2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Admiral Yi]

I've always thought Hillary has always seemed much more left wing than her husband, even back when I was a dedicated Republican.

Based on what?

[Admiral Yi]

It's also received wisdom to tack left for the primary and tack right for the general.

[Sheilbh]

It's also received wisdom to tack left for the primary and tack right for the general.

Also, bollocks

[jimmy olsen]

I've always thought Hillary has always seemed much more left wing than her husband, even back when I was a dedicated Republican.

Based on what?

Rush always made her seem way further to the left, and since I listened to that with my Dad in the 90s that's where I  gained that impression.

[Razgovory]

Well it was clear she was the one with the balls.  I mean, who killed Vince Foster?  Wasn't Bill!

[citizen k]

[HisMajestyBOB]

[Eddie Teach]

Lazy cartoonist. 

[jimmy olsen]

A contract with America for the Left? Some kind of new deal for the American people? I wonder what such a thing would be called?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/05/13/is_de_blasios_progressive_agenda_aimed_at_clinton_126573.html

Is de Blasio's Progressive Agenda Aimed at Clinton?

By Rebecca Berg - May 13, 2015

Bill de Blasio stuck out amid a herd of progressive Democrats gathered on Capitol Hill Tuesday, and not just because of his 6-foot-5 frame. The New York mayor stood at the House Triangle, site of so many forgettable press conferences, to unveil something unusual: "The Progressive Agenda," a 13-point mission statement of sorts to guide — or push — the Democratic Party to the left in the coming election cycle.

"Something is changing in America," de Blasio said. "It's time to take that energy and crystallize it into something that can make a difference."

The timing of the announcement, as likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is rolling out her presidential campaign, has struck some observers as curious; to others, it's nothing short of an affront. And the signals de Blasio have sent are muddled.

On the one hand, the first-term mayor is a longtime ally of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Both shared the stage with de Blasio during his swearing-in ceremony, and de Blasio worked as campaign manager during Hillary's 2000 run for Senate. He likely would not wish to derail her candidacy, and is not himself running for president in 2016.

But, during a recent interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," de Blasio waffled when asked if he would "unequivocally" support the party's clear frontrunner.

"Like a lot of people in this country, I want to see a vision," de Blasio said. "I think she's one of the most qualified people to ever run for this office and, by the way, thoroughly vetted. But we need to see the substance."

And then he hit the road, making stops within the past month in Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin to talk about income inequality and other progressive priorities addressed in his new doctrine.

"I'm certainly going to be doing this with some regularity," he said after a speech in Milwaukee, Bloomberg reported.

So, what is de Blasio getting at?

"I can only assume it's part of an effort by the progressive wing of the party to take the presidential debate as far to the left as they can," said Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist and former aide to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

But Democrats who have signed on to de Blasio's progressive compact insist it isn't about Clinton.

"There is gossip in Washington that this is about trying to push a certain candidate in a certain direction," former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean acknowledged during his remarks at Tuesday's press conference, alluding to Clinton. "If you look at that candidate's direction, you'll figure out she's embraced a lot of this already."

Driving the conversation of the Democratic primary to the left need not be damaging to Clinton, but a debate over trade taking place not far from the progressive gathering illustrated how it might put her in a tough spot.

Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked a proposal being pushed by President Obama and Republican leaders that would put international trade agreements to an up-or-down vote in Congress, and thus remove lawmakers' ability to propose or pass amendments. The discussion has been impassioned, with the president in particular taking on Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a key progressive detractor to the trade bill. But Clinton has so far ducked the fray, opting not to take a side.

The Progressive Agenda would "oppose trade deals that hand more power to corporations at the expense of American jobs, workers' rights, and the environment." It also pushes a $15 federal minimum wage, family and sick leave policies, and higher taxes for corporations and the rich, among other priorities.

There is a history of partisan compacts succeeding, but often when they are crafted by party leaders, such as with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's Contract With America in the 1990s.

"I think it's fascinating that Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to do a Contract With America for the left," Gingrich said last week. "The original contract had big ideas that were backed up by real legislation and led to real change. I look forward to seeing whether Mayor de Blasio can produce an equally effective Contract With America."

Gingrich's covenant also raised his personal profile, and de Blasio might be making a similar calculation.

Or not.

"I don't know exactly why he is the person" to spearhead The Progressive Agenda, one Democratic strategist said. "I give him credit with stepping forward. Clearly a good broad swath of the progressive party trusts him."

[Syt]

So it appears the President finally has a Twitter account:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/05/18/america-your-president--tweeting-barrack-obama/27529151/

President Obama ✔@POTUS
Hello, Twitter! It's Barack. Really! Six years in, they're finally giving me my own account.

Bill Clinton ✔@billclinton
Welcome to @Twitter, @POTUS! One question: Does that username stay with the office? #askingforafriend

President Obama ✔@POTUS
Good question, @billclinton. The handle comes with the house. Know anyone interested in @FLOTUS?

[Valmy]

The President is on Twitter? I sure hope all of his tweets have to be approved by competent handlers or this will not go well.

Hell it probably would go very badly even so.

So I guess in 2017 this will be President Cruz's account.

[derspiess]

So it appears the President finally has a Twitter account:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/05/18/america-your-president--tweeting-barrack-obama/27529151/

President Obama ✔@POTUS
Hello, Twitter! It's Barack. Really! Six years in, they're finally giving me my own account.

Bill Clinton ✔@billclinton
Welcome to @Twitter, @POTUS! One question: Does that username stay with the office? #askingforafriend

President Obama ✔@POTUS
Good question, @billclinton. The handle comes with the house. Know anyone interested in @FLOTUS?

  I'm sure that was totally spontaneous & whatnot.

[Valmy]

  I'm sure that was totally spontaneous & whatnot.

I sure the hell hope it wasn't. That twitter feed better be the most boring and uncontroversial thing ever. Which raises the question of why it should exist.

[Admiral Yi]

The Donald announced his candidacy!  America is saved!

CNN mentioned:

1. Increased benefits for veterans.
2. A Great Wall on the Mexico border, paid for by Mexico.   
3. Opposition to the Asia trade deal.  His rationale was "the US has never beat Japan at anything." 

The last one had the CNN crew tittering.

[DGuller]

The Donald is in it for attention whoring, and saying wacky things is how he gets his attention.  I guess he realized that he needs to up his game to get noticed in a field like this.