Franken, Clinton, Biden, Warren

I've had a few listeners ask if I'm angry with Senator Al Franken for endorsing Hilary Clinton.  No, I'm not.

Clinton learned her lesson in 2008.  If you act like you've won before you've won, you'll grab defeat from the jaws of victory (thanks Jeff Stein for that line!).  She is being very cautious, getting one of the more liberal Senators from one of the most liberal states on board before the Primary season.  She understands the primaries are won by appealing the more traditional part of the Democratic Party.  In my mind, her getting Franken in the fold this early for the 2016 race is a smart move.

People who do seem upset by Franken's endorsement then ask, "what about Elizabeth Warren?"  Funny, we skip over the candidate who I think is most likely to give Clinton the biggest primary challenge, if he decides to run, Vice President Joe Biden.  I like Biden, and as of right now [these things can change.  I went into 2008 supporting Edwards before jumping on the Obama bandwagon by late February], I'd lean towards him in a straight up head to head with Clinton.  I think she is an exceptional candidate too.  The Democrats once again have a good problem going into an open Presidential seat.

Elizabeth Warren reminds me of the idealist I, and most Democrats, have inside ourselves.  I believe she would make Wall Street a much better place and would tackle the unfair tax code if she became President, but she doesn't stand a chance.  The Wall Street bankers would do anything, ANYTHING, to stop her if it looked like she would win.  At the very least, they would all hand over half of their paychecks to the Republicans in an effort to wipe her out and maintain the corrupt system they thrive in.

Warren will also be a hard sell in non-liberal states in the primary season.  She will get accolades in Minnesota, California, and Massachusetts, but with the Democratic parties of states like Georgia, Texas, Virginia and Arizona, she will have a much harder time selling her wares.

I trust Senator Al Franken.  He is my favorite politician outside of Congressman Keith Ellison, and his judgment and rationale are exceptional.  He is entitled to his opinion, and his thoughts on an issue or individual will have a lot of weight with me.  More power to him.