Calm, well-spoken, good answers, unflappable, cheerful and SMART.

I like him a lot.

Mark Shields:

I disagree with David on this ground.

I think a mayor, a governor is a far better testing ground for somebody to be president of the United States.

I don't think it's any accident that both Roosevelts were governors, and some of our great presidents. The only two presidents to leave with 65 percent approval, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, were both governors.

And I would point that out because what a senator does is make tough speeches, issue scalding press releases, ask penetrating questions at hearings, and has totally shared responsibility, one of 100. I'm not responsible for anything the Senate does. I voted — or actually voted to recommit, and thank you very much, Senator.

Mayors, governors have to deal with real life. I mean, they have to deal with teacher strikes. They have to deal with tax hikes. They have to deal with traffic. They have to deal with trash collection, and they have to deal with…

Snow removal, all kinds of problems that people have in their daily lives.

And the mayor — Mayor Pete has been a very good mayor of South Bend, and I can say that. South Bend wasn't an easy place to hold together, put together. And so I have a bias in favor of mayors and governors.

I, too, am a fan of his. I think he's smart. I think he's bright. And I think he's not afraid to say something different, which, in itself, is just encouraging and refreshing.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/shields-and-brooks-on-trumps-national-emergency-democratic-platform-shift

"And, among other things, I think it calls for voices from the Industrial Midwest, a place that, in particular my party, to its detriment, largely ignored in past election cycles."

1. I don't think it's true.
2. But at the same time it runs counter to those in the party, especially in the big blue states like CA and NY, who think they should determine primary outcomes because they are big and blue.