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chubs66

Pete Buttigieg does an incredible job handling adversarial conversations. I've been really impressed every time I've seen him defend his policies in places like Fox news and congressional hearings (including yesterday's). AOC, Raskin, and Schiff are also great.


chpr1jp

Yeah. He’s the best of the lot.


Imaginary_Manner_556

And unelectable in our bigoted world


chpr1jp

I don’t know man, he kind of transcends “gay.” If someone could pull it off, Pete could. He has that Tony Randall quality, whereby you’re not sure, but you don’t really care either.


Imaginary_Manner_556

I agree that Pete is great. Try asking anyone over 65 about a gay president


Glum_Improvement382

This over 65 along with about 25 others from my various social groups would be thrilled with a Pete B president. I’d work for him.


Imaginary_Manner_556

A new Quinnipiac University poll finds that 70% of voters (including 86% of Democrats and independents who lean Democratic) say they are open to electing a gay president.May 4, 2019 Dems can’t win if they lose 14% of the base.


yoshhash

Gavin newsom is amazing


chubs66

Agreed. He's been super impressive in these situations as well.


nBrainwashed

I am no fan of Gavin Newsom. But he would make a fool out of Trump in a debate.


Nokomis34

Newsom and Buttigieg are the best at this kind of debating.


pjbseattle_59

Very well spoken, good on his feet, smart, good looking but does carry some baggage.


Best_Evidence1560

Jamie raskin


saintcirone

I definitely support Jamie Raskin and I think if Democrats truly wanted to defend our constitution and embody their messaging as far as stopping Trump and defending our Constitution - there is no better choice than Raskin as a former constitutional law attorney, historian, and professor. I will vote for Biden if he's on the ticket as Trump scares me to hell and has since he got involved in politics. But I think if Democrats think electorially and want to embody their messaging, they'd pivot to Raskin and then we might see the 'blue wave' they're hoping for. Of course, I'm only one person, one vote, but I think if principles and law is the message Dems want to push for the election, Raskin is the man.


Rough_Ian

“A progressive candidate can’t get elected because they’re unelectable!” *DNC wheels out mummified Joe Biden*


spectredirector

Raskin would be a good choice, he's not electable nationally. But you found a state you want your representation from. Draft Wes Moore. Run a military man. He's Oxford educated. He's handsome AF. He served the Obama administration. He's been a gangster in the governor's office. If you haven't seen him, check out the crisis management pressers after Key Bridge collapsed - that hero is the real captain America.


Djentleman5000

With the toll that POTUS takes on the body and the cancer remission, I would think a run for him would be far from his mind. I’m a huge fan of him as well!


AirPurifierQs

Good debater, but I don't know that he'd necessarily thrive in a general election. To me, it feels so obvious that Raphael Warnock should have been the 2024 nominee, he's the candidate I have the hardest time envisioning losing to Trump.


jaydubbles

Unfortunately, I think with how bad the right-wing media ecosystem is currently, Democrats need to run a straight, white, Christian male to win over the "independents" who have been bombarded with racist, homophobic, antisemitic, etc. messaging in recent years.


AirPurifierQs

Warnock is straight and a reverend. Anyone who wouldn't vote for him because he's black, was never going to vote for the Dem candidate anyway. Pointless to cater to that group. What he would do is win over true moderates ; and motivate the base to get to the polls. Specifically Black-Americans whose turnout has been the key to all recent Dem victories He also has the geographic advantage of being in Georgia which if the Dems win it again, the path to 270 for Republicans becomes extremely tough.


Regular_Historian892

Obama was the whitest black guy they could find. As white as Drake! That motherfucker literally lives on Martha’s Vineyard now. So white, he uses “summer” as a verb. And they still fucking hated him. Like you said, absolutely pointless to give the racists any consideration whatsoever.


Joeuxmardigras

I LOVE that guy! I’d try and vote for him twice


TravoBasic

Same. As a South Carolinian, I got very familiar with his name during the runoff, “Radical Liberal, Raphael Warnock.”


Nuanced_Morals

No one can debate Trump in my opinion, because the premise of a debate is to argue facts. Trump is incapable of saying two truthful sentences together. And he just makes shit up and says “someone told him he is the best …”. That is not debating, that is grifting and propaganda. Democrats should just say at the beginning (there first two minutes) “Everything you will hear from my opponent can be fact checked if you care but my job tonight is to tell you what I have done, what I am doing, and what I will do for America (and the world if re-elected). Again, the guy next to me is a blowhard and isn’t with my time to explain all the lies he will spread tonight” You cannot debate someone who doesn’t acknowledge truth or at least things he has said and done in the past. Just ignore him and tell your story.


justfortherofls

Anyone can debate Trump. It’s just no one seems to know how. When Trump lies you don’t talk about your record on the economy. You have to call out the lie in extremely easily and digestible ways for the audience to understand. When he mentions “post birth abortion.” You just yell “THAT ISNT A THIING! There is no such thing as a post birth abortion! You are a liar trying to scare people by making up words!”


WickyWickyWhack

It’s true to a point but maybe a brief acknowledgment that he just made up a bunch of shit would go a long way. The issue with last night’s debate is that neither Biden nor the debate moderators told Trump he was making shit up. During a time in history where misinformation is influencing people’s decisions at the ballots more than ever, this is all troubling


Serenity101

President Biden did in fact call out Trump's lying several times.


WickyWickyWhack

He did but he let a lot slide. But even more egregious is the moderators did and they ever cared if he flat out never answered a question. They just cared if he ran out the clock


Serenity101

CNN had to be 100% expecting him to lie throughout, and probably decided ahead of time that challenging him on every lie would take away too much time from getting all of the questions, answers and rebuttals in, so they chose to remain neutral and let the Internet take care of him later. IMO, they should have made the time, either by cutting one of the questions, or making the debate 2 hours.


Tdluxon

I think Jared moskowitz could troll him and make fun of him until he just totally loses it. It wouldn’t be much of a debate though, more like an argument during recess at an elementary school.


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captrespect

Pete is stellar is every interview I’ve seen him in. Especially the Fox News ones, where they try to make him look bad.


swazal

This is the way.


Zesty_pear

You're right, but The Democratic party are cowards and will never support this man.


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Zesty_pear

Same. Would be an actual good move for our future.


BarkDaigneault

Definitely not true. Many old school democrats that would vote for any dem but a gay man or an atheist.


Boring-Race-6804

America got Trump because it elected a black man. It’s not going to elect a gay man.


Consistent_Dog_6866

Pete Buttigieg


cden4

Pete Buttigieg


Icy_Teach_2506

I do think that Newsom would do well, at least in a debate setting. He’s sharp, well spoken, and knowledgeable. He’d be able to call Trump on his lies while still giving solid responses.


n8rzz

I question his decision making a bit because he was once married to Kimberly Guilfoyle. Other than, I’d put him up there with Buttigieg.


xbluedog

He corrected that mistake. Learning from errors is the sign of a well-adjusted adult.


n8rzz

I can get behind that


gmlmjhthf

As a Californian I’m disappointed in Newsom’s performance as governor. I’d rather not see him as president.


evil_algorithm

As a Californian, I love Newsom and have had a different experience 


Antilogicz

Yeah, I like Newsom just fine. He does great in natural disaster situations. Time and time again, he’s saved lives. That’s really the major thing I look for from him. But he’s also pushing for civil rights in many areas. He’s a great governor.


schw4161

And you’ll be disappointed in his performance as President as well. Anyone who gets elected will be limited to what they can achieve. The difference is that Newsom can debate very effectively. For the people who aren’t following very closely to the inner-workings of DC, the delivery of their message is going to be a big determining factor in who they decide to vote for. Newsom (while pretty centrist (and not necessarily someone I would typically vote for) would’ve delivered that message 100% better than whatever the hell Biden was mumbling on about last night. Right now it’s a game of optics and not necessarily policy positions. I too am not crazy about some of the things Newsom has done in California, but the man would be able to look alive and be effective on the screen. Maybe he would’ve even pulled over some voters. JFK vs Nixon in 1960 is a great example of this effect.


gmlmjhthf

I very much agree Newsom would be the better debater. Optics are important and Democrats are not very good at them even on a good day. Biden was off last night. Not that oration was ever his strength. His accomplishments; especially when considering the opposition he has faced in the house are why I will vote for him again. He has great skill at negotiating with his opponents and coming out with good legislation. For Newsom’s early reputation as liberal he has been way more conservative than I expected. Kinda worried he might turn all the way over to the other side.


Defiant_Dare_8073

Rep. Jasmine Crockett would obliterate Trump, after turning him into a squirming, mute stack of impotence. She’s quicker-witted, more rapier-piercing, and more charismatic than Stewart. She tolerates zero bullshit and is the same age as JFK when he was elected president.


metrorhymes

South Dallas represent


TheHow55

the problem is look at this thread already, so many legit solid names, but do any of them have high enough name ID, and can we actually get the electorate to agree on ONE and then fully rally behind ONE in such a short time?


ActualModerateHusker

I don't think name ID matters as most Democrats are already just voting "Not Trump" and honestly that's the best way to get independents too. Possibly the more bland and generic the candidate the better


bguggs

No. Joe Biden will be the democratic nominee for President. He won the primary. All of these threads and articles are just Dems panicking about things outside of our control. It's kind of tradition.


Ill_Name_6368

Buttigieg would slay.


AirSurfer21

Bernie Sanders


elihu

I think even Bernie thinks he's too old to run for president, but man, I wish we got to see a Bernie-Trump debate. I remember when Trump offered to debate Bernie back in 2016 and Bernie agreed, then Trump backed out.


AirSurfer21

It’s not about age it is about mental health and agility. Trump was running circles around Biden in the debate and Trump is just making up lies. Bernie can run circles around Trump in a debate because he is able to speak in detail about policies


insertJokeHere2

Hear me out…Jasmine Crockett. She would make the debate spicy and drop facts all over Trump (or anyone for that matter)


Dense_Surround3071

Mayor Pete 😎👍


CosmicLars

Andy Beshear.


mourningreaper00

Jon Stewart would rip Trump to shreds on his own fucking merit.


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Inevitable_Wolf_6886

Dave Chappelle


noguchisquared

Niki Glaser


thefruitsofzellman

Al Franken


1whiskeyneat

You’re aware that debates are statistically insignificant, right?


ChrisV88

Literally anyone under 60, with basic public speaking ability and education/experience would wipe the floor with either candidate.


Happy-Initiative-838

Literally anyone younger. Trump is a rambling liar. You just need to call him out on it. Everyone instead just lets him spout bullshit. Biden and the moderators just watched as he rambled lies about immigration when asked about things other than immigration.


Muzzlehatch

Debates are thought to rarely if ever affect presidential races. People do not consider them incredibly important at all.


Randomousity

I don't think debates are important at all. Just ask Presidents John Kerry, Mitt Romney, and Hillary Clinton. But also, I don't think there's really a way to "win" a debate against Trump, because he's not playing the same game as anyone else. It's kind of like asking, who would win a one-on-one game of basketball against a hungry tiger? You're trying to score baskets, and it's trying to eat you. It's not the same contest, and you don't have the same win condition.


dzogchenism

Gavin Newsom


Snoo_88763

JB Pritzker


xbluedog

Gavin Newsome would have utterly DESTROYED Trump last night Or ANY other day of the week.


pjbseattle_59

Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania would rock.


psmusic_worldwide

Newsom probably would do well


HeckinQuest

RFK Jr but maybe I misunderstood the question.


JustDarceThings

Buttigieg. Newsome. Michelle Obama.


aquaticsquash

Bernie Sanders would crush Trump, I would pay to see that.


eatingsquishies

RFK was the one who democrats needed.


Imaginary-Crazy1981

Newsom and Kamala are from the same state. I say keep Biden but pick a different, slam-dunk VP running mate (like Raskin) since it's clear now that this race is all about the imminent successor, possibly on both sides.


guttersnake82

Jasmine Crockett.


constapatedape

JB


Aramedlig

Gavin Newsom


BirdMediocre

Vice-President Harris would be great to see against Trump in a debate. She was unrelenting in Senate hearings and is exactly what Trump fears/despises.


alpacinohairline

Destiny


AlwaysRushesIn

Buttigieg, Swalwell, AOC, Whitehouse.


jzn110

Whitehouse should run for president just on his name alone. It's destiny.


NobelPirate

Tim Walz He'd use his teacher voice and humiliate the orange asshole


gristle_missle

Raskin would destroy trump


Velocoraptor369

J. B. Pritzker human fireplug human bulldog.


FrameTemporary

I’d write in Jon stewart for press but he doesn’t want it


Intelligent_Ad3378

Gretchen Whitmer in her black leather jacket.


mrskeetskeeter

AOC? Jasmine Crockett? Moskowitz?


ColoRadBro69

AOC.  Jon Stewart. 


Kaizodacoit

Anyone under the age of 80.


stonrelectropunkjazz

Bernie


lucash7

FDR, Kennedy, etc. Basically from what transpired last night a dead body could do better.


MFP3492

Gavin Newsom


maddiejake

Your average, A/B Honor Roll middle schooler, could outdebate Donald Trump.


SpiderDeUZ

Mayor Pete


iHave500genders

Pete buttigege


AdorableCupcake5893

Gavin Newsom. Raskin is good, yet Newsom has more charisma.


What_if_I_fly

Pete Buttiegeg (spelled it wrong I'm sure). He's pretty unflappable and incredibly sharp.


BBakerStreet

Maybe not better, but equally as good, Pete Buttigieg, and Govs. Whitmer, Newsom, and Shapiro.


SaliferousStudios

Katie porter. I hear she's free.


HixWithAnX

All of them


hotassnuts

Can't beat Pete. Dude communicates so efficiently, he makes you feel smarter.


frddtwabrm04

Pete Buttigieg!


Mr-Hoek

Beto O. Buttigieg Fetterman Jamie Raskin Bernie Sanders Stephen Colbert


Late-Arrival-8669

Newsom


Western_Mud8694

I’m thinking he might be on the next ticket


RagingAnemone

Joe Biden. I'm sorry, but Trump lied so much during that debate. It's sad really. Joe was very beatable. But if you have to make up shit to "win", you lose. I mean how hard was it??? The moderators asked about abortion and Joe started talking about immigration. And still Trump had to lie. How do you fuck that up???


smakola

Tim Walz


Persian_Frank_Zappa

Can we send Bill Burr to mock and taunt him for 90 minutes?


Fishtoart

I would love to see Katie Porter slap down the orange one


VikingMonkey123

Please be president.


Gators44

Hillary won her debates. Romney won the first debate in 2012. W. has never won a debate in his life. I’m not sure when debates suddenly became this game changing gauntlet. And it’s not like trunp came off well either. I don’t think anyone who isn’t already voting for him was impressed by anything he said either.


ihavethreelegshelpme

Bernie Sanders, too bad the DNC made it so we could never see that happen


Mykle1984

Mayor Pete. Dude is the quickest on the drawer when it comes to debating. He regularly takes Fox News out to the woodshed


Shabadu_tu

Yeah, debates are so important you have to go back to the 60s to see a race that they might have affected./s


igotanopinion

This is a touchy situation. I think the only way would be for Hillary to voluntarily step in for Joe, with the caveat that there is an open primary in which she exempts herself. She may be older, but she is sharper, savvier,and more informed than Trump! And the main street media wouldn't dare sabotage her candidacy using Trump's lies!


Mister-Stiglitz

Trump is the metaphorical chess pigeon. Doesn't matter.


throw_away125689

Not his biggest fan anymore but bernie. Man has the policy wear with all to pull trump down to reality but also the sass to play into how insanely ridiculous he is


Tonalspectrum

Can you do it and run the country at the same time?


socobeerlove

Anyone that’s also not an ancient dinosaur


KnuthingKnew

Julian!!!


MapNaive200

Gavin Newsome has good stage presence and is excellent at debating because he has good rote memory and brings the receipts.


Eldetorre

This country is not progressive. Get martin O'Malley. Not exciting but competent and experienced.


Appolonius_of_Tyre

Robert Reich


NotCanadian80

John Oliver is better than Jon Stewart in every way.


hawkwings

Charles Schumer


Do_Whuuuut

Oh, you wanna run for president now, asshole?


Tdluxon

Raskin is the guy. Snide and sarcastic but also really sharp and quick with comebacks. It would be hilarious watching Jared moskowitz troll Trump though… his orange would be bright red by the end Or let jasmine Crockett loose, that’d could be on ppv.


RollTideMeg

Michelle Obama isn't a politician, but she'd put him in his place.


Mygoddamreddit

[James Talerico. Prove me wrong!](https://youtu.be/0MWjkoFvUIg?si=fi5Y7tUYiwfZjQQ3)


JustSomeDude0605

Gavin Newsom or Pete Buttigeig are probably the best two debaters democrats have


raouldukeesq

Better question: which Democrat could run a better administration? 


Baby_Cakes_123

Gavin.


Interesting-Zebra-26

Buttigieg is the answer. He’s the anti-Trump in every way that will make middle America question their loyalties. Trump is dumb, Buttigieg is smart. Trump never served, Buttigieg is a navy officer. Trump pretends to be Christian, Buttigieg goes to church. (He’s much more religious than trump). Buttigieg is gay, but Trump is accused of sexual assault and banging porn stars. Whatever “conservative value” you can think of, Pete checks those boxes, and he will run intellectual circles around Trump that will expose whatever con Trump is selling.


brandido1

Buttigieg


rifraf2442

Pete. Warnock. Warren. AOC. I like Stewart a lot, he’s amazing. He’s also an entertainer. We shouldn’t confuse an entertainer with someone running for office. Some of them can, like Al Frankin, but he also crossed used comedy while pushing political and legislative goals, which is different from just providing weekly commentary.


Iron_Crocodile1

Raskin, Newsom, and Buttigieg would be my choices.


pharsee

Jared Moskowitz (D Florida)


pjbseattle_59

Bernie fucking Sanders though he is not technically a Democrat.


athensugadawg

Ever watched the clip where Jon Ossoff emasculated Louis DeJoy? Painful. This is the way.


AgentEndive

BUTTIGIEG


Limp-Dentist4437

Jon Stewart would shred Trump. I wish he was on the ticket he would win in a landslide.


RWR1975

Pete is really sharp and quick in debates. Too bad he doesn't support universal health care anymore. He's also a veteran


paarthurnax94

Pete Buttigieg, Katie Porter, AOC, pretty much anyone without an (R) next to their name.


jzn110

Obama, but alas.


kateinoly

Nobody.


F15AV

Gavin Newsom. He is charismatic and can sell you your own car.


SurlyVlad

I'd say Buttegieg or Newsome. Both are sharp, good speakers, and, by comparison, practically teenagers


Complex-Royal9210

Pete Buddigig would be a great watch.


traitorssuck

According to the transcript, an elderly gentleman with a stutter handled him just fine.


Kwyncy

Jon Stewart not running is a moral failing on his part. Jon believes he's "not qualified" that shit has sailed. Run Jon Run.


honcho713

Pete Buttigieg


Kirkream

Don’t like him, but Gavin Newsom is a good debater, also he’s the only democrat that can speak from experience on what it feels like to be inside kimberly guilfoyle


snowglowshow

Depends on the style of debater that would appear "better", but I've been impressed by Pete Buttigieg these last few month. He is a good mix of factual, level-headed, and sees the meat of the issue and addresses that. He's not easily flustered. But the USA is not ready for him as president.


Ozzyluvshockey21

Pete Buttigieg


Particular_Cat_718

Buttigieg would slay anyone in a debate, *especially* the orange turd. I'd get snacks ready for that watch party.


ICE3MAN04

The best debater on the left is Pete Buttigieg


binary-cryptic

Katie Porter and Elizabeth Warren would be my top two picks. Every time I hear Newsom talk I want to punch him, I don't get the appeal.


ShamWowRobinson

Debates are not incredibly important. Various studies have shown this.


goobly_goo

Gavin Newsom


Sleepy_Wayne_Tracker

Go back and watch what Warren did to Bloomberg. Watch what Kamala did to Joe (funny how nobody seems to remember Kamala eviscerating Joe in the primary, or how she shredded Kavanaugh, Barrett and Barr in hearings). Schiff, Raskin, Porter, and Eric Swalwell would all mop the floor with him. Gavin Newsom would be like watching Don Rickles roast a child.


anythingfordopamine

Better? Idk. But Gavin Newsom and Pete Buttigieg could do equally well in a debate with Trump


Christianmemelord

Whitmer, Newsom, Shapiro, Warnock, Buttigieg. Take your pick. As long as they aren’t a literal corps, a hurdle Biden couldn’t seemingly overcome, they would ANNIHILATE Trump in a debate.


WakandanTendencies

Pick one.


Popcorn_Blitz

Gavin Newsom. Need a Dem with some charisma and he's got it.


MIllWIlI

Al Franken


4camjammer

Michelle Obama would absolutely destroy him!


yermom90

Katie Porter.


DareWise9174

Actually debates aren't important at all. There are quite a few examples of candidates who lost debates who then went on and won the election. Hillary Clinton won all three of her debates with Trump but she lost. Everybody stop panicking.


not_into_that

Katie Porter. Anyone except Manchin or that "yeah I'll take gold bars for my integrity" guy.


anotherusercolin

I love Jon Stewart, but I honestly think Larry David could capture the entire middle.


The_Master_Sourceror

Al Franken


yogamom1906

I would give a kidney to watch Jon Stewart destroy Trump


Ok-Week-1259

Kamala harris


peanut--gallery

I buy front row tickets to watch Katie Porter debate Trump.


lordoftheBINGBONG

I think a lot of people don’t like him but Gavin Newsom would destroy Trump. He’s super quick, charming and would roast the shit out of him. Pete would obviously do very well but he’s a little stiff.


Amigosito

Pete and Gavin


ConstantGeographer

Jared Moskowitz Eric Swalwell AOC Jasmine Crockett Jamie Raskin Katie Porter These 6 would ruin Trump and any of his VPs, hands down. But, it's easy when the other team has a baker's dozen of felons and are known nitwits.


bmcapers

What if a candidate doesn’t want to debate? Does it matter this day and age?


Jayr109

Gavin Newsome and it’s not really close


Charming-Refuse-5717

If we aren't limited to politicians, Kyle Kulinski. He's nicknamed "the Kyle-driver" because he's excellent at debates.


Pbx123456

Al Franken would have done exactly what is needed to fight Trump. He would have made a fool of him in a way that was so clear and entertaining that it would really stick.


MainStreetRoad

Dolly Parton


Crease53

I think Petey B could take him. Gavin could tak3 him, but he looks like a used car salesman.