I think people are looking too much at each individual candidate right now, and not the overall theme of this election. On both sides of the political spectrum a large segment of people feel like the political system no longer works for them. It's more prevelant on the right because FOX news and conservative talk radio has been pushing that line of thought for the past 8 years. You throw in Trump's anti-SJW and anti-PC rhetoric and you have the recipe for Trump's success. Personal opinions on that aside I can see why this is a successful political platform today. There has been a swell in the rejection of PC culture from a very vocal group of people, and I think the general election will give us real information on how large that group is. On the left you have the Clinton's who are establishment politics through and through, and given the dissatisfaction with the current political system you have an ideal situation for a candidate like Sanders. His social and economic principals appeal to liberals, but the real momentum of the Sanders campaign is his railing against money in politics. So basically Americans are sick of the status quo in politics and it's coming to a head in this election. I think Trump is too unlikable of a candidate to many people to actually win the general election, so we'll probably see this play out again in 8 years (I think a Trump campaign does too much damage to the Republican party for them to put forth a candidate capable of beating a sitting president).
Can we all agree that Trump has liberal leanings, at least as far as social issues go? And if so, wouldn't a Trump/Sanders ticket be interesting? (Go easy folks, I'm just playing the Devils advocate, not seriously suggesting that this would happen. But more of a "what if"?) I can just see all the millennials and Trump protesters heads exploding in the streets.
If Trump picked Sanders for VP that would be bold and maybe brilliant. It would show he cared more than he leads on. ...which won't happen, he'll probably pick the hypocritical Naugahyde calorie pit from NJ.
Why would she pick Sherrod Brown? Just to win Ohio? I thought she would surely pick Tim Kaine. I don't know anyone keeps mentioning Elizabeth Warren. I feel her advisors are smart enough to know she would lose votes with a ticket of women only. If he'd do it, Joe Biden is probably her best pick. Why would Trump seriously pick Christie? I thought the only point of naming a running mate was to either pick up a state or demographic you wouldn't otherwise win, or to strengthen your ability to govern in areas where you're weak. I don't see Christie doing any of those. Trump could pick John Bolton or Newt Gingrich to seriously help him where he's weak, but I think both of those choices would turn off too many voters. He could choose Nikki Haley or Marco Rubio for demographics, but isn't it most likely for him to pick Cruz or Kasich? He's not going to actually get any Democrats to vote for him, so shouldn't he just try to get as many Republicans as he can?
Trump should pick Rick Scott. Rick Scott all the way. He's your man, just what the nation needs. A born leader. By all means, Florida INSISTS you take him for the good of the election. Look at that face. Much lovable. Many energetics.
No way in hell he picks Cruz. And I don't know how much Cruz would help him, but there is no way Cruz would accept a VP spot, much less under Trump. Kasich may be a decent pick, but I doubt that happens. I think it will be someone less visible and notable than what has been suggested.
Why would that be necessary? What leftist voter is going to choose Trump over Hillary, regardless of running mate? This sort of candidate - like Cruz for Trump - helps him, because Republicans will either vote for Trump or stay home, and that candidate might help bring out those who would stay home. But, I don't think that's an issue with Democrat voters, is it? So, while both candidates want to pick up from the middle ground or undecided group, I think Brown won't sway those voters at all. I have no idea, though. It honestly would not even surprise me if Donald Trump picked Britney Spears as his running mate.
VP picks are generally an exchange of support from the party to the candidate. In Trump's instance, his pick doesn't matter because he clearly is not concerned with support from the base, so he'll pick whomever. My guess would be Christy, because he was considered a rising star in the establishment of the party, so it would be a nod to the power brokers and fund raisers. Clinton will not pick Warren, nor Sanders, however, she will 'pick' someone more to the left (and it will be the party that will dictate how far left) in order to show the base that the party is now leaning left - as Hillary, like Bill, are very conservative Dems. Which the party is generally rejecting based on the current numbers.
You're right about Cruz, and that's because he doesn't want to answer to anybody. He wants the entire country to adhere to his specific beliefs, no exceptions. People like him should not ever be politicians or people of any authority, ever.
Didn't John McCain already try that? Seriously, who the hell decides to vote for a presidential candidate based on their running mate?
I hope trump picks Kasich. Honestly best choice for executive experience and middle ground support. I'd just love to see the rabid mouth breathing trump supporters either have a collective stroke or do cartwheels to justify an establishment lib-leaning republican.
Kasich was one of the actual adults who ran for president this time, and as a bonus he knows things, like how a bill becomes a law. He would be an intelligent choice.
And boom goes the dynamite. Who honestly did not see this coming. Department of Justice notified NC Gov McCrory his LBGT HB2 bill violates the Civil Rights Act. Cue an imminent, expensive court trial.
Pat McCrory is the biggest asshat I have ever seen and all his religious fuckhead cronies that are responsible for this bullshit being passed should be thrown out into the street and shot. What a colossal waste of skin, I hate that I live in this state, the religious right can suck the smoothly shaven transgender balls of every trans person left in this sad excuse of a state.
So, I have read the last page of the comments and have a question for everyone: Are you happy with where America is right now? I mean, I read comments that Trump should pick an establishment guy and Clinton needs to pick someone to the left because she is firmly in the establishment (This isn't meant to pick on anyone). Now, maybe I am the only one who isn't happy here. I don't like the unemployment, the off-shoring of jobs, the rising healthcare costs (wait til you see the 2017 health exchange prices), the incessant military sabre rattling, the fact that TBTF banks have not been broken up and activity has not been stopped, unchecked campaign finance and purchasing of candidates.....I could go on. Anyways, isn't anyone else sick of the bullshit? If you are, why are you willing to support the establishment or say that someone isn't establishment enough? How can you look at either of these two candidates and be happy or even find this acceptable?
Running mates are pretty important to me as someone who thinks that Bush was an unqualified idiot but ultimately more or less harmless and Cheney was the one running that whole thing into the ground. They seem to be, as a whole, much more of an important factor these days thanks to that era. The worst decision McCain ever made was choosing Palin as a running mate. I wasn't that scared of a McCain presidency until that happened, just like I wasn't that scared of a Romney presidency until he picked Paul Ryan. Whoever Hillary picks is going to be the big deciding factor for me between closing my eyes and voting for her as the anti-Trump and grinning and bearing it and trying to focus on the things I do like about her. My fantasy draft picks are either Cory Booker or Julian Castro. (I like Warren but, like Sanders, I think she should stay as more of a figurehead.) I kind of want Trump to pick Ivanka as his running mate. I know it's ridiculous, but so is everything with this election. I'm assuming we disagree on everything politically, but I think she's cool and might bring some sanity to his side and it would be probably be a wet dream of his to have a Trump/Trump campaign.
A problem I have with politics and elections is I don't think my views fit precisely into either partys dogma. For example, I am socially liberal, so long as someones lifestyle doesn't negatively effect the community around them I don't think there should be regulations against them. I am a strong believer that womens healthcare options should be their choice. I think the government should be more of a monitor domestically trying to make sure things don't go wrong instead of trying to fix any wrongs that have occurred. I think that the government growing GDP through government spending is an easy and self serving way of "growing" the economy. I also think that more regulation is needed for banking and medical fields. My dad works for Pfizer and admits things are a bit messed up. I'd like to see the medicine made more efficient and effective, while maintaining economic incentives for innovation. Internationally I think the gov't should maintain a strong presence without engaging in interventionist policies.These are some of my concerns and I don't think either party reflects them. I feel like life would be easier if I could just tow one parties line and go along with that. Thats why in the Trump versus Hilarly thing, I don't like either, but I am open to listening about them and hopefully learning more about what would really happen if they were to become presidet.
To quote the immortal Douglas Adams: Spoiler: spoilered for size “It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see..." "You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?" "No," said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, "nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people." "Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy." "I did," said Ford. "It is." "So," said Arthur, hoping he wasn't sounding ridiculously obtuse, "why don't people get rid of the lizards?" "It honestly doesn't occur to them," said Ford. "They've all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they've voted in more or less approximates to the government they want." "You mean they actually vote for the lizards?" "Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course." "But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?" "Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?" "What?" "I said," said Ford, with an increasing air of urgency creeping into his voice, "have you got any gin?" "I'll look. Tell me about the lizards." Ford shrugged again. "Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happenned to them," he said. "They're completely wrong of course, completely and utterly wrong, but someone's got to say it." "But that's terrible," said Arthur. "Listen, bud," said Ford, "if I had one Altairian dollar for every time I heard one bit of the Universe look at another bit of the Universe and say 'That's terrible' I wouldn't be sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.”
How is Cory Booker gaining steam? I think he's a bright dude who has done some great stuff for Newark, but he's less than a term in as a Senator. I remember him getting mentioned by the NYT as a Supreme Court candidate awhile ago, which is even more absurd.