# Does Biden have a chance against Hillary and Obama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 31, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206 "2007-01-31T01:23:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/1 "2007-01-31T01:23:19Z")
Joe Biden (D-DE) announced he’s running today. [Link.](http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-01-26-biden_x.htm?csp=34) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/2 "2007-01-31T01:36:39Z")
My problem with Biden is that he seems to be in the thrall of MBNA. From [this site](http://www.nndb.com/people/023/000027939/): > [@](#): > > Over his long career in politics, Biden’s biggest financial supporter has been the giant credit card company MBNA, which was also one of George W. Bush’s biggest donors in 2000 and 2004. His son, Hunter Biden, was hired as a management trainee at MBNA straight out of law school, and was quickly promoted to executive vice president. The younger Biden has since left MBNA to establish his own lawyer-and-lobbying firm, but still receives a $100,000 per year consulting fee from the bank, which has since been swallowed by Bank of America. In 2006, Hunter Biden was appointed by President Bush to a five-year term on the Amtrak Reform Board. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/3 "2007-01-31T01:41:21Z")
> [@](#): > > The real reason Joe Biden (D-MBNA) is going nowhere is because of his vote on the bankruptcy bill, as well as his rejection of every single amendment to make that bill more humane. The populist wave (that produced senators like Tester and Webb) is going to swamp his boat. [Biden: “I’ve Decided I Am Going To Run” For President](http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2006/nov/29/biden_ive_decided_i_am_going_to_run_for_president_0) ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/4 "2007-01-31T01:44:47Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/5 "2007-01-31T02:14:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/6 "2007-01-31T02:20:23Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Carrot] 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. [/QUOTE] 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? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/7 "2007-01-31T03:02:35Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Can anyone name one thing that either of those two is responsible for? [/QUOTE] Since when was that a requirement to be elected President? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/8 "2007-01-31T03:04:36Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] Since when was that a requirement to be elected President? [/QUOTE] I didn’t say it was. I was responding to criticism about Biden that is equally applicable, only more so, to those two. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/9 "2007-01-31T16:01:51Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] 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? [/QUOTE] Biden certainly has more of a rep for talking well after his audience has lost interest in listening. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/10 "2007-01-31T16:09:29Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/11 "2007-01-31T16:11:40Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Biden certainly has more of a rep for talking well after his audience has lost interest in listening. [/QUOTE] Like Bill Clinton? 😃 Biden has zero name recognition beyond the Beltway. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/12 "2007-01-31T16:15:19Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/13 "2007-01-31T16:17:12Z")
“Does Biden have a chance against Hillary and Obama?” Depends… has Neil Kinnock written any good speeches lately? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/14 "2007-01-31T16:56:46Z")
There’s nothing interesting or noteworthy about Biden. If someone wanted the plain white male choice, I’d think Edwards would be more appealing. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@Evil\_Joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Joe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/15 "2007-01-31T17:19:21Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] There’s nothing interesting or noteworthy about Biden. If someone wanted the plain white male choice, I’d think Edwards would be more appealing. [/QUOTE] 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. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/16 "2007-01-31T17:24:20Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Joe] Plain white male? As opposed to every other President and Vice President ever elected? [/QUOTE] No, as opposed to Hillary and Obama. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/17 "2007-01-31T17:44:33Z")
This may end up biting him in the ass. Speaking about Barack Obama: > [@](#): > > “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” _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. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/18 "2007-01-31T18:12:07Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/19 "2007-01-31T19:16:21Z")
[QUOTE=DoctorJ] This may end up biting him in the ass. Speaking about Barack Obama: Quote: “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.” _Clean?_ I’m sure he didn’t mean that sentence the way it came out, but it ain’t good. [/QUOTE] I read that as meaning “clean” in the sense of “unburdened by public scandal”, not as “unburdened with funk.” ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206/20 "2007-01-31T19:26:26Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio] 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. [/QUOTE] I know that wasn’t a joke, but it made me laugh. The Democratic Party is wimpier than a Geo Metro. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-biden-have-a-chance-against-hillary-and-obama/390206.md?page=2)