There are 20+ Democratic presidential candidates right now, and one of them will be our nominee. That means that even some of the more prominent candidates will be saying or doing great things that are slipping through the cracks of traditional media and social media. It means that almost everything the lesser-known candidates are doing will fall through cracks that are more like chasms.
Good stuff from Democrats deserves attention. Add to that the fact that we don’t all like every single one of the candidates, but that when the time comes, we’ll have to set that aside and get behind the nominee as our way to beat Donald Trump and start the long, hard task of fixing our country. And that’s where this roundup comes in. I’ll be looking for a strong moment from as many candidates as possible each week, be it a policy, a quote, a tweet, an action.
So without further ado …
Joe Biden wrote in an op-ed backing an assault weapons ban that “Assault weapons—military-style firearms designed to fire rapidly—are a threat to our national security, and we should treat them as such. Anyone who pretends there’s nothing we can do is lying—and holding that view should be disqualifying for anyone seeking to lead our country.”
Beto O'Rourke wrote an op-ed about the El Paso shooting, Donald Trump’s history of white supremacist statements and actions, and gun laws: “We must ensure that a democracy that has been captured and corrupted by the NRA can summon the courage to pass common sense measures like universal background checks, red flag laws and a ban on assault weapons -- proposals which the majority of Americans agree should be in place.”
Julián Castro ran an ad targeting Donald Trump—and by targeting, I mean ran it on Fox & Friends in New Jersey where Trump was at his golf course.
Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Deb Haaland released a plan to fulfill U.S. obligations to Native tribes and peoples.
Cory Booker apparently crushed it at a forum organized by the Black Church PAC and the Young Leaders Conference. Religion News Service reporter Jack Jenkins wrote that “Crowd is on its feet now, because Booker has basically turned this into church. Note: This shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows Booker’s background.”
Bernie Sanders talked to Cardi B about police brutality, immigration, jobs and education, and more.
Pete Buttigieg released a plan to “renew and re-imagine opportunity in rural America,” from high-speed broadband to “prioritiz[ing] technologies that can boost farmers’ bottom lines while reducing carbon emissions from agriculture to net-zero or net-negative.”
Kamala Harris expressed solidarity with American Airlines catering workers who are fighting to make American honor the idea that one job should be enough.
Andrew Yang talked to the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times.
Kirsten Gillibrand spoke out in support of nurses facing unsafe conditions in Southern California hospitals.
Amy Klobuchar spoke to the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, tweeting about it that “When unions are strong, America is strong. And as I said to @GoIUPAT members at the Painters & Allied Trades 32nd Convention this morning in Las Vegas, if anyone doubts the power of working people organizing for elections, I have 4 words for you: Former Governor Scott Walker.”