Trump

[Oniya]

That 'transcript' doesn't even make sense as a standalone:

'She’s shocked that I picked her. She’s like in a state of shock.'
'I’m not, thank you, Mr. President.'
'I know you're not thanking, you never do.'

Immediately after she specifically says 'Thank you'.

[MasterMischief]

The spin is mind blowing.

[Mithlomwen]

Alternative facts, y'all. 

I can't wait to see the spin Sara Huckabee Sanders tries to put on it when asked about it.

[Deamonbane]

The spin I've seen a lot of Trump supporters put on it is that it was a press conference about trade and she was asking about Kavanaugh.

They get thinner and thinner every day.

[CaptainNexus616]

the next presidential election brings two fears to my mind.

1.) Enough Anti-Trump sentiment will prompt people to take whatever is offered as an alternative. Granted this could be a lesser evil, BUT it could be an alternative evil just better at spinning his plans.

2.) Or the running candidate is so blatantly worse he's never elected and we get another four years of this.


Now either of these could never happen at all...but I see them as possible scenarios.

[Callie Del Noire]

the next presidential election brings two fears to my mind.

1.) Enough Anti-Trump sentiment will prompt people to take whatever is offered as an alternative. Granted this could be a lesser evil, BUT it could be an alternative evil just better at spinning his plans.

2.) Or the running candidate is so blatantly worse he's never elected and we get another four years of this.


Now either of these could never happen at all...but I see them as possible scenarios.

My gut says, unless some appears before April of ‘19 we will see Hilary again.. in which case it could easily be 4 more years of trump

[Blythe]

My gut says, unless some appears before April of ‘19 we will see Hilary again.. in which case it could easily be 4 more years of trump

I personally rather doubt Hillary will run again. I suspect Senator Elizabeth Warren is probably a more likely Democratic candidate, and she has been indicating a strong interest in running in the next presidential election.

[TheGlyphstone]

Yeah, Hillary has shot her bolt as a credible Democratic candidate - she'd drive Trump's less enthusiastic supporters into his camp out of sheer antipathy, while simultaneously alienating the more moderate Democratics thanks to her shenanigans with the DNC in the last election. Warren is probably her most likely successor for the hopeful title of Madame President #1.

[Cassandra LeMay]

I personally rather doubt Hillary will run again. I suspect Senator Elizabeth Warren is probably a more likely Democratic candidate, and she has been indicating a strong interest in running in the next presidential election.

The field of potential candidates is so wide, chances are the Democratic primaries will turn into a bit of a mess. Warren might well run, but the same goes for Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, maybe Joe Biden. Bernie Sanders might give it another shot. Kirsten Gillibrand could throw her hat into the ring. And that's just off the top of my head. The list could be a lot longer, come primaries. If Hillary gives it another shot (which I doubt she will), she would likely come up against some serious contenders who might well beat her. We'll probably get a clearer picture after the midterms, when we see who turned out to vote for whom and what a Democratic winning coalition might look like. I guess that is when most potential candidates will decide if they can appeal to their potential voters or not.

[Blythe]

The field of potential candidates is so wide, chances are the Democratic primaries will turn into a bit of a mess. Warren might well run, but the same goes for Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, maybe Joe Biden. Bernie Sanders might give it another shot. Kirsten Gillibrand could throw her hat into the ring. And that's just off the top of my head. The list could be a lot longer, come primaries. If Hillary gives it another shot (which I doubt she will), she would likely come up against some serious contenders who might well beat her. We'll probably get a clearer picture after the midterms, when we see who turned out to vote for whom and what a Democratic winning coalition might look like. I guess that is when most potential candidates will decide if they can appeal to their potential voters or not.

Very true. I am half tempted, after the mid-terms, to make a speculation thread about what candidates might emerge during the next presidential elections. There's a lot up in the air for the Democrat side of things, and admittedly I'm curious whether or not the Republicans would be interested enough in fielding new candidates to replace Trump & who those candidates would be. (I...have my doubts Trump will be impeached, which is why I am quite curious about the Republican side of things. I think he will finish this presidential cycle & likely lose if he runs for re-election, though.)

[TheGlyphstone]

He's still maintaining a high-80s to low-90s approval rating among Republican voters according to the Gallup Poll, so while I'm sure the GOP leadership cadre would love to slot someone more controllable into the White House, they'll have a very tough time winning over the base:

https://news.gallup.com/poll/203198/presidential-approval-ratings-donald-trump.aspx

[Iniquitous]

As was pointed out to me - it usually goes 2 terms Repub, 2 terms Dem, 2 turns Rep, 2 terms Dem.  Which means we either have Mango Mussolini for another 4 years or a different Republican knocks him out.

[Various]

Historically the two term in a row flip between parties since Clinton is a relative anomaly. The only comparable time period was 1801-1825 when there were three two-term presidents in a row (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe). This streak was broken up by the one-term John Quincy Adams. Incidentally, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and John Quincy Adams were all from the same party.

[Cassandra LeMay]

Yeah, the two term thing is a bit of a myth. After two Reagan terms you had a third Republican term with the older Bush, and we nearly got at least three consecutive Democrat terms if not for SCOTUS ruling in favor of Bush in Bush v. Gore.

And even if it were as true as one might think, it was also once true that a guy like Trump might never become president. The conventional wisdom of the past may no longer be so wise any more.

[TheGlyphstone]

Reminds me of this comic:

https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/rise-of-the-machines

[Missy]

FDR was pres for four consecutive terms.

modernly America suffers from an illness which leaves her in something of a dysfunctional state. It's the result of a lot of things, but stuff liek Trump isn't the problem as much as the symptom of the disease, albeit one that agravates the rest of it.

[Oniya]

FDR was a very notable outlier, and the reason that the term limit for presidents was enacted at all.  Prior to that, the two-term limit was a tradition initiated by George Washington.  FDR actually served just barely over 3 terms, dying of a stroke in early 1945 - about half a year into his fourth term.

[gaggedLouise]

modernly America suffers from an illness which leaves her in something of a dysfunctional state. It's the result of a lot of things, but stuff liek Trump isn't the problem as much as the symptom of the disease, albeit one that agravates the rest of it.

Agree!

[gaggedLouise]

Or to phrase it better: Trump isn't the ultimate cause of the problems, he's a symptom of crisis and sometimes an aggravating catalyst, but not the main cause.

[Lilias]

I'll just leave this (brilliant) bit here: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/10/the-cruelty-is-the-point/572104/

[Flower]

Nikki Haley has resigned. Speculation has begun about who will replace her. Some believe Ivanka is a possibility.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/nikki-haley-resigns-resignation-un-ambassador-trump-luxury-private-jet-white-house-a8575876.html

[Mechelle]

Donald said something to the effect that Ivanka would be great, but he might be accused of nepotism. Well, yes...

With all the Bushes, Clintons and now Trumps, American politics seems more dynastic than ours in Britain, I must say (although I can think immediately of various Churchill and Kinnock relatives, for example, who are or have been in Parliament ).

[Oniya]

Donald said something to the effect that Ivanka would be great, but he might be accused of nepotism. Well, yes...

With all the Bushes, Clintons and now Trumps, American politics seems more dynastic than ours in Britain, I must say (although I can think immediately of various Churchill and Kinnock relatives, for example, who are or have been in Parliament ).

Seriously - the Adamses, the Roosevelts, and the Kennedys hop into my brain pretty quickly.

[Regina Minx]

Seriously - the Adamses, the Roosevelts, and the Kennedys hop into my brain pretty quickly.

Roosevelts, Rockefellers, the Romneys, the Pauls...

[Mechelle]

Good points.
It does impress and surprise Americans when I say that Winston Churchill has visited my home. This is true, although it was the more famous Churchill's grandson (himself dead now) who was my MP and came around canvassing.