Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Democratic Primaries
Showing Original Post only (View all)Charles Blow: Joe Biden Is Problematic [View all]
Joe Biden Is Problematic
No amount of growth or good intentions will change this fact.
All five of these things are simultaneously true:
Joe Biden is the Democratic front-runner and may well be the nominee. He is by far the favorite candidate among black voters. He was a loyal vice president to Barack Obama, and the two men seem to have shared a deep and true friendship. He, like the other Democratic candidates, would be a vast improvement over Donald Trump.
And, Bidens positioning on racial issues has been problematic.
...
Biden could have taken responsibility for his comments and addressed the question directly, but he didnt. Instead, he gave a rambling, nonsensical answer that included a reference to a record player. But, the response ended in yet another racial offense in which he seemed to suggest that black people lack the natural capacity to be good parents
...
His language belies a particular mind-set, one of a liberal of a particular vintage. On the issue of race, it is paternalistic and it pities, it sees deficiency in much the same way that the conservative does, but it responds as savior rather than with savagery. Better the former than the latter, surely, but the sensibility underlying the two positions is shockingly similar. It underscores that liberalism does not perfectly align with racial egalitarianism, regardless of rhetoric to the contrary.
...
Furthermore, its not what Biden says in prepared remarks thats problematic, its what he says off the cuff and under pressure that to me reveal an antiquated view on racial matters and racial sensitivities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/15/opinion/joe-biden.html
No amount of growth or good intentions will change this fact.
All five of these things are simultaneously true:
Joe Biden is the Democratic front-runner and may well be the nominee. He is by far the favorite candidate among black voters. He was a loyal vice president to Barack Obama, and the two men seem to have shared a deep and true friendship. He, like the other Democratic candidates, would be a vast improvement over Donald Trump.
And, Bidens positioning on racial issues has been problematic.
...
Biden could have taken responsibility for his comments and addressed the question directly, but he didnt. Instead, he gave a rambling, nonsensical answer that included a reference to a record player. But, the response ended in yet another racial offense in which he seemed to suggest that black people lack the natural capacity to be good parents
...
His language belies a particular mind-set, one of a liberal of a particular vintage. On the issue of race, it is paternalistic and it pities, it sees deficiency in much the same way that the conservative does, but it responds as savior rather than with savagery. Better the former than the latter, surely, but the sensibility underlying the two positions is shockingly similar. It underscores that liberalism does not perfectly align with racial egalitarianism, regardless of rhetoric to the contrary.
...
Furthermore, its not what Biden says in prepared remarks thats problematic, its what he says off the cuff and under pressure that to me reveal an antiquated view on racial matters and racial sensitivities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/15/opinion/joe-biden.html
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
108 replies, 7241 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (36)
ReplyReply to this post
108 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
If this was Obama's response to a question about slavery and reparations, he might deserve criticism
EffieBlack
Sep 2019
#3
Check the debate video at the top of the article. Linsey Davis started her question by referring to
highplainsdem
Sep 2019
#4
If you're going to quote from the transcript tomake a point, at least provide the accurate quote:
EffieBlack
Sep 2019
#8
What's obnoxious is your misrepresenting the question and Biden's answer. The word "reparations" was
highplainsdem
Sep 2019
#14
You need to read more carefully. I said that was the full quote of how she STARTED the question,
highplainsdem
Sep 2019
#17
I read exactly what you wrote and you misrepresented the question - and did it again
EffieBlack
Sep 2019
#20
The first and second sentences of her question referred to schools, so of course she was asking
highplainsdem
Sep 2019
#26
Funny you mention this. I was at the White House for the event when the President made these remarks
StarfishSaver
Sep 2019
#18
Yes mr. Blow is a respected opinion journalist and he has a following. There are just as many
Thekaspervote
Sep 2019
#29
The problem I had with the piece is that he doesn't offer a solution.
The Velveteen Ocelot
Sep 2019
#61
Surely you meant to say "offensive to SOME African Americans". You, nor Blow, speak for me.
Tarheel_Dem
Sep 2019
#91
I don't have to be African American to recognize something as offensive to African Americans.
athena
Sep 2019
#99
It's not a journalist's job to "offer a solution" to a a politician's problematic positions on race
StarfishSaver
Sep 2019
#67
I'm not attacking black people. I want solutions as much as anyone.
The Velveteen Ocelot
Sep 2019
#70
Wishful thinking...only those who don't like Biden and are thinking that any other candidate can
Demsrule86
Sep 2019
#44
many people pointing out his foibles would vote for Biden if he became the Dem nominee
bigtree
Sep 2019
#32
That's a really good question. Most could not have endured what he has thru the debates and
Thekaspervote
Sep 2019
#33
Not everyone in their 70s is similarly antiquated. See Sanders and Warren.
thesquanderer
Sep 2019
#75
I guess at the end of the day I just don't have an expectation that my 76yo presidential candidate
LincolnRossiter
Sep 2019
#45
Well stated. Couldn't agree more. We must beat trump and if it's by Biden, so be it.
brush
Sep 2019
#65
No one is arguing that Biden should think and speak like a 25-year-old black man
StarfishSaver
Sep 2019
#68
We don't have a problem with Biden's thinking or history on race, racism, or Civil Rights. His
LincolnRossiter
Sep 2019
#69
Biden is not the most woke person in the room but I believe his heart is in the right place.
DemocratSinceBirth
Sep 2019
#50
Thank you for your post. Spot on with the trivia that prevails in complaints about our front runner
Thekaspervote
Sep 2019
#81
Sheesh, none of the candidates are perfect, they are people for god's sake.
Thomas Hurt
Sep 2019
#79
This excellent column deserves to be considered more than a criticism of Biden
Politicub
Sep 2019
#87
Criticizing Biden isn't trying to "knock him out" and Blow doesn't have to "promote" someone
StarfishSaver
Sep 2019
#95
I dare say there's an issue that each candidate is probably weak on, but they've chosen to...
Tarheel_Dem
Sep 2019
#92
Why is it so hard to accept that everyone doesn't think he can do no wrong and can't be criticized?
EffieBlack
Sep 2019
#106