Out to Pasture (2020 Election Game) Gameplay Thread

[VirginiaAaron]

Tweet from Simitator, Profile Picture from Wikimedia Commons

Transcript:

Just got off the phone with @gillibrand2020 and I congratulated her on her great victory in the Silver state. Though we didn't get the results we had hoped for, it's time to give a voice to the voiceless in the African American community.  On to South Carolina! I'd like to also congratulate my good friends @SteveBullock and @TomSteyer

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams SC Schedule

February 23:

Visit various local churches in Columbia, barnstorm with President Carter and Reverend Sharpton, hold major rally in Columbia turning out mostly African American women

February 24:

Barnstorm Greenville, hold round table focused on social issues (reproductive rights, healthcare, housing, etc), hold town hall at Furman University attempting to get young people out to vote

February 25:

Hold a “Volunteer Appreciation Day” at various offices all over the state (physically appearing in the Charleston office, appearing via Skype in Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach), barnstorm Charleston, call phones personally and knock on doors

February 26:

Hold major rally in Charleston, hold town hall in Myrtle Beach, hold a roundtable with students again aiming to bring them out to vote in SC

February 27:

Major rally in Columbia (mainly focusing on turning out African Americans), appear on local news shows, hold town hall in Columbia at Benedict College (HBCU), hold major rally in Columbia

February 28:

Barnstorm Rock Hill, hold town hall at Clinton College (another HBCU), and appear on various local news shows

February 29:

Begin morning with a speech to the Columbia offices (simulcast to Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Greenville offices), take a bus tour across polling places to shake hands with voters, hold a major rally in Columbia (bolstering youth and African American turnout), and watch returns in Charleston with family and staff

Graphics made by me

[VirginiaAaron]

All Images from Wikimedia Commons

POLITICO is reporting that presidential candidates Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT) and former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams (D-GA) are planning a big announcement shortly after the South Carolina Democratic Primary. Ms. Abrams is expected to win there, however, after a string of underwhelming performances in the last two voting states, Abrams needs a comeback to stay in the race. Meanwhile, Governor Bullock is showing his grassroots strength. After being in single-digits nationally, Bullock has mounted one of the biggest comebacks in recent political history, getting 2nd place in New Hampshire and Nevada at the expense of Tom Steyer and Stacey Abrams.

Representatives from the Abrams and Bullock campaigns have been asked to respond to these rumors. Neither have responded to Politico.

Images were downloaded from Wikimedia Commons then made into a side-by-side collage by me

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Tweet

Tweet made by TweetGen, Profile Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Transcript:

Shame on @MikePence. If these reports are true, then I'm deeply alarmed. The President of the United States is using a Super PAC to attack a Democratic candidate. Mr. President, stay out of our primary. I encourage the President and all of my opponents to stop the use of PACs.

[VirginiaAaron]

Stacey's Plan for Criminal Justice Reform

Introduction:

The United States has a mass incarceration problem. Over 2 million Americans and United States residents are behind bars, over half of which are Black or Latino. Stacey Abrams is committed to reducing incarceration and making the criminal justice system fair for all.

Stacey’s plan for criminal justice reform will protect people at every touchpoint in the justice system. She’ll break the cycle of violence and curb the police’s use of force, address courtroom injustice, and reform excessive sentencing, re-imagine our prison and justice system, and focus probation on reintegration, and help people re-enter society with dignity and optimism.

The Plan:

-When Stacey is president, she’ll commit $22.5 billion to reduce our prison population by over 50% by 2030 and halve youth incarceration by 2024
-Stacey will also raise the standard for police use of force, holding law enforcement accountable and thereby rebuilding the public’s trust in police
-Stacey will expand funding for public defenders and go after abusive prosecutors
-She’ll also invest $1 billion in young men of color
-The Abrams Administration, will create justice reclamation centers and HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities)
-Stacey will end cash bail on day one of her administration as well as expanding alternative-to-incarceration programs and cut probation revocation by 33%
-Lastly, Stacey will fund a work, housing, and mental health and substance abuse programs for people who have recently left prison.

Graphic made myself

[VirginiaAaron]

Apologies for the graphics. I noticed that some of the slides had Steve Bullock twice. Just to clarify, Tom Steyer had a higher % than Steve Bullock in all the slides

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Victory Speech

After a big win in South Carolina, Stacey Abrams gave her victory speech to a crowded watch party in Charleston, SC.

Thank you, South Carolina!

Just a few days ago, I turned on the news and the pundits were saying ‘The Abrams campaign is over! Senator Gillibrand’s gonna be the nominee.’ You showed ‘em!

Our campaign is alive and well, this primary fight is far from over, and South Carolina you have shown yourself once again as a game changer!

Tonight, I’d like to speak to Democrats across the country, specifically those of you that will be voting next Tuesday. This is the time we choose what path we want our party and more importantly, our country takes in the next four years. Democrats across the nation will pick who we put up against Mike Pence. Folks, we can’t mess this up. We need a nominee who can WIN. Four more years of Mike Pence and his agenda will do irreparable damage to our nation.

If I am our nominee, I can assure you that Nancy Pelosi will remain our Speaker of the House, that Mitch McConnell will be Minority Leader of the Senate when we take back the Senate. The presidency is important, but down-ballot races are where all of the change happens. Right now, I urge you all to donate to Jaime Harrison, who’s running here in South Carolina to fire Lindsey Graham, a man who was very important to our big victory tonight. Please donate to Jaime Harrison, Sara Gideon of Maine, Cal Cunningham of North Carolina, John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Senator Doug Jones from Alabama, and others. Head to our campaign website, and please donate to all of our endorsed down-ballot candidates all across the country.

If I am our nominee, we will win big. The way we do that is by bringing Americans together. People of every race, ethnicity, gender, economic status, Democrat, Republican, Independent, people of all strides are welcome in our campaign. We can either win big or lose big, that’s the choice we have. South Carolina, tonight, has chosen to win big! With this momentum, we’ll move on with momentum and carry it all the way to the Convention and then to the White House!

Yes, it won’t be easy. But the odds have never really been stacked in our favor. If you asked me 40, 30, 20, or even 10 years ago that a black woman from the South would be one of the frontrunners for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, I’d have called you crazy. Odds have never been stacked in our favor. We need you. Whether it’s just voting, telling your friends and family about the campaign, calling voters, knocking on doors, handing out literature, we need you. We would not be here if it were not for you. Thank you. Thank you so much, South Carolina. Now on to Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia!

Graphic made myself

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Super Tuesday Schedule

March 1: Oklahoma

-Go door-knocking with President Carter, Oprah, and Congressman O’Rourke in Oklahoma City
-Visit office in Oklahoma City to encourage staff, volunteers, interns and to thank them for their hard work
-Participate in a phone bank in Tulsa to help get people out to vote
-Join some campaign volunteers in renting some vans to shuttle people to the caucus-sites, take photos with volunteers and other workers
-Visit University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University to discuss issues with the youth and to spike voter turnout among younger people

March 2: Texas

-Barnstorm Dallas with Congressman O’Rourke and Oprah
-Host Town Halls at Texas A&M University and the University of Houston
-Boast about plans for veterans, education, corporate taxes, disabled Americans, breaking up big-tech, for workers, and opioids
-Hold major rally in Fort Worth, focusing on turning out women and Millenials to bolster turnout and to increase our coalitions

March 3: California

-Barnstorm, doorknock, and phonebank all over Los Angeles
-Help shuttle voters to various polling places
-Have a huge conference call with my campaign manager, campaign chair, and all Super Tuesday-state campaign chairs
-Major rally in San Diego with all of our major surrogates (President Carter, Congressman O’Rourke, Oprah Winfrey, Congressman Lewis, Reverend Sharpton, the Chair of Moms Demand Action, the Head of the American Federation of Teachers, President and Secretary Clinton, and Secretary Kerry)
-Watch returns at local hotel, head to watch party in San Jose after results are finalized to speak to our supporters

Graphic made myself

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Victory Tweet

Tweet made by TweetGen

Transcript: Tonight, I want to thank the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas. I also want to congratulate @kirstengillibrand, @TomSteyer, and @SteveBullock on their wins tonight. Each one of us would be much better presidents than @PresidentPence. #Unity #2020

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Schedule before Super Tuesday II

Image from the Wikimedia Commons

March 4-6 | Missouri

March 4: Barnstorm Kansas City with Congressman Lewis, Oprah Winfrey, and Secretary Clinton; Hold major rally in Kansas City with surrogates; Hold town hall at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
March 5: Barnstorm St. Louis with Congressman Lewis, Oprah Winfrey, and President Clinton; Hold major rally in St. Louis; Hold town hall at Harris–Stowe State University (HBCU)
March 6: Appear on local TV shows; attend a local parade; Hold major rally in Springfield; Hold town hall at Missouri State University

March 7-10 | Michigan

March 7: Barnstorm Grand Rapids with Debbie Dingell and Debbie Stabenow (further referred to as “Michigan surrogates”), hold a town hall at Davenport University, and hold a major rally in Grand Rapids
March 8: Visit predominantly black churches in Detroit, barnstorm Detroit with Michigan surrogates, major rally in Detroit with surrogates, visit factory workers at Ford, and hold a town hall at Wayne State University
March 9: Visit areas that voted for Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016, barnstorm Macomb County with Michigan surrogates, visit factory workers, and hold a town hall at Macomb Community College
March 10: Take part in GOTV operation in Detroit (mostly attempting to turn out younger, black voters), hold final Michigan rally in Detroit, watch election returns at hotel in Detroit, give a speech in Detroit after results are finalized.

"Thrive"

Abrams ad aired in Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Washington, and Michigan

(Footage of Abrams and her family eating Sunday dinner appear on the screen, various family members appear on the screen)

Abrams voiceover:

Our parents had three rules: go to church, go to school, and take care of each other. We all found different ways to care.

(List of Abrams accomplishment appear on the screen, for example: Expanded support for Kinship Care so that 100,000 kids could be raised by family, not foster care. Footage of Stacey taking food to a Kinship family is shown)

It's always been about caring for each other. Finding pathways to succeed. That's America. Individuals caring for each other, finding pathways to succeed. I'm Stacey Abrams and I approve this message and am running for President to bring those values back to the White House. Join me in my fight.

[VirginiaAaron]

Just a quick correction for the results above, the 2nd Idaho delegates slide is supposed to say Washington. Also, sorry about the cumulative delegates slide. Steyer is in 2nd, not Gillibrand.

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Schedule

Image from Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/144832700@N06/30598448037/in/photolist-NBT3yV-2h8bg4S-2ciG3Hd-2h8d6bz-2h8bghH-2h8d6f7-2co9HqB-2ciG3ny-2co9G24-2bh3pUU-ftinG1-2a1sdxH-NBT2Be-2co9FF4-2co9FrM-2bh3pLh-2ciG3xU-NBT3RZ-2co9Fux-2iw9jrK-2bh3pN1-2bh3pJJ-KuWSQT-2bp4UuH-2ciG25o-2euqFLa-2co9GWa-R8SQam-btCEBZ-ftinuN-2ava3BW-2g5ga4u-ft41Ke-NBT4fz-2g5g2UG-ftinnN-2caEcmE-2euqE7Z-2g5fVLD-2g5g2Vo-NBT3cc-2g5g9QP-2co9Gji-2gYKsZc-QJ8yR8-2gYKskr-2gYKsvb-2euqDL8-2epPmab-QJ8oye

March 11-12| Illinois

March 11: Hold major event in Chicago with Governor Steve Bullock, hold town hall at Northwestern University, barnstorm Chicago with Governor Pritzker
March 12: Major rally in Chicago with Oprah and Congressman Lewis, hold round table with primarily African American voters discussing race with Reverend Jackson, and meet with county captains in charge of GOTV operation

March 13| Arizona

March 13: Hold major rally in Phoenix with Senator Sinema and Oprah, hold town hall at University of Phoenix, and barnstorm Tucson

March 14-15 | Florida

March 14: Give major speech in Miami (all in Spanish), hold town hall in Miami with Senator Bill Nelson and Bob Graham, and barnstorm Miami
March 15: Major rally in Orlando, hold town hall at the University of Central Florida, hold several photo-ops with Senator Nelson and Bob Graham while barnstorming Orlando

March 16-17 | Ohio

March 16: Barnstorm Columbus with Senator Brown, hold major rally in Columbus, hold round table with union workers
March 17: Barnstorm Cleveland with Senator Brown, hold major rally in Cleveland, hold round table/town hall with teachers

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Strategy:

ILLINOIS: With Governor Bullock recently coming on-board, he’ll be campaigning all over rural Illinois for Ms. Abrams. Where Ms. Abrams will mainly focusing on Cook County, turning out African American voters with Congressman John Lewis, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, and lastly Governor J.B. Pritzker.

FLORIDA: Florida is key for the Abrams campaign. Her campaign has been focusing on sweeping the south and expanding her coalition through the midwest and beyond. Sweeping Florida will be the last task in sweeping the South. With sparse endorsements in Florida, Ms. Abrams has caught the endorsement of the beloved former Senator Bill Nelson. She’ll rally voters and barnstorm places with high voter density to increase turnout and enthusiasm for her campaign. If Ms. Abrams wins in Florida, this adds to her electability argument, as Florida will be a battleground state in the general election.

OHIO: Ms. Abrams hasn’t invested many resources in Ohio until now. She’s gotten the endorsement of the buckeye’s state popular senior Senator, Sherrod Brown. She’s attempting to make every last moment count with appearances with Senator Brown who recently passed on a presidential bid last year.

ARIZONA: Ms. Abrams has gotten the endorsement of Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a high profile figure in Arizona politics. She has some promising numbers in her internal polls, and hopes to finish high in Arizona


*A separate post for the Bullock endorsement will be made in the coming day(s)

[VirginiaAaron]

Bullock endorses Abrams

Hello, Chicago!

When I first announced my run for the Presidency, my goal was to bring this fractured nation back together. The current administration was failing Americans, from the African-American steelworker in the Rust Belt to the immigrant farmers barely getting by in the Southwest, and I believed we needed a President who would put the "United" back in the United States of America and who would tirelessly work to get things done for the American people. Even as I suspend my campaign today, I still hold those beliefs in high regard.

Stacey Abrams has always impressed me. From her near upset in what was a deep-red state when I was first elected Governor, to her tenacious debate performaces, to her strong comeback to take the delegate lead, her vigorous beliefs and tireless work ethic are an inspiration to all. Like me, Stacey has been building a campaign where everyone, no matter their race, sexuality, or ideology, is welcome - and as we saw last night, those efforts are paying off. I'm here today to give Miss Abrams my full backing in this election for President of the United States, and I hope you, the people of Illinois, will do what it takes on March 17 to help this amazing campaign along the path to the White House. The way ahead is difficult, and Mike Pence and his PAC cronies will do whatever it takes to stop us, but if any candidate and campaign could overcome these obstacles, it's this one.

And now, I'm honored to introduce the next President of the United States - Stacey Abrams!

Hello Chicago!

It’s great to be in the Windy City. I can think of no better place to welcome my good friend, Governor Steve Bullock to our campaign!

Steve is the Governor of a red state. I got to know him very well during this campaign, and I’ve gotten to know a lot about Steve, his wife Lisa, and their 3 kids. Steve has always fought the good fight. Whether it’s been taking on dark money as Montana’s Attorney General, protecting public lands, Steve knows Montana. He knows their values and beliefs, and I’m very happy to have him on Team Stacey.

Graphic made myself

[VirginiaAaron]

Image downloaded from Flickr

Stacey Abrams Debate Answers

Opening Statement:
Hello Phoenix! It’s great to be in the Grand Canyon State. First of all, I want to address something that’s been going on in the media. Some people in the last few weeks have said that the Democratic Party is more divided than ever. And let me just say that we are united. We might have a few minor disagreements on some policies, but we are all here tonight for one common goal: defeating Mike Pence. Whether it’s me, or Kirsten, or Tom, we all agree that our #1 goal this year is to defeat Mike Pence. Some have called this primary election a clash between moderate and progressive. What this election really is about is who can beat Mike Pence. I believe I’m the best candidate to do that because I’m able to tackle him on the issues head-on. I asked him to clarify his position on rights for LGBTQ+ Americans and rather than answer my simple question, he decided to go on a rampage on Twitter. To beat him, we’ve got to get under his skin, and I’ve clearly done that. I’m also a uniter. My campaign has the broadest coalition in quite a long time. Black, white, Hispanic, male, female, straight, LGBTQ+, union workers, teachers, students, baby boomers, millennials; every person has a place in my campaign and I hope I earn your vote.

Despite all the naysayers on your experience and record, you're currently the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. Do you believe this proves that the party wants a more moderate, "electable" nominee to defeat President Pence?
I don’t really like labels, and I don’t think I’m leading right now because I’m a “moderate”. I think I’m leading because people know I will beat Mike Pence. We won the House in 2018 by focusing mainly on healthcare, turning out people who usually don’t vote, and by broadening our coalition. I believe that completely changing our healthcare system and using a method that will cost us trillions in dollars and we don’t have a plan for, is not the best option to improve healthcare. I believe in a public option. You can keep your private healthcare if you’d like to. But if you want, you can use government healthcare that’s going to give you the same benefits and cover more people and conditions. Hopefully, we’ll be able to make the government healthcare so good that everyone that’s on private insurance will switch over, however, you’re not required to. When I ran for Governor of Georgia, we saw the highest turnout for a midterm election in many, many years. That’s because voters in my home state were enthusiastic for my candidacy and what we were planning to bring to Georgia. As I said in my opening statement, my campaign has the broadest coalition of voters in many years. So my campaign checks the 3 boxes that gave us the House in 2018. Focusing on healthcare, turning out voters who usually don’t vote, and broadening our coalition. That’s why I’m the most electable, and that's why we’re gonna win the nomination.

Despite your being the most successful African-American female presidential candidate in history, many civil rights leaders and organizations have announced their support for your competitors. Do you think it has to do with the perceived failure of identity politics in Hillary Clinton's 2016 bid, and, if not, what do you believe is the cause of this?
Let’s get one thing really clear. I don’t want the endorsement or vote of any person or group of people if it’s just based on the color of my skin or my gender. Obviously, I would be honored to be the first woman president, but that’s not why I’m running. I’m running to beat Mike Pence and to make our government and democracy fair. I don’t play as the identity politics candidate. If I was, I’d only be courting votes from African American women. As for the civil rights leaders and organizations that haven’t endorsed me, that’s a question for them. It’s their choice who they endorse. I’m proud to have some great civil rights leaders on board with my campaign. Heroes like Congressman John Lewis, Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jesse Jackson, and so many others. At the end of the day, it’s not organizations voting, it’s people voting. I’m presenting my case to the voters, and it’s up to you who our nominee will be.

Closing Statement:
This election is a simple one. We have unity and hope from one side of the aisle and division and destruction on the other. 4 more years of Mike Pence would be a disaster for this country. Whether it’s giving a tax break to his corporate friends, taking away healthcare from millions of Americans, making America more disrespected on the global stage than ever before, calling Mexicans who come to this nation wanting a new opportunity “rapists” and “criminals”, the corruption, the tweeting, the nastiness, the partisanship. Ladies and gentlemen, I am tired of this behavior from the most powerful man in the world. If you’re tired of it too, go to StaceyAbrams.com and join our campaign to Defeat Mike Pence.

[VirginiaAaron]

"Unity"

Abrams Ad aired in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania

Various videos of excerpts of speeches from Stacey are shown:

“Our party is the party of unity and hope. We’re fighting against Mike Pence and his party; the party of division and destruction.”

“My number one priority when I’m elected president is to heal our nation. We’re more divided now than ever before, and we need someone who can unite the party and then unite the nation. I am that candidate.”

“On paper, this candidacy should never have happened. But when people work hard together, anything is possible. That is America. America, on paper, would never have happened. But people worked hard together, and made our beautiful nation possible.”

“I like to solve problems. I know it is a skill set, but it's also an obligation. I grew up with parents who believe that you don't simply complain: you try to find solutions and fix what's in front of you.”

I'm Stacey Abrams and I approve this message.

Image downloaded from Flickr

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Victory Speech

Image from Wikimedia Commons

After a string of wins in Ohio and Illinois, with strong finishes in Arizona and Florida, Stacey Abrams gave her victory speech to a crowded party in Chicago, IL.

Hello Chicago!

Tonight, you, along with Ohio and all of the other states voting, have told little black girls all across the nation that you count. Your voice matters. You belong. You have worth. You can do whatever you set your mind to.

Tonight, we have cemented our status as the frontrunner. We now lead by over 100 delegates. And we didn’t do this alone. I am only here because of you. Thank you. Thank you for putting your trust in me. Thank you for joining my quest to beat Mike Pence. And folks, let me tell you that in 310 days, President Mike Pence will become former President Mike Pence.

Our goals are simple: make healthcare fairer, lower taxes for people that work hardest, make our democracy fairer, protect DREAMERS, protect veterans, empower union workers, end gun violence, and improve our standing on the world stage. They’re simple and something everybody can agree on. That’s why I am the only candidate running that can truly unite the country after the most destructive and dividing 4 years in quite a long time.

Moderate, progressive, conservative, white, black, asian, hispanic, male, female, non-binary, straight, LGBTQ+, our campaign and this party welcomes everyone. Thank you Chicago, let’s win this!

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Schedule

March 18: Major rally in Atlanta, GA; barnstorm Atlanta, fly to Puerto Rico

March 19: Barnstorm San Juan, major rally with Carlos Romero Barceló, unveil support for Puerto Rican statehood
March 20: Major rally in Bayamón, hold town hall with Carlos Romero Barceló, fly to Alaska

March 21: Barnstorm Anchorage with Mark Begich, hold town hall at the University of Alaska-Anchorage
March 22: Hold major rally in Juneau, barnstorm Juneau

March 23: Hold major rally in Honolulu, barnstorm Honolulu with Brian Schatz, and hold town hall at Honolulu Community College
March 24: Barnstorm Pearl City, barnstorm Pearl City with Senator Schatz, hold town hall at Leeward Community College, fly back to campaign headquarters in Atlanta to watch returns and give a speech to watch party in Atlanta

Image from Wikimedia Commons

[VirginiaAaron]

How does Abrams have the support of Rep. Fortuno when he is a Republican?

That's a good question.. I'll change that now

[VirginiaAaron]

Stacey Abrams Tweet

Tweet made from TweetGen

Transcript:

I'm happy to have the overwhelming support of my home state, Georgia. Now we will take this fight to Puerto Rico, where they will decide who they trust to make them our #51st state!

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Schedule

March 25: Barnstorm Milwaukee with former Senator Russ Feingold and hold major rally in Milwaukee
March 26: Hold town hall in Madison with Senator Feingold and hold major rally there
March 27: Barnstorm Green Bay with Feingold and hold major rally
March 28: Barnstorm San Juan with Carlos Romero Barceló, hold town hall
March 29: Hold major rally in Bayamón, oversee GOTV operation

[VirginiaAaron]

POLITICO: SECRET MEETING BETWEEN ABRAMS AND GILLIBRAND TAKES PLACE IN NEW YORK

A source from the Abrams campaign has reported that Stacey Abrams, the current Democratic frontrunner, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who's currently in 2nd place in the delegate count, are soon having a private meeting in Sen. Gillibrand's home state of New York at Gillibrand's house in Hudson, NY.

The subject of the meeting was not disclosed, but the results of said meeting would be brought to the public in a matter of time.

Senator Gillibrand and Tom Steyer have refused to back down, both are fighting to overtake Abrams in the delegate count and to hopefully have a lead going into the expected contested convention. Only time will tell if either is successful.

Image from Wikimedia Commons

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Schedule

March 30: Barnstorm New Orleans with Governor John Bel Edwards and hold major rally in Baton Rouge
April 1: Hold town hall in Honolulu with Senator Schatz and hold major rally there
April 2: Barnstorm Pearl City with Schatz and hold major rally
April 3: Barnstorm Anchorage with former Senator Mark Begich, hold town hall
April 4: Hold major rally in Juneau, oversee GOTV operation

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Schedule

April 5: Major rally in Milwaukee with Senator Feingold, hold town hall in Madison
April 6: Major rally in Philadelphia, hold town hall in Philadelphia
April 7: Fly back to Milwaukee to watch election returns and give speech following results

Image from Wikimedia Commons

[VirginiaAaron]

Abrams Concession Speech and Major Announcement

Today, former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams conceded the Wisconsin primary to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as well as announcing major personal news that will affect her status in the race. She gave her speech in Milwaukee shortly after results were certified in the badger state.

Hello Milwaukee!

Tonight, was not the best night for our campaign. This past year, has been the best year of my life. Meeting with people all over this country, is the greatest feeling I have ever had. I met people I never thought I’d get to meet. Farmers in Missouri, teachers in Virginia, union workers in Ohio, or regular folks in South Carolina.

It has been the honor of my life to be your candidate. But recently, on the advice of doctors and medical professionals, they have advised that a presidential campaign would be unwise at this time. So, today I’m announcing that I will suspend my presidential campaign.

This isn’t how I expected our campaign to end. I want to thank my campaign staff and more importantly you. You, the voters. You, the volunteers. Those who dedicated their hard-earned money and time. Those who drove miles to come to a town hall, those who lined the streets with homemade signs, those who knocked on doors, called voters, to the Moms and Dads who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears “You can be anything you want to be.”

The way we continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Kirsten Gillibrand, the next president of the United States.

Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate her on the victory she has won and the extraordinary race she has run. I endorse her and throw my full support behind her.

As a friend once said, although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling, there are about 18 million cracks in there and I’m confident that Kirsten Gillibrand will shatter that glass ceiling.

Thank you all so much for everything. I promise, I will not stay quiet. I will remain engaged as a fervent supporter of Kirsten Gillibrand. Thank you and God bless America!

[VirginiaAaron]

BESHEAR DEBATE ANSWERS

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Opening Statement:

Thank you Anderson and Laura for moderating the debate and I also want to thank the University of Utah for hosting Ambassador Haley and me tonight. In a few weeks, Americans will have the choice of hope and renewal versus fear and more of the same. Tonight, I ask every American watching, are you better off now than you were 4 years ago? Are you not living paycheck-to-paycheck? Are wages higher than they were 4 years ago? Are jobs where they were 4 years ago?  Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were four years ago? And if you answer all of those questions yes, why then, I think your choice is very obvious as to whom you will vote for. We have a fantastic opportunity right here to finally change America for the better. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of thinking “Oh Lord, what’s he going to say now?” If you’re tired of the divisiveness, the hatred, the bullying, and the straight-out attacks on the very things that make our nation so great. You have a home with Senator Gillibrand and I.

As Governor of Kentucky, you have fought to raise teachers' salaries statewide. Would this expand to a nationwide push if you are elected Vice President?

Absolutely, Senator Gillibrand and I are the ticket for hardworking teachers. What we’ve done in Kentucky is made lives for teachers easier. Kentucky is a very Republican state, but what I’ve been able to do is work across the aisle to get things done for hardworking Kentuckians. Meanwhile, Ambassador Haley has worked on the side of corporations and big business to try to privatize education and to promote charter schools and school vouchers. Big businesses want to try to trick hardworking Americans into thinking that charter schools and school vouchers are good for them and are better for them financially. That couldn’t be further from the truth. She spent her final years in office making sure that LGBTQ+ South Carolinians couldn’t enter the South Carolina National Guard. While Nikki Haley has spent her career making things in our nation less inclusive, Senator Gillibrand and I are working to further the American ideals of inclusiveness, patriotism, and giving everyone a fair shot no matter their race, gender, income status, or location.

Some on the left have stated their belief that your moderation and presence on the ticket "diminish the progressive potential of this historic nomination." How do you respond to that?

The Democratic Party has always been the big tent party. Conservative, moderate, liberal, or progressive; everyone has a place in our party. Senator Gillibrand is more of what the media likes to call a “progressive,” while I’m more of a “moderate.” That’s how parties should work. Parties need to have two people at the top of their ticket that truly represent not just their party but the nation as a whole. Our party has always fought for workers, middle-class and poorer Americans, women, minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community. Meanwhile President Pence has fought to give workers less of a voice, make the rich richer, strip women’s right to healthcare, treat minorities and the LGBTQ+ community like another species. I was raised to love thy neighbor like thyself. The President tries to show himself as a biblical man, but his philosophy is to love thy neighbor like thyself if you’re straight and not a minority.

What is one thing you respect about your opponent?

A lot has been said tonight but I truly admire and respect Ambassador Haley’s patriotism and love of her state, South Carolina. I also admire her dedication to her family. I’ve had the opportunity to briefly meet her family, and her kids are smart, well-educated, and kind young people. I also admire the Ambassador’s determination. When she sets her mind to something, she never stops.

Closing Statement:

These last few months of the campaign, you’ve heard President Pence consistently attacking Senator Gillibrand. At the end of the day, look carefully at what he’s said. And soon you’ll see that what he’s saying about Kirsten is what is true about him. He calls her the establishment, meanwhile, the establishment bosses of the GOP were lobbying then-candidate Trump to select then-Governor Pence so that they could have one of their own in the White House if he won. Yes, the President has reduced taxes but not for real America. He’s lowered taxes for his rich friends. He loves painting Kirsten as an establishment flip-flopper. Within his first year as Vice President, The Washington Post published an article saying that there was more lobbyists and representatives of big businesses than Joe Biden and Dick Cheney’s Vice Presidential offices combined. He’s started to fix childcare but on his radio show years ago, he said that women should be homemakers, that they belong in the kitchen, cooking meals for their children and husbands. Mr. President, stop the lying, stop the noise, and stop the attacks. The American people are sick and tired of this. When Kirsten and I are elected, your blood won’t boil when the President speaks. We’ll be respected on the world stage. The economy will give a fair shot to poor and middle-class Americans. There are just a few weeks left of this campaign. Vote your conscience, vote how your parents raised you. Vote for competence, capability, and change. Thank you.