The handwriting, as they say, was on the wall, and apparently Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) finally read it. As such, the Democrat who began her campaign in a blinding snowstorm heard the March winds blow and decided to call it a day.
Upon hearing the news, one commenter wrote on The Washington Times website something that perhaps a lot of people are thinking: “Nice woman, but not quite ready for the White House.” Without a doubt, Klobuchar did everything in her power to make it work, but when it came down to it, a voice of reason is not what excites the Democrats this election cycle.
Of course, calling the Minnesota senator a voice of reason tells you just how far to the left the Democratic Party trends. On March 1, Klobuchar was forced to cancel her rally due to a raucous protest by members of Black Lives Matter. As Fox News reported, “Protesters hijacked an Amy Klobuchar campaign rally in St. Louis Park, Minn., Sunday night to protest the candidate’s 2002 prosecution of a man in the murder of a child.”
It’s widely reported that Klobuchar, who generally comported herself well on the debate stage, says she’s now backing Joe Biden. The South Carolina primary was a good day for Obama’s VP, who did exactly what he said he would do and wiped up the floor with his Democratic opponents.
And, boy, did he ever need that win, following poor showings in Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada. Biden, like Klobuchar, is trying hard to run as a moderate in a heavily leftist political atmosphere. The tough gal from Minnesota dropped out following the lopsided results in South Carolina, preceded by Tom Steyer and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
In a recent article for Liberty Nation, Washington Political Columnist Tim Donner opined that the senator appeared to be the Democrats’ best choice for president. Among his reasons, Donner wrote, “Importantly, Klobuchar has presented as the most likable of the contenders, in many ways, the anti-Trump. She is unthreatening, unlike the socialist candidates, and has consistently hewed to conventional liberal (now known as ‘moderate’) positions on critical issues while spurning radical notions of reform.” The senator also hails from the Heartland, and as such she was the candidate most likely to bring out these folks on Election Day. All this makes for sound political analysis.
But when it comes to elections, logic doesn’t generally rule the day. Try as she might to deliver it with sincerity and enthusiasm, Klobuchar’s moderate message did not appeal to Democrat primary voters, strongly evident in the early primary contests. Despite calling it quits, the lady from Minnesota will not fade from the American public’s view.
As she exits the stage with seven delegates, Klobuchar wields a bit of power as we approach the Milwaukee convention. She is likely to get a hard look for the vice president slot if – and this is a big if – Biden becomes the party nominee.
And why not? Klobuchar fulfills a couple of roles in terms of identity politics. She is younger than Biden and a woman from Middle America to boot. When you tie it up in a neat bow, the senator may be a good fit for Biden. That’s a reasoned argument, but in these days of quirky politics, rationality may not mean a damn thing.
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Read more from Leesa K. Donner.
