Biden has no right to stop the first female president

[restorefreedom]

have you guys seen this latest talking point? The people who don't want biden to run, and I can only give an educated guess that most of them are Hillary supporters, they tried a few other things first. First it was well we don't want to rush him because he's grieving his son. And then when they couldn't squeeze any more milk out of that coconut, they moved onto well it's gonna be too late and he's not gonna be able to get the funding he needs. But apparently he may be on the verge of getting support from the firefighters union, and it's looking like he's got a number of supporters who feel he can get the funding and infrastructure, so that meme is played.

so now the big stick comes out: guilt. I've heard a number of so-called pundits on the shows these last few days saying that there isn't a lot of policy difference between Biden and Clinton, and since Clinton had such a "strong performance" in the debate, her chance of imploding is smaller, and I love how they act as if bernie he's not even running and drawing crowds of tens of thousands. But now the newest talking point. Since there is not much policy difference between them, does he REALLY want to be the person who stands in the way of the first female president?

again the gender card comes out. First it came out in the debate and now it's coming out in trying to guilt Biden into not running. I thought we were supposed to elect people based on their qualifications and abilities. And besides that, I'm not a fan of Biden's policies, but he's been through quite a lot with his son's death, and trying to guilt him into not running because he would be "standing in the way of the first female president" is not only bad politics because it's gonna backfire big-time, but a really shitty thing to do. Not that it's a surprise.

edit to add link

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/clinton-quietly-trying-discourage-biden-2016-bid/

[MineralMan]

1. I doubt he would be able to do that, frankly.

I think that, if he enters the race, he will take some support from Clinton, but not enough to keep her from winning the nomination. I think that, if he looks at this rationally, he'll realize that.

He has waited too long already. It is too late for him to prevail.

My own opinion, of course.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. I agree

And I hope that he stays out of it- but I recognize that he has the right to run if he wants to- though I think that it will probably be a pointless/half-hearted run at best.

[MineralMan]

5. He will make his own decision. I think he would not have gotten

the nomination, even if he had started very early. He has all of Hillary's flaws in policy for the left and not enough personal charisma to get him past that. Had he become a candidate earlier, the criticisms of him would be harsh and pointed at places like DU. The same people who do not support Hillary would not have supported him, either.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. What is more likely, Joe finishing third in IA and NH or finishing first?

And after he finishes third there will be pressure from the party to not be a spoiler and let folks choose between Bernie and Hillary, similar to the pressure put on John Edwards in 2008. I can't imagine a more ignominious end to what has been a distinguished career.

It reminds of the saw about old boxers that "they don't paint great canvases they become part of them."

There is no shame in quitting while you're ahead.

[MineralMan]

16. I think it is more likely that he finishes

second or third. He's been in the polls for a while. I doubt his announcement would have a large effect on those polls. Some effect, but not a large one.

If he finished second, though, Bernie Sanders' viability would diminish markedly. That's certainly a possibility. I don't think Sanders will survive Super Tuesday anyhow, but a finish as second for Biden would seal the possibility completely.

Frankly, I think his entry would be a mistake for him, but I'm not Biden. He will do what he thinks best, I guess.

[thesquanderer]

25. Depends who he finishes second to.

(In response to "If he finished second, though, Bernie Sanders' viability would diminish markedly&quot

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. Exactly

n/t

[artislife]

34. charisma

Joe has it. I love the guy in spite of serious, serious issues with his record

He may be on of the most likable politicians in my life. He and President Obama are quite the pair.

[Agschmid]

3. Biden has every right to jump in if he wants.

It's an election.

[MineralMan]

6. He does, indeed. I'm still not sure what decision he will make,

but if he decides to run, it will certainly complicate the race. The result of that remains unclear at this point.

[bettyellen]

4. "I can only give an educated guess that most of them are Hillary supporters" HA HA HA.

[gwheezie]

7. HRC supporter here

I thought biden should run for the past 6 months. He's been VP to a popular dem pres for 8 years, of course he should run. At some point he does need to state his decision though.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

20. Yes, it's time. In or out Joe...the hour's gettin late.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2016!!!

[L. Coyote]

8. Biden has every right to nominate the first woman V-P.

Have you heard that one? We've had a woman nominee, but not a woman V-P (in Palin's case, thank goodness).

Would Biden ask Hillary to join his ticket? Or Warren? Or who else would he ask? Maybe someone entirely unexpected?

[Rose Siding]

22. Geraldine Ferraro

[L. Coyote]

40. Too bad she wasn't the first woman V-P.

I thought it wasn't the best nominee in political history, even though it was a good moment in political history.

[TM99]

10. We stopped electing people based

on their qualifications and abilities with Carter. Since Reagan, it is a cult of personality, red team/blue team cheerleading, and manufactured consent by those who truly run this country. One hint, it ain't us the people.

[SoapBox]

24. Bingo!

[hifiguy]

41. Boom.

100% correct.

[sufrommich]

11. Who said this and on what show? nt

[restorefreedom]

29. i was flicking but i think it was mtp

but it's not the first time I've heard it, I've heard it several times over the past week or two on different talking head type programs. Interestingly enough, they haven't been politicians who have said it but rather media people who I suspect have some reason to not want Biden in the race.

[jfern]

12. Obviously if you actually consider the issues, neither is that great

[George II]

14. Just where did this "latest talking point" appear?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

19. Expect these attacks, overt and covert, to grow exponentially as she increases her lead in the polls

It is amusing in a sad kind of way.

[restorefreedom]

30. what attack?

I was sharing something that I heard on Meet the Press this morning and had heard a number of times over the past week. There are people out and about saying in public that Biden might not want to be the one who stands in the way of the first female president. I didn't make it up.

[Android3.14]

15. The Clinton supporters must tire of having everything blow up in their faces

They can't justify their support based on her record, they can't convince anyone to believe her rhetoric, and they know her financial support comes from the dark side.

[American Flag]

17. I must apologize... but my vision isn't that good I actually read it "Biden has the right to be the

first women president" and had to re-adjust my glasses. I also must make a note to call the eye doctor.

[Fearless]

18. Setting feminism back fifty years.

Just let the meme die.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

21. Seriously.

[leftofcool]

23. Supply link to Hillary supporters not wanting Biden to run.

[restorefreedom]

31. I did not mean Hillary supporters on du

it was the talking heads on the shows

sorry if there was any confusion about Hillary supporters on DU, I was not referring to any of you guys. But rather the pundits.

[restorefreedom]

33. please see edited op for link. nt

[Thinkingabout]

26. Nothing to stop the revolution candidate either.

[still_one]

27. That's nonsense. However it would be nice to have a president who could make a

decision

[Lil Missy]

28. who said this besides you? sounds a lot like bullshit to me.

[restorefreedom]

32. it has been on several shows over the past week

also edited op with link

and fyi as a sanders supporter, why would i want to poison the well? a biden entry helps bernie

[Kalidurga]

35. I don't doubt your veracity in telling us about what you heard.

But, I believe Biden would hurt Bernie a lot more than Hillary. Of course Biden not being in the race at this point makes it impossible to know who would benefit the most by him running or not running.

So, I don't really want Biden in the race. But, I think he has every right to jump in if he wants to. I think he would be the force to knock Webb and Chafee out that much sooner. Quite frankly even though I don't really want him in I think he would actually be a challenger to Hillary.

[juxtaposed]

36. Enough is enough, The American People are sick and tired of hearing about damn Joe Biden running for

president.

[longship]

37. First, one has to be elected the first female president of the USA.

Then we will see about stopping her. (Hopefully not.) However, I am sure the GOP has some ideas about that.

Food for thought, people.

And I do not think Biden is going to run for POTUS. I think most everybody realizes that, in spite of all the DC blather.

[Doctor_J]

38. that's what the hillarians have really been upset about since the beginning

For some reason they are convinced that a victory by Sanders would be an insult to every woman on earth. Lost perspective. They would rather have a conservative female president than a liberal white guy.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

39. I think there are people within the party who want Joe to run

because he has something Hillary lacks but Bernie has a lot of: Authenticity (or sincerity, or genuineness - whatever you want to call it). Whatever you want to say about Joe, he's no phony. He can be criticized on other points, but he's about as "real" as they come. And so is Bernie. That quality is one of the reasons Bernie is gaining popularity with a lot of us hoi polloi. Maybe some of the party poo-bahs figure that with Joe they can get that quality while still staying within the establishment and not rocking the boat too much. So you get Hillary's moderate same-ol'-same-ol' politics with some of Bernie's vibe. Don't know whether that's the reason, or whether it will work if he gets in. I think he'd take more votes away from Hillary than from Bernie, though.

[glinda]

42. I have a hard time understanding why

people will vote on one single issue like someone being female or on abortion or whatever. I know some feel very very strongly about them but at the end of the day it doesn't present evidence of really looking at the facts in whole and does not bode well for the future.

[davidn3600]

43. The sense of entitlement the Clintons have is getting ridiculous