The Large Crowd Part One

This part one of a larger series analyzing the race for the Presidential election in 2020.

Have you ever been stuck on an elevator before? Scratch that. Have you ever been stuck on a crowded elevator before? If not, I wouldn’t recommend it.

I was stuck on a crowded elevator before. Let me paint the picture: I get on an elevator at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston with a few classmates of mine to go down to down to a closing party or whatever they called it. See, we were up in Boston for Harvard Model UN and we had made pals with people from a college in Florida (I don’t remember anyone’s names or their school, as it what comes with age). All I remember about the Florida kids was that one guy dipped, said he was the best DJ at his school, and then proceeded to play the worse EDM song I’ve ever heard in my then 22 years of life.

We all went to the lobby and waited and after Slav squatting for photos, we finally decided to get on this elevator. The first mistake we made was letting other people who were waiting get on with us, making for an all-around tight squeeze. Then, we let everyone on after we hit every floor going down. After partying on this elevator, we went past the first floor and the elevator jolted. After about 45 minutes of sweating my ass off and hearing people scream at one another in 10 different languages, we were finally free.

I say all of that to say that this field of Democrats vying for the nomination, right now, reminds me of that time I was stuck in an elevator. Unlike the former veteran who happened to be in that elevator and led us to safety, there isn’t a clear voice leading the party ahead.

Sure, there’s Grandpa Joe, Joey B, Mr. VP, the former Vice President Joseph Biden. You would think being the most popular Vice President in recent memory would help him, but that’s not totally the case. Biden so far has the support centrist leaning Democrats who want to take down the President with pragmatic solutions.

But this isn’t any ordinary President. This is President Donald Trump.

A lot of voters feel that the Democratic Party needs to embrace Socialist Democracy better known as “being progressive”. And that’s fine too. I supported Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the last primary election. I felt that his views aligned with mine and that he had the foresight to move the country into a more positive direction. This time, I don’t feel it as much.

It’s not that I’ve become more conservative in three years, because I haven’t. I’ve often found myself confused as to why I can’t fully support him this go around.

And then, it hit me.

I think Mayor Pete aka Peter Buttigieg is right. Bernie Sanders supporters are a lot like Trump supporters. There’s no room to budge. It’s either their way or get out of the way. For a guy like Sanders who pushes love and positivity, there’s a lot of hostility from his supporters. And he almost never acknowledges it, which bothers me. If you’re willing to stop the President up until a certain point, which is your candidate not winning the nomination, that’s not a flaw in the Democratic Party, the election, or the Government as a whole. That’s a personal flaw within you being selfish and unreasonable. Sanders supporters are acting like the North East liberal elites or the MAGA fans they rallied against

I’m also sick of Sanders throwing around the fact that he marched with Dr. King, because it’s reaching the point now where it’s like me taking my slippers off and leaving them on the floor. He’s losing incredible value.

And I don’t support Buttigieg, either. I think he’s a nice guy, but he’s only a mayor. He’s not the mayor of Los Angeles or New York City, but South Bend, Indiana. No offense to South Bend, but it’s not indicative of the nation’s wants and needs as a whole. Right now, I think Mayor Pete needs to focus on his police scandal and not the Presidency. Maybe run for governor first?

Going back to Joe Biden, he needs to address what happened with Anita Hill almost 30 years ago. He needs to apologize for his actions instead of loosely acknowledging them. He also needs to address his busing problems back in the 70’s and the crime bill of the 90’s he wrote. No one will say that everything needs to age perfectly or gracefully, especially with the crime bill. However, policing drugs and nonviolent offenders has led the US to have the highest incarceration rates in the world, specifically among African Americans.

“What about Beto O’Rourke?”

Look, I would be lying if I didn’t say that Beto’s positivity didn’t affect me the same way President Obama’s did in 2007. However, O’Rourke needs to start detailing policies that he wants to enact. I’m fine with big picture stuff. Hell, I even understand why he voted along Republican lines as a Congressman. Local politics, when you’re a Congressman, affects your re-electability more than anything and in Texas, a red state, he’s had to align himself with Republicans.

Ultimately, the people (including myself) will be left to decide who is best to defeat the incumbent President. However, the Party’s lines are a larger crossroads than they were left to believe. Among 20 people, one will be left to face the President. Trump is already starting the attacks on every candidate that has shown their face, because after all, he’s Donald Trump. He isn’t afraid of any bad press and he loves any good press that he gets. While his base may not have grown, for the most part it hasn’t left. It’s a loud base that’s ready to take on whomever and whatever may come their way. Democrats need to understand this. They didn’t in 2016. It’s better late than never.