Why did so many people think Biden would inevitably "collapse"?

[EJ24]

I remember this being a very common theme throughout 2019 and even in the early part of this year. I never quite understood it, Biden was in an extremely strong position due to being Obama's VP, since Obama has gained in popularity since his time in office. He also had higher name recognition than anyone in the field.

People assumed that Joe's gaffes would cost him votes. However, I think most people who have paid even the slightest attention to politics already knew about Joe being a gaffe machine and that's part of the package. It's not something severe enough to turn voters off.

Another thing was Biden supposedly "lacking enthusiasm". But just as Bernie Sanders proved, enthusiasm does not always translate into votes. You can have 10,000 people at a campaign rally, but if only 4,000 of them show up to vote, you can be out-voted by 30,000 others who sat at home that same day.

*knock on wood*

Now we're on to the general election, and he could still collapse, I suppose. But thus far we've seen him endure inappropriate touching allegations, Ukraine/Burisma, the Kamala Harris "bussing" attack, Tara Reade, fake claims about dimentia, and the "you ain't black" comment. He's a much stronger candidate than some give him credit for.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

I noticed it was mainly because he was getting bad media cycles, bad debates and was making gaffes on the campaign trail, with Buttigieg and Bloomberg getting more traction from debates and massive blitzing of the airwaves respectively allowed both to start rising in the polls while Sanders was beginning to consolidate the progressive vote. Biden was generally the "safe" choice and if people felt like they had better options they would have gone for that option.

[Ferguson97]

Because they wanted him too.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

Wishful thinking. I plead guilty lol

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Because he's clearly way less sharp than he was even four years ago. I'm not going to pretend Democrats chose someone who's especially fit to be president. Apparently skating by on decades of stockpiled goodwill is enough. Wonder why he was able to accumulate so much while the last, and obviously sharper, nominee was not...

[Mr. Smith]

Talk about this when it's January 20th, 2029 and he's still standing. Until then...

[RINO Tom]

I mean, really?  The guy seems like he has the early onset signs of dementia.

[Ferguson97]

I mean, really?  The guy seems like he has the early onset signs of dementia.

Everyone I know who has had family members with dementia disagree.

[Mr. Smith]

I mean, really?  The guy seems like he has the early onset signs of dementia.

Everyone I know who has had family members with dementia disagree.

Glad to be an exception then.

[RINO Tom]

I mean, really?  The guy seems like he has the early onset signs of dementia.

Everyone I know who has had family members with dementia disagree.

Friend, I honestly hope you are right.  Whatever his politics, I have no personal qualm with Joe Biden, and he seems like a decent enough guy (for a politician, of course ... I find it creepy to treat ANY politician as this great person).  However, my girlfriend is a nurse that used to care for the elderly, and I am choosing to believe her opinion on it.  Not that it should matter, but she is an avid supporter of his.

[Rookie Yinzer]

I didn’t want him to win.

[SN2903]

He will in September. He can't hide in his basement forever. He will be exposed by the Trump campaign.

[brucejoel99]

He will in September. He can't hide in his basement forever. He will be exposed by the Trump campaign.

January 19th: "Here's how President-elect Biden can still collapse."

[Crumpets]

I mean look at him.

[Roronoa D. Law]

I feel like there were too many comparisons to the GOP primary of 2016. The media and pundits focused too much on the rise of "The Left" with people like The Squad, Rose Twitter, and intraparty fighting. The overexposure of these groups has led many in America to believe that the Democrat activist base is much large than it really is.

[tonyreyes89]

Because he's clearly way less sharp than he was even four years ago. I'm not going to pretend Democrats chose someone who's especially fit to be president. Apparently skating by on decades of stockpiled goodwill is enough. Wonder why he was able to accumulate so much while the last, and obviously sharper, nominee was not...

agreed, he's been hidden due to the virus and I think his luck will eventually run out. We saw how lost he looked in that Breakfast club interview...

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Because he's clearly way less sharp than he was even four years ago. I'm not going to pretend Democrats chose someone who's especially fit to be president. Apparently skating by on decades of stockpiled goodwill is enough. Wonder why he was able to accumulate so much while the last, and obviously sharper, nominee was not...

agreed, he's been hidden due to the virus and I think his luck will eventually run out. We saw how lost he looked in that Breakfast club interview...

Just because you say something doesn't make it true.

[tonyreyes89]

Because he's clearly way less sharp than he was even four years ago. I'm not going to pretend Democrats chose someone who's especially fit to be president. Apparently skating by on decades of stockpiled goodwill is enough. Wonder why he was able to accumulate so much while the last, and obviously sharper, nominee was not...

lol his sponsored ads on YouTube where he talks into the front camera he looks lost too😂

agreed, he's been hidden due to the virus and I think his luck will eventually run out. We saw how lost he looked in that Breakfast club interview...

Just because you say something doesn't make it true.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

There were a number of reasons to expect that he would fall apart and he probably would have had a compelling alternative appeared that could appeal to all of his base. Each of the alternatives had some problem with part or all of Biden's support base and as long as Biden's support wasn't taken away, he remained a default choice against Sanders. Ultimately, maintaining strong black support was the key to his revival and once he dominated SC, the support that wavered surged back along with a number of others determined to stop Sanders.

A good validation for this point is the fact that Bloomberg got in. He would never have got in if he had faith in Biden's ability to win and defeat Sanders. His getting in showed a complete lack of confidence motivating him to take the plunge.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Dems have had Wilson, FDR, Truman LBJ, Clinton and Obama reelected and there have been alot more R Prez. The Rs didn't change much since the 19th Century. but Ds have become the Secular party on Civil Rights.  

Raising taxes which were pinned on Gore, Kerry and Hilary is still tough to do, even in a Recession and Biden like Kerry and Carter and Mondale isnt a Great Communicator like his boss Obama, that's why he commits gaffes like Kerry.

That's why Bernie had a deeper following due to no gaffes like Biden

[LAKISYLVANIA]

He actually did collapse, and came back from the dead.

[Beet]

Because he was much weaker in the polls than Hillary and had a lot more competition.

[morgieb]

I mean he did. He just got bailed out by South Carolina and Sanders being stubborn.

[wbrocks67]

Because he's clearly way less sharp than he was even four years ago. I'm not going to pretend Democrats chose someone who's especially fit to be president. Apparently skating by on decades of stockpiled goodwill is enough. Wonder why he was able to accumulate so much while the last, and obviously sharper, nominee was not...

Must've missed that 60 minute Colbert interview where was perfectly fine.

[American2020]

I read some newspapers many people doubt Biden would repair all Trump's damages and he wouldn't have the energy to do it.

I got an interesting article.

All the next president’s men

Joe Biden may be an uninspiring candidate, but diplomats are hopeful his State Department would be a huge improvement.

https://asiatimes.com/2020/05/all-the-next-presidents-men/