Delaney in the Middle
John Delaney believes there’s a middle lane in the Democratic presidential race. Last Saturday his path brought him to Raleigh, and I had a chance to sit down with him.
While some Democrats lurch to the left, Delaney says, “I’m a moderate.” He positions himself as a centrist problem-solver who can actually achieve the bipartisanship that Trump extolled, then promptly exploded, in the State of the Union.
Delaney is a 55-year-old former three-term Congressman from Maryland. He quit Congress to run for President. He was the first Democrat to announce, back in July 2017. He’s been in Iowa more than any other candidate, the only one to visit all 99 counties.
He’s white, male, an entrepreneur who made millions and, yes, bald. Not exactly what Democrats are expected to pick next year. But don’t be surprised if you see him here next February in the thick of North Carolina’s March 3 presidential primary.
That’s right: we’ll be early – one month after Iowa, four days after South Carolina and part of a nine-state Super Tuesday.
Delaney flew in and out of Raleigh Saturday to keynote the College Democrats of America convention. Neither he nor the College Dems got much media notice. Too bad. Neither his speech nor their response fit conventional wisdom.
He rattled off rapid-fire policy ideas: universal health care, a carbon tax, energy innovation, preK-14 education, immigration reform, national service, tax reform, student loans, AI strategy, Internet privacy, infrastructure, international alliances and homeless veterans. He got several rounds of applause. Afterward, College Dems surrounded him for selfies and more questions.
My son James and I had a short sit-down with him, thanks to our friend Harrison Hickman, his pollster. Delaney is energetic and engaging, with a crisp, get-down-to-business manner. He has a quick, wide grin that makes him look something like a bald Will Farrell.
I asked how he deals with the grind of such a long campaign. He said that, unlike the Senators who are running, he doesn’t have to be in Washington. And it’s easy to fly in and out Maryland, so he gets home a lot to his wife and four daughters and gets in a daily workout.
Since the College Dems didn’t, I asked him how a moderate white guy wins. He says the threat of a Howard Schultz-type spoiler has reminded Democrats that beating Trump isn’t a sure thing. And if we do beat Trump, how do we get anything done in an era of divided government if it isn’t bipartisan? Isn’t the whole point getting things done?
Presidential races rarely follow a predictable path. (See: Trump, Donald.) Don’t dismiss Delaney – or other unlikely scenarios. After all, if Democrats do nominate a white guy, it’d be the first time in 16 years.
Delaney in the Middle
John Delaney believes there’s a middle lane in the Democratic presidential race. Last Saturday his path brought him to Raleigh, and I had a chance to sit down with him.
While some Democrats lurch to the left, Delaney says, “I’m a moderate.” He positions himself as a centrist problem-solver who can actually achieve the bipartisanship that Trump extolled, then promptly exploded, in the State of the Union.
Delaney is a 55-year-old former three-term Congressman from Maryland. He quit Congress to run for President. He was the first Democrat to announce, back in July 2017. He’s been in Iowa more than any other candidate, the only one to visit all 99 counties.
He’s white, male, an entrepreneur who made millions and, yes, bald. Not exactly what Democrats are expected to pick next year. But don’t be surprised if you see him here next February in the thick of North Carolina’s March 3 presidential primary.
That’s right: we’ll be early – one month after Iowa, four days after South Carolina and part of a nine-state Super Tuesday.
Delaney flew in and out of Raleigh Saturday to keynote the College Democrats of America convention. Neither he nor the College Dems got much media notice. Too bad. Neither his speech nor their response fit conventional wisdom.
He rattled off rapid-fire policy ideas: universal health care, a carbon tax, energy innovation, preK-14 education, immigration reform, national service, tax reform, student loans, AI strategy, Internet privacy, infrastructure, international alliances and homeless veterans. He got several rounds of applause. Afterward, College Dems surrounded him for selfies and more questions.
My son James and I had a short sit-down with him, thanks to our friend Harrison Hickman, his pollster. Delaney is energetic and engaging, with a crisp, get-down-to-business manner. He has a quick, wide grin that makes him look something like a bald Will Farrell.
I asked how he deals with the grind of such a long campaign. He said that, unlike the Senators who are running, he doesn’t have to be in Washington. And it’s easy to fly in and out Maryland, so he gets home a lot to his wife and four daughters and gets in a daily workout.
Since the College Dems didn’t, I asked him how a moderate white guy wins. He says the threat of a Howard Schultz-type spoiler has reminded Democrats that beating Trump isn’t a sure thing. And if we do beat Trump, how do we get anything done in an era of divided government if it isn’t bipartisan? Isn’t the whole point getting things done?
Presidential races rarely follow a predictable path. (See: Trump, Donald.) Don’t dismiss Delaney – or other unlikely scenarios. After all, if Democrats do nominate a white guy, it’d be the first time in 16 years.