Despite coming up short in presidential run, Martin O’Malley optimistic about future.

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'Despite hoping his campaign would have resulted in a greater impact on issues being debated, O’Malley’s early exit from the race limited his ability to affect the discourse. He said he strongly believes, however, that he still focused the conversation on substance and avoided the superficial. He also said he respects Sanders and Clinton for how they ran their campaigns, contrasting starkly with those of Republican candidates.

“Our debates were healthier than the Republican party’s debates, which seem to be colored by desire to scapegoat and to blame,” he said. “It is a disservice to the electorate to run a campaign rooted in personal insults and trivial banter while failing to address substantive issues and provide credible plans that will ultimately benefit American families.”

O’Malley saved some of his harshest words for business mogul and Republican front-runner Donald Trump.

“I never dreamed that I would feel compelled to call another person running for the United States presidency a fascist, but his explicit words and half-baked positions earn him that label,” O’Malley said. “When Donald Trump says things like we should maintain a registry of individuals because of the religion they practice, and then we should refuse to let any Muslims enter America, it demeans our great nation and it is a very real and dangerous threat to everything that our country is about ... I believe the enduring symbol of our nation is the Statue of Liberty—not barbwire fences.”

When asked what his next step would be, he laughed lightheartedly and said, “I am moving forward with great optimism.”

Without missing a beat, O’Malley expressed his commitment to impact issues such as gun safety, immigration reform, climate change and affordable education. Despite dropping out without winning a state, O’Malley said he did not regret his presidential run.


“If I had chosen not to run, I would have regretted it,” O’Malley said. “The goal was to win, but the purpose was to improve our country and my campaign was focused on that purpose.”

http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/2016/05/despite-coming-up-short-in-presidential-run-martin-omalley-optimistic-about-future