I like Joe, but he needs more of a message then we need to beat Trump. I do believe America is ready for a Woman. There is a long road still ahead. The Democrat Nominee will Need to engage Women and people of color. Keep an eye out for Sen. Harris.
2
Perhaps, with attention focused on the failings (real or imagined) of Joe Biden and others in the crowded Democratic field for the 2020 nomination, Governor Jay Inslee (WA) will nail the nomination.
Inslee has chosen climate change as his signature issue. He’s convinced that voters will be persuaded by his work on climate change -- in context with a laundry list of his progressive achievements.
I think Inslee can beat the Democratic field (and Trump!).
Inslee has a solidly liberal record, one that could conceivably attract voters on the left of the party. That part of the field is crowded, but none of them are solidly focused on climate change. One thing Inslee has going for him that others don't is -- he actually has a list of tangible accomplishments! How novel! He's got executive bona fides. Washington State - in great measure because of Inslee's leadership -- has a record of economic growth, based on progressive policies.
Yes, basing a presidential campaign on climate change is a dicey gambit. But, it just may work! He'll be the last one standing because the media are busy finding fault with his competitors with the top poll numbers.
1
Just one problem. Most of us have not even heard of him.
2
I wish the media would stop trying to find flaws in Biden. Dredging up the Anita Hill Senate hearing of 1991, a crime bill (supported by many), a vote for the Iraq invasion (supported by many in Congress, fooled by Bush's cries of weapons of mass destruction) is just mud-slinging or sensationalism intended to sell newspapers and attract advertisers. Thirty-six years in Congress, twice a vice president, he is ready to step right into the job. I'll take that Old Guard, moderate, centrist, elder Democrat any day of the week because he is the only one who has a chance to beat Trump and remove that toxic excuse for a leader from the White House. In 2020, we won't have the luxury to experiment with wide-eyed utopian dreamers. Save that for 2024 if you wish, but not now - we don't have time for that.
3
No, it is not enough. Biden needs a minority VP candidate- Booker or Harris.
3
Could we please get just one article with facts about Biden? And more in general about candidates instead of just horse race predictions and biased advice on what voters should do?
I understand this might be hard with newcomer candidates who have accomplished nothing, but then that is the point for them. With Biden on the other hand, he has been around a long time. There is a long objective record to look at.
What is his quality of judgment on the types of issues important for being president--like how did he vote on the Iraq war? etc. etc. etc.?
I do not want Trump again.
This type of silly reporting was dangerously wrong in 2016.
I am close to ending my subscription.
4
Impeachment, imprisonment or obstruction of justice, the 45th ain’t giving up the ‘throne’.
The sooner the ‘left’ (woke, progressives, etc.) and the moderates realize that the better.
Time to wise up (be ‘woke’) and support Biden or else...
Bye, bye, bye America!
3
In the world of political correctness, it is legitimate to advocate policies or programs to appeal specifically to African-Americans.
Do not be surprised if millions of American voters reject race-centered politics and those presidential aspirants who espouse it.
1
It’s no coincidence that this article didn’t include a single quote from anyone under the age of 50. Democrats can huddle around Biden if they want to but they risk extinguishing the excitement and energy of youth who support more liberal candidates. The answer to beating Trump is not nominating at Hilary Clinton-like candidate. I hate to even imagine it, but from my perspective as a 34–year Black man, Biden will not inspire the support needed among young voters to beat Trump.
I haven’t heard a single word from Biden about how he’s going to help lessen the tremendous weight of my $200K in student loans. I’m going to vote for whichever democrat gets nominated but I won’t be making a single call, wearing a button, or attending a rally for anyone who doesn’t have serious policies to address institutionalized racism and improve the quality of life for poor and marginalized people. I don’t see or feel a genuine concern for my generation and those that will follow when I listen to Biden. Bernie and Warren get young people that’s why they get our support.
2
United we stand, divided we fall. Single-issue Democrat leaders and voters need to understand that. Half a loaf is better than nothing. It's more important to defeat Trump and Republicans running for other offices than to insist on pushing issues that cannot possibly gain broad support. Think of Star Wars: you must use the Force!
Biden should have ran in 2016, as Obama’s heir and he would be President right know, but trying to do it now seems rather stale.
Joe Biden has a good soul.
1
Just say "No" to Status Quo Joe. Trump would trash, thrash and slash "Sleepy" Joe. Fuggetaboutit. But ask your Congressperson to investigate the NRA while Ollie North is still hot under the collar against La Pierre
Enough with the horse race stories already! Not a single solitary word in this story about policy. Nothing about any vote taken by Biden, or any proposal made by Biden. If I wanted a tip sheet I'd go to the track.
It’s not enough, believe me.
2
"The younger generation now tells me how tough things are, give me a break ... I have no empathy” - Joe Biden
3
For many, voting for Trump was a vote against the Obama legacy vilified for years by Republicans and media. Biden is likely to lose more votes than he gains this way. His campaign site still lacks policy positions, it only has generic ad copy seemingly written by corporate hacks. Yes, people like the meme that is Biden, but who really knows his platform on the issues. To say Biden's already won your vote is to say I vote not based on real issues but on personality.
1
Please let Biden win the nomination. He's really looking good. Other than his statements about China, the news about his son's company helping target muslims and the news about him getting the Ukrainian prosecutor fired, of course. And there's also the plagiarism, the sniffing of children, voting for NAFTA, being a two time presidential loser but other than that he's looking good!
3
Targeting such a narrow slice of the electorate - older, Black REGISTERED Democrats - does little to predict outcomes. In the end the group that matters most in the general election - should Biden be the candidate - is Independent voters, the largest bloc of voters in the US; and he doesn't poll well with that group. Independents are who the Dems should be taking into account and figuring out how to inspire them to vote. As to the power of South Carolina - with the new primary election calendar where a lot of states have moved up their dates, most notably, California, making predictions on old trends is foolhardy.
3
It's still very early in the campaign, who knows what can happen between now and then. Bernie in my opinion is the best bet.
10
I'm a mid-30s afro-latino, and I have no -- none, zero, zilch, nada -- interest in Biden. Take a look at his voting record. That tells you all you need to know about him. He is not a progressive politician -- at least not in the truest sense of the word. He believes the country needs to be restored to pre-Trump days, which is a rather shortsighted take on a country that's long been broken and long been failing lower-, working-, and in-class people. He also believes we need more unity, which I agree with. But the kind of camaraderie he's so cavalierly and foolishly championing isn't what we need. What we need is the eradication of the two-party system. I'm tired of the whole, "Us Dems must wrest control from Republicans" and vice versa. It's reductive and breeds tribalism -- the likes of which we simply cannot overcome. Have candidates run on issues without letters before their names -- might help us voters escape our political camps.
It's also imperative we don't fall for the anyone-but-Trump fallacy, as that's likely to yield nothing more than getting Trump out of office so marginal, if any, amendments can be made to his legislative legacy. Still a lot to be done about health care, student loans, campaign financing, idling wages, etc.. So for me, no one who's taking pictures with union leaders and supporting legislation to compromise pensions. Said simply: no one accepting corporate $$$ -- because corps. aren't giving them money because they like the way they look.
42
@Paul G meant to say middle-class, not "in-class"
1
@Paul G
Paul, no offense-really, no offense- but your "friction free universe," purity, is. I think, very probably what's going to lose this election for the rest of us
4
Interesting, but without any suggestions, not very helpful. Nothing more than a halfhearted, half-fast answer.
3
According to this article, Joe Biden has “sky-high polling numbers” among blacks, outstripping Kamala Harris and Cory Booker and all the other candidates.
Is it possible that blacks in SC support Joe Biden based not on his race but his experience and accomplishments?
It seems to me that there are many reasons we Democrats should not take the black vote for granted, in SC or any other state.
22
@Mon Ray Can't take the Black vote for granted because of voter suppression in many states. Hopefully any person who wants to vote will be able to do so, easily.
5
@jacobi
What's sad is the fact that it's not a lie.
5
@Mon Ray
"Is it possible that blacks in SC support Joe Biden based not on his race but his experience and accomplishments?"
Given how few accomplishments he has for all of his experience, that seems unlikely.
A person who was a leading crusader for mass incarceration of blacks in the 80s and 90s and described blacks as predators too sociopathic to rehabilitate should not be the president of this country.
Anyone who believes "Uncle Joe" is a good man should reread his crime bill, seek out the hideous statements he made about blacks on the Senate floor and read the recently unearthed letters he sent to Southern segregationist senators asking their support for an anti-busing bill. Joe still speaks warmly of Senators Strom Thurmond, James Eastland and Jesse Helms. People can then decide for themselves whether he is "their" candidate.
Old civil rights era blacks may revere Biden but younger blacks do not. The question is whether there are more older blacks or younger blacks in the voting pool. He can't even bring Obama in to campaign for him because that brand is toxic these days.
15
@Lynn in DC Oh my! God forbid he evolved. President Obama thought he was so valuable he chose he twice as his running mate. Obama is not going to anoint ANYONE this early. Imagine if Joe says something dumb in the debates? It would make Obama’s endorsement worthless. Like the patient, articulate, great man he is....he’ll wait. As any would. Bush waited ‘til McCain was clear winner to endorse. When did Clinton endorse Gore over Bradley? After it was clear Gore dispatched Bradley.
1
@Gaucho01
Biden cannot hide behind Obama's coat tails, he has to stand on his own record. When did he evolve? Empty words are meaningless. What has he done? Nothing. He has done nothing to reduce or eliminate the negative effects of bills he wrote or sponsored. A person with five grams of crack cocaine was treated the same as a person caught with 500 grams of powdered cocaine, meaning users were treated the same as dealers. This had a disproportionate effect on the black community. Users of crack cocaine received long sentences. Hunter Biden was discharged from the Navy after testing positive for cocaine but no charges were ever filed. Gee. I guess in Biden's world the view is the law is for you but not for me and mine.
1
I have yet to hear exactly what it was Obama did for black Americans besides show them that a successful black man gets to spend most of his time catering to billionaires while in office and hanging out with them after leaving. How many came out of the crash better off? I understand the nostalgia for an intelligent, honest White House occupant, but one reason Hillary lost was that she was perceived as the tepid reincarnation of someone completely faithful to the establishment that helped finance his way to the Oval Office. Biden is cast in the exact same mold; his supporters want to turn back the clock to a less-than-idyllic past no less than Trump's.
12
What happens in South Carolina may depend on how Bernie Sanders does in the three earlier primaries. Last time South Caroline was the first part of Clinton's southern firewall and it held up against Sanders. Will it now be part of Biden's southern firewall against Sanders who I believe has been working hard to get more of the black vote. That's a possibility but it is also possible that neither Biden nor Sanders will be among the leading candidates by the time of the South Carolina primary.
3
It never fails to impress, when a candidate benefits by showing ties to someone revered by a given constituency. Too bad it is not diffuse, all-encompassing, when there are no new ideas concordant with the current needs, and wishes, of younger voters. As there is plenty of time before Nov. 2020, let the large variety of candidates compete for attention, displaying their charisma nad supported by real knowledge of the problems afflicting us, and the need to oust a 'criminal' mind from our midst, a shameful thug to any and all democratic values.
3
Enough, enough! Biden this and that. People are looking for someone they can trust, warts and all. It happens to be the VP. All these articles do not mean anything. Everyone stop, take a deep breath. Articles good or bad do not vote it is the people that will decide.
4
@Fariborz S Fatemi, Trust because like Obama he tells you what you like to hear? It's gonna all be fine. All this commotion is just a bunch of guys on both sides who can't get along. Hope and change-- free-floating hope and change, unconnected to reality-- let alone to he thought he has about what to do if gets to the White House.
6
Note to the reporter and the NYT: Re the service at Brookland Baptist, communion is "served"; it is never "distributed". For those who believe or those respectful of others' beliefs, communion is not leaflets or gadgets, to be passed out, but a powerfully symbolic and unifying act. It is served, literally and figuratively.
6
these folks helped give us HRC the last time
she won all these southern states with conservative religious older black voters
and did not carry a single one in the general
these states help center right dems in the primaries where they have outsized influence
it points to the terrible way we elect folks
endless primaries
electoral college
all serve to empower conservative, small- often rural -states
14
@j
They made a great choice in HRC. The most qualified candidate in history. It is not their fault that the Russians stole the election. Trump and Sanders are Russian stooges. The Mueller report proves it. Sanders spent his honeymoon in Russian. He is an avowed Socialist. He wants to take away and not give. He wants to make the US like Venezuela.
2
I have a suggestion to tilt the scales so that it is "enough." Just add Kamala Harris to the ticket.
2
@Richard Katz,
They already tried to tilt the scales with Stacey Abrams.
1
If he serves two terms he will be 86 years old when he leaves office.
I'm sorry
But a man that age shouldn't hold the most demanding job on the planet.
9
@Luciano: And he has baggage. Lots of baggage. I disagree with all of the people saying he's the only one who can beat Trump.
8
Berkshire Hathaway and Walmart was at the corporations fund raiser backing up Biden. Buffet is a corporation.
Are we going to fall for this again?
The equation:
corporations vs people = dictator wins
The SCOTUS said so.
9
For Joe Biden to have success, he needs to break his ties to big business donors. The democratic party is trying to become the party of the people again by getting donations directly from voters. We can thank Bernie Sanders for getting the party moving in this desperately needed new direction.
Stop the despicable corporate fund raising, please. Hillary's loss was connected to her ties to big business. Voters are completely sick of it! Make the right move, Joe. Represent the people.
7
@SalinasPhil
You can't serve two masters. Candidates that take money from PACs and then cynically tout the number of small donors are even more deceitful than those who are solely financed by corporate America. When some schmo who donates $20, and someone who bundles $100,000 from Goldman Sachs are on the line, who's call do you think the candidate will take?
Sanders already showed you can thrive on small contributions, so anyone now who still insists on taking large donations is confessing their true allegiances. Someone please ask Biden to explain this dichotomy; I'm sure he's got a well rehearsed line of malarkey ready that will sit well with no one.
Look at the pictures (here and elsewhere). It seems he is letting his hair grow at the back. A few more months and he too can have an attractive comb-over to hide the naked front. But will he also dye it to make it look younger? If so, I would suggest strawberry blond, for variety.
4
I think their is a mutual empathy between Joe and black voters. Both have withstood far more suffereing than an average person typically endures.
2
Too much analysis too soon. Let the primaries serve their purpose.
11
"older black voters" may well remember the atrocious treatment of an older black woman, Anita Hill, when then senator Biden chaired the judiciary committee. His lame non-apology, which deflected all agency, came over a quarter of a century later, and only as a political expedient, a performance of a deflected apology. Were he truly sorry, he would have said so much sooner and tried to do something better than protect his own political aspirations.
14
@sw
Sorry. But most "older black voters" and all Black people in general are too busy looking at Donald Trump, whose transgressions against women and people of color have never abated and whose second term would would result in a return to the days of Jim Crow laws.
9
@N. Smith Don't you see other candidates without Biden's past baggage and present adoration of corporate donations viable? I want to oust Trump, but Biden is probably one of the least likely candidates to do this IMHO.
3
@Sue Salvesen
With all due respect, there is no such thing as a candidate without "baggage" -- and there's also no getting around donations, corporate or otherwise.
Another thing.
My comment has nothing to do with what I see in other candidates.
It's strictly about how Biden is viewed by older voters in the Black community where Obama still holds sway.
1
A Biden/Harris ticket would be outstanding!
Biden has the extensive experience, stature and wide familiarity; Harris is a woman of color and has an excellent record, though not quite yet of Presidential caliber.
Harris could learn a lot and get a lot of positive exposure as Biden’s VP, which would make her a shoo-in as the Democratic Presidential candidate after Biden.
5
@Mon Ray
So true and I posted a similar comment here some months ago.
However, since then I’ve learned that Harris’s record is not progressive whatsoever when it comes to her treatment of the Black community here in California. She was totally in the mold of 90s Clinton-era “tough on crime” prosecutorial conduct. I was unaware of this fact (I only focused on her stupid anti-recreational cannabis stance) until my sister, a former public defender, alerted me to it. Unfortunately, she just does not have a strong progressive social justice record in this key area of current concern for people of color and progressives on the left like my sister don’t like her.
Unfortunately, Biden will need a stronger progressive to round out the balance needed for today’s Democratic Party.
I am a person of color, and I don't vote for candidates who
look like me or who have supported people who look like me.
I vote for the person that I think has the best qualifications for the job. Mr. Herndon insults black people if he thinks they vote that way.
14
I could never vote for a man whose voting record shows such a lack of judgement.
ps I am American.
12
I find the quotes from the three South Carolina voters a lot more informative than speculation from political strategists, a congressman or someone who conducted focus groups. You'd think that by now it would have become clear that no one knows how people will vote except the people who vote.
11
Once again, bias, bias bias against Sanders. Not even a mention that the # of endorsements he has is close to Biden's. Or that Sanders has a strategy beyond the Marriotts. Why do I subscribe, when you continue to do this?
58
@redrose no one is making you subscribe and no one will miss you if you cancel. Sanders has been in for quite awhile and Biden just joined the group of 20+.
5
@redrose
Why do you subscribe? I do not know. About two months ago I cancelled my subscription ($7 per month for the first year), and a couple of weeks later I renewed it (one month free, then $4 per month -- for one year I believe). If they over-Biden me, I may cancel that one too.
My favorite is Elizabeth Warren (with a monthly donation); Sanders in second place only. The others, they will bend with the wind; don't bother.
15
@redrose
Really. All this constant moaning about "bias against Sanders" is starting to chafe.
Another thing.
Sanders lost the Black vote in South Carolina last time around and he still hasn't managed to overwhelmingly connect with the African-American community.
No offense, but changing your subscription won't change that.
9
Let's define terms. What does "enough" mean? As far as I can see, Joe Biden has emerged as the front runner. As such, it's enough if he prevents a strong challenger from emerging, and so far that is certainly the case. Two months ago, I'd have said Kamala Harris had a good shot at the inside track, but so far that has not paid off at all and there's no reason to think it'll start paying now. So yes, by that metric it's plenty enough.
5
Of all the Democrats declared to run for President in 2020, Joe Biden has the longest record to run on--his positives and negatives.
If he wins the nomination its not a given Trump (God forbid) will be his Republican opposition.
In a democracy. there is no room for a Trump to even be a option for his re-election; let alone elected the first time around.
We can all breathe easier then.
3
The election is more than a year away, yet it seems to be Biden central here. In a few months a video will most probably come out showing creepy Biden being even more creepy, and then the big media will have to find another establishment candidate that will push their regime change wars, keep healthcare profitable for big corporations, continuing passing legislation favorable for the one percent and ignore making big moves to address the urgency of climate change.
Flint still does not have clean water and is not being reported on, yet all we hear about is the 2020 elections.
48
@steve I think the (hopefully Democratic) results of the 2020 election will determine whether and how soon cities like Flint and others will have clean water.
2
This, by my count, is the sixth consecutive negative article in the Times concerning Biden's candidacy. Here's a real catch-22, bordering on hypocrisy. This article, despite it's thin veneer of civility, seems to be saying, "Hey black folks really shouldn't be supporting Biden," a cynical follow up to the perspective of three weeks ago: "Biden won't appeal to black voters." People, black and white and Asian like this guy. Many like him a lot. He's kind. He's endured profound personal tragedies. People feel for him. He feels for people. I tire of wonky analysis He's a good and kind man and blue collar folks think he's all right too. Not only that, Obama will keep an eye on his friend-count on it.
35
@Brian If you're not under the age of 18, this comment should embarrass you. In order to tire of wonky analysis, you actually have to do some, be capable of it. Anyone is; it's not quantum physics. You just don't want to; you want a nice TV character you can feel all cozy about. Nothing you listed, even if true, has a thing to do with improving anyone's lives. What matters is what he's done, period, and what he wants to do -- and whether you think what he wants to do is a good idea, given real-world problems, and, if so, whether you trust him to walk his talk. End of story.
How does Biden's son dying translate into stopping global warming? We all just sigh, and the carbon goes away?
11
@brian
It's not wonky analysis to point out that Biden was a huge proponent of the war on drugs including the racially motivated crack cocaine sentencing discrepancy.
It's not wonky to point out that Biden went on to pass '3-strikes' law which disproportionately affected minority communities.
How he gets any support with that background is a mystery to me.
14
@Brian In order to tire of wonky analysis, you actually have to do some, be capable of it. Anyone is; it's not quantum physics.
You just don't want to; you want a nice TV character you can feel all cozy about. Nothing you listed, even if true, has a thing to do with improving anyone's lives. What matters is what he's done, period, and what he wants to do -- and whether you think what he wants to do is a good idea, given real-world problems, and, if so, whether you trust him to walk his talk. End of story.
How does Biden's son dying translate into stopping global warming? We all just sigh, and the carbon goes away? How does the fact that Mayor Pete knows Norwegian lead to anything that improves the lives of anyone? And so on. All that matters is policy and the spine to back it hard.
4
Why wouldn't African Americans, who, on average, own one-tenth of the wealth of the white community, not vote for a Progressive? Sad times.
36
@EC
My guess would be that they saw all the good that Bernie did in 2016, and they don't have the extreme privilege that allows white progressives to consider spoiling the election for Trump a second time.
2
@EC
African-Americans, with the exception of the lovely church ladies, are looking at Biden's historical anti-black record. Being a "progressive" does not outweigh that record.
1
Biden and Harris should team up. Joe should promise to run for one term with Harris as his VP. With that experience under he belt, should would make a formidable candidate in 2024.
7
@Donny that would seem like a winning ticket.
but I gather Harris is not considered to black enough, and that is sad statement for that community.
1
@Irene Cantu
And just what is "black enough"???
Sorry. That's just YOUR interpretation -- which doesn't make it the truth.
I suggest you refrain from trying to speak for the Black community which you evidently know nothing about.
1
It's a bit ironic that so much is made about a Democratic primary in deep red state South Carolina. These states also went for centrist, establishment candidate Hillary Clinton, but in the end were just more votes for Trump in the Electoral College. This is just another reason why the Democrats may end up with the wrong candidate, and I, an admittedly progressive, 78-year old lifelong Democrat, do not believe Joe Biden is the right candidate for the party. He's the male redo of Hillary with similar baggage. Nor, do I believe that Bernie Sanders, at the other extreme is electable although I supported him in 2016, Nancy Pelosi is absolutely correct; the Democrats need a "left of center" candidate and that's more certainly not Joe Biden.
20
@Paul Wortman
Remember that we're still in the primary phase, not the general.
South Carolinians get to vote before most of the rest of us, so their votes matter more. And since Iowa and NH are rural white states, the SC primary is a chance to get another point of view.
10
The problem with Hillary Clinton was not her baggage, the issue with Hilary was her god-awful campaign performance. Not having a unifying message was just one example. Biden can win -- he mostly understands the electorate whereas Hillary obviously hasn't a clue.
11
@Paul Wortman After two of the state's that are among those with the lowest proportion of black voters, Iowa and New Hampshire, have a caucus and primary, comes South Carolina. Both parties agreed to this for a very sound reason: it's geography and demographics make it an important balance early in the primary season.
A lot of Democrats believe that it shouldn't be made so important because it's such a red state. But every state sends delegates to both parties' conventions, where their votes count just as much as the darkest-blue states.
1
Biden is bringing people together all over America,
but many in the media are trashing the one unifying candidate.
Go figure?
32
@David
Who and what is he unifying? Comcast VP's, GOP Donor's and sinecures related to Ukrainian business opportunities? This idea of Biden as a unifying candidate is a myth if you think it includes your average American.
34
@David He's anything but unifying. He'll split the party if he's nominated, with many voters going third party rather than vote for him.
13
@coco - Gee, that sounds familiar...
3
"I actually like Dick Cheney... I get on with him. I think he's a decent man." Joe Biden, the Democrat.
60
@Har
Thanks! We needed that.
12
@Har
"All the Cuban people were going to rise up in rebellion against Fidel Castro. They forgot that he educated their kids, gave them healthcare, totally transformed the society." Bernie Sanders, whatever he's calling himself these days.
3
@Patrick
And Bernie was right.
Cubans didn't rise up in rebellion against Fidel Castro as far as I know. Yes They (Americans) forgot that he educated their kids, gave them healthcare, totally transformed the society. But Cubans didn't forget that. Next?
2
It should be enough for democrats. I like all the candidates running, but at this juncture, Biden is enough.
Because the rest have not had the Obama moment (Chicago convention, ooze of charisma, etc). National attention received by many (Booker, Harris, Klobuchar, others) has not gained traction. Bernie's been rejected once, and has acquired permanent status as 'in running.' To my sadness, others (including Warren) are proposing laughably dangerous ideas for making everything free.
The center left is looking for god on a good day to elect. Well, she is not running. So, Biden should be enough. Vote and let's put the current chapter behind us. Please.
18
@Kalidan Warren has solid plans that layout exactly how she will pay for it. We all know these policies aren't free, but a lot of people are ok with aligning our tax dollars for investments in our people through education and universal day care. We also want the rich to pay their fair share like anyone else does.
The primaries aren't over. We should all advocate for our ideas and candidates. Everyone I talk to says they vote for the nominee regardless and I'm one of them. We shouldn't just shut down debate
17
@Kalidan This is what passes for analysis. You literally have no argument, no evidence, and thus the conclusion, such as it is, is worthless. No, I'm sorry, you can project all you like, but I don't "fall in love" with candidates: I look at the policies, the record, I look for spine. Are they trustworthy, even by pol terms? Will they fight? And for the right things? Who has a plan to get us out of the five species-threatening pickles we're in, from nukes, to climate, to emergent diseases, to species/habitat loss, etc? How many NYT commenters have even mentioned any of this, in this comment section or any other? It's all about shopping, branding, and the like: this is not politics, people: this is anti politics.
9
@Kalidan
What you think are "laughably dangerous ideas" is precisely what the country needs. Or do you just want more of the same?
8
Whomever wins the nomination, and ultimately, the presidency, will have to appeal to a cross-section of voters. So we shouldn't get too hung up on identity politics, because we will need someone who can speak for more than given segments of people.
20
@NM
The New York Times cannot help itself. Identity politics and reporting have become a part of its DNA. It's killing the country and it's going to kill the Democratic Party's chances in 2020. We need to stop talking about how candidates appeal to specific identity groups. And we need to stop individuals within each identity group to think for themselves rather than blindly voting the way the group is supposed to vote.
31
@SJG
"And we need to stop individuals ... to think for themselves rather than blindly voting the way the group is supposed to vote."
Is that your ideal for a democracy, to "stop individuals to think for themselves" and instead have them "blindly voting the way the group is supposed to vote"?
Where are you from? (You cannot be an American, nor a European.)
@NM: Whether you like it or not, people's identities and related experiences impact their values and political views and who they will and won't vote for. Ignoring the fact that not everyone lives the white male experience was easier and more simplistic, but it only served white males well.
3
Many older Blacks feel loyal and safe, only dancing with the one who brought them to the party, the old school Bill and Hillary and Joe Biden style Democrats.
Younger blacks see that the party was never meant for them.
They see the hugely higher incarceration rates, worse schools, income/wealth inequality chasm and no chance at the American dream.
Spring 2017, a Harvard-Harris poll found Sanders to be the most popular active politician in the country. African Americans gave the senator the highest favorables at 73 percent — vs. 68 percent among Latinos, 62 percent among Asian Americans and 52 percent among white voters. It wasn’t a fluke: August 2018, black voters again reported a 73 percent favorability rating for Sanders.
Sanders won the black millennial vote in 2016 primary.
35
@Lucy Cooke
This is a different election, and Sanders is fading fast. The South Carolina primary is dominated by older Black women, and Sanders does not have a chance in that demographic. He will be done after South Carolina votes.
17
@Cousy Lucy brings actual data; you respond with projected wish-fulfillment. I'd like people to note that pattern, here and in future. Tells you something important.
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@Lucy Cooke
Hillary won those groups in 2016. I’m Latino and there’s no chance I’ll vote for Sanders. I have had enough of “wokeness”, which is his base and his policies would never get far in Congress. I’m looking for a candidate that would be able to get legislation passed through a republican senate, as it is unlikely to get to 60 democrat. I’m voting Biden. He’s a unifier.
Enough already. Joe Biden and Black voters; specifically a small number of older black South Carolina church-goers. Last week it was Bernie Sanders...and a small number of church goers at another South Carolina church.
South Carolina is not the home for almost 40 million Black Americans nor does a small contingent of black church goers represent nor should they be highlighted as representing the thinking and voting patterns of 40 million people.
Is this really news or is this a case of writers straining for new story lines (on a worn-out theme)?
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@Candlewick
SC is the third primary, and Black people are the majority of the Democratic vote. Yes, this is news.
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@Cousy
The majority of Blacks do register as Democrats but we do not all live in South Carolina, we do not all attend Baptist houses of worship; we do not all think alike; politically, philosophically, socially, economically or spiritually.
The whole notion of trying to use this tiny snapshot of *Blackness* (even in South Carolina) as a harbinger of things-to-come for Joe Biden or any White presidential candidate relative to black voters is insulting-but unfortunately too prevalent in journalism today.
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It is not just older Black voters who support Biden.
Center and left of center Republicans, Democrats and Independents cannot stomach the far left positions taken by many Democratic presidential aspirants.
Stay tuned. Will the Dems snatch defeat from the jaws of victory?
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@tom toth Everything that can be said in support of Biden had already been said in 2016 about Hillary. Think about that and then tell me more about "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory".
Playing the "prevent defense" only prevents you from winning. Choosing a bumbling failure with a garbage record and nothing but bad ideas because he "just makes ya' feel good" is going to come around to bite you in the end. Watching Trump win a second term against Biden is going to be heartbreaking, but at least we'll all get to enjoy a repeat of the Hillary HQ cry-sesh from 2016. Watching all the Biden supporters realize their incredibly obvious mistake will at least take the sting out of the morning after.
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@tom toth
There are no "Center and left of center Republicans". Trump IS the Republican party. Playing for the middle just guarantees a GOP win - and not just the presidency.
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This article ignored gender.
Black women are the core of the Democratic vote in SC. Many of them are drawn to Kamala Harris because she is a member of a Black sorority from her Howard days, and those ties run deep. Black women turn out to vote no matter what.
Black men, not so much. The turnout among Black men in 2016 was less than during Obama elections. I am skeptical that Black men will come out strong to vote for Harris. They may feel more comfortable voting for Biden.
But make no mistake, the SC race is between Biden and Harris. Booker and Warren will try, but they won't win.
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@Cousy, If Biden is nominated, he will need a Vice Presidential candidate who is younger, or who is a woman or who is a person of color. Ms. Harris fills all 3 roles and if elected VP would be the person of choice to run for President in 2024. It would also have helped if Ms. Harris were a Latina. But hey, 3 out of 4 ain't bad. (not to mention that she is highly qualified for both jobs in any event).
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@Cousy Harris is a corporate American candidate. As attorney general in California she supported and enforced locking parents up for their children's truancy.
That is what I need to know to not support.
us army 1969-1972/california jd/father of eight
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@marvinhjeglin, Regarding locking parents up for their children's truancy, I think it would depend upon circumstances and a Judge would have to make that decision. There is a difference between a parent that doesn't care and has refused to deal with the kid and the truancy, as opposed to the case of a serious parent who has repeatedly tried to deal with a problem kid who simply refuses to listen.
1