| | | | 5 hard questions Democrats need to answer before 2020 | | Earlier today, we -- me and forecaster extraordinaire Harry Enten -- put out our first rankings of the 2020 field. (For more details on who ranks where, scroll down in the newsletter.)
The process of ranking the 10 people most likely to be the Democratic nominee against President Donald Trump in two years' time got me to thinking about the unanswered questions kicking around within the party -- questions that won't get resolved until the 2020 primary fight (and might not get resolved even then.)
Here are a few to consider:
1. Do Democrats want to nominate their own version of Trump? Or the opposite?
If the former, outsider candidates like Mark Cuban or Howard Schultz are more intriguing. If the latter, then an institutionalist (Joe Biden is at the front of that pack) might hold some allure. Or maybe a woman (Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris) to shine a bright light on the incumbent's past statements and behavior.
2. Is there a "too liberal" candidate in the field?
At the moment, the way to win in the Democratic Party is to get as far to the left as possible. It's why you've seen several likely 2020ers get beyond Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's pledge to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). The question is whether that produces a candidate who might not be the party's best chance of beating Trump.
3. A senator? Really?
The top of the Democratic field is absolutely lousy with senators -- and former senators, like Biden. But only two presidents since 1960 have been elected straight from the Senate: John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama. And the 2020 field doesn't look to have someone with that natural political ability just yet.
4. Trade wars
In the 2008 primary fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, one of the main points of disagreement was their views on trade. Obama bashed Clinton on her past support for NAFTA while she sought to distance herself from it. Where is the party now on trade -- particularly with Trump's oft-stated suspicion about international trade agreements and the fact that he is president now because of three Midwestern states where free trade has hurt the economy.
5. Fresh faces or trusted hands?
The three candidates polling best right now in hypothetical Democratic primary surveys are Biden (age 75), Bernie Sanders (76) and Elizabeth Warren (69). Is that the right contrast with the 72-year-old Trump? Or would Democrats be better off skewing younger and more in line with their party's base? If so, keep an eye on New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker (49) or Gillibrand (51).
The Point: Because Trump is Trump, he sucks up all the oxygen in every room. Which means that the story about the issues still facing the Democratic Party get glossed over. They shouldn't -- they are real and will need to be addressed in order for the party to make Trump a one-term President.
-- Chris | | WHO YA GOT? RANKING THE 2020 DEMOCRATS | | As Chris and Harry "Forecaster" Enten note at the top of their summer blockbuster, "There are exactly 838 days between today and November 3, 2020 aka Election Day. That's 2 years, 3 months and 15 days."
Too soon, then, to rank the Democrats who might (LOL, they're all running) challenge for the party's nomination and a chance of ousting Trump?
Chris and Harry say "no" -- and for good reason! They explain why in the piece, but the bottom line is that, like it or not, this 2020 campaign begins on the day after the 2018 midterms end. For many rumored candidates, it already has.
Here is their top 10 (and again, click on through for the whys and hows): | | Believe it or not, folks online today did not entirely agree with the fellas' assessment of the 2020 field. Here are some reader/emailer picks:
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
Andrew P says: "He has the fundraising, the support, and certainly the ambition. All he is missing is experience on the national stage, and yet he has already made his tour through the early-voting states. Besides, I think we can all agree experience is not necessarily a deciding factor anymore."
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper
Robert L. says: "I know he's been 'reluctant' to throw his hat in the ring, but he seems like the strongest Dem candidate to bridge the gap between progressives/other dems/ and moderates disenchanted with Trump. ... I think he's got the personality and appeal down pat, an ACTUAL businessman, etc. If Dems nominate him (and I understand the big 'If' there given some in the progressive movement), then I think he would win the general hands down."
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Darby S. says: "I'd say that Klobuchar is like a hybrid of Sherrod Brown and Kirsten Gillibrand; she's a woman, but she's also from the upper midwest and will appeal to Rust Belt voters. She has solid progressive credentials in the Paul Wellstone tradition. She's funny, personable, and humble, and will make a great no-nonsense foil to Trump's bloviation."
Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy III
Wally A says: "He's making waves, he delivered the Democratic response to the State of the Union ... Just imagine Kennedy versus Trump!"
Former HUD Sec. Julian Castro
Cameron F. says: "He was a strong VP contender in 2016 and a star within the party that has stood up in the national stage. Aside from being a favorite among many young progressives, he's already visited New Hampshire and will be visiting Iowa next month, started the Opportunity First PAC and has a book expected to come out this fall."
Billionaire former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and billionaire former Starbucks boss Howard Schultz
AB says: You Missed Michael Bloomberg and Howard Schultz.
Thanks, AB! And thanks everyone else. Chris and Harry are going to do this again next month, so watch this space and send them a line at cillizza@cnn.com and harry.enten@cnn.com to weigh in. | | MEDICARE-FOR-ALL, FOR THEM | | In unrelated -- but also very much relevant -- news, House Democrats on Thursday unveiled their new "Medicare for All Congressional Caucus."
Reps. Pramila Jayapal (Washington), Debbie Dingell (Michigan) and Keith Ellison (Minnesota), were the headline names leading the charge. The member count from the start is 70 -- a sign of the single-payer's growing popularity on not just the left, but more mainstream Democrats.
You can watch the unveiling here.
For now, though, it just means more -- and more structured -- work on building out both the logistics and the message. Democrats, of course, are out of power in the House, the Senate and over at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Wondering if your representative is in/out? Here's a picture of a list of the initial members: | | | NPR has a playlist for dudes who like Rosé. Yes, really. | | | Today's topic: Chris gives a behind-the-scenes look at those 2020 rankings. | | It's 2020 Democrats Day here @ The Point, but just in case you forgot for even a few minutes about the current POTUS (and/or Russian President Vladimir Putin), this headline is for you:
Trump says he'll have another meeting with Putin, again calls media 'enemy of the people'
Oy. CNN's Jeremy Diamond explains, in three parts:
1. President Donald Trump hopes to welcome Russian President Vladimir Putin in Washington this fall, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Thursday.
"President Trump asked (national security adviser John Bolton) to invite President Putin to Washington in the fall and those discussions are already underway," Sanders tweeted Thursday, hours after Trump tweeted he is "looking forward" to meeting again with Putin to "begin implementing" issues they discussed during their summit earlier this week.
The invitation was extended to Putin by Bolton earlier Thursday, according to a National Security Council spokesman.
2. Sanders' tweet came soon after the Senate voted unanimously to rebuke Putin's attempt to convince Trump to hand over current and former American officials for questioning -- an offer Trump had previously called "incredible -- and while Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence, said he still does not know "what happened" during Trump and Putin's private meeting and said he would have advised against it.
3. Trump, who touched off a major political controversy with his embrace of Putin in Helsinki, Finland, also accused the news media -- which he again dubbed the "enemy of the people" -- of distorting the summit and pining for a confrontation between the US and Russia. | | | From Brenna: "Ivanka Trump was the opener at her father's 'Pledge to American Workers' event this afternoon. Take a cue from her and direct your friends' attention to The Point." | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Follow this link for daily coverage of the world's top stories, savvy market insights, an insider's look into the media, and more. Our authors for The Point are Chris Cillizza and Saba Hamedy. Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris or Saba. Follow on Twitter: Chris and Saba.
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