Biden praises Sanders on income inequality, calls Clinton 'relatively new' to the fight

[ForgoTheConsequence]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)Vice President Joe Biden offered effusive praise for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders Monday, lauding Hillary Clinton's chief rival for doing a "heck of a job" on the campaign trail and praising Sanders for offering an authentic voice on income inequality.

And while Biden said Democrats had a slate of "great candidates" running for president, he suggested Clinton was a newcomer to issues like the growing gap between rich and poor.

"Bernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real. And he has credibility on it," Biden said during an interview with CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger.

"It's relatively new for Hillary to talk about that," Biden continued, acknowledging that Clinton has "come forward with some really thoughtful approaches to deal with the issue" of income inequality.

"Hillary's focus has been other things up to now, and that's been Bernie's -- no one questions Bernie's authenticity on those issues," he said.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/politics/joe-biden-bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-income-inequality/index.html

[840high]

1. Thank you Joe.

[Sherman A1]

11. Agreed

[CoffeeCat]

2. Holy buckets!!!

Did I just read that right?!

Does anyone else feel as if the entire universe has shifted in the past 24 hours?

[Betty Karlson]

6. I think some in the elite have decided that Clinton is too big a risk for the GE.

Come on: the White House is at stake. Are you going to run someone with negative coattails?

[MBS]

13. Biden has been saying this for a while

I remember him saying something similar in the spring/summer/early fall, while he was still contemplating whether to run or not.
On one of the Talking-Head shows (also several months ago), Howard Fineman suggested that Biden is not a fan of the Clintons- that he was repulsed by the money, the whole Clinton M.O.. and that he likely would wait as long as possible to endorse HRC, and only when she is the official Democratic nominee - that is, at the Dem. convention.
My guess (based on no data) is that some of these considerations - as well as genuine concern for middle class and working class folks (always a focus of his, throughout his career) - are what motivated him to at least consider running for president.

[DJ13]

3. He doesnt sound like a Hillary fan

[MBS]

14. he's not.

see my reply #13.

[Thinkingabout]

4. Biden also said "she (Hillary) is qualified to be president and for sure to be vice president",

Thank you Biden for your truthfulness.

[Duckfan]

7. Those are kudos of the second highest form

Getting something like that from Obama would be the highest order, but Joe is only the VP.

[PatrickforO]

8. This is a pretty big deal that Biden said this.

"It's relatively new for Hillary to talk about that..."

Yes, it is, Joe.

And she WOULDN'T be talking about any of it at all, except that Bernie has forced the conversation.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. Hillary considers "poor" to be under one of her speaking fees.

[Sherman A1]

10. K&R!

[dreamnightwind]

12. He's just selling ice cream

"Bernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real. And he has credibility on it,"

setting up Ben and Jerry's new flavor:

Bernie's Yearning

A big disk of RICH chocolate covers the entire top, plain mint ice cream under it. To eat it, you have to break up the rich top layer, and mix its wealth back into the rest of the ice cream.

https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/685211710454546432

Or I suppose it's a coincidence that Biden and Ben both said yearning?

Seriously, though, this appearance by Biden is great news for Bernie, whatever Biden's motivation, which I can't quite figure. He and Warren have been wildcards this whole election season.

[stillwaiting]

15. I would call Clinton "insincerely new" to the fight. I don't trust her a bit. nt

[PDittie]

16. He even stuck up for Bernie on guns.

Sanders has sufficiently come around on the issue of gun control, Biden said, even as the Clinton campaign continued to launch withering criticism of Sanders' past vote allowing legal immunity for gun manufacturers whose products are involved in fatal shootings. President Barack Obama recently wrote in an op-ed he wouldn't campaign for any candidate that doesn't support "common-sense gun reform."

"What Bernie Sanders has to do is say that the Second Amendment says -- which he has, of late -- the Second Amendment says you can limit who can own a gun, that people who are criminals shouldn't have guns," he said. "People who are schizophrenic and have mental illnesses shouldn't own guns. And he has said that."

This seems like a pre-emptive counterpunch to me from Biden. H.A. Goodman is also offering an assist to what (I believe) is going to be Clinton's primary attack in Sunday night's debate in Charleston. He dug out some 2008 quotes from her describing herself as a "pro-gun churchgoer".

The tide really is turning.

[KoKo]

19. That article by Goodman is Great Read!

Thanks!

[Gregorian]

17. What a load of crap. He's softening America up for her. It's not even part of her game.

Oh yeah, Hillary the huge proponent of helping eliminate income inequality, has seen the light. Not a chance Joe.

[Javaman]

18. My opinion of Biden just improved a bit. nt

[Beacool]

20. Biden clarifies comments on Hillary Clinton and income inequality

Vice President Biden sought Tuesday to clarify his comment that income inequality is a "relatively new" issue for Hillary Clinton, a statement trumpeted by Clinton primary opponent Bernie Sanders.

"What I meant was, for the last five years, she's been engaged in foreign policy," Biden told NBC's Today show, referring to her term as President Obama's secretary of State.

Income inequality "has been Bernie's mantra from the time he's gotten involved," Biden added. "Even when income inequality wasn't as serious as it is today, it was his drumbeat. And so that's what I meant."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/01/12/joe-biden-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-nbc-today-income-inequality/78673812/