Progressives Must Vet Presidential Hopefuls with Civility

By Mildred Robertson

As more and more democrats announce their intention to run during the 2020 Presidential Election, the feeding frenzy begins. Mainstream media and self-prescribed social media pundits alike have begun to dissect each candidate, laying bear their perceived or actual flaws in order to promote their preferred candidate. My advice to progressives hoping to see a better outcome in 2020 than we got in 2016—STOP IT!

Don’t get me wrong; a healthy discussion about each candidate and his or her historic stance on key issues is imperative. But that discussion needs to be based on actual, documented facts; not just select anecdotes and social media tropes that do not fully vet the candidates’ positions, action or intent.

What we all must do now is listen, research and select the candidate that most closely reflects our own views and political positions; and determine whether he or she can stand the national spotlight and the attacks that will surely come from the GOP. It is not necessary for us to do the work of the GOP by fatally wounding every democratic candidate during the primaries. By so doing, we provide a road map to a 2020 victory for the Republicans.

What I see when I look out at the field of Democratic presidential hopefuls is a diverse set of talent and experience. There appear to be many qualified candidates that can pick up the progressive mantle and carry it to a November 2020 victory. Our job is to elevate the one, without denigrating all the others.

There are a number of candidates who I think have what it takes to lead effectively. Many hold the same or similar political positions that I hold. There are some who seem completely authentic, and there are some who seem to have the political chops to turn positions into policy. But none of that is important if they cannot survive the meat grinder that is the presidential election process. We have to look carefully at all these candidates and determine the one who best represents our progressive agenda while simultaneously determining that he or she can make it through the primaries and survive national scrutiny in the presidential election.

Let’s not make the same mistakes in 2020 that we made in 2016. Let’s debate the issues facing progressives, but keep the fight in the family civil. Save the vitriol for the Grand Old Party.