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Biden’s debate performance sets off alarm bells for Democrats (www.cnn.com)

submitted 5 months ago by nekandro@lemmy.ml to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

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[-] kylie_kraft@lemmy.world 57 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

The Democrats are still stuck in this post-Clinton seniority mindset where they unofficially pick a candidate before primaries even begin, based on who has been around the longest and who has held the highest position. Remember "it's her turn"? Yes, yes, I know it didn't work against Obama, but heading into the debates everyone assumed Hillary would be the candidate until Obama put on the better show. More to the point, I think Obama breaking through scared the establishment Dems into doubling down on primary fuckery. See what happened to Bernie, twice. So now we have a president who knows all the right people but plays politics with the 1990s rulebook and has a terminal case of crusty old man voice.

Still better than Trump.

[-] MarcoPOLO@sh.itjust.works 22 points 5 months ago

Obama has absolutely absurd charisma. He's the Democrat version of Trump - knows exactly what to say to his base and knows how to convince moderates he's not insane.

Clinton and Biden have the charisma of a limp noodle. Sanders has absurd charisma, but he's seen as too big of a threat to Democrat lobbyists and big corporations.

Sanders would've mopped the floor with Trump because he would've actually been able to grab the 18-44 demographic (which last saw peaks in 1992 Clinton/Gore and 2008 Obama/Biden, both to unseat a Republican and, coincidentally, a Bush).

Sanders would have been able to avoid the collapse in turnout from working-class Black people in 2016.

Sanders would've stopped the increasing right-wing radicalization of the youth of America, or provided a counterweight for left-wing economic radicalization.

The US federal elections are basically a pony show and the DNC doesn't know how to play the game without throwing out their playbook.