Does the turn the Kavanaugh nomination has taken affect Biden's chances of a presidential run?

[EffieBlack]

I think it does.

His role in the Anita Hill hearings was mostly forgotten, even if not forgiven, but now that has all been brought back, it is more difficult for it to be downplayed as no big deal or too far in the past.

What do you all think?

[Garrett78]

1. Yes. But, then, I'm not at all interested in him becoming POTUS.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. I wouldn't actively oppose Joe Biden but we need a new generation of leadership.

[bearsfootball516]

6. Same. If he made it to the general, I'd happily cast my vote for him.

But in a primary, my vote would likely go elsewhere unless everyone else was just incompetent.

[c-rational]

8. Agreed.

[MurrayDelph]

18. Also agree

Joe is a great guy, and would have been a good president, but that window's closed.

Right now, of the ones exploring a campaign, my favorite is my Senator Jeff Merkley.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Yes, but not irreparably harmed

It does bring up unfavorable memories of his role in those hearings. He is capable of defending himself on that, he is capable of saying that he learned and internalized lessons from that and he is a different man because of it. He is believable if he sincerely apologizes. But it will be a crowded field in 2020 and this would give some voters a reason to look at another quality choice over Biden.

[lark]

4. I think it won't hurt him.

The right won't run ads on this because their base doesn't care and after the primaries no Dem affiliated group would do that. Biden made a bad mistake, but has done so much good since then, and he's so likeable and real, I think he'd beat the pants of Agent Orange Chaos in any fair election.

[IluvPitties]

5. Different times back then. Biden has redeemed himself.

[RockCreek]

7. It still had me opposed even before this.

I listened to the hearings live in college.
I might have gotten past it and not have been opposed in 2016, but for me his ship has sailed now.
We need new and younger, regardless.

[BeckyDem]

9. Could be, because until now many are likely too young to even think of him

associated with that mess. They think of him as VP for Obama, which was all positive.

[MissB]

10. I think the better question is how does the Trump presidency affect a Biden run

Because that’s really the measure.

[BannonsLiver]

11. I think it will hurt him in the DU primary.

[mcar]

12. I had the same thought, Effie

I love Joe, but there is no doubt that he did not acquit himself well during the Anita Hill hearings. He redeemed himself over the years, with VAWA and other actions.

But, seeing some of the same old, white male faces on today's committee doing and saying basically the same crap brings the whole debacle back.

[world wide wally]

13. I like Biden a lot, but I don't think he's our best direction for 2020.

However, I would love to see him debate the mushroom man.

[qazplm135]

14. he'll never be elected

plenty of folks haven't forgiven him, and he will struggle to get women voters particularly younger women voters.

I think he'd make a great President, but the hearings will prevent it.

[Iggo]

15. That was always gonna come up.

This is gonna make it come up harder.

It was always going to be a problem, and now it's going to be a huge problem.

[dsc]

16. Who knows

I can't imagine it helps him in the primary but there are way too many variables right now. Will he run? Who else is running? What will the primary calendar look like? His big positive is unchanged by this. He is perceived, probably somewhat accurately, as a candidate who is nearly uniquely able to speak to the type of white voter we lost in 2016. If he is the only white male in a primary with many female candidates and candidates of color, he is set up fairly good for the early races. But if he isn't the only white male in the primary or if a candidate who is perceived as equally able to speak to that set of voters appears then not so much. Then his negatives, age, gaffes, the Anita Hill hearings, his drug warrior career become more of a problem.

[HipChick]

17. If Anita Hill was white...

there would be no SC Thomas..

but since there is a sexual predator in the WH, I don't see how that would affect a Biden run...

[EffieBlack]

19. Word

As evidenced by the fact that not a peep has been heard from Herman Cain since they discovered his, let's say, attraction for white women.

However, while I don't think it would matter in a general, I do think Biden's treatment of Anita Hill would cause him problems in the Democratic primary.

[HipChick]

20. Forget about Herman Cain...

He was dispatched swiftly..

[EffieBlack]

21. That's my point.

The GOP only gives black men so much wiggle room.

[karynnj]

22. Funny you should say that - as earlier today, that was exactly what my husband and I were

speculating to be the case. Over the last week, there have been many bits and pieces of Biden's questioning of Hill that are disgusting. He has apologized, in what many here called a very weak apology.

The problem is that he was the chair and he had the power to make the decision to let other women making similar claims testify and pushed through the vote. With that great power, came responsibility. While this was a different time, it was NOT that different that not pursing credible accusations was reasonable. At that point, there were only 2 female Seantors, but other male Senators spoke out even as Biden pushed this forward.

I suspect that if he is one of the frontrunners, there will be times when it is brought up. ( To see how bad that could look, watch Ari Melber's use of tape here. Imagine that instead of Secretary Kerry, who did not want to attack Biden or even reference that he was one of the Senators who wanted an investigation, it was an opponent - especially someone like the awesome Kamala Harris.) https://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari-melber/watch/john-kerry-trump-effected-hostile-takeover-of-republican-party-1324586051546?v=raila&
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