CNN This Morning 7-21-26 Mark Kelly is a uniter! — just not in the way a prospective presidential candidate would want to be.Commenting on news that the Democratic Senator from Arizona is considering a 2028 White House bid, today's CNN This Morning Group Chat was "united" in a blunt consensus: Kelly boasts a sterling resume, but lacks the spark to inspire voters. Bald, straight, white male. The concurrence was brutal. Panelists described the retired Navy pilot and former astronaut as "not the most dynamic speaker," missing that elusive "oomph," lacking the "inspirational" element past winners had, and even being "boring." Ouch!At the end of the segment, CNN reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere, perhaps atoning for having branded Kelly "not the most dynamic speaker,” tried to make the case that he is not that boring after all, pointing to his past as an astronaut, and being the husband of the nearly-assassinated Gabby Giffords. But those are biographical points—they don't speak to Kelly's bland personality.Host Audie Cornish said that Democrats are looking for "manly men"—the kind six-year-old boys say they want to be when they grow up—astronaut, logger [Troy Jackson, Maine], fisherman [faux "oysterman" Platner], and so that would make Kelly an "option."Republican Ashley Davis gave Kelly a backhanded compliment, suggesting Democrats might turn to him as a boring, normie candidate if, in panic, they see someone like AOC gaining traction.   Bor-ing! CNN Dumps on Mark Kelly's Prez Prospects pic.twitter.com/8Yzs3pa4ri— Mark Finkelstein (@markfinkelstein) July 21, 2026 There's precedent for Davis's point. Remember how Democrats shivved Bernie Sanders in 2020? He looked to be on his way to winning the nomination—and losing the general election—until the establishment convinced Rep. James Clyburn to endorse Biden. Propelled by that, Biden won the South Carolina primary and was off to the races.It's not just AOC who strikes fear in establishment Democrat hearts. From now through 2028, prepare to see Republicans reminding voters of the Democrats' loony-left lineup of Mamdani and the DSA candidates who, thanks to him, will be entering Congress, plus Abdul El-Sayed, Ilhan Omar, Hasan Piker, and others from the radical faction of the party!CNN This Morning7/21/266:36 am EDTAUDIE CORNISH: So next, I want to turn to 2028. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly is being talked about, at least in a new article from The Atlantic. It talks about him as, quote, a wingman. The article points to his resume and the goodwill he has accrued as the spouse of Gabby Giffords. Kelly is a retired Navy pilot, as well as a former astronaut. He's an outspoken critic of President Trump and the administration. The Group Chat is back. He's got a solid resume. Right? Can you talk about-- but he was vetted at one point for vice president, what happened there? 'Cause he didn't get that one.EDWARD ISAAC DOVERE: Well, that was 2024, that very rushed process, and he was one of the three finalists. He had an interview with Kamala Harris, but obviously he wasn't the one picked. . . . CHUCK ROCHA: Most folks who run for president, I don't remember anybody ever getting elected president because of their policy portfolio, or we would have a President Elizabeth Warren. Remember, I have a policy for that? Presidents are elected on different thing. This about being a fighter? Think about a Barack Obama, inspirational. Think about Donald Trump, listen to the Democrat here, 'cause he would inspire new people to show up. That's the part in the political operative mind that Kelly's missing. He has maybe the most perfect resume ever, but is he inspirational on the stump? CORNISH: Yeah, so a perfect resume plus 25 million dollars.ASHLEY DAVIS: Yeah, and 25 million dollars these days for a political campaign is nothing for president.But I, I also think that you're exactly right. I don't know if he has that oomph. I mean, like, obviously people like AOC brings people out to the stump and listen to them. Here's my thing. I'm not convinced, Isaac, that people running in 2028 run against Trump, and that's gonna be enough. Like, Trump's gone. DOVERE: No, I don't think it will be enough. I think, but it will be part of the calculation for Democrats, and but part of it is also gonna be who can inspire them, who can make them feel like there is a page to turn. And look, Mark Kelly is not the most dynamic speaker --DAVID: Right, that's --DOVERE: -- to Chuck's point. And, and can he become that person? Part of it is that he's a Navy guy, an astronaut. That's what he did. He was very careful about everything.CORNISH: Out of the 45 men who have been US presidents, 31 have had a military record or have served. He is a decorated former veteran. I think it's interesting that right now, Democrats are looking to all these dudes who have jobs that you say you wanna have when you grow up, when you're a six year old boy. It's like, I'm gonna be an astronaut, I'm gonna cut down trees, you know what I mean? Yeah, I'm gonna be a fisherman. Like, it feels as though in the hunt for manly men, like, if there's anybody who, you know, has that energy is kind of an option.. . . DAVIS: If the Democratic establishment sees AOC or someone like that taking off, and they want someone boring [Cornish laughs] 'cause the country is tired of the, you know, Trump days, Kelly is that stable --CORNISH: The standard for boring has changed so much. DOVERE: Boring -- he went to space, his wife was almost assassinated --DAVIS: Yeah, I don't mean, but you know what, he's not like --CORNISH: He's not that boring actually. DAVIS: You know my point.CORNISH: But yeah, yeah, less chaos, less chaos for sure.ROCHA: If there's just two people running, that's the point. But if there are six, you can win this thing with 30% in a primary.DAVIS: But does the establishment get behind you -- or Bernie?