# Is Joe Biden a viable/likely candidate for President? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 14, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488 "2015-06-14T05:20:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/61 "2015-07-08T22:10:01Z")
If he’s in the same position or better come the first week of January, I’ll take the possibility more seriously. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/62 "2015-07-08T22:24:41Z")
Why would an relatively unknown candidate do worse between now and the primary? Has that ever happened? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/63 "2015-07-09T00:49:33Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Why would an relatively unknown candidate do worse between now and the primary? Has that ever happened? I’ll assume you mean ‘now’ give or take a bit, but sure, lots of times. How soon we forget Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, and assorted other temporary leaders of the GOP hit parade during mid to late 2011. And on the Dem side, there was Howard Dean in the 2004 cycle. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/64 "2015-07-09T02:39:29Z")
They actually became front runners and got attention, and then people decided they didn’t like them. Is this what you think will happen to Sanders? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/65 "2015-07-09T03:06:51Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > They actually became front runners and got attention, and then people decided they didn’t like them. Is this what you think will happen to Sanders? So far, the people seem to like him – but not him, his ideas – more and more the more they hear. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/66 "2015-07-09T03:12:53Z")
Which means his support will increase, not decrease. And if it increases much more, history repeats. Obama was not doing this well in July 2007, was he? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/67 "2015-07-09T06:17:40Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Then unless O’Malley can be an alternative, the party courts disaster. Sanders is attracting the biggest crowds and is fast gaining on Clinton. He’ll get McGoverned in a general election. Lmao at the thought of the cuck O’Malley being anything else than joke candidate. Also I suggest you read this: [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/09/upshot/why-bernie-sanderss-momentum-is-not-built-to-last.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/09/upshot/why-bernie-sanderss-momentum-is-not-built-to-last.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/68 "2015-07-09T07:01:57Z")
So do the Democrats have anyone who has actually successfully governed? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/69 "2015-07-09T08:48:33Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > So do the Democrats have anyone who has actually successfully governed? Do the Republicans? \ ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/70 "2015-07-09T08:50:54Z")
So no good governors anywhere in the country? Interesting. It’s a miracle how well we’re doing given that Barack Obama has been singlehandedly doing all the work. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/71 "2015-07-09T09:16:06Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > So do the Democrats have anyone who has actually successfully governed? I daresay Jerry Brown and Mark Dayton among others have done a superb job in their respective states. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2015, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/72 "2015-07-09T12:53:31Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > So do the Democrats have anyone who has actually successfully governed? Given that your definition of successful governorship is governing while Republican, perhaps not. But note that Kentucky’s governor managed to get a state exchange established, Minnesota seems to be functioning well as do Hawaii, Washington, Delaware, Rhode Island… the list goes on. What Democratic governors are not successfully governing? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/73 "2015-07-09T13:56:38Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Do the Republicans? Kasich has accepted and implemented Obamacare in Ohio, for one. That doesn’t even destroy his presidential prospects, considering that the creator of Romneycare actually got nominated. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/74 "2015-07-10T03:13:13Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Given that your definition of successful governorship is governing while Republican, perhaps not. But note that Kentucky’s governor managed to get a state exchange established, Minnesota seems to be functioning well as do Hawaii, Washington, Delaware, Rhode Island… the list goes on. What Democratic governors are not successfully governing? I’m not like that at all. I agree that Brown and Dayton have done well, and I think O’Malley did well too. I just wonder at this point if it’s Republicans who demand ideological purity. O’Malley was a very successful mayor and governor and his very success is why some hate him. He did it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/75 "2015-07-10T03:17:17Z")
Biden is too old. Even Reagan was “only” 69 years old when he was elected President in 1980. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/76 "2015-07-10T03:24:25Z")
70s is nothing these days for people who are healthy and wealthy. Biden is of normal weight and doesn’t smoke and there’s no indication he’s suffering from the first signs of dementia. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/77 "2015-07-10T03:35:02Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > 70s is nothing these days for people who are healthy and wealthy. Biden is of normal weight and doesn’t smoke and there’s no indication he’s suffering from the first signs of dementia. Medically may be fine, but persuading the voters is something else. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/78 "2015-07-10T03:44:11Z")
I think age is more of a factor when the other candidate is young. Young beats old as surely as tall beats short. But that’s just as much a problem for Clinton as Biden. Heck, all the big name Democrats are ancient. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2015, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/79 "2015-07-10T05:49:28Z")
A Biden campaign team is forming. [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/07/09/biden-campaign-team-taking-shape/](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/07/09/biden-campaign-team-taking-shape/) ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488/80 "2015-07-11T01:36:45Z")
Hard to believe no one has mentioned Biden’s [famous exchange with Katie Couric](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Jf17Yo7hBM): > [@Joe Biden](#): > > Part of what a leader does is to instill confidence - to demonstrate that he or she knows what they’re talking about. > When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on television and didn’t just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed, he said “Look, here’s what happened …” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-joe-biden-a-viable-likely-candidate-for-president/722488.md?page=5)