This is my list of the candidates in order of which I think would be the least to most effective as president. As a note what I’m considering is the ability to manage the executive branch, build a strong team/attract talent, work with Congress, maintain the support of the American people, etc...the actual political science. This list is not exactly my preference (although it is close). 21. Williamson 20. Yang 19. Sanders 18. DeBlasio 17. Gabbard 16. Ryan 15. Castro 14. Harris 13. Gillibrand 12. Booker 11. Warren 10. Bolluck 9. Steyer 8. Inslee 7. Hinkenlooper 6. O’Rourke 5. Klobuchar 4. Bootyjudge 3. Delaney 2. Bennett 1. Biden
Interesting that you've concluded they'd be best from the lack of exposure from some of these choices (not saying you didn't seriously looked into their platforms).
Biden, Bootyjudge and Gabbard are the only ones who if elected would maintain some semblance of sanity in our government. Warren, Harris or Sanders would have us hard left and off the cliff in short order. The rest have no chance and aren't worth discussion.
I wouldn’t say I concluded. Some of these candidates don’t fit neatly anywhere and I sort of had to fill in the blanks as to what their administration would look like. I’m familiar with most of their stances on the major issues though. I think one of the things that are underestimated in today’s era is that the president is actually a manager and management skills are essential to being effective as president. Part of that is building a competent team that you can lead with clarity in a way that will get a majority of the American people to support you. A lot of people like Sanders, for example, but what kind of team would he be able to build and how would he actually do at managing the government? You can’t yell your way to success. But this is my opinion. I understand there are others and people look at this from less of a technocratic point of view.
So lets have some honesty here. The growing bizzaro world language being used by some top level candidates and media types has me, and should have everyone, somewhat alarmed as to what the left will do should Trump be elected again. The civil turmoil will be difficult to endure and come out the other side without some serious pain and long term damage. This is also true of a Warren, Sanders or Harris presidency as their goal is to completely dismantle and destroy society as we know it. A Biden, Bootyjudge or Gabbard presidency doesn't really alarm me as I do believe they are genuine in wanting to improve conditions for all. I may disagree with some polices and methods, but I don't see and end of it all type scenario playing out under their presidency. Bootyjudge or Gabbard would be my choice as of today if I thought the country was nearing some type of catastrophic end from another Trump election. What concerns me is that the radical left knows many people feel this way so I expect them to get serious on the violent crazy train next summer as a threat... elect Trump and we burn it all to the ground. We are entering dangerous territory here and someone needs to step up, be a leader and calm things down. Frankly that isn't Trumps style, nor is it the style of the lunatic types like Sanders, Harris or Warren and of course the leftist media who are the most dangerous players in all of this. Things will get interesting for sure, and probably not in a good way.
Unfortunately, I don’t think highly of Gabbard. She has proven herself to be someone who can be manipulated and used by many different interests. She also has a tendency to get kooky if not weird. There are more candidates in this mix that would do a fine job as president and only a few that would actually be worse than Trump. The biggest job the next president has will be to heal the rift Trump has caused to worsen between the minority and the majority communities. He has used the deep seeded racial and ethnic issues to keep his head above water politically but the damage it is causing to the social fabric of this country can take a generation to repair. Look at the toxic mix that is happening: It ain’t pretty what is happening to our country.
Well, they can be and are all manipulated to some degree, and getting "kooky" seems to be the new normal. Whether or not the biggest job of the next president is to bridge the racial divide is debatable, but it is none the less a job which needs some attention. I'll grant you that's some of Trumps language has proven to be problematic and no doubt has inflamed the issue, but this divide got much wider during the previous administration than it had been in years. It's also debatable which side of the isle is more responsible for that worsening divide. Lets just say there are few if any clean hands among our politicians on this and nearly every other issue. And yes, it ain't pretty what's happening and I expect it to get much more ugly as we move closer to election day. Will an actual leader emerge is the question?