Keep smiling Uncle Joe, and never look behind you. You don’t want to know what’s going to hit you. You will make a good Vice though if you don’t mind working for a woman.
My admiration for Joe Biden has been put to a challenge.
I’ve been following his career for half my life, years before he was selected to be Obama’s running mate in 2008, and I largely credit his demeanor, statesmanship, and charm for influencing a lot of my own outlook on politics and civics. At a time when overly-polished politicians were a punchline, Biden was always refreshingly candid. While that has led to a far amount of gaffes and outright missteps, it has also helped move the national debate against cautious gridlock when it mattered most.
Which is why Joe Biden’s new strategy heading into 2020 baffles me. Yes, it’s still him. Yes, these are all the same things he’s said for 40 years, more or less. But his campaign seems hellbent on only focusing on his worst attributes, or at least promoting the wrong lessons from them. At this point, it’s too consistent to be an accident as if the strategy is to just convince everyone, with the exception of Obama, that the last 20 years never happened.
If you told me even three years ago that one day Joe Biden would be running in the Democratic primary but I wouldn’t vote for him, I would have called you crazy. I still love Joe Biden. I will always have respect for the role he unknowingly played in my life. And of course, I will move heaven and Earth to get him elected if he ends up being the nominee, but for him to claim that everything is just going to reset once Trump is gone, without acknowledging the unresolved issues that put him in power, is a fundamental misreading of the times we’re living through.
I really appreciate and understand your comments. I’m feeling the same way. I don’t want a reset back to, let’s say, 2004…I want a recognition and discussion of the many serious issues in our country that have come to the surface since that time. I want a candidate that moves forward with solutions, not one selling the nostalgic past.
I’m beginning to think of Joe Biden as a velcro candidate. He has a lot of hooks. His role in the Clarence Thomas deliberations in the Senate, particularly regarding allegations of sexual harassment involving Anita Hill, are troublesome. His willingness to work with segregationist Senators, his support for the bankruptcy reform that made it harder to obtain debt relief, support of the Hyde Amendment, tough of crime legislation, etc. make him vulnerable and appearing out-of-touch in a changing society.
So we get to ignore every unconscionable thing Il Douche does while simultaneously holding everyone BUT the president accountable for their behavior.
Thanks but no thanks. Joe Biden or anyone else who can help get that orange disaster out of the white house and into prison where he belongs has my vote NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY OR DO!
Because remember, thanks to the president, NOTHING MATTERS ANYMORE!
I have a lot of respect for Biden and will vote for him if he is the nominee, but I feel that his time has come and gone. He should have ran in 2016 instead of Hillary.
Please note; what LED to Trump (for what it’s worth) was the gradual accretion of racists and bigots into the republican party for the purpose of “voting” the republican line while the actual party leaders continued to ignore their own voters growing dissatisfaction with republican polices and positions, which had NO RELEVANCE to their lives and beliefs.
The Party kept pushing their own agenda (in very simplistic terms, packing the judiciary with Federalist Society nominees) which led to the ignoring of what their own base wanted and the democratic party was up to. This led to the election OF A BLACK MAN TO THE PRESIDENCY which was the absolute last straw for a major part of the republican constituency – thus Donald John Trump!
Understand – what I’ve just outlined is a terribly simplistic (though essentially accurate) explanation of the events leading to the election of Donnie John. The warning signs were all there – the initial Nixonian “Southern Strategy”, the birth and rise of “birtherism” (a combination of racism and bigotry unmatched in contemporary politics), and finally to Trump, an unholy mix of all that was wrong with American society; sexism, racism, bigotry, misogynistic narcissism coupled with intellectual depravity and bullying which hides a deep seated personal insecurity!
To add to the “proof”, if ANY were needed, I point to a poll taken sometime during the 2016 election in which 41% of registered republicans – 41%(!) – admitted to the racist, bigoted belief that Obama was not born in America!
Thought experiment: “Obama was born in Kenya. Trump was born in Kenya.” One statement is NOT more idiotic or insane than the other. They are EQUALLY idiotic and insane.
I remember thinking with pride and awe in my country when Obama was elected, " Wow, anyone can become President!". I also remember thinking with dismay when Donald Trump was elected, “Wow, anyone can become President!”
Biden may not be perfect, but the Dems better understand that they’d better find someone who can beat Trump in 2020 and stop sniping at each other and assuring him of 4 more years (or more) as POTUS.
As an independent who tends to lean toward the GOP, I think the Republican party has sold it’s soul to the devil and it’s going to be real hard to get it back after the orange one is gone.
Fenshaw almost 5 years ago
Keep smiling Uncle Joe, and never look behind you. You don’t want to know what’s going to hit you. You will make a good Vice though if you don’t mind working for a woman.
Brian Carroll creator almost 5 years ago
My admiration for Joe Biden has been put to a challenge.
I’ve been following his career for half my life, years before he was selected to be Obama’s running mate in 2008, and I largely credit his demeanor, statesmanship, and charm for influencing a lot of my own outlook on politics and civics. At a time when overly-polished politicians were a punchline, Biden was always refreshingly candid. While that has led to a far amount of gaffes and outright missteps, it has also helped move the national debate against cautious gridlock when it mattered most.
Which is why Joe Biden’s new strategy heading into 2020 baffles me. Yes, it’s still him. Yes, these are all the same things he’s said for 40 years, more or less. But his campaign seems hellbent on only focusing on his worst attributes, or at least promoting the wrong lessons from them. At this point, it’s too consistent to be an accident as if the strategy is to just convince everyone, with the exception of Obama, that the last 20 years never happened.
If you told me even three years ago that one day Joe Biden would be running in the Democratic primary but I wouldn’t vote for him, I would have called you crazy. I still love Joe Biden. I will always have respect for the role he unknowingly played in my life. And of course, I will move heaven and Earth to get him elected if he ends up being the nominee, but for him to claim that everything is just going to reset once Trump is gone, without acknowledging the unresolved issues that put him in power, is a fundamental misreading of the times we’re living through.
TRat Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I really appreciate and understand your comments. I’m feeling the same way. I don’t want a reset back to, let’s say, 2004…I want a recognition and discussion of the many serious issues in our country that have come to the surface since that time. I want a candidate that moves forward with solutions, not one selling the nostalgic past.
Mostly Water Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I’m beginning to think of Joe Biden as a velcro candidate. He has a lot of hooks. His role in the Clarence Thomas deliberations in the Senate, particularly regarding allegations of sexual harassment involving Anita Hill, are troublesome. His willingness to work with segregationist Senators, his support for the bankruptcy reform that made it harder to obtain debt relief, support of the Hyde Amendment, tough of crime legislation, etc. make him vulnerable and appearing out-of-touch in a changing society.
Daeder almost 5 years ago
So we get to ignore every unconscionable thing Il Douche does while simultaneously holding everyone BUT the president accountable for their behavior.
Thanks but no thanks. Joe Biden or anyone else who can help get that orange disaster out of the white house and into prison where he belongs has my vote NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY OR DO!
Because remember, thanks to the president, NOTHING MATTERS ANYMORE!
Charlie Tuba almost 5 years ago
I have a lot of respect for Biden and will vote for him if he is the nominee, but I feel that his time has come and gone. He should have ran in 2016 instead of Hillary.
wellis1947 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Please note; what LED to Trump (for what it’s worth) was the gradual accretion of racists and bigots into the republican party for the purpose of “voting” the republican line while the actual party leaders continued to ignore their own voters growing dissatisfaction with republican polices and positions, which had NO RELEVANCE to their lives and beliefs.
The Party kept pushing their own agenda (in very simplistic terms, packing the judiciary with Federalist Society nominees) which led to the ignoring of what their own base wanted and the democratic party was up to. This led to the election OF A BLACK MAN TO THE PRESIDENCY which was the absolute last straw for a major part of the republican constituency – thus Donald John Trump!
Understand – what I’ve just outlined is a terribly simplistic (though essentially accurate) explanation of the events leading to the election of Donnie John. The warning signs were all there – the initial Nixonian “Southern Strategy”, the birth and rise of “birtherism” (a combination of racism and bigotry unmatched in contemporary politics), and finally to Trump, an unholy mix of all that was wrong with American society; sexism, racism, bigotry, misogynistic narcissism coupled with intellectual depravity and bullying which hides a deep seated personal insecurity!
To add to the “proof”, if ANY were needed, I point to a poll taken sometime during the 2016 election in which 41% of registered republicans – 41%(!) – admitted to the racist, bigoted belief that Obama was not born in America!
Godfreydaniel almost 5 years ago
Thought experiment: “Obama was born in Kenya. Trump was born in Kenya.” One statement is NOT more idiotic or insane than the other. They are EQUALLY idiotic and insane.
Znox11 almost 5 years ago
I remember thinking with pride and awe in my country when Obama was elected, " Wow, anyone can become President!". I also remember thinking with dismay when Donald Trump was elected, “Wow, anyone can become President!”
Biden may not be perfect, but the Dems better understand that they’d better find someone who can beat Trump in 2020 and stop sniping at each other and assuring him of 4 more years (or more) as POTUS.
As an independent who tends to lean toward the GOP, I think the Republican party has sold it’s soul to the devil and it’s going to be real hard to get it back after the orange one is gone.