Former Vice President Joe Biden knew he would be an easy target during the Democratic debates last week. But he wasn’t prepared for Sen. Kamala Harris’ (D-CA) personal criticism over the busing issue.
How can he not be prepared for attacks if he knew he would be a target?
President Biden knew Russia had designs on annexing many former Soviet satellite nations, but he just wasn’t prepared for Putin’s military incursion into (fill in the blank)."
Sounds like Presidential timber to me…
Timber!!!
I think he’s playing for sympathy, believing that voters will see Harris’s attacks as too harsh
In some ways this is moot because I don’t think Sen Harris will be the nominee. However, she decided she was going nowhere ‘playing nice’ so she chose to take a personal shot at the front runner. Given that she already seems to be retreating from her debate position it might not have been a smart strategic move. However, having assumed virtual front runner status she will probably be the main target in the next debate. As someone who thought VP Biden shouldn’t run in the first place, I always viewed him as a flawed candidate. His former commanding position in the race surprised me but his tactical mistakes don’t. His potential fall may not be so important, but it is important that whoever is the eventual winner of the Dem primaries doesn’t end up severely weakened and damaged goods going into the general election.
Correct. And its not like its a big surprise, either. I mean, he literally tried to invoke Beau, which has nothing to do with anything, except for Joe to claim a need for sympathy.
This was why he didn’t run in 2016. Everyone around him saw that he was going to try to run a complete sympathy campaign and just emotionally depress the hell out of everyone in the process. And nobody wanted any part of that.
This interview is bad beyond that, however. He wanted to stay out of the scrum?? What candidate in a crowded field says that…except one who feels he is entitled to the nomination and is irritated that its not just being handed to him. The problem with that is…this IS Joe being Joe; he is speaking exactly what he feels. And if he has that sort of mentality on the primary campaign…he IS going to lose.
He keeps looking around saying, "Folks, Folks…this is me. You all know what kind of person I am, I’d never do anything like that! I’m not a racist!’.
I’ve a hard time seeing how black voters would buy that argument when there are so many receipts out there, and especially after Team Harris yesterday effectively brought the issue back to its origins: Biden’s voting record and public statements on the issue of segregation when it mattered in the 1970s. A lot of white folks believe that one has to have racism in his/her heart to do racist things. Most minorities see racism in systemic terms. A member of the privileged group can do an act, wittingly or unwittingly, intentionally or unintentionally, that has a discriminatory impact based on race. Being ‘woke’ really means understanding how your acts (not the feelings in your heart) impact others at a systemic level.
I also don’t think voters at large are going to have a lot of sympathy for Joe, because we’re going up against Trump and you need a candidate that is tough and knows how to handle the rough and tumble of the trail. Perhaps the worst thing about that exchange for Biden was the perception that he wasn’t prepared or ready for prime time. That’s why Joe lost points across the board, among white and non-white, old/young, male/female post-debate.
It’s tough to watch Joe like this. The better path for him is to drop this issue altogether, make a statement reaffirming his journey or evolution on race issues with some considered reflection, and focus on what his strengths in this race are: health care, national security and going after Trump.
In the meantime, Harris is having a very good campaign swing in Iowa. She has crossed the threshold of legitimacy to be considered a nominee, and many see her as credible match up vs Trump and as a President. Given her growing strength among African American, Latinx and suburban white voters, she’s a real threat to win a number of the large delegate contests once we move past the first 4.
yeah, it’s not a good look for him to be obsessing over this
For years, Joe Biden has been an excellent corporate Republican! Time for Joe to run as a Republican!
Joe got along great with Obama…that should help people understand why the whole Obama change thingy was nothing more than 8 years of frustration! Obama even chose war in Afghanistan and a TPP trade pact that was selling out American workers to the benefit of giant US Pharmaceutical companies!
We need a President who says what she means and knows her stuff and actually fights for the working class and care and respect for our returning enlisted soldiers!
President Elizabeth Warren! (Harris is untrustworthy and flips and flops…look at her flop on busing the other day)
She has crossed the threshold of legitimacy to be considered a nominee
In your mind maybe. Her “legitimacy” is disappearing as she walks her big moment back.
She didn’t walk anything back. Voters look at her and see an alpha dog, a winner. That’s why she’s climbing. She’d win Iowa today. If she were to do that, how does anyone stop her in California, Florida or other big states? She’s a serious contender to win the whole thing.
Had an ex-father-in-law that was a WWII vet. Saw lots of action in the Pacific theater, many battles, hand-to-hand death match terrors. Anyway, we’d sit in the living room and talk. He would recall close quarter fire fights, mortar exchanges, and tell the same story, verbatim, 3 or 4 times in an hour. I felt bad for him.
Sometimes when I watch and listen to Biden I’m reminded of my ex-father-in-law.
(not about the debate specifically) The “you know me” attitude is annoying. If he’s not willing to explain anything and prove himself to voters, why not stay home until the election day when people who “know him” will automatically vote for him?
Biden reminded me of how I felt watching Kaine in the debate with Pence. (Don’t mean that Harris reminded me of Pence, in any way). There was a hesitation and unprepared quality to Kaine that gave me a big scare. He seemed so off-guard about his opponent.
I don’t think that Trump would catch Biden that way, though. I think Biden and Harris both would give Trump hell, each in their own way.
I know Joe. And I expected this story.
I can’t fault Senator Harris for internalizing her childhood experiences riding the bus to her ticket to the brighter future and all the successes she has earned. I guess I want to hear from today’s Democrats what to do about today’s problems. Busing should’ve never been more than a highly imperfect, temporary remedy to the fact that neighborhoods are segregated, and that schools in poor neighborhoods are horseshit. The better question today, should be why the hell should my kid have to ride the bus for an hour to get access to an excellent school! We’re approaching 70 years since Brown v Board of Education and still haven’t found a way to finance education equitably.
I think that’s true (don’t forget that Biden broke down Paul Ryan like a deer carcass in their televised round-table). But there are various reports that suggest that Biden might be coasting on familiarity, presumptive-leader status, etc. That’s nervous-making.
I am severely concerned that the Dems are blowing it.
I fear the Dems are gonna do the Walter Mondale.