Booker

[cernjSHU]

His greatest fame is not getting indicted as mayor of Newark. Unfortunately, Booker’s job as mayor of Newark falls well short of the person that he replaced, Sharpe James. So when Sharpe James did a much better job being mayor of Newark, Booker has the audacity to think he has the skills to be President.

To me he is superficial. Bright and articulate and totally lacking in being genuine. His I am Spartacus moment is a microcosm of what he is.

 

[Merge]

Yeah, my hope for all candidates is that they come across as genuine. Tell us who you are, explain your vision and do it honestly. Booker unfortunately has failed in those moments from my view which is a shame because when he is not in political theater mode he does come across as a very intelligent and motivational person.

No front-runner for my primary vote so far.

 

[HALL85]

I don't see how he makes it past the third or fourth week of the Primaries. Crowded field, he has a questionable track record and can't think of who is going to be backing him.

Superficial is a good term. Remember the famous foursome (Zuckerberg, Oprah, Christie and Booker) announcing the $100 million grant to save the Newark school system? Great TV moment....How did that work out?

 

[Hall-line-forever]

Agree with 85. He has no shot , althoughtvi know someone who knows him personally and says he could go center if elected.

 

[afghan whigs]

Spartacus, Pocahontas and some woman who slept with a married man to get to the top. A recent poll shows the majority of Democrats want Alexandria Occasional Cortex to run for President. Nice circus show the dems have going. Now they are calling for a boycott of Starbucks to try and stop a normal candidate like Schultz from getting elected.

 

[cernjSHU]

Spartacus, Pocahontas and some woman who slept with a married man to get to the top. A recent poll shows the majority of Democrats want Alexandria Occasional Cortex to run for President. Nice circus show the dems have going. Now they are calling for a boycott of Starbucks to try and stop a normal candidate like Schultz from getting elected.

Schultz is a normal candidate? He is a billionaire with no government experience at all. That combination has been proven a failure. And not normal at all.

The Dems will have a circus similar to what happened with the Republicans in 2016. I hope the Dems can avoid what happened to the Republicans. So far, there is not one person that has announced their candidacy that I would happy with.

The field will thin out quickly during the primaries when people like Biden, Sherrod Brown enter the race and debate. Watch out for Jerry Brown. Brown did a very good job after the disaster of the Governater in Cali. Brown could be the bridge between the progressive left and the centrists in the party.

Again, the party's good candidates are old. The rest of the party are too young or inexperienced or too far left. We shall see,

 

[Hall-line-forever]

I’ll take a Schultz any day. Knows nothing about government? He’s perfect for the job! Did he create thousands of new jobs or not or did the government create those jobs? It’s not just about coffee. These jobs he created are store designers, chefs, baristas, construction workers, real estate owners, equipment, counter top makers, point of sale, coffee mugs, secure technologists, coffee bean distributors, etc. oh by the way, it pays for electric to utility companies

Private sector before public, dummies!!

 

[cernjSHU]

I’ll take a Schultz any day. Knows nothing about government? He’s perfect for the job! Did he create thousands of new jobs or not or did the government create those jobs? It’s not just about coffee. These jobs he created are store designers, chefs, baristas, construction workers, real estate owners, equipment, counter top makers, point of sale, coffee mugs, secure technologists, coffee bean distributors, etc. oh by the way, it pays for electric to utility companies

Private sector before public, dummies!!

You got to be kidding me. This must be some sort of joke. Did Shultz innovate? Did he make the world better for having Starbuck's coffee? Answer is no. He actually bought the company out from the original owners. It is coffee and not very good coffee at that.

You clearly have some sort of prejudice against government and think business is the answer. Let me tell you that his cannot be further from the truth. There was probably not a man that I admire more than Steve Jobs as a creator, thinker and business man. However, I would never would want him to have been President. Different skill set all together. He would have been a terrible President.
The attributes that makes someone great for business actually is normally something that harms them in governing.

Unfortunately, many CEO's think they can be President just because they made money. Like Springsteen said, "poor man want to be rich, rich man want to be king and the King ain't satisfied until he owns everything."

 

[SPK145]

Shultz is more powerful than god. God turned water into wine; Shultz turned water into something people will pay $8 a cup for.

 

[Merge]

Being a successful businessperson doesn't make someone qualified or disqualified to run.
As cernj mentioned, it is a different skill set and what he did as a businessman is not really relevant to the requirements of of being president.

That doesn't mean that Schultz doesn't have the skills, but I don't believe being a billionaire, able to fund an independent run on your own should make it ok to skip the process of selling your vision through a primary. Most of his views are in line with democrats but he appears to be more fiscally centrist. He should make his case in a primary.

 

[Section112]

Jerry Brown? Wow if America can't do better than that used car salesman we are in big trouble.

 

[SPK145]

Just more of the same statist tools.

Those experienced in government and their all-knowing statist ideas have hamstrung the U.S. with over $21 trillion in debt, fighting wars on like 7 fronts, given us populist identity-driven policies that make the problems they purportedly seek to improve only worse, etc.

Give me an non-authoritarian (Trump's big problem) CEO any day, one who puts the right people in the right position and listen to them.

 

[SnakeTom]

Booker is a publicity hound pure and simple. His biggest skill is getting his face splashed on the front page or TV screen. As Mayor his accomplishments were rare. The quote below by current Mayor Ras Baraka from from a few years ago remains accurate in my opinion:

“Whenever there’s a real issue in the city that needs to be resolved, the mayor is nowhere to be found,” Baraka said of Booker in 2013. “The only way you can see the mayor is if you turn on Meet the Press.”

Tom K

 

[Abbo71]

Schultz is a normal candidate? He is a billionaire with no government experience at all. That combination has been proven a failure. And not normal at all.

The Dems will have a circus similar to what happened with the Republicans in 2016. I hope the Dems can avoid what happened to the Republicans. So far, there is not one person that has announced their candidacy that I would happy with.

The field will thin out quickly during the primaries when people like Biden, Sherrod Brown enter the race and debate. Watch out for Jerry Brown. Brown did a very good job after the disaster of the Governater in Cali. Brown could be the bridge between the progressive left and the centrists in the party.

Again, the party's good candidates are old. The rest of the party are too young or inexperienced or too far left. We shall see,

God help us all!

 

[afghan whigs]

We need to move beyond the 2 party system. It has become too polarized.
"The politics of failure have failed."

 

[HALL85]

Just more of the same statist tools.

Those experienced in government and their all-knowing statist ideas have hamstrung the U.S. with over $21 trillion in debt, fighting wars on like 7 fronts, given us populist identity-driven policies that make the problems they purportedly seek to improve only worse, etc.

Give me an non-authoritarian (Trump's big problem) CEO any day, one who puts the right people in the right position and listen to them.

That’s essentially the definition of “real leadership”...always wondered why this is not a standard debate question....Assuming you can name any five people to key administratiion roles, who would you pick? Who you surround yourself with says a lot.

 

[Merge]

That’s essentially the definition of “real leadership”...always wondered why this is not a standard debate question....Assuming you can name any five people to key administratiion roles, who would you pick? Who you surround yourself with says a lot.

In a more reasonable world, I would agree. Unfortunately, thats not our current atmosphere. Any answer just becomes ammunition against you.

Rubio's answer of who he would like to have a beer with comes to mind. He said Malala, and people went after him because she is an underage Muslim rather than pointing out that question really has nothing to actually do with drinking alcohol.

 

[HALL85]

In a more reasonable world, I would agree. Unfortunately, thats not our current atmosphere. Any answer just becomes ammunition against you.

Rubio's answer of who he would like to have a beer with comes to mind. He said Malala, and people went after him because she is an underage Muslim rather than pointing out that question really has nothing to actually do with drinking alcohol.

So we should ignore a question that would say a lot about a candidates decision making and the kind of thoughts leadership they would value? Why make excuses?

 

[cernjSHU]

We need to move beyond the 2 party system. It has become too polarized.
"The politics of failure have failed."

View embedded media

I disagree with all off you who talk about the need to the end of the two party system. There is not two party s that adhere to the same philosophies. Movements come and go with ideas. The good ideas or popular ideas get subsumed into one of the parties and then that party transforms.

Prime example is the Republican Party. Donald Trump is really a third party candidate. He did not adhere to Republican doctrine. As a matter of fact, cozying up to the Russians were seen as an anathema to any Republican just up until he became the nominee.

Bernie Sanders was and is an independent. He is not a democrat. But his ideas have now been taken by many in the Democratic Party. This is how it works in the history of this country.

The polarization of the country is different. There are so many factors that have led to this. However, the biggest driver is some politicians that want to drive this division when many the disagreements are artificial and made up. Moderates and those that believe in compromise is out of vogue at the moment. However, those are the voices that actually bind the country and not divide it.

 

[Merge]

So we should ignore a question that would say a lot about a candidates decision making and the kind of thoughts leadership they would value? Why make excuses?

Sorry, not trying to be combative. I just don't think we would get an answer that helps much.
We would either get answers approved by focus groups that won't actually provide us with what you are looking for, or you get answers that will be attacked by pundits from both sides. Not that we shouldn't ask, we should... I was just commenting on my opinion of the outcome.

 

[HALL85]

Sorry, not trying to be combative. I just don't think we would get an answer that helps much.
We would either get answers approved by focus groups that won't actually provide us with what you are looking for, or you get answers that will be attacked by pundits from both sides. Not that we shouldn't ask, we should... I was just commenting on my opinion of the outcome.

My point is that we should be asking meaningful questions rather than the nonsense that gets asked during the debates. They will always rehearse and test questions but at least start with something that gives and indication.

 

[afghan whigs]

I disagree with all off you who talk about the need to the end of the two party system. There is not two party s that adhere to the same philosophies. Movements come and go with ideas. The good ideas or popular ideas get subsumed into one of the parties and then that party transforms.

Prime example is the Republican Party. Donald Trump is really a third party candidate. He did not adhere to Republican doctrine. As a matter of fact, cozying up to the Russians were seen as an anathema to any Republican just up until he became the nominee.

Bernie Sanders was and is an independent. He is not a democrat. But his ideas have now been taken by many in the Democratic Party. This is how it works in the history of this country.

The polarization of the country is different. There are so many factors that have led to this. However, the biggest driver is some politicians that want to drive this division when many the disagreements are artificial and made up. Moderates and those that believe in compromise is out of vogue at the moment. However, those are the voices that actually bind the country and not divide it.

I agree with you about the Trump and Sanders party affiliations.
Why is it that we have a plethora of choices on mouthwash to pick from, but only 2 viable choices when it counts the most? Americans got saddled with having to choose between 2 bad canidates in the Presidential election.

Voting is not supposed to make you feel bad and yet, we see this happen all too often when you have to choose between the lesser of 2 evils.

 

[cernjSHU]

I agree with you about the Trump and Sanders party affiliations.
Why is it that we have a plethora of choices on mouthwash to pick from, but only 2 viable choices when it counts the most? Americans got saddled with having to choose between 2 bad canidates in the Presidential election.

Voting is not supposed to make you feel bad and yet, we see this happen all too often when you have to choose between the lesser of 2 evils.

View embedded media

That’s the myth. There wasn’t two bad choices. There was Trump who was an incompetent and then There was Hillary who was unlikable but someone who was competent and could do the job. I understand people didn’t like her. But the fact is that she could actually do the job. A lot of people think voting for President is a popularity contest.

 

[HALL85]

That’s the myth. There wasn’t two bad choices. There was Trump who was an incompetent and then There was Hillary who was unlikable but someone who was competent and could do the job. I understand people didn’t like her. But the fact is that she could actually do the job. A lot of people think voting for President is a popularity contest.

What does that mean “she could do the job”? She was unfit for the office, ran the absolute worst campaign in the history of Presidential elections, and lied through her teeth. We need better candidates.

 

[Stevie_H]

What does that mean “she could do the job”? She was unfit for the office, ran the absolute worst campaign in the history of Presidential elections, and lied through her teeth. We need better candidates.

Some of that may be true, but she was still a markedly better choice than Trump. She was not (and will never be) a good choice. She was the better of two miserable choices. It was a ballot I wanted to light on fire and let burn while I smashed the ballot machine with a sledgehammer.

He was and is unfit for the office. His campaign marked a deep, new low in the history of Presidential elections. Nothing has ever come close. Lies? You really want to play that card? I really don't think you do. Scandals - check. (BTW, to out-scandal a Clinton is impressive.) No electoral experience - check. Divisive and racially charged rhetoric - check. Moronic rantings on Twitter - check. Insulting a war hero and a gold star mother - check. Non-conservative, populist platform - check. There's an appetizer. We can do a whole five course meal on this and we'll be eating the leftovers for weeks.

This post epitomizes the embarrassment of the GOP and tribalism run amok. Time to own your BS. It's you GOP. You're the worst right now. Don't rejoice Dems. You don't win a prize. You simply hold the title of least awful of two rudderless, dysfunctional parties at the moment. That is not compliment. And if you're not paying attention, you're going to make the same mistakes. Remember the Tea Party movement? What began in earnest, turned really loud, stupid, and destructive in a flash. Here's your seminal moment, don't mess it up by letting the wackos drag you toward the extreme.

What low do we have to hit before the still too many on the right drop the sycophantic rationalization of a disaster President? How many more lies does he have to tell? How much more corruption? How many more investigations? How many more foreign policy blunders (many of which directly help...Putin )? Nothing to see though. Sweep, sweep under the carpet... Deflect, blame elsewhere, rationalize, bury head in the sand, rinse, repeat.

What is it going to take? The GOP getting wiped out in 2020? Maybe it is time to conjure up a shred of integrity and decency instead. It's you, GOP. Own it and then fix it.

 

[HALL85]

Some of that may be true, but she was still a markedly better choice than Trump. She was not (and will never be) a good choice. She was the better of two miserable choices. It was a ballot I wanted to light on fire and let burn while I smashed the ballot machine with a sledgehammer.

He was and is unfit for the office. His campaign marked a deep, new low in the history of Presidential elections. Nothing has ever come close. Lies? You really want to play that card? I really don't think you do. Scandals - check. (BTW, to out-scandal a Clinton is impressive.) No electoral experience - check. Divisive and racially charged rhetoric - check. Moronic rantings on Twitter - check. Insulting a war hero and a gold star mother - check. Non-conservative, populist platform - check. There's an appetizer. We can do a whole five course meal on this and we'll be eating the leftovers for weeks.

This post epitomizes the embarrassment of the GOP and tribalism run amok. Time to own your BS. It's you GOP. You're the worst right now. Don't rejoice Dems. You don't win a prize. You simply hold the title of least awful of two rudderless, dysfunctional parties at the moment. That is not compliment. And if you're not paying attention, you're going to make the same mistakes. Remember the Tea Party movement? What began in earnest, turned really loud, stupid, and destructive in a flash. Here's your seminal moment, don't mess it up by letting the wackos drag you toward the extreme.

What low do we have to hit before the still too many on the right drop the sycophantic rationalization of a disaster President? How many more lies does he have to tell? How much more corruption? How many more investigations? How many more foreign policy blunders (many of which directly help...Putin )? Nothing to see though. Sweep, sweep under the carpet... Deflect, blame elsewhere, rationalize, bury head in the sand, rinse, repeat.

What is it going to take? The GOP getting wiped out in 2020? Maybe it is time to conjure up a shred of integrity and decency instead. It's you, GOP. Own it and then fix it.

Who put a gun to your head to pick from two miserable candidates? Both were unfit to be President. Why reward incompetent candidates?

Why direct your CNN talking points at me? Find better candidates next time.

 

[shu09]

Foreign policy blunders? I actually think one of Trump's few strengths in office has been his foreign policy, the embarrassing press conference in Finland with Putin not withstanding.

 

[Stevie_H]

Who put a gun to your head to pick from two miserable candidates? Both were unfit to be President. Why reward incompetent candidates?

Why direct your CNN talking points at me? Find better candidates next time.

Deflect, deflect, deflect.

 

[HALL85]

Deflect, deflect, deflect.

Yeah, you’re good at deflecting...

 

[knowknow456]

heh-heh heh heh heh. See what I did there? One guy said something so I said it back - the ole I'm rubber you're glue counter-attack!. I sure got good that time, didn't I boss?

 

[SnakeTom]

What does that mean “she could do the job”? She was unfit for the office, ran the absolute worst campaign in the history of Presidential elections, and lied through her teeth. We need better candidates.

Being a terrible candidate and being a terrible President are not the same thing. It is something to consider when voting but it is not the whole picture.

Personally I did not like Hillary & voted against her in the Dem primary but she was by far the more preferable of the two candidates that won the nominations. She was qualified and knew how government works unlike the current President.

Tom K

 

[Belluno]

B

Being a terrible candidate and being a terrible President are not the same thing. It is something to consider when voting but it is not the whole picture.

Personally I did not like Hillary & voted against her in the Dem primary but she was by far the more preferable of the two candidates that won the nominations. She was qualified and knew how government woks unlike the current President.

Tom K

Better than that, she knows how to push a reset button, sell uranium to Russia and collect $145 million for her foundation, delete thousands of emails, some highly classified, from a private server, lose billing records, and perhaps most amazingly, convince reasonably intelligent people she was qualified to be President. And this is just a partial list. How she walks the streets a free woman is one of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries

 

[cernjSHU]

B

Better than that, she knows how to push a reset button, sell uranium to Russia and collect $145 million for her foundation, delete thousands of emails, some highly classified, from a private server, lose billing records, and perhaps most amazingly, convince reasonably intelligent people she was qualified to be President. And this is just a partial list. How she walks the streets a free woman is one of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries

Uhm, the conservative propaganda machine is has certainly infiltrated you. So Hillary should be in jail for emails but Trump should be free. Ok that makes sense.

 

[HALL85]

Uhm, the conservative propaganda machine is has certainly infiltrated you. So Hillary should be in jail for emails but Trump should be free. Ok that makes sense.

Of all people to be critical of someone using partisan talking points? Really?? lol

 

[SoOrange84]

B

Better than that, she knows how to push a reset button, sell uranium to Russia and collect $145 million for her foundation, delete thousands of emails, some highly classified, from a private server, lose billing records, and perhaps most amazingly, convince reasonably intelligent people she was qualified to be President. And this is just a partial list. How she walks the streets a free woman is one of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries

I am a bit confused but, how did she sell Uranium to Russia, when her Dept. was one of 9 to sign off on the transaction, and while the Foundation did in fact collect $145 million, $131 of the money came from Frank Giustra who had sold off his entire stake in the company which was sold to AMRZ in 2007 or 18 months before she became Sec.of State and 3 years before the Russia deal took place.

Why is the fact that she used a private server a problem, when countless other officials in both parties have done the same?

Just curious?

 

[Stevie_H]

B

Better than that, she knows how to push a reset button, sell uranium to Russia and collect $145 million for her foundation, delete thousands of emails, some highly classified, from a private server, lose billing records, and perhaps most amazingly, convince reasonably intelligent people she was qualified to be President. And this is just a partial list. How she walks the streets a free woman is one of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries

The alternative was Trump and well... We knew who he was then and now he's just proving folks like me (Never Trumpers) right on a daily basis. 'Hillary is worse' was a bad take then and a worse take now.

 

[Stevie_H]

Of all people to be critical of someone using partisan talking points? Really?? lol

The irony of this post.

 

[HALL85]

The irony of this post.

I see your irony and raise it another irony...

 

[SnakeTom]

It's funny that those who continuously attack Hillary's honesty never mention Mr Trump's record as a compulsive liar. If you want to say they are both liars, OK I can buy that. But this is not an either/or issue.

Polarization is what is killing our nation as just too many only look at what they already agree to & totally ignore any other viewpoint.
Tom K

 

[HALL85]

It's funny that those who continuously attack Hillary's honesty never mention Mr Trump's record as a compulsive liar. If you want to say they are both liars, OK I can buy that. But this is not an either/or issue.

Polarization is what is killing our nation as just too many only look at what they already agree to & totally ignore any other viewpoint.
Tom K

Name names Tom...I’ve always indicated both were liars.