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Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)
15. Suggesting that we've gotten some of our best recent leadership where people might not
Sat Mar 11, 2017, 09:00 AM
Mar 2017

have expected to find it, with life stories or characteristics that party conventional wisdom at the time deemed "unelectable", is not "the same argument". Not at all.

Rather it's a vindication, to my mind, of both the best values our party aspires to as well as actual American meritocracy in action.

But, I digress. I assure you I have no interest in punishing this young man for his last name. He doesn't get any bonus points from me for it, either, but I'd certainly give him just as much chance as I would anyone else. Hey- If he can lead, fucking AWESOME.

I admit I get a bit frustrated, around here, with this sort of magical thinking infecting some in our party that if we just could plug in the right set of variables, we could staple together the ideal Democratic Candidate, like Frankenstein's monster assembled on a slab. You know, the exact right percentages of looks and connections and geography and... whatever. Add to that the sort of almost OCD idea that having a magic last name on the ballot will translate into electoral victory.

To my mind, you don't list the requirements and then go searching for the perfect homunculous to slap up there on the stage and cash in the requisite votes. Leadership is an organic phenomenon. We need someone who can inspire, who can lead, and that may end up being a Millennial Kennedy or it may end up being the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, with the funny name. I don't know.

But I promise, if it comes up, I will give this dude a chance. While I'm not a fan of the one who is on the anti-marijuana legalization crusade, as a general point of politics I harbor no ill will towards the Kennedy family, believe me.

Joseph Kennedy lll in 2020 [View all] DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 OP
Democrats need to get him out there. Vinca Mar 2017 #1
He has a commitment to liberal values which he is able to articulate. DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #2
He has been showing up on the radar recently. TexasTowelie Mar 2017 #4
Possible VP candidate Chasstev365 Mar 2017 #3
Youth and wisdom are not mutually exclusive. DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #5
However, youth and long experience are. ehrnst Mar 2017 #16
Obama was only in the senate 3 years Motley13 Mar 2017 #11
Let's see what happens. He made a good start. He is promising... CTyankee Mar 2017 #36
Dynasty wasn't even a very good television show. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #6
Maybe we need more "rags to riches" stories like Donald Thump. DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #7
No, but Barack Obama and, even Bill Clinton both came out of nowhere. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #8
That argument was made about Ted Kennedy in first Senate run. DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #9
Suggesting that we've gotten some of our best recent leadership where people might not Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #15
Do you think that should be a qualification for running? ehrnst Mar 2017 #14
No. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #18
You gave a great description of what is enough for an activist, or leader of a movement. ehrnst Mar 2017 #25
That guy (Trump) is not charismatic, inspirational, nor is he a natural leader. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #30
Because she had the last name Clinton, she didn't merit the office? ehrnst Mar 2017 #38
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were both complete products of meritocracy, as much as such a thing is Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #43
So you're saying Yes, because of her last name, HRC was not running on merit. (nt) ehrnst Mar 2017 #47
If i had ten bucks for every time someone did the "So you're saying..." followed by something Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #48
You omitted her in your list of those who merited office. Your post - right up there... ehrnst Mar 2017 #50
Jesus fuck. The fact that you have to construct arguments Ive never made, here Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #54
Perfectly. (nt) ehrnst Mar 2017 #58
So we disqualify him automatically on the basis of his family tree? That's democracy? ehrnst Mar 2017 #13
Look, man, anyone who knows me knows how hard it is to get me to shut up. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #17
That is the effect of your point, isn't it? Whether you put it that way or not. ehrnst Mar 2017 #39
I've said repeatedly in this thread I'm not "excluding" anyone. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #44
So you've changed your mind since the "Dynasty was a bad TV show...." ehrnst Mar 2017 #51
If Joe Kennedy III is really all that, i will gladly suppport the guy. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #55
Wow, what an odd response. n/t USALiberal Mar 2017 #33
...is it? Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #34
Yes. (nt) ehrnst Mar 2017 #40
K&R! stonecutter357 Mar 2017 #10
He's good, but he's got time to build the resume. And we need him where he is right now. (nt) ehrnst Mar 2017 #12
My problem with him is that - as I understand jimlup Mar 2017 #19
That's his first cousin once removed Robert Kennedy Jr. DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #20
We do owe Donald Trump a debt of gratitude. gordianot Mar 2017 #21
Anyone who doesn't think his family's history nocalflea Mar 2017 #22
You mean the family history of giving three lives in service to their nation ? DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #23
I hope it is, it'll tie him to good people... Benedict Donald is tied to a white supremacist uponit7771 Mar 2017 #24
This is about a general election. The Kennedy nocalflea Mar 2017 #26
No politician, living or dead, is universally loved. DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #28
Hmmmm, then we're making the mistake of proffering the perfect while they proffer the horrible uponit7771 Mar 2017 #29
Yep - people will accuse him of being part of a "dynasty" some of whom died before he was born ehrnst Mar 2017 #41
Okay, let me play the devil's advocate for a minute, here, then- Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #45
Um... I'm not one of those people suggesting that we "fast-track" him. ehrnst Mar 2017 #46
And I'm not suggesting we exclude him. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #49
So you've changed your mind since the "Dynasty was a bad TV show...." ehrnst Mar 2017 #52
Nope. Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #56
Smokescreen.... ehrnst Mar 2017 #57
I didn't change my mind. I said "Dynasties are a terrible principle by which to run democracies" Warren DeMontague Mar 2017 #62
Hopefully by 2020, we won't be all the way back to hating Irish Catholics Starry Messenger Mar 2017 #27
Ted Kennedy didn't lose because of "Chappaquiddick, womanizing, and hard partying" brooklynite Mar 2017 #31
Did history begin and end in 1980? DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #32
No, but his Presidential campaign did brooklynite Mar 2017 #35
Precisely for the reasons I cited. Thank you for the confirmation. DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2017 #37
Was thinking that when I saw him.... kerry-is-my-prez Mar 2017 #42
No IMO GitRDun Mar 2017 #53
we didn't lose because her name was Clinton... was far more complicated than that Fast Walker 52 Mar 2017 #59
Not really GitRDun Mar 2017 #63
You said "Joseph Kennedy lll" (with three lower-case L's) but I keep seeing "Joseph Kennedy Ill" ... NurseJackie Mar 2017 #60
Is it just me? JKIII reminds me a lot of Conan... NurseJackie Mar 2017 #61
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