Speaking for me only (but not really), it’s not a good idea for Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to telegraph his intention to drop a potential presidential bid if Hillary Clinton should choose to run. The reason should be obvious. Anyone who is interested in getting on board the O’Malley train at this early stop, is obviously not satisfied with the prospect of a Hillary Clinton candidacy. But, how much work are they going to be willing to put in if they think that O’Malley will drop out the moment that Clinton gets in?
There is something to be said for honesty, and it wouldn’t be nice to give your staffers a false sense that you’re in the race come hell or high water, when you’re really just preparing to take advantage in the unlikely scenario that Clinton doesn’t run. But you don’t have to make your candidacy completely contingent on what Clinton is going to do. I have no reason to want to help you if you aren’t serious.
In any case, Clinton could use a couple of challengers just to help her hone her skills again, and also so that she can choose a running mate who has been on the trail building their own little universe of passionate support.
Then there is the branding. What does O’Malley plan to offer that distinguishes him from a run-of-the-mill Democrat?
Asked whether he thought he would be a good president, O’Malley said, “Yes, I think I would be, for these times especially.”
He cited his adherence to “a new way of leadership in our country,” including the statistics-driven CityStat and StateStat initiatives he launched in Baltimore and Annapolis, respectively, to measure the performance of government agencies.
“It is very much a way of leadership that’s more collaborative, that’s much more open, that is performance-measured, that is much more interactive, and it is the new way of leadership in the information age,” he said. “I believe in my bones that this is the future.”
I can get behind an effort to make government agencies work at peak efficiency, but “statistics” isn’t a very exciting “change” message.
He needs to work on that.
Why isn’t Gore on anyone’s radar? Has the right turned him too successfully into a punchline or something? He’s younger than Clinton, isn’t he?
Probably same age roughly as Hillary. But Dems tend not to give someone in Gore’s situation — running as sitting VP — a second chance. Or if they had, that time would have been 2004. Now his time as passed.
Time for a new generation of leaders … Ok, time to give Hillary another shot.
It should have been her in 2008, giving the young guy some badly needed seasoning as VP. But no one listened to me …
I would vote for Al Gore over Hillary Clinton in a heartbeat!
I think the sexual harassment/assault charges and divorce from Tipper pretty much sealed his political career.
Does Gore himself get any say in this?
I don’t think Gore really wanted to be President. That was his father’s dream for him. If he really wanted it he would have tried harder. The successful Presidential Candidates would pull themselves up Mount Rushmore naked by pulling a cord with their teeth.
I agree 100% and tweeted as much to him. He needs to $%^t or get off the pot.
What does O’Malley plan to offer that distinguishes him from a run-of-the-mill Democrat?
Better yet, what will he offer us that Hillary won’t? Is he for single-payer? Will he nominate Krgthulu for Fed Chair? Will he ship the Koch Brothers, Art Pope, Rupert Murdoch and the DeVos family to Gitmo?
To answer your questions:
He will probably push harder for liberal policies. No, he isn’t. No, he won’t. And no, he won’t.
What else?
O’Malley doesn’t strike me as very liberal at all. He strikes me as more “centrist” mush. So why would be run, except looking to be Veep(which is kind of a dumb reason to be honest)?
I didn’t say he was liberal. I said he would push harder for liberal policies than Clinton. And I think he will.
I think people will be more wary of a change message this time around.
He’s telegraphing that he wants to be Veep. “I’m deferential and I have a pet issue no one really gives a fuck about but me that I can wonk over for four to eight years.”
That has the ring of truth to it.
It might be better marketing if he called it “sabermetrics for government.”
That’s pretty good