I'm talking about Minnesota and from what I've seen, anecdotally, is that this protest doesn't seem to have much traction. It appears to be much smaller than the one in MI. I still believe that this election will be close and I'm not going to bet against Trump. My own feeling though regarding MN is that it will likely stay blue. There are obviously Trump supporters and people angry at the Governor Walz but the overall impression I get is that Walz's support has increased during this crisis. If Biden does pick Klobuchar for VP I think MN would very safely remain blue. A Klobuchar pick might make a difference too in IA and WI.
Following up on my post above there is still plenty to be concerned about the election. A lot can change between now and then. We don't know what the situation will be like with COVID 19 but even if it isn't an issue come the fall there could be many other things that crop up. Also people have very short attention spans and Trump and his supporters seem to automatically throw things down the memory hole. It is important we remind the electorate of all of the stuff this President has said and done.
True. The problem with Klobuchar though is she brings little for Progressives and for black support. It is a strategic tradeoff. Does Biden feel that the Midwest and he needs to win back white rural and working class votes or does he feel it is more important to lock in Progressives and increase enthusiasm among the minority vote..
trump’s briefings have become increasingly about politics and his re-election campaign over the last weeks, and less about the science. Every time it is pointed out to him that he is constantly contradicting himself, putting aside the river of lies he continues to say during the briefings, he denies it. Just this week, when he gave a surprisingly reasonable set of guidelines for “reopening” the country in a gradual way based on science, within hours he completely undermined his own guidelines by encouraging a misguided series of protests in several states. The way his tweets were worded is particularly dangerous, calling for the “liberation” of those states, encouraging the reckless actions of the protesters, calling them “responsible,” when most weren’t wearing masks and some were openingly carrying firearms. Considering the context, the protests were far from being responsible. Just to make as clear as possible the political reason behind the tweets, he tossed in that the governor of Virginia, a Democrat, was “attacking the 2nd amendment.” Something that had nothing to do with the protests, the virus, any of it. Also a dishonest thing to say, in my opinion.
Biden has the most progressive platform for any recent Democratic Presidential candidate. Biden won Super Tuesday and became a lock for the nomination due to his black support. One has to suspect that Obama will join his campaign stops in the Fall, CV permitting. What is motivating Democrats and Independents and (some Conservatives to Get Out The Vote for Biden in 2020 is ... the Criminal in Chief. The 2018 mid-term elections (pre-Mueller Report and pre-Impeachment) was a landslide Democratic victory, when most recent mid-term elections strongly favored Republicans. The 2020 election may even have stronger Democratic turnout. Trump can save himself though, by turning a new leave and acting competent and Presidential between now and the election. The state governors are currently getting strong approval from their constituents during the CV Crisis. The approval is there for the taking, if only Trump changed his ways.
I think Biden needs to pick someone that will either almost certainly give him what was in 2016, at least, a swing state. That, or someone with enough broad appeal in a section of the country, or most of the country, to give him a reasonable chance of taking states Democrats didn’t win in 2016. I’m skeptical that Senator Klobuchar is that person. If he picks her, I’d love to be wrong, of course. I’m leaning towards Governor Whitmer. Right now, anyway.
