Joe Biden (D-DE) announced he’s running today. Link.
Why is this very experienced, very well-thought-of Democratic Senator considered such a long shot? Yeah, he’s got the plagiarism charge, but that’s small potatoes.
My problem with Biden is that he seems to be in the thrall of MBNA. From this site:
Combined with the fact that Biden was one of the chief proponents of the credit card industry’s pet bankruptcy “reform” legislation, this just doesn’t pass the smell test.
Biden has name recognition, but not for anything in particular (at least for me). He’s just some senior Senator who talks a lot, and there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that he’ll get the nomination. I’d be very surprised if he even got a Cabinet position.
I think his chances lie somewhere between those of Tom Vilsack and Dennis Kucinich. Which is to say not much. He has a lot more to offer as a senior Senator of the majority party.
AS opposed to Hillary, who is a less senior Senator who talks a lot. Or Obama, who is a junior Senator who talks a lot? Can anyone name one thing that either of those two is responsible for?
Since when was that a requirement to be elected President?
I didn’t say it was. I was responding to criticism about Biden that is equally applicable, only more so, to those two.
Biden certainly has more of a rep for talking well after his audience has lost interest in listening.
I think Biden will emerge as a “safer” choice, along with Edwards. More experienced white male.
Of course, this is the same thinking that brought us Kerry, so it’s possible that the Dems may go for a gutsier move this time.
Like Bill Clinton? 
Biden has zero name recognition beyond the Beltway.
No chance. He had his shot in 1988. He just doesn’t have the stage presence or charisma or something to take the big prize. He looks too much like a cross between a mortician and the ghost of Spiro Agnew.
“Does Biden have a chance against Hillary and Obama?”
Depends… has Neil Kinnock written any good speeches lately?
There’s nothing interesting or noteworthy about Biden. If someone wanted the plain white male choice, I’d think Edwards would be more appealing.
Plain white male? As opposed to every other President and Vice President ever elected?
I can say right off the bat I don’t immediately have a reason to despise him like I do the other Dem candidates.
No, as opposed to Hillary and Obama.
This may end up biting him in the ass. Speaking about Barack Obama:
Clean? I’m sure he didn’t mean that sentence the way it came out, but it ain’t good.
If Biden’s candidacy goes anywhere, he’s going to have to explain his support of the bankruptcy bill to the Democratic base. It isn’t going to happen.
I hope Biden gets the nomination. He always seems to me one of the most sincere politicians and not one easily sidetracked by spin contests.
He comes across very well when speaking, seems not to draw too much flack from the right that sticks, and would thus be electable.
I read that as meaning “clean” in the sense of “unburdened by public scandal”, not as “unburdened with funk.”
I know that wasn’t a joke, but it made me laugh. The Democratic Party is wimpier than a Geo Metro.