Biden continues to hold solid lead in every poll, everywhere: post accusations

[louis c]

It turns out a lot of Democrats think as I do. I want the candidate that has the best chance to beat Trump. Some here at DU may disagree with me, and I admit, that polls may change. But until they do, the most pragmatic and logical choice, from an Electoral College perspective, is Joe Biden.

Following those accusations from a group of women who were "uncomfortable" by Biden's non-sexual, single encounter, his numbers everywhere have either held steady or improved. I believe the accusers. They had a single encounter with the Vice-President of the United States and felt uncomfortable by his interaction. The other 10,000 people that Biden has encountered during his years of campaigning were fine with his actions. I believe them, too.

Apparently, about a week or so after Lucy Flores, the Sanders' supporting losing Democratic candidate for Lt. Gov. in Nevada revealed her "discomfort" with Biden for his non-sexual contact, no one really gives a shit. All we want is the strongest Democratic candidate to beat Trump.

Link to every latest poll:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

[BlueFlorida]

1. Biden will be the nominee

and any one of the other candidates will make a great VP pick (Except Bernie and Tulsi)

[louis c]

2. Biden-Harris: Dream Ticket

[DavidDvorkin]

21. I'd support that

I'm still backing Buttigieg, but I'd be happy with eight years of Biden-Harris followed by eight years of Harris-Buttigieg.

[Maru Kitteh]

80. I'm on board with that!

[Lisa0825]

181. YES!!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

153. In your dreams all right!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Gothmog]

189. Washington Post-'Electability' and 'Bernie' don't belong in the same sentence

Link to tweet

“A combined 58 percent of voters are either uncomfortable (37 percent) or have reservations about (21 percent) Bernie Sanders’ 2020 bid. For Elizabeth Warren, it’s a combined 53 percent. And for Kamala Harris and Beto O’Rourke, it’s 41 percent of voters expressing either reservations or discomfort.” Given that the overwhelming number of voters know who Sanders is, there is no excuse — as there is for other candidates — that they have insufficient information to decide whether to vote for him. Sanders is about as well known as former vice president Joe Biden, yet the poll shows that Biden’s comfortable/uncomfortable rating (48/48) clearly outpaces Sanders’s (37/58).....

Sanders’s age, the “socialist” moniker he embraces and his 2016 campaign problem with women are not going to change during the race. It’s unlikely his personality or his familiarity with foreign policy will improve, either. (The guy is 77, and if we have learned anything from Trump, it is that septuagenarians don’t change their personalities nor attend to habitual deficits in knowledge.) Oh, and on Sunday he again promised to release his tax returns, which he promised over a month ago would be “soon.”

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

191. You're now taking political advice from Jennifer Rubin?! Oh okay!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Gothmog]

205. Read the polling cited in that article

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

222. A significant portion of sanders support were really non-democrats who will not be back

Link to tweet

Without the #neverhillary voters who were not really democrats, sanders will have a very hard time repeating past results

[Gothmog]

187. I really like that ticket also

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

33. Biden polls numbers historically go down once he announces and starts campaigning, while...

Bernie's go up. Hate to tell ya, but, Bernie will be the Democratic nominee for President and will crush the Traitor-in-Chief... you can count on it!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[shanny]

49. I assume this is why Biden hasn't declared yet.

Once he comes under real scrutiny the party's over. *

*as it was in 1988 (withdrew before first primary) and 2008 (withdrew immediately after first primary).

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. Exactly right! Biden has to know he can't win, but I would never say he shouldn't run for a 3rd time

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[John Fante]

77. Not a good comparison.

Biden didn't have anywhere near the name recognition then that he has now.

[Demsrule86]

108. He is running as a VP really a Obama third term.

That is how many will see it.

[Demsrule86]

83. He was VP for 8 years good luck with old shit. Not

[shanny]

95. lol

I know you don't care about "old shit" but I bet the people it affected do. The debacle that was the Anita Hill hearing (and that asshole Clarence Thomas is still on the Court so it isn't even "the past" is it?); the horrible crime bill which was Biden's baby--also not "past"; the bankruptcy bill handout to banks and credit card companies that he championed, also not "past"....yeah, I can't see why women, minorities and younger generations--possibly the most important constituencies and future of the Democratic Party--would care about all that "old shit".

And of course there's more: his Iraq War vote is a perennial favorite (but so passe for some); support for a balanced budget amendment (one of the stupidest ideas ever) and means testing Social Security--that last one is NOW, not a decade ago or even last year. The ads will just write themselves, don't you think? Joe Biden favors cuts to Social Security! When you are worrying about what nasty things Republicans will say about our candidate, don't forget that one.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

101. Haha, the old "old shit" defense...I'll remember that next time they bring up old shit about Bernie.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[shanny]

103. +1

Up the revolution!

[Demsrule86]

109. What revolution? It doesn't exist.

[shanny]

139. Do explain how what were "radical leftist" ideas a mere 2 years ago

are now mainstream in the Democratic Party. I'll wait.

How does that saying go? First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win.

[Demsrule86]

141. That is a myth. Democrats have advocated those ideas for years.

And if you include running on MFA, was a bad ideavinv16band still is.

[shanny]

148. bwahahahahahahahahahaha

(gasp)hahahahahahahahahaha


run along

[Demsrule86]

154. He who laughs last laughs best.

[Demsrule86]

107. Stone age ... and Biden's record on women is stellar ...Bye bye Bernie

Biden wrote tell violence against women law.

[shanny]

137. I agree: Biden is Stone age

As noted radical Charles P Pierce* put it:

"It is time for Joe Biden to decide not to run for president....The party is far distant from the one in which he once was a power. The caravan has moved on. The train as left the station." my bold

*not a Bernie fan, btw. Also too: WTF does Bernie have to do with this?

OK your turn: I await a "witty" non-sequitur

[Demsrule86]

142. Bernie is older.

[shanny]

147. WTF does Bernie have to do with this?

[Demsrule86]

156. Just saying...

[shanny]

161. just saying nothing

[Demsrule86]

165. I have seen posts supporting Sanders

[shanny]

175. so what?

I have made no secret of what I want in a candidate: someone willing to take on the entrenched powers that be AND--even more important--someone who is full-bore on climate change. So far the top contenders are Bernie, Warren and Inslee, and maybe Buttigieg, although I don't know much about him yet. He is wicked smart but still accessible, he has a way of framing the issues that is very relatable and yet outside the box...I need more information there.

I have also made it very clear what I don't want: someone Wall St. likes, someone big donors want, someone who is trying to return to pre-tRump days, as if that was such a good time for most of us anyway.

Should be pretty clear why I don't want Biden, however likeable he is and however good a job he did as veep. The past was prologue to what we have now, and that is what we need to address.

[Demsrule86]

179. I was curious how since Sanders is older than Biden and Bidens age was the issue how

Sander's age wouldn't be concerning.

[shanny]

185. Show me where I ever said Biden's AGE was the issue.

Over and over and over (and OVER) I have said his policies were of the past, and that is the problem. I don't give a rat's behind about his age per se.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

162. ... and wiser!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

164. No I don't tho think so.

[shanny]

177. I agree. He always was.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

178. How some peeps don't see this is beyond me!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[louis c]

220. Bernie running behind Biden in New Hampshire...

...that should tell us all something.

[Demsrule86]

180. Wise but still older than Biden?

[shanny]

199. Whatabout Bernie? Really?

[True Blue American]

128. After Trump

The old shit is not worth a tinkers damn.

What counts is Biden's record in the Senate and his 8 years as VP with his best friend.

After Trump’s dismal record. He is now down to Stephen Miller and the Freedom Caucus nut.

No one even wants to work for him.

Compare that to the Obama/Biden years.



https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2018/07/31/obama-and-biden-surprise-a-bakerys-staff-orig.cnn

[Demsrule86]

143. Obama's third term ...finally.

[BlueFlorida]

59. aaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaha

"Historically" - He has not run for POTUS for some 20 years. That Biden was just as senator from Delaware.

Now he is the beloved ex-VPOTUS.

However, I won't interfere with wishful thinking.

[Demsrule86]

82. In your dreams. He is great on the campaign trail and he will be campaigning

as a hands on vice president for President. Barak Obama...the best president of my lifetime.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

86. Read up on your campaign history... not that it matters. Voters will decide...

I'm confident it will be for Bernie, but, of course, it could be for another candidate... though, most certainly, it won't be for Joe.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

110. Running for the third Obama term as a FORMER VP.

some polls show Harris within 1 point of Sanders and Biden way ahead. I feel there is bad feelings about the 16 general election which he can't overcome.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

113. There are no bad feelings. Bernie brought in TONS of new, energized voters to the Democratic Party.

He will be rewarded this time around for having done that, you'll see. Just one of MANY reasons Bernie will be our next President... without a doubt!! Maybe then you'll start showing him the proper respect he deserves.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

117. Are you kidding? We lost and many including me don't think he helped enough

In the 16 general. I will never get over this. I would vote for Sanders in a general but not in a primary. And Sen Sanders has people in his current campaign who were Stein supporters and encouraged people to vote for Stein.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

118. Bernie didn't help enough? Yeah riiiiigght... he campaigned for Hillary night and day...

What more did you want?!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

121. Do you really believe there are no hard feelings? We lost and he now has people who

encouraged Voting for spoiler Jill Stein in his campaign...a slap in the face to those who supported Hillary in the general.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

125. No, I'm sayin there SHOULDN'T be hard feelins, just like there shouldn't have been any against Obama

after running against Hillary... but then there was that ugly PUMA movement. The POINT is this... there SHOULDN'T BE any hard feelings... those only hurt our chances of defeating the Traitor-in-Chief. It's time to unite and STOP with the circular firing squad!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

149. Hillary worked her heart out for Obama, and Bill did also.

I have hard feelings about the 16 general. You can't tell folks how to feel. And putting Stein supporters in the current Sanders campaign exacerbates the 2016 general hard feelings.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

151. No, I'm telling you how you SHOULDN'T feel... it only hurts your own self-interests.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

157. I don't consider supporting Sen Sanders to be in my best interest.

I would in a heartbeat if I thought he could defeat Trump, but I don't. Sen Sanders has my vote in a general. I just don't think he will be the candidate.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

160. You should-Joe was a great VP by adoptin Obama's agenda, which was more like Bernie's than Joe's own

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

166. Obama's agenda is nothing like Sen. Sanders.

[Demsrule86]

167. I don't agree with that.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

168. Of course not... it's Bernie we're talking about.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

170. People are allowed to feel differently than you about Sanders. This

doesn't mean somehow he is a victim.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

173. Never said otherwise... you have every right to be wrong about Bernie.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

174. So do you.

[awesomerwb1]

146. Bernie brought a TON of voters to Trump after losing the Dem primary as well.

[Demsrule86]

150. Yes..true.

[themaguffin]

120. I don't know why that is so easily dismissed...

[Demsrule86]

123. I agree.

[Gothmog]

208. Still amazing to me how much support Bernie has lost, everywhere.

Link to tweet

[OilemFirchen]

88. And Sanders historically loses every Presidential Primary he enters.

By massive numbers, BTW.

[Gothmog]

206. Polls show Bernie Sanders' popularity among all voters is plummeting

Link to tweet

One of the arguments Bernie Sanders' fans made during the 2016 Democratic primary was that he was more electable than Hillary Clinton. His favorable ratings with the general electorate were far higher than Hillary Clinton's. Indeed, Sanders maintained fairly high favorable ratings with all voters as late as 2018.

Sanders' popularity among all voters seems to be declining considerably in the last few months, however.

Our new CNN poll puts Sanders favorable rating at 46% compared to an unfavorable rating of 45% among registered voters. This is only the latest poll to have Sanders at basically even in his net favorability rating (favorable-unfavorable). A Quinnipiac University poll from late December gave the Vermont senator a net favorability of just +2 points. An average of all recent polls put Sanders' net favorability at about -1 points.

[OilemFirchen]

214. He's been bleeding support since Clinton cinched the nomination.

There's been no evidence that he's picked up any support from Clinton voters at all, and tons of evidence that he's lost some or much of his base.

It's only going to get worse for him, but some of his supporters are absolutely convinced otherwise.

Go figure.

[Blue_true]

91. I expect Pete Buttigieg to surpass Bernie.

You are right partially, Joe tends to go down once he is actually running. But you are wrong that Bernie will be the beneficiary. The people that I expect to benefit are Buttigieg and Harris. I honestly feel that Bernie's support has peaked with a core of really loyal people like you, but in actual voting, other players get to pick their choice and that does not seem to be Bernie.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

133. You underestimate Bernie at your own peril.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BannonsLiver]

152. ...

[Blue_true]

183. We're see. That is the great thing about primaries.

[BannonsLiver]

131. Damn!

I missed yesterday’s rationalization as for why Bernie is tanking.

[nini]

203. No way in hell

He's being vetted this time and not doing well because of it.

[BlueStater]

201. It's over already? Must have missed when the voting started.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. Trump FEARS Biden because Biden can hit back with a smile.....

And Trump not know what hit him.

His nickname of "Champ" is that when hit, he gets right back up.

[Kahuna7]

36. Biden should taunt him with the size of his huge hands...

They really are huge.

[EveHammond13]

4. K&R

[guillaumeb]

5. If it were a single encounter,

and one person making an accusation, that would be different.

But at what point do multiple encounters demonstrate a pattern?

[LongtimeAZDem]

6. Nobody is denying the pattern. What people are saying is that "being uncomfortable" doesn't

qualify as something worth attacking the man.

[guillaumeb]

7. But what does that "being uncomfortable" mean?

And what does it say if the person who did the actions seems unconvinced that what he was doing made them uncomfortable?

[LongtimeAZDem]

9. It means that they were uncomfortable; such things happen. And, don't lie; Biden acknowledges

that he made them uncomfortable.

But, again, according to the accusers themselves:

There was no assault, in any way, shape, or form,
There was nothing sexual, in any way, shape, or form,
There was no desire to make the person uncomfortable, and
The actions stemmed from a desire to be friendly and compassionate.

So, the only mature response is, again, deal with it.

[Kahuna7]

18. People feel "uncomforable" about all kinds of things everyday...

without assigning mal intent and making a federal case out of it. It appeared obvious that the accusers and even the pearl clutchers in the media all had agendas.

[Hortensis]

122. Just imagine SAYING you felt uncomfortable when someone

hugged you at a social gathering! Sudden silence, titter as someone thought you were joking, backing away, budding consternation on the man's face, repressed displeasure on his wife's, someone rushing to change the subject interrupted by the man's apology,....

It's a big deal to SAY "uncomfortable," far bigger than just the claimant's usual irritated but silent wish that people would stop that damned hugging and touching.

[Demit]

194. Especially if the hugger (or kisser, or thigh-toucher) is higher status than you.

Of course women are going to do what women are always expected to do: Be nice. Don't make a fuss. This is a nice occasion, don't ruin it.

[Hortensis]

196. We all do that last constantly, tho, Demet.

It's the absolutely necessary grease that allows families to stay together and lets us get out of social gatherings not just with whole skins but having been able to enjoy them and wanting to go again.

What I'm saying is that the mere SAYING in public that one felt uncomfortable, whether on CNN for political purpose or just to an offender's dismayed face, is a much bigger deal than the very minor unintended offense.

Also, what I didn't say is that I don't admire people who are quick to take offense and to rush to trouble. I'd trade a dozen of those for one good-natured hugger any day and consider my society much the nicer for it.

[Demit]

200. I'm confused. I thought I was agreeing with you.

I thought you were saying that women stay silent even when men take liberties, because the societal onus is on us to pretend nothing is wrong, and that's a sad fact. But you're saying that it's right & proper that we do?

I guess that's where you and I would differ. I thought I was supporting your statement, but I don't agree with that last at all. I hate being pawed and having to smile brightly because if I don't I'm the one breaking society's rules, not the handsy guy.

[Hortensis]

204. I think we agree where we're talking about

the same thing, which we are not. I see your last point and shared it when I felt was being pawed inappropriately, but at my age that isn't happening anymore. And when I was younger I actually don't think I was pawed in public, as opposed to in private, ever, but hugs could be stronger and longer than appropriate.

But at any age I was NOT talking about when men take offensive "liberties" and "paw" women, but where men behave according to accepted societal norms.

A male acquaintance I probably see 2-3 times a year hugged me a brief, cheerful hello on meeting again 3 days ago and a cheerful goodbye yesterday. Entirely appropriate here in the deep south. I can fully understand someone disliking being touched, I've often not. But I would regard even that someone badmouthing his hug to others as taking "liberties" and "pawing" as a very not-nice injustice to a good man.

Yes, I am calling for some self discipline, judgment and minimal generosity of spirit here. On the scale of bad things humans experience, a good-natured squeeze of the shoulders should rank extremely low.

[Demit]

218. The "brief" part of the hug or other kind of touch is an important distinction.

Brief hug, brief touch on the shoulder or arm, all that is fine, especially with someone I've known for some years & see on a regular, if infrequent, basis. It would mean we share a common interest & have developed a level of familiarity with each other whereby we know there's a basis for the (brief) hug. It's the lingering touch, or the kind of touch that makes you frown because it's not appropriate to the circumstance, or to the level of your relationship, that is problematic.

When a man behaves within accepted societal norms, there's nothing to remark on. When his behavior draws attention, such that people who are disinterested observers start commenting publicly on it—well, by definition that means he has been acting outside of accepted norms, no? Society eventually notices outré behavior and calls it out. Even when it's not as bad as other bad things.

[Demsrule86]

111. A big fat nothing, politically motivated attack.

[louis c]

10. Ya, the pattern is for every 10,000 people Biden encounters in a single instance...

...maybe 8 people feel uncomfortable.

I don't think you understand what I mean by a single encounter. Each woman only met Biden once. That's what I mean by a "single encounter". It's not like a person you meet frequently, like a fellow worker. In these cases, the person could say, "Please, don't touch my shoulder", or "I'd rather you not kiss my cheek", or "Please don't rub the top of my head". Once warned, the next act is totally inappropriate.

But, we can't assume everyone feels that way. To be hugged by the Vice-President, or to have a harmless kiss on the cheek, as thousands of people in the real world do every day, should not be elevated to the traumatic experience of a sexual offer or touching a woman's breast, or buttocks, or, in the case of Trump, even worse.

I contend that the only way the supporters of the lesser known candidates for the Democratic nomination stand a chance is to tear Biden down. Well, the voters are turning out to be way too smart for that.

[athena]

13. It's still too early in the game to make such pronouncements.

If you look at DU, you will see that most of Biden’s supporters are male. Most female DUers seem to prefer a female candidate. No Democrat can win this time around without highly motivating women to go out and campaign for them. Only a woman can do that now, after the sexist debacle of the 2016 election.

[LakeArenal]

19. That is a huge generalization on DU.

I am a highly motivated women and many here are. We have PMessages back and forth to effectively promote Biden here onDU.

But the fact is, DU is a special block.
The polls ( tho I don’t trust that much) show the general public likes Biden.
What source has said women in general are for a woman and men in general want Biden?

Isn’t yours a pronouncement that women on DU want a woman?

[Kahuna7]

23. The polling has been consistent thus far..

The majority of Democratic women favor Biden, then bernie.

[bearsfootball516]

29. DU also isn't very representative of the United States Democratic party

There are maybe, 200 active posters? There were nearly 66 million votes for Hillary. Which would mean DU made up 0.000003 percent of the 2016 vote.

[Green Line]

58. I'm a female

and I support Biden.

[athena]

69. Good for you.

I said “most”, not “all”. The fact that many women, like many men, would rather be led by a man than a woman does not undo the existence of millions of women who want to be represented by a woman and made their voices heard in the primaries.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

163. I hear ya!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[louis c]

74. Sorry to break the news to you...

...but as wonderful as DU is (nd I've been here for 15 years) it is not representative of the American public or even Democratic primary voters.

As far as motivated women are concerned, I saw how motivated women were in 2106 when we had a chance to elect a highly qualified woman to be President of the United States who ran against a self-confessed sexual predator with no qualifications. A majority of white women voted for the sexual predator. Excuse me if I disagree with your assessment.

[Demsrule86]

92. Polling is clear. The politically motivated accusations against Biden didn't

Work...in fact they may have backfired,

[athena]

184. Were you here during the 2016 primaries?

Do you remember the sexist attacks aimed at HRC that made DU unusable for months for anyone who didn’t hate Hillary?

The fact that most women are as sexist as most men doesn’t mean the women who are not sexist are going to be motivated by a male candidate when there are several strong female candidates running. Feminists, overwhelmingly, are Democratic. Whenever the Democratic Party took them for granted in the past, it lost. I can’t believe I’m seeing DUers argue the opposite.

I think that most liberal women who fell for the sexist attacks against Hillary in 2016 have learned several times over that we do not live in a post-sexist universe. That’s why we now have the largest number of female Democrats in Congress ever.

[louis c]

209. I can't follow your logic at all...

...so let me tell you that I always support a Democrat. I was a die hard Hillary Supporter in the primary in 2008 and 2016. I think Hillary was the most qualified person to ever run for President. I think she has been a victim almost all of her political life, and never complained. That includes how her Husband treated her, how the government treated her, how America's foreign enemies treated her, how her friends treated her, how her party treated her and how her fellow white women treated her in 2016. There is no one, including Barack Obama, who I admire more in politics than Hillary. I have defended her, worked for her, donated to her and it is my opinion that America did itself a great disservice in not electing Hillary as President.

I worked for and supported Warren for Senate, twice. I was a delegate to the state convention as committed to Warren. I ran house parties and spoke in behalf of Katherine Clark for Congress, both in the primary and election against a male opponent in both of those races. I think a woman should be President and that's why I supported Hillary...twice. But here's what I know absolutely, for sure, this country cannot survive the re-election of Donald Trump. The polls show that Biden is the strongest candidate in the General Election against Trump. Not by a little bit, but by a mile. Bernie comes close, but no one does better in every swing state than Biden.

In this Democracy they will not allow me to appoint the next President, he or she has to be elected. If the polls change. If the General Election matchups show Harris or Warren or anyone else carrying two of these five states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan and that candidate also holding all of Hillary's 2016 states and Biden can't, I'll change my mind. This election is too important for anyone who loves this country to be rigidly wedded to any one candidate or any particular issue or ideology.

I'm a full blooded Italian-American, so let me quote another Italian-American when summarizing the 2020 General Election, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."

[Demsrule86]

210. I am motivatedv by winning. I don't see a woman winning the presidency.

I am a woman and say this with great sadness. Also, Harris and Warren won't win the rustbelt states based on geography ...Klobuchar has a shot geographically but won't win in the end.

[OilemFirchen]

87. Why would you make such an inane pronouncement?

You have no way of knowing the gender makeup of Biden supporters here. You likely don't even know the gender of an interlocutor.

[athena]

171. In most cases, the gender is either stated or obvious.

If you hang out here a lot, over time, you get to know the gender and political preferences of a lot of the regular posters. Many male members state their gender in their profile. This forum is white-male dominated, which is why it’s so toxically sexist. (Many of the feminists were banned or pushed out during the ugly 2016 primary season, when the only place where you could post anything pro-Hillary without having it hidden was on the Hillary sub-forum.) When I look at the loudest Biden supporters here, most are male.

But thanks anyway for the insult.

[True Blue American]

130. Huh?

Give me Joe Biden. Knows the running of the WhiteHouse, experience no other candidate has.

I voted for Hillary, will choose the best,regardless of gender!

[athena]

136. Sure. Gender doesn't matter at all.

That’s why we haven’t had a single female president after 58 elections. If gender didn’t matter, we would have had between 20 and 30 female presidents by now.

I love the up-is-down mentally on DU. Being for a woman president is sexist, and being for a man is “not caring about gender.” I suppose being for a white guy is the best thing one can do to help black women in this country.

Supporting a weak candidate because he’s an older white male is going to get you exactly what attacking a strong candidate as “weak” because she was female got DUers in 2016. It is really quite fitting that sexism gave America Trump. Clearly, no one has learned the lesson.

[True Blue American]

138. Making gender

The be all in the election is a sure way to lose. I will vote for the best person. Period!

[athena]

145. Who said it's all?

No one. Show me one person on DU who is supporting Sarah Palin or Susan Collins or Condoleezza Rice.

You are doing exactly what I described in my post: arguing that supporting a woman is sexist and supporting a man is “supporting the best”. Because to people who would make such a disgustingly sexist argument, the best is always, by definition, a white man.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

132. I'm beginning to think you may be right, in which case I would happily reverse the order of

my 2 preferred candidates.


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demit]

35. The voters are way too smart for that? He hasn't even declared yet, much less faced an election.

I think you mean the people who have talked to pollsters. It's almost a year till the first primary, where people actually vote. A lot of things will happen between now and then.

[Demsrule86]

112. He was VP for eight years...running for a third Obama term.

[Demit]

119. I look forward to how he campaigns.

Remember, he has run for president twice before, so we have a basis for comparison. It will be interesting to see if his most recent job as Obama's gaffe-prone sidekick will help him.

[Demsrule86]

124. It is diferent.He ran twice with Obama.

[Demit]

127. As the sidekick. He's running for himself now.

It's all on him. Just as it was the past two times he ran for the big job. I'm afraid that being a helpmeet can only get you so far. Ask Al Gore.

[Demsrule86]

159. Not true...Biden delivered in all ways for Obama. He was hands on in the campaign

and as vice president. He and bill saved Obama in 12...I worked that campaign and while in hindsight it looked easy, it wasn't.

[Demit]

186. I doubt people will vote for Biden because he was "hands on" in Obama's presidential campaign.

It's the legislation he had his hands on, when he was a senator, that people are going to remember:

The 1984 Comprehensive Crime Control Act;
The 1990 Crime Control Act;
the 1999 repeal of the Glass–Steagall Act;
The 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act.

Because all of that is bound to come up. These laws hurt a lot of people.

[Demsrule86]

193. People care about winning. and all the old shit isn't going to matter...trying to pretend he wasn't

VP for eight years...it won't work.

[Demit]

197. The "old shit" is still harming people. Families and students in debt... It's going to come up.

You can't erase his legislative record, as much as you'd like to try. And as for his tenure as VP, I don't know what you think is so persuasive about that, honestly. Not all VPs—whether in politics OR in the business world—are cut out to be the big guy, the president. You have to persuade people that you are a leader type. And, VERY importantly, that your instincts are right. His record is very spotty there.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

172. Joe has a history... people will see that when he jumps in the race and he's properly vetted.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

211. Bernie has a history also. We shall see.

[Demsrule86]

144. Sure could. But politically motivated attacks don't work clearly.

[BlueFlorida]

24. lol

That story is dead. beating it won't revive it.

[Demsrule86]

84. Abou what? Total bullshit.

[WeekiWater]

8. Biden is a very good man and he connects with people.

Generally, people don't like see great examples of human beings being attacked. People were even foolishly saying he should be disqualified from running. Those making that claim really stood out as they then had to follow it up with their reasoning. Wasn't a good look on them. There will be blow back from such hyperbole.

[athena]

11. Take women for granted at your peril.

Women are not going to go out and campaign enthusiastically for yet another white male after the sexist attacks on Hillary gave us sexual-predator-in-chief Trump. We saw this in the midterms. Women are sick and tired of the patriarchy and its sexism. If Biden or any other white male is the nominee, Trump will win a second term.

And no, women are not going to be mollified by having a white male candidate pick a currently-powerful woman like Harris or Warren for the powerless and mostly irrelevant position of vice-president.

[Agschmid]

12. Just remember white women voted for Trump.

So...

[athena]

15. Yes. White Republican women.

That doesn’t mean a Democrat can win without women’s vote. Since most men are Republican, a Democrat needs the enthusiastic support of women to win.

Again, feel free to take women for granted. I hope for your sake that you have the financial resources to handle four more years of Trump.

[LongtimeAZDem]

20. That's a pretty sad threat; women stand to lose far more as a group if Trump is reelected

Reason number one is that RBG probably can't last another term, I'm sad to say.

[BlueFlorida]

25. Isn't that the truth?

That is like "I'll shoot myself in the foot because a few of Bernie's political operatives felt uncomfortable."

[Agschmid]

46. Yup.

[TwilightZone]

39. "Since most men are Republican"

It's 48/44, much closer than most people realize.

And that was in 2017, with the trend likely further closing the gap.

https://www.people-press.org/2018/03/20/1-trends-in-party-affiliation-among-demographic-groups/

As for the "women won't support a male candidate" argument, I think that's highly unlikely to be true. If you have documentation supporting that claim, please provide.

[Polly Hennessey]

54. I am a white woman

and I would vote for Biden faster than you can blink. I want us to win and right now I don’t see any of our female candidates able to achieve a win.

[LongtimeAZDem]

16. This is actually a really good point. A common argument I've seen on Facebook for why they did

so is because they felt that liberals see women as helpless and weak.


I don't agree, but this issue plays to that perception, IMO.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

40. More White Women went for Trump than Hillary....

So, there are those very white women who just might turn on him in 2020.. Especially when it comes to Health Care, and other important issues.

[Agschmid]

47. I'd love to see them turn on him...

But I’m not sure they will, they voted for someone who was recorded bragging about sexual assault.

If that doesn’t turn you off I doubt kids in cages will.

[louis c]

17. Polls show women continue to support Biden...

...a vast majority of woman understand the difference.

But, I hope you read the polls and noticed that Biden is beating Warren in Massachusetts and Harris in California. That proves to me that Biden's numbers are more than just name recognition.

you mentioned that Women are not going mollified with the VP slot.

If the ticket is Biden-Harris vs Trump-Pence and a green party candidate, who will you vote for?

[athena]

26. It's not enough to vote. The winner needs women to campaign enthusiastically.

Many Democratic women are busy people working multiple jobs to make ends meet. If you’ve ever campaigned for a presidential candidate, you know that winning an election is all about getting those people excited enough to take time out of their workday to stand in line to vote. That is the real reason why Hillary didn’t win by a landslide in 2016. All the attacks from the left, right, Russia, and Comey put enough doubt in enough people’s minds that the people who would have made a difference didn’t bother to go out and vote.

The numbers you refer to are completely consistent with Biden’s name recognition. Most people are not thinking about the elections yet. Even in California and Massachusetts, most people know more about their president and vice-president than they do about their Senator.

Also, please refrain from speaking for women. Your name indicates that you are male. With all due respect, you don’t know what most women do or don’t “understand“. I’m not even sure what “difference” you’re referring to. If you think that most Democratic women will be all excited about voting for a white male when there are at least two excellent female candidates, you can’t possibly have been paying attention to how women have reacted to Trump’s presidency.

Finally, I doubt very much that a powerful woman like Harris would accept the VP slot. Harris has much more power in the Senate than she would as VP. She might accept the position of AG, but first the white male candidate would have to convince women to elect him president.

[doompatrol39]

34. Thats my problem with focusing on these moderate...

...white working class male voters who people say Biden will be the one to win over.

Are those voters going to canvas? Are they going to get out the vote? Phone bank? Stuff envelopes? Donate?

Or are we going to yet again ask that to be done by young people, women, minorities, and gay people while at the same time asking them yet again to compromise and put their needs and demands behind others simply because "the repubicans will be worse for them"?

Anyone who thinks these former Trump voters are going to bring the energy we need and do the hard work to be done for a Democrat are going to be in for a rude awakening.

[athena]

38. Exactly.

A few Trump supporters in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania might vote for a moderate white male Democrat, but thousands of liberals across the country who would have phone-banked and canvassed for a more exciting candidate might decide they’re too busy this time around. It’s hard work to volunteer; it’s hard to have people yell at you or slam the phone in your face; but it’s the GOTV operation that makes all the difference. I’ve canvassed in some very poor neighborhoods and remember how touched some people were that someone cared enough about their vote to go all the way to their trailer on a cold afternoon. Personal contact is known to be the buggest factor in whether a Democrat will actually vote on election day. And the vast majority of volunteers, at least in my experience, are female.

[doompatrol39]

42. Then again it's a no-lose situation...

...at least for the Biden boosters. If he's the nominee and we lose it will still be the fault of those other Democratic interests groups who wanted purity and didn't vote, whereas if it's a more liberal nominee or woman or person of color who loses it will be because they just didn't "reach out" enough or soothe the precious feelings of White Working Class Trump voters.

[BlueFlorida]

60. There is no way a perennial Democrat can lose

unless the seasonal Democrats and purists throw a hissyfit out of ego.

There are two historical precedents for that in 2000 and 2016.

What the purity seekers forget is that the worst Democrat is still better than the best Republican any day, every day.

[doompatrol39]

70. So the coveted "White Working Class Voters"....

.....they don't have to do anything other than sit back and be pandered to?

If they don't want to vote for a woman or because someone is too liberal is that also considered to be throwing a hissy fit? Didn't they vote against their interests in 2000 and 2016 as well? Isn't the worst Democrat still better than the best Republican for them as well?

The difference is they aren't asked to do any of the hard work and heavy lifting and then be told that they just have to be happy with "Better than the best Republican". They aren't expected to get out the vote, or stuff envelopes, or canvas, or make calls or clap louder. They are just asked to vote and then have their needs catered to. The other groups are asked to do all the hard work and then suck it up and be happy with whatever they get.

[BlueFlorida]

71. Translation

Let everyone else come to our way of thinking or else.

[doompatrol39]

72. Are you referring to the White Working Class Voters?

I'm not sure why one group is considered to be "Throwing a hissy fit" by not voting for the Dem whose policies will benefit them, but the other group isn't?

[Demsrule86]

114. There are moderate Democrats you know,

And in my opinion, they vote for Biden and then you have the electability crowd who will also vote for Biden. I think Biden will be the nominee.

[doompatrol39]

135. Hey may very well be...

..but during the GE will he excite the groups that typically do all the legwork during election time? Will all those coveted white working class moderates be out there with their walking shoes canvasing, fundraising, going door to do, stuffing envelopes, getting out the vote? Or are they going to be content to just sit back and be pandered to while all the groups that will essentially be told that it's not their time yet again (women, minorities, LGBTQ folks) be expected to do the hard work yet again?

[Demsrule86]

140. Yes, the idea of getting rid of Trump will excite voters. And Biden can take the

rustbelt . Also he was VP for a very well liked / beloved president. This will be Obama's third term. The most exciting candidate whomever this may be might not excite voters in the rustbelt. This is where we need votes. Folks surely have learned after 16, vote for the Democratic nominee no matter what.

[BannonsLiver]

44. You don't speak for all Democratic women.

[athena]

48. At least I am a woman.

But go ahead and tell me to shut up and listen to men tell me what women do and don’t understand.

[shanny]

50. Thank you.

[LongtimeAZDem]

53. They didn't tell you to shut up, and that's a pretty big chip on your shoulder

[Polly Hennessey]

55. No one told you to shut up.

Stridency in support of women always backfires. I know it happened with the Equal Rights Amendment.

[BannonsLiver]

56. I must have missed the part where any of that was said.

I know it's frustrating that the plan didn't work.

[athena]

63. If you look at what I've posted about Biden elsewhere on DU,

you will see that the vile accusations you’re making are baseless.

I like Biden. I don’t think he’s a sexual predator. But he’s also not our strongest candidate. He has a major weakness, which is his tendency to make inappropriate statements. He has run for the presidency twice and lost both times. If he runs again, he will lose again. We need someone who is a stronger candidate and who can motivate women and minorities to vote.

The way in which men feel free to touch women in our society is sexist and disrespectful. This is an issue that needs to be discussed independently from Biden. I am happy with Biden’s statement on this issue, but he is not the problem, and the discussion needs to continue in a more general way about how too many men touch women inappropriately and how women don’t always have a way to prevent or stop such unwanted touching. We need a society in which men respect women’s boundaries the way they already respect men’s boundaries.

Having responded to your baseless attacks, I am now putting you on ignore because I don’t waste my time with people who knowingly make false personal accusations.

[BannonsLiver]

64. I'll see if I can press on.

[LongtimeAZDem]

68. The only one making "baseless attacks" is you.

"BannonsLiver" said, "You don't speak for all Democratic women."

You said, "At least I am a woman. But go ahead and tell me to shut up and listen to men tell me what women do and don’t understand."

(BL said no such thing)

"BannonsLiver" then said, "I must have missed the part where any of that was said. I know it's frustrating that the plan didn't work."

You then went on a rant, and then accused BL of "baseless attacks". Again, the only one doing that is you.

Since I'll probably be on ignore next, I'll say "au revoir".

[Demsrule86]

115. And Biden is not one of those men...political hit job.

[BlueFlorida]

61. You may be a woman

but you're just one of over 50 million women. You still cannot speak for ALL women.

[athena]

65. I have a right to my opinion about how women will vote.

And that opinion is based on how I feel and what I have heard other women express. I also have a right to express that opinion.

But go ahead and pretend that that’s the same as a man who refuses to listen to women, instead mansplaining to them about how women feel.

[BlueFlorida]

66. So -- it is just a biased speculation on your part

and not derived from any hard data.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

79. You said it!! When is the man-splainin ever gonna stop?!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BlueFlorida]

28. The partisans for one candidate still believe

Last edited Wed Apr 10, 2019, 09:09 PM - Edit history (1)

that their cleverly timed smear worked.

[Demsrule86]

85. But it backfired...saw a poll where Biden leads in New Hampshire.

[BlueFlorida]

89. yep

Biden would have had to spend a lot of money for creating awareness about his campaign .... the unfair and nefarious smear did it for free. Plus the way he handled it gracefully induced respect.

[LakeArenal]

27. You can only speak for yourself.

And I actually resent you profiling me and other women.

And as for DU and support.

I’ll remind you that Harris started at 24% here on DU. What is she now? 13-12%

Getting pretty close to Biden here on DU

Where are the % numbers for women in general polls. 3-2%?

So I haven’t seen absolutely any supporting evidence for Your opinion.

Take women like me for granted at your peril.

[BannonsLiver]

43. Sorry but the polling says otherwise

Someone posted a poll today. The internals showed less than 25 percent of Dem women in CA thought it was disqualifying. I’m sure you can find it somewhere. It’s one state but it more or less torpedoes the wishful thinking by some here hoping it wrecks him, and boosts their own candidate’s campaign.

To put it another way, the plan didn’t work.

[athena]

45. What is disqualifying?

I never said anything on this thread about Biden’s touching. I’m talking about the wisdom of having a white male candidate four years after a female candidate was defeated by a woman-hating sexual predator thanks to the sexism that pervades this country.

Hilary was also doing great in the early polls. The fact that Biden is doing well now is not a good reason to take women for granted and assume that they will set aside their own desire to be represented at the top levels of government in order to help realize the ambitions of yet another white male.

(I use the word ‘ambition’ on purpose, since all presidential candidates have it but it’s only seen as a negative when a woman has it.)

But again, feel free to dismiss women’s concerns. You don’t need to justify yourself; it’s been done for centuries after all. But thinking that women are stupid will only give you another Trump term.

[BannonsLiver]

57. Nobody is dismissing anyone's concerns.

But by all means, feel free to lob baseless claims and see if any of them stick. I guess that's what one does when they have no coherent argument to make.

[BlueFlorida]

62. Please get over it

That candidate's smear tactic failed miserably - in fact, Biden became stronger.

[athena]

67. Thanks for this demonstration of civility!

LOL.

I always appreciate it when someone shows me that they belong on my ignore list. DU is a much more interesting place when one blocks out those who are clearly only here to attack others.

[BannonsLiver]

73. Also probably more enjoyable for those terrified of having their beliefs challenged.

[Tipperary]

106. Oh snap!

[LongtimeAZDem]

126. +1

[Demsrule86]

93. I am a woman and I will. I would hope that getting fascist Trump out of office

Would inspire all of us to get out and work hard.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

134. You're making a lot of sense... maybe should switch to Elizabeth & Bernie 2020!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

212. I am a woman and support Biden. I don't like politically motivated attacks.

[Kahuna7]

14. Nice touch here...

<<Apparently, about a week or so after Lucy Flores, the Sanders' supporting losing Democratic candidate for Lt. Gov. in Nevada revealed her "discomfort" with Biden for his non-sexual contact, no one really gives a shit. All we want is the strongest Democratic candidate to beat Trump. >>

[LakeArenal]

22. Remember when Princess Di used to ...

“grab” children, kiss them, hug them, whisper in their ear. All kinds of attention like that.

Yes, I do too.

It was recently pointed out to me, that
Di is a women.

So beautiful spontaneous woman,
Creepy huggy man. 🤷🏼?♀️

[stonecutter357]

30. K&R

[Bleacher Creature]

31. These polls are just about name recognition at this point.

Once the primary season really gets going, you are going to see huge movement in these polls - just ask President Giuliani if you don't believe me.

Biden could very well be our nominee, but it's an eternity between today and when the first votes are cast. And at some point he's either going to have to formally announce, or decline to run as his current stance of keeping one foot in the door and the other out is going to start to hurt him.

[Demit]

37. I agree. Biden is doing as much of a slow roll of declaring his candidacy as Bernie is with

showing his tax returns. It's not a good look for either of them.

[Demsrule86]

94. It looks fine to me.

[Cha]

96. It's not the same..

Biden can declare when he thinks it's the right time. I read something that he had planned to be the last to enter the race.

There's still plenty of time, imo..

[Demit]

100. And I read that he won't declare until he has enough donor backing.

He has said a lot of people have offered to help, even "some major Republican folks," but I guess that's going slower than he anticipated.

[awesomerwb1]

32. Biden- Beto

Just to put Texas in play although I'm also a big fan of Swalwell and Buttigieg.

Biden retires after 4 years and Beto nominates Swalwell or Buttigieg as VP for re-election. That way we keep our great female Senators and we can nominate a cabinet of mostly women to keep things "even".

[Baclava]

75. 2020 roundup: Biden leads Harris in California

WASHINGTON —Joe Biden leads the pack of Democratic White House hopefuls in a new poll of California Democrats that puts the former vice president ahead of Oakland-born California Sen. Kamala Harris.

Biden wins over 26 percent of California Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters in the new poll, with Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Harris close behind at 18 and 17 percent respectively.

https://www.nbcnews.com/card/2020-roundup-biden-leads-harris-california-n993026

[EveHammond13]

76. Biden will be the nominee

[democratisphere]

78. Yes. Joe Biden will be.

[Cha]

97. I like your enthusiasm, Eve!

I had Kamala as my choice but changed to Biden in Support of him against the attacks.

FWIW..

Link to tweet

We know that can change..

[MineralMan]

81. Not bad for someone who hasn't even declared, eh?

Just saying...

[Blue_true]

90. I guess the hit job did not work. nt

[Martin Eden]

98. I like Joe Biden a lot, but I won't support him in the primary

For 2 reasons:

1) In my view, 80 is too old for the extremely demanding job of president. Condemn me for "ageism" if you like, but I think decline is an inescapable biological fact.

2) I vowed to never, ever, in a Democratic primary support a candidate who in 2002 voted to give GW Bush authority to invade Iraq. We here at DU knew the case for war was fraudulent, that once given the authority the PNACers would invade, and that it would open a pandora's box of horrors. Good judgment in these matters is paramount for a president. Our country desperately needed strong Democratic leaders to speak truth to power against this criminal war of choice. I was especially disappointed with John Kerry, who rose to prominence as a leader of Vietnam Vets Against the War. Nevertheless, I helped get out the vote for Kerry in the general election and I will support the nominee no matter what.

I believe we have several awesome Democratic candidates who can beat the piece of human filth who occupies the White House, and I have doubts that Joe Biden is the most likely to succeed.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

102. 1) Why the ageism? 2) Agree 100% that Joe's vote for the IWR is a disqualifier

in the primary... as Bones would say: "He's dead, Jim."


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Demsrule86]

116. Come on. That simply isn't true. Sanders is not up in New Hampshire.

This is a bad sign for him and a good sign for those who believe the sooner he is out of the primary, the better the chance of beating Trump in a general.

[Martin Eden]

190. I don't think it's discriminatory "ageism"

I think human stamina both mental and physical decline with age. Would drawing the line at 90 be ageist? How about 100?

Glad to see someone agrees with me on the IWR vote being a disqualifier.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

198. It should depend on the INDIVIDUAL... Joe appears to be in excellent shape & have quite the stamina

from all reports I've seen. Same with Bernie... give these older guys a break! They deserve their shot, just like Hillary did last time... and she was no "spring chicken" either (almost 70).


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BannonsLiver]

104. He's not 80.

Facts matter.

[Martin Eden]

192. The fact is Joe would turn 80 about two thirds into his first term.

That would make him an 80 year old president, correct?

Born Nov 20, 1942, Joe Biden would turn 82 shortly after the 2024 election and be 86 at the end of a 2nd term (though I'm not saying the likelihood of a single term is a disqualifier).

[BannonsLiver]

215. He's not 80 now, though. That's the point.

[Martin Eden]

216. That's your point

My point is that 80 is too old to be president, while serving as president.

I admit it's arbitrary, but where do you draw the line -- 90; 100?

Joe may be in pretty good shape now, but his job as president would be orders of magnitude more demanding and stressful than his younger years as vice president. People often remark on how much the presidency ages a person. What effect will it have on someone who will be 78 when he enters office and 82 at the end of his first term?

[BannonsLiver]

217. I'm not an ageist so you'd probably have to ask someone else what their cutoff is.

[TexasTowelie]

99. I'll be happy to vote for Joe if he is the nominee for the party.

I think that he is the candidate that could have the easiest transition getting the Democrats back in power and is also the electable of the candidates.

[still_one]

129. No wonder some supporters of "other" campaigns don't want Joe in the race

[Demsrule86]

155. They made that clear with the Flores attack.

[randr]

158. Biden promises a return to "normal" for the majority of American voters

While I have been a fan of Bidens, respect him mostly, and will vote for him if he wins the candidacy, I am still from Delaware and know a thing or two.
The "banks" and "insurance" companies run the state. A return to "normal" will not change much for the middle class.

[Demsrule86]

169. He is not a senator from Delaware anymore. His last job was VP. Also, one of the reasons

I don't support Sanders is his bank rhetoric. I shudder to think what his policies would do to our economy,

[ProudMNDemocrat]

176. Joe Biden is no pushover. He has been around the block many times.....

and knows how to handle a bully. He made an ass out of Paul Ryan during the 2012 VP debate without losing his smile. Facts are a funny thing when you know how to use them correctly.

Joe knows how to handle Trump. He'll have Trump acting like a raging lunatic within minutes in a debate.

[greymattermom]

182. So instead of allegations, why not call it

hug-gate?

[Gothmog]

188. Joe Biden is the most electable candidate that the Democratic Party has available

[Skidmore]

195. k&r

[Eliot Rosewater]

202. Be prepared for a 3rd party candidate , that is all

[Gothmog]

207. Still amazing to me how much support Bernie has lost, everywhere.

Link to tweet

[Demsrule86]

213. I Agree.

[Gothmog]

221. sanders will lose the #neverhillary types who were never democrats

Link to tweet

Without the #neverhillary voters who were not really democrats, sanders will have a very hard time repeating past results

[Demsrule86]

223. The map makes me hopeful. The Sanders strategy is clear ...drive out those

who can compete...make it so no one wins the first ballot and win on the second ballot. This is why the change in Super rules. He doesn't want to get rid of them, but to use to them to his advantage. He can't be the nominee as he won't win a general. Sure you and I would vote for him in a general , but he still loses in my opinion.

[Gothmog]

219. Joe Biden is the most electable candidate that the Democratic Party has available

While I am undecided, I do think that Joe Biden is the most electable candidate.

Link to tweet

Biden has been in the public eye since the 1970s, and unlike Hillary Clinton, who claimed the public never really knew her, voters feel like they know Biden pretty darn well. Many voters don’t remember anything before his vice presidency, his demonstrably warm relationship with President Barack Obama, his remarkable dignity after the death of his beloved son Beau, and his emotional goodbye to the late senator John McCain. He has established a level of emotional intimacy with voters that few politicians attain. He’s the chatty next-door neighbor, the avuncular relative and the co-worker who remembers everyone’s birthday.....

They are also unlikely to decide he’s not progressive enough. Being vice president to the most progressive president we’ve had (including his role in seemingly pushing Obama forward on gay marriage) has its advantages. Moreover, the media periodically lapses into the delusion that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are representative of the entire party.

The recent Monmouth poll of Iowa voters is instructive: Biden not only leads, but has a 78 percent favorability rating and support from the kind of Democrats who show up in primaries — moderate, older voters. Biden has support from 44 percent of seniors and 35 percent of self-described moderate and conservative Democrats. Among lower income/working-class voters whom Democrats have been desperate to attract, he gets 38 percent. Those kind of voters — not self-identified socialists, not Bernie activists on social media — are numerous and dependable voters. And they’re not exactly the kind to punish him for hugging people in distress.

The most important hurdle for Biden and for his competitors will be convincing voters he can beat President Trump. Right now, Biden has a big advantage. “While issue positions are important to Iowa Democrats, the overwhelming majority (64%) prefer to have a nominee who would be strong against Trump even if they disagree with that candidate on most issues,” the pollsters found. “If they were forced to choose, just 24% say they would favor a candidate who they are aligned with on the issues even if that person would have a hard time beating Trump. Biden garners more support among voters who prioritize beating Trump (33%) than he does among those who are looking for issue alignment (15%).”

I agree with the premise of this piece. I know Joe Biden and I like Joe Biden. The polling indicates that Joe is the most electable candidate.