Bret: I understand his weakness with African-American voters but remain mystified by why he isnt polling better with the younger electorate. Even so: Wouldnt it be nice to have a president who makes you enjoy the English language every time he speaks?

Gail: Mayor Pete is certainly a good speaker, but hell be even better when he runs again a few years down the line. I dont think its a rejection if you just feel he could use a little more political experience outside of South Bend.

And speaking of mayors, are you still high on Mike Bloomberg? Talk about terrible poll numbers. How much do you think hed need to spend to turn things around? More or less than the national budget of Canada?

Bret: He is my first choice by far, whatever misgivings I might have about his micromanaging style. (We former Republicans have to stick together.) Im convinced he can trounce Trump in a general election, and he would have a winning message to the so-called exhausted majority that is sick of our hyper-ideological, polarized politics. And I wouldnt read too much into his poll numbers right now. Hes a candidate of the head, not the heart. He has the money to keep going all the way to the convention, which might prove very useful if, as I think is entirely possible, the Democrats wind up with a brokered convention between two or three uncertain or unpalatable front-runners.

Gail: Ah, yes, a brokered convention. The last one was so exciting. King George VI had just died, the hydrogen bomb was about to get its first test and people were talking about the great new picture Singin in the Rain.

We havent had one since 1952, Bret. But tell me what youre envisioning.

Bret: Imagine a scenario in which Buttigieg wins Iowa, Warren wins New Hampshire, Biden wins South Carolina and then goes on to win Super Tuesday, causing Bernie Sanders to drop out of the race. Some Sandernistas will go to Biden, but I suspect most of his supporters then shift to Warren. The rest of the field drops out for lack of funds except, of course, for Bloomberg. At that point, the Democratic Party takes a deep breath, clenches some posterior muscles and realizes the former mayor offers the best shot at dethroning Trump, who at that point will be celebrating his impeachment victory after an acquittal in the Senate.

Am I 100 percent insane, or just 95 percent?

Gail: Hesitant to dismiss any wild possibility in the current climate. But when crazy stuff happens, its always because of Donald Trump. On the Democratic side things are actually pretty boring considering that weve got a wide-open presidential race.

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Can Anyone or Anything Dislodge Trump From the White House? - The New York Times