Four More Years - a 2016 Election Timeline (user search)
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Question: Who should Obama choose as his Running Mate?
#1
Tim Kaine
#2
Julian Castro
#3
Tom Vilsack
#4
Amy Klobucher
#5
Kirsten Gillibrand
#6
Al Franken
#7
Jeff Merkley
#8
John Hickenlooper
#9
Martin Heinrich
#10
WHO SHOULD TRUMP CHOOSE?
#11
Newt Gingrich
#12
Ben Carson
#13
Chris Christie
#14
Mary Fallin
#15
Scott Brown
#16
Marsha Blackburn
#17
Mike Flynn
#18
Jeff Sessions
#19
Jim Webb
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Author Topic: Four More Years - a 2016 Election Timeline  (Read 56125 times)
America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« on: August 26, 2017, 05:40:08 PM »
« edited: September 03, 2017, 02:45:34 AM by Parrotguy »



"FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!"

The crowd chanted wildly as Barack Obama left the stage of his Boston healthcare rally. As he went to his backstage room, the cries continued to ring in the President's ears. Four More Years. Did the people truly want a historical, almost unprecedented third term from him? The possibility had been intensely debated amongst his inner circle for months now- Joe was urging him to do it, his staffers and allies were urging him. And deep inside, he was starting to think about it too. He could make sure his legacy is well-protected and expand it, he could become a President worthy of his popularity. And in 2016, there were many pickup opportunities in the Senate races, leaving some hope for a Democratic Congress with which the President could work...

When he entered the backstage room, Joe immediately fell on him, patting his back. "So, four more years, what do ya say?"

"I'd support it." Former Governor Deval Patrick, who took part in the rally, shrugged. "You can save us from the current Democratic field, and from that hellish Republican field. God, Donald Trump? What's next, Alex Jones?"

"The Clintons won't like it," Obama joked, "and so wouldn't my wife."

Michelle, who was silent until that moment, raised her head to look at her husband. "Sure, I know I wouldn't like it, politics are disgusting. But maybe... just maybe... this is what the country needs?"

The President paused, staring at his wife in shock. "Are you serious?"



April 7th, 2015

Four More Years? Obama Friends, Allies Encouraging Third White House Run



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Just as Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton readies herself to finally announce a second Presidential run, speculations swirl once again of a potential Obama run.

According to sources inside the Obama inner circle, various allies and friends like Vice President Joe Biden, Former Governor Deval Patrick and others, are heavily encouraging the President to run for another term. If he decides to run, Obama would be the first President since Bill Clinton to run for a third term, and if successful, the first since Franklin Roosevelt to actually win one.

When pressed for comment, Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon said that "Secretary Clinton is and always has been focused on improving the lives of as many Americans as possible." White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that "the President is consulting with his family", further fueling the speculations.

To be continued...
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2017, 06:15:02 PM »


Yep.
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2017, 01:12:00 AM »
« Edited: August 27, 2017, 01:18:25 AM by Parrotguy »


April 7th, 2015

Four More Years? Obama Friends, Allies Encouraging Third White House Run



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Just as Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton readies herself to finally announce a second Presidential run, speculations swirl once again of a potential Obama run.

According to sources inside the Obama inner circle, various allies and friends like Vice President Joe Biden, Former Governor Deval Patrick and others, are heavily encouraging the President to run for another term. If he decides to run, Obama would be the first President since Bill Clinton to run for a third term, and if successful, the first since Franklin Roosevelt to actually win one.

When pressed for comment, Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon said that "Secretary Clinton is and always has been focused on improving the lives of as many Americans as possible." White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that "the President is consulting with his family", further fueling the speculations.

To be continued...
So does Bill run for and lose a third term to Bush 43? I am intrigued.

Yeah, which changes the 2000 and 2004 Democratic nominees but not the 2008 one. More on this later.
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2017, 07:15:04 AM »
« Edited: September 03, 2017, 02:43:27 AM by Parrotguy »

April 21st, 2015

Report: Clinton to "postpone" Presidential announcement, reevaluate in light of new Obama speculations



NEW YORK CITY - Despite reports that Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was going to announce her presidential bid soon, it appears like it might not be the case. According to sources inside the Clintons' inner circle, recent rumours about another potential Obama White House bid have "infuriated" the former First Lady and forced her to "postpone" her Presidential campaign's announcement.

In a recent interview, OMB Director and Obama ally Shaun Donovan stated that the President is "seriously contemplating" a run, prompted by a "potentially poor Democratic field that could hand the White House to a disastrous, extreme Republican candidate". Combined with cryptic statements by Press Secretary Josh Earnest and with the President himself smiling and telling "we'll see" to a crowd chanting for "Four More years" in a recent New York City rally, the signs seem to be pointing at a serious possibility of the President running for a third term.

Meanwhile, Clintonworld is very disturbed by such a possibility. The former Secretary has long been considered the frontrunner for the 2016 Democratic Nomination, with many insiders considering it "her turn", but an Obama bid could shake up the field like an earthquake. The President's change in position, after strongly denying interest in a third term, reportedly cause anger and frustration in Clinton's inside circle, with strategist Robby Mook even saying that "the President has had his two terms" in a recent interview.

In light of these recent speculations, a blitz of polling has been conducted to taste the waters for a third Obama bid:

Would you like President Obama to run for a third term? (Likely Democratic Primary voters)
Yes- 55%
No- 27%
Unsure- 18%

Would you like President Obama to run for a third term? (General Electorate)
Yes- 45%
No- 36%
Unsure- 19%

Democratic National Primary (w/ Barack Obama)-
Barack Obama- 44%
Hillary Clinton- 37%
Bernie Sanders- 7%
Martin O'Malley- 3%
Jim Webb- 2%
Lincoln Chafee- 1%
Undecided- 6%

Democratic National Primary (w/o Barack Obama)-
Hillary Clinton- 54%
Joe Biden- 20%
Bernie Sanders- 9%
Martin O'Malley- 4%
Jim Webb- 2%
Lincoln Chafee- 1%
Undecided- 10%

In other news, Governors Jeb Bush and Scott Walker continue to run neck-and-neck in Republican Primary polls, with Senators Cruz and Paul not far behind...
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2017, 04:42:44 PM »


Thanks! Next update will be posted soon Smiley


April 7th, 2015

Four More Years? Obama Friends, Allies Encouraging Third White House Run

*snip*

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Just as Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton readies herself to finally announce a second Presidential run, speculations swirl once again of a potential Obama run.

According to sources inside the Obama inner circle, various allies and friends like Vice President Joe Biden, Former Governor Deval Patrick and others, are heavily encouraging the President to run for another term. If he decides to run, Obama would be the first President since Bill Clinton to run for a third term, and if successful, the first since Franklin Roosevelt to actually win one.

When pressed for comment, Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon said that "Secretary Clinton is and always has been focused on improving the lives of as many Americans as possible." White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said that "the President is consulting with his family", further fueling the speculations.

To be continued...
So does Bill run for and lose a third term to Bush 43? I am intrigued.

Yeah, which changes the 2000 and 2004 Democratic nominees but not the 2008 one. More on this later.

Could you do a full list of the Presidents since FDR?

I would, but it's the same one as in OTL, just that Clinton is the Democratic nominee in 2000 and Gore in 2004. It makes for some interesting changes in the Democratic primaries in both 2004 and 2008, though, which will be expanded upon later.
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2017, 07:12:22 AM »
« Edited: September 03, 2017, 02:41:57 AM by Parrotguy »

April 30th, 2015

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders officially announces run for President as Democrat



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Bernard 'Bernie' Sanders, former Burlington Mayor and current U.S. Senator from the State of Vermont, officially announced his bid for the Democratic nomination today with little fanfare. The 74 years-old Independent Progressive, who caucuses with the Democrats, is a Jew and a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, making him a hardline leftist challenger to both President Obama, if he decides to run for a third term, and Secretary Clinton.

The Vermont Senator's campaign is considered a longshot with not much of a chance to become a serious contender, but many of his popular progressive positions, such as support for universal healthcare and fierce oppositiont to the influence of big money in politics, could resound with the liberal Democratic base and force both Obama and Clinton to address those issues or even move to the left.

Combined with the expected entrances of former Governors Lincoln Chafee and Martin O'Malley, Sanders' announcement adds yet another challenger to whomever decides to run out of Obama and Clinton. If both the former First Lady and the current President decide to run, as sources in both Clintonworld and Obamaworld indicated could very well happen, this could serve as an opening for Sanders, or another candidate, to emerge as a third choice.
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2017, 06:01:31 AM »
« Edited: September 03, 2017, 04:36:38 AM by Parrotguy »

May 30th, 2015

As Speculations about Clinton campaign announcement swirl, Fmr. Gov. Martin O'Malley announces White House bid



BALTIMORE - Standing on a hill overlooking the City where he once served as Mayor, Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley officially announced his Presidential campaign today. He emphazied on his experience as a two-term Governor and Mayor, and tried to position himself as a young, energetic liberal. In a perceived jab at Democratic frontrunners, Secretary Clinton and President Obama, and Republican frontrunner Jeb Bush, the Former Governor said that he brings "new leadership that will fight money in politics and limit the power of the big banks". O'Malley's campaign is considered a longshot, polling in the low single digits both against Clinton and Obama, and against Clinton and Biden.

Though O'Malley is trying to break the Obama-Clinton hegemony in the Democratic primary, he's not the only one- Independent Senator Bernie Sanders has been steadily rising in the polls, his progressive views resounding with the party's base, and two other candidates, Former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee and Former Virginia Senator Jim Webb are expected to announce their own longshot bids soon. But that is not all- with Clinton and Obama splitting the party's establishment in what looks like a vicious shadow primary, other potential candidates seem to be seeing an opening- when asked whether he'll run for President, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said "I'm not running right now", which prompted speculations that he'll try to exploit the Clinton-Obama split and emerge as a compromise choice.

Meanwhile, sources inside the Clinton inner circle report that the former First Lady will "probably" officially announce her Presidential campaign soon. The news comes as a surprise to many who thought that Clinton would wait to see if President Obama will decide to run for a third term, but Clinton insiders say that "she had already made her mind a long time ago", and speculate that an announcement now could pressure the President to decline running for a third term.

Polling shows a neck-and-neck race between Obama and Clinton, with some Democrats enthusiastic about the President running for four more years, and others thinking that "it's her turn", while the support for a third Obama term seems to be eroding among the general electorate:

Would you like President Obama to run for a third term? (Likely Democratic Primary voters)
Yes- 56%
No- 37%
Unsure- 8%

Would you like President Obama to run for a third term? (General Electorate)
Yes- 42%
No- 46%
Unsure- 12%

Democratic National Primary (w/ Barack Obama)-
Barack Obama- 40%
Hillary Clinton- 38%
Bernie Sanders- 10%
Martin O'Malley- 4%
Jim Webb- 1%
Lincoln Chafee- 1%
Undecided- 6%

Democratic National Primary (w/o Barack Obama)-
Hillary Clinton- 51%
Joe Biden- 18%
Bernie Sanders- 13%
Martin O'Malley- 5%
Lincoln Chafee- 2%
Jim Webb- 2%
Undecided- 9%
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2017, 05:48:40 AM »
« Edited: September 04, 2017, 04:40:27 AM by Parrotguy »

June 3rd, 2015

Former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee announces longshot Presidential campaign



ARLINGTON - Before a half-empty auditorium in the George Mason University School for Policy, Government and International Affairs, the former Mayor of Warwick, United States Senator and one-term Rhode Island Governor, announced his bid for the Democratic nomination. Noteably, his announcement focused on an endorsement for embracing the metric system, and his vote against the Iraq War which, he claimed, "showed courage" as a Republican Senator.

Chafee joins a field of two candidates who already announced their run - Senator Bernie Sanders and Governor Martin O'Malley - and two other candidates who are considered certain to announce soon, namely former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Senator Jim Webb. Meanwhile, President Obama is still deliberating a bid for a third term.Sources inside the Clinton inner circle are increasingly indicating that the former First Lady is certain to make an announcement in the coming days.

Meanwhile, in the swelling field of the Republican Primary, polling indicates Jeb Bush and Scott Walker still running neck-and-neck, with Marco Rubio very close behind, but all three seem to be declining in the polls...



June 7th, 2015

BREAKING: Hillary Clinton formally announces Presidential bid in a Youtube video



NEW YORK CITY - In a well-recieved video uploaded to Youtube, former First Lady, U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton officially announced that she is running "running for President". Emphasizing on being the champion of "everyday Americans", Clinton clearly tried to appeal to women, minorities, youths, the lgbtq community and working class Americans, with the video mainly including them.

Noteably, these are the demographics for which she will have to compete against President Obama if he decided to run for a third term. Sources inside the Clinton campaign confirmed it, with one claiming that the former Secretary tried to "cage the President" with her announcement, intimidating him with the prospects of a competitive primary and a hard-fought campaign and hoping it would dishearten an attempt to gain a third term. If the President doesn't run, Clinton is considered an almost certain favourite to win the nomination.

When asked about the claims, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, with an amused smile, that he'd "really hope the Secretary isn't running because she wants to 'cage' someone, but because she wants to improve the lives of Americans." At press time, Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon did not respond to a request for comment.
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2017, 10:53:00 AM »
« Edited: October 06, 2017, 05:45:25 AM by Parrotguy »

June 20th, 2015

Biden shuts down Presidential talk, supports a third Obama campaign



NEW YORK CITY - Interviewed by the Late Show's Stephen Colbert, Vice President Joe Biden denied interest in a 2016 Presidential bid, saying that he is "absolutely not running for President this year." When asked of a potential bid for a third term by his boss, Biden said that he "would gladly support my friend in any way [he] can." He also actively encouraged such a campaign, stating that "whenever the President asks me if he should do it, I have only one thing to say to him: Just do it!". The statement drew loud cheers from the audience, as well as the famous chant of "Four More Yesrs!", which Vice President Biden encouraged and joyfully joined.

Pundits are speculating that the Vice President's announcement could be a way to subtly pressure President Obama to throw his hat into the ring. Biden, no great fan of Hillary Clinton, is a strong supporter of an Obama third term, calling it "what America needs" and "a dream come true" in multiple occassions. Reportedly, he looked into challenging her in the primary in the even his boss didn't, but a number of factors made him lean against it, including his son's tragic death and the low numbers for him in head-to-head polls against the former Secretary, which promised a steep hill to climb and prompted him to put all his weight into convincing the President to run.

According to Obama insiders, the President continues to weight his options, consulting with friends and family, especially his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama. He is said to be reluctant to run, given the unprededent nature of a third term and the tough campaign ahead, but also uncomfortable with the idea of Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee. One source said that "he [Obama] doesn't believe she can win a general election". With Biden closing the shutter on a 2016 campaign, several Obama allies have been floating the idea of a run by Fmr. Massachussetts Governor Deval Patrick, a close ally of the President.

Meanwhile, a new batch of polls has been released about the Democratic race, showing a surge for Secretary Clinton following her campaign announcement and Obama's reluctance to run, and show Senator Sanders and Fmr. Governor Patrick as her strongest challengers in the event Obama doesn't run:

Would you like President Obama to run for a third term? (Likely Democratic Primary voters)
Yes- 53%
No- 41%
Unsure- 7%

Would you like President Obama to run for a third term? (General Electorate)
Yes- 40%
No- 49%
Unsure- 11%

Democratic National Primary (w/ Barack Obama)-
Barack Obama- 37%
Hillary Clinton- 41%
Bernie Sanders- 13%
Martin O'Malley- 2%
Lincoln Chafee- 1%
Jim Webb- 1%
Undecided- 5%

Democratic National Primary (w/o Barack Obama)-
Hillary Clinton- 54%
Bernie Sanders- 16%
Deval Patrick- 11%
Andrew Cuomo- 6%
Martin O'Malley- 3%
Jim Webb- 1%
Lincoln Chafee- 1%
Undecided- 8%

Meanwhile, in the Republican primary, the field is chaotic, with Bush, Walker and Rubio barely clinging to double digits, Carson, Huckabee and Paul right behind them. The entrance of billionaire Donald Trump threatens to bring even more turmoil, with his polling starting comparably strong...



Would be glad to hear some thoughts and comments Cheesy What do you think of the format so far? Who would you support in this field?
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2017, 07:11:56 AM »
« Edited: September 07, 2017, 04:25:10 PM by Parrotguy »



"No, I will not be running for President this cycle. It's absolutely not going to happen, it's not in my plans."

Barack Obama was staring at the TV screen, his expression serious. Deval Patrick, his friend and ally, was on CNN, firmly rejecting any possibility that he will run for President in the 2016 election. Well, the President thought grimly, there goes my last card.

In his reluctance to run for a third term and break all precedents, Obama tried to get someone who he truly believes will carry his legacy to run in his stead- Joe was the likeliest one. But he rejected it, and and implored the President to run. Then he tried Deval, but his announcement on CNN made it clear that it wasn't going to happen. Sure, he could just let Hillary or Andrew take the mantle, but could they truly win a general election and guard his legacy a as efficiently as he would've liked them to? He doubted it.

Now, it seemed, there was only one path left. A tough path that neither he nor Michelle thought they'd have to go through again. But there they were, standing in the beginning of this path for the third time.

Barack Obama picked up his telephone and spoke to the secretary. "Call David. I'm going to need his help again."





July 2nd, 2015


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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2017, 04:52:38 AM »

July 3rd, 2015

Obama, Webb announce Presidential campaigns in the same day



WASHINGTON, D.C. - Incumbent President Barack Obama and Former Virginia Senator Jim Webb both officially announced their respective bids for the Democratic nomination for President yesterday, with the President's announcement, of course, gaining much more attention and press.

Webb, a former Senator and Secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagen is a moderate, southern Democrat and is considered a "blue dog"- a coalition of moderate Democrats who tend to have a conservative lean in either social or economic issues. Webb himself is considered more of a socially conservative politician, and is expected to try and rally the old southern Democratic base and the so-called Reagan Demcorats. However, he is not expected to gain much traction.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama's entry is much more significant. He is expected to start the campaign as the frontrunner, along with former Secretary Clinton, and is considered likely to prevail in such a matchup, especially after the recent allegations against her of an irresponsible use of a private email server in her time as Secretary of State. In fact, the President's entry into the Democratic primary is more than just consequential- it is historical. Obama is the first President since Bill Clinton to run for a third term, and we will have to wait for November 8th, 2016 tp see if he can succeed and become the first one since FDR to do so. Many conservative activists, and even progressives, claim that such an act is problematic and undemocratic, citing the precedent set by George Washington. Others, meanwhile, acclaim the decision and see President Obama as the best leader for America right now. It is clearly a polarizing issue, as many issues have recently become.

A bunch of new polls released conducted since the President tweeted his decision could serve to tell us the public's opinion on his decision:

Do you support President Obama's decision to run for a third term? (Likely Democratic Primary voters)
Yes- 57%
No- 32%
Unsure- 12%

Do you support President Obama's decision to run for a third term? (General Electorate)
Yes- 45%
No- 39%
Unsure- 16%

Democratic Primary (National)-
Barack Obama- 41%
Hillary Clinton- 37%
Bernie Sanders- 12%
Martin O'Malley- 2%
Jim Webb- 2%
Lincoln Chafee- 0%
Undecided- 6%

Democratic Primary (Iowa)-
Barack Obama- 38%
Hillary Clinton- 32%
Bernie Sanders- 16%
Jim Webb- 5%
Martin O'Malley- 2%
Lincoln Chafee- 0%
Undecided- 7%

Democratic Primary (New Hampshire)-
Barack Obama- 35%
Hillary Clinton- 33%
Bernie Sanders- 21%
Lincoln Chafee- 3%
Martin O'Malley- 2%
Jim Webb- 1%
Undecided- 5%

We can see that Obama, perhaps thanks to a combination of Clinton's email revelations and a polling bump from his announcement, starts with a lead against the former First Lady in both the national popular vote and the two earliest states to vote. Surprisingly, we can see Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, who has been recently gaining traction with the Democratic base and gathered a surprisingly strong internet following, performing especially well in the early states, especially New Hampshire, which neighbours his own Vermont. It remains to be seen if he can actually threaten the Obama-Clinton duopoly, but if any of the candidates can do it, he is considered the likeliest.
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2017, 08:32:55 AM »
« Edited: September 08, 2017, 09:01:14 AM by Parrotguy »

SPECIAL: The 2000 Presidential Election

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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2017, 09:01:38 AM »


273, since there's the abstaining D.C. elector. Edited, thanks for noticing!
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2017, 07:18:57 AM »
« Edited: September 21, 2017, 04:11:23 AM by Parrotguy »

July 22nd, 2015

Andrew Cuomo announces surprising, longshot Presidential bid



NEW YORK CITY - In an announcement that surprised many pundits and observers, who expected him to shy away from the long odds and run in 2020 or 2024, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his run for the Democratic party's nomination for President. He has made his experience and the reforms he passed as Governor the centerpiece of his announcement, claiming that he is the "only candidate who has a proven progressive, liberal record on the issues".

According to Cuomo insiders, the Governor feels like he has a shot at an upset, and decided that running in four or eight years will be even harder. Cuomo is expected to try and use the split in the party's establishment between Clinton and Obama, as well as the Sanders campaign which is quickly gaining traction, and present himself as a compromise choice that progressives, liberals and moderates can all get behind. However, some big hurdles for him to overcome could be the stench of corruptions some claim is coming from his administration, as well as many progressive Democrats strongly disliking him.

Clinton, Obama, Sanders and the other declared candidates continue to convass the early states- it looks like none of the three is giving up on neither Iowa nor New Hampshire, strongly focusing on both states, while amongst the longshot candidates, Martin O'Malley and Jim Webb are focusing on Iowa and Lincoln Chafee on New Hampshire. Cuomo, too is expected to heavily focus on the Granite State.

The Republican Primaries are boiling, meanwhile, as Business Mogul Donald Trump has rocketed in the polls, passing frontrunners Jeb Bush and Scott Walker. His populist right win message seems to be resounding with the fired-up Republican base, worrying the party's establishment which is hoping that Bush is able to recover...
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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*****
Posts: 11,418
Israel


Political Matrix
E: -4.13, S: -3.48

« Reply #14 on: September 21, 2017, 07:23:13 AM »
« Edited: September 21, 2017, 07:27:23 AM by Parrotguy »

September 1st, 2015

State of the Race, 2016: Part 1



Fall is here, and the 2016 Presidential campaign is officially underway. With the first Democratic Debate approaching in a bit more than a month, the field of candidates in the world's oldest political party has solidified to seven, with two clear frontrunners. Let's look at the State of the Race and try to see who has the best chance for victory.


President Obama campaigning in Manchester, New Hampshire

Barack Obama

Previous jobs: Illinois State Senator (1997-2004), U.S. Senator from Illinois (2005-2008), 44th President of the United States (2009-present)
Campaign so far: The incumbent President was thought unlikely to run until a few months ago, when rumours begun to swirl about his intentions. The first President since Bill Clinton to run for a third term, Obama has a tough primary ahead of him, with former Secretary Hillary Clinton, a very popular and formidable Democrat, challenging him, among others. The President's campaign has been focusing heavily on victories in early states- Iowa and New Hampshire most of all. While South Carolina is considered very likely to be won by him, Obama's campaign is hoping that victories in these two states can give him an unstopable momentum and finish the primaries early.
What it will take to win the primary: Not much. The President just needs to do well in the debates, which he already showed that he could, and keep up his campaigning. The strong poll numbers will come naturally if he does, and victory as well.
Endorsements- Barack Obama, as the incumbent President, already has the support of many politicians. He was swiftly endorsed by some of his allies and homestate politicians, indluding Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE), Former Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA), Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Senate Candidate Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Former Senator Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL), Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Labour Secretary Tom Perez (D-MD), all of the Illinois Democratic Congressial Delegation and most of the House Black Caucus. But with the contested primary, many others are reluctant to endorse. Noteably, the party establishment isn't hurrying to rally behind the President, with some rumours saying that DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is supportive of Hillary Clinton and furious that Obama has decided to run instead of gibing Clinton 'her turn'. Other noteable endorsements include Agriculture Secretary and Former Governor Tom Vilack (D-IA), HUD Secretary Julian Castro (D-TX), Representative Joaquín Castro (D-TX) and Former Governor Howard Dean (D-VT).


Hillary Clinton giving a speech in Des Moines, Iowa

Hillary Clinton

Previous jobs: First Lady of Arkansas (1983-1992), First Lady of the United States (1993-2001), U.S. Senator from New York (2001-2009), Secretary of State (2009-2013)
Campaign so far: Hillary Clinton raised many brows when she decided to run despite the looming threat of a primary against an incumbent President. However, at the age of 68, 2016 is considered Clinton's last likely chance to win the Presidency, and many of her supporters claim that it's her turn at the job. She's a strong candidate and has been campaigning well, garnering a loyal following that wants to see her as the first female President, but with a damaging email controversy and a split establishment vote, Clinton's path is not easy. The former First Lady has been focusing heavily in Iowa, New Hampshire and, noteably, Nevada.
What it will take to win the primary: Clinton needs to effectively shake off her scandals, defeat Obama in the debates and win at least one of the early states, Iowa and New Hampshire, to gain the frontrunner status that she so craves.
Endorsements: While most politicians are reluctant to endorse a challenger to the sitting President, Clinton has been racking a surprisingly strong amount of endorsements. Rumours are claiming that the DNC Chairwoman, Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), supports the former Secretary, and she has already recieved a few noteable endorsements from important officeholders. Of course, her husband, Former President Bill Clinton (D-AR), has swiftly endorsed her, but she also has the support of Governor Terry McAuliffe (D-VA), NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NY), Governor Peter Shumlin (D-VT), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Governor Maggie Hassan (D-NH), who is considered her currently most valuable endorsement.


Sanders rallies crowd in a NH rally

Bernie Sanders

Previous jobs: Mayor of Burlington (1981-1989), U.S. Representative from Vermont (1991-2007), U.S. Senator from Vermont (2007-present)
Campaign so far: Sanders, a 75 years-old Jew who is a registered independent and a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist is running a longshot campaign, but recently, his populist, progressive rhetoric has started resounding with the Democratic base, especially, according to the polls, with young and white voters. He's considered the likeliest to break the Obama-Clinton duopoly and his fundraising numbers, completely funded by small donors, donations averaging at 27$, are steadily ticking up. He has been heavily focusing on his neighbouring state, New Hampshire, but also frequenting Iowa.
What it will take to win the primary: If Sanders wants to win, he needs neither Clinton nor Obama to collapse, and probably Cuomo to gain steam, effectively splitting the establishment vote. This could allow him to use his loyal, core following to win pluralities and become the frontrunner. In order to win, Sanders must do well in Iowa and Nevada, and most importantly, win New Hampshire.
Endorsements: Sanders' insurgent populist campaign hasn't been gaining many endorsements, with the Democratic establishment very disdainful of him, but he did manage to gain the support of a homestate politician, Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) of a few politicians after his own mold, progressive populists- former Governor John Kitzhaber (D-OR), Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN), Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-NM) and a controversial figure, Representative Alan Grayson (D-FL).

Continued in the next post...
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« Reply #15 on: September 21, 2017, 07:59:13 AM »
« Edited: September 22, 2017, 03:56:17 PM by Parrotguy »

September 1st, 2015

State of the Race, 2016: Part 2

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« Reply #16 on: September 23, 2017, 05:20:51 AM »
« Edited: September 23, 2017, 05:23:45 AM by Parrotguy »

October 14th, 2015

FIRST DEMOCRATIC DEBATE: Clinton, Obama, Sanders exchange fire, Webb tries to set himself apart



LAS VEGAS - Last night, the first Democratic Debate of the season, after two official Republican ones already occured, drew a lot of interest due to the presence of President Obama, and as a result, a record number of 25 million voters on average. Let's look at a few key moments:


Bernie Sanders: "Let me say something that may not be great politics, but the secretary is right. The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails! Enough of the emails, let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America!"
Hillary Clinton: "Thank you, Bernie!"


Andrew Cuomo: "Let's remember, folks, under President Obama, the Democratic party faced complete collapse in the midterms, twice. The President's eight years were decent, but it's time for someone who can work with congress and pass progressive reforms, as I proved I could in the Empire State."
Barack Obama: "Uh, look, I respect Governor Cuomo, but I can't seem to remember a group of Democrats caucusing with the Republicans and giving them a majority under my leadership. Under Andrew Cuomo, a group of State Senators who called themselves Independent Democrats joined the Republicans in the Senate and gave them a majority, thus actually preventing the passage of many reforms in the state. Let's be real here, Governor."


Barack Obama: Secretary Clinton is saying that it's her turn, that it's time for someone new. But she has been in this for years, and is part of, well, basically, a political dynasty. She's a voice from the past, not a young future leader. So why should Democratic voters choose her, if that's the argument?
Hillary Clinton: "Well, Mr. President, I'm not saying I'm some young, twenty-years-old woman, but I think it's generally unhealthy to have the same President for more than eight years. Is it so bad to wish for a change in leadership and in mindset, try something else, try passing important reforms such as healthcare and immigration reforms under someone new?"
Jim Webb: Let me just say this, Anderson. These two, the President and his former Secretary, are just two creatures of Washington, D.C. trying to fight each other for the power they so crave. If the American people want to keep electing these kinds of people, very well, but I think it's time for someone who came to politics to work for the working class and solve problems. I am this man.


Lincoln Chafee: I think it's time we embrace someone who brings fresh ideas, and doesn't recycle the same old ideas. Martin recycles these ideas, President Obama recycles these ideas, even Bernie and Jim recycle these ideas. And let's not even start about Secretary Clinton, who voted for the disastrous Iraq War. I have fresh ideas that we didn't try, real solutions to real problems.
Martin O'Malley: Well, I think Lincoln is being a bit hypocritical here. He's the son of a Washington politician, he's been a Washington politician for ages. His idea isn't fresh. Mine are- I'm the only candidate on this stage who is truly a Washington outsider, being a former Governor, and who can bring fresh ideas and the right experience to implement them.


Jim Webb: "Well, the question really is how are we going to solve energy problems here and in the global environment if you really want to address climate change? And really, we are not going to solve climate change simply with the laws here. It’s a global problem and I have been very strong on doing that. So let’s solve this problem in an international way, and then we really will have a way to address climate change."
Bernie Sanders: "Well, I will tell you this- this is a moral issue. The scientists are telling us that we need to move extremely boldly. And let me also tell you that nothing is gonna happen unless we are prepared to deal with campaign finance reform, because the fossil fuel industry is funding the Republican Party, which denies the reality of climate change and certainly is not prepared to go forward aggressively. This is a moral issue. We have got to be extremely aggressive in working with China, India, Russia. The planet — the future of the planet is at stake."



This debate proved one thing- Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are the frontrunners. Jim Webb, and to a lesser extent, Lincoln Chafee, did manage to put in their voice a few times and do better expected, but Martin O'Malley and Andrew Cuomo flopped last night. We've seen all candidates exchanging barbs, with the most interactions being between the three frontrunners.
The biggest stories of the night, though, are Sanders and Webb, the two outsider candidates- according to post-debate polls and statistics, they are the ones who increased their name recognition the most. This is especially helpful for Sanders, who has been steadily rising in the polls, and now seems like an actual threat to Obama and Clinton.
On the social media front, Senators Sanders and Webb increased their Tweeter and Facebook followers by the greatest volume from all candidates, though Clinton and Obama managed to gain the most traction in the night.

Let's look at the post-debate polls, conducted after it:

Who do you think won the first Democratic debate?
Barack Obama- 26%
Bernie Sanders- 24%
Hillary Clinton- 23%
Jim Webb- 11%
Lincoln Chafee- 5%
Andrew Cuomo- 3%
Martin O'Malley- 1%
Unsure- 7%

Democratic Primary (National)-
Barack Obama- 34%  (-1)
Hillary Clinton- 27%  (-1)
Bernie Sanders- 18%  (+2)
Andrew Cuomo- 7%  (-2)
Jim Webb- 5%  (+1)
Martin O'Malley- 2%  (-1)
Lincoln Chafee- 2%  (+1)
Undecided- 5%  (+1)

Democratic Primary (Iowa)-
Barack Obama- 31%  (-1)
Hillary Clinton- 27%  (+-0)
Bernie Sanders- 20%  (+2)
Jim Webb- 11%  (+3)
Andrew Cuomo- 4%  (-3)
Martin O'Malley- 2%  (-1)
Lincoln Chafee- 0%  (+-0)
Undecided- 5%  (-1)

Democratic Primary (New Hampshire)-
Barack Obama- 26%  (-2)
Hillary Clinton- 26%  (+-0)
Bernie Sanders- 25%  (+2)
Andrew Cuomo- 11%  (-3)
Lincoln Chafee- 6%  (+2)
Martin O'Malley- 0%  (-1)
Jim Webb- 0% (+-0)
Undecided- 6%  (+2)


NOTE: I know the podium order in the pictures and in the CNN thing, and even in the polls, isn't always the same. Try to ignore it, I'll likely be using the same picture until someone drops out because I'm too lazy to edit too much Tongue Also, I want to thank Castro whose wonderful TL gave me the idea of the podium thing, and who executed it much better, too.
Thanks for reading! I'd like to hear what you think about the format Smiley
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« Reply #17 on: September 25, 2017, 06:37:29 AM »
« Edited: September 25, 2017, 09:50:14 AM by Parrotguy »

October 26th, 2015

Secretary of State John Kerry endorses Barack Obama


Obama and Kerry hold campaign rally in New Hampshire

NASHUA - After remaining neutral for the early parts of the Democratic Primaries, Secretary of State, former Senator and former Democratic nominee for President in 2004 John Kerry announced his endorsement for his current boss, President Barack Obama. In a New Hampshire rally, Kerry called Obama "a true progressive leader in the home front, and in the global front", and "the leader America needs right now".

Kerry has had a rich experience in politics, and is still considered a popular figure in the Democratic party- his tenure as Secretary of State was seen very positively by doves and liberals, but negatively by hawkes and conservatives. Noteably, he failed to negotiate an agreement between the notoriously stubborn Israelis and Palestinians, but he did lead the efforts to reach the Iran Deal and under him, American foreign policy went through a relatively peaceful time.

The endorsement caused many to speculate that it meant another term for Kerry as Secretary of State, but the former Senator denied to rumour in an MSNBC interview. When asked about Barack Obama's main opponent, his predeccedor Hillary Clinton, Kerry called her "a find public servant, but not the leader to bring real change and reform".
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« Reply #18 on: September 26, 2017, 03:32:27 AM »
« Edited: September 26, 2017, 03:34:17 AM by Parrotguy »

November 10th, 2015

Sanders calls for single-payer healthcare, chastises opponents


Senator Sanders in one of his signature big rallies

MANCHESTER - Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), one of the three major contenders for the Democratic nomination in 2016, has long believed in a single-payer universal healthcare system. Yesterday, he made it a centerpiece of his campaign, announcing that "healthcare is a right" and that "no American should remain uninsured".

In the same rally, Sanders critisized Obamacare as "not going far enough" and asserted that it needs to be changed into a single-payer system. He also said that it's "a shame President Obama and Secretary Clinton aren't endorsing this system", which he claimed was the healthcare system in most western countries.

In an interview on Fox News, Democratic candidate Jim Webb, who has been recently gaining some traction with his populist rhetoric, said that he "doesn't believe there's any way congress would pay for single-payer healthcare", and avoided the question of his personal support for the system. Webb has, in the past, critisized Obamacare, saying that it should've been on a smaller scope. Candidate Lincoln Chafee, meanwhile, said that he was always an advocate for healthcare reform and that he supports universal coverage, but he's "unsure if single-payer is the way to go".

The other Democratic contenders didn't comment on this specific issue yet, but with Sanders' new crusade, the question is expected to come up in the next debate in three days. According to recently conducted polls, the majority of Democratic or Democratic-leaning voters support a single payer system- when asked, 67% said they support it, 18% oppose and 15% are unsure.
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« Reply #19 on: September 29, 2017, 07:04:13 AM »

November 15th, 2015

Second Democratic Debate focuses on terrorism, healthcare



DES MOINES - As the Democratic primary starts to get into gear, the second debate yesterday night was expected to focus heavily on domestic affairs, the main contentious issue between the Democratic candidate. However, one day prior, a series of terror attacks by ISIS struck Paris and France- three suicide bombings in the Stade de France, another suicide bombing and three shootings at four different restaurants and finally, a mass shooting and hostage situation at the Bataclan theatre, where the heavy metal band Eagles of Death Metal was playing. Two attackers in the theatre detonated their suicide vest, while the third was hit by police fire, and the vest was detonated as he fell. The death toll in the theatre alone was 89, and 130 overall.

At first, the Democratic debate was expected to be canceled, but CBS announced that it would go forth, just with a heavier focus on terrorism and foreign policy, and a minute of silence at the start. There were a few key moments in the debate, which could explain how each of the seven candidates did:


Bernie Sanders: "This unfourtunate event yesterday is truly a devastating one. My prayers are with the families of the victims. And I vow to you that as President, I will fight terorrism. However, the way to do it is not more wars that just disrupt stability, like the Iraq War. We need more stability in the region if we hope to defeat terrorism, and this war did the exact opposite. I don't think that the Democratic nominee should be a person who voted for this war."
Lincoln Chafee: "I agree with the Senator on this. I always opposed the Iraq War, and I was one of the only Senators who voted against this. Secretary Clinton, here, voted for the war, despite being a Democrat at the time. This shows use what we need to know about her judgement."
Martin O'Malley: "And if I might add, I believe that Secretary Clinton's current interventionist stance in Syria will also serve to further destrabilize the region. We should continue the President's strategy of helping the Iraqi regime and the Kurdish fighters in their war against ISIS with weapons, air bombings and counsel."
Hillary Clinton: "Can I finally reply? Thank you. Well, you see, my vote against the Iraq was, at the time, was because I was willing to listen and make a sound judgement according to what I am told, instead of resorting to votes just for the sake of populism. The Bush administration mislead us, and with the information given to us, we voted for Iraq. If I knew the truth we know today, I wouldn't make this choice. And these three men, they claim to know foreign policy better than me, but you see, I was Secretary of State, I helped negotiate tough deals and prevent wars, I was there when Osama Bin Laden was killed. I have a record that would, I think, allow me to deal with this changing world better than any other candidate on this stage."



Bernie Sanders: "It's time for America to embrace single-payer, universal healthcare. This is a system that most European countries have, Canada and Australia and Israel have it. Healthcare is a fundamental right, and it's time to fix Obamacare into a single-payer system for everyone to recieve it in America!"
Hillary Clinton: "Well, I agree with Senator Sanders that the Affordable Care Act needs to be fixed. It's not perfect, not by any measure, but still much better than any plan the Republican party might come up with. We need to reduce premium and make sure everyone can have their health covered, but I'm not sure a single-payer system is the right path. We're a big, populated country, and we'd be hard-pressed to actually fund it."
Barack Obama: "Everyone keeps saying Obamacare this, Obamacare this, but we must remember- this was a compromise bill. Because of various Democratic Senators whose votes we needed, we had to remove the public option, which is something that I still believe we need. If I will be President, hopefully with a Democratic Senate majority, I vow that we will work as hard as we can to add the public option and finally have a universal healthcare system!"


Andrew Cuomo: "I am running because I'm the only candidate here who offeres real change, and has the chops to prove it. In New York, I passed more progressive legislation than any other candidate in the country, while President Obama has been less than successful in working with Congress and Secretary Clinton had been alternating between a foreign policy role with no influence on domestic policy, and between working in her foundation."
Jim Webb: "This is actually pretty funny. Governor Cuomo claims that he's here to bring change, but he's actually bringing the old, recycled ideas that brought us nowhere in the last eight years. He's actually a creature of D.C., even if he doesn't live there. A swamp creature, whose administration in Albany reeks of corruption, with suspicions, probes and even indictments and convictions against members of his administration."
Andrew Cuomo: "What you seem to suggest here, Senator, is insulting and outright slanderous. I have been a fighter for working class Americans while you worked for the Reagan administration that trampled them!"
Jim Webb: "I've been serving my country, Governor, as soldier in the army, in positions like Secretary of the Navy and Senator. You've been serving yourself and your special interest friends."



As we can see, this was a pretty contentious debate. While Hillary Clinton managed to rebound and do very well, using her experience and extensive knowledge in a foreign-policy oriented debate, Obama and Sanders had very solid performances as well, especially on the issue of healthcare. The biggest losers tonight were probably Jim Webb and Andrew Cuomo, who bogged down each other in a few nasty attacks. These candiates, a liberal New Democrat and a conservative Old Democrat, are perfect opposites, and it seems to be coming into light as the campaign continues. Here are the polls conducted after the debate:

Who do you think won the first Democratic debate?
Hillary Clinton- 29%
Barack Obama- 27%
Bernie Sanders- 25%
Jim Webb- 4%
Lincoln Chafee- 4%
Andrew Cuomo- 3%
Martin O'Malley- 2%
Unsure- 6%

Democratic Primary (National)-
Barack Obama- 32%  (-2)
Hillary Clinton- 29%  (+2)
Bernie Sanders- 19%  (+1)
Andrew Cuomo- 5%  (-2)
Jim Webb- 5%  (+-0)
Lincoln Chafee- 3%  (+1)
Martin O'Malley- 2%  (+-0)
Undecided- 5%  (+-0)

Democratic Primary (Iowa)-
Barack Obama- 30%  (-1)
Hillary Clinton- 28%  (+1)
Bernie Sanders- 20%  (+-0)
Jim Webb- 10%  (-1)
Andrew Cuomo- 4%  (+-0)
Martin O'Malley- 2%  (+-0)
Lincoln Chafee- 0%  (+-0)
Undecided- 6%  (+1)

Democratic Primary (New Hampshire)-
Hillary Clinton- 26%  (+-0)
Barack Obama- 26%  (+-0)
Bernie Sanders- 26%  (+1)
Andrew Cuomo- 10%  (-1)
Lincoln Chafee- 6%  (+-0)
Martin O'Malley- 1%  (+1)
Jim Webb- 0%  (+-0)
Undecided- 5%  (-1)
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« Reply #20 on: October 01, 2017, 12:39:17 PM »
« Edited: October 11, 2017, 10:33:27 AM by Parrotguy »

November 21st, 2015

FBI Clinton email probe expanded- whether State officials improperly sent classified material



Despite Secretary Clinton's attempts to put away the issue, the FBI has expanded its inquries into her use of a private email server, this time to check if anyone in the State Department jeopardized national security secrets.

These new revelations threaten to harm Clinton's presidential campaign. Though President Barack Obama said that he "does not believe Secretary Clinton put our national security in danger", and Senator Bernie Sanders famously said that America is "tired of hearing about the goddamn emails", refusing to comment on them thereafter, some of her other opponents jumped on the opportunity. Former Senator Jim Webb's campaign commented that "Clinton is clearly irresponsible and lacks judgement, Senator Webb never even thought of doing anything of the sort as Secretary of the Navy and will never do it as President". Meanwhile, Republican frontrunner tweeted that "Crooked Hillary should never be allowed to run the country! Can't handle national security secrets!".

If the scandal does hurt her primary campaign, Clinton's loss of support is expected to benefit mainly President Obama, with polls showing him a consistent second choice with most of her supporters. Asked for a comment about that, the Obama campaign refused to respond.



Thanks for reading Smiley I plan this TL to focus more about Obama, and I'm starting to think that going through the primary at this pace will be a bit tiring. Should I increase the pace and cover the debates and events until Iowa more briefly and quickly, or do you like the current pace?
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« Reply #21 on: October 02, 2017, 07:43:57 AM »
« Edited: October 05, 2017, 03:43:29 PM by Parrotguy »

December 19th, 2015

Obama, Sanders perform well in third Democratic Debate, Clinton under fire by Webb



GOFFSTOWN - In the third Democratic Presidential debate, the same candidates stood on the same podium locations, but one major thing did change- Hillary Clinton's email scandal was back in the forefront. While most Demcoratic contenders, probably not wishing to damage Clinton's chances if she does become the party's nominee, mostly ignored it, Jim Webb came for the kill and viciously attacked her for it, in a way that many voters considered "degrading" according to post-debate polls. These are two of the moments that defined the debate:


Barack Obama: "Look, I can't know right now if Secretary Clinton mishandled national security secrets while using this private server. And yes, using such a server is not something I'd do. But Hillary Clinton is a true patriot and a woman who truly wanted to serve her nation, and did so capably. I have no doubts that this was just a mistake, and that all she did was with a good intention."
Hillary Clinton: "Thanks, Obama [actually said: Thank you, Mr. President]. And I want to say this, Martha... I already apologized for using this private servet. It was a mistake, and I won't do it again. But this so-called scandal is just a distraction that Republicans are trying to use in their witchhunt against me, to distract the American people from real issues that they can't solve!"
Jim Webb: "Excuse me, Secretary Clinton, but this is ridiculous. You can't just call this issue a distraction- the fact that you did something so foolish, so ridiculous, as using a private server for communications as Secretary of State is very much an important issue. It shows that you lack the necessary judgement and cool head to be President. I was Secretary of the Navy and Undersecretary of Defence, and I never even thought of doing something so foolish."
Hillary Clinton: "I did say Republicans are trying to use this issue as a distraction, and here is an example, because Senator Webb is basically a Republican. Remind me, Senator, in whose administration did you serve, and what did the actions of this administration do to help working class Americans?"
Jim Webb: "I served my nation under my President, and I am proud of it, Secretary!"


Martin O'Malley: "ISIL videos, ISIL training videos are telling lone wolves the easiest way to buy a combat assault weapon in America is at a gun show. And it's because of the flip-flopping, political approach of Washington that both of my two colleagues on this stage have represented there for the last forty years."
Bernie Sanders: "Please, do not explain to me, coming from a state where democratic governors and republican governors have supported virtually no gun control, do not tell me that I have not shown courage in standing up to the gun people, in voting to ban assault weapons, voting for instant background checks, voting to end the gun show loop hole and now we're in a position to create a consensus in America on gun safety."

The polls after the debate showed that by appearing above the fray, and using their charisma and humour, President Obama and Senator Sanders won the debate, while Clinton's email issues bogged her down:

Who do you think won the third Democratic debate?
Barack Obama- 35%
Bernie Sanders- 29%
Hillary Clinton- 18%
Andrew Cuomo- 5%
Jim Webb- 5%
Lincoln Chafee- 2%
Martin O'Malley- 1%
Unsure- 5%

Democratic Primary (National)-
Barack Obama- 34%  (+2)
Hillary Clinton- 27%  (-2)
Bernie Sanders- 20%  (+1)
Andrew Cuomo- 6%  (+1)
Jim Webb- 4%  (-1)
Martin O'Malley- 2%  (+-0)
Lincoln Chafee- 2%  (-1)
Undecided- 5%  (+-0)

Democratic Primary (Iowa)-
Barack Obama- 31%  (+1)
Hillary Clinton- 26%  (-2)
Bernie Sanders- 22%  (+1)
Jim Webb- 9%  (-1)
Andrew Cuomo- 4%  (+-0)
Martin O'Malley- 2%  (+-0)
Lincoln Chafee- 0%  (+-0)
Undecided- 6%  (+-0)

Democratic Primary (New Hampshire)-
Bernie Sanders- 28%  (+2)
Barack Obama- 27%  (+1)
Hillary Clinton- 24%  (-2)
Andrew Cuomo- 10%  (+-0)
Lincoln Chafee- 5%  (-1)
Martin O'Malley- 1%  (+-0)
Jim Webb- 0%  (+-0)
Undecided- 5%  (+-0)
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« Reply #22 on: October 02, 2017, 08:31:03 AM »
« Edited: October 05, 2017, 03:16:25 PM by Parrotguy »

January 15th, 2016

Al Gore endorses Obama before final pre-Iowa debate



CEDAR RAPIDS - Former Vice President and Democratic Presidential nominee in 2004 Al Gore gave, today, an enthusiastic endorsement of the second reelection campaign of incumbent President Barack Obama. He made an enthusiastic speech before a large rally crowd in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, calling Obama "an outstanding President" and decrying Republicans as "obstructionists who prevent real change for the Amaerican people". Gore also made a subtle barb against the President's major opponent in the primaries, Secretary Clinton, saying that "some people think that they deserve the Presidency on the merits of dynastic politics, while others, like the President, are in this to help the American people." The former Vice President finished his speech by calling Democrats to reelect Obama with a Democratic congress, declaring "a unique opportunity for real change".

This endorsement was considered unsurprising and inevitable- Gore is known to have an uneasy relationship with Clinton ever since butting heads with her during her husband's administration, and his views are considered to the right of Sanders', both in substance and in style. In light of this, Obama was the natural choice for him.

Still a popular figure in the Democratic Party, Gore is expected to campaign with Obama extensively throughout the campaign, especially in states like New Hampshire and Florida, where climate change, for which Gore is a major advocate, is an important issue.

With this endorsement, Barack Obama has officially gained, save for three exceptions, the support of every living Democratic President or Vice President and nominees for these positions- 1988 nominee Michael Dukakis endorsed him early, joining him at a November rally in New Hampshire, while former Vice President Walter Mondale endorsed Obama in a Youtube video four days prior to Gore. One of the three exceptions is, of course, former President Bill Clinton, who endorsed his wife. Jimmy Carter decided to remain neutral too, though sources claim that in private conversations he has shown surprising support for Bernie Sanders, and 2000 Vice Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman has not endorsed anyone but expressed his support for Hillary Clinton.
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« Reply #23 on: October 02, 2017, 03:36:44 PM »

SPECIAL: The 2004 Democratic Primaries Part 1



After nominating former President Bill Clinton as their presidential candidate in the last three cycle, the Democrats in 2004 were ready for a change. Many possible candidates were widely expected to run- from big guns everyone was watching like Senator Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore and even Bill Clinton himself, to other popular politicians like Tom Daschle, Dick Gephardt, John Kerry, Bob Graham, Joe Lieberman, Bill Bradley and Joe Biden.

Though Howard Dean, a popular, anti-war Vermont Governor who would later gain steam and a big grassroots following, announced an exploratory committee in May 31st of the year 2002, the race is considered to have truly begun in January 1st, 2003, when, in a joint New Year's Eve statement, former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton have both announced that they will not be running for President in 2004. These announcements cleared the field considerably, and caused a lot of jockeying among potential candidates- a day later, both Senators John Edwards (D-NC) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) announced exploratory committees, and they were followed by Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, Massachussetts Senator (January 4th) Senator John Kerry (January 6th), Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd (January 11th) and Florida Senator Bob Graham (January 12th).

However, everyone was still waiting for one, major hurdle to potentially get itself out of the way- former Vice President Al Gore was giving mixed signs about his intentions, and many of the more establishment-minded Democrats were anxiously waiting for his announcement. Though most assumed that he would decline to run after saying in a December interview that "the Democrats need a fresh face", he changed his opinion and surprised pundits by declaring a run in January 21st.


Al Gore's announcement in Nashville, Tennessee, surprised many and shook the political world

Gore's decision pulled the rag from beneath the potential candidates, deterring many of them from running. Polls were showing him decisively leading the pack, with his post-Vice Presidential environment advocacy adding grassroots popularity to his already existent establishment support. As a result, John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and Chris Dodd announced, in the following two weeks, that they would not be running for President, rescinding their exploratory committees.

However, some candidates were not deterred. Into a field populated only by Activist Al Sharpton and Al Gore himself jumped Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-MO) in January 29th, Senator Fmr. Sen. Carol Mosely Braun (D-IL) in February 18th, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) a day after her and finally, Senator Bob Graham in February 28th. Though both had been, de-facto, candidates for quite a while, Howard Dean and John Edwards both announced officially months after the others- Dean in June 23rd and Edwards in September 16th. A day later, September 17th, retired General Wesley Clark also announced his candidacy after many attempts to draft him. And thus, the field was complete, and the race was on.


The 2004 Democratic candidates

At first, as the primary season heated up, the biggest challenger to Al Gore, according to opinion polls, was Former Minority Leader Gephardt, who still had strength within the establishment and some support among grassroots. He was followed by Senator Bob Graham, whose popularity and location in a swingstate gave him a strong appeal. This is an example of a poll conducted during the month of September, that shows the state of the race:

2004 Democratic Primary (National)
Al Gore- 42%
Dick Gephardt- 17%
Bob Graham- 13%
Howard Dean- 7%
Wesley Clark- 6%
John Edwards- 4%
Dennis Kucinich- 2%
Carol Mosely Brown- 2%
Al Sharpton- 1%
Undecided- 6%

However, soon enough, both of Gore's major opponents begun to slip. Lackluster debate performances and an inability to excite the base and find themselves a niche to run on harmed both candidates, and their polling numbers swiftly decreased. Bob Graham dropped out of the race in October 6th, and though he stayed in the race, Rep. Gephardt was no longer that much of a viable contender. A new power rose to challenge Gore in their stead: Governor Howard Dean (D-VT).


Howard Dean swiftly gained grassroots popularity, becoming Al Gore's biggest challenger

With powerful, energetic speeches and a strong internet operation, Dean gained a strong, loyal and enthusiastic grassroots following of anti-war progressives. With that, he became Gore's major opponent, and started gaining endorsements from progressive politicians. Wesley Clark also rose in the polls, his experience as General earning him respect and support from some voters.

In January 13th, the non-binding Washington D.C. primary is won by Dean, though Gore didn't contest it. Braun, who placed third after Dean and Sharpton, withdrew from the race following it. With that contest out of the way, Democrats were ready for the early states to start voting. Gore was still strongly leading the polls, but his lead eroded and Howard Dean was breaking into the twenties:

2004 Democratic Primary (National)
Al Gore- 43%
Howard Dean- 21%
Wesley Clark- 14%
John Edwards- 9%
Dick Gephardt- 8%
Dennis Kucinich- 3%
Al Sharpton- 2%
Undecided- 5%

To be continued...
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America Needs R'hllor
Parrotguy
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« Reply #24 on: October 05, 2017, 04:58:16 AM »
« Edited: October 05, 2017, 03:16:39 PM by Parrotguy »

January 17th, 2016

Candidates stick to their guns in final pre-Iowa Democratic debate



CHARLESTON - In a fiery debate, the last one before the Iowa Caucuses, the seven Democratic candidates clashed on a host of issues, including guns, healthcare and rural America. Let's look at a few highlights:


Andrew Cuomo: "We need access to affordable healthcare for all Americans, yes, but we also need to make sure the whole thing doesn't collapse on itself. If we try dangerous reforms that cost a lot of money we don't have, there is this danger, and I'd hate to see so many people losing their coverage!"
Bernie Sanders: "Um, I'm sorry, but this just isn't true. A single-payer healthcare system is doable, in fact, it's not only doable, but it's more sustainable than our current system, with its rising premiums and hiking costs. Single payer is a system that works in most western countries, and we can definitely do it!"
Hillary Clinton: "I agree with Senator Sanders that we need a universan healthcare system, like I said before, but I do think that it's better attained with a public option. America is not like any other nation, after all. Still, I believe Governor Cuomo needs to realize that the current system is unsustainable and that we can't have uninsured Americans."


As is usual, Obama, Clinton and Sanders got the most attention and speaking time, and while none of them had any gaffes, none of them actually won, though Obama did manage to use his natural charisma to appear as a victor of sorts. But the other candidates certainly tried to stand out. Iowa is the last chance for some of them, and they needed to make their case. One such contender, Martin O'Malley, is a noteable loser of the debate- he tried to position himself to the left of Clinton and Obama, but Sanders just did it much better, boxing the former Maryland Governor out. He looked out of his game, flustered, and at some point, when a commercial break started, reportedly stormed out after all the other candidates started talking to each other. Lincoln Chafee was mostly a non-factor, Andrew Cuomo worked hard to appear like a pragmatic liberal but was, once again, attacked by the others, and Jim Webb tried hard to appeal to Iowa voters. We'll see how this goes, as we enter the final stretch before the Iowa Caucuses.

Who do you think won the fourth Democratic debate?
Barack Obama- 30%
Hillary Clinton- 28%
Bernie Sanders- 26%
Jim Webb- 6%
Andrew Cuomo- 4%
Martin O'Malley- 1%
Lincoln Chafee- 0%
Unsure- 5%
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