2020 Democratic candidate Joe Biden apologized on Saturday for his nostalgic remarks about his relationships with hardline segregationists while serving in Congress.
Not that this change of attitude will affect him dramatically, but it’s time to fire his advisors.
He hasn’t apologized to Booker yet, for saying “Cory knows better. He should apologize”.
Cory was right. Biden was wrong, and finally admitted it.
OT – USA 2 - 0 NED
Rapinoe with first goal.
He admitted what many POC already knew but the white male media (and even many on TPM) failed to see: Harris/Booker were right and Biden was wrong. This is an important and welcome concession from Biden. His gaffe prone tongue and the dragging out of this matter has cost him dearly, and he will have to do a re-set. It’s possible he can do it as he remains a good trial heat match up w/Trump. It’s also important b/c he had been attempting to gaslight Harris on this. She didn’t back down. She and her team successfully forced the debate back on to the real issue of Biden’s voting record and public statements on segregation when it mattered, and he folded (which was the right thing to do both morally and politically).
Dems in general need to do a better job of listening to the lived experiences of women of color. The commentary from even smart and thoughtful folks like Josh on this matter was disappointing.
Yes, yes you were wrong. Now give a hint of why you realize you were wrong beyond understanding that politically it was a dumb move - and why you clung to your statement even when its impact was pointed out to you. Otherwise, no, no I don’t believe you really understand why what you said really was wrong.
i want to know why you haven’t gone to the border, Joe. Beto spends a lot of time there and Warren, Harris and others have been down there. Where were you?
“Was I wrong a few weeks ago to somehow give the impression to people that I was praising those men who I successfully opposed time and again?"
Joe, the new polls are in!
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"Yes, I was,” Biden said at a campaign event in South Carolina. “I regret it. And I’m sorry for any of the pain or misconception I may have caused anybody.”
I wonder what his internal polling looks like.
And people say he’s the most “electable” of the Dem candidates.
This guy is a disaster waiting to happen.
I don’t think his advisers have anything to do with this. This feels like a top-down campaign with Biden calling the shots in “Elder Statesman knows best” mode.
He’s in the process of mouthing off and proving what a lousy campaigner he is, just like he did in the last two runs for President.
I predict that this “apology” will not have the intended effect (beyond giving a few people a bit of cover). If he wants to avoid losing more of his political support, I think he will need a better response (or hope that his opponents on this issue significantly stumble and make it a non-issue). I don’t have any idea what that response would be. Like @nycabj, I think it might help if he could demonstrate that he has learned something from all of this, but that will require a degree of humility that would be rare, especially at this level.
actually, Biden is still taking the same position on his voting record and public statements, i.e. that he was always on the side of the angels. He’s just admitting that his “segregationist” statement was a mistake, and hoping that all the other candidates give him a pass on his real record.
So far, it looks like Harris’ campaign isn’t going to let him get away with it. But I suspect that others might…
Team Harris is already setting up Biden by now arguing that his associations (w/Obama) don’t matter. It’s about the record and vision for the future.
Mueller will shape the next debate in large measure. Harris and Warren are well positioned for this. Biden and Bernie are not.
It is another form of the “inartful” phrasing defense. (It boils down to the usual “What I said was fine, I just didn’t use the best words in saying it.”)
That is the right strategy from a political point of view (and no one should blame them for taking it). If Harris wants to be president, the perceived link between Obama and Biden has to be broken.
I expect Mueller will be mentioned in the debate, but I don’t see how it shapes the discussion beyond getting statements of support or opposition to impeachment hearings now. Many of the top-running candidates are already on record, although it is likely to be awkward for Biden.
I would argue that one of the things that has driven Warren’s support has been her clear, effective communication on impeachment. Biden/Bernie can’t match that. Harris delivers it well too, but I’d give Warren an edge on the communications standpoint on that particular issue. When the Mueller Report came out both Harris and Warren were in single digits. Now, they’re both in double digits while Bernie/Biden have stalled or dropped. That’s not a coincidence.
I agree. I think other Democrats are misreading the public mood BADLY.
I think Warren’s support is based on many things, particularly on the clarity of her positions in general. On impeachment, I think it helps that it seems to be what she actually thinks, and not just a politically expedient position. (She might also be sensing that it is where we are inevitably heading at some point, and that having no hearings will justifiably be seen as trying to sweep the worst scandal in our history under the rug.)
Biden his time…until he drops out.