Mirsky: My List of the Strongest Candidates for President in 2020: Mike Pence's Lament

Here we are in October 2017, on Columbus Day in fact, and young people all across the United States are disrespecting the man who “discovered America” because they were taught in school that the man, Christopher Columbus, whose ships led the way to the civilization we currently enjoy on this continent, was in fact a brutal violator of every human right possible. So people are not quite enjoying his memory at the moment. But they will take the day off . . . .

I am actually not taking the day off today, because there is too much work to do.

(Writing this article is giving me a brief rest from other endeavors.)

If you have taken a look at my previous writings on Exeter Patch about my views on the strongest candidates for President in 2020, you may well have wondered why I haven’t been mentioning our calm, quiet, very ambitious Vice President Mike Pence, the former Governor of Indiana. There is one simple reason for that. Pence is working for Donald Trump, our current President. And President Trump at this writing appears to have a firm grip on the Republican Nomination for President in 2020, because nothing he says or does appears to be offensive in any way to those expected to control the happenings in the Republican Primaries of 2020. Just think about that! And Mike Pence does not appear to be the kind of guy who would speak out against anyone unless they take a knee before a football game. That means that Pence and the GOP are going with Trump.

So here is my list of the strongest candidates for President in both parties in 2020. I will start in a fairly random manner that doesn’t actually disclose the person or persons I may favor personally. (Pay no attention to the man in the photo above.)

DEMOCRATS

1. Joe Biden, former U.S. Vice President, former U.S. Senator from Delaware over many many years, during which he was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. Joe Biden is the leader of the pack at this point, because he has it all: great speaker, understanding of working people in America, understanding of people suffering from bad fortune in America, kindness, compassion, love of country, a remarkable family. Joe Biden is a survivor. I am counting him in as far as those individuals having the best chance to win the New Hampshire Primary in 2020.

2. Seth Moulton, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts and veteran. Normally, Congresspeople don’t have much chance to be elected President, they generally need some statewide electoral experience to prove what they can do. But Seth Moulton is a strong individual, a young man with a lot to say. He has been in Exeter, he was here as a campaign volunteer and inspiring speaker during the 2016 New Hampshire Primary cycle. I am counting him in because Congressman Moulton keeps showing up and announcing himself as a candidate for President, and everyone is taking him seriously.

3. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Oklahoma. Senator Warren has said that she is not running for President right now, so we will have to take her word for it. But after the U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts in 2018, that is likely to change.

4. Hillary Clinton, former U.S. First Lady, U.S. Senator from New York, U.S. Secretary of State, and Democratic Nominee for President in 2016. Hillary Clinton still enjoys a committed following and could win the nomination easily in a crowded field. Still waiting for her to visit the Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, to sign her new book, which I have heard is a bit controversial . . .

5. Michael Moore, filmmaker and outspoken critic of hypocrisy in American culture. Michael Moore has everything it takes to defeat the current occupant of the White House. First of all, he understands the mass media. Second, he can do his regular job and still communicate directly with the public. Third, he has a lot of energy and is not afraid of anything or anyone. So, Michael Moore, yes, those interested in volunteering for a Presidential campaign here in Exeter and elsewhere in New Hampshire should take a good look at his films, particularly, “Roger & Me,” in which he discusses much of the root causes of the problems that many people are currently facing in our economy, which has not yet fully recovered from the repealing of The Glass-Steagall Act, which at one time protected American banks and taxpayers from being raided and robbed by unprincipled people in the financial services industry.

ALSO READ:

• Mirsky’s List of the Strongest Democratic Candidates for President in 2020: Labor Day 2017
• Mirsky's List of the Strongest Republican Candidates for President in 2020
• Mirsky: Supporting Truth, Justice, And The American Way
• Mirsky: First Amendment Does Not Protect Violence
• Mirsky: NH Fourth of July Reminder---Keeping Our Freedom Takes Work
• Mirsky: Warning---Some Politicians May Be Harmful to Your Health
• Mirsky: Interview With A Trump Supporter

REPUBLICANS

1. Donald Trump, U.S. President (formerly, “The Donald”).

As indicated above, the Republican Party does not seem prepared or inclined to challenge the President who is currently the leader of their party. It is very early in the process right now. And though he appears to have angered and upset many many people, we do not know what the results of his term in office will be. So if you add that to the normal procedure in the Republican Party, which is to nominate the person with the largest persona, regardless of content, then it looks to me that Trump would get the Republican nomination in 2020, if he still wants it.

So I will leave you on that disquieting note, on this disquieting day, Columbus Day, 2017.