# The Hypocrisy of a Joe Biden Presidential Bid **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 5, 2015, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044 "2015-08-05T06:49:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/1 "2015-08-05T06:49:08Z")
The idea that Biden should run is based on the idea he would be less vulnerable in a GE than Hillary over ethics, etc. Sure, the press is currently covering Hillary’s mishaps, but if Biden were the nominee, the GOP isn’t gonna spare him over honesty either. The Obama admin also, like the Clintons, has [controversies](http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2013/08/01/obama-dozen-scandals-counting/)too you know. Controversies the GOP would not hold back on in the campaign, but Biden, being not even as smooth as Hillary, let alone Bill, would be sure the bungle the response. Of course this is why many Republicans want Biden to get in. Its a big trap. He is the number 2 in the Obama/Biden admin. Of course he’d be associated with the “scandals.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/2 "2015-08-05T17:30:46Z")
Which scandals would those be? Real or manufactured? Please name the real ones. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/3 "2015-08-05T17:40:36Z")
Where’s the hypocrisy come in? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/4 "2015-08-05T17:51:47Z")
Any chance he might run for President based on the idea that he might make a better President than Hillary? ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/5 "2015-08-05T18:43:54Z")
I’m not a fan of either Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden (or any candidate from either party for that matter), but I don’t really see any particularly hypocrisy here. First, as Ethilrist points out, maybe he just thinks he’d be a better president; I don’t think the general idea is that someone runs for president on the idea only that they’d be less corrupt. And as for Obama’s scandals, there’s always scandals, the president and his staff may or may not have any direct knowledge of them, but they generally do, and for the most part should, shoulder the burden for them. That said, some of the stink, whatever there may or may not be, of the scandals associate with Obama will rub off on Biden, but not all of it; he has some deniability being the VP on a lot of them. Whereas, many of the scandals associated with Clinton are directly tied to her since the beginning. Further, in general, I think the electorate is more familiar with the scandals associated with Clinton and probably thinks they’re worse, or at least in the familiarity with them, have been told they’re worse. People are familiar with Bengazi, and Clinton bears as much or more of that blame than Obama and, thus, more than Biden. That’s not to say that, in a general election, whatever can be blamed on Biden would be. After all, in a general election, dirt on whoever is running WILL come up, Democrat or Republican. The one benefit I see in Hillary’s favor regarding scandal is that a lot of it has already been played out and the reaction of the public is generally well known. I have little doubt Bengazi or the emails stuff would come up, but both parties know the reaction and can plan accordingly. And, to a large extent, many of those scandals are already old news and won’t have much bite anymore. Biden is an unknown quantity. I think each party has a rough idea how much he may or may not get blamed on him. But, after all, how much did Gore get blamed for scandals under Bill Clinton or Bush I get blamed for stuff under Reagan; not all that much. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/6 "2015-08-05T18:47:22Z")
I thought he shouldn’t run because he was disrespecting heritage? I forget, why do we owe Hillary something? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/7 "2015-08-05T18:50:21Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Which scandals would those be? Real or manufactured? Please name the real ones. BENGHAZI! Duh. No but really, I don’t think there’s any hypocrisy for him to run. I just don’t think now is the time. Besides, Sanders has really won me over. Let’s hope he has a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/8 "2015-08-05T18:55:21Z")
I totally thought that said [BAZINGA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u85u2ymDl8M)! And now I’m thinking about Libya as a really funny place to visit. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/9 "2015-08-05T19:04:24Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > I’m not a fan of either Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden (or any candidate from either party for that matter), but I don’t really see any particularly hypocrisy here. First, as Ethilrist points out, maybe he just thinks he’d be a better president; I don’t think the general idea is that someone runs for president on the idea only that they’d be less corrupt. That’s not why the media is pushing him, us thus getting buzz. He’s getting buzz supposedly because Hillary is “sinking” even tho she’s only losing ground in Quinnipiac-brand polls. > [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > The one benefit I see in Hillary’s favor regarding scandal is that a lot of it has already been played out and the reaction of the public is generally well known. I have little doubt Bengazi or the emails stuff would come up, but both parties know the reaction and can plan accordingly. And, to a large extent, many of those scandals are already old news and won’t have much bite anymore. Biden is an unknown quantity. I think each party has a rough idea how much he may or may not get blamed on him. But, after all, how much did Gore get blamed for scandals under Bill Clinton or Bush I get blamed for stuff under Reagan; not all that much. One of W.'s attacks on Gore was the “scandals” associated with “his administration” and it is true Monica hurt Gore, altho Gore was also a terrible campaigner and media unsavvy. W. constantly referred to the admin as the “Clinton/Gore” admin. W. ultimately was very good at that, hence why exit polls on election night 2000 showed W, even for pretending to be a redneck but in reality being an old money WASP, was seen as [more honest](https://web.archive.org/web/20001214221524/http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/epolls/US/P000.html). Gore, like Biden, was seen as honest [before](http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/09/12/poll/) the GOP went after him. Bush I also took more hits on Iran-Contra in his re-election bid and that in part neutralized Clinton’s philandering in 1992. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/10 "2015-08-05T19:18:54Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Which scandals would those be? Real or manufactured? Please name the real ones. The Clinton “scandals” are no more proven or “real” than: 1. IRS Scandal 2. Fast & Furious 3. Sebelius payments 4. GSA and others they’d [attack](http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2013/08/01/obama-dozen-scandals-counting/) the Obama/Biden guys with too. ---
**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:** [August 5, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/11 "2015-08-05T19:42:17Z")
And it’s a good thing we have the OP to show us not to fall into THE BIG TRAP!!! Damn, I almost did!! ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/12 "2015-08-05T19:53:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > And it’s a good thing we have the OP to show us not to fall into THE BIG TRAP!!! Damn, I almost did!! Well its a big trap for Democrats. If you’re a Republican, you’re dying for Biden to the get nomination. He has no actual constituency. People only like him for now in the sense “yea, Biden’s alright” and long before the actual fight. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/13 "2015-08-05T19:58:29Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > That’s not why the media is pushing him, us thus getting buzz. He’s getting buzz supposedly because Hillary is “sinking” even tho she’s only losing ground in Quinnipiac-brand polls. He’s getting buzz because it’s August, the election’s a whole year away, the Republicans are all busy with debate prep, and there’s just not much going on, atm. I’ve been thinking Biden’s a longshot, but clearly, SOMEBODY is threatened by him. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/14 "2015-08-05T20:02:10Z")
Based on this OP and comments in the other thread, I think Biden ran over DerekMichael’s dog. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/15 "2015-08-05T20:45:20Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Based on this OP and comments in the other thread, I think Biden ran over DerekMichael’s dog. Scandalous! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/16 "2015-08-05T21:06:22Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Scandalous! Not to mention hypocritical. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/17 "2015-08-05T22:06:54Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > Well its a big trap for Democrats. If you’re a Republican, you’re dying for Biden to the get nomination. He has no actual constituency. People only like him for now in the sense “yea, Biden’s alright” and long before the actual fight. It’s certainly possible that Republicans feel Biden would be an easier target than Clinton. I, at this point, 15 fucking months before the fucking election, have no opinion whether this is an accurate feeling, at this point. I’m still waiting for you to explain the “hypocrisy” part of his potential candidacy. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/18 "2015-08-05T22:08:57Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > It’s certainly possible that Republicans feel Biden would be an easier target than Clinton. I, at this point, 15 fucking months before the fucking election, have no opinion whether this is an accurate feeling, at this point. I’m still waiting for you to explain the “hypocrisy” part of his potential candidacy. You know who else the Republicans felt would be an easier target than Clinton? ---
**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:** [August 5, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/19 "2015-08-05T22:38:29Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > Well its a big trap for Democrats. If you’re a Republican, you’re dying for Biden to the get nomination. He has no actual constituency. People only like him for now in the sense “yea, Biden’s alright” and long before the actual fight. So how is it that he would get the nomination? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2015, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044/20 "2015-08-06T00:48:08Z")
And where’s the hypocrisy? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-a-joe-biden-presidential-bid/727044.md?page=2)