Buttigieg @ the top in Iowa!

[NW Crow]

The left that only looks at losing establishment moderates or the disappointing record of the moderate winners and ignore how many times progressives lost and moderates who looked too progressive to win lost are not being even-handed or honest about history, imo. I am unlikely to change the view of many or even any but the history I see and the part I've lived thru influences my approach.

[g555]

Originally Posted by Somnifor

I see Buttigieg as a continuation of the line of Gore, Kerry and Hillary Clinton - all establishment moderates who were loved by Wall Street and the professional classes but lost in the end. He is a media creation and if he is the Democratic nominee it will be four more years of Trump.

Gore lost narrowly mainly because of the effect of Bill Clinton's impeachment but after 8 years of Clinton. The Democrats lost on "moral values" and surge of Evangelicals supporting Bush.

With Kerry, he had little chance against an incumbent when US was in two new wars soon after 9/11. Afghanistan War - the country felt it was necessary after 9/11, and Iraq War, as a mistake, wasn't really perceived at least by enough Democrats and the Media until after 2005. Both Hillary and Kerry voted for the Iraq war.

If Buttigieg becomes the nominee but loses, I'm not convinced he can be grouped with Gore, Kerry and H Clinton as continuation. Warren would be more similar for that continuation of loss.

[jpdivola]

Originally Posted by atltechdude

Also, it really is small town midwest voters that delivered Trump the win in 2016. Pete can definitely speak to those voters.

At this point, this his appeal to midwest swing voters is theoretical. He won 9,000 votes in town that hasn't elected a republican mayor in 40 or 50 years. And that was in an off year municipal election that had nothing to do with the hot button national issues.

When he starts to get pressed on these hot button issues, he will have a harder time selling himself as a moderate. Where is Mayor Pete on taxpayer funding of healthcare for undocumented immigrants or for abortion? How would he pay for his healthcare plan? Does he support deportations? Does he support allowing children undergo gender transitions? Should taxpayers cover it?

I have to give Republicans credit, they are very good at creating highly emotional wedge issues that often separate democratic base voters from the median Midwest voter.