TPM Reader EH is a long, long time reader and frequent emailer …

As a Warren supporter who has watched her make too many political mistakes, not turn into an effective Bernie blocker, and seen her organizational competence which should have been a key strength get trashed with the Nevada walkout I’m actively looking for the next thing.

Recognizing there’s no perfect candidate, everyone left in the primaries feels high risk but Bloomberg’s commercials are hitting some sweet notes. Is he the bigger, badder New Yorker we need? Policy history aside, if he and Trump are on a stage together who owns the room? Would it be the real business guy, the real rich guy?

Would love to hear some NY perspectives.

TPM Reader RS is an anti-Sanders voter …

Thanks as always for the series of reader reaction posts this evening – they, together with your “Is There a Path to Post-Primary Unity?” post from a few days ago have been helping me think through the situation.

To put my cards on the table, I’m definitely an anti-Sanders voter. I’ll absolutely vote for and support the Democratic nominee in the general, whoever that ends up being — although my vote is itself irrelevant here in NYC — but there’s almost no serious Democratic candidate this cycle who I’d less like to end up winning the nomination. (I’d rank Gabbard, Steyer, Yang, and Williamson below him, but I’m not sure any of those were actually “serious” even though they debate-qualified; I’m genuinely torn over Bloomberg for other reasons.)

TPM Reader RD responds to TPM Reader MRK …

I just read “Thoughts Before Canvassing” from MRK, and thought I’d respond. I like Elizabeth Warren a lot. She’s my home state senator, and I’ve donated to both her senatorial campaign before I even lived in Mass, and to her 2020 presidential campaign. I think she’s the smartest person in the race, but I have concluded that she’s not best positions to succeed in the general. Here’s why:

As were discuss or lament the stranglehold which Iowa and New Hampshire have over the Democratic nominating process, I wanted to share a few suggestions which seem worth considering. Any state getting a permanent or outsized role seems like a mistake. So looking for the perfect, most representative state seems like a fool’s errand.

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Over the weekend, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) made a rather sinister admission on live television, casually alluding that the dirt-digging campaign on the Biden family is far from over.

TPM Reader JS makes his case for New Hampshire …

My name is John Shappy and I live in Milford, NH. This morning I got up and had to run some errands around the Nashua, NH area. On my way I passed by a house that was hosting a house party for Amy Klobuchar. A few minutes down the road in Nashua I came upon Bill Weld and his travel vehicle. On any day leading up to and including the week before the primary If you want access to a Presidential candidate they are anywhere in the state. I have been a labor organizer and have met most of the candidates that I have had an interest in voting for. I have this access because I live in a state that holds the first primary.

TPM Reader NS states his case …

You said it yourself the other day (paraphrasing)—you are having a hard time believing what objective analysis of the evidence tells you: Sanders is truly viable all the way to the presidency.

TPM Reader NZ has a contrary take on the party unity question …

I am a loyal reader (and member) and generally find your analysis compelling, even if I don’t entirely agree. I’m prompted to write by your “post-primary unity” piece. I thought it was balanced and insightful until the last paragraph. But then I think you went off the rails in a way that replicates some of the frustrating asymmetry in how people often discuss the pro/anti- Bernie camps.

TPM Reader CGM responds to TPM Reader MRK …

I’ve been thinking about some version of this since the first debate. But MRK’s take on Warren made me want to write in and respond.

Some defensive posturing: I am a feminist. I went to an all-girls high school where I was taught women can do anything men can do, backwards and in heels etc. I would love nothing more than to see a woman elected president. But I am terrified about nominating a woman against Trump.

On Face the Nation this morning Sen. Lindsey Graham said he spoke to Attorney General Barr this morning and he has established a new “process” by which Rudy Giuliani will send his Biden “dirt” directly to the Attorney General.

Remarkable. Sen. Graham says he talked to AG Barr this morning and they have set up a "process" by which Rudy Giuliani will now send his Biden "dirt" directly to AG Barr. pic.twitter.com/gteVz53jIG

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) February 9, 2020