South Carolina Shaped Things Up

Of all the primaries thus far, it seems to me that South Carolina's has been the most consequential. Former VP Joe Biden won handily, moving him to second in delegate count and first in popular votes, and giving his campaign a much-needed fund-raising boost that demonstrated there still is life in it. In his third time at running for the presidency, this was the first time that Biden had won a state.

That's really something to think about. That's persistence. It also shows that sometimes, the goodwill that a candidate needs to have is built up over a long time. It's about a long record forged on doing the things that were right for the time, and showing the kind of decency and compassion that stirs something in people. It isn't about being the perfect candidate, but being trusted. People in South Carolina who voted for Joe Biden knew who he was. They trust him. 

The decisive win lead Tom Steyer to bow out, but he is still in the political fight. He made a good statement about his goals:

“I, of course, will be supportive (of the nominee). I’ve said since the beginning, every Democrat is a million times better than Trump -- Trump is a disaster,” Steyer told his supporters. “Let me say this, we’re in South Carolina, Lindsey Graham is a disaster, he’s a disaster for the people here. So of course I’ll be working on that. Let me say one last thing, when the Lord closes a door, he opens a window.”

Maybe it isn't in the cards to be president--but it certainly is possible to positively influence a senate race (or so) and in doing that, continue the fight against the Trump regime. Steyer might not have been the likeliest candidate, but his support for the environment and his concern for our society shows a lot of decency, and I can't fault him for trying to create a platform within his campaign--but I think a supporting role just makes more productive sense and appreciate what he has done and can continue to do.

This primary also demonstrated to former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg the unlikelihood that he had any further path. At 37 years old when he announced, and being just the mayor of a mid-size town, Buttigieg's campaign reflected the audacity of youth combined with intelligence, ambition, and a unique personal narrative that blended being a veteran and a happily out and married gay man. What "Mayor Pete" embodied in his run was the idea that "the heartland" is not a monolith, and that LGBT people most certainly are not. These were a part of his narrative, as was his service, and not the whole.

Buttigieg got a lot of attention for his personal narrative, but deep-down, he is a policy guy and not really a person who reveals his whole emotional self, which I completely relate to. He ran an inclusive campaign. Progressives gave him shit for thinking he'd bridge ideological differences, but he kind of knows better:

Buttigieg’s surge owes to a kind of dual appeal. Some moderates like his Midwestern background, elite credentials (he’s a graduate of Harvard and Oxford), and soft-spoken but knowledgeable way of talking about policy. Liberal Democrats see in Buttigieg an intellectual who could be President Trump’s polar opposite, and whose focus on political reforms like abolishing the Electoral College channels their frustration with a system that feels rigged in the GOP’s favor.

“In recent times, appealing to Republican legislators has been wasteful because they’ve mostly been acting in bad faith,” Buttigieg told me in a phone call in March.

(Emphasis mine, to show--he knows.) Anyway,you can't possibly believe Buttigieg will be gone from our conversation--did you know he has ten presidential elections to go before he is as old as Mike Bloomberg? That is so much time to cover so much ground. You go and do great things, Mayor Pete!

And what's on tap for the rest of our serious candidates? Bloomberg, of course, has obvious detractors.  There has been a push to see Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar also bow out, but I sure hope they don't. (Although after Super Tuesday, serious choices will again have to be made. ) I'm going to drop my usual pose of primary agnosticism to say--if you vote in California or Texas or anywhere and really want Elizabeth Warren but are trying to be strategic, what the hell: just vote for her. This is the primary. Fuck it. Want what you want. If you want a policy wonk combined with not being an abrasive coot whose superfans look like lefty Trumpalos, go get it. If you want someone that is sharper and has less baggage for Trump to exploit than a certain former vice president, make it known. Don't let polls be predictive, because they are bullshit, folks. And don't let Twitter decide your choices for you--it's bullshit, too.

Basically, I'm endorsing Elizabeth Warren because I have no mainstream credibility to lose if she isn't the going thing after Super Tuesday, but I would be kicking myself if I didn't tell you I had a very well-considered choice. Trump has a strategy for the other guys. He doesn't really have one, outside of name-calling, for her. And regardless, she makes plans, She has strategies. She will understand how to clean up and correct course once in office. I love decency and ideological certainty, and I can embrace Sanders and Biden fans both--but for me, one person has the ability to bring the kind of skills needed and, I am glad she's staying in.

I vote in PA. Maybe I'll just be disappointed when it's my turn to vote. I'm depending on a lot of people my blog isn't probably even going to reach, But in my opinion, that's who brings the most to unify our various party tribal shit, and make it work in practice.

I hope she gets some traction this Tuesday.


UPDATE: I love Sanders, but maybe I'm just mad he seems to have broken up Public Enemy.