I am vetting Democratic candidates, using the process recommended in the book, How to Select an American President by James A. George and James A. Rodger (c) 2017 Archway Publishing. I encourage you to do your independent vetting employing the process so we can compare notes against a common baseline. I have already evaluated some of the candidates, and have rejected many.
This is hard work and I am not going to do it all for you. Buy my book and get to work.
If the Democratic Party were doing its job correctly, it would not permit candidates to bear their endorsement or affiliation without certified vetting. The party that allows free-for-all is not doing its job.
I am using the candidate list reported by the Washington Post for this analysis. Their list is in reverse sequence:
"these are listed in order of the most likely to win the nomination, which includes how strong they are and how likely they are to run (if they aren’t in already)"
Washington Post
They do not provide any criteria for their ordering. That is different from my approach which shares the criteria up front and encourages voters to tailor the requirements to their preferences. (See the Post listing as a block quote below.)
First, here is my assessment of Michael Bloomberg. Bear in mind, Queen Elizabeth wanted him to be the Mayor of London.
Former NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg
Resume:
Michael Bloomberg
108th Mayor of New York City
In office January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2013
Preceded by Rudy Giuliani
Succeeded by Bill de Blasio
Personal details
Born Michael Rubens Bloomberg
February 14, 1942 (age 77)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party Democratic (before 2001, 2018–present)
Other political
affiliations Republican (2001–2007)
Independent (2007–2018)
Spouse(s) Susan Brown-Meyer
(m. 1975; div. 1993)
Domestic partner Diana Taylor (2000–present)
Children 2, including Georgina
Education Johns Hopkins University (BS)
Harvard University (MBA)
Net worth US$51.8 billion (2018)[1]
• Qualifications required by law—1
• Home state or residence from which the candidate is from—3
• No college 0
• College graduate BS/BA 2–2
• GPA H 3, M 2, L 0 —3
• Academic Honors and Distinctions H--3
• Post Graduate Masters 2—2
• PhD 0
• Professional Certifications: Bar, CPA, Cert. Engineer, MD 2–0 MBA --1
• Occupation/Vocation: Law/CPA/Professional, 2
• CEO 2
• Other 1
• Health: Good 1, except aging
• Affected Class 0
• Character H--3
• Leadership H--3
• Continuing Education and Training 1–1
• Knowledge H 3
• Skill H 3
• Life History H 3
• Platform/Agenda H 3
• Relationships +1
• Political Party 1
• Values 3
• Military Experience: 0
• Public Office: Vice President 0
• Public Office: Judge 0
• Department Secretary 0
• Governor 0
• U. S. Senator 0
• U.S. Representative 0
• Mayor H 3
• State Legislator 0
• Other Public Office 1
• Private Sector CEO/President H 3
• Private Sector VP H 3
• Private Sector Director H 3
• Manager H 3
• Entrepreneur H 3
• Inventor H 3
• Memberships—1
• Religion—1
• Score: 68/83
(Age detracts from this candidate: subtract 5 points = 63; still, he has the highest score.)
Other candidates
I was once big on a ticket that included Kirsten Gillibrand and Mark Warner.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.)
Good Senator
Sen. Sherrod Brown (Ohio)
Good Senator
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.)
Good Senator
Former congressman Beto O’Rourke (Tex.)
Unqualified, Take him off the list.
Former vice president Joe Biden
Joe Biden Resume
• Born: Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., November 20, 1942 (age 72)
• Location: Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
• Nationality: American
• Education:
o University of Delaware (B.A.)
o Syracuse University (J.D.)
• Occupation: Lawyer
• Job History
o Private Enterprise
o Public Service
♣ 47th Vice President of the United States, Incumbent, Assumed office January 20, 2009
♣ United States Senator from Delaware, In office January 3, 1973 – January 15, 2009
♣ Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, In office January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2009
♣ In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
♣ In office January 3, 2001 – January 20, 2001
♣ Chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, In office January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2009
♣ Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, In office January 6, 1987 – January 3, 1995
♣ Member of the New Castle County Council, In office 1970–1972
• Political party: Democratic
• Spouse(s): Neilia Hunter (1966–1972), Jill Jacobs (1977–present)
• Children: Beau (1969–2015), Hunter, Naomi (1971–1972), Ashley
• Religion: Roman Catholic”
Vice President Biden scored 57.
Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.)
Good Senator, good prospect.
Sen Elizabeth Warren (Mass.)
Good ideas. Good Senator. Can't win.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Doesn't belong.
"Bernie Sanders Resume
• “Born: Bernard Sanders, September 8, 1941 (age 73), Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
• Nationality: American
• Education: University of Chicago, bachelor of arts degree in political science
• Job history:
o Private sector:
o Public sector:
♣ United States Senator from Vermont, Incumbent, Assumed office, January 3, 2007
♣ Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, In office, January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015
♣ Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's At-large district, In office, January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2007
♣ Mayor of Burlington, Vermont, In office, April 6, 1981 – April 1989
• Political party: Independent
• Other political affiliations:
o Liberty Union (1971–1979)
o Vermont Progressive (affiliated) Democratic (caucusing)
• Spouse(s): Deborah Shiling (1964–1966); Jane O'Meara Driscoll (1988–present)
• Children: Levi (with Susan Mott), 3 stepchildren
• Religion: Judaism”
“Sanders is a self-described democratic socialist who admires the Nordic model of social democracy and is a proponent of workplace democracy.”
Scoring Bernie Sanders
• Qualifications required by law—1
• Home state or residence from which the candidate is from—2
• No college 0
• College graduate BS/BA 2–2
• GPA H 3, M 2, L 0 —3
• Academic Honors and Distinctions H 3, M 2, L 1–2
• Post Graduate Masters 2—0
• PhD 2–0
• Professional Certifications: Bar, CPA, Cert. Engineer, MD 2–0
• Occupation/Vocation: Law/CPA/Professional, 2
• CEO 2
• Other 1–0
• Health: Excellent 2, Good 1, Poor 0–2
• Affected Class 2–1
• Character H 3, M 2, L 1–3
• Leadership H 3, M 2, L 1–3
• Continuing Education and Training 1–1
• Knowledge H 3, M 2, L 0–3
• Skill H 3, M 2, L 0–3
• Life History H 3, M 2, L 0–-1
• Platform/Agenda H 3, M 2, L 9–3
• Relationships +1, 0, -1–0
• Political Party 2–1
• Values 3–3
• Military Experience: Veteran, 3, Officer 2, NCO 1, None, 0–0
• Public Office: Vice President 2–0
• Public Office: Judge 1 —0
• Department Secretary H 3, M 2, L 1–0
• Governor H 3, M 2, L 1–0
• U. S. Senator 2–2
• U.S. Representative 2–2
• Mayor H 3, M 2, L 1–3
• State Legislator 1–0
• Other Public Office 1–0
• Private Sector CEO/President H 3, M 2, L 1–0
• Private Sector VP H 3, M 2, L 1–0
• Private Sector Director H 3, M 2, L 1–0
• Manager H 3, M 2, L 1–0
• Entrepreneur H 3, M 2, L 1–0
• Inventor H 3, M 2, L 1–1
• Memberships—0
• Religion—1
• Score: 43/83
A score of 43 is not competitive against other available candidates. There are a number of concerns about Bernie Sanders that begin with his age. At 72 years entering the contest, he would be >81 years at the end of two terms in office. Second, his independence may be attractive to voters as is the case with Donald Trump, however, governing in a democratic pluralistic system such as ours requires collaboration and consensus, beginning with allegiance and loyalty among the host political party. That may be suspect in this case.
For some Democrats, Bernie Sanders is a major distraction. His running introduces fresh ideas, though, Bernie is a professional politician."
Sen. Kamala D. Harris (Calif.)
Good Senator. Good prosecutor. Good potential. TBD
Here is the Washington Post list in reverse order.
"10. Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg: As Politico’s Marc Caputo writes, an old, white, male billionaire who used to be both a Republican and an independent isn’t exactly the demographic the Democratic Party seems to be craving. But Bloomberg put his money where his mouth is on gun control and climate change. That could go a long way, as could his hundreds of millions of dollars.
9. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.): Gillibrand launched her campaign last month despite having said just three months before that she would serve out her entire Senate term if she won reelection. “Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand flat-out lied,” declared the Buffalo News editorial board. The Syracuse Post-Standard agreed. Look, politicians change their mind about running all the time, and some have lied about their intentions. But it was one of the worst-kept secrets in politics that Gillibrand was ramping up for a presidential campaign when she said she would serve out her term.
8. Sen. Sherrod Brown (Ohio): If you’re looking for someone who might benefit from the leftward lurch of this primary field — but also brings populist bona fides to it — Brown might be your guy. As the other candidates stretch the Overton window, Brown has charted what Politico calls a more “nuanced” relationship with corporations and banks. He also seems prepared, if and when he gets in, to focus on an electability argument, as a guy who won reelection in an essential Midwestern state that President Trump easily carried.
7. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.): Every couple of days or so, Klobuchar gets hit with another story about just what a dreadful boss many staffers say she is. The latest is courtesy of the New York Times. Klobuchar has tried to spin that as her being someone with high expectations, and her defenders suggest that the attack is gendered — the kind of thing we’d never talk about if she were a man. But there’s a difference between being demanding and reportedly throwing binders that hit people. If she can shake this, though, she may have the best claim to the moderate/pragmatic mantle in this race — a lane that could be pretty wide.
6. Former congressman Beto O’Rourke (Tex.): O’Rourke’s decision on whether to run is due in the coming days, and it looks as though he’s in. But what exactly will he run on? We tend to judge candidates like O’Rourke relative to whom they’re running against — in O’Rourke’s case in 2018, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.). But is he really the liberal hero Democrats are looking for, or just the guy they really wanted to unseat Cruz? O’Rourke didn’t exactly run on a hugely liberal platform, and there will be pressure to define himself almost immediately if he gets in. There is lots of upside here, though. Lots.
5. Former vice president Joe Biden: Biden is the highest-ranking pol on this list who isn’t yet a candidate. And he seems to be genuinely hesitant about whether to give it one last go, even as the conventional wisdom is that he probably runs. As for if and when he does? Remember that his two previous campaigns didn’t go well at all. He left as a popular vice president, but it’s easier to be popular when you aren’t constantly front and center, facing scrutiny. Many people seem to think he would be Democrats’ best hope in the general election, but getting to the general election is a big, big if.
4. Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.): Booker scored a signature legislative win just before launching his presidential campaign, after Trump endorsed his First Step criminal reform legislation and it passed both chambers. The big potential liability, at least at this point, is his ties to Wall Street and corporate interests. He has said he won’t take corporate PAC money.
3. Sen Elizabeth Warren (Mass.): Her supporters would like to believe the Native American stuff doesn’t matter, but that doesn’t explain why Warren feels the need to keep addressing it. And her inability to put this issue behind her after trying to preemptively take it off the table is perhaps the most troubling aspect of all this, practically speaking. That said, her credibility on liberal issues is matched by basically only one other person on this list, (see No. 2 below), which keeps her near the top.
2. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.): The 2016 Democratic runner-up is the latest big entrant in this race (not that there was much question he’d run). And he started off with a bang, raising nearly $6 million in about 24 hours — about four times his nearest competitor. That’s coming from the base he already built, yes, but that’s also kind of the point: 225,000 people gave to his campaign almost immediately, signifying a sizable reassembled base with which to start in a crowded field where assembling such a base won’t be easy.
1. Sen. Kamala D. Harris (Calif.): Nobody’s launch has been as impressive as Harris’s, save for Sanders’s fundraising haul. The California senator seems comfortable in her own skin, on-message and sharp, and it has made her a somewhat surprising early favorite in betting markets. The big early question for her, though, is whether her past “tough on crime” stance toward criminal justice fits with today’s Democratic Party."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/02/23/top-democratic-presidential- candidates-ranked/?utm_term=.4d89e304b2ff
No comments:
Post a Comment