The Field

I'm not ready to pick a Democratic nominee, because I think there's real value in the process.  I was John Edwards Curious in 2008, for example.  But I need to narrow the list.  So here goes:

Sanders: No.  Some of that is left over ill will from 2016, but I just don't feel compelled that he has anything more than a message that things are wrong and unfair and he will magically make it better. Plus, too old.

Gillibrand: I wanted to get behind her campaign, because I like a lot of what she has done as a Senator, but there just isn't enough there.

Klobuchar: When your main selling point is that you're the most popular Senator, and it turns out you're an ogre to your staff...I have doubts.

Delaney: Who?

Gabbard: Aw, hell no.

Castro: Maybe there is something special there, but I'm not seeing it yet.

Biden: Nope.  Too old and too gaffe prone.  Classic sidekick, but not a leading man.

Hickenlooper: There would have been a time when he could've been a compelling candidate.  This is not that time.

Williamson: Who?

Inslee: Nice issue, nothing compelling about the candidate beyond that.  Plus, too old.

Yang: Who?

So that leaves me with:

Booker, Buttigieg, Harris, O'Rourke and Warren.

Warren has far and away the best policy chops, but sexism will hit her hardest.  She's close to too old, but that will likely come across more as sexism than age related.

Harris doesn't seem to attract the same negative sexist attention; she's not "shrill" which is a bullshit charge against Clinton and now Warren, but it will stick.  Harris has her problems on criminal justice issues, because of her time as DA, but I don't think that will stick.

Booker has immense potential as a charismatic candidate, but he's less impressive off the cuff.  He lacks the left wing cred that Warren has, because of his connections to Wall Street. 

O'Rourke has something.  It's tough to describe exactly, but he's got magnetism in ways that really no one else has, except maybe Booker and Harris. He would crush Trump in a debate in ways that would be a joy to watch.

Buttigieg is the perfect NPR candidate, and I have to admit there's something impressive about him.  Unlike Hickenlooper or O'Rourke, he's pretty much barred from winning a state-wide office, so why not shoot for the presidency. He's very impressive, but South Bend?  And I don't think winning South Bend's mayoral seat means that the Rust Belt will elect a gay man.

So, that's where I stand, but I am free to change my mind.