In Defying the Odds, we discuss leftward drift of the Democratic Party. The update -- recently published --includes a chapter on the 2018 midterms.
The 2020 California primary takes place on March 3. But the state will start mailing out ballots on February 3, the same day as the Iowa caucuses.
This weekend, most of the announced candidates attended the CA Democratic convention.
— BEST HALL RECEPTION: Elizabeth Warren, who was showered with a standing ovation and cheers by hall delegates, broke the applause meter, managing to outshine favorite daughter Kamala Harris in the city where she served as district attorney (a point her massed supporters made with chants of “THIS IS HARRIS COUNTRY!”). Harris was cheered on, but Cory Booker’s impassioned address was a close second, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg another top favorite.
— BEST RETAIL MOMENT: Warren also hit a home run in the liberal bastion of Oakland, Harris’ hometown, where a crowd of 6,500 lined the streets for half a mile to pack the Massachusetts senator’s rally on the soccer field in Laney College.Her uber-energetic delivery wowed the mix of baby boomers and millennials, then she promised a selfie for anyone who wanted one — and stayed for 90 minutes in the cold June Bay Area night to deliver.David Weigel at WP:
Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper found a way to stand out at a crowded gathering of California Democrats: He denounced “socialism,” and got booed.
“If we want to beat Donald Trump and achieve big progressive goals, socialism is not the answer,” Hickenlooper said at a Saturday afternoon session of the state party’s annual convention. As the jeering grew louder, Hickenlooper added: “You know, if we’re not careful, we’re going to end up reelecting the worst president in American history.”
Hickenlooper’s presidential campaign had previewed the remarks hours before he spoke. The Coloradan, who was a geologist and a brewer before entering politics, has repeatedly argued for Democrats to embrace and reform capitalism.Eli Watkins at CNN:
Members of the crowd at the California Democratic Convention booed presidential hopeful John Delaney on Sunday when the former Maryland congressman criticized "Medicare for All."
"Medicare for All may sound good, but it's actually not good policy, nor is it good politics," Delaney said, inspiring a wave of boos.
As the booing continued, Delaney said, "We should have universal health care" several times before completing the thought and continuing to criticize the health care policy championed by a range of 2020 candidates, notably including Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who made Medicare for All a centerpiece of his previous presidential run.
