(opinion) Not in it to win it: the dirty little secret of the Democrats' 2020 battle

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/15/not-in-it-to-win-it-the-dirty-little-secret-of-the-democrats-2020-battle

Not in it to win it: the dirty little secret of the Democrats' 2020 battle

Tom McCarthy

Tue 16 Apr 2019 07.00 BST Last modified on Tue 16 Apr 2019 07.22 BST

Political scientists are quick to point out two reasons why a record number of candidates is running for president on the Democratic side in 2020. One: the Republican president, Donald Trump, is vulnerable with a low-40s approval rating, so the Democratic nominee has a good shot at winning the White House. Two: there’s no bigfoot candidate this time around – no incumbent, no Hillary Clinton – to dissuade other potential candidates from running.

Those conditions have lured 15 major candidates so far into the race for the Democratic nomination, with as many as half a dozen more potentially getting in, including former vice-president Joe Biden, who has yet to officially declare. The previous record for major candidates in a presidential primary field was 17, on the Republican side in 2016.

But analysts also nod to a third factor inflating the gigantic 2020 Democratic field, a not-quite-dirty little secret about presidential politics. The fact is, not all of the people running for president are actually running for president.

“There is almost always at least a few candidates in these kinds of fields that are either there to push an issue agenda, or these are candidates who are interested in building their name recognition, building their stature and status within the party,” said John Sides, professor of political science at George Washington University and editor-in-chief of The Monkey Cage politics analysis site. “I would assume that most candidates probably overestimate their chances of winning, but that doesn’t mean that they think it’s likely. ”
(snip)

But what does the current crop of candidates want? Teasing out motives is a tricky business, and in the age of Trump, writing off any candidate as unelectable would seem foolish. But polls, fundraising numbers and endorsements indicate a clear hierarchy of strength for the Democratic candidates, suggesting that while a majority are in it to win it, others might settle for less.
(snip)

While running for president without running for president might seem to fall short of certain ideals about the call to service and the dignity of the office, Sides said it was “perfectly rational” for some candidates to jump in the race without necessarily intending to win.

“Unless you’re going to fall on your face, or embarrass yourself, or have a bunch of scandals revealed because of the additional scrutiny you’re getting,” he said, “then it could easily be the case that you’ll emerge from the primaries with more of a platform than you used to have”.

[tblue37]

1. K&R. nt

[Hortensis]

2. Contemptible spin. No secret that ourliberal candidates are unified

in goals and messages. Understandable that Republicans, and other anti-Democrats, don't want 20 leaders traveling the nation telling people what Democrats are for and what a Democratic administration will accomplish for them. Our unified messages were disastrous for them in the midterms.

And of course we do know they can't all win, Nit. Governor Enslee is even already famous for running to energize national support to stop global warming.

[True Blue American]

3. Thank you!

I find that heading contemptible.

We all know that all of them will not win, but it is a sure cinch they are giving it their all!

May the Best Man or Woman Win!

There is no dirty secret.

[NJCher]

5. yeah, that headline is really stupid

lacks originality; tries for clicks with the words "dirty" and "secret."

[Hortensis]

6. Wish I was surprised someone posted it here.

I suspect both Trump and Sanders will be using the word "dirt" a lot since reporting on Russia-Trump's failed effort to come up with something significant to use against Hillary has repeated that word with her name for two years now.

As a result, even as it proved Hillary's lack of corruption, it's more associated with her name than with Republican and Russian intense corruption and betrayal.

Nit should keep in mind that dirty people make dirty politics. Honorable people do not.

[catbyte]

4. I don't remember reading headlines like this when 18 republicans ran in 2016.

And from The Guardian, too. Yuck.

[True Blue American]

7. Funny thing

That was my first thought.

Britain has a mess in Brexit and they are criticizing Democrats?

[flotsam]

8. Is it Mitt Romney's Dirty Little Secret Too??? N/T

[Trenzalore]

9. I don't believe Bernie believed he had a shot at the beginning of the 2016 race

He is now a frontrunner. Sometimes second or third place isn't a bad thing 4 years later.

[WeekiWater]

10. So is this a "dirty little secret..."

Or a "not-quite-dirty little secret?"