# Joe Biden's in **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 25, 2019, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042 "2019-04-25T16:13:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/221 "2019-05-18T22:47:05Z")
> [@choie](#): > > So what’s your ideal plan, do you think? That the Dem nominee should go around and proclaim “every Republican politician in Congress is a malign, corrupt shitbag; they’re hopeless, just give them up, I am never going to work with them because they’re fucked. And the voters too, those assholes who voted for Trump in '16 even though they went Obama in '12. We don’t want their rednecked, sister-fucking, mouth-drooling kind in _our_ party. Fuck 'em, we can’t trust them. No, my friends–and by friends, I mean everyone who has always only voted Democratic–trust me, we’re going to be at war with the Republican Congresspeople in 2020 when I get into power. In fact, thanks to my magic crystal ball, I can tell you right now–a year-and-a-half before the election–that the Senate is gonna buck the odds and turn almost completely blue. So fuck Mitch McConnell right in his turtle-esque maw, because we don’t need him or indeed _any_ Republican votes. Y’know what, I’m not even gonna _accept_ any of their votes. With the 65 Democrats in the Senate we’re sure to get because of my MagicFairyDust, no one can stop us from doing ANYTHING! So who needs to listen to a single thing _anyone_ who isn’t One Of Us has to say? It’s a year-and-a-half away from election! We can absolutely ignore 50% of the country! SCORCHED EARTH STARTING NOW.” > > Yeah. Super. This will totally NOT prove every alt.right deep-state-believing freak correct, and they totally won’t use this as a specific talking point to rally every single Republican, right-leaning Independent, and not a few conservative Obama/Trump Democrats into shoving and mauling their way into the voting booths next year to pull the lever for Trump. > > Give a thought beyond the (admittedly justified) contempt that these quisling Republicans have earned under Obama and Trump. Think beyond revenge and punishment and everything we’d love to revel in. > > Biden is not a stupid or naïve man, however you want to think him. Consider that maaaaybe the idea is to give the not-invisible number of Republicans or anti-Hillary Dems who voted Trump and are capable of shame a _teensy_ lane into which they can cross back and justify their changeover to their other red state pals? A hint of grace so they don’t worry that they’ll be the enemy of Mr. or Ms. Blue President 2020? > > We can do SCORCHED EARTH when we actually have a chance in hell of regaining the Senate with a considerable majority, which–unless I’m greatly mistaken (and I would love to be)–is nigh impossible given the Republican seats that are up for grabs. It’s only nine or so Republicans, isn’t it? And most are in blood-red states? > > Psychologically speaking, these people have egos. Even for sane people (unlike Trump), it is often very very difficult to admit we’re wrong. And these voters and politicians were _so_, so drastically wrong, in thinking Trump wouldn’t be a catastrophe and a disgrace. Instead, they double-down instead of acknowledging they should’ve fought harder against Trump, against McConnell, against the psychos in the alt.right and Trump’s racist base. The Anyone-But-Clinton people still refuse to admit they should’ve held their nose and compromised. That’s the tragic flaw of human nature. > > Biden and, I hope, other smart candidates, will preach left-of-center and progressive ideas while also carving out a “I’m reasonable” path to allow every possible vote we can get from the non-true-blue side exit the side of psychosis and authoritarianism and walk cautiously through the gateway back to a semblance of being willing to listen and, maybe even cooperate. > > Without that gateway WE. ARE. FUCKED. You’re talking about republican voters, I’m talking about republican politicians. Not the same thing. There are sane and moderate republican voters. But the political party itself has been taken over by its base who do not believe in western values (multiculturalism, liberal democracy, free press, etc). Republican politicians are getting more radicalized because their base is getting more radicalized. If Biden thinks republican politicians are going to work with a democrat in 2020, he is dangerously naive. We already have a president who is too emotionally and mentally inept to live in reality, and its not working out. Biden walking into a gunfight with a casserole dish will get his ass outsmarted at every turn. We need a democratic president who knows the republican party will do everything they can to not only block the democrats agenda, but to screw up the country so people are not happy when a democrat is in charge. And we need a democrat willing to use every tool they have (executive powers, budget reconciliation, legislative maneuvers, etc) to get their agenda passed. I’m, not opposed to Bidens policy agenda. If he wants to be a moderate democrat thats fine. A moderate democrat is vastly superior to a republican politician. Joe Manchin is vastly superior to a republican senator. But if Biden is utterly clueless about the reality of politicis in 2019, he is not qualified to be president. If a more progressive president was utterly oblivious to the reality of politics and the republican party they wouldn’t be qualified either. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/222 "2019-05-18T22:47:06Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > Yeah, basically this. > > The fact that the Democratic Party would experience 4 years of President Trump and respond with ho-hum kumbaya politics-supporter Joe Biden is…very, very bad and disconcerting. Every time the man says stuff like that I just want to tear my hair out. Moreover, I see a fundamental weakness in his campaign that can be exploited. If Biden’s main strength is his ‘electability’, then the strategy is clear: make him less electable. I think the strategy against Biden is the same one that was used against Hillary: drown him and his supporters in bad news. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/223 "2019-05-19T00:42:36Z")
I saw a good quote on Reddit that sums up Biden: > [@](#): > > Biden is a perfect candidate for someone who feels that the only thing wrong with America is that a terrible narcissist is President. Biden voters are fine with the status quo, but they’re upset that Trump is president. > > Source: [https://old.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/bq4062/joe\_biden\_is\_stuck\_in\_the\_past\_when\_it\_comes\_to/](https://old.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/bq4062/joe_biden_is_stuck_in_the_past_when_it_comes_to/) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/224 "2019-05-19T02:05:34Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > …It seems to me that everyone who says Biden sucks a fat donkey sack is already planning on crawling over hot glass to vote for a Democrat in November 2020. **But Biden’s really speaking to the people Hillary took for granted in 2016, and that’s what matters to me, even if he’s not the most exciting or hip or ideologically-perfect candidate**. In a unicorn world, I’d like a Mayor Pete/Beto (or Amy) ticket\*, but to defeat Trump, Stuffed Suit Joe is our only chance. I cannot see any other dem candidate having even _remotely_ any more success than JB particularly in WI/PA/MI (along with most deep red states). I’m hoping he’s pushing the bipartisan thing with the full knowledge that that’s the last thing he’ll get, if in office, and that he’s simply trying to reach out to the wafflers/indifferent/fence-sitters with this approach. \*Easily more than half the dem candidates I’d prefer to have in office than JB. > [@asahi](#): > > If Biden’s main strength is his ‘electability’, then the strategy is clear: make him less electable. I think the strategy against Biden is the same one that was used against Hillary: drown him and his supporters in bad news. Wouldn’t they use that strategy against any dem? ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/225 "2019-05-19T03:51:03Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Wouldn’t they use that strategy against any dem? …Biden’s weakness is that beside “electability”: there isn’t much substance behind his campaign. Its a weakness shared by others, notably Mayor Pete, but not by all. > [@](#): > > but to defeat Trump, Stuffed Suit Joe is our only chance. My biggest fear is that “our only chance” will replace “it’s her time” as the worst-unofficial-election-slogan-of-all-time. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/226 "2019-05-19T05:30:41Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > …Biden’s weakness is that beside “electability”: there isn’t much substance behind his campaign. Already acknowledged with the Stuffed Suit Joe endearment. > [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > Its a weakness shared by others, notably Mayor Pete, but not by all. Not sure I’d consider PG lacking in substance when, well, figured I’d let this second [wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Buttigieg_2020_presidential_campaign) paragraph concisely sum it up: > [@](#): > > Buttigieg’s major policy positions include: abolition of the United States Electoral College, support for single-payer healthcare, labor unions, universal background checks for guns, protecting the environment by way of addressing climate change, a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, overturning the Citizens United ruling, and passing a federal law banning discrimination against LGBT people. Seen several interviews of him (might have posted a PBS one here a ways back) and found him discussing many of the things from the quote above, and is in a different ball park than Biden, whose laziness at not getting down to any policy specifics is, indeed, disconcerting, and hopefully over the coming weeks he’ll get _really_ pressed on this, and soon have something more concrete than ‘yeah I got ideas on healthcare but not right now’-like handwaving that needed to come to a grinding halt, like, a long time ago. One of the main reasons why, as previously stated, there are scads more dem candidates I’d rather see as executive-in-chief. > [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > My biggest fear is that “our only chance” will replace “it’s her time” as the worst-unofficial-election-slogan-of-all-time. Yeah, you’re right - the phrase was a wee melodramatic and kinda pearl-clutch-y. Something catchier, like, ‘In like Joe Biden’. Snazzy him up a little. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/227 "2019-05-19T05:38:44Z")
How about “Back to the Future and Beyond!” 🙂 To be honest, I wouldn’t mind Steve Bullock having a moment and catching some wind. A popular Democratic governor from a red state? Yes, please! But I’m not holding my breath. So for now I’m still all about Biden-Solis! or Biden-Warren! or Biden-Duckworth! or Biden-Yates! ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/228 "2019-05-19T05:39:16Z")
How about - “I’m Still Standin” ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/229 "2019-05-19T10:02:12Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Wouldn’t they use that strategy against any dem? They would, but I’m comparing him to Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, who arguably have more progressive bona fides. Biden’s polling well because he’s a household name and viewed as the great Dem hope. But what if he starts to look old and slow? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/230 "2019-05-19T17:14:03Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > I’m hoping he’s pushing the bipartisan thing with the full knowledge that that’s the last thing he’ll get, if in office, and that he’s simply trying to reach out to the wafflers/indifferent/fence-sitters with this approach. If he is doing that, that is fine. Personally I don’t know if Biden is really that competent a strategist. I’d be fine with a democratic president who openly talked about bipartisanship but then was ruthlessly efficient behind closed doors because they were smart enough to understand what is happening in reality. But I worry Biden would be Obama all over again. His administration will be him reaching out to the GOP for bipartisanship and him refusing to use his executive powers while the GOP uses every tool they have to gum up the legislature. I believe Obama could’ve used recess appointments to appoint judges, he could’ve used his executive powers to stop prosecutions under DADT, etc. Biden would probably appeal to high school educated whites in the midwest more than any other candidate (Bernie would be second). I just worry Biden is too naive despite his age and experience if he believes what he is saying. Also as mentioned he has no policies and is coasting on name recognition. Warren is coming out with very good policy ideas to make up for her lack of name recognition (so is Yang IMO, and I’m not sure if I’ll support Warren or Yang in the election but it’ll probably be one of them). ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/231 "2019-05-19T17:20:07Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I believe Obama could’ve used recess appointments to appoint judges, he could’ve used his executive powers to stop prosecutions under DADT, etc. Why in the world do you believe that? > **[NLRB v. Noel Canning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NLRB_v._Noel_Canning)** > > 2. Whether the President's recess-appointment power may be exercised to fill vacancies that exist during a recess, or is instead limited to vacancies that first arose during that recess. > National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning, 573 U.S. 513 (2014), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court unanimously ruled that the President of the United States cannot use their authority under the Recess Appointment Clause of the United States Constitution to appoint public officials... ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/232 "2019-05-19T18:16:06Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Why in the world do you believe that? > [NLRB v. Noel Canning - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NLRB_v._Noel_Canning) That case was decided six years into Obama’s presidency and still allows recess appointments. > **[Recess Appointments Made by President Barack Obama](https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R42329.html)** > > Under the Constitution, the President and the Senate share the power to make appointments to high-level politically appointed positions... > [@](#): > > President Obama made 32 recess appointments, all to full-time positions. During his presidency, President William J. Clinton made 139 recess appointments, 95 to full-time positions and 44 to part-time positions. President George W. Bush made 171 recess appointments, 99 to full-time positions and 72 to part-time positions. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/233 "2019-05-19T18:40:58Z")
That’s nice but denying Obama recess appointments was a bit of a story at the time. Guess you missed it but the gist is that the Republicans just didn’t call official recesses. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/234 "2019-05-19T20:26:20Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > If he is doing that, that is fine. Personally I don’t know if Biden is really that competent a strategist. I’d be fine with a democratic president who openly talked about bipartisanship but then was ruthlessly efficient behind closed doors because they were smart enough to understand what is happening in reality. But I worry Biden would be Obama all over again. His administration will be him reaching out to the GOP for bipartisanship and him refusing to use his executive powers while the GOP uses every tool they have to gum up the legislature. > > I believe Obama could’ve used recess appointments to appoint judges, he could’ve used his executive powers to stop prosecutions under DADT, etc. > > Biden would probably appeal to high school educated whites in the midwest more than any other candidate (Bernie would be second). I just worry Biden is too naive despite his age and experience if he believes what he is saying. Also as mentioned he has no policies and is coasting on name recognition. Warren is coming out with very good policy ideas to make up for her lack of name recognition (so is Yang IMO, and I’m not sure if I’ll support Warren or Yang in the election but it’ll probably be one of them). As far as I remember, and I don’t have the time or energy to look up old news stories on this right now, but I believe it was Biden that was discharged to the Capitol when some bill or other had to be pushed through or negotiated. So if anyone in this pool of candidates is fully aware of the challenges presented with these GOP Assholes AND has actually accomplished getting things pushed through, it’s Biden. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/235 "2019-05-19T22:17:47Z")
GOT author George Martin endorsed Biden ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/236 "2019-05-19T23:22:24Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > As far as I remember, and I don’t have the time or energy to look up old news stories on this right now, but I believe it was Biden that was discharged to the Capitol when some bill or other had to be pushed through or negotiated. So if anyone in this pool of candidates is fully aware of the challenges presented with these GOP Assholes AND has actually accomplished getting things pushed through, it’s Biden. This. He dealt with The Party of No a lot. His optimism that a post Trump GOP may conclude that repositioning themselves into a group that is back to fighting for centrist voters, rather than doubled down on the base and the base alone, with some eagerness to show they can actually deliver in that manner, may not be completely pie in the sky. Likely is, but it is effective campaign marketing in any case. If pie in the sky it is one less improbable to deliver on than things like Medicare for All and other campaign marketing items. Of the people running he has better odds of moving things _in direction of_ these goals than most if not all the others. Still hoping that we see some surge from Booker or Harris or even one of the governors before this is all done. And that any surge comes from their strengths moving them up rather than from tearing Biden down. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/237 "2019-05-20T15:12:52Z")
What’s our objective here? The obvious answer is “Beat Trump,” but no, that’s just a stepping-stone. The real objective of Democrats is to make America and the world a better place, with the definition of ‘better’ being a Democratic definition, of course. So there are two steps here. The first step is having plans for making things better that can be turned into draft legislation. The second step is having plans for how you’re going to turn that draft legislation into laws passed by Congress and signed by the President. Whatever Biden has for his first step, his second step seems to be “elect me as President, and between my schmoozing ability and a GOP epiphany, we’ll get the legislation through Congress.” In effect, it requires Mitch McConnell to cease being the Mitch that we’ve known all too well these past dozen years. I’m not ready to put much faith in that sort of plan, and that’s my underlying problem with Biden. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/238 "2019-05-20T16:22:40Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > As far as I remember, and I don’t have the time or energy to look up old news stories on this right now, but I believe it was Biden that was discharged to the Capitol when some bill or other had to be pushed through or negotiated. So if anyone in this pool of candidates is fully aware of the challenges presented with these GOP Assholes AND has actually accomplished getting things pushed through, it’s Biden. But what did he accomplish? Sure, he was the one in the middle of the discussions, but it’s not like we didn’t get to see how things turned out. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/239 "2019-05-20T17:09:12Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > What’s our objective here? > > The obvious answer is “Beat Trump,” but no, that’s just a stepping-stone. The real objective of Democrats is to make America and the world a better place, with the definition of ‘better’ being a Democratic definition, of course. > > So there are two steps here. The first step is having plans for making things better that can be turned into draft legislation. The second step is having plans for how you’re going to turn that draft legislation into laws passed by Congress and signed by the President. > > Whatever Biden has for his first step, his second step seems to be “elect me as President, and between my schmoozing ability and a GOP epiphany, we’ll get the legislation through Congress.” > > In effect, it requires Mitch McConnell to cease being the Mitch that we’ve known all too well these past dozen years. I’m not ready to put much faith in that sort of plan, and that’s my underlying problem with Biden. And what is the strategy of the Pro-demonization candidate for getting legislation through a congress that is largely made up of Republicans and of Democrats from conservative states that are hanging on by their fingernails? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/240 "2019-05-20T18:23:02Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > And what is the strategy of the Pro-demonization candidate for getting legislation through a congress that is largely made up of Republicans and of Democrats from conservative states that are hanging on by their fingernails? How the hell should I know? I don’t even know which candidate you’re talking about. At any rate, if one isn’t honest with oneself about the nature of a problem, one isn’t likely to be able to come up with a solution. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042.md?page=13)