That's actually what I like about him. I do not approve of the this way or nothing attitude. I want someone who realizes we need to deal with climate change, and supports basic human dignity. The details will always change. A good leader should see the problems and deal with them in the best way possible with the people and resources available. He strikes me as someone who will work to win people over and actually try to address the issues.

Also any candidate who gives up all their policies right away just gets dragged and picked apart for the remainder. It's not a winning strategy.

Agreed, and well before the general, Buttegieg will have to flesh out his policy positions. However what he has discussed appears well considered. I see a little bit of incrementalism creeping in around the edges because he's trying to attract independent and GOP voters -- for example he wants to maintain some vaguely-defined role for private sector health insurance, apparently via a basic Medicare-for-all coverage that would need to be supplemented with private insurance. I don't agree with that. Still, if it came down to Trump vs Buttegieg, I would have to hold my nose far less than I did for Clinton.

I like Bernie better at the moment but he's going to have to quit stalling about releasing his tax returns, or he's going to lose me. WTF is up with that, anyway?

@MsAl I don't know, Bernie and Warren have outlined their positions pretty extensively. So what do these other candidates bring to the table aside from the DCN platform. Right now, until the debates start it's pretty much a name recognition contest.

@mordant It may have something to do with his wife's issues (as trustee of a college) in VT, that's a guess

@cava That was my guess until tonight; now I'm picking up stories that the problem is his net worth is high; apparently it is north of $1 million because of recent book royalties.

Personally I have no issue with this. A net worth of $1 million doesn't mean very much anymore. But of course it allows you to technically be termed a millionaire and if you're a populist, a man of the people, a regular guy, in some people's minds that sort of ruins it.

Still, the way to deal with such issues is to get it into the open early and confront it directly. For that matter, that's the way you deal with your wife being in over her head running a college, or maybe klutzing her way into illegal territory. Delaying further at this point, whatever the reason, is just going to do damage.

I think you would be surprised at the number of liberals and gays out there that might get out and vote. The Klan members will vote for Trump regardless. This gay liberal is also a veteran and very Christian, and willing to own those qualities. It takes steam away from some of Trumps base. I think he could do it.

From what I've seen he mostly uses it to point out the hypocrisies in how the Republicans use it. I don't think there are many other gay men in the world that could do this well. He is using their own weapon against them to defend himself.

That is usually how I feel, but I'm thinking it is the most effective way to further destroy the family values aspect of the Republican party. Their religious rhetoric is very effective and I think it takes another religious person to take them down. I don't like the military either. I think his status as a veteran is the other thing that makes him the perfect weapon against Trump.

@MsAl what he's doing should be being done by religious leaders, not political ones, and some are actually doing that. This is a religious issue and it should remain one.

When religion and politics are blended together both come out worse off. If we tie liberal ideas to religion what's been accomplished, except to strengthen that religions hold on the government - like the current GOP is so handily demonstrating.