May 17, 2018

"A Boring Presidential Nominee? Bring It, Democrats."

Writes Jonathan Bernstein at Bloomberg, reacting to the FiveThirtyEight "fantasy draft"...
Of the 24 candidates they drafted, somewhere between a quarter and half of the selections are basically nontraditional candidates. The theory seems to be: Now that President Donald Trump has proved it can be done, we should expect total outsiders and politicians without conventional credentials to win a fairly large share of future nominations.
Bernstein's not having it. He gestures wanly at Amy Klobuchar, John Hickenlooper, Martin O’Malley, Terry McAuliffe, Chris Murphy, and Jeff Merkley.

That reminds me. I have a tag, "I'm for Boring," which I introduced early in the 2016 campaign process. The first post with this tag came in July 2014:
I'm sick of inspiration and claims of historiosity. We should all be perfectly jaded by now. Inoculated. It's healthful and wholesome. And so what if watching the campaign day by day is "a boring, grinding affair"? That's a problem for [Buzzfeed's Ben] Smith, running his buzz-dependent website, [fretting about how Hillary Clinton "hasn’t unlocked the only thing that could really turn a campaign into a movement... authentic excitement among American women at her historic candidacy"], but it's a nonproblem for the rest of us. Think of the time you can save not reading the websites that try to make something out of the presidential campaign every damned day. What will you do with all that time? Instead of thinking about how what happened in the last hour might be history, you could, for example, read history. May I recommend the Amity Shlaes biography of Calvin Coolidge?



Coolidge was boring. Good boring. Let's be boring for a change.



I want a boring President. Stop trying to excite me.
Perhaps if Clinton hadn't tried to excite us, America wouldn't have opted for the insanely exciting Donald Trump. I do think an outright, openly boring person would be the best foil for Trump. But we saw how he took down "Low Energy Jeb," so....

116 comments:

exhelodrvr1 said...

Chuck, do you think Trump is ever going to stop lying about being spied on?

Bay Area Guy said...

You like boring, Althouse?

May I suggest Michael Dukakis as the Dem nominee for 2020? He can be enticed out of retirement, I'm told.

rehajm said...

Lefties want extreme. Lefties don’t want boring. Lefties don’t have a word for boring. Lefties have 20 words for extreme.

Seeing Red said...

Terry McAuliffe is not boring.

Scratch his Clinton surface....

Ann Althouse said...

I voted for Dukakis.

I also voted for Mondale and Ford and Romney.

Michael K said...

The Democrats have no farm team.

Yesterday, they killed off the last few "Moderate" Democrats in the primaries.

If they want to avoid geriatrics and another candidate collapsing on the campaign trail, they will go for Harris or Booker.

Harris is nasty and annoying. Booker is so stupid that Hillary didn't even pick him for VP. He was the natural for her.

gilbar said...

so, supposedly this lady walked up to Cal and said:
"Mister President, my friends bet me i couldn't get three words out of you..."
and Cal said: "You Lose"

Bring back boring!

He was also, supposedly asked by a report (while Cal was fishing):
"what are they biting on, Mister President?"
and Cal said: " The end of my line"

However, Cal was a bait fisher; unlike Herbert Hoover, who was the best fly fisher ever to live in the white house

Ann Althouse said...

"Terry McAuliffe is not boring."

I know. Boring is a subjective judgment.

But by Bernstein's standard, he's boring because he's a traditional candidate, a former governor.

Michael K said...

What I've read of Mondale, he was a pretty good guy. He even laughed at Reagan's joke about "youth and inexperience."

Achilles said...

Ann Althouse said...
"Terry McAuliffe is not boring."

I know. Boring is a subjective judgment.

But by Bernstein's standard, he's boring because he's a traditional candidate, a former governor.


Terry McAuliffe is boring to democrats.

He illegally allowed felons to vote in VA.

He funneled money to McCabe for the Clintons.

He is just as corrupt as Hillary, just less successful at it.

But he is tall and pretty.

Go for it Dems.

Expat(ish) said...

@MichaelK - Mondale was apparently of the "old school" of partisans like Tip, etc. Fierce on the floor, friends at the bar.

-XC

Tommy Duncan said...

The implications of "boring":

(1) Embracing the status quo and the swamp.
(2) Only Democrats can be President because Republicans will be involved in fake news scandals.
(3) Congress gets its way, since a veto is controversial.
(4) The US abdicates its role as a world leader.
(5) Agreements with foreign powers favor other countries and embrace globalism.

Sebastian said...

"I'm for boring."

As the man said, you can't always get what you want.

Matt Sablan said...

"Terry McAuliffe"

-- Will never stand a chance given his horrible mismanagement in VA that lead to a dead body during one of the protests. There's too many non-Clinton crony, non-incompetent Democrats for him to stand a chance.

Bob Boyd said...

The Dems should nominate an illegal alien. It's time.

tcrosse said...

It never ends well when a candidate is the first Whatever to be president.

Bob Boyd said...

Now that I think about it, from the establishment perspective, Trump is an illegal alien in Washington taking jobs.

Wilbur said...

There's a couple of great Coolidge stories I've told in previous posts about Cal.

I consider him at the top of the list of great Presidents.

Curious George said...

"I do think an outright, openly boring person would be the best foil for Trump."

Forget "boring person" Althouse. Unless that boring person has a lump of Kryptonite.

Bay Area Guy said...

AA sez:

"I voted for Dukakis.

I also voted for Mondale and Ford and Romney."


I know! That's why we love you! You throw a mean intellectual curveball from time to time.

William said...

I read the Shlaes book. Coolidge's wife flirted with her sercret service agent. That was the big scandal. Hard to sell the movie rights for that biopic.

Drago said...

I wonder which democrat candidate LLR Chuck will get behind early on?

Of course, in a "very republican-y" way. Naturally.

Bay Area Guy said...

How 'bout Lawrence Lessig for Prez?

He's boring as hell, and tried it before!

Chuck said...

I think Democrats have to decide if they are willing to accept a truly moderate* candidate, in order to beat Trump for the good of the country.

*A "truly moderate" Democrat is almost impossible to find. I'm not so sure that Joe Manchin qualifies. I don't think that Tim Ryan counts, as what I would accept as a "moderate Democrat." My idea of a "moderate Democrat" is someone that Democrats would say is "nothing but a Republican."

But that really is the task, to get the 55-60% of the country that thinks of Donald Trump as a complete asshole, to agree on a non-Trump candidate. The candidate that I would support in that regard would probably be unacceptable to the Sanders/Warren/Schumer/Watters/Steyer/Soros/Krugman base of the Democratic Party.

rcocean said...

"I voted for Dukakis. I also voted for Mondale and Ford and Romney."

Surprised you voted for the Duke because the most boring candidate in 1988 was Papa Bush.

And how could you pass up Bob Dole? He was the ultimate in Dull.

SGT Ted said...

Hillary was boring as a candidate. The lack of attendance at her rallies and the constant attempts to "re-introduce" herself showed that she is dull as a spoon when it comes to being a candidate.

It was her revealed totalitarian nature and the unfolding criminality of her lifestyle during the campaign that drove anything "exciting" about her run.

Drago said...

LLR & #StrongDemDefender Chuck: "The candidate that I would support in that regard would probably be unacceptable to the Sanders/Warren/Schumer/Watters/Steyer/Soros/Krugman base of the Democratic Party."

LOL

Funniest post of the day.

sparrow said...

Wouldn't "boring", which I see as safe, be the choice for those of a conservative disposition? I understood the left as enriched for those who prefer novelty.

rcocean said...

The Dems will nominate a women again in 2020. That's why their unpaid DNC party members at CNN and NBC are pushing Stormy Dainels so hard.

They've written off white men, except for the Government workers, so the Dems only path to victory is White Women.

So, they'll nominate Liz Warren and cry "Bully" and shed crocodile tears when Trump attacks her. The hope is that all the white women will rush out to protect their "Sister".

ALP said...

Boring, but with a dry sense of humor nobody gets unless they are really listening.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hickenlooper is not a total disaster as a democrat. I don't think he's corrupt or evil, like most of the democrat party.

Kamala Harris is an asshole
Maxine WAters is an asshole
Elizabeth Warren wants to get rid of the Electoral College (thus removing any voice from smaller states and handing it all over to NY and CA)
Terry McClinton is pure evil and just another Clinton

rcocean said...

"Hillary was boring as a candidate."

She's a walking example of the "banality of evil"

Drago said...

What would be the best type of spy for the Trump admin to place within the dem candidates campaign for 2020?

Which republican oppo research organization should be awarded the role of creating an oppo hoax dossier to begin the necessary counter-intelligence investigation and spying on the dems?

I mean, since that is apparently a "thing" now that the left/dems/LLR's support that.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

John Hickenlooper is a businessman and an old fashioned democrat. He won't stand a chance in the radial leftwing machine that IS the modern democrat party.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The desperation of Hillary, the determination, the obsession, the butthurt, the non-stop lust for power... It will be Hillary again.

traditionalguy said...

Slaying Trump's terrible Dragon Energy will not be easy. Perhaps a tall guy named George with Byzantine ancestry and weapons training could take a shot at it.The CIA has binders full of them.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

radial = radical.

JPS said...

Michael K,

"[Mondale] even laughed at Reagan's joke about "youth and inexperience."

I'm still glad Reagan won, but watching that clip I like Walter Mondale, a lot. The look on his face when Reagan delivered that punchline - you just never see anyone so genuinely amused anymore when their opponent gets off a zinger.

Michael K said...

"Coolidge's wife flirted with her sercret service agent."

She was almost the best looking First Lady in our history, too.

Michael K said...

"watching that clip I like Walter Mondale, a lot"

My father-in-law was very active in the CA Democrat Party. He knew Humphrey quite well and said he was a totally different guy in private. Very funny and witty. His public face was absolute dullsville.

Mountain Maven said...

Hickenlooper? Is that all u got? At least put up Mark Warner, he doesn't smoke dope.
It'll be Kamala, the perfect storm of ID politics, charm and corruption.

JPS said...

sparrow, 11:42:

"Wouldn't 'boring', which I see as safe, be the choice for those of a conservative disposition?"

ALP, 11:44:

"Boring, but with a dry sense of humor nobody gets unless they are really listening."

We of a conservative disposition could have had Mitch Daniels. But he's kind of boring in the ALP sense, mild-mannered, and short. So we took a pass, and Purdue gets a very effective president instead.

Yancey Ward said...

What was Hillary Clinton if not boring? Until Bernstein can answer that question, he isn't worth listening to on the topic.

rcocean said...

Mondale and Dukakais were the last of the decent Democrats. After that it was all down hill.

tim in vermont said...

They could have run Jim Webb and all of us Althouse alte kakers would be complaining about his picks to the SCOTUS, etc, etc, but it was more important to them that they make us eat a shit sandwich.

Bay Area Guy said...

Mondale was a decent man, a bland mainstream Democrat. But he wouldn't survive in today's Dem party. He would get primaried in a heartbeat as being too moderate.

The Dem party has been co-opted by the hard left. They truly do not believe in the American experiment. They don't believe in capitalism, they certainly don't believe in judeo-Christianity, they don't believe in borders, they don't even believe there are 2 sexes.

So, it's best to either mock or ignore them.

Hagar said...

"Nice guys finish last."

Quaestor said...

"Jeb" wasn't change. He symbolized the entrenched elite. Jeb was the RHINO version of Hillary except that he wasn't so obviously corrupt and entitled. Trump didn't take him down. The same forces that elevated Trump from within the ranks of the GOP hopefuls all the way to the Presidency made Jeb Bush an "also ran" from the start.

Boring won't happen. The Democrats thrive on hysteria and leader worship, now more than ever. A few notable party members have tried to warn the Democrats that they need to calm down, but given the primary results last night it looks like the warnings didn't take. The Democrats are now full-on socialists, which means the middle-ground will either defect to the GOP or stay home in November. What happened to Roy Moore will happen to Tom Steyer and many others for outwardly different reasons. Outwardly. At root the same reason.

CStanley said...

Boring sounds good but it's just as likely to be a cover persona for a deeply corrupt politician as any other personality type.

tim in vermont said...

Jeb is to Hillary as Rochester is to Buffalo. They both ran with a ‘!’ after their names...

Curious George said...

"Michael K said...
"Coolidge's wife flirted with her sercret service agent."

She was almost the best looking First Lady in our history, too."

You've got to be kidding.

Ugh.

PS Melania?

tim in vermont said...

Imagine what the campaign would have been like:

Jeb!
Hillary!
Jeb!
Hillary!
John!
Martha!
Mmmm smooch, smooch, smooch....

Henry said...

I'd vote for golden retriever if given the chance.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hickenlooper is not a pot smoker. He was actually against the pot initiatives.
Jared Polis - he is a total pot head.

Bay Area Guy said...

I don't object to boring. I'm kinda boring myself.

Boring tends to represent the status quo, though. So, it depends on the direction the country is going. If the country is on the ascent, then, Yes, boring is good. See Coolidge, See Eisenhower.

If the country is going the same way as California (high taxes, big government, massive illegal immigration, massive illegal voting, ridiculously high housing markets, terrible business climate, huge pension liabilities, huge student loans), well, we probably need something un-boring to resist the decline.

n.n said...

Is it the candidate, or the press, activists, et al, that keep it exciting?

Perhaps some other factor like the "deep state", lurking beneath a layer of privacy, exposed in baby steps as covertly exciting.

Francisco D said...

Althouse said: "I voted for Dukakis. I also voted for Mondale and Ford and Romney."

Interesting. I voted for GHW Bush, Reagan and Carter. I also voted for Romney. The only one I regret is Carter.

Mondale was Hubert Humphrey's protege. Both were happy warriors and good guys.

When Reagan told the age joke at the second debate, Mondale laughed heartily. I liked him, but I liked Ronnie a lot more.

Drago said...

Quaestor: ""Jeb" wasn't change."

Jeb would have run a very, very, very, very respectful-of-Hillary-Clinton campaign. In fact, Jeb himself would probably have mentioned many times on the campaign trail what a wonderful thing it was having Hillary as the first female candidate.

Jeb would also have promised things like perhaps consulting with dems to have Pelosi write a DACA amnesty bill right out of the gate as well as pledging to keep the entire dem/lefty leadership at the FBI/CIA/DOJ in place if elected (those guys would have come to him during the campaign to explain "what's what", if you know what I mean).

Jeb would also have spent an inordinate amount of time lecturing the republican base voters on their "deplorableness" and how we must not respond to the obvious democrat attacks.

Naturally, Jeb would lose in a landslide, he would have taken the Senate and House down with him giving Hillary total unassailable control.

The dems would immediately have announced, as they did prior, that in the Senate the filibuster was being done away with completely.

On the plus side for "republicans", Jeb would have given a very, very, very, very warm and gracious concession speech to Hillary and telling everyone we have to get behind the new socialism since "elections have consequences".

And LLR Chuck would have gone to bed knowing that all of his dreams had come true....

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Boring won't happen. The Democrats thrive on hysteria and leader worship, now more than ever.

Agreed.

Enter... The Oprah.

Michael K said...

Melania is better looking and I thought of that after I clicked "publish" but Grace Coolidge was very attractive.

Look at the other First Ladies before you dismiss the argument.

Take a look.

Rahm Emmanuel got the Dims to win Congress by recruiting quite a few moderate candidates.

Later, Nancy Pelosi wiped them out by forcing them to vote for leftist crap.

Now, the few possible candidates who could win are being taken down by far left loonys like Henry Wallaces's grandson.

tim in vermont said...

I voted for Romney, I think we dodged a bullet there.

bagoh20 said...

I don't look to Presidents for inspiration or entertainment, but Trump has forced both on me. There are few famous people I would want to see as President, and every time I think I found one, I'm soon disappointed in them when they go soft on what they were preaching. Trump has not done much of that. Right now my fantasy President after Trump would be Nikki Haley. The prefect President would be moderately boring version of Trump. Do all the same things, but be less of a magnet for derangement from his critics. That derangement has proven useful in exposing his critics as dishonest and unhinged, but if he was just quietly accomplishing the things he is, a lot more people would see the criticism as derangement rather than a valid point of view, as many do.

Luke Lea said...

Shouldn't it be about trade and immigration reform? I can't believe the Dems have managed to get themselves on the wrong side of these two issues. Who among them is ready to break rank? A sane alternative to Trump who agrees on these two key issues would seem to be a good way to run.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

I think the problem is the distinction between boring and lame. A large part of President Obama's greatness is that he is very boring - a boring coolness and not the least bit lame. Look at that slogan, "Change that works for you." Boring.

Big Mike said...

They can nominate Terry McAuliffe if they'd like, but they have to understand that he probably won't carry Virginia.

Michael K said...

The Treasury IG is looking for the person who leaked the Cohen financial records.

That might be interesting.

Drago said...

Michael K: "That might be interesting."

There is no way in hell that Rod Rosenstein is going to prosecute any leakers who oppose Trump.

Rosenstein is there precisely to provide cover to the leakers.

traditionalguy said...

The Dems need to rebrand themselves. They are effectively Bankrupt. The white Reagan Democrats have all MAGA now, every one.The Black vote is moving to Trump long time passing. The Jewish vote can not be far behind.

Dems should announce they are lone, lorne refugees. Play for the sympathy vote.

Nonapod said...

Yeah, it sort of inevitable that the Dems will try to emulate Trump, even thought that's the exact opposite of a good idea.

As much as I have been pleasently surprised by Trump, I have always advocated for dull, boring presidents. I like sedate, workmanlike executives who are polite and soft spoken in demeanor, who honestly care about things like the Constituion and rule of law and regular tax paying citizenry, and are unquestionably effective in their actions.

Eisenhower would probably have been my ideal president. Too bad he was president 15 years before I was born.

Caldwell P. Titcomb IV said...

"What'd Calvin Coolidge say?"

"I don't know."

readering said...

I've posted this before but my theory is it hardly matters who gets the D nomination. What matters is whether an R challenges POTUS. If challenged, incumbent either chooses not to run (52,68) or is mortally wounded for general (76,80,92). Otherwise, unchallenged incumbent wins general (44,48,56,64,72,84,96,04,12).

mccullough said...

Phil Bredesen would have been a good dem nominee. He might be too old now. I don’t think the Dems will ever nominate another governor as president. Governors have records and have some accountability.

They will stick to Senators like Harris, Warren, Sanders, Hillary, and Ibama. Senators are talkers and buck passers. They are perfect candidates. They say a lot and have zero accountability. They think holding hearings is “doing something” and they are Grand standers. Trump perfected The Game.

After dipshits like W and Obama and Hillary, Trump knew he could say whatever he wanted. Obama was a celebrity. He was a total lightweight like W but without even the patina of a governorship and a blue blood political line. W had Dad and Hillary had Husband. So I give Obama credit. He bullshitted his way to the top all by himself. You can be boring if you are competent. Someone like Mitch Daniels and Bredesen are good examples. Practical guys who have some record of accomplishment and are practical as most governors are.

Romney had nothing. He ran the Winter Olympics. BFD. He did nothing as governor of Massachusetts. Romneycare was stupid.

Other than Trump, the GOP has no one to run. Walker is a decent governor but was totally in over his head on national and international stuff. It is the same GOP stupid playbook since HW.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Whatever advice Trumpists give you regarding your party’s candidates, do the opposite.

Dr Weevil said...

Four or five people here have referred to Walter Mondale in the past tense. He's still alive at 90 and doing a great job of preserving his legacy of decency by keeping quiet about current events, unlike (e.g.) John Kerry, who keeps reminding us what an ass he always was, is, and (barring an unlikely conversion) will be. Wikipedia says Mondale attended the swearing-in of Al Franken's replacement in January, so his silence is not enforced by poor health or senility, as Reagan's was in his last years.
I read years ago that Mondale loved big juicy steaks and fat cigars, but had to be careful not to be photographed consuming them, since looking like a stereotypical fat-cat Republican would have cost him votes.

Drago said...

Inga: "Whatever advice Trumpists give you regarding your party’s candidates, do the opposite."

Great observation!

For instance, Trumpists said if the republicans nominated Trump then Hillary could be beaten.....oh, wait......

BTW, the nomination is Hillary's if she wants it.

She knows where all the bodies are buried given her oppo research team had access to ALL the FISA 702 intercept raw data, and that includes data on democrat opponents as well.

There is a reason "Plugs" Biden "decided" not to run against her.....and there is a reason that Sanders shut his yap about her emails early on even though he now admits it was a big thing....

RBE said...

Coolidge was not boring. He was no-nonsense. Jeb and others are too wishy washy...Coolidge was not. His homestead, here in VT, is worth a visit.

Michael K said...

So I give Obama credit. He bullshitted his way to the top all by himself.

I don't think so. We just don't yet know who was behind him. Part of it was Axelrod but there was money there, somewhere.

I was a Walker fan but I agree he was over his head and the Koch Brothers might have said no.

Mitch Daniels would have been ideal but he has a family issue. His wife left him and then came back after he was the president of Purdue. I don't blame him for staying out.

f challenged, incumbent either chooses not to run (52,68) or is mortally wounded for general (76,80,92).

Not by GOPe pussies like chuck. I don't know who would challenge Trump that would be serious.

Achilles said...

Chuck said...
I think Democrats have to decide if they are willing to accept a truly moderate* candidate, in order to beat Trump for the good of the country.

There is a whole new wing of the democrat party to choose from. There are all sorts of cucks that wanted open borders "free" trade endless wars that supported Hillary.

They are about as popular as Syphilis.

Jim at said...

Whatever advice Trumpists give you regarding your party’s candidates, do the opposite. - Inga

Well, that would certainly explain why your preferred, Republican candidate - John Kasich - currently sits in the Oval Office.

JAORE said...

"Hillary was boring as a candidate. The lack of attendance at her rallies and the constant attempts to "re-introduce" herself showed that she is dull as a spoon..."

This is INSANE. How else do you explain banks (and others) paying her $250,000 for speeches SCOLDING them! Her speeches must have been riveting, riveting I say.

[Wonder where the current per speech rate is set?]

Michael K said...


Blogger Robin Eatmon said...
Coolidge was not boring. He was no-nonsense


Coolidge was as you say. The Prohibition that the left always blames on Republicans like Coolidge was a Progressive cause and Coolidge's supporters in Massachusetts included the breweries.

He was demonized by the left after 1929 so he is almost unrecognizable. I did a series of posts over at Chicagoboyz a few years ago on Coolidge.

Achilles said...

tim in vermont said...
I voted for Romney, I think we dodged a bullet there.

Permanent Obamneycare and amnesty were a given.

He was also literally Hitler and there would have been investigations of "corruption" or whatever nonsense the democrats could come up with. Romney caused cancer which would be a high crime and misdemeanor.

Achilles said...

Inga said...
Whatever advice Trumpists give you regarding your party’s candidates, do the opposite.

Make sure to run on endless investigations of non-crimes and impeaching Trump.

And do not under any circumstances try to purge the corruption out of the democrat party.

Clyde said...

Wow, what a rogue's gallery! Their list reminds me of the Mos Eisley cantina scene from Star Wars. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."

William said...

There's a saying that every Senator sees a future President when he looks in the mirror. I don't think the election of Barack Obama after his distinguished stay at the Harvard Law Review and two years in the Senate has done anything to diminish the ambitions of inexperienced senators. What will be new to the game is billionaires. There's a lot of billionaires who are more adept at making money than Trump and they no doubt think that they're a lot smarter than him. Billionaires are by nature ambitious men, and the presidency is the golden of prizes for an ambitious person. Bloomberg is kicking himself but Schultz is revving up, and he's probably not the only one. Oprah would probably be the most formidable challenger, and I wouldn't hold her to her word about not running.

William said...

It doesn't translate to still photographs, but Grace Coolidge was lively and vivacious. Everyone thought that Coolidge had done very well for himself in marrying her. In later life, she was good friends with JFK. JFK had an eye for attractive women so take into account his endorsement. Sadly, there's no evidence that they had a thing. That would be worth a biopic..........It was said that Grace and Calvin were mismatched in terms of their attractiveness. Perhaps. On the other side of the equation, FDR and Eleanor seem the most mismatched of presidential couples........Melania is clearly the best looking First Lady, but she's in the separate class of trophy wife rather than a spouse who has plghted her trough. Jackie was the best looking in that weight class, but Laura Bush had the look of someone whom it would be fun to share a life with.

Francisco D said...

Dr. Weevil said ... "four or five people here have referred to Walter Mondale in the past tense. He's still alive at 90 and doing a great job of preserving his legacy of decency by keeping quiet about current events."

That is good to hear. He was one of the last decent Democrats when it comes to personal style.

He was a tax and spend guy, which is why I never voted for him.

Michael K said...

"What will be new to the game is billionaires."

Yes but few are fighters like Trump. The internet billionaires have social skills on a par with Aspergers.

A guy like Jack Welch would have been a possibility but those kind are mostly gone.

Oprah might be street smart like Trump but her outburst about the purse in Paris suggests a really thin skin.

He has a sense of humor that few politicians or billionaires have.

rehajm said...

Right now my fantasy President after Trump would be Nikki Haley

Me too!!!

rehajm said...

Grace Coolidge- what was with that fucking raccoon?

Tank said...

I tried to read Shales' book on Coolidge, but gave up. It was too boring. Really.

n.n said...

So, we can expect no parades for private rites?

JaimeRoberto said...

Trump screwed up the Dems' strategy good. They got the first black president and were all set for the first woman president. After that, the first Hispanic, Asian, openly gay, transgender, non-conforming genderqueer, and illegal alien presidents. They had it lined up for generations. Now it's back to the drawing board.

tim in vermont said...

plghted her trough

Automalaprop strikes again!

MayBee said...

They've gone so far left, I don't know if boring will even get a chance to put its boots on.

Drago said...

"Right now my fantasy President after Trump would be Nikki Haley"

Chuck probably thinks Haley is the 'Ambassador to the Black Nations' or something. He's rather big on characterizations like that.

Drago said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
tim in vermont said...

Doesn’t Elon Musk have a “Boring company?” Careful what you wish for!

tim in vermont said...

https://techcrunch.com/2017/07/26/elon-musk-shares-footage-of-the-boring-companys-first-working-car-elevator/

tim in vermont said...

The Boring Company

rcocean said...

Nikki Haley is just Jeb Bush in a dress.

But hey, she's Indian. So, there's that.

bagoh20 said...

Nikki could kick Jeb's ass in any martial art, street fighting, or diplomat wedgie match.

tim in vermont said...

Meanwhile, Trump is having to promise, cross his heart, that we won’t do to Kim what Hillary did to Khadaffy. What a witch she was.

Ken B said...

You are pre-missing that beautiful man. But you say you want boring. Uhuh.

Bilwick said...

Boring would suit me fine, if the candidate, once elected, would leave me the help alone.

gilbar said...

Grace and Melania are both Very good looking; but...
I think we All have to agree that:

Lou Hoover was the most best good looking first lady with a degree in Mine Engineering
Lou Hoover was the most best good looking first lady born in Iowa
Lou Hoover was the most best good looking first lady that spoke fluent Chinese

Ken B said...

I thought Bush II would be boring. I told a friend I liked him precisely because he seemed a guy who would do nothing much.

Howard said...

538=20/20 hindsight

Bob Loblaw said...

I voted for Dukakis.

I also voted for Mondale and Ford and Romney.


Hah! I hope you vote for whomever I vote against next time around.

Bob Loblaw said...

I thought Bush II would be boring. I told a friend I liked him precisely because he seemed a guy who would do nothing much.

I suspect Bush would have been boring if not for 9/11.

Drago said...

Howard: "538=20/20 hindsight"

Nice formulation.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Inga- go for Kamala or Hillary or the fake white leftwing Indian.

Bad Lieutenant said...



As much as I have been pleasently surprised by Trump, I have always advocated for dull, boring presidents. I like sedate, workmanlike executives who are polite and soft spoken in demeanor, who honestly care about things like the Constituion and rule of law and regular tax paying citizenry, and are unquestionably effective in their actions.


Gonna throw this out there: the previous three presidents were rather youthful, which was I daresay regarded as a plus, but their performance was poor. Maybe not Hillary old or Bernie old, but the Ds might want to run somebody with some gray hair.

Bruce Hayden said...

Blogger Dickin'Bimbos@Home said...
"Hickenlooper is not a pot smoker. He was actually against the pot initiatives.
Jared Polis - he is a total pot head."

Voted against both of them when I was still registered in CO. Liked Hickendooer, but Polis is a real tool. Apparently, besides being a pothead, he is also the first male congressman married to another man.

Saint Croix said...

Coolidge wasn't boring! He was silent. But he had it going on.

"I"ll bet I can get you to say more than two words, Mr. President."

"You lose."

Saint Croix said...

"May you live in interesting times."

= Chinese curse