David Gregory: Welcome, panel. The Washington Post this morning noted a growing unrest among the Democratic Party faithful: the president's poll numbers are dropping in almost all major categories. His coup this spring in finding and killing Osama bin Laden didn't bounce him in national security, his jobs plan is, for all intents and purposes, dead on arrival, and even likeability numbers are in the basement. (snickers) It seems no one even wants to have a beer with the guy. So now the inevitable rumors have begun. We saw it a few weeks ago with even Dick Cheney suggesting Hillary Clinton should run in 2012. What do you think, panel? Is there room for a challenger from the left?
Chuck Todd: Well, look, David. We're seeing the same thing here as we're seeing with the republican field. The American voters just aren't happy with who's out there. There's a softness to the slate of candidates available overall. No one's really speaking to them, personally. That's why we're seeing someone like Governor Chris Christie--
David Gregory: (interrupting)--But I'm talking about the Democrats here. They have their candidate. They have the incumbent president. He's supposed to be their guy. The party supports the one who's already in the White House. That's the rules of the game. Doris?
Doris Kearns Goodwin: But we've seen this before. Before the Civil War when the country was so fragmented, so roiled up with dissent. There were any number of political groups, all clamoring for their pet causes, whether it was the Natives who wanted to do something about the influx of immigrants or the Know-Nothings who--
David Gregory: (interrupting)--How about this woman who calls herself merely Nance? She's recently burst onto the political scene and has all but threatened to challenge the president for the nomination. We know very little about her, but it's clear that that's about to change.
Erin Burnett: There's not much that we know about her, but pretty soon, we might. Or we might not. That much we do know.
David Gregory: She's a blogger, and her blogs serve as a sort of manifesto of her politics. She's liberal, pro-union, pro gay marriage, pro agriculture, pro animal rights but eats beef, and (laughing) would definitely object to most of my ties.
Chuck Todd: Look, David, like it or not, this Nance candidate--or potential candidate--has something to say and has, already, for the most part, said it. And said it to one of the largest audiences this country has, the Internet. She's already reached, perhaps, her target demographic in a pointed and meaningful way. If she's who she says she is, all she has to do now is declare and raise her money. But she'd better do it soon because just like with Chris Christie, it may already be too late. This Nance, whoever she is, needs to--
David Gregory: (interrupting)--And that's all we have time for. See you next Sunday on Meet the Press.
But where would you keep Joe Biden? If you put him on the shelf, it's age-discrimination. Keeping him in the closet would cause sex/gender accusations.
ReplyDeleteI suppose you could always keep him in the dark ;)
LOL - I'd PROBABLY vote for you :)
ReplyDeleteI would crawl on my knees to get away from anyone trying to give me the job, frankly.
ReplyDeleteBut you would probably do as well as Joe, if not better.
LMAO OMG, best post EVER! Love you and your writing, Nance! I'd vote for you! :-)
ReplyDeleteShirley
gfe Shirley--Oh,thanks. For both of your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteMary G.--Joe? Oh, no one runs for the job of Vice. It's the Big Title or nothing. Your sentiment regarding the job of President of the United States is the same as mine, in all truth. What a horrifying occupation.
The Bug--Sigh. Only "probably."
The Merry--Oh, listen. I am a huge fan of Joe Biden. I think he gets a terrible rap from pretty much everyone. He is very authentic and unvarnished, but not in an abrasive, nasty way (Hello, C. Christie), so the media likes to portray him as a big oaf. In actuality, he's a whiz with foreign policy and has a good rapport with both business and labor. I'd keep him on my Staff, basically, and as Vice if I could.
Nance & Joe--- Go! Just ask for a raise. Because you deserve it.
ReplyDeleteI'm against Hillary running, because I don't want an upstart to divide the party and let the Republicans win. Clearly, not an issue if YOU run, because there will be cohesion and full support. Hell, even the Republicans will see the error of their ways. What a relief. Where do I send my check?
ReplyDeleteYou're reading Aimee Bender? I heart Aimee Bender. Strange stuff, to be sure, but delicious. Have you tried her short stories?
Nance,
ReplyDeleteDo you remember in 2008 when you considered a run for the Presidency? We all encouraged you to challenge Hillary and Barack for the nomination.
If I remember correctly,you were too busy with your school work to go through with your plan. Before you declined to run I wrote you and sent in my resume and qualifications to be a member of your Presidential Cabinet.
Please search your archives for that application and reactivate it as I am again interested in being in your administration as a Cabinet member.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Nancy--Was that an application for Poet Laureate or Jester or what? ;-) Anyway, I do recall my constant forays into The Politics, thank you. Only my excuses seem to be running out.
ReplyDeleteJ.@jj--All my candidacy--or Hillary's or anyone's--would do would be to force a primary. There would still be only one Dem candidate in the final election unless a third party candidate suddenly appears. That's not me. I identify as a Democrat. I could start my own party, like those original republicans did when President Lincoln left the Whigs and became a republican. That might be the last time they were respectable. Don't get me started.
On another note, I finished the Bender book. It was okay, but reminded me of several of Stephen King's plotlines. She definitely has a lovely style, though, that I admire. It made me hungry for cake. I am between books at present, still reading "Battle Cry of Freedom" at night. That one is rather dry but excellent history. I am trying to reintroduce contemporary fiction into my life now that I am not teaching creative writing (sob).
Ortizzle--As a pensioner who retired at a meagre percentage of her former income, I could use a raise. Thank you. And don't you adore Joe Biden? I have always loved him, and when he was running for Pres and I learned more of his narrative, I fell in love even more. What a dear.
As an aside, How are Things in Academia? Is it my turn to write?
I remember when Ted Kennedy challenged Jimmy Carter for the election in 1980. I think the experience weakened Carter in the eyes of the public, and he was already weak enough due to the hostage crisis and the crummy economy. I would hate to see Obama weakened further than he already is, again by a crummy economy.
ReplyDeleteJ.@jj--NPR was just chatting about that today, but I didn't hear the whole program. I was on my way home from visiting Patsy--took her some homemade veggie marinara--and had to take a call. Anyway, I think Carter was already weak, as you said, but I don't think a primary challenge made an impact. If anything, it would have strengthened him, the public having the perception that he staved off a challenge from within his own party, and quite decisively, too, if I remember correctly. His own policies doomed him, along with the state of the country at the time.
ReplyDelete