# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/121 "2019-04-30T01:34:57Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > I’m reminded of the joke about the circus worker that has the punchline: “What, and give up show business?!?” 🆒 Apparently some deity or other decided the USA needed “show business” to combine with politics in precisely that manure, er, manner. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/122 "2019-04-30T11:18:57Z")
Just out: Biden polling better than Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, and Beto O’Rourke — [put together](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mediaite.com/election-2020/joe-biden-opens-commanding-lead-among-democratic-candidates-in-new-cnn-poll/amp/). ---
**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:** [April 30, 2019, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/123 "2019-04-30T11:34:46Z")
For those who favor other candidates, it’s neither surprising nor alarming that the poll numbers significantly favor Biden at this point. Other than Bernie Sanders he’s the most recognizable name among those running. We won’t know anything until we begin to see Biden against other candidates side-by-side in the televised debates. Biden might have made a good move tactically by not revealing too much of his platform specifics too early. Just his name alone will buy him time to craft a message. I think there are some openings in Bernie Sanders and those who have already pinned themselves into a corner by staking bold positions. We already know, for instance, that Bernie wants to effectively push private insurance companies out of the health insurance industry altogether. It would be very easy to characterize Sanders as a whack job and too scary to vote for. And some of the other candidates have already drunk some of the Sanders Kool-Aid. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/124 "2019-04-30T13:21:19Z")
I’ll just note that it’s whoever Trump doesn’t talk about that he’s the most worried about winning against. He’ll try to pump up the media for the person he wants to compete against, even if it means leaking to the press that he’s “so scared” about that person. ---
**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:** [April 30, 2019, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/125 "2019-04-30T13:55:15Z")
So he must be extremely butt-puckered about Jay Inslee and Eric Swalwell then. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/126 "2019-04-30T15:08:42Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So he must be extremely butt-puckered about Jay Inslee and Eric Swalwell then. No idea. It narrows it down but doesn’t tell you much when there are so many options. ---
**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:** [April 30, 2019, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/127 "2019-04-30T15:26:09Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > No idea. It narrows it down but doesn’t tell you much when there are so many options. You just said Trump’s most worried about the ones he’s not talking about. You think he’s worried about the ones polling at under 10%, but not Biden? ---
**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:** [April 30, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/128 "2019-04-30T15:34:30Z")
Sign me up for the Biden team. He’s doing the right thing- taking the fight directly to Donald while staying above the primary fray. If he has the support, why pick an intra-party fight? He’s saying the right things, reminding us that we’re better than what we’ve had the past 2 years. Asking the crowd if they benefited from the tax cut was a good move. He needs to keep whacking Donald’s knees. And he should keep bringing up Charlottesville, Donald will take the bait every single time and keep doubling down for his white nationalist base. Sure, he’s had some clinkers- floating Stacey Abrams as a veep was bonheaded, as was his ham fisted attempt to make up with Anita Hill. But rather than run someone who the GOP will paint with a hammer and sickle, let’s run someone who can actually win. ---
**Author:** ![UnwittingAmericans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d9b06d/32.png) [@UnwittingAmericans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UnwittingAmericans)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/129 "2019-04-30T18:29:16Z")
I saw some clips of Biden’s speech in Pittsburgh. The content was fine, but his enunciation was worrisome in several cases. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/130 "2019-04-30T18:32:07Z")
I may not like Biden, but a lot of other people clearly do. He’s gotten a VERY good announcement bump. Per [538](https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2020-primaries/democratic/national/), Morning Consult’s poll has him going from 30% to 36% support - and only half the time the 36% poll was in the field, was after Biden’s announcement. Also per 538, CNN has him at 39%, from 28% in mid-March. And [Quinnipiac](https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2617) has him at 38%, up from 29% at the end of March. He’s the front runner, no question about it. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/131 "2019-04-30T19:19:36Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > [2005 Bankruptcy Law](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/18/1843073/-Elizabeth-Warren-v-the-Banks-The-2005-Bankruptcy-Act) Missed this the first time around. Can’t say I’m a fan of that, especially the student-loan parts. Still, not necessarily a deal-breaker. Not in the tank for Joe, but not entirely out, either. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/132 "2019-04-30T20:08:06Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > You just said Trump’s most worried about the ones he’s not talking about. You think he’s worried about the ones polling at under 10%, but not Biden? Given his anti-socialist moves, I’m guessing that he’s trying to push for Bernie to make it to the top of the pile. That’s probably who he wants to challenge most. I don’t know that he has said much about Biden so far, but I think he has mentioned him more than most of the no-names. As to the polls, I wouldn’t worry about them yet. What name actually floats to the top won’t manifest itself until the primaries begin. But, in general, the more the better. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/133 "2019-04-30T22:00:56Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I’ll just note that it’s whoever Trump doesn’t talk about that he’s the most worried about winning against. > > He’ll try to pump up the media for the person he wants to compete against, even if it means leaking to the press that he’s “so scared” about that person. I agree that Trump would enjoy being deceptive in this way. But I don’t believe he possesses the self-control it would take to refrain from sniping at the people that worry him most, and to conceal who it is who ‘actually’ worries him. I think he’s tweeting about the people who _do_ worry him. Like others in the thread I’m not even remotely enthusiastic about Biden, but he’s doings some things right. The early endorsement by the firefighters union–and having them prominently standing behind him at speeches–was smart. That cuts directly at Trump’s lies about how HE is the worker’s friend and the tough guy that other tough guys admire. One of my chief objections to Biden was the vulnerability created by his previous, losing, Presidential runs. But after all, Trump ran for president before 2016 and lost (the 2000 attempt, at least, went pretty far), too. So that may not be as much of a vulnerability as I’d feared. ---
**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 1, 2019, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/134 "2019-05-01T02:08:08Z")
Trump ran in the reform party in 2000 but only for a short time. but back then he was liberal on some social issues. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_Raygun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c67d28/32.png) [@Ronald\_Raygun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_Raygun)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/135 "2019-05-01T10:21:52Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Most people aren’t unapologetic lefties though. I doubt a lot of people were disappointed that the first major black candidate in US history didn’t pick a more lefty running mate. True, but my comment was in response to a claim about younger voters fondly remembering the Obama era. I don’t see enthusiasm among my peers for Biden. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_Raygun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c67d28/32.png) [@Ronald\_Raygun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_Raygun)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/136 "2019-05-01T10:59:53Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Sign me up for the Biden team. He’s doing the right thing- taking the fight directly to Donald while staying above the primary fray. Why is this the right thing? I get this impression that Biden is vulnerable on a lot of the same issues that Clinton was, and I think that’s why Biden is far less focused on the issues than several other candidates. I mean, when I think Biden, I think 1994 Crime Bill the Iraq War Wall Street ties NAFTA and TPP support (which Trump is going to hammer him on) welfare reform the Patriot Act against Net Neutrality the War on Drugs the RAVE Act (admittedly, no one cares about the RAVE Act but me :)) Anita Hill the Hyde Amendment voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment (I mean, I’ll give him credit for supporting same-sex marriage before Obama, but we were gay long before 2012) The positives are the VAWA, his record on gun control, and in some part his record on climate change (which is huge step up from Trump, admittedly). What do y’all see in him? He seems like another John Kerry / Hillary Clinton, and I’d honestly rather have Clinton run again. ---
**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 1, 2019, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/137 "2019-05-01T11:04:57Z")
Trump will love running against someone with a 40+ year record to go after. ---
**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 1, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/138 "2019-05-01T20:01:24Z")
> [@Ronald\_Raygun](#): > > Why is this the right thing? I get this impression that Biden is vulnerable on a lot of the same issues that Clinton was, and I think that’s why Biden is far less focused on the issues than several other candidates. I mean, when I think Biden, I think > > 1994 Crime Bill > the Iraq War > Wall Street ties > NAFTA and TPP support (which Trump is going to hammer him on) > welfare reform > the Patriot Act > against Net Neutrality > the War on Drugs > the RAVE Act (admittedly, no one cares about the RAVE Act but me :)) > Anita Hill > the Hyde Amendment > voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment (I mean, I’ll give him credit for supporting same-sex marriage before Obama, but we were gay long before 2012) Add in he is a corprocrat to his bones. Has been his entire career, particularly for the banks and he shows no signs of slowing down. His very first fundraiser was at a [Comcast executive’s house](https://theintercept.com/2019/04/25/joe-biden-presidential-bid-lobbyists-fundraiser/) attended by health insurance executives and GOP donors. Remember too that Comcast owns NBC and that after the fundraiser Biden [hired an NBC communications director](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bidens-new-press-secretary-served-as-nbc-news-communications-director) to his campaign. Clinton-like [$150,000 speaking fees.](https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/joe-biden-made-150000-from-broward-center-speech-in-december-2018-11087470) He is Hillary Clinton warmed over and I really cannot understand why democrats want more of this. Get the DNC in the bag for him ala Clinton. Get the superdelegates on his side ala Clinton (which have much less power since the last election but would be a factor at a contested convention). Get the media pulling for him ala Clinton. She lost to one of the worst candidates in history and it is not because of Bernie Bros. Putting Biden up in the general election is exactly the kind of person so many hated when it was HRC up there. Trump was a vote for change and not more of insiders like HRC running the show. Trump was a ridiculous choice and yet we got Trump. Consider that before pulling the lever for Biden. He is everything HRC was and maybe more. ---
**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 1, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/139 "2019-05-01T20:04:12Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > A lot of these changes are things I and apparently a lot of others can agree with in principle, but there’s no question that changes on this scale would be disruptive, at least temporarily, and people are afraid of that. Moreover, that’s not an unreasonable fear. Left to you it would never happen because it will always be an unknown and people will always be fearful of the unknown. The ball needs to get rolling and now is better than later. It is not like the change would happen over night. It would be a long, drawn out process with no shortage of squabbling over it. But it needs to start. ---
**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 1, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042/140 "2019-05-01T20:12:25Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Add in he is a corprocrat to his bones. Has been his entire career, particularly for the banks and he shows no signs of slowing down. His very first fundraiser was at a [Comcast executive’s house](https://theintercept.com/2019/04/25/joe-biden-presidential-bid-lobbyists-fundraiser/) attended by health insurance executives and GOP donors. > > Remember too that Comcast owns NBC and that after the fundraiser Biden [hired an NBC communications director](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bidens-new-press-secretary-served-as-nbc-news-communications-director) to his campaign. > > Clinton-like [$150,000 speaking fees.](https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/joe-biden-made-150000-from-broward-center-speech-in-december-2018-11087470) > > He is Hillary Clinton warmed over and I really cannot understand why democrats want more of this. Get the DNC in the bag for him ala Clinton. Get the superdelegates on his side ala Clinton (which have much less power since the last election but would be a factor at a contested convention). Get the media pulling for him ala Clinton. > > She lost to one of the worst candidates in history and it is not because of Bernie Bros. Putting Biden up in the general election is exactly the kind of person so many hated when it was HRC up there. Trump was a vote for change and not more of insiders like HRC running the show. Trump was a ridiculous choice and yet we got Trump. Consider that before pulling the lever for Biden. He is everything HRC was and maybe more. You can compare him to Hillary Clinton on paper all you want. I mean, on paper, are any of them \*that \*much different than Obama? Watch him on the stump. Watch what states and voters he focuses on. He’s everything Hillary wasn’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/joe-bidens-in/833042.md?page=8)