Martha Raddatz: “Not a lot of enthusiasm” for Biden on cross country trip

[Del Tachi]

The only difference between "personality cult" and "reasonable figure" is WHO is doing the adulating.

I don't remember people comparing Obama to Jesus, saying things like "only Obama can save us", worshipping him like a religious figure, or forming their entire personality -- not just their political personality, their ENTIRE personality -- around their support for Obama.

That's some personality cult s--t.

This was a widespread phenomena at the time, especially in certain segments of the Black community.  I remember Obama t-shirts and Christmas ornaments, even

As other posters have pointed out, the Obama "Hope" posters (that were copied and repeated ad nauseum) are exactly the sort of vapid iconography you would expect to find in a bona fide cult of personality.

[Kleine Scheiße]

JOE!!!!!!!!!! GO JOE!!!!!!! Woop woop woop! JOE 2O2O

Make America ACTUALLY great again,,,,, with JOE!!!!

this would probably convince martha raddatz

[OSR stands with Israel]

Also, people need to stop comparing every candidate to Obama.  Obama harnessed an historically high level of enthusiasm.  His entire candidacy was "enthusiasm."  He was a massive national -- even international -- celebrity and hailed as "first black president" from the moment he delivered his 2004 address.  He was on the cover of TIME in 2006 as "THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT?"  The hype was unbelievable.  That was the entire point of his campaign.

Did Ronald Reagan have Obama-tier enthusiasm?  No.  People like him but they weren't going gaga for him like they did for Obama.

Did Clinton?  Nope.

Did either of the Bushes?  lol no.

Did Eisenhower, Kennedy, or Johnson?  People just saw them as "sensible and likable" they weren't enthusiasm candidates.

Obama was a once-in-a-lifetime political talent who created unbelievable amounts of organic enthusiasm.  In my memory this was for two reasons -- first black president, and because his integrity, bipartisan appeals, and proud intellectualism made him such a tremendous contrast to Bush.

Trump and Sanders have both achieved high levels of enthusiasm by investing heavily in personality cult politics and holding huge rallies.  That's not something I want from Biden, or from any presidential candidate.  Those personality cults have been really harmful to American political discourse and life.

actually Reagan had that too, but he was a once in a lifetime type candidate too which is why no Republican candidate since then has matched that. Remember he nearly took down an incumbent president in the primary and after his 1976 convention speech many Ford delegates openly said they regretted voting for Ford and said if the speeches were done before the roll call voting then Reagan would have been the nominee.

Obama was basically the Dem Reagan in this way except the problem was the Democrats elected their version of 1968 Reagan. In most charismatic candidates I would say:

1. FDR
2. Reagan
3. JFK
4. Obama
5. Clinton

[Calthrina950]

The only difference between "personality cult" and "reasonable figure" is WHO is doing the adulating.

I don't remember people comparing Obama to Jesus, saying things like "only Obama can save us", worshipping him like a religious figure, or forming their entire personality -- not just their political personality, their ENTIRE personality -- around their support for Obama.

That's some personality cult s--t.

This was a widespread phenomena at the time, especially in certain segments of the Black community.  I remember Obama t-shirts and Christmas ornaments, even

As other posters have pointed out, the Obama "Hope" posters (that were copied and repeated ad nauseum) are exactly the sort of vapid iconography you would expect to find in a bona fide cult of personality.

This is the point I made earlier in this thread-that Obama inspired Democratic voters, particularly in 2008, and his victory was driven by an enthusiasm factor, in addition to the policy issues, such as the economy and foreign policy that greatly hurt McCain and Romney. Biden's lead, to a great extent, is fueled by voter disenchantment with Trump and a determination to drive him from office. However, in your list of Democratic victors since 1960, you forgot to mention Lyndon Johnson-who won the highest percentage of the popular vote any presidential candidate has garnered since 1824. And I'm not sure if I'd agree with you that voters were enthused about Jimmy Carter in 1976; it was more so of a backlash against Watergate, and Gerald Ford capitalized on Carter's missteps, enabling him to close the gap in the polls and make it a tight race.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Biden being extremely boring was always one of his main selling points.

Personally I can't wait for people to stop obsessing about the President every hour of the day. Really looking forward to people not bringing up politics constantly "OMG did you see what he said/did???". I would like a President who governs competently and doesn't constantly create chaos.

It's exhausting.

[Illiniwek]

You know who I have "not a lot of enthusiasm for?"

Martha Raddatz. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Biden being extremely boring was always one of his main selling points.

Biden has apparently proven himself to be that generic Democrat who succeeds in the polls. Trump made people want to make politics boring again. Being a white male helps too.

[Suburbia]

Biden being extremely boring was always one of his main selling points.

Biden has apparently proven himself to be that generic Democrat who succeeds in the polls. Trump made people want to make politics boring again. Being a white male helps too.

Isn't making boring politics a reality again what got us Trump? The underlying issue of police brutality, etc.?

[Progressive Pessimist]

Biden being extremely boring was always one of his main selling points.

Biden has apparently proven himself to be that generic Democrat who succeeds in the polls. Trump made people want to make politics boring again. Being a white male helps too.

Isn't making boring politics a reality again what got us Trump? The underlying issue of police brutality, etc.?

I don't understand your point here.

[slothdem]

Of all the presidential candidates I have seen, I believe Joe Biden is the worst one. He is the first candidate I have ever seen who got this far without running on his own merits.

Joe Biden before 2020 ran for President multiple times and never got over 1% of the primary vote. In 2008, polls showed that the majority of people didn’t even know who he was, and he had been in Congress for 30+ years at that time. There is a reason for that.  Now, he is past his prime, and suddenly, he’s gotten further than he ever has?

Hmmm ... I wonder if he served in some kind of position between 2008 and now that caused more people to become familiar with him?

Yeah, point remains - he’s not running on his own merits; he’s sitting on Barack Obama’s merits and the anti-Trump vote.

If this is true (and I think it is), and Joe Biden demolished the Democratic primary and is about to be swept into office in a massive landslide, then Barack Obama's merits must have been great and Trump must have done a very poor job.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Ds shouldn't be worried about this even if there is a shutdown it won't be long they are a Lame Duck Speaker because Ds are gonna win in 24

[MR DARK BRANDON]

This really was a crystal ball for 2020

[WalterWhite]

This really was a crystal ball for 2020

It might have been a sign that 2020 was not going to be a 2008-style semi-landslide.

[Landslide Lyndon]

This really was a crystal ball for 2020

It might have been a sign that 2020 was not going to be a 2008-style semi-landslide.

That wasn't because of lack of enthusiasm for Biden.

[TransfemmeGoreVidal]

Why did I think this was current?

[Progressive Pessimist]

This really was a crystal ball for 2020

It might have been a sign that 2020 was not going to be a 2008-style semi-landslide.

That wasn't because of lack of enthusiasm for Biden.

He did still get the second most votes of anyone in history.

[Landslide Lyndon]

This really was a crystal ball for 2020

It might have been a sign that 2020 was not going to be a 2008-style semi-landslide.

That wasn't because of lack of enthusiasm for Biden.

He did still get the second most votes of anyone in history.

Nobody ever doubted that Trump's cultists would go to the polls crawling over broken glass.