March 13, 2015

As Hillary's inevitability collapses into vulnerability, Sanders steps back and O'Malley steps forward.

It's not that we thought Bernie Sanders was ever a serious candidate. He was always only a place keeper/a voice in the debate, so that Hillary would have to speak to the left as well as the right/an old man in a dim spotlight, crying out I exist!

But the scenery has changed and it's time to exit the stage. He tells Politico:
"If I run it has to be done well.... And if it’s done well, and I run a winning campaign or a strong campaign, it is a real boon to the progressive community, because I believe that the issues I talk about are issues that millions and millions of people believe in. On the other hand, if one were to run a poor campaign, didn’t have a well-funded campaign, didn’t have a good organization, did not do well, because of your own limitations, then that would be a setback for the progressive community."
If...

In other words: Don't look at me.

Meanwhile, Martin O'Malley is shouting ME!:
“Well sure, it would be important to me,” he said Thursday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” when asked about Hillary Clinton’s email practices at the State Department. But he said getting the economy working would be more important.

O’Malley said he didn’t “feel compelled to answer” a follow-up question about Clinton’s actions from Bloomberg Politics’ John Heilemann. “Secretary Clinton is perfectly capable of defending her own service in office,” he said.
And Martin O'Malley is perfectly capable of going on the offense. He's right here to topple the quaking edifice of the Hillary Clinton candidacy.
He also addressed his underdog status in the nascent Democratic race for president, saying the “inevitable front-runner is inevitable up until he or she is no longer inevitable. So I think you’re going to see a robust conversation in the Democratic Party,” he said.

O’Malley said American voters are more interested in economic policies than email policies. “After 12 years of declining wages, people want executive leadership that knows how to get things done,” the former governor said, adding that he would make his decision on a presidential run this spring.
There's your candidate, Democrats. You know you need to coalesce around someone other than Hillary, and he's offering himself. MOM is your man.



(That's my screencap of the top of the middle column at Drudge.)

66 comments:

Alexander said...

Nope, he's out.

You see, by refusing to answer for Clinton he's proven himself a coward. Because that's how it works, because Scott Walker.

Bob R said...

Here's (happily partisan, National Review writer) Jim Geraghty's dark horse.

Wince said...

Is America ready for O'Malley's brand of Rock 'n Roll beefcake?

I don't think so.

rhhardin said...

He thinks the economic policies of Obama stink.

I doubt his policies will help, though.

rhhardin said...

He could do a torso-off against Putin, it Putin still exists.

tim in vermont said...

I wish Bernie took his job of senator for the state of Vermont more seriously, rather than advocating for the president to unilaterally raise taxes 100 billion annually by changing interpretations of the tax code, or jawing the Fed that they should bail out Greece.

But alas, since the invasion of the liberal hordes of trust-fund babies from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and downstate New York, this will not be.

Bob R said...

There's a core of people who will vote for Hillary even if she's caught in bed with a dead boy, a live girl, and a couple of farm animals. But there is a more tepid group of blues who aren't thrilled about another show by the Clinton circus. Besides, Hillary is basically Jeb Bush with an "Ovaries in the Oval Office" campaign theme.

But who is there to step up? What a brain dead party.

sparrow said...

He's a plausible candidate.

Laslo Spatula said...

Is there not another Democrat watching all of this and Biden his time?

I am Laslo.

tim maguire said...

On the one hand, the nation is no more likely to elect a governor of Maryland than they are to elect a mayor of New York City (cough! Bloomberg! cough!).

On the other hand, he holds a mean guitar!

Anonymous said...

MOM is a liberal loser who hasn't met a tax he doesn't like.

Wait for the Rain Tax ads

Ann Althouse said...

But look at his arm.

He's well armed.

He's a well-regulated militia.

Kelly said...

But he has no foreign policy experience! I finally looked up his bio, he seems like a mainstream democrat, but he's white and not a female so I don't know how that will fly in the democrat party.

tim in vermont said...

If you’re not familiar with it, Guernica is a painting by Pablo Picasso, depicting the bombing of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 kickoff.

Best line from Bob R's link

Amichel said...

O'Malley will have to answer for the failure of the Obamacare system in Maryland. They spent something like 200 million dollars to develop a unique system for the state, and it didn't work for a single day. They had to switch over to another states system, at additional million dollars expense. It's one of the reasons his handpicked successor lost to the republican Hogan for Governor.

Amichel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wince said...

A Place for MOM?

Laslo Spatula said...

I am curious about the relative quiet around Biden. The man has made no secret of his desire to be President, and I have interpreted his silence as waiting for Hillary to reach peak vulnerability. The fact that her email debacle has not brought him forward makes me wonder if he knows there is a bigger debacle for Hillary still to come. A scantily-clad debacle, perhaps.

I am Laslo.

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bleh said...

"Rock star candidate"?

It is an interesting visual. People don't literally want a guy who goes on stage with a rock band as their president. Do they?

How has Maryland performed as a result of his governorship?

traditionalguy said...

Next question will he be running for Presidential nomination or to be selected as Hillary's Vice Presidential candidate.

Seems unlikely that Hillary would select a male hunk with an eye for the ladies. She wants to get away from Bill's type, not mentor another one.

And Huma (Mrs Anthony Weiner) would never give her approval to a Roman Catholic, which ends the VP talk for good.

Meanwhile the lonely Jim Webb, goes unmentioned...as if he never even existed for the Progressive Democrats.

Amichel said...

Jim Webb would have been a great candidate for the Democratic party if it was the same party as 2000. Unfortunately, in the last 15 years the far left has completely taken over the party, there is no moderate constituency in the movers and shakers of the Democratic party.

Anonymous said...

It's one of the reasons his handpicked successor lost to the republican Hogan for Governor.

Losing to a no name GOP in Maryland?, you know the previous (D) really F'd up...

Robert Cook said...

"Unfortunately, in the last 15 years the far left has completely taken over the (Democratic) party, there is no moderate constituency in the movers and shakers of the Democratic party."

???!!!

Hahahahahaha!

And the Republicans have shed their lunatic majority of right-wing cuckoos and illiterate Ayn Rand fetishists and are now the party of reason and probity.

And camels fly through the eyes of needles!

traditionalguy said...

He really highlights Walker's strengths. O'Malley is the ideal telegenic and attractive man that warms a New England Catholic's heart and comes across as a smart strategic planner and well educated political animal who wants to be selected for the next career promotion which is to progressive ruler, which is his due.

That contrasts with Walkers appeal as a friendly midwestern common man with a natural faith in God and Ronald Reagan's approach to small government with a true focus on getting the job done of reigning in socialism in oedre to keep all Americans prosperous and free.

TosaGuy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TosaGuy said...

It is not particularly hard to raise taxes in a Washington, DC, bedroom community, which is essentially what Maryland is. Those people know where there bread is buttered.

Don't think it will fly in those states that can't decide if they vote red or blue in any particular presidential election.

Anonymous said...

And the Republicans have shed their lunatic majority of right-wing cuckoos and illiterate Ayn Rand fetishists and are now the party of reason and probity.

Look at the States, and Congress, as fast as Dems try to add illegals to the voting rolls, they are shedding the tradition blue collar base of the Dem party. All those new Republicans, who voted for Bill, Jim, and Joe aren't on the right of the GOP, they are the new left of the GOP.

Robert Cook said...

"...Ronald Reagan's approach to small government...."

????!!!!!

CWJ said...

"Meanwhile the lonely Jim Webb, goes unmentioned...as if he never even existed for the Progressive Democrats."

Presumably hanging out with Evan Bayh.

Anonymous said...


Presumably hanging out with Evan Bayh.


at the DLC Clubhouse. Bill having departed for Davos

traditionalguy said...

Is Evan Bayah a man's name? It sounds like a piece of furniture. Does he ride a Harley or imitate Bruce Springsteen with his roadies like real men do?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Bernie Sanders(S). The American version of Hugo Chavez and Maduro.

Hillary isn't much better. She hides her socialism behind "first woman!" Not very exciting.

Captain Ned said...

As someone who's been on a couple of airplane flights with Bernie over the past year or so there's no way he could stand the stress of a national campaign. The man can barely walk without being visibly in pain.

Robert Cook said...

"Look at the States, and Congress... they are shedding the tradition blue collar base of the Dem party."

If that's true, (and I don't know that it is), it's because the Dems have abandoned their traditionally working class, blue collar base, and have fled like ravenous dogs to the same wealthy elites and corporate donors who have traditionally been the Republicans' natural patrons. In order to get those donor dollars, the Dems have turned themselves into "me, too!" Republican knockoffs. No one wants to be taken for a sucker, and so, inevitably, some among the shrinking working class, spurned by the Dems, turn to the only viable alternative they can see.

What they should be doing instead is turning to third parties, as neither the Dems nor the Republicans, as they presently exist, will serve the interests of any but the wealthy Americans. The wealthy win either way, as they know they will be faitfully served by whomever is in office.

CWJ said...

From the Bernie Sanders quote -

"...it is a real boon to the progressive community, because I believe that the issues I talk about are issues that millions and millions of people believe in."

Perhaps it's Fen's law and Sanders doesn't really believe all that. But if he does, I truly wonder why after a century of unbroken real world failure, anybody still believes in the classic leftist model.

Did a businessman cheat him out of his candy as a child? Did a capitalist run over his dog? It seems motivated by grudges and blind faith rather than expecting to actually accomplish anything positive.

Robert Cook said...

"Hillary isn't much better. She hides her socialism...."

Ohmigawd! It's just keeps getting more astonishing! Hillary? A socialist?

And Robert W. Welch, Jr. was a centrist!

sane_voter said...

I would take O'Malley as the Dem nominee. He is from the 4th most Dem state (Cook PVI D+10). And he was so toxic by the end of his term that his black Lt. Gov lost the Gov race to the Repub. Go for it Martin!

Michael K said...

"People don't literally want a guy who goes on stage with a rock band as their president. Do they?"

Democrats might. Remember Clinton and his saxophone ?

Michael K said...

"And the Republicans have shed their lunatic majority of right-wing cuckoos and illiterate Ayn Rand fetishists and are now the party of reason and probity."

Says the far left Democrat. The Democrats have traveled a long way since the rules changed in the McGovern Convention. I admit there are a lot of left wing Democrats these days. Just read the Comments in the Washington Post, but remember where they are.

And then look at the states. The DNC is claiming "Gerrymandering," but that's not what it is. Look at Wisconsin. Gerrymandering ?

Unknown said...

"But look at his arm. He's well armed.
He's a well-regulated militia."

Go ahead and say it, "GUNS."

D. B. Light said...

There are worse things in the Democrat Party than Hillary, and one of them is my former mayor and governor, Martin O'Malley.

CWJ said...


"...the issues I talk about are issues that millions and millions of people believe in."

Of course, if millions of people agree with you, you might have a hard time getting elected in a country of hundreds of millions.

Amichel said...

"The wealthy win either way, as they know they will be faithfully served by whomever is in office."

The wealthy tend to win in any democratic, classically liberal system. The system allows them to become wealthy, allows them to keep the majority of their wealth, and allows them to use that wealth to influence public policy. It's only in juntas, dictatorships, or communist societies that the traditional wealthy class is completely replaced by a new monied elite of party cronies, friends of the dictator, etc etc. And even in those cases, it's never the average man that "wins".

traditionalguy said...

Cookie...You need to catch up. The Capitalist destroyers are not mere socialist lite now.

They are all into the planned two step into UN Governance that alone can cast a spell on the Sun to stop any heat by taking total control over an innocent molecule that fertlizes plants and enabled Industrial Revolution and fed population growth that has so offended ther Goddess Gaia who hates all people except our chosen Priests/Rulers.

This is the big leagues, Cookie.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It's understandable that from the far left position, Hillary seems centrist.

She's really a royalist crony corporatist socialist.

Titus said...

Hi Daddy O'Malley.

Sonny has been a bad boy and needs to be disciplined.

I promise to not tell mommy....just like last time.

Titus said...

I like his arms.

Roger Sweeny said...

Scott Walker v. Martin O'Malley would be sick (as the young people say).

Brando said...

They may as well go with MOM. He's reliably leftist, has executive experience, and the things that make him anathema to the right won't affect him among Democrats. He probably won't galvanize as many voters to vote against him as Hillary would.

Though I think they'd be more likely to win the general with Cory Booker.

Amexpat said...

The fact the O'Malley is getting attention attests to how thin the Dem's bench is.

I like Webb, he has a good mix of experience, but I don't think he has the requisite manic drive to be president.

Pookie Number 2 said...

And the Republicans have shed their lunatic majority of right-wing cuckoos and illiterate Ayn Rand fetishists and are now the party of reason and probity.

Actually, they're both true. There are some right-wing cuckoos and illiterate Ayn Rand fetishists within the Republican party, but its overall economic approach is far more reasonable than what the Democrats propose.

I recognize that Cook's prsitine economic ignorance and fervent religious devotion to Das Kapital means that he'll disagree.

Big Mike said...

Was Sanders even a Democrat? He holds his seat in the Senate as a member of the Socialist party does he not?

Will said...

"people want executive leadership that knows how to get things done,” said the former laughingstock Governor whose Obamacare website was a complete disaster that imploded violently on the launchpad and whose burning edifice fell in pieces on the heads of a whole array of democratic candidates in Maryland's Nov 2014 elections.

"on second thought, forget that 'executive leadership' schtick and look at my bare arms while I play guitar." said the hapless fraudster, anxious for people not to equate his "executive leadership" with the vacuum of such currently residing in the White House.

"I've always wanted to abuse American taxpayers by taking a $2 million taxpayer-funded flight on Air Force One just to fundraise and appear on Jimmy Kimmel" said O'Malley.

"I would love to play my guitar on that show," he said, "and if I can torch taxpayer money on frivolous flights that have no official business, why I think I have shown I have the unmitigated gaul and lack of a shame needed to be the Democratic nominee. You can take wasteful spending and incompetent leadership to the next level."

I Callahan said...

And the Republicans have shed their lunatic majority of right-wing cuckoos and illiterate Ayn Rand fetishists and are now the party of reason and probity.

I'm sure from the Bolshevik side of the left/right spectrum where you reside, Fidel Castro looks right wing.

Bruce Hayden said...

Looking at O'Malley, he almost seems like he is running for the votes of white males, esp. lower middle class white males, which was the backbone of the Dem party, until they started defecating on them. This is also part of the demographic that Scott Walker seems to esp. attract, so that match up would be interesting.

Hendu said...

If O'Malley is not willing to answer a question like that about Hillary, shouldn't the liberal media declare him unfit for office as they did Walker when he would not speak about evolution?

Beldar said...

Until about 90 days ago, I had never heard or read a word about this guy.

The replacement candidate they're desperately searching for is obvious. The only problem is that Chauncey Gardiner is a fictional character. (Or, more precisely, a fiction created by his desperate-to-be-fooled observers from Chance the Gardener, within a larger work of fiction.)

Pianoman said...

I'm with Laslo on this one. Biden has to be the source of all the State Department "leaks" that have led to HRC's current mess. He's obviously in no hurry to declare his candidacy -- why should he be? He can wait until later this year to get that ball rolling.

It's his last chance at the Presidency, so it makes sense that he'd go for it.

Ambrose said...

Four years of Aristocats jokes! Everybody wants to be a cat!

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

O'Malley couldn't manage to get his own hand-picked successor elected as governor of deep-blue Maryland. I imagine that's all we really need to know.

traditionalguy said...

O! Mr O'Malley. You played well tonight.

Three AM and the red phone rings. it's a crisis. Do you want President O'Malley out still partying with the Secret Service?

Lydia said...

Biden's got plans -- unlike other top Democrats, he's visited all three early primary states this year:

There's only one prominent Democratic contender who has traveled to all three early presidential primary states so far in 2015. It's not Hillary Clinton. Nor is it Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, or even Martin O'Malley.

It's Joe Biden, who may be running the most under-the-radar White House campaign of any sitting vice president in modern times. Biden made stops in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina last month. The appearances were all ostensibly aimed at promoting President Obama's agenda, but as the old axiom goes, no politician visits any of these states by accident, and certainly not in the calendar year before primary voters head to the polls. ...

Unlike Clinton, Biden has never been coy about his interest in seeking the presidency for the third time since 1988. Asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos in January whether he might challenge the former secretary of state, Biden replied, "Yes, there's a chance." He said he views the 2016 field as "wide open" on both sides and emphasized that he doesn't need to make a decision on the race until late in the summer.

Pianoman said...

Yep. Biden has got to be the guy working to take down Queen Inevitable. If there's anyone who knows how to work the DC system, it's Uncle Joe.

CStanley said...

Maybe Biden is planning to arm wrestle O'Malley for the nomination.

Francisco D said...

Cookie,

By now you have received enough feedback to know that you are an ideologue and an idiot. I am not about to pile on because it makes no difference.

I am a fan of Ayn Rand's novels. She was a genius at depicting different personalities. Some were overly done, but nonetheless ...

What annoys me is that idiots like you (and most government bureaucrats) are making the rules. We are quickly losing our focus as a free nation with free speech and open opportunities for all.