16 Six Twenty-Two: Sneak Peek Short Takes (SPST)

Correction and update:  The word ‘peak’ was inadvertently used instead of the word ‘peek’ in this inaugural SPST article and the article was posted twice.  Those errors have been corrected.  In addition, after giving it further thought, this inaugural SPST will also be the final one.  So, hello and goodbye SPST.

Because the news media cannot place all of the major news stories on the front page, or even the first 10 to 15 pages, they are forced to make a choice as to what news they deem to be most important.  As a result, some very important stories might get buried on pages that are much less likely to be read or not mentioned at all.  That is why most politicians who do not want information that might be damaging to them revealed will dump it on the media as late as possible on a Friday.

And that is why I have decided to commence a new addition to my blog called ‘Sneak Peek Short Takes’ (SPST).  The SPSTs will be a reminder to readers that there is more to the stories in the media like those that regularly imply that Senator Chuck Schumer is an automatic to be the next Senate Minority Leader.  And that “more” might provide a perspective that will cause readers of this blog and those who could have a direct impact on the situation to take pause to assess things more closely before they make their decision.

The SPSTs will not be full-blown blog articles at the time they are posted but, if warranted, will be in the future.  An example of the SPST, which is also the inaugural SPST article, follows.

1)      Senator Chuck Schumer is talked about on a regular basis as the heir apparent to Senator Harry Reid.  Not so fast; should he really be the Senate Minority Leader with the very real possibility that he could become the Majority Leader after the 2016 election?  I am ambivalent.

I suggest that before he is placed in such an important position that his colleagues in the senate take a real close look at him; especially in light of the current political situation.  After all, he is the one who sided with the Republicans against President Obama on the Iran nuclear deal and lobbied other congressional Democrats to vote against it as well.

More to come after this SPST as Senator Reid gets closer to retirement?

2)      Perhaps Secretary Hillary Clinton should take a real close look at Governor John Hickenlooper as her VP running mate.  All things and all potential candidates considered, he could bring an awful lot to the Veepstakes; especially since Senator Sanders has not yet endorsed Secretary Clinton and many of his supporters are threatening to not vote for her and some are even saying that they will vote for Donald Trump.

The stakes are extremely high since even the slightest possibility that Donald Trump could become president is a frightening thought for many Americans.  Under these circumstances Secretary Clinton needs to be sure that she picks a running mate that will optimally compliment her weaknesses.  That candidate is definitely not Senator Corey Booker because she can carry African American votes on her own.  And it is likely not U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro because although she is slightly weaker with regard to the Latino vote, she can also carry that group on her own.

Further, she could possibly alienate as many white voters as she would gain Latino voters with a woman and Latino heading the ticket.  This same effect would probably occur with two women heading the ticket; especially if she selects Senator Elizabeth Warren as her running mate because she would likely be considered to be too far to the left as well as too aggressive.

However, even if Senator Warren is not on the ticket she could still be of strong support in helping to assure that the Bernie Sanders supporters would move their support to Secretary Clinton.  She could also provide major help in discouraging disaffected Sanders supporters from voting for Donald Trump.

If Secretary Clinton selected Governor Hickenlooper as her running mate Senator Warren’s efforts combined with Governor Hickenlooper’s ability to attract disaffected Republican voters could become a two-pronged attack.  This two-pronged attack would prevent disaffected Democrats from voting for Mr. Trump while at the same time convincing disaffected Republicans to vote for Secretary Clinton.  More to come after this SPST as we get closer to the general election?

Eulus Dennis – author, Operation Rubik’s Cube and Living Between The Line