven political and diplomatic skills. My only worry is that he might not have the stamina for one of the most demanding four-year jobs in the world.

  303. 303.

    dmsilev

    @catclub: Bloomberg got second place in Utah and is currently second in California though that may well change since we’re very early in the counting process here. And yes, he won American Samoa. That’s it.

  304. 304.

    Matt

    Had they gone w Warren, outcome might have been different but too many people are spooked by the actual socialist thing.
    There’s a lesson in that

    Yeah, it’s the same lesson the German centrists got to learn in the 40s after they decided they were OK with doing whatever it would take to stop the Communists.

    These people are staring actual fascism in the face and they still can’t stop clutching their wallets.

  306. 306.

    Barbara

    Biden just pulled ahead in Texas. Time to go to sleep. Sanders’ ceiling is around 33% in most states. Do you think his supporters are surprised by that?

  307. 307.

    lamh36

    @Adam L Silverman:

    @Redistrict
    2m2 minutes ago
    MoreDave Wasserman Retweeted Nate Cohn
    This right here is the reason Biden has a lot of favorable outstanding vote, even if the networks are playing up the TX suspense.

    @Nate_Cohn
    Follow Follow @Nate_Cohn
    More
    One place where I think our estimates may be deceived right now–to Sanders favor–is in Dallas, Tex.
    The needle currently thinks there are few votes left, since it’s characterized as 99% counted, but the turnout seems far, far short of where it ought to land

    11:02 PM – 3 Mar 2020

  310. 310.

    Amir Khalid

    @Amir Khalid:

    Biden has also overcome my doubts about his campaigning chops and his nationwide appeal, so maybe his eight years as Obama’s VP did him some good there.

  311. 311.

    Brachiator

    @Ken:

    RE: one of the big objections to both Biden and Sanders has been their age. How the fuck is it a good idea for both to be on the ticket?

    It focuses attention on keeping Democratic control of the House, in case they have simultaneous myocardial infarctions and the Speaker becomes President?

    Are people trying to construct nightmare scenarios?  How old is Pelosi? Something happen to her in this succession fantasy, and 86 year old Chuck Grassley become president (president pro tempore of the Senate), followed by the Secretary of State.

  312. 312.

    catclub

    @Miss Bianca: It’s really true what my momma always told me, some people have more nerve than sense.

     

    Some people are like a slinky. Not  very useful, but they put a smile on your face when you watch them fall down a staircase.

  317. 317.

    Anya

    I was convinced Bernie would win Massachusetts and all of his neighboring states, Texas, California, Colorado, Oklahoma Minnesota, and North Carolina. This is what I’ve heard from the media.

  318. 318.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Yup, that Scott Walker

    Scott Walker@ScottWalker

    · 2h
    Big night for @JoeBiden (orchestrated by the Democrat establishment).

  319. 319.

    Raven Onthill

    @Miss Bianca: “You know, I think I’m going to get really tired, really fast, of you or anyone else moaning about how “hideous” Biden is going to be. Compared to what?”

    Compared to anyone who isn’t racist, sexist, and classist. He’ll probably be better than Trump but his record is toxic. On top of which he promises to “work across the aisle” which means he’s going to give more to the Republicans and what is left to give?  Keeping the Republican tax cuts seems likely, also Medicare and Social Security cuts. More losses to women’s rights. Will he close the concentration camps?

    I intend to work for the Democratic Party. But – I am not sure that Biden will win. Will the voters in the general election will see all that much difference between the two doddering old white men? Hopefully, he will hold the African-American vote. Hopefully.

  321. 321.

    hitchhiker

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Scott Walker, like so many Republicans, believes that his own slimy backroom shenanigans are universal.

    Hint to Scott: the voters voted. That’s how we do it on the blue side of the aisle.

  322. 322.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @Raven Onthill: On top of which he promises to “work across the aisle” which means he’s going to give more to the Republicans and what is left to give?

    Well, let’s give him two D controlled chambers of Congress to minimize this as an issue.

  324. 324.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Adam Parkhomenko
    @AdamParkhomenko
    Democrats just flipped a state house seat in Maine by 15 points tonight that Trump previously carried by 8 points. Terrible news for Susan Collins.

    looks like Biden’s pulling ahead in Maine, maybe?

    @Raven Onthill: pick a close Senate race, move to that sate and work on that campaign, and go post your self-parodic drivel somewhere at Jacobin or the interecept.

  326. 326.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: pick a close Senate race, move to that sate and work on that campaign,

    Helpful. Though we have ways of communicating across state lines since…um…a long time ago.

    and go post your self-parodic drivel somewhere at Jacobin or the interecept.

    Less helpful.

  329. 329.

    Miss Bianca

    @Raven Onthill: You have absolutely no grounds for any of these assertions, so you’re pulling this doom porn out of your ass, and it stinks. More losses to women’s rights? Are we talking about the administration of the Joe Biden who, you know, sponsored the Violence Against Women Act?

    Outta here with that shit. Or, as Willy Wonka said to one of the annoying parents at the chocolate factory:

    “My dear old fish. Go and boil your head.”

  332. 332.

    Redshift

    @Kent:

    I’m just saying that lack of a ground operation in the primary doesn’t equate to lack of a ground operation in the general. 

    From what I saw in my area, none of the candidates had much of a ground operation. Partly it seemed to be that there were so many people who weren’t committed enough to a candidate to volunteer (because there were so many.) There were a decent number of volunteers at my local Warren office sometimes, but nowhere near what I’ve seen in other years. I do think, especially after today’s record primary turnout, that the general election will be like the last three here in VA: lots of volunteers, massive turnout.

  333. 333.

    Bill Arnold

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    And I don’t agree with the people, including some here, who see no difference between trump and Bloomberg, much as I don’t like the latter

    I’m expecting Bloomberg to put some effort and money into destroying the loathsome DJT.
    Have to admit that Bloomberg’s open advocacy of open plan office space for the White House really[1] bothered me. I’ll just note that COVID-19 appears to be on track[2] to doing serious damage to the desirableness of open plan offices, as hives optimized for rapid spreading of deadly infectious diseases.
    [1] holding back pages of rants and paper citations. :-)
    [2] Keeping our employees and partners safe during #coronavirus (twitter.com, Sunday, 1 March 2020) – “Beginning today, we are strongly encouraging all employees globally to work from home if they’re able.”[3]
    [3] Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter: “We encourage people to stay out in the open because we believe in serendipity—and people walking by each other teaching new things.” (via)

  334. 334.

    Raven Onthill

    @Miss Bianca: ask Anita Hill. (I wonder how she feels right about now?) The man has skated for years under the protection of the Mediocre White Guy Full Employment Act. Me, just yesterday in comments:

    The incredibly punitive and racist Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.

    He also voted for the Hyde Amendment for decades, and changed his mind just for this campaign.

    “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.”

  336. 336.

    DB11

    @MisterForkbeard: This.

    Kay (and Betty Cracker) are the only two commenters here that I find myself agreeing with on virtually everything they write. Kay in particular, has been consistently the most cogent and insightful commenter at BJ for as long as she’s been here (as for Betty – no one has a sharper wit or is better with a turn-of-phrase).

    And they both manage it without being complete assholes to political allies that they have minor tactical disagreements with – unlike several of you here.

    Very sad if some of the more hostile jackals have finally driven her off. As much as this can be an amazingly supportive community, there is a concomitant degree of toxicity  — even if it stems from a relatively small minority of regulars, it is severely amplified by the frequency, aggressiveness and vehemence of their posts, and their need to dominate discussion and belittle others.

  337. 337.

    Krope, the Formerly Dope

    @Raven Onthill: We all know Joe has had some many, many problematic votes over the years. He also has a multitude of good relationships with a lot of people who basically want to help improve things for as many Americans as possible and people abroad who I’m sure want us back as a productive international partner.

    I begrudge him a lot of things, including pushing out what I saw as.several better candidates. But, to paraphrase a rare insight from a not-very-capable person, you go to the election with the party you have, not the party you want or wish you had.

  338. 338.

    Miss Bianca

    @Raven Onthill: Funny you should quote Maya Angelou – I think I’ll heed her words. For you’ve shown us who *you* are, repeatedly. A tiresome, holier-than-thou moral scold.  Not really worth the compliment of rational opposition.

  339. 339.

    gwangung

    @Raven Onthill: What’s most relevant is upping Democratic turnout. And that was ALWAYS the case.

    Turnout Democrats and the Dem will win.

    And THIS night showed that Dems can be enthusiastic about BIden.

  340. 340.

    Bill Arnold

    @Bill Arnold:

    Don’t bet money on that.

    Ugh, I might have been misinterpreting the referenced comment. The point is, DJT’s evangelical support is more fragile than it looks, and some of it will peel away. How much is a matter of how hard and effectively the evangelical anti-Trumpers operate.

  341. 341.

    Kathleen

    @pattonbt: I see that Biden did pull it out this morning! I’m looking forward to Al’s recap of the results. He had Bernie winning Minnesota and Massachusetts and California. His percentages were off in Texas but other than that he’s been spot on.

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