10 April 2019

Video of the day -- Bill Maher and Mayor Pete


I don't agree with everything that's said here, and toward the end Maher's interruptions get a bit annoying -- but I'm beginning to see the appeal of this guy.  He is about as much the opposite of Trump as it's possible to be.  He obviously thinks on a deeper level than the usual clichés and ideology, and can extemporize complex ideas in clear language.  Toward the end he makes a point I've long felt is very important -- that freedom is fundamentally a value of the left, and that right-wing libertarianism is profoundly wrong to think as if only government can infringe on personal liberty.

On the other hand, saying he thinks a lot and is good with words is, for me, basically just saying "he's my kind of people".  It's hard for me to judge how much he'd appeal to the great variety of other kinds of people who make up a whole nation.  But when an openly-gay man wins re-election with over 80% of the vote in a city in Indiana -- well, there's something there.

5 Comments:

Blogger LadyAtheist said...

He has zero chance of becoming senator or governor, so why not go for the brass ring? If he went Obama's direction and put an old-timer from congress on the ticket, it could work. Or someone from a purple state, like Duckworth or Kaine.

10 April, 2019 19:19  
Blogger Sixpence Notthewiser said...

Same. Maher gets to me because he's like the insufferable chess player at school who thinks he'll be in MENSA in six months. But yeah, Mayor Pete is smart and knows his way around rhetoric. I approve.

XOXO

10 April, 2019 20:56  
Blogger Shaw Kenawe said...

I saw that interview as well and thought the same thing. He has an interesting background and is obviously intelligent, and, yes, the complete opposite of what's in the Oval Office now.

I'd love to see Mayor Pete go up against Trump in a debate.

After last week's performances by Trump, I'm convinced he's in early stage 2 of Alzheimer's disease (or a form of another type of dementia). Both my husband and my sister suffered and died from dementia, so I have some experience in watching for and being alert to the different stages.There's no comfort knowing the POTUS may truly be demented. And now, if this is the case, should we mock him if he's showing symptoms of a disease? We don't know for sure if he is demented. I'm guessing, from my experience, he is.

Without sounding like an ageist, I honestly think the presidency is no job for someone in their middle to late 70s. Look how it ages men in their 50s. And even in the healthiest and most clear minded individuals, the ageing process IS present and has a diminishing effect on our bodies and minds.

11 April, 2019 09:28  
Blogger Professor Chaos said...

I'd like to see him run for POTUS in 8 years, not now. It's an awfully big leap from mayor of a mid-sized city to President of the United States. I'd like to see him serve 2 or 3 terms in Congress then run in 2028.

11 April, 2019 15:15  
Blogger Infidel753 said...

Lady A: I have a feeling that if he or any white man gets the nomination, a black running mate -- perhaps especially a woman -- will be essential. One of the big unknowns about Buttigieg is how well he can appeal to black and Hispanic voters, without whom we can't win.

Sixpence: I generally like Maher, but he needed to give Buttigieg more time to develop his points.

Shaw: I saw your post about Trump's dementia. I think it's likely to become a major election issue (see post below this one). A younger candidate could benefit from that.

I'm nervous about the older candidates like Biden and Sanders, too, though I'd certainly vote for one of them if he got the nomination.

Professor: I think it's not so much a matter of what's the best time for him, as who's the best candidate for this election. As to that, there's plenty of time yet to find out.

11 April, 2019 17:30  

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