Democratic Primary Endorsement Tracker

[Tintrlvr]

Sam Liccardo, the mayor of San Jose and a previous supporter of Kamala Harris, will support Bloomberg, and co-chair his campaign: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/09/sam-liccardo-endorses-mike-bloomberg-for-president/

Bloomberg and Steyer personify one of the American political establishment's worst impulses: this idea that somehow being a wealthy businessman should automatically make you a credible candidate for public office.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying businesspeople can't sometimes turn out to be excellent public servants because it has happened before...but more often than not, it doesn't work.  The mentality that the top priority making money for oneself and one's partners, friends, investors, shareholders, etc is antithetical to a public service mindset where making money is never an end in and of itself because public service is about putting the community's best interests first and foremost, even at the direct expense of one's own personal interests. 

Moreover, this idea is really rooted in a pretty gross, ego-driven belief held by both parties' donor classes that if you're rich, that's somehow proof you can handle anything.  To be fair, Steyer seems to generally mean well-ish – granted, I still don't know all that much about the man - and while I've never been a fan (to say the lest), even I have to admit Bloomberg has done some good things.  That said, they both have no real support base among the public, no one really wanted either of them to run, neither seems to have a comprehensive platform compared to any of the four frontrunners, there was no great sense of dissatisfaction with the Democratic field amongst the primary electorate, and both Steyer and (especially) Bloomberg are waaaaaaaaasaaaay out of step with what the voters want. 

Their candidacies are rooted in this awful elitist belief that their wealth entitles them to instant credibility and that they should be able to buy the nomination.  If it about were more than just their personal vanity, they'd be putting the money they've been burning running for President into things like supporting Democratic candidates in competitive congressional races and state legislative races (imagine if they maxed out to Democrats in key state legislative races across the country, it'd go a long way), GOTV, helping fund legal challenges to anti-voting rights legislation, etc, etc, etc. 

Instead, Tom Steyer spams the TV with ads where he sits in a chair like some odiously Sorkinian* pseudo-wise man come down from on high to lecture the voters in their living rooms.  Bloomberg doesn't even bother with any pretense of trying to get into a debate so he can make his case to the voters and isn't even competing in the first four states because apparently those voters don't matter as long as you have money.  They represent a deliberate, anti-democratic effort to buy a major party's nomination - Bloomberg barely even pretends this isn't the case - and that alone should be reason enough to vote against either of them. 

*albeit speaking at a much slower pace

/RantOver

Bloomberg has already proven himself in politics (whatever your views on his merits as a politician) with twelve years as mayor of a city bigger than most states.

Fair enough re: Steyer.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Sam Liccardo, the mayor of San Jose and a previous supporter of Kamala Harris, will support Bloomberg, and co-chair his campaign: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/09/sam-liccardo-endorses-mike-bloomberg-for-president/

Bloomberg and Steyer personify one of the American political establishment's worst impulses: this idea that somehow being a wealthy businessman should automatically make you a credible candidate for public office.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying businesspeople can't sometimes turn out to be excellent public servants because it has happened before...but more often than not, it doesn't work.  The mentality that the top priority making money for oneself and one's partners, friends, investors, shareholders, etc is antithetical to a public service mindset where making money is never an end in and of itself because public service is about putting the community's best interests first and foremost, even at the direct expense of one's own personal interests. 

Moreover, this idea is really rooted in a pretty gross, ego-driven belief held by both parties' donor classes that if you're rich, that's somehow proof you can handle anything.  To be fair, Steyer seems to generally mean well-ish – granted, I still don't know all that much about the man - and while I've never been a fan (to say the lest), even I have to admit Bloomberg has done some good things.  That said, they both have no real support base among the public, no one really wanted either of them to run, neither seems to have a comprehensive platform compared to any of the four frontrunners, there was no great sense of dissatisfaction with the Democratic field amongst the primary electorate, and both Steyer and (especially) Bloomberg are waaaaaaaaasaaaay out of step with what the voters want. 

Their candidacies are rooted in this awful elitist belief that their wealth entitles them to instant credibility and that they should be able to buy the nomination.  If it about were more than just their personal vanity, they'd be putting the money they've been burning running for President into things like supporting Democratic candidates in competitive congressional races and state legislative races (imagine if they maxed out to Democrats in key state legislative races across the country, it'd go a long way), GOTV, helping fund legal challenges to anti-voting rights legislation, etc, etc, etc. 

Instead, Tom Steyer spams the TV with ads where he sits in a chair like some odiously Sorkinian* pseudo-wise man come down from on high to lecture the voters in their living rooms.  Bloomberg doesn't even bother with any pretense of trying to get into a debate so he can make his case to the voters and isn't even competing in the first four states because apparently those voters don't matter as long as you have money.  They represent a deliberate, anti-democratic effort to buy a major party's nomination - Bloomberg barely even pretends this isn't the case - and that alone should be reason enough to vote against either of them. 

*albeit speaking at a much slower pace

/RantOver

Bloomberg has already proven himself in politics (whatever your views on his merits as a politician) with twelve years as mayor of a city bigger than most states.

Fair enough re: Steyer.

Being a billionaire is disqualifying in-and-of-itself as far as I'm concerned.  So is his refusal to sell all his stock in his companies, for that matter.

[Gass3268]

Rep. Roybal-Allard (CA-40) has endorsed Biden.

https://twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1205565940760563715?s=20

[JGibson]

Megan Rapinoe has endorsed Elizabeth Warren.

https://twitter.com/mPinoe/status/1205537664054595584

[Gass3268]

https://twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1206690173733478400?s=20

[UWS]

https://www.al.com/news/2019/12/birmingham-mayor-randall-woodfin-endorses-sen-joe-biden-in-2020-presidential-race.html

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

https://www.al.com/news/2019/12/birmingham-mayor-randall-woodfin-endorses-sen-joe-biden-in-2020-presidential-race.html

Wow. He endorsed Bernie in 2016.

[Landslide Lyndon]

https://www.al.com/news/2019/12/birmingham-mayor-randall-woodfin-endorses-sen-joe-biden-in-2020-presidential-race.html

Wow. He endorsed Bernie in 2016.

IIRC, he didn't just endorse Sanders. He was a member of his campaign team.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

https://www.al.com/news/2019/12/birmingham-mayor-randall-woodfin-endorses-sen-joe-biden-in-2020-presidential-race.html

Wow. He endorsed Bernie in 2016.

IIRC, he didn't just endorse Sanders. He was a member of his campaign team.

That's completely wrong. He supported Hillary, and then Bernie endorsed him for mayor in 2017.

[Gass3268]

https://twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1206944936563806210?s=20

https://twitter.com/ActorAaronBooth/status/1206943963191660545?s=20

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

According to his Instagram story, musician/actor/comedian Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) has endorsed Andrew Yang:

[American2020]

https://twitter.com/JohnWMcCarthy/status/1207771208843968512

https://twitter.com/schultzohio/status/1207672719829012480

[coloradocowboi]

"Bright added that the endorsement comes as a recent poll showed Sanders “surging” in South Carolina."

Bernie snags a Kamala supporter in SC.

https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article238545003.html

[Orwell]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/18/politics/khizr-khan-endorses-joe-biden/index.html

This isn't a super major endorsement, but this might matter to a few people nonetheless.

[Gass3268]

Biden is starting to get on a roll with California endorsements.

https://twitter.com/actoraaronbooth/status/1209134087434362880?s=21

[Gustaf]

I'm guessing there is a Harris effect there. While she was in the race it might have seemed wise not to endorse someone else but now it's time to jump in.

[Gass3268]

https://twitter.com/MissBeaE/status/1209158768149356545?s=20

[This user has not been convicted of 34 felonies]

https://twitter.com/MissBeaE/status/1209158768149356545?s=20

LMFAO

[Holmes]

https://twitter.com/MissBeaE/status/1209158768149356545?s=20

This tracks.

[GeneralMacArthur]

I still don't understand how Kucinich ever had a political career at all when his mayoralty was all the worst parts of the Carter administration rolled together with none of the good.  It was so bad that Cleveland held a recall election after less than a year in office, which he won by 285 votes, and then the mafia tried to kill him.  A year later he lost in a landslide defeat.

Dennis Kucinich served as mayor of Cleveland, Ohio from 1977 to 1979. The Kucinich administration is often regarded as one of the most tumultuous in Cleveland's history. Kucinich relied heavily on confrontation politics as a solution to problems, a style that made him seem bombastic to the general public. His cabinet was often criticized for including members who were too young or inexperienced to handle their respective positions. For example, Kucinich appointed 24-year-old attorney Joseph Tegreene as his finance director, a move that alarmed business leaders due to Tegreene's minimal financial experience (eight months as a stockbroker). Kucinich was ranked the 7th worst mayor in US history in a 1993 survey by Melvin G. Holli."

Hongisto asserted that Kucinich interfered with the operation of the Cleveland Police Department. Specifically, he stated that Kucinich's executive secretary Bob Weissman had pressured him to "punish" Kucinich opponents on City Council and to reward police jobs to Kucinich supporters with "questionable ethics." In turn, Kucinich charged Hongisto with insubordination.  In a press conference televised on Good Friday, Kucinich gave Hongisto 24 hours to back up his charges. Then the mayor fired the chief in front of the live television cameras.  After Hongisto's discharge, both critics and former supporters alike felt that Kucinich's actions against the police were too rash and that his administration was not capable of governing a struggling city. A drive began to remove the mayor from his post through a recall election.  The first recall election in the city's history was set for August 13. Kucinich ended up winning, but by a narrow margin of 236 votes.

After Kucinich refused to sell Municipal Light (now Cleveland Public Power), Cleveland's publicly owned electric utility, the Cleveland mafia sought to murder him in a contract killing. A hit man from Maryland planned to shoot him in the head during the Columbus Day Parade, but the plot fell apart when Kucinich was hospitalized and missed the event. When the city fell into default shortly thereafter, the mafia leaders called off the contract killer.  The Cleveland Trust Company suddenly required all of the city's debts be paid in full, which forced the city into default, after news of Kucinich's refusal to sell the city utility.

[MarkD]

Endorsements are STILL not worth a thimble full of s*it. So said Romney, so sayeth MarkD!!

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Noted nutjob/rapper Azealia Banks has endorsed Kamala after backing Trump in 2016.

When the #KHive sends their people, they aren't sending their best.

She is WHACK

She is cray cray.

[Progressive Pessimist]

https://twitter.com/MissBeaE/status/1209158768149356545?s=20

I f***ing knew it!

Hurt. What an idiotic move. She clearly doesn't care about the Democratic Party or its values, just her own future as the younger, attractive, female Dennis Kucinich. This was the nail in the coffin for her already doomed campaign, and like Jeff Van Drew, she deserves it.

[Babeuf]

No surprise, but Volinsky endorsed Bernie.

https://twitter.com/ella_nilsen/status/1210566208250097664?s=19

[Canis]

Teachout Endorses Sanders
https://twitter.com/ZephyrTeachout/status/1210654760510070786?s=20