Biden's record as VP and standing on world stage give the lie to "gaffe-machine" myth. Though

[emmaverybo]

concern trolls depict Biden’s occasional gaffes as a sign that he is skating on the express slope to dementia, Biden—prone to slips-of-the-tongue throughout his successful political career—managed to become one of “the most influential VP’s in history,” and still, commands a respect on the world stage unparalleled by his rivals.

Biden, the Most Influential Vice-President in History?

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/12/joe-biden-the-most-influential-vice-president-in-history/266729/

Note: Since this article’s publication, Biden’s second term served to remove much question.
———————————————————————————————————————————————
World Leaders Tell Biden the World Needs You

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/20/biden-2020-foreign-policy-national-security-1228345

————————————————————————————————————-

Biden remains the only candidate to lay out, with requisite substance and authority, a foreign policy vision, was widely praised for his Iowa address after El Paso, his interview with Anderson, and from day one, has framed the fight for the presidency in the most profound terms—no less than a “struggle for the soul of America.”

Surely, his recent Op-Ed tracing the failed policies in Central America which have contributed to the humanitarian crisis at our borders should leave no doubt that Biden is more than sharp; in fact, he has unmatched experience, knowledge, and passion, amounting to wisdom, to bring to bear on the most crucial issues of our present and our future.

Meanwhile he campaigns with stamina, vigor, and authenticity, making an emotional connection to audiences which means more to them, I’d bet, than a flubbed date or mix up in remembered details. With Joe, the essence of his style is in being both a seasoned, masterful politician and a real human being.

[NoMoreRepugs]

1. If VP Biden accepts the need for Climate Change to

be THEE topic of one of the Democratic debates he might move the needle a bit farther with some voters.....or am I wrong in this line of reasoning??

[emmaverybo]

2. I don't think there's been a final word. He said fine, but Simone gave some good reasons against.

Personally, I would lobby for a foreign policy dedicated topic debate.

A first nuclear conflict, something experts contend is closer than ever before in history, would result in an immediate climate catastrophe.

[Thekaspervote]

5. The DNC voted yesterday not to have a separate/primary debate on climate change

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212421273#post13

[emmaverybo]

9. O.k. Thanks for the info.

[still_one]

3. Not that much different than what they did to Hillary. Only surprised

they haven’t brought Sanjay Gupta in for a diagnosis

Beats talking about where the candidates are on the issues, and the differences between them on the issues

[FBaggins]

4. He's the most qualified of the current candidates

and clearly more "respected on the world stage" than the current president or the other candidates for the nomination (since Clinton is not in the mix)

But no... Biden isn't close to the most influential VP in history. Not even close.

[Thekaspervote]

6. Just asking FMI... who do you think was?

[FBaggins]

8. I'd put him near the top historically, but near the bottom of the modern age

I consider the modern VP era to have begun around Ford/Mondale (but won't argue with those who say Nixon as long as we exempt most of the VPs between him and Agnew). Most of the VPs since that point have been more influential than Biden. Goodness... many here considered Cheney to actually be the de-facto president during the Bush terms. Nobody would say that about Biden. If you buy the argument that the current VP is responsible for Trump's court picks, then he too could be in consideration.

[Bradical79]

24. How about Cheney?

He was extremely influential... unfortunately

[LincolnRossiter]

7. If Biden isn't "one of the most influential VPs in history" can you name those ahead of him?

I have Cheney, then I’m drawing a blank. Other than VPs who succeeded to the presidency, who comes close to those two?

The VP used to practically be a part time job.

[karynnj]

22. How would you compare Al Gore, who was at one time spoken of the same way?

Remember "reinventing government"?

I would say that, like the President, the time period dictates the difficulty of governing and in calm times - less is needed. I would argue that the Obama years were among the most challenging in our history. Obama, with a very experienced VP, delegated some very big issues to the VP to lead on.

These things included monitoring the various parts of the stimulus package. It was a very complex response to preventing the economy falling off the cliff. He also took the lead on Iraq in the first term. (That had a more mixed result. He did get us out before the election, which was a political plus and it was not entirely by choice, but dictated by the lack of a SOFA agreement that he tried to negotiate. ) I would argue that - other than healthcare - these were the top two issues of the first term. Obama had a very strong cabinet both terms. If Obama did have strong faith in Biden, there were other people he could have assigned both of these tasks to. In addition, to those specific issues, it is also clear that Biden was Obama's top surrogate with the House and especially the Senate.

Obviously, this argument could likely have been stronger had it been made in 2016. I wonder if on some level this argument is harder to make as Obama clearly strongly favored HRC as his successor over Biden.

[quickesst]

10. as far as...

.... most influential vice presidents go, it should be divided into two groups. The top two?

Good: Joe Biden

Evil: Dick Cheney

[crazytown]

11. The Dick was drenched in evil,

but not, I think, evil to the core like Miller and 45.

[quickesst]

12. he was definitely....

.... smarter.

In the meantime Mike Pence is working extra hard to build a name and reputation for himself.

[NYMinute]

13. The gaffe narrative is being pushed by David Sirota and company

and their various ultra-left buddies in the media.

[Cha]

14. Thank you, emmaverybo!

[LiberalFighter]

15. Biden spent 8 years as VP

During that time there would be many ceremonies and events that he would attend or participate in. The time he would be involved would not be enough to engrain well enough to keep it entirely straight. Add that certain ceremonies are kept the same such as award ceremonies. Only the names, faces, and details, change. The place, the room, the music, etc remains the same.

[Vegas Roller]

16. K&R nt

[Gothmog]

17. And they worry about Biden's verbal gaffes? The president is a category 5 disaster

Link to tweet

[RhodeIslandOne]

18. "Gaffe" honesty

Most of the time he's telling it like it is, like "this is a big fucking deal" or Rudy G is "a noun, a verb and 9/11".

Now we have a walking gaffe in the White House, in addition to being a lying, racist, truly evil person.

[Gothmog]

19. "Voters just don't care... they think that he's an honorable man..."

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

20. These alleged gaffes are eye-rolling examples of the absurdity of the press or the woke left

Link to tweet

To many Biden supporters, who polls consistently show are older, more working class, and more culturally conservative, these alleged gaffes are eye-rolling examples of the absurdity of the press or the woke left. They think the young activist in eastern Iowa should toughen up, that the throwaway line to the 13-year-old is endearing, and that Biden’s lack of precision when he speaks, about scooters or so many other things, is a sign of his authenticity. And they grouse that Biden is held to a standard President Donald Trump is not.

How Democrats see such episodes is at the heart of the Democratic primary. One side views these sorts of typical Biden campaign-trail moments as evidence of a politician well past his prime — casually sexist in a way that might have gone unremarked in, say, 1973 when he first joined the Senate. His supporters see them as good examples of why he’s the lovable Democrat best-suited to beat Trump. What is clear is that the critics, who are louder and more visible online and on cable TV, have had absolutely no impact on changing Biden’s status as the steady front-runner in the race.

This woke-working class divide is at the heart of the most salient fact about the Democratic primaries: Nothing has damaged Biden. Biden entered the race with about 30 percent support nationally and he has that same 30 percent today.

[Cha]

21. The "woke left".. lol

[elocs]

23. The race will become more stressful as it heads into the primaries,

so if Biden's gaffes, real or imagined, do not increase they can be dismissed as not being caused by something more serious.
Biden was able to alter his over friendliness with females so why is he apparently unable to work on the verbal mistakes?