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Montana Gov Steve Bullock candidate for president

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  • Schmidt
    2019-02-19 07:31:02 AM
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    Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post: Why Democrats should hope Steve Bullock runs

    Montana's Democratic governor is not widely known outside of his home state of Montana, generally regarded as a red state won by Trump in 2016 by 20 points. Bullock's poll rating amongst Montanans is 60 percent. Democrats in that state give him a 91 percent approval rating, while Independents poll somewhat lower at 72 percent.

    If Jennifer Rubin likes him, then he is worth a closer look. If the party wants to shift far left to accommodate the progressives in the party, Bullock is not your man. But if you want a Democratic centrist who can work both sides of the aisle and attract a whole bunch of Independents, then Bullock moves to near the top of that group along with Amy Klobuchar.

    You can read where he stands on the issues at the above link. I'm not going to say a lot about him until he declares, but he and Klobuchar might make a competitive President-VP ticket. He is 52 years old. Klobuchar is 58.

    Wikipedia: Steve Bullock

  • Dockadams
    2019-02-19 10:21:26 AM
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    Who?
  • Dutch
    2019-02-19 11:14:07 AM
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    Dockadams Wrote: Who?
    If he was an Indian from there, then may be yes; if from Montana an absolute NO.
  • TJ
    2019-02-19 01:39:42 PM
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    It seems that he hasn't spent 10+ years doing anything. 3 - 5 years at everything then switch to something else. There's much more to learn about all candidates. He's 96% unknown. That's both good and bad. Time will tell.
  • Schmidt
    2019-02-19 03:36:24 PM
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    I counted 24 Democratic candidates or wanna be candidates on the MSNBC TV screen. Realistically, many of them might be running for VP or some other post in the next Democratic Party administration. Nevertheless, since this is only February, Steve Bullock has lots of time to build that name recognition starting with the series of Democratic Party debates in June, just four months from now.

    I am not writing off anyone at this early stage. Amongst the final four might be one or two that did not appear on the Rachel Maddow show.

    Ultimately it will get winnowed down to a contest between the front running progressive and the front running moderate. That could be Kamala Harris versus Amy Klobuchar...but Bullock could be in the mix until the end.

  • Dutch
    2019-02-20 09:15:51 AM
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    Schmidt Wrote:

    I counted 24 Democratic candidates or wanna be candidates on the MSNBC TV screen. Realistically, many of them might be running for VP or some other post in the next Democratic Party administration. Nevertheless, since this is only February, Steve Bullock has lots of time to build that name recognition starting with the series of Democratic Party debates in June, just four months from now.

    I am not writing off anyone at this early stage. Amongst the final four might be one or two that did not appear on the Rachel Maddow show.

    Ultimately it will get winnowed down to a contest between the front running progressive and the front running moderate. That could be Kamala Harris versus Amy Klobuchar...but Bullock could be in the mix until the end.

    No, look at the State he comes from; sorry Montana is barely on the map. Right now we have an V.P. from Indiana which is also brainless. Let's get someone from the more "educated" States, like CA.
  • Schmidt
    2019-03-05 12:22:42 PM
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    As long as we are considering Hickenlooper, Inslee, and Kobuchar, we would be remiss not to include Montana's Steve Bullock in the mix. This Politico article says it all:

    Politico: The 2020 Democrat with a full-fledged Republican fan club

    “His overwhelming characteristic is friendliness,” said Republican state Rep. Llew Jones, who broke with his party leadership to collaborate with Bullock on Medicaid expansion and campaign finance legislation.

    “He’s a lot like Bill Clinton was in that he’s a likable guy and you want to get along with him,” said Sen. Jason Small.

    "In interviews with ten Republican legislators, including the speaker of the House and Senate majority leader, they conceded that Bullock’s “nice guy” approach has been effective in moving forward some of his priorities.

    “He’s done as good as you can with the sack of groceries he’s been given,” said Cook. “He got some ramen noodles and tomato paste,” he continued, referring to the Republican majorities that made a full course of liberal accomplishments difficult."

    ================================================

    Hickenlooper and Bullock -- both "nice guys" that have managed to work effectively across the aisle in purple states. That could be a plus depending on how the rhetoric evolves in the next few months as people tire of all the viral talk.

    Or perhaps, "nice guys" do not pass the purity test. When Biden called Pence a "decent guy" he was slammed by his fellow Democrats.

  • Schmidt
    2019-05-14 11:21:59 AM
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    Reuters, May 14, 2019: Montana Governor Steve Bullock enters Democrats' 2020 White House race

    "HELENA, Montana, May 14 (Reuters) - Democratic Governor Steve Bullock of Montana jumped into the 2020 presidential race on Tuesday, touting his ability to work with Republicans and promising to make campaign finance reform a signature issue."

    "Bullock, 53, won re-election in conservative Montana in 2016, making him the only one of the more than 20 major Democratic presidential candidates to win statewide election in a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2016.

    "Bullock presents himself as a potential unifier in a party torn between those who prefer a pragmatist who can appeal to moderates and independents, and those who want a fresh face who can energize the party's increasingly diverse and left-leaning voters."

    Bullock is a bit late to the game, but I think he deserves a place on the debate stage. That might be a tough mountain to climb.

  • Dutch
    2019-05-14 01:48:44 PM
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    Schmidt Wrote:

    Reuters, May 14, 2019: Montana Governor Steve Bullock enters Democrats' 2020 White House race

    "HELENA, Montana, May 14 (Reuters) - Democratic Governor Steve Bullock of Montana jumped into the 2020 presidential race on Tuesday, touting his ability to work with Republicans and promising to make campaign finance reform a signature issue."

    "Bullock, 53, won re-election in conservative Montana in 2016, making him the only one of the more than 20 major Democratic presidential candidates to win statewide election in a state that President Donald Trump carried in 2016.

    "Bullock presents himself as a potential unifier in a party torn between those who prefer a pragmatist who can appeal to moderates and independents, and those who want a fresh face who can energize the party's increasingly diverse and left-leaning voters."

    Bullock is a bit late to the game, but I think he deserves a place on the debate stage. That might be a tough mountain to climb.

    Looking at the long list of candidates, it looks like an total "circus" I bet at least half of them have never been outside this "island, let alone worked in any other country; or have an international background. At least Obama did have it and also had education in Indonesia. The sole "island view" these candidates have about only this "island" will be an huge handicap. Look at Trump, he knows nothing , except on how the mafia works. Do we want again someone who comes from Montana from under the cows and loves to keep the State "white" except may be some Indians who get nothing, let alone clean water because there is "money" to be made from an dirty pipeline. Unifiers don't exist in "parties" all of them want to "win" just like Trump. Biden an Bernie are now already fighting, so what does anyone expect. In the meantime Trump is making sure that he wins with every means he can find.
  • wwjd
    2019-05-17 06:13:20 PM
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    He has finally announced he is running for president.

    He is someone that is likely to rise near the top of the Democratic race, and IMO, has above average chance of getting the nomination. On the national stage he likely to attract a very large percentage of Democratic\Republican swing voters. He is a very popular Democratic governor in the Republican state of Montana. Much like Joe Biden, Steve Bullock knows how to talk to working class Republicans in a way they are able to relate too. Given his track record in Montana, he is known for actually getting things accomplished.

    Using a horse race analogy, he is last out of gate, significantly behind the the top three. But the top three have yet to reach the first turn, with 90% of the race yet to go. Plenty of time for everybody else reach the finishing line in first place. Several will drop out before they even reach the final stretch this time next year (Spring of 2020).

    The way I perceive things, its the swing voter that will decide the election. That includes Democratic swing voters who voted for Trump (or they did not vote) because they did not like Hillary Clinton. There are millions of Republican voters who think Trump is a bad president; give them a moderate Democrat that is not campaigning to take their guns away, there is good chance they will vote Trump out office. I truly believe there is a silent Republican majority that understand Trump is a con man, and would love to replace him with just about anybody, but they will draw the line at a far left candidate that they perceive is another Hillary Clinton.

  • Schmidt
    2019-05-18 07:16:06 AM
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    wwjd -- I agree. The swing voters which include independents and moderate Republicans and returning Dems are the key to success in 2020. Joe Biden certainly appeals to that group by name recognition now, but I still think that a younger dynamic candidate like Steve Bullock will be in the final stretch if he can just get by the crowded first turn.

    There are 12 Democratic debates and Bullock presents himself very well. If he can make the first debate and all the qualifying rules, he'll be in the last debate...perhaps the last man standing, along with perhaps Elizabeth Warren, the last woman standing representing the left wing of the party. Sorry for the Bernie Sanders supporters. His stump speech is getting old, and some of his baggage is being revealed (footage of his honeymoon in Russia).

    I don't think Kamala Harris will do well in the debates from what I have seen of her so far. Maybe she'll be prepared and sharper by doing her homework before then. I hope so. It takes more than a friendly smile to win.

    Dutch -- This is called "vetting", flaws and all.

  • Dutch
    2019-05-18 09:15:00 AM
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    Schmidt Wrote:

    wwjd -- I agree. The swing voters which include independents and moderate Republicans and returning Dems are the key to success in 2020. Joe Biden certainly appeals to that group by name recognition now, but I still think that a younger dynamic candidate like Steve Bullock will be in the final stretch if he can just get by the crowded first turn.

    There are 12 Democratic debates and Bullock presents himself very well. If he can make the first debate and all the qualifying rules, he'll be in the last debate...perhaps the last man standing, along with perhaps Elizabeth Warren, the last woman standing representing the left wing of the party. Sorry for the Bernie Sanders supporters. His stump speech is getting old, and some of his baggage is being revealed (footage of his honeymoon in Russia).

    I don't think Kamala Harris will do well in the debates from what I have seen of her so far. Maybe she'll be prepared and sharper by doing her homework before then. I hope so. It takes more than a friendly smile to win.

    Dutch -- This is called "vetting", flaws and all.

    No Schmidt this is not vetting at all!!!!!. Real vetting is something what Mueller did, even that was lousy. As far as I've seen none of the candidates has got what it takes. I've not heard from anyone anything about foreign policies, let alone what they think about Putin, Kim, Netanyahoo etc. Let alone the money spent on our war machine as well our deficit etc. Real vetting, then you do an "real" background check as well how they got their money (rich parents?) as well their "motivations" (the real one, like "ego", fame, enrichment etc.) Also what do they know about the world around this island and their way of governing; what do they know about our past "wars" and history of the world (not what they teach here) (the why and how), Stalin, Napoleon, Cote d'Ivoire? etc etc. What do they know about deficits, trade, human interface, negotiation (how to do it), international law, customs (way of life) of other countries, mentality, adaption to "life" on this planet in all kinds of situations, stamina, don't believe in fantasy ( like living on Mars, or Jesus things), lives in the "reality" of poor and rich and how to manage such, etc etc. Looking at all of this then I must say Obama had most of these qualities.
  • TJ
    2019-05-18 10:00:54 AM
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    Lots of candidates is not bad initially. When voters lose focus or direction it's not good. Debates will have not all candidates there unless adjustments are made. Those in the bottom few may not get the desperately needed attention they desire. The reality will cause a few to drop out and as time goes more will realize it's not their time.

    Hopefully the broader general message gets large numbers interested and committed to vote.

  • Schmidt
    2019-05-18 12:01:13 PM
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    Dutch -- The vetting of Trump did take place. As I wrote in my blog article on Trump being a bad businessman, everything was sourced from articles, video clips, and a long track record of cheating, lying, money laundering, suing banks, stiffing his workers, racism, narcissism, sociopathy, authoritarianism, and even the Russian collusion from BEFORE he was a viable candidate. He was called out for it repeatedly in the debates by his Republican opponents and by some segments of the media (not all). He was repeatedly called a narcissist and a con artist.

    As psychologist, Joseph Burgo wrote about Trump in August 2015:

    "But Trump’s narcissism actually constitutes a large part of his appeal to certain voters. I’m not referring to his over-the-top braggadocio, his unrelenting drive to trumpet his superiority. Narcissism means much more than having an inflated sense of self. Extreme Narcissists (as I refer to them in my forthcoming book) like Donald Trump rely on a characteristic set of defenses to evade painful truths about themselves and to shore up that inflated sense of self: righteous indignation, blame, and contempt. For voters who may feel small and helpless in the face of rapid change, who are worried about their economic future and social standing, or frightened by a complex world beset by seemingly intractable problems, Trump models a simplistic way to vanquish self-doubt and defend oneself against existential anxiety."

    The fact is that 63 million voters voted for Trump, and if they had spent just a small amount of time fact checking and thinking critically, Trump would have been soundly defeated. The vetting had been thorough, but the ignorance, anger, fear and hate being promoted endlessly by Trump dominated the news. And that hasn't stopped. By some pollsters, if the election was held today, perhaps some 63 million Americans would vote for him again with the full knowledge what a sorry dishonest president he has been.

    You cannot blame the vetting process. Just the stupidity and ignorance of 63 million voters, and a media that was fixated on Trump outrageous acts in a competition for ratings, ignoring the more worthy candidate.

    "We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo

  • Dutch
    2019-05-18 12:43:47 PM
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    No Schmidt; may the media did the vetting; not the Republicans who nominated him. Vetting should already start way before they even get on the road. The vetting "system" itself is not any good. Let alone not providing tax returns should have been enough to reject the guy. (where are the "experts" in "vetting"? for sure not in the government) All of these things should "begin" way before any "run" is possible. There should also be an "mental" test by an reliable expert. To be able to "vet" properly you need an "vetting manual" prepared by experts. The way it is now of what I've seen just some stupid questions as with Kavanaugh and Barr. Then you know what you get. None of the Trump cronies were properly vetted , neither a Jordan let alone Mulvany, Mnuchin, Kavanaugh, Barr etc. So there should be an solid manual to do so. If I apply for an job all my background is checked as well qualifications for the job. However in the government it seems it only counts how you are "politically"; if you "know" certain people or if you have "money" and belong to a certain church. I don't call that vetting.

    You can blame the voters, however the voters don't select until the voting starts and who is on the ballot; the "vetting by the party who nominates should do the proper vetting, way before any election. Not just because he's got "money" and a big mouth. The job "interview" is "bought" here; you may as well don't do anything here, because McConnell knows the outcome.

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