Daily Archives: July 5, 2019

No Joe Biden is not the most “electable” candidate. Electability is code for “dull white candidate who won’t turn off the right wing of the Democratic party.” History demonstrates that choosing the “electable” candidate is a losing strategy.

Since WWII, the Democrats have consistently LOST by running safe “electable” candidates. Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, John Kerry, even Hillary – they all lost. (Yes, I know Republican chicanery played a huge role in Gore’s and Hillary’s defeats, but it shouldn’t have been that close.)

Democrats have WON by taking the “risk” of nominating a candidate who represented a break with the past, in some way that made sense at that moment. Kennedy, Carter, Clinton, Obama all won. In 1960, it was a Thing for a young Catholic to run; in 1976, Carter’s piety was a refreshing change from Nixon’s amorality; Clinton ran as a “new Democrat” (no comment on all that), and of course Obama promised Hope and Change and the first African American candidate.

No, Biden is not the best candidate. The crucial key to winning is turnout and inspiration, and who find Uncle Joe inspiring? Or Klobuchar or any of the indistinguishable white guys at either end of the row during the debates?

#electability #Buttegieg2020 #Harris2020

My nephew is having a wonderful adventure, biking with his cousin from Minneapolis to Seattle and posting daily updates on Instagram under @wildeacrossamerica.

They have camped out a few nights, sleeping in the open and cooking out. Most nights, however, they have found shelter with strangers in the small towns that they pass through. Apparently there is a network of biking enthusiasts who put each other up.

I’m glad he is exploring the world beyond suburban New Jersey, and discovering natural beauty and kind souls. There is nothing political in his posts, photos, or reflections, so this Debbie Downer observation is all my fault.

The observation is this: You kind of need to be a straight, white, Christian, cisgendered male for this trip to be such a carefree lark. Just saying, and nothing against him or all the fun.