2016 Presidential Election Thread

[Skin]

Well he agrees with Obama in cutting social security so that wouldn't be much of a difference.

You were a bit ahead of me on that one. Talked about that above.

[ADUSTIO]

Omg bush ewwww I just can't with him...it's been a while since I've heard his voice. but yes that was appropriate in that horrible day.

[ADUSTIO]

You were a bit ahead of me on that one. Talked about that above.

Like I say lets hope he gets his act together again! before it is too late.

[Nightshade]

Well he agrees with Obama in cutting social security so that wouldn't be much of a difference.

Actually, Paul Ryan wants to privatize social security which is way different. Also, he wants to make Medicare a voucher program which is 180 degrees from anything Obama has proposed.

Hillary still has a good shot at the Presidency (if she wants it), and here's why...

1. The press is all raging about these Obama Administration scandals, but really, who in America is having their daily life affected by these scandals? The Tea Party? Maybe, but they are viewed negatively by a thick majority of Americans. The NSA scandal isn't anything new. People were having that argument when the Patriot Act passed. I am actually surprised it's even a scandal. They've been doing all that shit for years. And guess what? Hillary's opponent is NEVER going to promise to get rid of it, and neither is she. They'll spin some bullshit about putting safeguards in place, but guess what - NO ONE wants to sacrifice national security (and risk another 9/11) to protect right to privacy. I'm not arguing the moral implications of that but when it comes to the Presidential race it will make ZERO difference.

2. Hillary had differences with Obama in 2008. Her supporters and lots of independents will remember that and she will likely set some policy differences early on. She's not Al Gore.

3. The economy is improving...slowly, but it is working. This will be the tricky part. She can state differences with Obama, but she needs to keep a foot on his turf to have the positive economic glow reflect on her. Ultimately, she can just say that Democratic policies are better for the public, and they are, but she will need new ideas to assure her victory. "Stay the Obama course" (while not bad) won't win her the election.

4. Benghazi will be the main Republican weapon against her, however it hasn't done much so far. And I am not sure how many times Americans care to hear about this scandal when they've already done multiple investigations and really nothing damning (involving her) as come to light. The FOX News loons can run that conspiracy flag up the pole every day until November 2016, but it's not going to fly with most Americans if it's not happening now.

5. The GOP has not learned from its whipping last year. They continue to spout racist language, resist immigration reform, and harm the middle class with austerity policies. I am surprised how stupid they are as they have no future as an intact political party on their current road. I suspect they will nominate someone weak (again), he will lose, and then the party can truly burn itself down and reinvent. Right now though, they are a party in the wilderness, and their rabid base is losing its mind more and more every day. I am not saying they can't change course, but I don't see it happening soon. They are still likely to gain seats in the House and Senate in 2014 (mostly because Democrats seem to turn out less in non-general election years), and that will be seen as a sign of encouragement to their wingnut philosophies. In 2016, the ax will fall on them again.

[Skin]

God I hate myself for using this term, but Nightshade is serving the TEA!

[Ai Papi Si.]

Adustio, you're often very doomsday when it comes to politics. PRISM/NSA Scandal is extremely disconcerting but look, it's out there, it's leaked, we all know about it and the government is now on the defense.

A democrat OR Republican will not be able to run on PRISM next time around. I can tell you that for sure. The American public is appalled with both parties at the moment because a good amount of both of them are like "omg yeah I support PRISM!"

[SOS]

I think Hillary is a bit tarnished by the state department scandals, but once she gets her PR team in there it will be like those things ne'er happened.

Readyforhillary!

[Skin]

I think Hillary is a bit tarnished by the state department scandals, but once she gets her PR team in there it will be like those things ne'er happened.

Readyforhillary!

I am telling you most people have no clue about those scandals except people that watch Fox News. You know how many of them are going to pass away between now and 2016 since the majority of their audience is 90 years old? Hillary will be fine.

[Nightshade]

I am telling you most people have no clue about those scandals except people that watch Fox News. You know how many of them are going to pass away between now and 2016 since the majority of their audience is 90 years old? Hillary will be fine.

Agreed. Plus, let's see who the Republicans run. Trust me, Hillary is a gold standard candidate compared to Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, or Chris Christie. I really think she (and her platform) could wipe the floor with that whole party.

[Nightshade]

Quiet moves in Hillaryland...

Hillary Clinton is filling out the policy side of her post-State Department life, adding a longtime Obama-world veteran to her newly created office at the Clinton Foundation.

Madhuri Kommareddi, the new director of program development for the Office of Hillary Rodham Clinton, worked as a policy aide on President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign as well as on his transition team, according to an email sent internally by the Clinton Foundation.

She was also a director for international economic affairs at the National Security Council and an associate staff secretary in the White House.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/hillary-clinton-hires-ex-obama-staffer-93675.html#ixzz2Xwt9UeNo

[Nightshade]

More proof that Hillary is going to come back and give these Tea-drinking Republicans a scoop of Hell...

Hillary Clinton took a few swipes at Vice President Joe Biden in an off-the-record event in Georgia, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.

Said Georgia state Rep. Tom Taylor ®: "I know she's running for president now, because toward the end, she was asked about the Osama bin Laden raid. She took 25 minutes to answer. Without turning the knife too deeply, she put it to Biden."

Clinton several times mentioned the vice president's opposition to the raid, while characterizing herself and CIA Director Leon Panetta as the action's most fierce advocates.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/10/15/clinton_notes_bidens_opposition_to_osama_bin_laden_raid.html

[iasonas]

There is no way she is not running. If she wanted to just stay home away from politics and relax like she said last year, she wouldn't give private speeches almost on a weekly basis right now.

I also hope that she has like 3-4 opponents. It shouldn't look like the party just automatically nominates Hillary. That's how people felt in 2007 and the whole "Hillary the Inevitable" kind of backfired when the primaries began.

She should start focusing on Iowa in 2015, win it and that's it. Iowa might be small but the whole country watches and when you take the state for granted or you don't care about it, voters around the country see it and don't like it.

[Nightshade]

She should start focusing on Iowa in 2015, win it and that's it. Iowa might be small but the whole country watches and when you take the state for granted or you don't care about it, voters around the country see it and don't like it.

I suspect she will do more there in the future. In 2007-2008, she just dumped a bunch of money into ads and hoped they would carry her over. Obama met with local groups and his grass roots effort paid off. Iowa is my home state...people there tend to like personable authenticity over star power.

The Iraq war resolution vote didn't help her, and neither did her vote against ethanol subsidies (lots of Iowa farmers made money from ethanol).

Next time though, she won't have any votes to defend, and whether people admit it or not, I think a lot of older women will vote for her that would normally vote Republican.

[Skin]

Said Georgia state Rep. Tom Taylor ®: "I know she's running for president now, because toward the end, she was asked about the Osama bin Laden raid. She took 25 minutes to answer. Without turning the knife too deeply, she put it to Biden."

Clinton several times mentioned the vice president's opposition to the raid, while characterizing herself and CIA Director Leon Panetta as the action's most fierce advocates.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/10/15/clinton_notes_bidens_opposition_to_osama_bin_laden_raid.html

Damn. She is already throwing jabs against Biden before the primary even begins.

I like Biden, but I don't know why he is more than likely going to run as well. The guy doesn't stand a chance.

[iasonas]

"All of the female Democratic senators signed a secret letter to Hillary Rodham Clinton early this year encouraging her to run for president in 2016 - a letter that includes the signature of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and other senators who are mentioned as potential candidates," ABC News reports.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/10/in-secret-letter-senate-democratic-women-rally-behind-hillary-clinton/

[jacket]

Now Elizabeth Warren, that would be great.

Do the Republicans even stand a chance of getting the President-ship back? They are a mess.

[erotica blu]

...and whether people admit it or not, I think a lot of older women will vote for her that would normally vote Republican.

It seemed that white women were doing all they could to get her elected the first time. The voters. Not the bitchy conservative female pundits.

[Skin]

Now Elizabeth Warren, that would be great.

Do the Republicans even stand a chance of getting the President-ship back? They are a mess.

I think Chris Christie is their best shot right now. He isn't WAY to the fringe far right like the hardcore Tea Party crowd (which could hurt him in the primary) but to me he is their best shot at having some appeal outside of deep red states. I honestly cant think of anyone else that would have a sliver of a chance though.

[VogueMusic]

Now Elizabeth Warren, that would be great.

She needs to be president one day.

[Guest]

Two words: ELIZABETH WARREN.

[Nightshade]

I think Elizabeth Warren would be fantastic, but she's not going to be ready for prime time in 2016. Keep in mind, Warren never ran for office until 2012. She is largely an academic and the Democratic Party propped her up nicely last year to take back the Massachusetts Senate seat. She's great, but she's not a major political player in the Democratic Party the way Bill and Hillary have been.

Also, she is 64 now. Since she won't be someone with the party apparatus to defeat Hillary in 2016, her next shot would be 2024, when she'd be 75. Even Reagan wasn't that old when he ran in 1980.

Long story short, she's awesome, but let's get real. Why do you think all the power players are lining up for Hillary in 2016? Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, George Soros...they know Hillary can destroy the GOP.

Also, Chris Christie won his governor race easily tonight. Watch for what happens next. He's the only "moderate" (and I use the term loosely) Republican who is likely to run in 2016. His election campaign will be underway shortly, I am sure of it. He will need to tame the Tea Party first though.

[SOS]

Hilary's man McAullife in Virginia isn't running away with it like expected..... I'm nervous.

[SOS]

Hallelujah he won

[SOS]

I think Chris Christie just gave the first speech of the 2016 election

[Skin]

I knew Christie would win. I did vote against him today still though.

At least voters gave a yes to raising the minimum wage with cost of living increases every year.

The new hourly minimum will go into effect Jan. 1 under the constitutional amendment that was approved. Cost-of-living adjustments will occur every September.

Its raised to a WHOPPING 8.25 an hour. Still pathetic, but its a start.

[iasonas]

Skin, Christie got 76% of the vote in your county! More than in any other!

Except for like Newark, the whole state is very red.

[Skin]

Skin, Christie got 76% of the vote in your county! More than in any other!

Except for like Newark, the whole state is very red.

I always said I live in the most republican county in the state. Its always been.

[Skin]

I am surrounded by Obama haters where I live. Literally.

Like I have said, if I was to only go on opinion of people around where I live, I would have thought Obama didn't stand a chance in hell of ever being elected once, let alone twice.

That being said, the republicans around me aren't your Bible thumping ultra religious republicans you would find in the south.

[ULIZOS]

Oh it is sticking or how else do you explain obama's approval rating?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/17/obama-approval_n_3453012.html?ir=Politics

Republicans have months if not years of footage to attack any democrat now. Even in that Benghazi tragedy, there were some inconsistencies that could bite Hillary in 2016.

Sorry, I'm not really keeping up, but:

The survey found that 45 percent of respondents approve of the president, while 54 percent disapprove.

That's really not that bad at all.

[VogueMusic]

I think Elizabeth Warren would be fantastic, but she's not going to be ready for prime time in 2016. Keep in mind, Warren never ran for office until 2012. She is largely an academic and the Democratic Party propped her up nicely last year to take back the Massachusetts Senate seat. She's great, but she's not a major political player in the Democratic Party the way Bill and Hillary have been.

Also, she is 64 now. Since she won't be someone with the party apparatus to defeat Hillary in 2016, her next shot would be 2024, when she'd be 75. Even Reagan wasn't that old when he ran in 1980.

Long story short, she's awesome, but let's get real. Why do you think all the power players are lining up for Hillary in 2016? Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, George Soros...they know Hillary can destroy the GOP.

Also, Chris Christie won his governor race easily tonight. Watch for what happens next. He's the only "moderate" (and I use the term loosely) Republican who is likely to run in 2016. His election campaign will be underway shortly, I am sure of it. He will need to tame the Tea Party first though.

True, Elizabeth Warren's age does work against her. That being said, I would love to see her in a major cabinet position in the Hilary White House. I think she's definitely a contender for a major position there.

As for Chris Christie, I think far too many are blinded by the fairly "moderate" moves he's made with a few things, and the handling of the hurricane crisis...but I think it's devious (much like far too many people getting caught up in the "nicer" Pope Francis). It's all a game with these folks, and they want to win. Christie was just another ignorant schmoe in the last election...and quite frankly, I don't buy any major "change" he may seem to have made. It's just window dressing.

And I know this sounds trivial, but image has a lot to do with things, and I think his weight will affect him there. A lot experts in political PR, as well as media commentators, say it may be an issue.