Joe Biden 2020 campaign megathread v3 (pg 45 - mass-dropout aftermath)

[Mr. Smith]

You people saying you wouldn't support Biden in the general, because your fantasy of a Trump second term is preferable to your strawman of a Biden presidency, are idiots.

Absolute.  F***ing.  Idiots.

You don't deserve the right to vote.  You are too stupid to participate in democracy.

We dont deserve the right to vote if we dont vote for who you tell us to vote for? How is that democracy? Great logic you imbicile

We don't let children vote, because they are incapable of logical thinking or reasoning about the future with any semblance of maturity or rationality.

If you call yourself a progressive, but would vote for Trump over Biden (or help Trump in some other way, by voting third party of staying home), and your reasoning is something utterly asinine like

I prefer a re-elected Trump w/Democratic House to a useless four-year Biden Presidency, and it’s not even a close call.

then you should not be voting, because you are so stupid that you are basically a child.

I don't care who you support in the primary.  Go waste your vote on Marianne Williamson for all I care.  But I can't believe the election is a year out and we're already hearing from these perennial Sarandonite idiots bragging about how they'll proudly be helping Trump next year by being too pure to vote for the Democratic nominee (if it's Biden).  I can't believe I'm the only one on this forum telling these people where they can shove their purity politics.

I mean, he has a point. Considering we are due for a recession by the early 2020s, along with typical anti-presidential voting in midterm years, the next four years may be a bloodbath for whoever wins. If it weren’t Trump (who may be an insane fascist) I would be voting GOP for strategic reasons.

Why would you strategically vote for a more competent GOP figure, but not the useful idiot? Trump is an excellent base motivator.

Also, I've never considered myself progressive, just Anti-Deregulation.

[Mr. Smith]

Biden (and Pete) released his governing strategy plans today and you guessed it: bipartisanship will help him pass his agenda!

The sad part is that this is what voters want. I forgot the exact numbers but it was either a plurality or a bare majority of Democrats wanted the nominee to be someone who will work with Republicans. Voters are naive or plain willfully ignorant about how bloody politics is. But Joe is giving them what they want.

It's going to be him and we need to elect as many Democrats to pad/create the majority as possible.

Or they want some kind of sanctimonious, self-righteous, moral high-horse to ride on when parties aren't supposed to have such a thing.

[Mr. Smith]

Yall think Eric Holder will endorse in this primary?

I just know Team Biden is holding some huge Black endorsements in the arsenal for (1) MLK Weekend and (2) the pivotal weeks before the SC Primary. 

South Carolina will become "MEANINGLESS" for Joe Biden if he can't pull off a Victory in either Iowa or New Hampshire.

Do ya'll really think he can still win the Nomination if he loses IA & NH? This isn't 1992.

In recent Democratic Nominations the eventual D-Nominee has either won IA or NH.

Unfortunately, it's also not 1988 either where one can win by dodging The South.

[Mr. Smith]

How Trump has given Biden a major campaign boost

After three years of his chaotic presidency, President Donald Trump has made nostalgia a big, bold idea among Democrats. This is one of the secrets to former Vice President Joe Biden's ongoing success in the polls. The President, with the full support of his party in Congress, has pushed politics so far off-kilter that Americans are desperately yearning for normalcy in the Oval Office.
On paper, Biden is not offering anything very dramatic. He himself embodies an older vision of the Democratic Party, in contrast to the slate of women, African Americans and Latinos who have made inroads in both the presidential race and in Congress. While his campaign has put forward a series of policy promises that aim to expand on President Barack Obama's domestic record, he often talks about a return to some kind of better past.
Biden has called for Democrats and Republicans to work together again. During the debate this week, he said that while he has "no love" for Republicans who attacked his family, "the fact is, we have to be able to get things done." Biden has frequently repeated a key tenet of his campaign: "We're in a battle for the soul of America." In doing so, he often talks about traditional American values that he respects and would champion as commander-in-chief. Even his "no malarkey" bus tour, which has been thoroughly mocked by younger generations, takes us back in time with the use of outdated slang.
Progressive critics point out that these promises evoke a past that no longer exists (and in many cases, never existed) and thus misleads voters into thinking that our country is in better shape than it is. His calls for bipartisanship, for instance, have rightly been met with deep skepticism given the radical outlook of a GOP that hasn't shown any interest in reaching across the aisle for several decades. Biden appeals to our better angels, but the Trump era has shown that those angels are too often absent from our polity.
But the criticism isn't undercutting Biden as much as it might in different times. And the reason is the President. Trump has blown up an already volatile political atmosphere with the way he governs. His vitriolic tweets, his aggressive use and abuse of presidential power, his punitive policies, his smashmouth attacks on opponents and his total disregard for the conventions and norms of Washington have created a toxic atmosphere where everything feels upended. To many Democrats, the nation is in a true state of crisis.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/opinions/trump-campaign-boost-for-biden-return-to-normalcy-zelizer/index.html

So, how long until Trump goes full Nixon to get Biden as his McGovern?

I always believed that Democrats would try to nominate the antithesis of Donald Trump. And additionally, there's a historical pattern of electing Presidents stylistically-opposite of their predecessors (Carter>Reagan, Bush>Clinton, Bush>Obama, Obama>Trump).

Biden would fit this pattern perfectly; aside from his demographics, he couldn't be more opposite than Trump in temperament, style, beliefs, and personality.

Same gaffes, lack of ownership to wrongdoing [see Anita Hill], and real POS kids too!

[Mr. Smith]

How Trump has given Biden a major campaign boost

After three years of his chaotic presidency, President Donald Trump has made nostalgia a big, bold idea among Democrats. This is one of the secrets to former Vice President Joe Biden's ongoing success in the polls. The President, with the full support of his party in Congress, has pushed politics so far off-kilter that Americans are desperately yearning for normalcy in the Oval Office.
On paper, Biden is not offering anything very dramatic. He himself embodies an older vision of the Democratic Party, in contrast to the slate of women, African Americans and Latinos who have made inroads in both the presidential race and in Congress. While his campaign has put forward a series of policy promises that aim to expand on President Barack Obama's domestic record, he often talks about a return to some kind of better past.
Biden has called for Democrats and Republicans to work together again. During the debate this week, he said that while he has "no love" for Republicans who attacked his family, "the fact is, we have to be able to get things done." Biden has frequently repeated a key tenet of his campaign: "We're in a battle for the soul of America." In doing so, he often talks about traditional American values that he respects and would champion as commander-in-chief. Even his "no malarkey" bus tour, which has been thoroughly mocked by younger generations, takes us back in time with the use of outdated slang.
Progressive critics point out that these promises evoke a past that no longer exists (and in many cases, never existed) and thus misleads voters into thinking that our country is in better shape than it is. His calls for bipartisanship, for instance, have rightly been met with deep skepticism given the radical outlook of a GOP that hasn't shown any interest in reaching across the aisle for several decades. Biden appeals to our better angels, but the Trump era has shown that those angels are too often absent from our polity.
But the criticism isn't undercutting Biden as much as it might in different times. And the reason is the President. Trump has blown up an already volatile political atmosphere with the way he governs. His vitriolic tweets, his aggressive use and abuse of presidential power, his punitive policies, his smashmouth attacks on opponents and his total disregard for the conventions and norms of Washington have created a toxic atmosphere where everything feels upended. To many Democrats, the nation is in a true state of crisis.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/opinions/trump-campaign-boost-for-biden-return-to-normalcy-zelizer/index.html

So, how long until Trump goes full Nixon to get Biden as his McGovern?

I always believed that Democrats would try to nominate the antithesis of Donald Trump. And additionally, there's a historical pattern of electing Presidents stylistically-opposite of their predecessors (Carter>Reagan, Bush>Clinton, Bush>Obama, Obama>Trump).

Biden would fit this pattern perfectly; aside from his demographics, he couldn't be more opposite than Trump in temperament, style, beliefs, and personality.

Same gaffes, lack of ownership to wrongdoing [see Anita Hill], and real POS kids too!

Beau was a decorated army veteran and popularly elected AG in Delaware.

Yes and Tiffany T. seems to have her head on right too, and Barron is out of the spotlight. Doesn't excuse the other Trump kids.

Likewise Beau doesn't excuse Hunter.

[Mr. Smith]

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1212540258681851905?s=20
This is going to drive people to the polls for Biden in the primary whether folks want to believe it or not.

The message is "Anyone but Trump," I don't see how it makes Biden stand out.

It's unfortunately quite possible that he does't need it to stand out, because an absurd amount of the electorate seriously think that's all that's needed, and hey he's the former Veep of Obama!

[Mr. Smith]

Non-Biden fan here. There is no debate about his electability with the public. Look who is wining the Southern Black vote to see for themselves.

https://twitter.com/Bakari_Sellers/status/1213154186520678402

That only proves it's a vicious cycle, getting support that's he's electable because the media keep saying as much, blocking out anyone else...which then shows up in the polling.

It's the same reason Trump got so much investment to get so rich and bailed out, 'cuz he kept saying he had a fortune when he didn't really [or at least not to the extent claimed]

Also, that's an electorate that will show up in the general and was part of the 88% that voted for Hillary.

It's the other 5% of the black vote that didn't show up that cost Hillary and saved Obama.

[Mr. Smith]

Biden is playing the anti-war card.

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1213908021304332288

Lol. Imagine voting for the Iraq War and having the gall to say this shìt

In fairness to Biden and his credit, most of his record does indicate that he has learned from his mistakes on that. While it's true that he was proven wrong, his reluctance to take out Osama bin Laden is much more commendable if something went wrong than Hillary's record.

Saying this as a committed Trump voter should Biden win nomination, this is not a great attack card against him.

[Mr. Smith]

This is how a president sounds like.

Excellent speech. My favorite part is when he moved his lips in conjunction with the vibrating noise in his larynx to assemble sounds which are recognized as words. His words were plentiful with a rich vocabulary known as speech and they connote deeper meanings in the form of assembled sentences and voters loves sentences because they speak sentences too. Biden also stood there and the American voters relate to a man who stands. With his 2 feet and standing ability... he stands tall. All day long, from the time they wake up, voters stand and Biden stands with them by standing tall via standing and voters love tall candidates who stand like they do.

Biden may be a simple man of low intellect but he knows how to sound tough and wave his hands like the body language experts he hires tell him to in order to prey upon peoples cognitive biases by looking tougher than you really are. Biden's speech is a reminder to all Americans that if you speak words, stand tall, and use body language then you too can be taken seriously on things you kno nothing about.

The whole "low intellect" thing is pretty dumb. Sure, Biden is no Warren or Buttigieg, but it is clear that he knows what he is doing when it comes to government whether you agree with him or not. Honestly, no one who has risen to this level of political success is likely to have "low intellect". I was never an Obama guy but he was decidedly not that, as was Clinton.

And yet 2000....

Also, beating out an unpopular incumbent practically out to pasture at the time, followed by taking the most risk-averse votes possible and generally going with the wind...it doesn't require all that much intellect at all.

[Mr. Smith]

It's depressing how after an entire year of primaries (which is already too long), all we've proven is that it's virtually impossible for any candidate who did not start out with massive name recognition / a polling lead to win the nomination.

In fairness, this was a year that's been dominated too much with trying to oust Trump, and not enough about "what next"? If this had been a "change year", the path may have been easier.

[Mr. Smith]

Electability is very hard for politically engaged smart analysts to gauge, I have little faith on ordinary voters being capable of accurately determining who is most electable.

Which is why aiming for the nominee on that basis is a stupid idea.

[Mr. Smith]

How Joe Biden Will Float to Victory

There are two theories of what Democratic voters want right now. We’ve been living through a political moment characterized not just by anger but by an endless scream of reaction and response. Trump’s performance is largely legible as a furious reaction to President Barack Obama; he’s tried, with obsessive zeal, to undo everything his predecessor achieved, from the Iran deal to the Affordable Care Act. Trump’s more original initiatives have been reactive too, driven not by vision but resentment: family separations and the “Muslim ban” reflected the wishes of an embattled white conservative base happy to sacrifice things like human rights, an independent judiciary, and a free press if it could punish and dehumanize immigrants. Whether this rage against minorities is motivated by racism, “economic anxiety,” or some mix of the two is a matter of some debate; what it clarifies—on both sides of the aisle—is that most Americans aren’t content. Quality of life has gone down. One theory of how to respond to all this isn’t reactive but proactive: As the left has observed, income inequality is at an all-time high, corporations pay virtually nothing in taxes, and climate change will only accentuate the crises that currently exist. According to candidates like Warren and Sanders, part of the electorate wants change. Tired of the technocratic centrism that has enriched the 1 percent and slowly eroded the hopes of the rest of the country, voters want a system that actually responds to their needs. Achieving such a system will require enormous energy. Warren’s and Sanders’ agendas require work and engagement. (They also have the potential to transform society.)

The other theory is that people are tired. They’re tired of reacting; they’re tired of change; they’re absolutely sick of engaging, emotionally and practically. They don’t want to be glued to the news anymore. They want to be able to safely tune out. This is the group for which the inert gas candidate has some appeal. Trump’s presidency has, for many Democrats, been an unending emergency that has required voters horrified at his actions to throw everything they can—and it’s not much—against an out-of-control executive. The airport protests after the Muslim ban, the uproar over family separations, the Women’s March all reflected an enormous popular will to stop Trump’s government from doing what it threatened to do. With a government unable or unwilling to check or balance itself, the public has had to go into overdrive and react nonstop: People have had to plug so many leaks in this sinking boat that many simply feel depleted. That the plugging of the leaks isn’t really working only exacerbates the exhaustion.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/01/joe-biden-democratic-primary-nomination-american-exhaustion.html

This article could've been written in 2004 with only a few details changed, and look how taking Opt. B turned out then.

[Mr. Smith]

Everybody has scandals, and one will be made for you if you dont have one. The issue is how you address it and whether you are likable enough for people to accept it.

Hillary had her hobnobbing with Wall Street (among others) and failed on both counts. Obama had Jeremiah Wright, but he succeeded on both counts. Kerry and Dukakis had made up scandals (Swiftboat, Willie Horton), and neither really addressed it. Bill Clinton had zipper problems but he was likable (though I suspect most voters didnt really buy his attempts to address them). I guess Gore was the exception since I dont recall a scandal then. For Biden, he is likable but we will see after the impeachment "trial" whether or not he addresses it.

This pattern doesn't hold if you have god on your side, as R voters think they do in recent years.

Gore invented The Internet and put things in a lockbox.

[Mr. Smith]

Ok I get Biden polls the best out of the group normally but is anyone not concerned his campaign not only has been massively lackluster but that he shows all the warning signs Hillary had? He doesn’t inspire young people, he did awful in the first two rural states when he was supposed to be the WWC whisper, and he gaffes all the time. Seriously I don’t know how anyone can say with a straight face that Bernie is a guaranteed loss yet feel comfortable with Joe

This was and has been obvious from day one. Coddling to moderates just does this by default.

[Mr. Smith]

Come on people, we all know Biden has a speech impediment. That doesn't make him senile or mentally incapable. If he were in a wheelchair, would you mock that disability too?

No, he was definitely more level-headed in 2012 and 2008 compared to now. Even in 2015 when Beau  died he was in a good spot.

Something happened alright since, and isn't good.

Or are we seriously gonna forget how that one fainting spell at 9/11 pretty much turned Hillary's leads into Trump's, with quite literally only Trump's own verbal diarrhea as a stop.

[Mr. Smith]

And once it's looking even more likely (maybe in a few weeks when AZ/IL vote), I'll fight for y'all with the same energy I fought for Bernie. If you don't like me after that, you'll warm up to me once I'm on your side.

That's so degrading. Why would you do that to yourself?

Because we can't get much lower than what happened yesterday.

We can, and if Biden completely bends over backwards like Obama again and throws 2022 into chaos, we will.