Has Tulsi found her running mate? (She could do worse…)

75 Replies

Doug and Tulsi

Did y’all know Tulsi Gabbard was in Columbia today? Our own Doug Ross did, and made himself available for a selfie.

Thanks for sharing, Doug!

75 thoughts on “Has Tulsi found her running mate? (She could do worse…)”

  2. Doug Ross

    Tulsi Gabbard is the most impressive candidate I’ve seen in my voting life. She’s intelligent, speaks clearly without the rate of most of the other Democrats.. She captivated an audience of about 75 people for an hour with her stump speech followed by taking questions from the crowd. Get responses reflected a level of honesty rarely seen.

    When the first questioner referenced Hillary’s recent conspiracy theories, there was a lot of laughter in the audience. Tulsi paused a moment and then said, ” That’s the appropriate response”. It’s an absolute joke that anyone would question her patriotism or motivation.

    Seemed like a diverse group. One young guy identified himself as a libertarian but said she was inspiring him to vote for her. (Me too). Another guy about 35 years old brought his wife and two kids.. Said he was a lifelong Republican who will vote for her because of her policy on interventionist wars. She made it very clear she is not an isolationist. She just believes military action should be the last resort, should be against countries that are a direct threat to the United States, and should have a mission that is clearly stated and achievable.

    I know she has no chance to win but I hope her voice continues to be heard throughout the primaries. If Bernie somehow wins, she’d be a likely VP choice.

    Not that it matters, but she is very telegenic, has a firm handshake, and looks you directly in the eye when she speaks to you. She projects as someone who can lead.

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    1. Barry

      Tulsi isn’t impressive and I reaffirm that fact every time I hear her speak. It’s why her poll numbers are a joke.

      The bad part is no one is very impressive.

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  4. Harry Harris

    My wife’s comment about Gabbard at the first debate was “Well we know she served in the military. She has nothing else”

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    1. Doug Ross

      She’s been in congress for seven years. Does that count?

      Anyone who judges a candidate on the farces called debates should have their vote taken away.

      Have your wife Google Gabbards interview with Joe Rogan. Invest 90 minutes and then decide. Or not.. just do whatever Rachel Maddow tells her to do.

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      1. Doug Ross

        Didn’t James Smith mention his service in pretty much every campaign ad, stump speech, and debate? I assume your wife didn’t vote for that one trick pony?

        There’s a reason some women don’t like Gabbard. #threatened

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        1. David T

          Everything worked out fine, James is now USC President Caslen’s personal aide and is getting paid more than he would have as Governor.

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        2. Mark Stewart

          Doug, Doug, Doug… Why so biligerently obtuse?

          But beyond your prickliness, when was there last a legitimate third-party candidate who could win, not just spoil, an election? Most would say Teddy Roosevelt. If so, the “libertarian” third party movement is just another waste of air. If Gabbard goes that route long tread by your admired cranks then she would deserve our scorn.

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          1. David T

            Any more of a waste of air than a Democrat candidate campaigning in South Carolina or a Republican candidate campaigning in California?

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            1. Brad Warthen Post author

              It’s true that California has been pretty “blue” of late, but I’ve always thought of it more as a place that deals in extremes, period, and not just those of the leftward sort.

              It is the place that repeatedly elected Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. And it’s also the home state of both Reagan and Nixon.

              And while it’s gone Democratic (in presidential elections) ever since 1992, it was just as solidly Republican in the six elections before that (Nixon, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Reagan, Bush)…

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          2. Doug Ross

            Mark – why do you think I’m obtuse when I respond to specific statements made by others? Tulsi Gabbard is more than “just” a military person. To suggest that is lazy.

            As for the third party issue, why are YOU being obtuse? Gabbard has stated THIS PAST WEEK that she isn’t going to be a third party candidate. What else does she need to say? Why do others keep bringing it up? Because Queen Hillary made a dumb statement?

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            1. bud

              Doug she really does point out her military career to a nauseating degree. As for what Hillary said it seems spot on to me. Her visit to Syria certainly gave aid and comfort to the Russians. We had Hanoi Jane. Now Damascus Tulsi.

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              1. Doug Ross

                Thanks bud. Your presence validates my opinion every day. Anyone who can conflate Tulsi with Jane Fonda proves my point about how many liberals are spoon-fed from the MSNBC trough.

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                1. bud

                  You’re right. I shouldn’t conflate the dedicated, lifetime service to humanity of Jane Fonda with the ad-hominem attack dog Tulsi Gabbard. I’ve watched both the debates she was in and all she had to offer was negativity. First toward Kamala Harris. Then she launched that ridiculous “regime change” nonsense during the second debate. She is a serial flip-flopper and was one of the last members of the Democratic caucus to support impeachment. The good news is she’ll be gone soon since she has decided not to run for her congressional seat. Good riddance to Major Grandstander.

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                  1. Brad Warthen Post author

                    Whoa, wait a minute! Is Bud impersonating me?

                    Seriously, though, I don’t have access to MSNBC and the Jane Fonda comparison occurred to me. I just held back from saying it…

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            2. Mark Stewart

              Tulsi said she will not run for reelection to Congress. So this quest to remain in the Presidential candidate race is her game plan. I don’t need anyone else to tell me it is obvious that she is, at the very least, setting herself up to be a third-party spoiler candidate. Especially since she has zero chance of being the Democratic nominee. So you tell me what her campaign is if not a vanity project – with a hand grenade at the ready?

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  5. Mark Stewart

    I will also go on the record as saying even SC (or at least Trump and Graham) will have a hard time of it next year. It’s pretty clear that a good number of the more independantly-minded voters have had enough of the chaos and the lying for convenience. I wouldn’t say that SC is in danger of becoming a purple state, but the personalities of the top two office holders are not doing the GOP any favors.

    The Republican operatives had to work extra hard to ship in a crowd last week for Trump at Benedict (which in every way was still a really bad idea to even have held that campaign stop). While the “Lock Him Up!” chants at last night’s world series game did seem to mostly come from the cheap(er) seats, the Boos fell on Trump from across the park. Those were all tomatoes and Trump hadn’t seen that uniformity of dericision; it must be wrecking his day today. So sad!

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    1. Doug Ross

      How do you feel about the black people who stood on the stage with Trump, presented him with an award, or thanked him for his work to pass the bill that shortened the prison terms of many black inmates? Are they part of the white supremacist movement?

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      1. bud

        As Brad has pointed out there are gay people who are opposed to legalizing same sex marriage. I’m sure you could have found pro-Nazi Jews in the 1930s. So I suppose a teeny tiny number of black folks are able to support a clearly racist president. Maybe this is some sort of Stockholm syndrome thing. But let’s be clear, Trump will be very lucky to get above 10% African American support next year.

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        1. Barry

          You can always find a few folks that will support anything.

          In the confederate flag debate, some racists groups would always promote one or two black men as agreeing with them.

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      2. Mark Stewart

        I think they meant well, and were conned, no pun intended, into rewarding the “wrong” party. By that I mean person…

        That whole charade with Trump was an SC GOP set-up. There was nothing “real” about it, including that Benedict was probably paid for “hosting” Trump’s appearance.

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    2. David T

      You’re talking about the same people who voted Strom Thurmond into office year after year.

      The game last night was held in one of the most liberal areas in the country. Do you think the same thing would happen in Houston?

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      1. Barry

        Yes, Houston is a very diverse city, also pretty liberal.

        Of course Trump would have faced a good number of folks booing. His disapproval ratings have been upside down for almost his entire presidency.

        Presidents face Americans booing when they aren’t holding rallies full of their own supporters.

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    3. Doug Ross

      Define hard time. Will their Democrat opponents come within 5%? Trump won 55-41 over Hillary. You think the Democrat gets to 46? Even if it’s Warren or Bernie?

      Lindsey’s won by 17 and 15 in his last two elections. What would constitute a hard time for him?

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      1. Doug Ross

        You won’t see the Democratic nominee in SC after February. They have to use their resources where they have a chance of flipping states. Might see some token surrogates pretending the nominee has a chance, but is not happening.

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    4. Barry

      I think trump will win easily in SC because too many ,younger people don’t vote.

      If the economy starts slipping, trump will lose badly nationwide.

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          1. Barry

            there is no such deal possible.

            I didn’t have an issue with the recession. I’ve done quite well regardless of who is in the Oval Office. But this is not just about me.

            I don’t root for terrible news for the country. If we are certain for a recession, I’d prefer it happen in time for trump to face the consequences.

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    1. Brad Warthen Post author

      Yesterday while on my afternoon walk, I listened to the Friday podcast of The Daily, headlined “‘A Prophet’: The Zeal of Bernie Sanders Supporters.”

      Y’all might find it interesting…

      I’m not a fan of zeal, by the way. Not in politics. Gets on my nerves.

      What I mean by this, I think, has to do with the way the word “enthusiasm” was used in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was looked down upon by people who believed in reason and enlightenment. In a religious sense, “enthusiasm” was associated with charismatic practices, and High Church types saw it as low. But it seems to have extended to other areas of life as well.

      You run into it in Patrick O’Brian’s novels, and possibly (I don’t remember for sure) in Jane Austen. It even makes it into the dialogue of the “Master and Commander” movie, when Capt. Aubrey says “I know it sounds absurd, and were it from another man, you’d cry out ‘Oh, what pitiful stuff’ and dismiss it as mere enthusiasm. But with Nelson… you felt your heart glow.”

      Anyway, I find myself thinking about that archaic sense of the word when I witness the enthusiasm of Sanders and Warren supporters. And of Trump supporters.

      Such enthusiasm is, to me, not quite the thing….

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    2. Barry

      Probably not but I have soft feelings for Bernie. My son and many of his friends are huge Bernie fans. At a minimum, he’s set the stage for someone like him in the next decade.

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    3. Doug Ross

      So if he wins Iowa or nh, he’s not viable? He will beat Biden in both states and will be in the race till the convention. He’s at worst, the third most viable candidate.

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  7. Doug Ross

    Another reason I am for Tulsi.. this is common sense.. we have enough evidence across the country that legalization of marijuana is working fine:

    Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) joined House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler (NY-10) in introducing the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act. This comprehensive bill addresses the decriminalization of marijuana as well as criminal justice issues that have disproportionately impacted underserved communities as part of America’s “War on Drugs.”

    “Millions of Americans have fallen victim to the failed War on Drugs, tearing families apart, disproportionately harming minority communities, and overcrowding an already strained prison system. Marijuana use is a personal choice and should not be a criminal act,” said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. “For many years I have worked to end the marijuana prohibition and am proud to push this legislation forward that will begin to right the wrongs of the past, and invest in communities who have been most harmed.”

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  8. Doug Ross

    Todays USA Today poll has some good news for Tulsi ( and I know the likelihood of her winning is the same as that of the Gamecocks winning the NCAA football title)

    “The Democratic field now has a top tier of four candidates – Biden, Warren, Sanders and now Buttigieg, whose standing rose 4 points from the August poll. They were followed by Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at 4% – up from less than 1% last time – and entrepreneur Andrew Yang at 3%.”

    Biden continues his long, slow slide.. down to 26%… He has not had a good day yet on his campaign. Everyone else keeps rising (except Harris and Beto) at Joe’s expense. The day of reckoning is about 90 days away.

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  9. Doug Ross

    Tulsi update:

    She just qualified for the November debates. Although she won’t won, it’s great to have her voice on the stage.

    Here’s Tulsi on The View yesterday defending herself against the ludricous smears that she is a Russian agent. Watch her take apart Democratic mouthpiece and failed comedienne Joy Behar as well as Hillary Clinton with cool precision. Behar has to read all her talking points off a blue card while Tulsi takes her down without even raising her voice.

    https://twitter.com/TheView/status/1192150773141889024?s=09

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    1. Mark Stewart

      I think it’s great she made the next debate. That isn’t the problem. If she doesn’t run a third party campaign post-primaries it’s all good.

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      1. Doug Ross

        She has said repeatedly this week that she will not run a third party campaign. It’s another ploy to try and take her down… which is weird that the Democrat political machine is so afraid of someone polling at 3%. The corrupt people who hide on the sidelines orchestrating the narratives, rigging the delegates, leaking to the media are the biggest problem in politics. That guy John Podesta is an obvious scumbag… same with Debbie Wasserman Schultz…. they were instrumental in leading Hillary to her loss.

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        1. Mark Stewart

          You would know better. If she said so, then I will take her at her word and will listen to what she has to say.

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          1. Doug Ross

            This week:

            “This is a movement to take back the Democratic Party from corrupt warmongers,” she said in a tweet, paraphrasing her remarks to the Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington D.C. “They’re doing everything they can to get me to run as a 3rd-party candidate so they can retain control of our Party. But I won’t. I’ll continue to fight to make our party & country of, by, & for the ppl,” she said.

            And from a Buzzfeed interview:

            “But Gabbard has said she won’t run third-party, and she has been very categorical about it. After a town hall in Columbia, South Carolina, last Saturday, I asked her whether there were any circumstances under which she would change her mind.
            “No, no. Answer’s still the same. Nope,” Gabbard said. I also asked her whether she thought she would always be a Democrat. She answered yes.”

            —

            I guess since people generally expect politicians to be liars, when Gabbard says explicitly that she will not run a third party campaign, it is natural to assume she is lying.

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  11. Doug Ross

    New Quinnipiac NH poll: @TulsiGabbard is at 6% and @AndrewYang is at 4%, bringing Gabbard to 3/4 polls and Yang to 2/4 polls for December.

    https://t.co/zDUjSwdF66

    It’s happening. Booker and Castro are close to dropping out.

    Which was more important to her rise, Hillary’s dumb attack or my support? We may never know.

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  12. Doug Ross

    New Hampshire Latest Poll: @EmersonPolling

    Sanders 26%
    Buttigieg 22%
    Biden 14%
    Warren 14%
    Gabbard 6%
    Yang 5%
    Harris 4%
    Steyer 3%
    Klobuchar/Booker 2%

    Gabbard not going anywhere soon.

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    1. Brad Warthen Post author

      Ah, yes — that beautiful melody with the appallingly nihilistic lyrics that are about believing in nothing (“Nothing to kill or die for — and no religion, too…”)

      I’m only able to enjoy it when I don’t listen to the words…

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      1. Brad Warthen Post author

        Now all my pacifist friends will lambaste me for having things I want to “kill for,” ignoring the rest — the things to die for, and religion.

        Taken altogether, those lines mean “believe in nothing.” I look at the message holistically, rather than picking this or that word.

        And I reject an anthem that is about believing in nothing…

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        1. Doug Ross

          How about focusing on the singing/music instead of the words? Imagine a President with her level of “chill”.

          I guess I’ll wait for Joe to do his rendition of Camptown Races.

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      2. Harry Harris

        A disdain for some of the values you (or I) hold dear doesn’t even approach nihilism. The song is iconoclastic, but reflects strongly-held values nonetheless. Would you prefer the anger and hatred expressed in Psalm 137 to the wish for love and hope in Bob Marley’s One Love? I suppose the “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition” sentiment fits your value system better than a dreamer’s song calling for peace on earth, tolerance, sharing, and unity transcending iconic boundaries.

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        1. Brad Warthen Post author

          Sorry, but I have to disagree. When you say there is nothing worth believing in — not God, not country — that’s pretty much what nihilism is. It’s a statement of negation.

          It doesn’t matter what I believe. He’s calling on people to have no strong beliefs, period. Live for today; don’t have principles that extend beyond you and beyond today.

          Of course, I am perhaps being influenced by his long litany of what he doesn’t believe in from another song.

          I mean, come on: The guy didn’t even believe in Beatles… 🙂

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          1. Bill

            ” Imagine” is one of his worst;it’s forced,plodding and uninspired like a Hallmark greeting card in dire need of an editor…

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          2. Brad Warthen Post author

            I would also add that “Imagine” isn’t particularly iconoclastic. It’s a fuzzy mashup of sentiments that were very common among a huge portion of my generation at the time…

            Or to put it another way, Lennon was not being some ground-breaking nonconformist. He may have been iconoclastic in the sense of trying to topple icons, but he wasn’t being daring or profound. He was being mushy and sentimental, 1971-style…

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            1. Doug Ross

              Tulsi’s performance reminded me of one of my favorite movies – Bob Roberts – with Tim Robbins as a folk singing Republican Senate candidate. I heard a podcast with Robbins this week and he mentioned how the movie would be very fitting for today’s political climate. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like you can stream it for free anywhere.

              This Dylan parody is one of the songs:

              https://youtu.be/2af69xt0VKE

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              1. Brad Warthen Post author

                I’ve never seen that movie, in large part because I’ve never been a Tim Robbins fan.

                My favorite role of his is when he plays Ian/Ray in “High Fidelity.” I’ve always thought that role kind of captured the way I think of Robbins, sort of typecasting.

                Which is probably unfair of me. And in any case, unlike Rob in the movie, I don’t fantasize about beating him to a bloody pulp…

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                2. Doug Ross

                  Bull Durham? Mystic River? The Player? Howard the Duck (wait, never mind that one)…

                  Mystic River is also on my short list of favorite films.

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                3. Doug Ross

                  You probably wouldn’t like Bob Roberts because it is a very cynical look at the political process. Feeds right into my wheelhouse, though.

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