Joe Biden 2020 campaign megathread v2

[I Can Now Die Happy]

I think that a big deal is being made out of gaffes that are not really all that significant. These are not damaging gaffes, they are just occasional slips of the tongue, and calling Obama "his boss" is not a big deal

His support would be a good deal higher without them, and they aren't just 'occasional.' Some of them serve to undermine his strengths regarding electability, and others serve to undermine his support among black voters.

[ElectionsGuy]

Him going to "my boss" as the first thing for a fill-in is very telling.

[Agonized-Statism]

I'd say yes, but he faces equally incompetent opposition.

[Matty]

https://mobile.twitter.com/AshleyRParker/status/1167117673148407808

[GeneralMacArthur]

https://mobile.twitter.com/AshleyRParker/status/1167117673148407808

This isn't as bad as it sounds.  There are several different real events.

Event 1:  Biden met a Navy captain who performed a dramatic and heroic rescue in a frozen ravine.

Event 2:  A man tried to pull his friend from a burning humvee, failed, and when Biden comes to pin a medal on him, he tells Biden he doesn't want it.

Event 3:  Biden, in Kunar province, observed a general give a medal to a soldier who cried, saying he didn't want it because his friend was the one who died.

What Biden's done is combine elements of all three soldiers/stories into one composite character for the sake of having one single compelling story rather than a pedantic "three different stories."  It's a familiar tactic and he's not the first politician to do this.

That said, I don't approve and don't think he should do this.  I think it's disrespectful to the three soldiers to have aspects of one guy's story attributed to the other guy.  Also, switching the bronze star for a silver star is dumb.

But the killer quote from this story... "In the space of three minutes, Biden got the time period, the location, the heroic act, the type of medal, the military branch and the rank of the recipient wrong, as well as his own role in the ceremony"... is only true if you assume Biden is trying to tell the story of Event 1.  It seems like his story is mostly about Event 2, but he includes details from Events 1 and 3.

[President Johnson]

Uncle Joe is so cool

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1166853718366740480

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

In which Biden parrots Reagan's "welfare queens driving luxury cars" myth:

https://twitter.com/samstein/status/1167078894190682112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctw...

This is, I think, a bit worse than a gaffe.  I am sure that the cuckgressives and blue avatars will disagree.

[henster]

Not the first time Biden lied when he was in Iraq/Afghanistan, he claimed he was shot at while he was in Iraq and his helicopter was forced down in Afghanistan near bin Laden's cave, all not true.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/six-times-biden-described-major-events-in-his-life-that-never-happened

[GeneralMacArthur]

In which Biden parrots Reagan's "welfare queens driving luxury cars" myth:

https://twitter.com/samstein/status/1167078894190682112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctw...

This is, I think, a bit worse than a gaffe.  I am sure that the cuckgressives and blue avatars will disagree.

That's literally not what the article says at all.  Here's the EXACT BIDEN QUOTE

"We are all too familiar with the stories of welfare mothers driving luxury cars and leading lifestyles that mirror the rich and famous.  Whether they are exaggerated or not, these stories underlie a broad social concern that the welfare system has broken down."

He's not making up the stories, he's gently acknowledging that other people believe these made up stories.  There's a massive difference between the two and your misrepresentation is incredibly dishonest.

[GeneralMacArthur]

Not the first time Biden lied when he was in Iraq/Afghanistan, he claimed he was shot at while he was in Iraq and his helicopter was forced down in Afghanistan near bin Laden's cave, all not true.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/six-times-biden-described-major-events-in-his-life-that-never-happened

Once again, here is the EXACT BIDEN QUOTE about his helicopter being forced down:

“If you want to know where al Qaeda lives, you want to know where bin Laden is, come back to Afghanistan with me... come back to the area where my helicopter was forced down with a three-star general and three senators at 10,500 feet in the middle of those mountains. I can tell you where they are.”

And here is what actually happened:  Biden was in the same mountains as al-Qaeda in a helicopter and was forced down because of a snowstorm.  Which sounds like a really great tension scene in a political drama.

So as far as I can tell this is a completely true story, and conservative rag The Washington Examiner is only calling it a lie because they're willfully misinterpreting what "forced down" implies.



Now here's the EXACT BIDEN QUOTE about his being shot at in Iraq:

"You better have helicopters ready to take those 3,000 civilians inside the Green Zone, where I have been seven times and shot at."

And here is what actually happened:  Biden was in the Green Zone, someone fired a mortar close to him and it landed a hundred yards away.  Soldiers told him he was in danger and they would need to seek cover if more mortars were fired.

So once again, as far as I can tell, this is a true story.  Biden was in Iraq, someone fired a mortar at him, soldiers told him he was potentially in danger.  Conservative rag The Washington Examiner is only calling it a lie because they're willfully misinterpreting what "shot as" implies.

[henster]

Not the first time Biden lied when he was in Iraq/Afghanistan, he claimed he was shot at while he was in Iraq and his helicopter was forced down in Afghanistan near bin Laden's cave, all not true.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/six-times-biden-described-major-events-in-his-life-that-never-happened

Once again, here is the EXACT BIDEN QUOTE about his helicopter being forced down:

“If you want to know where al Qaeda lives, you want to know where bin Laden is, come back to Afghanistan with me... come back to the area where my helicopter was forced down with a three-star general and three senators at 10,500 feet in the middle of those mountains. I can tell you where they are.”

And here is what actually happened:  Biden was in the same mountains as al-Qaeda in a helicopter and was forced down because of a snowstorm.  Which sounds like a really great tension scene in a political drama.

So as far as I can tell this is a completely true story, and conservative rag The Washington Examiner is only calling it a lie because they're willfully misinterpreting what "forced down" implies.



Now here's the EXACT BIDEN QUOTE about his being shot at in Iraq:

"You better have helicopters ready to take those 3,000 civilians inside the Green Zone, where I have been seven times and shot at."

And here is what actually happened:  Biden was in the Green Zone, someone fired a mortar close to him and it landed a hundred yards away.  Soldiers told him he was in danger and they would need to seek cover if more mortars were fired.

So once again, as far as I can tell, this is a true story.  Biden was in Iraq, someone fired a mortar at him, soldiers told him he was potentially in danger.  Conservative rag The Washington Examiner is only calling it a lie because they're willfully misinterpreting what "shot as" implies.

As same with the fake war story he told he's clearly embellishing and stretching the truth to make himself look better. He made it sound like he was directly shot at in his comments when he wasn't and its evident by him being forced to clarify his remarks. A helicopter being grounded due to weather does not warrant the dramatic description of being 'forced down'. Along with the ridiculous assertion he knew where Osama bin Laden was. He has the same knack for lying as Trump and thats not what I want in a nominee.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

In which Biden parrots Reagan's "welfare queens driving luxury cars" myth:

https://twitter.com/samstein/status/1167078894190682112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctw...
This is, I think, a bit worse than a gaffe.  I am sure that the cuckgressives and blue avatars will disagree.

That's literally not what the article says at all.  Here's the EXACT BIDEN QUOTE

"We are all too familiar with the stories of welfare mothers driving luxury cars and leading lifestyles that mirror the rich and famous.  Whether they are exaggerated or not, these stories underlie a broad social concern that the welfare system has broken down."

He's not making up the stories, he's gently acknowledging that other people believe these made up stories.  There's a massive difference between the two and your misrepresentation is incredibly dishonest.

He literally uses the term "welfare mothers," which is a common right-wing trope about welfare recipients that typically has racial connotations attached.  He uses the rest of the article to propagate right-wing talking points for welfare reform.  It comes as no surprise that Biden would later vote for the PRWORA that Clinton signed, which pushed poor families off TANF and contributed to rising income inequality by doing nothing to help low-wage workers escape poverty.

Honestly, a better way of spinning this would have just been to say that it was a different time, Biden (like most politicians) was swindled by anecdotes and stereotypes, and his views have probably evolved since then.  But you didn't even do that.

[I Can Now Die Happy]

It is both simultaneously sad and funny to see Feeble Joe get targeted by unjustified accusations of racism like how Trump and many Republicans are. Oh well, this is the kind of dynamic that you helped encourage Joe. He who sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind.

See my signature.

[Old Man Willow]

He was clearly going to say "President Obama" but couldn't remember his name. How anyone can deny that is beyond me. What about "President Obama" was not appropriate in that context? And so much so that he stopped himself and said "my boss?"

This man needs to be examined for Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. This isn't something to play around with. I don't trust whatever his doctors say after Trump was able to write his own statement for a doctor to put out.

[Bidenworth2020]

He was clearly going to say "President Obama" but couldn't remember his name. How anyone can deny that is beyond me. What about "President Obama" was not appropriate in that context? And so much so that he stopped himself and said "my boss?"

This man needs to be examined for Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. This isn't something to play around with. I don't trust whatever his doctors say after Trump was able to write his own statement for a doctor to put out.

I thought it was pretty clear he decided to go with "my boss", as a witty remark, instead of Obama.

[JG]

He was clearly going to say "President Obama" but couldn't remember his name. How anyone can deny that is beyond me. What about "President Obama" was not appropriate in that context? And so much so that he stopped himself and said "my boss?"

This man needs to be examined for Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. This isn't something to play around with. I don't trust whatever his doctors say after Trump was able to write his own statement for a doctor to put out.

I thought it was pretty clear he decided to go with "my boss", as a witty remark, instead of Obama.

How is that witty?

[Bidenworth2020]

He was clearly going to say "President Obama" but couldn't remember his name. How anyone can deny that is beyond me. What about "President Obama" was not appropriate in that context? And so much so that he stopped himself and said "my boss?"

This man needs to be examined for Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. This isn't something to play around with. I don't trust whatever his doctors say after Trump was able to write his own statement for a doctor to put out.

I thought it was pretty clear he decided to go with "my boss", as a witty remark, instead of Obama.

How is that witty?

Saying "my boss", especially in the context of such serious roles as President and VP, is witty I would say.

[Old Man Willow]

Expect more of this from the GOP, especially Trump if Biden is the nominee:

https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1164874091679178752

[henster]

Expect more of this from the GOP, especially Trump if Biden is the nominee:

https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1164874091679178752

Yep, people forget how effective the health conspiracies were against Hillary. I think it mattered even more than her emails.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

Uncle Joe is so cool

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1166853718366740480

Joe Six pack.

[S019]

Joe Biden has a down to earth appeal that Hillary Clinton (and many people in this 2020 field) simply lacked. He's the kind of candidate who can win the Rust Belt and hold Hillary's gains in the suburbs

[Pericles]

Obamacare is now supported by a majority of Americans, and expanding it is far more popular than rolling it back. Leaving aside Biden's other faults, repeal and replace has been revealed to be a fraud and no longer appeals to the electorate but actually alienates them-this was a big reason for the blue wave in 2018.

[TML]

I think I can say with a great degree of confidence that he no longer has a "commanding" lead over the others. This is mostly because (1) his post-announcement bounce has faded, and (2) when he says things in public they frequently turn people off, especially base voters.

That said, however, I think he is still ahead, albeit by a less-than-insurmountable margin. In fact, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if his campaign somehow ends up not surviving until Iowa.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Expect more of this from the GOP, especially Trump if Biden is the nominee:

https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1164874091679178752

Yep, people forget how effective the health conspiracies were against Hillary. I think it mattered even more than her emails.

Honestly, I found that phase of the campaign to be even more disgusting than Pussygate (though the first half of the 2016 town-hall debate still stands, I think, as the most uncomfortable half hour of American politics I have ever lived through). I was never more worried for her chances than when she collapsed on 9/11. Even Comey’s late intervention did not shake me as much.

But this time, the attacks on Biden seem to somewhat accurately reflect a new normal for the guy, whereas the attacks on Hillary were pretty unjustified because she was dealing with a temporary ailment. Potent strategy either way.

[Sir Mohamed]

Expect more of this from the GOP, especially Trump if Biden is the nominee:

https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1164874091679178752

Says a B-rated talkshow host and failed candidate for prez, who supports a man who thinks windmills cause cancer and hurricanes can be nuked. Shut up, Mr. Huckabee.