Trump offers same insults, as usual. Biden, on the other hand, tells the truth: the Trump GOP are an existential threat to the Republic with the elevation of open corruption, incompetence, destruction of alliances, encouraging of global warming, and abuse of the law.
6
While it sounds odd, I believe this situation is almost ideal for the Democratic candidates as they approach the 2020 election. It's too early to predict a winner and Joe Biden is enjoying this lead in the poll's due to name recognition.
Once the other candidates have a chance to introduce themselves (as we've already seen beginning to happen) voter's are going to begin shifting away to leaders with policy's that align more with their own.
Senator's Warren and Harris, and Mayor Buttigieg are going to get a ton of great press because of their sensational public speaking ability... and Joe Biden will fade away.
So while President Trump focuses all of his negative energy at someone I believe he won't be facing in 2020. Joe Biden keep's calling out President Trump for the idiot he is, and those criticisms stick. regardless of the Democratic candidate. This is win-win.
23
Nice to see American politics being elevated to the level of schoolyard kids trading insults. If this is the best Americans can do...Forget About It. Disgusting.
6
Misleading article as usual: Trump responded , did not initiate ...
1
Trump calling Biden a loser is hysterical. Trump who has bankrupted multiple companies, paid off a porn star, is being investigated for his lying and obstruction of justice verses Joe Biden. Enough said.
9
Two old white men calling each other names. No thank you. I'll take Elizabeth Warren.
11
Con the Con vs Sleepy Joe in 2020? How sad that would be . . . two old white guys who are well past their "Best Before" dates -- if either of them ever had such a date stamp. Surely these two fossils are not the best candidates the two old, tired, dominant parties have to put foward for the American people to consider as president? If so . . .Oh, my! :-(
4
Biden needs to take a page from Hilary’s losing play book by paying attention to his choice of language. ‘Loser’ is the lexicon of trump’s base. ‘Existential threat’ comes across as way too much of the NE elitist camp they despise. Careful Joe!!
3
Remember, people don't change, they just become more of who they are....
--Draft dodger who wraps himself in our flag but couldn't run faster or further from service to our country.
--serial adulterer caught on cover up tape
--systemic liar recording over 10,000 misleading statements since taking office
--twice settled racist charges to block African-Americans from renting his NY apartments
--fails his #1 job of protecting America's democracy by encouraging Putin and doing nothing to defend our elections.
Is this who we want our daughter's and son's to look up to for leadership?
6
Hey, New York Times. The primary's not over yet.
6
The president really has to stop with the name-calling but sleepy certainly does seem to describe Biden, he looks old, tired and impotent, he just doesn't have the mental or physical prowess to lead the country.
Trump is going to seriously take him apart in the one on one debates.
1
I will never understand how such a person became president and why anyone would vote for him. His behavior mocks our country. Besides being childish and rude, what he says is gibberish and is wasting everyone’s time. Efforts to justify are equally wasting time.
6
I wish Joe would say “ I’ve got more important things to do than engage in name-calling. Let’s get thing country back on track. With your help, we can do this.” Come on Joe. Let’s do this already!!!!
6
Keep it up, Joe! Having Trump's limited ability to concentrate focused on you will allow the other Democrats running for the nomination the freedom to focus on the race and not Trump. Keep the Orange one in defensive mode; that's where he best shows his ignorance, racism, misogyny and lack of integrity.
4
"“...a loser,” “a sleepy guy” and “the weakest mentally,” and claiming that “people don’t respect him.” Mr. Biden took a different tack, laying out ways Mr. Trump was “an existential threat” to the country, its international standing and its values."
In a nut shell these statements reflect the language the opponents are using to communicate with the electorate and influence the media. Trump speaks to the lowest common denominator while Biden speaks over the head of many voters.
3
It is a form of typical media “both-sides-do-it” for the New York Times to describe the statements by Biden as insults the same as Trump’s. Biden may refer to Trump using inflammatory wording such as “existential threat,” but he is attacking his policies and his (lack of) values. He has not making school yard personal attacks the way Trump has been. We should expect better from the Times.
1
Does the President represent all geniuses, or just a sling-the-adjectives subset?
3
This morning the 'Morning Joe' gang complimented Biden for staying on script & saying he needs to keep it up. So basically they're saying he's an idiot who will mess up if he goes off script. That's whom they back for POTUS and seemed clueless about that fact that what they were saying was an indictment of Biden and not a compliment. With friends like that Biden doesn't need enemies.
1
"Biden has mentioned my name 75 times.." - Trump
What did Trump do? Count the times Biden mentioned him? If so, nice to see Trump can count up to 75. (Please note sarcasm).
4
Every time Mr. Trump says something childish (and meaningless) like “he’s a loser” - and that’s his MO, not an outlier - we’re reminded yet again of how stomach-turningly ugly he is (not to mention how little he brings to the game). But there will always be people like that. What’s really gnawing is that anyone would vote to empower such a sickening oaf, let alone enough people to enable him to belly flop onto our presidency (albeit with Russia’s help). Why does anyone support this debasement of us? Why are any Americans supporting it?
2
The folks who know what Biden means by "existential threat" don't want someone who uses "loser" as an all-purpose put-down. The folks who don't know what "existential threat" means consider any candidate who uses that term an obvious loser.
There is a big difference between insults and criticism.
I appreciate that Mr Biden is using criticism. But I also think he needs to qualify his remarks using the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). Folk are not stupid but may not be aware of what some words mean.
When I had to write manuals someone told me to use the KISS Principle and I realized how true it is.
Please don’t inundate is with more of Trump's vicious and nasty rhetorics. It is not newsworthy and you are playing in to his game.
1
No substantive issues but just name-calling between a liar and a plagiarist, with common ground in their contempt for women.
3
I couldn't imagine Trump campaigning on issues. He has a vindictive streak in which he has to release the vitriol which is the base of who he is. He hasn't changed in the decades that he has been in public life and an old dog can't learn new tricks.
1
The 2020 presidential race is shaping up to be a comedy of epic proportions. Two old guys throwing insults at each other. You can't make this stuff up.
1
Instead of challenging Biden's principles and policies, which is what a presidential race should be about, Trump resorts to personal insults and name calling, the bully's weakest ammunition. The American electorate sees right through it.
2
This comment from Trump really takes the cake.
Later, Mr. Trump noted that America “would never be treated with respect” under Mr. Biden’s leadership, “because people don’t respect him.”
In the delusional abyss that Trump inhabits, does he in all honesty for a second 'No a split second' believe that there is a World Leader today that respects him, or for that matter the United States .
Under Trump our reputation as a country to be reckoned with, a place where the world can look for Leadership , has become a standing joke.
3
Note to Biden: Don't use words a typical trump supporter would not understand. In fact, don't even reach out to them because they are beyond rational approach.
2
If this is what the campaign is to be, the public is going to tire of it very quickly. Trump is going to personally attack whoever he runs against - that's a given. If the Democratic candidate stoops to his level, we might as well just have a cage match to determine who will be President.
It will turn off the moderates and will be a sure way to get Trump re-elected, which would be a bigger disaster for this country than any attack from without.
1
The more trump hates (on) Biden the better. Strangely I see trump as Biden’s ideal running mate. If he presents a narrative like that, it’s a bit perverse but I would enjoy and applaud it.
1
Trump will lose in 2020 but do we really want Biden. Please let us hope Sen. Warren, Harris, Booker, etc. will break through.
2
This sort of presidential campaign has nothing whatsoever to offer America. I want to support a Democratic candidate who offers ideas, intelligence, and a positive attitude. I want someone who can communicate effectively and clearly. I don't want cliches nor do I want slogans. I'm intelligent, prove to me that you're my match. Until Joe Biden steps up and shows me he's just not another bag of hot air, he's not worthy.
2
We really need to get an adult in the White House. It bothers me that any democratic contenders even lower themselves to engage Mr Trump. Name calling is obviously childish and immature. So why is Joe Biden lowering himself to that level? Democrats need to realize that if they play Trump’s childish games, then they are no better than he is. The Democrats need to have an adult running for President.
2
I am amazed that the Times has been giving Biden a pass on his record.
It is a pretty simple exercise to review his predictions and actions and compare them with history, an exercise that shows he has been wrong on just about everything.
5
Remember how Joe Biden ate Paul Ryan's lunch in the Veep Debates of '12?
Disagree all you want with the Biden policy of your choice. But, know this; Biden is hardly the lunkhead Trump is, or even close; expect more of the same, and then some, should they meet in the Debate.
3
“I wish he would talk less about Trump,” said Ms. Scherr, of Pella, Iowa. “We’re Democrats, we know why we don’t like Trump.”
This is the key point of this piece. Mr. Biden needs to not only point out Trump's many flaws and the existential risk he presents to America, he also MUST talk about his plans once he is president. He must give the electorate a reason to vote FOR him and not just a reason to vote AGAINST Trump. The American voter deserves to hear from each candidate concrete plans for his/her presidency and not merely "promises" without substance. While both political parties have bought in to the value of attack ads in campaigning, and plan statements to fit into the 30sec sound bite on the nightly news, Americans deserve better from their candidates. Mr. Biden's electability is important but may not be enough to energize voters.
1
Good news here is that there were only about 700 Republicans at Trump's rally in West Des Moines. There are about 3 million people in Iowa, and West Des Moines is a metropolitan suburb. If Trump can only get 700 people to show up, that bodes poorly for him.
1
Biden's time has passed but there will always be those that relish the past as well as the status quo. Of course the democrats can't stand Trump, he's against the status quo.
1
Biden loses in this battle of words. Does Biden really think most Americans understand the meaning of an "existential threat?" If you want to win in the media, speak clearly and concisely, and use words that most Americans understand.
1
Bidens attempts to court blue collar folks/farmers is going to take more than being all anti Trump all the time. Thats is all we hear from Democrats... rings hollow as Obama/Biden administration specifically abandoned blue collar folks in favor of disparate grievance groups sharply dividing the country..on purpose! Trumps policies have benefited all working Americans with jobs and opportunity. The biggest existential threat to the country is Democrats turning left promising various free stuff along with open borders creating a permanent underclass who will always need services, making middle class blue collar folks/farmers irrelevant.
1
There are a few issues that people will have with Bidens' remarks. Trump will ruin the character and the standing of the US in the world. Well, its been 3 years and the world has not moved against us. The economy is good. Many Americans have the view that we do not care what the world thinks about us. We brought the world back from the brink of destruction and ruin at the hands of real mad men, more than once. For all the talk about Trump, we are still in good shape. America is more than one man. Its more than its president. Its more than the sum of all its parts.
After 36 years in the Senate and 8 as Vice President, Biden says now Trump is who has failed? Seldom has such a long resume featured so little accomplishment.
'An existential threat'
'A loser'
Even the barbs are telling with regard to the character of the men.
One is truthful. One is not.
That should be all the further a voter needs to go in making a responsible decision between any two options in any given scenario, in my opinion.
But this is America, and we have issues.
This is Biden's prologue to presenting his election platform. He got the attention of the Republicans and the general populate of Iowa and scared Trump. He set Trump up for what's next.
8
Repeatedly focusing on the childish name-calling the president engages in is repeating the same mistake as was made 2016 news coverage. Why not write about policy ideas instead?
19
Trump will use name calling against any democratic candidate. And the democratic candidates will have to answer in the same way. They must. Nowadays the "polite" style campaigns became a thing of the past. We have been witnesses of the fact that "polite" campaigns no longer elect presidents. Trump used insults and name calling against Hillary and it worked. He had the republican base voters going crazy/cheering him for that. Biden responding to Trump's insults in kind, is trying to highlight to the republican voters Trump's inadequacy.
2
@JEH
I don't see any kind of comparison, Mr Trump uses crass nasty comments and so far Mr Biden has replied with intelligence and comparison. Personally I prefer Mr Biden's approach I think name calling and insults show poor judgment, intelligence and being a bully.
I am not particularly in favor of Mr Biden but he is coming up in my estimation.
The headline seems to imply they have both descended to the same low level. One important distinction: Trump's insults are always personal, and not based on reality: Crooked Hillary, Sleepy Joe, Horse Face, etc., etc. Biden's comments are substantive reflecting Trump's poor understanding and ignorance of current and historical facts, his misunderstanding of scientific and medical evidence, his support for ruthless dictators who kill journalists and even family members, and keep their citizens in fear of life or death,. We can add to that his poor judgement of character, or his selection of individuals to head government agencies who are as dishonest as he is, and whose main purpose is not to serve the public, but to benefit themselves and their relatives from public funds; in addition, many have serious unethical conflicts of interests, apparent or hidden in plain sight. The latest such example, McConnel's wife, Chao, heading the transportation department. She is up to her neck in abusing her position, especially when fomenting Chinese interests and those of her Chinese family, over the interests of the USA. She should be forced to resign although whoever Trump appoints as acting head would not go through Congressional vetting and approval, thus allowing him "to appoint another wolf to guard the sheep". He is the worst president in the history of our Republic.
33
@Angelo
There is a major difference between name calling and bullying behavior and a thought out intelligent comment on an issue or problem.
If people cared about issues Hillary would President!
20
Trump's appeal has always been personal. There is no way his Demcoratic opponent cannot make him the principal issue in the election. Trump is either good or bad for America. That is the only issue.
5
The truly sad thing is that so many Americans believe that the behavior of Mr. Trump makes him worthy to hold the office of the Presidency of the United States of America, an example to people, including children, in the U.S. and around the world.
This is what the believers think of themselves. This is what they think of their country. Lying, name-calling, and pettiness.
I used to think we were much, much better than this. But the barbarians are not at the gate, they are us.
18
I disagree that Biden is the only one who can beat Trump. In fact, he is the furthest to the right of all the Dem candidates, and only a minority of Americans want that. The key is to get the Dems to the polls. If they aren't energized now, they never will be. I'm sixty, but I want a fresh young face in the Whitehouse.
6
@me
I have to agree with you I am 68 and feel it may be time to pass the baton.
Mr Biden so is not my major choice but I (so far) like his response to Mr Trump. Crass insults and belittling behavior combined with plain bullying is school yard politics not for adults who are trying to help others.
I have major problems with what Mr Trump and the GOP are doing...I cannot believe that most folk who back them up don't see they are hurting themselves.
Perhaps completely new blood can fix some of this. But then I am basically an optimist.
I'm older than you are, and I'd like a fresh young face too. But if Joe Biden is the nominee, I'll be happy to vote for him. Beating Trump is the order of the day, and must be accomplished. I can wait for a fresh young face – let's just get rid of Trump.
1
It seems to me that Donald Trump has no real intellectually sound position on anything to defend, so he has to resort to name-calling and simply making up an alternative reality for his base. How many times can he pull a piece of paper out of his coat pocket an claim that it is the deal that will solve all of our problems? There are no deals. How many times can he call his opponents disparaging names to divert attention from his own failings? The sooner his base of voters wakes up and actually listens to his bizarre rants and fear-mongering, the sooner we can end his destruction of the presidency and our democracy. Hold him accountable for his constant lies and obstruction.
15
@Doug
There is much truth to your comment. I hope folk start to use Critical Thinking after listening to all who are running for president including the incumbent.
“Bi-partisan” Biden, not so fresh off his eight year stint as Obama’s VP, seems to have forgotten the total obstruction engineered by McConnell, Boehner, and Ryan. Maybe what he meant was Democrats can “work” with Republicans when, like him in his long service as a Senator, they agree to go along with the GOP’s malevolent and misguided policies — “welfare” destruction, crime bill abomination, credit card cos. bankruptcy get-over, shaming Anita Hill, etc., etc., etc.
7
@Joe B.
I agree with the second part of your comment...
The whole system you observe has to be re-geared to help the greatest number of folk.
This story and its prominent placement is another sign of decline for the NY Times. Focus on the personal attacks and ignore real stories...like Trump saying that he would not recruit a highly placed source intelligence source in North Korea. He believes dictators like Kim and Putin because they said nice things about him and wrote him "beautiful" letters over his intelligence officials. That story carries much more importance for the future of the U.S. than two old guys calling each other names. But you can't see it anywhere.
7
@Dario Bernardini
This story is not in a major place on the NY Times. But it is easy to find that is important.
Sorry, this constant need to find a tit for tat exchange when that isn't what happened.
"Loser" Is clearly name calling. It's a reflexive outburst.
"Existential threat" is not the sort of thing one says as insult (Your mom is an existential threat!).
It is a considered summation of what trump's actions represent to this country.
I guess there is profit keeping the argument alive, when the view is so clear.
10
@shrinking food
Thanks for that. I agree it's better to answer demeaning remarks with a thought out measured response.
I think it's a mistake to use the word 'existential' in trying to appeal to the heartland voter.
Trump is a threat to our quality of life—and to our children's and grandchildren's futures.
Trump's a threat to full employment. (Thank Obama/Yellen for the momentum there.)
Trump's a threat to peace and cooperation with allies.
Trump is a petty ego maniac who blathers like a True Believer of The Common Sense Regime. But he hawks vaporware. He's a phony from Glitz Ville who suckers hard working Americans.
There ARE existential threats, of course: climate change, huge asteroids, genetically engineered plagues, and so on. But voters relate to those as they are. The notion of existential threat as such belongs to policy wonking.
2
@gary e. davis
I don't think the heartland voters are unintelligent but they may be somewhat uneducated. Sometimes you need to "Keep it simple stupid". I like your breakdown of some of the problems and maybe that needs to be said as a clarification to those who are not aware of some words.
Mr Trump uses base language and insults to dazzle his base and has repeatedly stated he loves the uneducated. I truly think that's telling about what he really thinks.
One red MAGA, the other blue MAGA. How about a candidate who will really help people (e.g., Sanders or Warren)?
3
@Charles pack
What makes you think all the others would not be in favor of helping all folk?
Joe is looking pretty old. It’s no wonder he reverses his position- he probably can’t remember what he said. And isn’t it sheer genius to use Avanati’s campaign slogan? Who is running his campaign?
2
“The boom in blue collar jobs”? Where? In Vietnam?
4
Joe Biden is a threat and djt response does nothing more than validate Biden's repertoire of the endless reasons this man is not fit to be president.
3
Seems to me there's a meaningful difference between the very purposeful name-calling that Trump deploys and Biden's claim that Trump is an "existential threat". "Existential threat" is not a phrase that is exactly high on any put-down list I know of. Look at how Trump's still hammering away at his "Crooked Hillary." It's not rocket science, he simply appeals to the lowest common denominator to get the numbers he needs.
I laughed out loud today when I heard Trump say he likes running against "mentally weak" people. If only more people would laugh at him, perhaps he would begin to shrivel up and disappear. Biden is right, of course. Trump is an existential threat. But something tells me that "sleepy Joe" has a better chance of sticking around. Biden should simply point out that while Trump is busy thinking up silly names to call him, he's talking about what he wants to do for the country.
Once again, Trump is holding up an ugly mirror for us to look at ourselves in. Are we going to fall for his cheap tricks a second time?
9
I’m already sick of listening to these two old white men duking it out. They have no other tools in their shed, so juvenile taunts win the day. Joe Biden wants to just skate by on what he thinks are his past accomplishments, gaffes not withstanding, and Trump is just a raging beast in the ring, swinging blindly until he connects by mistake. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Warren is quietly running circles around them, talking about the things Americans want to talk about and she is making inroads into both of their bases.
12
This 2 years of people running for Pres. Is simply too much. Cut it down to about 6months.
16
Trump can't even come up with an intelligent insult. Biden knows the word 'existential.' Round one goes to Biden.
12
Biden better be careful about his one-note anti-Trump theme. If his long-range goal is to win back some of the voters in the middle (including some who voted for Trump), he's not gonna do that by demonizing the man as an existential threat and a racist. The oft-quoted Charlottesville remark, for example, referred to the local demonstrators who turned out in favor of keeping the city's historical statues, not to the marching nazis. The mischaracterization is popular among Democrats, but it wont appeal to any of the voters he hopes to attract in the general election.
4
So Biden is saying that Trump is a threat to the existence of this country. Great way to win the nomination, terrible way to win anyone who voted for him.
4
Trump lobs personal and unfounded attacks, insinuating his opponent of the moment, “sleepy Joe”, “did she have a stroke Hillary”, or “low energy Jeb”, is physically and or mentally incapable of taking on the Presidency; unfairly planting a seed of doubt in some voters minds. Where Biden basically attacks Trump’s policies, which many of Trump’s base supported; support for dictators aka “diplomacy with the countries no one else could get along with”; lack of support for the planet, aka the “climate change hoax”. Time to take off the gloves, Joe.
3
If the next year is going to see the airways dominated by this type of childish bullying behavior on the part of a person who is supposed to be the so-called leader of the free world, then count me out. Trash talk is only intimidating if you let it get to you - hopefully Mr. Biden and the rest of the Democratic hopefuls will see Trump has trotted out his well worn playbook and ignore his infantile barbs, taunts and insults which only serve to distract and avoid his offering any substantive reason why he should be reelected - lest I forget, it is not inconceivable he will create some type of crisis to rally the fearful, intimidated and otherwise blind to keep them under his wing.
1
The level of discourse. One uses long words, the other manages two syllables.
7
As Yogi Berra once said it's like déjà vu all over again. Only this time, instead of an ethically compromised politician who campaigned courting Republicans and "I'm not Trump", we have a gaff-prone politician with absolutely cringe-worthy video footage of him saying things like how he likes Dick Cheney and thinks he is a good man, running a "I'm not Trump" campaign, devoid of policy.
Don't expect the outcome to be any different in 2020.
1
Beyond the insults, why do centrist democrats insist that they will be able to work with Republicans to address our very real issues (climate change, failing infrastructure, student debt, etc., etc., etc.) if Trump is defeated? Have you met Mitch McConnell and the Freedom (from thought) Caucus? #Ri-Dic-U-Lous.
7
Biden’s comments on trump are an apt description of trump.
And trump’s comments on Biden are also an apt description of trump.
7
Calling Trump an existential threat is not name calling or even insulting - it's factual. Look at what Trump has done to unravel any and all progress on climate change.
Stop making these comments out to be the same - they are not. Trump's trademark is insults, but Joe Biden did not stoop to his level. He stated a fact.
5
“I wish he would talk less about Trump,” said Ms. Scherr, of Pella, Iowa. “We’re Democrats, we know why we don’t like Trump.”
Name-calling goes only so far -- what are Biden's ideas? How would he address China's cheating, N. Korea, the illegal immigration crisis, out of control healthcare costs, Iran's threats to the Middle East, et.al.? And to most Americans benefiting from this economic expansion, would his policies help it continue or hurt it?
3
Joe Biden sounds like he has no energy. Let’s accept the fact that he has served his country beatifully, but his time has gone. Dems and country need a younger and energetic leader.
4
No they both don't "get personal". Trump hurls incredibly juvenile insults while Biden calls him (factually) an existential threat.
I do agree with the voter who wishes for ideas from Biden however. While he stands head and shoulders above the president he really is status quo. How many young people will be inspired not just to vote but to knock on doors for Biden?
As a mother of three young twenty somethings not a one wants him.
2
Trump repertoire, behaviour switching between trading insults and playing the victim topped with lies, is nothing new. Even his “supporters” deep-down must know him by now.
It might have work on 2016 when people were giving him the benefit of the doubt, but he has been President for 2 1/2 years now. We all know the chaos and the incompetence, we are in for, with him.
On the other hand, we have 30 years of our beloved Joe Biden in public service. He might not be perfect, but he is a decent, politically savvy, compassionate, caring, honest man. There is NO COMPARISON between the two.
There is no comparison with any other 2020 Contenders. And there was NO comparison with Hillary Clinton either. The difference is that we know it for a fact now.
Let’s hope our painfully adquired knowledge will allow the country to make a better decision on 2020.
3
Joe is a good man who was a good Senator and a good Vice President. Compared to Trump, he's a cross between Abraham Lincoln and FDR.
3
I had to go back to Jean-Paul Sartre’s work and refresh my memory to discover what in Trump’s character could be labeled “existential.” According to most philosophers existentialism is to live life passionately and authentically. While Trump is certainly passionate, he is definitely not authentic. I’m sorry this “taunt” of Biden’s falls flat because I’m not sure it makes sense or even what he means. Joe, please let’s stay away from philosophy and get to the issues.
1
No incumbent president has lost an election since 1992, and that was with Perot getting a huge percentage of the Republican vote. I don't understand what makes anyone confident that Trump will lose next year.
1
Well, all this while Biden is still running.
If he thinks POTUS will get personal - I don't think he knows what his own folks running against him will be saying in these upcoming debates.
It is going to be new ideas, new green energy, new rights for many and new this and new this vs. Joe of Anita Hill, Hyde Amendment, old hydrocarbon energy - not to mention his 8 years as a VP.
Democrats attempting to go out on a new path with all these women running, a young gay guy and assorted never heard of but fresh faces - against good ole Joe.
If nothing else, POTUS to his credit is reminding folks including Democrats that like Ms. Hillary - Mr. Joe is an old time politician.
And just the way he successfully portrayed Hillary - woe be to Joe to be cast as a permanent politician.
We are living in interesting times where we have yet to find a low in politics.
Voters want to be heard and seek assurance that the person that they vote for will address their concerns. The greatest threat facing the world is climate change. This includes the U.S. Climate change and many other challenges can only be met by joint action with other countries. Trump denies climate change and opposes multilateral responses favoring unilateral action. Thus far all attempts by Trump to cut unilateral deals have been disasters - North Korea, the Iran Nuclear Deal. Even Venezuela's hope for stability has been transformed from a possibility backed by over 50 countries into an apparent U.S. sponsored coup. How could Venezuelan military leaders abandon Maduro to be pawns in a U.S. sponsored power grab?
U.S. leadership is desperately needed to address global challenges. States and cities have continued to work to fight climate change, but 4 lost years with Trump weakens the momentum achieved thru U.S. leadership under Obama. Election of Trump is a vote to weaken climate action and to assure a far more dangerous world.
Rather than demonizing China, the U.S. needs to engage with China to address global challenges, while working with other countries to work to bring about change in China's behavior counter to U.S. and allies interests.
Trump enjoys mud wrestling. Some voters like the spectacle. But the election will be decided on Trump's failures and the presentation of a team - a president and VP that address the challenges facing the U.S.
Two guys who have spent their entire lives faking and making are at each others throats?
To use Condoleeza Rice's famous statement about Iraq election outcomes when Shiites, who were 2/3 of the population, won the first election:
"Who knew"?
Neither one of the these old guys is in the right place at the right time.
Hopefully, one of the other (many) options for President with shine past both of these losers.
4
This article makes the serious of setting up a moral equivalence between President Trump's childish, vulgar comments (something he has done regularly to others who dare to disagree with him) and former Vice President Biden's specific charges against the President's character. There is a difference that should not be ignored.
4
Best strategy for Biden or any other Democratic candidates would be to simply and clearly explain to those who voted for Trump what, specifically he has done and will continue to do in terms of chipping away at social security, America's environmental laws and other progressive policies that help working people, but by Trumps's actions only help the wealthy.
10
Trump will lose in 2020 regardless of his opponent. It's just common sense. The majority of voters in 2016 voted for Hillary. Trump has futher alienated those voters since 2016.
Trump has the same 2016 voter base but many of those have left the electorite (due to age and death). In addition, Trump alienates more and more GOP voters every day. More than the usual number of those voters are likely to stay home on election day next year.
New voters, by and large, do not like Trump. And, as we saw in 2018, the Democratic-leaning electorite is energized.
Most people simply do not buy into Trump's con regarding the economy. Most people know that the economy is doing well in spite of Trump's ignorance.
If Biden wins the the nomination, you can bet that half of the GOP Senate will secretly be pulling the lever for Joe in 2020.
5
Trump is talking to his voting base when he calls Mr Biden a loser. He doesn't care what it sounds like to the rest of us. His real base, the super wealthy and corporations certainly don't care about his reality tv antics as long as they have their huge tax break for the wealthy and corporations and roll backs on environmental protections and banking deregulation. That is why the Republican Senate is silent. He is doing exactly what they want for their constituency, the wealthy and corporations.
16
Interesting that despite all that Trump has done—conservative judges on the Supreme Court, a fantastic economy and low unemployment, overtures to Putin and Kim Jong-un, trying to build the wall despite massive opposition by the Democrats – despite all this, the Democrats see nothing good in the man just because of his abrasive personality. That means they will lose in 2020. Mark my words.
2
Isn't the only "real" way to look at this exchange is that one is telling the truth and the other one is lying?
Now it's up to the voters to decide which one is lying - because that's they one they will go for every single time because they love fantasy stories spun by entertainment moguls who lie for a living.
6
Biden is already making facts by taking on Trump directly and Trump for all purposes has acknowledged Biden as his opponent next year.
Forget the Democratic primary debates.
Biden is the candidate.
2
As one of the Iowa residents said, we know why we don't like trump, I'm all for the barbs in their place, but the dems need to focus on the future. The country has truly been sickened by having trump in the WH and we need leadership that can really catapult us forward. Biden and Saunders are past their due dates relative to the presidency. They both have run multiple times, have a ton of baggage, and just are not the right people for the times.
Out of the dem pack, I've been impressed with the composure, intelligence, and experience of Mayor Pete. He is incredibly articulate and his campaign is starting to take hold. He's young but very qualified - someone to watch and support.
10
@Jenna
How is young Pete qualified?
Winning 8000 votes (total) out of 100,000 to be elected a Mayor, doesn't make one Presidential material.
Lets get some more seasoning upon the young politician (along with some votes of actual consequence and maybe even baggage) before we sit him down in the big chair.
5
@Dobbys sock - Being the mayor of a small city in the Midwest isn't the qualifying moment any more than it was for Sarah Palin or myself (small town selectman).
IMO Buttigieg projects a leadership quality that is far beyond his years. I think he has the ability to attract and appropriately vet a smart/qualified/energized team to serve an administration. He is focused on the "correct" side of the issues and the first one of the candidates to put some foreign policy ideas out there. He's no nonsense, doesn't take the "bait", and stays on message.
I never thought I'd be so interested in a presidential candidate that is the age of my kids (not at least until they reached their 50's!) but he bears watching. This campaign will season them all and it will be interesting to see where it lands.
But, make no mistake about it, the dems must win this election, so we need to make sure the best candidate emerges!
4
Trump loves to create names for his opponents. For Trump my name is "carnival barker" for he is a master of deceit, braggadocio and prevarication. He is a showman and a film flam man. Or even worse from someone who knew him best, his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen who called him a "racist, a conman, and a cheat". Calling Biden names? Look who is calling the kettle "black"?
15
If I needed to choose between nuclear war with North Korea under a Biden presidency or the pampering of brutal Kim by Trump, I would definitely choose the latter.
2
Mr. Trump likes to call people "loser", but to file six times for bankruptcy and lose billions while being a "businessman" is not exactly a whole lot of winning..
38
@Jgrauw -- Its a standard business practice.
1
@PL
That doesn't make it right or good or admirable. The middle class taxpayer picks up the tab.
6
How many times have Apple, Microsoft or Berkshire Hathaway filed for bankruptcy?
2
The president is a public servant. An election is the way we collectively look for the best person to fill that position. A campaign is a job interview. None of us could turn up to a job interview and act like this. Lie at an interview: no job. Insult the other candidates: no job. Have no coherent plan for how to do the work: no job. If we are going to accept any candidate for president who acts in a way that would disqualify them for working at Walmart, then shame on us.
29
Biden's mindset is from the 80's. He talks that way. He has no
new ideas. Listening to him one imagines putting a quarter in a jukebox and listening to a cover of Michael Dukakis. Calling Trump an existential threat makes people yawn. If he's really what the
Democratic Party wants to put up against Trump, the Democratic Party has a death wish.
17
Mudslinging is as old as politics, itself. While its divisive and unfair, its also a very effective tool for swaying public opinion.
Funny thing is, if you pay close attention, its almost always hypocritical, too. One side accuses the other of things both are guilty of 90 percent of the time.
2
I'm totally down with the "existential threat" bit. I'm hoping for Warren or Sanders, but I'm totally down with Biden or Buttigeig if it keeps the Billion Dollar Loser out of the White House.
18
So if you were Biden’s campaign manager what would you give him as a plan for victory?
Would you suggest that Joe get down and dirty like Trump or take the high road of traditional campaigning?
I would suggest a clear indictment of why Trump has lowered America’s standing around the world and a clear plan of how I would restore that standing and dignity as the next president!
15
This is going to be a pretty gross presidential election, regardless of if the democrats stoop and fight on Trumps level, or try to take the high road. The choice is already obvious. Get out and vote! If you sit at home look what happens.
13
if the Democrat's aren't careful, Trump could determine who the Democrat Presidential nominee could be, simply by picking on that person.
8
I can't believe Biden is rising to the bait. A single "You know, it's just Trump squatting in his playpen furiously shaking his rattle." followed by no further acknowledgement of his taunts should be his course.
11
Reality Check Biden no contest will win president in 2020. Also like to see women as vice president . Would surly be land slide.
4
The biggest loser of all we’re the trump casino bonds in the early 90’s; didn’t even make the first coupon payment. So Sad!
6
Trump is nothing but a has been flim flam man. That being said, he has become quite astute at wagging the dog. Biden need not lower himself to Trump's childish level.
6
A disgusting display. Where are the inspiring
leaders? Trump, the republicans, Fox and hate radio are leading the country towards authoritarianism. They cleverly manipulate the frightened ignorant masses while they line their pockets. No Democrat with any sense or chance of winning has the courage to fight this onslaught. Life is short. Have fun while you can.
2
Please, please Mr. Biden, get yourself a couple of decent speech writers...wordsmiths who understand the difference between speaking at a Mensa gathering and speaking to ordinary Americans - like the farmers in Iowa.
Trump calls you a 'loser' - a 'sleepy guy' with the 'weakest mentally'. You retort by calling him an 'existential threat'. Now really, VP Joe, which of those insults do you think is going resonate with the Average Joe?
I mean you just launched a campaign with the claim you're tight with the working man ... and then you hit them up for a vote with $2 words instead of 10 cent words. I like you Joe but your public utterances are cringeworthy.
And this is not an isolated mis-step - as anyone who heard your Davenport speech would know. What a snoozer. After all those years in politics, you still don't know how to speak from the heart, to rally the troops? And what's this about using a teleprompter? Bernie (whom I also like) can deliver an hour long speech extemporaneously and you have to use a teleprompter to order a coffee at Starbucks? Really?
And finally Joe, decide which way you want to go - high when Trump goes low, or get down in the muck with him. But don't keep saying one and doing the other.
Eh..someone wanna give Joe a shake to see if he's awake?
19
Trump is so delusional he thinks that meanness sells in farm country.
4
It did in 2016.
Does the "stable genius" know any words besides "loser?"
11
Remember the old adages of “if you spot it, you got it”.....or, “it takes one to know one”.
5
If you are trying to appeal to T's "base" by using words like "existential" - I would suspect that a great number of them don't even know the meaning of the word. Nor would they be motivated to look it up. The dumbing of America is one of the reasons why T is in office. God help us.
16
I sure hope the strategy here is for Biden and Trump to get everyone so sick of both of them that an adult like Elizabeth Warren can come it and be the breath of fresh air we are all going to need in 17 months.
14
I LOVE everything Biden says!! He is so right about Trump. But, I must admit, his age is a factor to me. I think Mayor Pete said something about we cannot expect to go back to the 90's anymore than we can go back to the 50's like the GOP desires....I sort of want someone new, who excites me and can deal with this fast-paced world and still deal with our allies and treat everyone with respect....So, I just donated $5 to Biden, and continue to donate to Mayor Pete, and others, but looking forward to the debates at the end of the month.
4
Actually, to a lot of voters, this namecalling is attractive. Psychologically, it is the replication of schoolyard bullying. In popular thought, power is manifested in giving back a name to the bully, instead of accepting it. If the past provides any evidence, people remember names and vote accordingly. Instead of ignoring the name calling, Biden should hire strategic consultants to give better advice namecalling, and stay strong on the message and policy at the same time. 45 needs to be taken down in the arena of namecalling, along with policy.
2
As a Canadian who doesn’t vote in American elections, I may qualify as an objective observer of American elections.
There really was a time when elections mattered in terms of what gets done, back in the 20th century.
The 21st century opened with the open theft of a national election due to a partisan decision by the Supreme Court, which led the country into a number of illegitimate wars.
When the opposition Democratic Party finally achieved power, first fear of what “swing” voters will think keep them from even trying for a universal health care program, resulting in the ACA, a health care idea which was born at the Heritage Foundation, a right wing think tank, as a supposed compromise with the Republicans, instead of offering their supporters a real Democratic Party proposal. Republicans refused to vote for it in any case.
Since then, Republicans blocked essentially anything Democrats tried to achieve, and when Republicans reclaimed power, all they achieved were the tax cuts for their donors. They demonstrated that they were unable to achieve anything amongst themselves and wouldn’t allow Democrats to achieve anything either.
But I’m also wondering how it is that 45 Democratic Senators and 2 affiliated Independent Senators together cannot break the stranglehold that Mitch McConnell holds on their institution to force him to bring their bills to the floor of the Senate. Why are Democrats so helpless?
10
@Jack Shultz
Democrats had majorities and could have gotten stuff passed without Republican support. They chose not to.
Behind closed doors, they agree with their Republican friends since they all rely on the same donor class.
Democrat "helplessness" is not a bug in the system. It's a feature.
7
Can someone here please explain to me why we should continue to play defense and nominate someone like Biden who has no plans or vision for the future? Didn’t we learn anything from 2016? I’m just baffled at the polls and all the media attention he is getting for doing practically nothing.
12
Trump actually speaks the truth when he says he would rather run against Biden than anyone else, because he (Trump) would win a second term. It would be a Clinton-Trump repeat. But the posturing is pretty mindless, because it's highly unlikely Biden can make it through the primaries. His record on previous runs is that he flames out every time.
6
Democracy, at least in its post-Enlightenment, liberal republican form, is being tested as never before. Our resident is aggragating power whenever he feels the urge, and he has recruited enough minions to do his bidding, as temporary as they turn out to be. And of course the copycat effect is being played out on all the continents. History will look back at this decade and the one ahead as watershed moments, if indeed there will be a human history ahead.
BTW, has anyone seen the Mothership?
2
“Mommy? Daddy? The president calls people bad names. Why can’t I?”
How do we answer these questions?
14
The quote was "....Literally an existential threat."
You can tell Smokin Joe went to public schools.
And not very good ones.
I also loved how he wagged his finger in the face of the woman running the Woman's March...trying to 'mansplain' the important job he had as VP where he did nothing for the rights of LGBTQ community, let alone women.
6
@Erica Smythe You must have read Sartre "dans le texte" in your expensive private high school.
I am sure.
I am sure also that you are able to define what existential means in a few words.
3
I am a Democrat. I am uncertain about which candidate I should support at this early date.
I am awaiting for the process to take on form during the first quarter of 2020.
I see a good handful of women and men I could enthusiastically support.
One factor in my mind is which Democratic aspirant can withstand the antics that # 45 is already displaying.
Dignity as well as a dose of unflappability will be consequential for the ultimate nominee of the Democrats.
I suggest studying how that the unspeakable Republican aspirant ( = 45) humiliated his fellow Republicans in the pre-convention debates during 2016.
I especially remember his cruelty in characterizing Carly Fiorina and his biting dismissive ness directed at Jeb Bush.
I am trying valiantly to tune out #45’s odious behavior at this preliminary stage of the 2020 campaign for the American presidency.
We are a better nation than what #45 represents
16
Trump is the President! How pathetic are we as a people to tolerate his utter disrespect for the office he claims he rightfully earned? The incumbent president calling an opposing candidate “loser” is not the equivalent of calling someone him an “existential threat “. The media needs to elevate it’s level of analysis and call out the president’s immaturity and inappropriateness before we get further along in this process. The real issues of how the Republicans and Russians will try to disenfranchise Democrats and anti Trump voters in 2020, will dangerously be avoided. Trump will not debate the issues, only lie and name call —because that is all he is good at.
32
@EPMD
I especially appreciated your expression "Republicans and Russians". It is important that this connection be made, and frequently reinforced, in voter's minds.
Count on Republicans to do what ever is required to keep those rubles rollin' in.
5
great analysis.
1
False equivalency. Call someone a "loser" is not the same as saying someone is "an existential threat" to our country.
10
This is so funny. Trump for sure does not undrestand what existential means.
He sure has not read Sartre or Camus or the French phenomenology philosophy that created it.
Existentialisme.
Bergson . Matter and memory. And before him Descartes.
9
@JPH are you kidding me? hahahahahahahaha! Just imagine 45 reading Descartes or Henri Bergson! Your comment made my day. Thank you.
3
@JPH. You forgot to mention Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Husserl. And do you really believe Uncle Joe knows what is an existential threat? If he does, he then surely understands that "Kierkegaard's knight of faith and Nietzsche's Übermensch are representative of people who exhibit Freedom, in that they define the nature of their own existence. Nietzsche's idealized individual invents his own values and creates the very terms they excel under." In other words, Trump IS an existentialist, he does indeed invents his own values and creates the terms of his success. But how many American voters know anything of that ism, or will care when it comes to choose between someone who has proven he can create a sound American economy or someone who in eight years created the social and economic conditions that brought us into this political nightmare?
2
is obviously still an ignorant low class person with a message that rings true. Biden is old and slow... in speech and no new ideas. He can work with Republicans? How about when Obama could accomplish virtually nothing after the ACA passed? Biden is in fantasy land and better pick up the pace. Warren is Pocahontas through her earlier career dishonesty and Harris and Buttigieg can win this!
4
As I political junkie, I can not stand that the Presidential election cycle is this long. These people need to do their jobs, especially the President. 11 AM comes rather early, right, Donald?
6
Whoever the Democrat's nominee, that person must convince the nation to get rid of Trump. The victory must be complete so that Trump's Republican's backward looking policies can be reversed. Otherwise even if they win they lose.
Time will tell if anyone else develops the message to convince the nation, but so far it's Biden leading the pack.
3
Please, Joe, don't make it about Trump. He has proven himself to be un-American. Let him give the country more lies and insults. You don't have to point it out.
Give the People ideas and programs they want and need. Be yourself. The rest will take care of itself.
10
@ Lalo
Excellent points made. No deal Trump; No results Trump. "Weak mentally"...really? Stable genius should compare himself to the REAL (and legitimate) Presidents such as: Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy.
Mr. Trump has not faced major crises during his term and has not been tested. This presidency is devoid of any accomplishments nor has it been tempered by adversity. Gold is tested in fire, respect is earned, and this illegitimate president is tolerated--NOT respected. Trump needs to introspect but his feeble mind will never understand the mental stature required of real leaders.
7
"Mr. Trump resorted to taunts and name-calling from morning to night, saying Mr. Biden was “a loser,” “a sleepy guy” and “the weakest mentally,” and claiming that “people don’t respect him.” In attempting to attack opponents Trump is remarkably consistent in accusing them of having the same flaws he has himself. "Weak mentally" is an accurate description of Trump. He reacts without thinking, he won't read anything, he won't listen to experts, and he claims his gut knows more than the generals. Trump's lack of insight and imagination is clear from his pre-adolescent concept of criticism of opponents ("loser"). One certainly could consider "loser" to apply to Trump, who ran his family's business into hundreds of millions of dollars of debt. And who has managed to decrease respect for the US world wide.
17
From Trump, nasty name calling as usual, lies upon lies and wild random exaggerations. Biden or not, Trump could care less about policy or new ideas. He only cares about winning. Nothing new there.
Hopefully after months of garbage slinging, a new president will be elected in 2020 who will muck out the WH after Trump and Co. are gone.
15
@sashakl When did "existential " even made it in the American vocabulary ?
Same time as real coffee ? @5 years ago there was only socks juice.
Existential came up after the war with the American painters who had been to Europe or who had read Sartre .
They were not republican for sure.
Existential is not a republican concept.
3
The coverage of Biden vs. Trump is beginning to resemble the “ fine people on both sides”,the president infamously used to justify racism.
4
The Fake President is resorting to playground name calling because that is the all he can come up with when he is up against real and highly qualified and competent adversaries. Funny him calling someone else “mentally the weak”. I guess he wakes up in the morning, looks in the mirror, sees himself, and the first thing he thinks of is “mentally weak” so he can project his own failings into whomever is in his crosshairs that day. Fortunately, we have real candidates, speaking about real issues, reported on by real journalists who work for real newspapers so we can laugh at the Fake President acting like a real spoiled child.
15
It is odd but fascinating to hear the same president who called into question an opponent's mental acuity also accorded the Moon to Mars apparently by annexation against the wishes expressed by an entire population of little green humanoids.
This makes Ukraine look like a sandbox spat by comparison.
9
Am I the only voter who is already sick to death of yet another round of predictable insults?
This country really needs to do something about the ridiculous length of the campaign season which, as far as I can tell, begins immediately after the election.
27
Pelosi should run for president. If the voters reward him for attacking a great grandmother, all hope for the species is truly lost.
2
While both these men are mudslinging, Elizabeth Warren has come up with ways to REALLY help our country and its diverse populations.
Hash it out you guys all you want. My vote is on her.
28
Can we please not do this again, cover the presidential race as if it were a professional wrestling bout? There are real, serious issues that will need to be addressed by whoever lives in the White House in 2021. Let’s focus the reporting and the thinking about this race on who will do what as president, not on who said what about whom!
14
Turns out Trump has the secret part of his great deal from intimidating Mexico in one pocket, and a love note from Kim in the other.
Do ANY of his supporters pay attention?
8
@John Hanzel
Nope. Not a one.
2
Wondering how Iowa Rep Steve King's constituents will respond. They love name calling and anything that creates division.
3
The headline suggests that there is some equivalent to the disgraceful language of Trump to that of Biden . That is incorrect and the this headline is misleading . Biden is speaking with grace , authority, and from a place of concern for our democracy. Trump is talking straight out of the gutter. No equivalency whatsoever.
28
Why is it that Trump always describes himself to a tee when criticizing others?
20
An existential threat? Wow, such name calling Biden. What’s next, a Very Bad Person? How about Treasonous Trump? Something that gets to the heart of it? You have no guts to stand up to Trump.
2
Anyone who thinks this school-yard behavior will benefit the nation is, in my view, very mistaken. A tragedy of democracy may be playing out right in front of us. The “evolving” Biden is looking, in “fighting back,” more and more like the ineffable disgrace of Trump with unyielding low-road behavior. Didn’t he, Biden, learn anything from President Obama? And this an experienced politician ... letting his morally and politically deficient opponent .... no, duplicitous adversary ,,. set and guide the stage? It’s not what we’re about. Not even entertaining, except maybe for those with prurient interest.
5
If only there were a candidate who didnt resort to name calling or attacking opponents.
3
There are plenty but they aren't that popular.
2
Trump's barbs are brilliant. They contain just enough truth to be lethal. He said he wanted to run against Biden because, "he's the weakest, mentally." LOL. Thus confirming what a lot of people are thinking but are afraid to say: Biden looks old, weak and not entirely in command. He's aged too much to run for president for 18 months and THEN have to serve for four years if he wins? Running for re-election would be out of the question.
Biden flip-flopped again today on the issue of China, which he said was a threat to American interests, a blatant contradiction of what he said two weeks ago.
I predict he drops out before the primaries.
10
@Dougal E
Agree. I watched his rambling Iowa talk today. Not crisp, unfocused, looking backward. A predictable reiteration of Trump's faults. The crowd wasn't particularly energized either. Biden's message is simply I'll get you back to the way it was before Trump. I agree with Buttigieg 100% who says it's impossible, there's only the future. We need someone who understands that.
8
@Dougal E. Trump stating some nonsense “ confirms” it ??
2
I am troubled by the comments of so many people here who dismiss Biden because of their own ageism. Having a young candidate is no guarantee of survival. Some of our most significant Presidents died relatively young (Washington at 67; Grant at 63; Theodore Roosevelt at 60; Franklin Roosevelt at 63; Lyndon Johnson at 64.) Meanwhile, in more recent years, GHW Bush died at 94; Ford at 93, while Carter is still going strong at 95.
8
@JerryV. What are you saying? That significant Presidents don’t live long but mediocre ones do? Is that supposed to induce me to favor Biden? Age is not just a number; it is a fact.
1
@JerryV
I don't think it's ageism. It's respect for the aging process and one's stage of life. We're probably in our 70s or have taken care of relatives and friends in theirs.
2
@Mary York yes, it is ageism. People are highly variable and age at very different rates. Hokusai the great Japanese artist did his best work in his 70s - and it was before modern medicine. There are many similar examples. Just because you have lost your edge doesn’t mean everybody else in your age group has done so as well. I am not crazy about Biden because I’m not sure what his agenda really is. But I won’t count him out because of his age, just as I won’t vote for Mayor Pete because of his.
4
The main objective now is to go low and distract attention from everyone else. So lame, but what can candidates running on age and experience do when others already have taken positions on issues and published tangible plans to address those issues. At least neither will bore us with policies and positions on issues that might form a plausible basis for voting.
3
And this is the cream of the political crop? Two men who have been on both sides of many issues over the past few decades? So exciting. Not.
7
Democrats, don't fall into the same trap as Clinton did, making the whole campaign about Trump. Do what won in 2018, pushing a strong agenda of solutions to kitchen table issues. Sure, we can keep the investigations on a slow boil, but we can't lety the media run all impeachment/all the time. The program agenda must come first. it was the winning strategy and it will be again but only if we show some discipline in pushing it!
17
Elizabeth Warren is already doing this.
13
@CV
But Warren has already shown she will take trumps bait
1
Can the level of political discourse possibly sink any lower? Let’s hope we never find out.
6
DNC Politburo hopefuls just wallpaper, it seems, for the coming election. Worst part, Bernie is going to be stomped on again, his last shot. So sad.
4
I do wish the media headlines and sound bytes wouldn’t boil everything down to “barbs.”
9
I didn’t even have to read the article to know who said “loser” and who said “existential threat.” I’d much prefer a president who, at the very least, is articulate when they throw shade on someone.
20
The more Trump tries to take Joe down into the dirt and the more he refuses the greater it shows his detachment from reality. Who then ends up looking like the phoney?
4
First sentence:
“President Trump and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. both traveled to the key early voting state of Iowa on Tuesday,”
I’m sorry does the NY Times mean here that Trump and Biden are running in the primary, or that there’s a primary challenger to Trump, or that Iowa votes early in the general election?
Which is it? All are wrong of course. But those are the only options.
Iowa is the first caucus state, but that fact only applies to Biden. It was a close state in 2016, one that Hillary Clinton could have won in the general election had she bothered to run a strong ground game there.
Submitted June 11th 9:08 PM eastern
Trump is being primaried by Bill Weld, very popular ex-guv of Massachusetts and the Libertarian VP candidate in 16. Probably the one candidate running who can truly be called a “moderate”.
@Charles:
Interesting to learn.
However why doesn't the NYT then mention Weld's primary challenge to Trump?
Of course we already understand that Biden is just one of the pack--only standing out as having done really badly in Democratic presidential primaries twice.
Trump made an appearance in Iowa, not likely because of Weld but because many farmers there are angered at him, so Iowa is a swing state for the 2020 general election.
Submitted June 12th 8:32 AM eastern
Age shouldn't be an issue with Biden. Take a peek at the Prime Minister of Malaysia, a sprightly 93--almost 94--and going strong. Biden is but a spring chicken. Though, I'd rather think of him as the rooster to Trump's chicken.
1
I think I would prefer for Biden to bring up trumps lack of policy accomplishments. Aside from issuing Executive-Orders which have been challenged in the courts, what has he done?
Not healthcare, not the tax bill, not infrastructure, not the environment, not disaster relief, not immigration reform, not equal rights for women, he has not been an ambassador for peace and freedom around the world, and he has definitely not been a uniting force for this country.
Biden can tell trump that he acts like a child when he calls people stupid names but eventually he will need to tell America that trump is an empty suit with nothing but division to show for his time in office.
8
I don't see the equivalency. Trump insults Biden personally as a loser and supposedly infirm. Biden criticizes Trump's actions as harmful to our country. They are not moral equivalencies. Why are they being treated as such?
28
Both epithets, right on the money.
1
Two old white men trading barbs is a disheartening sight.We are facing huge problems in an increasingly complex world and a tit for tat of insults is not appropriate.Joe Biden needs to speak for theDemocrats and sell their story and not squabble with the chaos character who sits in the Oval Office, when he isn’t playing golf!
5
Joe Biden is the new Hillary Clinton. As a voter, I reject both Trump and Biden. This country deserves better than either of these two.
Incompetent both, and we, the losers.
14
It is time for 45th to think about November 3, 2020 night election results. If he is reelected. Then it is fine. If NOT, then what to do? Resign and make Mike Pence 46th and get a Presidential Pardon before winner of 2020 Election installed as 47th on Midday January 20, 2021.
**sigh** It's going to be a long 1.5 years.
6
I'm guessing that Biden isn't trying to key any of his comments to Trump supporters, otherwise he wouldn't use "big words" like existential.
8
Some of us out here in the hinterland are worried precisely about that existential threat. It doesn’t take Jean-Paul Sartre to recognize that our beautiful democracy is imperiled.
8
Compare Mayor Pete's stance on Trump name-calling. "I'd ignore it."
13
I think that even Mickey Mouse would perform better and more intelligently than DJT.
7
The democrats will do great damage to their campaign against Trump with the circular firing squad called the debates. Unfortunately these debates will happen. What does not need to occur (should not occur) is a debate further into the campaign season with Trump against the ultimate democratic nominee. Why debate a four year old? You cannot win against a four year old if you engage in a debate with him. As Speaker Pelosi has stated on the topic of impeachment “he’s not worth it”. Nor is debating him a worthwhile endeavor. Just don’t do it. There are no undecided voters in this election. Either you goose step with that guy or you hate him. There is no room for debate.
6
Two old men calling each other names. Cool! Moving on.
6
It's very annoying that both Ms. Blueck and Ms. Karni treated Trump's vicious ad hominum attacks on Mr. Biden as virtually the same as Mr. Biden's pointing out all the failures of Trump's presidency. One man spews words that demonstrate infantile behavior, unsuited to the Presidency, and the other man, a presidential candidate, quite rightly lists all the reasons that he believes he could do a better job.
26
Biden can restore faith in our democracy. He needs a lively young vice. Kamala Harris fits the bill,
4
Trump Vs Biden is essentially a rematch against Hillary. If the Democrats decide to run him, they will lose again. I know what the polling says - but we all remember how wrong the pollsters were in 2016. This is depressing.
12
Two old (significantly so) men trade insults.
Is this the best we can do as candidates for the leader of the free world?
I hope not.
9
Joe Biden and Donald Trump...not much of a choice. Warren, Harris, Booker that's a great choice. Joe Biden is a nice version of Trump..Neither one knows what they are doing.
4
Phrasing this as "trading barbs" frames the story as a false equivalency. Biden criticizes Trump's policies and practices as President. Trump deals in schoolyard insults and dishonest insinuations about Biden's intelligence and physical health. I'm not a Biden fan, but let's not put these two at the same level.
18
So, what was trump doing at an ethanol plant ? Are there no coal heaps in Iowa ?
4
There certainly is no corn crop for ethanol this year!
2
"I can beat the incumbent. I alone can beat the incumbent," said George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, and John Kerry, all men in the very same mold as Joe Biden, and none of whom was the least bit inspring on his own merits. I pray we don't make the mistake of a lukewarm nominee yet another time, based on nothing more than electability.
12
@Mark Lebow I can't let this pass without putting in a word for George McGovern. Not a great campaigner, true, but a man who fought long and hard against against the disastrous and immoral Vietnam War. Mondale, Dukakis and Kerry all had their good points and weaknesses, but McGovern was different from them.
7
Can't someone please get us out of the 5th grade?
15
Yes, Mayor Pete can. Exceptionally intelligent and well spoken and the youngest candidate. And so can Elizabeth Warren, also exceptionally intelligent and well spoken. Both have fertile brains that they use to formulate actual ideas and policy proposals. Warren/Buttigieg. What a ticket that would be. One can hope.
8
@MC Yes, I totally agree Mayor Pete can!
1
“‘A Loser.’ ‘An Existential Threat.’ Trump and Biden Trade Personal Barbs" embeds a false equivalency in the headline and the lede, implying that both men are guilty of personal invective. It is clear that the criticisms Biden levels at Trump are directed at the threat the Trump administration creates for the body politic. Trump’s remarks are ad hominem attacks of the schoolyard variety.
54
I'm not sure "an existential threat" is a personal barb.
28
Why doesn't Biden just call Donald a threat, not an existential threat? Existential is kind of a blowing into the wind kind of idea. Philosophical. Like we're not sure what Trump is, because he is so confusing? Just call him a real threat, because he is. We don't want to think that because he is also a clown. But a clown should not be the leader of the free world. Biden needs to be more precise but it's a quality that eludes him. He is a politician and nothing more.
12
@dave beemon, Biden called it perfectly. Lot of relatively minor things can be a threat. An existential threat is a threat to our very existence. That's why they call it "existential". Indeed Biden is a politician but also much, much more.
9
So who's the low vocabulary, low IQ guy here? The one who name calls with "loser" or the one who accurately describes the behavior of the current president as an existential threat to our country?
34
@Michele,
ex·is·ten·tial (ĕg′zĭ-stĕn′shəl, ĕk′sĭ-)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or dealing with existence.
2. Based on experience; empirical.
3. Of or as conceived by existentialism or existentialists: an existential moment of choice.
4. Linguistics Of or relating to a construction or part of a construction that indicates existence, as the words there is in the sentence There is a cat on the mat.
Oh, I’m really scared!
2
@Michele,
ex·is·ten·tial (ĕg′zĭ-stĕn′shəl, ĕk′sĭ-)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or dealing with existence.
2. Based on experience; empirical.
3. Of or as conceived by existentialism or existentialists: an existential moment of choice.
4. Linguistics Of or relating to a construction or part of a construction that indicates existence, as the words there is in the sentence There is a cat on the mat.
Oh, I’m really scared!
Whereas, Loser:
noun
a person, team, nation, etc., that loses:
The visiting team was the loser in the series.
Informal.
a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or, especially, a felony:
a two-time loser.
a person who has failed at a particular activity:
a loser at marriage.
someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc.:
Don't bother to see that film, it's a real loser.
Slang. a misfit, especially someone who has never or seldom been successful at a job, personal relationship, etc.
The choice of words says it all.
2
@John Doe. It certainly does but not, I’m sorry to tell you, in the way you believe it does.
1
Video of Mr. Trump at the dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace has been widely circulated online. His head nodding down with his eyes fluttering closed, then his head jerking back up, all while the Queen was making her remarks. How embarrassing to have such a low energy President at a state dinner representing our nation.
51
June 14 is Trumps birthday. I wonder if he will have big parade on Pennsylvania Ave, or maybe 5th Ave?
4
@wyatt, Red Square is much, much bigger. And they love him there.
11
Stop talking about the Trump and talk about the issues. Ignore him. He's nothing.
36
The new political "schtick" that got Trump elected in 2016 is old, old, passe` old in 2019. That, and the unfortunate (for Trump) fact that not all of his 2016 "base" are not as dumb as he believes they are do not bode well for the Trump 2020 campaign.
I would much prefer almost any one of the other two dozen or so Democrats running to Biden, but since the singular goal of this election is to oust Trump, if the candidate to do so is Biden, so be it. The man has my vote. Especially if he were to make the promise that he intends to serve one term and one term only.
8
Trump defends himself by creating ambiguities. It’s so predictable.
Namecall and he will namecall in kind. Uncover evidence of crime and he will accuse you of one.
But if you continue to call attention to Trump’s habit, he cannot defend himself without proving it true.
199
@Alix Hoquet
This was known in 2016, yet to the White House he went. DNC Politburo needs numbers and not just in the cities--a given--but heartland, too. Eye on the prize--Electoral College--game, set, match. Something Hillary didn't see, or overlooked, which is why Biden is the current contender out front, a white guy too.
4
@Alix Hoquet
This is an excellent point; and the more people who do as you suggest, the better things will go for the American people.
8
@Alix Hoquet
Yes - but this is but one of the odd things that endears him to those who support him. It's a "quality".
6
I am encouraged that Biden is running for President .. he makes everyone else, including Trump, look good.
Run, Joe, run!
9
@Bhaskar
Was it the porn star without protection when his child was four months old that sealed it for you?
41
@Arden Although I can't prove it, I would bet that most Trump voters are disgusted with his promiscuous past. HOWEVER, policy overrules character. We are in a new era and the 64 million Trump voters did not want more Obama policies. Like it or not, loads and loads of people want a wall, do not like Obamacare, prefer limited government, support the 2nd amendment, etc. Millions and millions of people. All of that outweighs a night with a porn star. Sorry, but that is the truth as I see it.
3
@Meredith: If that were true then one of the other 16 Republican candidates would have won the primary. It seems GOP voters love Trump's dubious morality.
9
“Existential threat” is not a barb to the less educated demographic that represents the Trump base. Worse yet, it makes Biden sound like the stereotypical coastal elite. Keep it simple, Joe, and keep it above board - or get out of the race.
6
Nothing more exciting than watching two plus 70 year olds ripping into each other. Guess it plays well in Iowa.
10
Our current president is not fit nor does he understand the complexity of the world. He has never had to deal with foreign policy and thinks because he can make a deal with NYC Realtors he's an expert negotiator.
He's a novice and on a public stage and has no idea what is real versus what he makes up.
We need to return to a civilized nation verses a rough and tough dictatorship.
15
Biden needs to point out that he is an adult and Trump is a juvenile. An adult is someone who has matured past the stage of name calling; we all did that when we were kids. Do we really want a case of arrested development in the White House? Let's talk about the real issues and leave the name calling aside.
7
Trump is telegraphing in every way possible that he fears running against Biden, but more than anything else he is scared to death of the electorate turning on him in the Rust Belt states, and it's starting to happen. Joe can take Pennsylvania, Michigan and probably Wisconsin back, which would spell doom for Trump. I will support Biden or any Democrat in this field-- any one of whom would make an infinitely better President.
26
Note to Joe Biden:
Please use "dumber" insults on Trump. 90% of those who can explain why Trump might be an "existential threat" to American democracy already are against him, so what are you gaining with this insult? To make Trump look bad, you're going to have to hit him in the mental and moral sewer where he lives.
Hope this helps.
14
The Trumpist catastrophe we face daily is a struggle for the survival of our democracy that goes far, far beyond name calling and even far beyond the liberal/conservative divide.
Most of us knew who Trump was before he was elected - an ignorant racist, sexual predator, bigot and lying fraud. Electoral issues and Russian interference aside, it is the Republicans, the Lindsey Grahams and Mitch McConnells, their ultra-right wing donors, and the Fox/Breitbart propaganda machines that have opened up this festering sore we call Trumpism.
Trump ignores the Constitution in his effort to be the dictator of his dreams, He has made a mockery of every federal agency under his incompetent administration. Despite his gross behavior, despite his inhuman treatment of immigrant families, despite his destabilizing trade tariff wars, despite his menacing threats of a groundless war with Iran, despite his destruction of the reputation of the United States around the globe, he receives the adulation of 40% of the voters in this country. Trump embodies their hatred of immigrants, people of color and the so-called "liberal elite".
The key to throwing Trump and his Republican lackeys out of office is Democratic Party unity. Let Biden, Warren, Sanders, Buttigieg, Harris, O'Rourke etc., debate fairly among themselves but at the end of the day a unified front among Democrats is essential if we are to put an end to the rule of childish dictator Trump and his cowardly GOP servants.
27
@Jefflz Dear Jeff, I could not disagree more. Yes, we knew who Trump was before he was elected and we still know who he is before the next. Now that you know that, you are probably going to come back at me with some vulgar assumption or profane label. Go ahead. I voted for Trump for policy alone and I will do it again.
Sincerely, a cowardly GOP servant
1
@Meredith
Seems a lot of people in trumps camp can only cite the stock market as something they benefit from. But now with his trade policies even that is also failing
4
@Meredith What policy was that?
1
Biden said, “ Existential,” and trump said, “Loser.” I rest my case.
16
I hope very much that Biden stays out of the sewers as they’re already occupied by Trump and the one thing Trump knows how to do very effectively is to defend his sewer.
15
It is about time a Democratic candidate took on trump. The guy is a bully and needs people to stand up against his bullying. Had Hilary Clinton not be so passive when trump bullied her we might not be in this mess trump has caused our country and it’s people. Trump is a spoiled narcissist. Go Joe go.
14
@Dr. B Hillary Clinton conducted herself as an adult. Who knew that the American public would be taken in by the antics of a childish, lying bully.
10
Hopefully, Biden will present ideas and proposals that most Americans can understand and will teach voters about the benefit of this: a presidency with an expected outcome. Voters are tired of not getting what they were promised, that is why they voted on Trump and why he keeps fighting for his ridiculous wall because, without it, what has he really accomplished?
I can't see how exchanging barbs with Trump, someone that has no scruples offending and lying, could help Biden.
6
A well-known Americanism is the ongoing contest between 'The Winners and Losers' and having tried this out on a small international speakers' gathering, ending with 'We are All Winners', this was met with polite and tepid applause by these strangers.
The President is not well. This is not amusing and there does not appear to be much that We can do about this state of affairs. Now, that is unsettling.
Who is the 'We' in the above? Anybody who can function with a true deck of cards for one, and trading personal barbs is going to make these presidential elections into a wretched, damaging form of cheap and shallow entertainment, bad for our Country.
A prominent New York Public figure now retired from his years of service to The Statue of Liberty, would have pointed out that it takes three of these many Democratic runners to make one viable nominee.
But this is not the case with Joe Biden, the outstanding candidate for the presidency, among the squabbling and rhetorical debates taking place, and hoping that he does not take the bait but ignores the cries for attention by Mr. Trump.
Wishing him a Championship Season, and tendering my vote in support of his leadership.
4
Biden demonstrated that he's presidential by calmly inviting a heckler to talk and telling the crowd that "this is not a Trump rally." He stayed on message and clearly seemed the composed "adult in the room." If he can keep this up, he may be the one who not only banishes Trump, but also has the coattails that allow Democrats to retake the Senate. First, he has to maintain the focus he just showed; second, he must pick a younger progressive as a running mate to unite the party. As a Biden skeptic, I was impressed. "Go Joe, go!"
22
Still with Bernie.If not Bernie,then Warren.The DNC is making another huge mistake.
11
@Nora, Are you upset that the majority of actual voters disagree with you?
3
@Nora - I appreciate some of Bernie’s policy positions but I don’t like the guy: he seems obnoxious and too impatient with those who don’t agree with him or even somewhat question his policies, which is not what we need in a politician. That being said, I don’t need to like him, I just need to think he can do the job effectively. To a certain extent I think he probably could - Elizabeth Warren could do a far better job, in my opinion, and I’m much more interested in her candidacy than Bernie’s - but if Bernie somehow ends up on the ticket for the general election in 2020 I’ll vote for him, albeit with misgivings, mainly because I don’t think he would have a prayer against Trump and someone like Joe Biden does.
The Democrats need candidates with new voices, ideas, and opinions, but they also need people who can appeal to large segments of the voting public, particularly undecided voters or “on the fence” people, and we need those people in 2020 more than at probably any time in our nation’s history. Candidates like Bernie and Elizabeth Warren may be progressive, but the reality is that there are people in this country who simply aren’t going to vote for them no matter what but who will vote for someone like Biden. You need to get behind his candidacy if he ends up on the ticket and vote for him, even if you have to hold your nose while you do it. Pontificating about the DNC’s mistakes won’t oust Trump in 2020.
6
@nora,
So what does the DNC have to do with the fact that 20 plus democratic candidates are running for president?
What huge mistake is the DNC committing ? They are not pushing one candidate over another.
Bernie's not my candidate of choice, for various reasons. But I promise you that if Bernie is the last man standing, I will not hesitate for a second to stump and for for him.
You must make the same commitment if Bernie does not become the presumptive democratic nominee.
Trump is truly and unequivocally an existential threat to our democracy.
2
I highly doubt Biden will be the eventual nominee. He’s polling well at the moment due to name recognition and nothing else. Unfortunately he acts as if he is owed the nomination. Listening to some of his early speeches he continuously talked about being good friends with Obama as if their relationship should be enough to sway voters. He has issued no real policy plans. He caved and changed long-standing positions (Hyde Amendment) in order to pander to the current mood in the Democratic Party (while it was right to abandon this position, does he really believe it after 4 decades of backing it?). Now he’s devolved into attacking trump because it scores easy applause.
Voters know how terrible trump is. They know Biden knows Obama. What they want to know is, “what is Biden’s plan to solve deep rooted economic inequality, heal divisions in our country, and repair our standing on the world stage, all while dealing with republicans who refuse to cede an inch.”
Sure, he’s polling well now. But wait until the first debate when he’s standing next to someone who is running as if they’re trying to win, not as if it’s owed to them. His “aw shucks, Obama is my friend and trump is bad,” campaign will fold once voters hear a candidate actually presenting ideas to make America better.
11
I want to ask the media to please not give huge, above-the-fold play to ad hominem inanity. These epithets are not even clever or entertaining. Boilerplate schoolyard cliché.
Please place any "news" like this on page six. Please, please, please, put POLICY on your front page.
Please.
17
Funny these old white men are both right about each other.
M
3
@Michael Bresnahan, Ageism is as offensive as misogyny, racism and anti- (name any religion). Grow up.
5
@JerryV
I’m 70 Joe. Just stating a fact.
M
Today I heard an interview with E Warren who referred to herself as the “little engine that could.” No truer words have ever been spoken. So while Biden and Trump battle it out with their childish war of machismo — I will listen to E Warren talk policy and how she will make America a place where no one feels left out. The Little Engine that could..will be President.
29
Take that Little Engine to the places we need to win. Get buy-in for all that. Poll test these ideas.
We don’t need to increase our margin of victory in California or Massachusetts. We need to win in states that have very unpredictable voters who lean right but voted Obama in 08 and 12.
This vote is about who can win places like Macomb County, Michigan and Western PA. If Warren and Sanders can truly win these places, fine. But I am skeptical a country that just put Trump in office is going to do an about face and vote in candidates offering such changes to the economy, health care and safety net.
If Biden’s poll numbers hold up 6 months from now in places like Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin, Democrats would be committing political suicide to not support him.
We have to live in the “world as it is” and “not as we wish it to be”. In 2016, a lot of people stayed home, voted 3rd Party or pouted. As a result, women will lose the right to choose, climate change denial is policy and America plays footsie with white nationalists and dictators alike.
Be very careful.
24
@Practical Thoughts
Elizabeth’s childcare plan is a must for working mothers, so get on the Warren train!
8
Rebecca,
I’m East Coast. I get it.
Can she sell it in the places where people think child care is unnecessary because women should be housewives and not career women?
I am serious about that. If you make childcare subsidies a key position, can you sell it in these places I mentioned? Same with the rest of her program. A lot of Americans have bought the boot strap narrative. Can she overcome that narrative in tough battleground states.
I am looking for the person who beats Trump. Not necessarily the best candidate for President. I know it’s a sad position, but that’s where we are.
8
Yes the Warren train is an exciting one to be on, but the point of the comment is that that’s irrelevant unless it gets u MI and PA.
3
Biden on track to get less than 10% of independent voters
1
I fondly remember Joe wiping up the floor with Paul Ryan during the VP debate in 2012. Then SNL did a skit with a shirtless Biden pulling a subway car after the debate. And so...I'm not sold on Uncle Joe yet BUT he's who I'd really want to see in a knock down, drag out, good old fashion mano y mano fight to the finish. Must see TV!
8
Another great one today from Joe: we've got to get "tough" with China. As opposed to 3 weeks ago when he laughed off China as a competitor. And what exactly does that say about what the Obama-Biden administration was not doing for 8 years? Biden's democratic opponents will swallow him whole. I'll be surprised if he makes it to January 2020.
5
Trump will drag every election, every encounter, down to his schoolyard level. You can ignore him, assuming everyone knows he's an intellectual infant. But, alas, it doesn't work that way. In teh US is you do not counter the cheap rhetoric of the Republican rant, the public will tend to be swayed by it. We can list many examples.
That's the price we pay for the sort of society and public we have. Things could be worse and they sometimes are.
15
Feldman,
The Progressives have to take what you said in careful consideration. It’s not right, but it’s the way it is.
People don’t read, they love being entertained and some only get their news from Fox and Russian Facebook posts.
This election is about who can beat Trump. Not who the best President would be. Sad to say.
4
Come on Joe, (or other target of a Trump nick-name), next time some reported shoves a mic in your face and asks, 'Did you hear what Trump called you?', just chuckle and say, 'President Spanky said that? Clever boy.', and walk off.
Trump can't tolerate humiliation.
It won't denigrate the nation in the eyes of the world; Trump has already done that, and in fact everyone who matters would love to hear it.
13
What does "existential threat" mean to a swing voter?
What does the phrase "fundamentally change the nature of the country" mean to anybody? Not much. If you're running against a crook who is trying to restore the Confederacy and divine-right Monarchy, just say so.
14
@Carling
If Biden is sounding like Hillary Clinton, those phrases are examples. I agree. That's ineffective.
3
If Biden is the nominee I will write in “Jill Stein”..
3
@Hector Bates
You must be young. Third party candidates never win.
Welcome to the spectator sport called politics where only two teams hold the field in fierce competition running past all others on the field of play.
That's how it works young man. But at least you care.
6
@Hector Bates - If you want four more years of Trump the by all means, write in Jill Stein.
You don’t have to like Joe Biden, but if it comes down to either him or Trump in 2020 then you’d have to be a flaming moron not to vote for him. For God’s sake, hold your nose if you have to, but don’t help hand the country to Trump yet again because you don’t like Biden and you’re having a hissy fit about the fact that he’s on the ticket so you’re going to write in Jill Stein. Actions like that are part of what got us stuck with Trump in the first place. Jill Stein is going the same place in 2020 that she did in 2016, which is nowhere. Grow up.
10
That worked out so well the last time. 🤕
10
Pretty common idea: Anybody but Ms. Clinton could have beaten Mr. Trump in 2016. Don't do the same mistake again.
12
Joe's gonna lose a "war" of barbs. He's far too polite and erudite.
Trump has no idea what "existential" means, but barbs, one of the major currencies of any prep/military school, he knows. Probably all he knows...
7
Trump and Biden were not "trading barbs." Biden was speaking seriously and thoughtfully about the effect on the nation of the type of personal attack that Trump makes. Trump was attacking in a personal, crude, nasty way that no other president ever has.
13
The competition is fierce. Their wringing neck and neck. All the Television producers are counting the cash. The fans want blood. Trump is sharpening his teeth. Biden is sharpening his wit.
It is kind of early for all this, isn't it?
1
It’s 2019. No.
As far as Trump’s attacks against Biden being a liability down the road, that will happen to a certain extent with each of the Democratic candidates. That’s all Trump has and the only thing he is capable of.
I think it’s possible that a few Trump supporters are getting closer and closer to being disgusted by this man’s glee for name calling and other third grade behavior.
It’s going to be a very ugly and long campaign.
3
Trump is terrified of Biden. He's ranted against Biden during a D-Day memorial, raged against Biden when he was supposed to speak about the American West and Midwest being ravaged by floods, and the list goes on. For 6 weeks since Biden entered the race Trump's been totally obsessed with him. Trump's already acting like he's in a fight for his life against Biden and not a single Democratic primary has been held.
When Trump's own internal polling just showed Trump getting walloped by Biden not just among the general electorate, but worse, among those who voted for Obama and then Trump, Trump lost it, telling everyone working for him and associated with him to lie and say the polling showed him winning.
I'm mystified why Democrats of all views don't see this as a win. It's not an endorsement of Biden to say you're glad Biden's in the race if for no other reason than he is getting under Trump's skin, despises Trump, and yet isn't intimidated by him. What is wrong with Biden really hurting Trump without actually stooping to his level? Nothing. It's how elections are won. If someone other than Biden wins the primary they still benefit from Biden having seriously injured Trump this early when Trump was never remotely hurt throughout the entire last election cycle.
In the primary I'd choose Warren or Harris, but it's easy to forget that many Democrats want to feel a candidate understands them and cares about them. I feel Warren does, but plenty of Democrats view Biden that way.
12
@Robert B
This comment sounds a lot like I imagine it sounded like in the last few days of the Clinton campaign
7
Agree
1
@GMooG
Your comment sounds a lot like those who justified voting for Jill Stein in 2106 and still justify it. I voted for Sanders in the 2016 primary, so you can project whatever you want but you're blatantly wrong. I already told you who I prefer, and it isn’t Biden, but clearly you will let Trump win and complete his destruction of our republic and of American democracy and fully turn it into a right-wing autocracy and authoritarian state if someone else, meaning Sanders, isn't the candidate. Biden isn't Clinton no matter how much you'd like to pretend he is.
People do vote on personality, or what they call likeability, because it is about trust in the end. Whether you or I like it or not Biden is very well liked by many, if not most, Democrats and Independents while Clinton, and arguably even Sanders, are not. The difference is I accept that other people (meaning other Democrats) don't always think the way I do, and if they do, they aren't my enemies. Further, as I don't regard my ideas as either pure or sacred it means I don't get to brand anyone who dares to disagree with me as a heretic.
Clinton was infamously, and arguably unfairly, tarred by her "deplorables" statement, but it did show how differently she thought of, and related to, people she disagreed with than Biden does, who simply doesn't think or speak in those terms. Most Democrats do genuinely like Biden in a way they never did Clinton. The fact that you don't like it doesn't make it any less true.
2
Today's Quinnipiac poll showed Biden beating Trump by 13 points, called a "landslide." But it also showed about 5 other candidates beating Trump, albeit by smaller margins. Electability is the primary issue, I agree, and if it has to be Biden, then so be it. I don't think he really brings anything interesting or new to the table. But if, as these polls show (I know it's too early but it's heartening) that some of the other candidates candidates can beat Trump too, then I would be thrilled to go with Pete Buttigieg, or Elizabeth Warren, or maybe Kamala Harris, in almost any combination.
5
@Judith - I like Biden, and I’m also really interested in the other candidates you mentioned. That being said, there may be too much at stake in 2020 to run on a platform of “interesting” and “new”. I’d love to have it, but I ultimately want Trump gone from the White House because he’s harming our country. I’m going to vote, in the primaries and the general election, for not only a competent candidate but the candidate I think can best do that. That person may just end up being Biden. Trump seems terrified of him, and Biden isn’t intimidated by him, both factors that may prove to be in his favor for large swaths of the voting public.
6
I come from a multi-generational line of staunch Democrats. The single goal of the 2020 election is to get a Democrat, any Democrat, back in the White House. You may not agree with Biden’s stances on all the issues, but we must focus on the candidate who is most likely to beat “the creature”.
4
Trump wants to run against Biden because winning will be a cakewalk. It will be like the second Clinton or Reagan elections. The opponents had zero chance, Biden has zero chance. Trump has already dispatched him in one word - loser.
Biden’s counter, “existential threat” only makes Trump seem preternaturally powerful. It shows clearly Biden has no idea what he is doing. The New England Patriots were an existential threat to the LA Rams in the last Super Bowl. The Rams? Losers.
Trump’s popularity has skyrocketed since 2016. Forget the polls. I just sat next to two Mexican guys on the subway wearing Trump 2020 hats. The white poor and the white rich love him. White women love him. Candace Owens is convincing black women to love him. See her You Tube posts.
I also predict, that unless Trump makes an enormous mistake (unlikely- he has set up his persona that he practically cannot make any mistake) or experiences some health problem, and Mitch McConnell is still with us, and the Republicans control both Houses, Trump and McConnell will remove term limits in 2024, and Trump will be President the rest of his life.
You have no idea, believe me, what you are up against. I knew he would be elected the minute he won New Hampshire primary. Everyone underestimates this man. He is riding the right wing wave started by Limbaugh and Fox. The end is not in sight.
7
@Mr. Little I read and re-read your comment. I kept trying to convince myself it was sarcasm. I'm still not convinced.
6
@Mr. Little Wow, I actually agree with you. Trump has my vote again... policy over character. We are in a new era, my friends.
2
I want to see a Democratic candidate with solid proposals and the research to back their ideas up (preferably their own ideas). I haven't seen anything of substance from Biden - and attack lines about the clown don't really interest me. Deliver the goods Joe, or step aside, you're just slowing down the revolution and we're bot going back to 2016, much less 1996..
10
The strategists are wrong. Democrats are looking for someone to give Mr. Trump a taste of his own medicine. Enough of Mr. Nice Guy!
6
Who would have thought such an accomplished actor, expert at controlling an audience, would have turned to also be an expert "Projectionist"?
2
Why not a class action suit against Trump for denying us our right to pursue happiness? A majority of us are not able to pursue happiness under his brutal bullying tactics.
7
If President Trump truly believes that the voters care about intellectual ability, then why has he fought so hard to keep his academic records secret?
12
Donald: is that all you've got?
7
@TC
Yes. That's all he has.
3
I'm tired of mean, deceitful, self serving, lying, nasty representing my countries interest around the globe.
I support Joe because he's a nice guy. I also think, unlike George Bush Jr. he won't have a nasty person like Dick Cheney running things.
Policy is great but nasty is very telling so is nice. It's one of the things I didn't like about Bernie Sanders. He doesn't seem nice to me. Hillary didn't come off as particularly nice to me either. I voted for her because she was smarter and more decent then Trump but I can't say that I liked her.
Likability is way to underestimated. I like Joe. I trust him to not support guys who have the heads of reporters cut off in other people's embassy's.
4
This whole thing is President Trump at his most pathetic. But Vice President Biden and the other Democratic candidates have to fight to not be dragged down to Trump's level. The way Secretary Clinton lost the 2016 election is she exhausted all of her resources trying to convince us that Trump was awful (those who cared had figured that out on their own early on), and so she never got a chance to talk about the problems of the distressed middle class. And those voters provided the swing vote that enabled Trump’s razor thin victory.
Joe, our country is in big trouble! Don’t fall into Trump’s trap! We don't need to know more about how awful Trump is. What we need is to hear your wisdom about the new directions we need to head into to make this country (truly) great again. As Michelle Obama and others said so well, "When they go low, we go high."
6
Trump will do his best to make the campaign an exercise in being a playground bully and name calling. Why? Because that is the only skill or expertise that Trump has.
10
So Biden is a sure winner who would be a great President?
The Senator who brought us:
Justice Clarence Thomas,
the law to lock up as many black men as possible,
Federal rules favoring Visa, Master Card and the Banks over borrowers,
the Iraq War Declaration,
NAFTA, destroying millions of jobs, and
admitting China to the WTO, thereby destroying 5 million American jobs?
The Vice President who did nothing to go after the Big Banks who brought us the Great Recession, Millions more job losses, and a huge bailout, and who never saw a compromise with Mitch McConnell he didn’t like?
The Vice President who supported denying due process of law to college students?
The man who would be older on the day he took office than Reagan was on the day he left office?
No thanks.
18
There’s got to be someone better out there. I have no confidence in Joe. Don’t get me wrong, I hate Trump like poison but Joe is not the answer. Sorry Joe.
12
I don't think Trump knows what "existential threat" means. So he has to be content with "loser," like 4th grade.
Apologies to 4th graders.
10
People ignore the dog who barks all the time.
6
The middle-class is sick & tired of voting for Democrats who don't have their best interest at heart. Joe represents corporations, the extremely wealthy and the 10% who service them. The world is circling the drain, and centrist Democrats have nothing to offer. We're in this situation because the Democratic Party left labor, blue-collar, and the real average Joe & Jane behind; it doesn't matter if we're 19, 30 or 55yo. The Biden voting block refuses to see the pain and suffering of the rest of America, and we're not voting to keep their bank accounts overflowing while we sink.
10
So, who do you recommend?
3
Susan,
The “middle class” also sends these far right people to the House and Senate.
Obama could not get anything done without breaking the law.
Democrats have never “sold out” to business interests. Sure, they raise money from business, but that’s our system.
Middle class Americans needs to vote their economic interests down the ticket and not their nativist or cultural fears.
7
Biden paved the way for Trump.
6
Unless PP tape is released, DT can withstand any personal fake attack from lefty Joe. First four years were wear us down, second four we agree Russia is best friend. Incredibly depressing we discuss best name calling strategy for automatic President selection. War is peace, slavery is freedom, ignorance is strength.
Thank you G Orwell for last words.
3
it's even more tragic reading the comments as if people believe and hope for someone that has been outsourced as extremely dull and stupid
there are a ton. ton of candidates, and why the democratic party chooses someone that makes a dull person feel like they just graduated full honors from yale harvard or princeton is beyond my understanding.
it's as if the democratic party is TOO afraid to win,
like they would be chastised for it somehow,
so just throw in someone you know who won't
and wait for 2024.
3
I've resigned myself to Trump being reelected in 2020. I'm just waiting for the inevitable impeachment that will go full swing in 2021, and the downfall of his regime, and the installation of President Nancy Pelosi.
6
Biden is doing the right thing. The battle has to be taken to Trump's turf. We saw all his opponents fall in 2016 by downplaying his style. The American psyche likes a fighter or someone who appears to be one irrespective of their failings (think Bill Clinton in the 90s). Alternatively, the candidate has to be someone who comes across as being transformational, like Obama. Policy wonks like Elizabeth Warren will fall by the wayside unless they wake up to what 2016 has taught us. The Democrats should be looking for the person who can hit Trump the hardest and respond to his attacks in kind.
2
It just seems to me that the Times is making the same mistake with Biden that it did with Hillary, making him the inevitable candidate before any primary has launched, steering the national conservation into all-Biden all the time. He has many of the same flaws that she did, and admittedly some of the same strengths, but like the last election, there were strong undercurrents of lackluster support and a thirst for different. I want different.
10
Presidential hopefuls have been trading barbs since the beginning of the two-party system. Just you all read history. What's new? Why bother with the 'newest' news today. One hundred fifty years ago they all got news every month or so. Better to wait 15 months and sum it all up just before the election.
4
I hate to say this, but Biden looks OLD. It is a concern.
9
@Ro-Go And Trump looks young? Did you see him in his dinner tux in Great Britain? The picture of unhealthiness.
8
@Ro-Go - Yes, because we all know Trump is the very picture of health and youthfulness.
@Ro-Go Maybe Trump will fall off one of his hamberders, and who is going to replace him? Pence? OK, I am joking.
It’s not fair to have a battle of wits with Trump. He’s completely unarmed.
16
@Paul Juliano
and yet he beat the "most qualified person to ever run for president." Maybe it's time to re-evaluate your metrics.
4
The most newsworthy, uplifting event today was an hour long talk in Bloomington, IN at Indiana University by Pete Buttigieg.
In a brilliant, literate talk he detailed his plans for a new American era.
The man is far more presidential than either Biden or Trump.
https://www.cbsnews.com/live/video/20190611153811-2020-candidate-mayor-pete-buttigieg-speaks-at-indiana-university-pt-2/
9
@simon sez
Even Rush Limbaugh said months ago and repeatedly, "watch out for Mayor Pete".
5
Trump is always trading barbs.....unless he is talking about the leaders of Russia or North Korea.
10
They're quite obviously both correct.
6
When Adlai Stevenson ran against Eisenhower in the 50s someone yelled out to him “All intelligent Americans support you.”. Stevenson then said “Yes, but I need a majority. “
We still have this problem.
48
The name-calling is fine in that it accurately reflects the mood of the upcoming race and it is a demonstration of freedom, unlike other countries where candidates dare not speak negatively about the head of state. The race right now is Trump v. Biden.
38
@Isle
I hope it isn't Biden. Why is he being annointed? I just don't get it. It's time for a woman president.
12
@isle Long past time. But the whole country votes. Biden!
7
@Jay A woman ran last time. We need to win this time and put up our strongest candidate. With luck, a woman will be a strong contender. Why lose hope now?
13
I don’t think he can win. A potential candidate has to make a run for office before they collect too much baggage. Joe has been around for too long. He's got too much baggage.
3
Since 1980’s the GOP has handed tax cuts to the rich with no strings attached. They hoped that money would be used to hire Americans.
They didn’t.
They built their factories in China and Mexico, or just pocketed it.
A simple plank in the Democratic platform should be tax cuts are for businesses that hire American workers in America.
Everyone can understand that, even Trump.
8
I wanted Joe Biden as our candidate in 2016. But he had good reasons for not running. This time, early on, Biden gave me reason to question whether or not he can beat Trump, and whether or not he's the right candidate for us now.
However, I still believe in Joe Biden. No doubt, he is flawed. No doubt, he is aging. But so is Trump, and quite frankly, Biden appears much more healthy, unblemished, and, um, fit. In more ways than one.
Biden is also talking about some important issues that are of utmost important right now: Green energy and global climate change, better pay for teachers, responsible trade practices, and restoring relationships with allies who Trump has shunned. He deeply respects people. Trump does not.
If Joe Biden shines through and stays strong, he has my vote. He's a good man with great experience, integrity, intelligence, and patience. He's presidential, and we deserve a leader like him right now.
20
Joe Biden? No Biden.
3
Many think Biden can beat Trump because he's a decent human being. Trump will bury Biden's decency with a mountain of indecency.
11
@Michael
You imply that Americans reward "indecency." Trump is proof.
1
@Michael
You’re right.
Trump will KO Biden in the 5th.
1
Biden might be old and feeble, but he is not a Liar nor a narcissistic nor a racist, nor a .....[fill in the blanks]. The only way to Make America Great Again as it was before the Horrible Mistake of 2016 is to Dump Trump 2020.
18
It is getting increasingly difficult to watch video clips of the utterances of this vulgarian, without feeling waves of nausea.
He reduces every one of his comments to the gutter.
He is nothing less than contemptible. Americans should endeavour to do their best to change the state of play in 2020
It is hard to believe that any intelligent and reasonable human being would want this man in office for another four years.
20
Prediction...Biden will not be the nominee. As a Baby Boomer myself, I am so tired of the tired old Baby Boomers in politics and in the media. Move aside and let's get on with "making America great" for the year 2050...not 1950, or 1850.
5
I am sensing that many of the swing voters who voted for Trump are starting to see through the con they were sold. The so called strong economy is only working for the upper 10%, not the majority of Americans.
The question is whether Biden or any of the other democrat candidates have a plan that will actually work to strengthen the middle class.
7
@Joseph B
"The so called strong economy is only working for the upper 10%, not the majority of Americans."
That's false. I am not the upper 10% but I got the tax cut and benefits from my Fortune 50 employer who passed on bonuses for two straight years to 200k+ employees.
4
Elizabeth Warren has a plan!
11
I like Biden, but when he uses terms like "“an existential threat”, he loses so many people, including myself. Plain talk time, get a slogan at least, gosh, Democrats are horrible at marketing.
8
Biden is right. Trump is an existential threat to western democracy and I do mean western, which includes my country. Joe did not specify "Western" but it goes beyond America. Trump is the one who is really the loser. He clearly thinks it's OK to obstruct justice. Like a nona fide loser, Trump wanted McGhan to lie. This is beyond dispute. Page 20 of Mueller's report says:
"The President made repeated attempts to get McGahn to change his story. As described above, by the time of the last attempt , the evidence suggests that the President had been told on multiple occasions that McGahn believed the President had ordered him to have the Special Counsel terminated. McGahn interpreted his encounter with the President in the Oval Office as an attempt to test his mettle and see how committed he was to his memory of what had occurred . The President had already laid the groundwork for pressing McGahn to alter his account by telling Porter that it might be necessary to fire McGahn if he did not deny the story, and Porter relayed that statement to McGahn."
What a loser!
13
@Bob Guthrie
Apologies. I quoted from page 120 of Mueller's report not page 20 as I mistakenly cited.
2
Go, Joe, go! MADA - Make America Decent Again
Any possible attacks from Trump or other Democrats are already baked in. Joe's going to be OK.
11
Trump's act (on the road and otherwise) has gone stale. All he has now is whipping up hatred in his base, his sure-fire winner, he thinks. The 2020 campaign will only get uglier from here. Make no mistake though, Trump looks like he's running scared.
Uncle Joe Biden, Dem nominee, can absolutely handle Trump in the debates- not sure anyone else can. Biden will do it with laughter- laughing Trump off the stage as he did Paul Ryan. Laughter kills a bully. That and punching him in the face (figuratively).
12
Take the gloves off, Joe.
13
Well, I don't like personal insults as part of presidential campaigns, but we're stuck with them. Perhaps Biden, along with other candidates, can turn Trump's personal insults game into comedic absurdity. If the Democratic candidates can all alternately attack Trump and step back, Trump will spend all his time attacking, get dizzy and get confused, and voters will see him as the vacant vengeful bully that he is.
8
Of all the Democratic candidates in the field, Joe Biden seems one of the more uninspired and conventional choices for President. This is complicated by a time when bold ideas, progressive policy, and genuine passion seem essential to address our milieu of issues (income inequality, climate change, etc.). This is only further established by his tenuous presumption that he will rise out of the primary to face Trump in the general election.
The spectacle of a rock fight is entertaining, but will not address the issues Americans face in their daily lives. Joe Biden has yet to provide a convincing plan of how he will solve our worries with policy and governance.
5
We don’t need “bold plans” right now. I would be overjoyed to just see sanity reign again and for logic and compassion totake their rightful places in government. Bring back an EPA in which science is actually respected. Bring back coherence in foreign policy. Stop supporting dictators in Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, etc. End the war on LGBT rights. I’ll be thrilled.
6
Why are we taxpayers responsible for funding Trump’s campaign? Air Force One? Secret Service protection?
Presidents running for re-election should be required to reimburse the Treasury.
Bad enough that we are subsidizing his golf weekends.
23
"Trade barbs". Sounds quaint.
Why do the Democrats feel they have to lower themselves to his level?
When will they learn?
3
What a sad commentary that these two old men are all the country have to hold their hopes on.
3
There are many people in many fields who do their best work in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s. What happened to the idea of respect for experience? Shame on you, and everyone else espousing biased, naive prejudice against older candidates. I don’t need a young, inexperienced candidate like Beto who appears to have succumbed to his own myth.
5
Can he come up with another way to describe people other than Loser or Nasty? Are we in middle school gym class?
10
Not middle school gym class. With trump, It's more like 4th grade.
5
EVERY candidate running against Trump should refrain from personal attacks on him and focus solely on constructive policies and inspired ideas. One can easily contrast their energy against Trumps failed policies and unfulfilled promises. Trump is not capable of an original thought, his perceived strength is fighting in the mud but if no one joins him, he will be fighting against himself surrounded by dumb sheep.
6
At the present time Joe's not my first chioice - but if he is nominated the Putin game plan with send their Boris and Natasha bots to tell us that this corporate pol is no better than Trump - a theme that will be picked up by the Trump trolls. If the let wing German Socialist Democratic Party could endorse Hindenberg (who made Biden look like the second coming of Rosa Luxembourg) against the failed Austrian art student, then anyone who oposes Trump can vote blue no matter who. Just ask yourself what would RBG do.
5
Full marks for Rosa Luxembourg.
3
Biden is like the debate-club president running circles around the bully Trump, whose only retort is to shout "loser" at an ever-increasing volume.
10
If Biden really wants to get under Trump's sin perhaps he should start using the "P" ala Nancy Pelosi. He totally freaked out after Madame Speaker said she would prefer prison to impeachment. He needs a taste of his own medicine.
10
Dear Joe Biden:
Don't play defense. Play offense.
Don't call him a "threat" (it sounds defensive).
Call him a stone cold loser and an epic fail.
If not comfortable with name calling, call his administration that.
13
I’m not putting up with this clownshow for 18 months.
Joe, you missed your shot.
Elizabeth, let’s ride or die.
12
It's a sad day when our democracy has to choose a candidate because he or she is the "only person who can defeat" the incumbent. At least that is how Joe Biden is being marketed to us. Biden has a lot of qualities that make him infinitely preferable to the incumbent, but so do others who are seeking the nomination.
4
Biden can call Trump an existential threat all he wants, but the fact is that we exist, he’s our President, and most of us have never done better. In my own case, the tax cuts and corporate growth boosting policies have been a huge win, and I’m happy to hear that people on the lower end of the wage spectrum are finally seeing gains too. Border security is key, and so is avoiding dumb interventionist wars. I’m America First all the way, and I just don’t understand or care too much about the white guilt woke crowd and what they think of the U.S.A.
So Biden can call Trump an existential threat all he wants, but most of us just don’t see this.
Which brings us to Trump’s criticism of Biden. Is Biden a loser? Well, when one considers his track record of running for President 3 times, and losing 3 times, Trump kind of has a point. Especially when you consider that Trump won it on his first attempt, against 16 career politicians, one of whom we were all told - ad nausea - was the most qualified candidate ever.
So I’m sorry, but I think Trump wins this one, and Biden is all but assured to lose. But there’s at least a silver lining to all of this, for both the left and right, and the media too. The right will win because Trump will. And the left will win because when Biden loses, they can say they would’ve won and they’ll be able to front a serious contender in 2024. And the media will win because the anti-Trump rage-click business is good for them.
5
No offense to Biden, but I'm not going to vote for him. A tip to any candidate, if I hear the phrase, "I get it" that will cross you off my list of potential candidates. It seems they are all using the phrase that Biden used to get out of the dog house for being too weird around women. Please just stop using that phrase. Facts are I'm donating to Klobuchar, if she loses then I'll donate to Warren, in fact I wish they would team up as they could attract different voters. I look forward to the debates.
2
It comes down to Class vs. (the same word, but without the first two letters). I'll take Class every day.
12
If that is the election we have to look forward to, then America is the loser. Name calling has nothing to offer us.
209
It seemed to work splendidly for Trump in 2016.
19
@Mark Thomason
We have the campaign we deserve. The nation needs to wake up and take responsibility for this.
36
@Mark Thomason "If that is the election we have to look forward to, then America is the loser. Name calling has nothing to offer us."
No matter who the Democratic nominee is, do you really think it's possible for the 2016 election to be devoid of name calling? Donald Trump will be the opponent.
27
Trump, how about substance if you're going to criticize Joe?
Your default position out of fear, Trump, is name calling, belittling, and ad nauseum personal attacks. Grow up Trump, and fight like a man!
15
He’s had to stick his foot in his mouth too many times in the past. It's just wishful thinking that he has a chance.
4
Joe Biden's loudness mainly serves to mask his emptiness. He often borrows other candidates' policies, while adding very few of his own. Speaking softer but with a more authentic voice would serve his credibility better.
5
Poor America - we are looking for a candidate to defeat Trump, instead of a candidate that will take us into the future, where our survival resides.
This is not a popularity contest. Biden may have 24% of the democrat support at this time, but look at where the other 76% dwells - mostly progressives.
He is not in the lead.
15
"I like running against people that are weak mentally..."
ROFL. They would cut that line out of a gangster script -- too stereotyped to be believable.
15
Already Biden is behind: Trump's voters understand rude and childish insults ("loser"). "Existential threat" goes way over their heads. Biden needs to be more plain spoken, maybe not to the level of an insulting, immature brat like POTUS 45, but don't use words like "existential" if you expect to win.
Sad but true. As my dad used to say about politics: If it doesn't fit on a bumper sticker, it is not worth saying.
11
"I like running against people who are weak mentally"
The President of the United States ladies and gentlemen.
Biden better lean hard on policy proposals and plans of action.
Running a campaign based on "pick me instead of the crazy" clearly didn't work in 2016 and I rather doubt it'll work in 2020.
Let's hear some more issues and plans Joe. Warren has kicked it into high gear with this and you better plan to have more than "I'm better than Trump"
12
Beating trump will be easy if everyone does their civic duty to vote. His base can’t save him if every outraged voter turns out to vote. Part of the reason Hillary lost, people counted on others to cast plenty of ballots. Please show up!
33
The reason Hillary lost was that too many left-leaning voters voted their conscience and pencil then Bernie Sanders or voted for the Green party. Bizarrely shortsighted – they got exactly what they didn’t want.
15
@Garbolity -- There are many reasons Hillary lost, but the main one was ceding the flyover states to Trump and offering nothing to the residents of those states who felt forgotten and abandoned. She didn't even offer them hope, as Trump did. The Democrats' enduring problem is that they are too moral and ethical to lie like Trump.
3
In other words, vote for the nominee. No third-party candidates should be voted for. It only splits the vote and will allow trump to win. It is critical that everyone come out to vote and vote in unison for one person opposing trump.
I hope Biden's bars continue to illustrate the difference between him and the so-called president.
Biden makes excellent acerbic points that adults everywhere see truth within.
The so-called president calls names like a highschooler.
11
Beating trump will be easy if everyone does their civic duty to vote. His base can’t save him if every outraged voter shows up at the polls. Part of the reason Hillary lost, people counted on others to cast plenty of ballots. Please show up!
7
Anyone BUT Trump. At any cost. But I so hope it will be someone who cares deeply about aggressive change.
12
I hope Biden's BARBS continue to illustrate the difference between him and the so-called president.
Biden makes excellent, acerbic points that adults everywhere see truth within.
The so-called president calls names like a highschooler.
5
Trump definitely knows a loser when he sees one--and being a narcissist he only looks in the mirror at his own reflection. Probably kisses the mirror too. Yeah, we have a Loser-in-Chief. And if the Russians help him cheat yet again, he'll just be a two-time cheating loser. Yawn. No monuments for Trump, just a gaudy tombstone.
7
Biden's insults are more intelligent than Trumps.
6
As far as losers go, which candidate lost three casinos and an airline?
31
John, don'f forget the steaks.
5
What is worse, having a leader who blithely leads his nation to the same chaotic financial state he's lived with all his life; or eyes wide open following him like rats to a pied Piper?
5
Mr Trump's appeal to ordinary people rests in that he deconstructs featherweight figures like Mr. Biden from a high level. Mr. Biden's lightness is reified by his easy characterization of Trump as jeopardizing America’s standing around the world, even while he lauds (employing his time honored bi-partisan shtick) war mongers like George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and John McCain who truly disgraced America on the world stage.
4
Mr. Trump is treating his time in the White House as a wrestling match, not as a serious responsibility.
These outbursts are like the temper tantrums of a child in the school playground. He should be removed from office as soon as possible, before he does more damage.
19
A president can be Impeached for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”. Did not President Trump tried to bribe witnesses not to testify against him by, through his lawyers, offering pardons or leniency? I think they call that dangling pardons; sort of like dangling Chads, but that was a different election.
9
Another reason that I will not vote for Biden in the Primary. I want someone who can stay on the it issues and not get dragged into Trump's reality TV gutter.
Right now I favor Senator Kamala Harris. She proved she will not be pushed off point, or cave to intimidation tactics (during Senate hearings) and she is presenting policy I agree with.
There are several good candidates. Hopefully voters will watch the Democratic debates and see that we don't need Biden.
10
Sorry, but if Democratic candidates are not prepared to bitingly and swiftly hit back at Trump’s insults, they simply won’t stand a chance. One doesn’t need to slum, but they do need to FIGHT.
7
If Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the best candidates we can come up with for the 2020 election, this country is in trouble. The old white establishment in both parties needs to let go. Maybe the youngsters won't do any better, but the bar isn't very high at this point.
10
@Peggy Sherman. what's your connection to University of Wisconsin-Madison?
Biden doesn't stand a chance against Trump. That's even if he makes it through the primaries. There isn't anyone (yet) on the Democrat side that can beat him.
3
Delbert Grady, in the Shining, 'corrected' his family. Someone needs to 'correct' Donald Trump.
7
Sorry, but Biden is not going to beat Trump--especially if he runs the same playbook as HRC. We need a candidate with a vision. Though he isn't my first choice, Cory Booker said it best at the California Democratic Convention: "Beating Donald Trump is the floor, not the ceiling." Biden's strategy is a losing one. He smells like another John Kerry to me, and we all know how that turned out. Bernie, Warren, Klobuchar--each of them is a much, much stronger option against Trump.
5
@Gabriel
Bernie - way too radical for even some Dems let alone independents.
Warren - she cooked her goose years ago by repeatedly lying about her heritage to advance her career. She stands no chance with all that baggage.
Klobuchar - makes Hillary seem somewhat likable.
1
@AZPurdue
Respectfully disagree on every single one of your points.
6
@Gabriel
Gabriel, early polling numbers seem to indicate that Warren and Klobuchar have no chance. Bernie...questionable.
The difference is that Biden calls trump an "existential threat" and proceeds to explain why with concrete examples and substantive policy differences. trump, on the other hand, calls Biden a "loser," gets applause from his base and proceeds to call more people more names. It's substantive [and true] from Biden. It's robotic, lather-rinse-repeat [and untrue] from trump.
12
Why will progressive Democrats not support Joe Biden? For the same reason they did not support Hillary Clinton. Because they will not support a Republican.
2
Because they don’t think about consequences. No one should be surprising about the recent abortion law roll-backs. But these people thought there was “no difference”.
They are finding out there was a difference.
If this same group is will to gamble again by staying home or going 3rd Party, they can expect to get pounded to dust in more issues.
Of course, marching in the streets = activism with this crowd. Not holding real power.
7
Trump appears to be projecting again. His criticisms of Biden pretty much describe his own considerable failings.
11
I don't believe Biden can beat Trump. Everyone thought Clinton would easily beat trump. Don't forget. Trump will find every skeleton and create fervor around the dark state and career politicans doing what the beltway always does.
People from all over the country desperately want real vision and leadership. We need radical ideas to catch the USA up on many fronts from infrastructure to tax reform. To my fellow Americans I say, let's hold all the candidates not a personality contest, but to the best fact based plans and ideas. Sadly, I don't Joe has them.
10
Two old white men, one 76, the other 73, in an almost lily-white state, sparring for the privilege of knocking out the other so the victor can lead the free world. I'm fainting from the excitement.
479
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
Don't despair. It's an easy choice: one, Biden, is a human being. The other is the creature from black gold cart.
113
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
OK, but one of those "old white men" will ruin this country, this planet, and our lives if you don't get out there and vote for the other.
86
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
Too funny.
Too true.
But remember, according to Mr. Trump, if Mr. Biden is "old and feeble", I shudder to think what that makes him!
43
I guess everyone is taking the low road.
1
I don't see how "loser" and "existential threat" are equal barbs. One is 3rd grade level and personal; the other refers to a threat to the existence of our nation and especially its institutions. What is it with the NYTimes and equivalencies that so often ring false?
46
“Existential losers” would suffice as a compromise for both.
5
The Grey Lady has been afflicted with the "both siderism" malady for many, many years now. Not the time now in the lead up to 2020 to afflict its readers with it yet again.
But they won't stop, so please continue to be a discerning reader.
5
Saying they "trade barbs" suggests a false equivalence. "Loser" is a schoolyard epithet; "existential threat" is an honest assessment.
30
""A ‘Loser.’ An ‘Existential Threat.’ Trump and Biden Trade Barbs as They Travel to Iowa""
Biden has set out facts about Trump's actions and what has Trump, just like the republicans, done? Personal attacks, insults, derogatory remarks. Biden and most of the other Democrats are speaking and writing facts. Trump and the republicans have none to offer so they have to get down to ugly, meaningless name calling.
As for Trump's tariffs, we, the citizens, are paying these Trump taxes he calls tariffs. Trump can delude himself all day long, but the facts remain: Prices of consumer goods are going up every day. Retailers are passing the tariff increases they pay to the foreign companies on to us, just as we expected they would.
10
Biden needs to rip Trump on the issues of decency, morality, deceit, in truthfulness and ineffectiveness while outlining a vision of what a nation under his Presidency can be - not get mired down in the minutiae of issues. People are exhausted from Trump and want to put him in the rear view mirror.
Trump will get down in the mud as he stays on the offensive so Biden needs to keep harping on his profound personality disorder and his disgrace of the office of the President.
10
@YMR The Democratic candidate needs to put Trump in his place - with the truth. His supporters were all defensive when Hillary called them deplorable. As it turns out, voting for Trump was deplorable and will be again if they continue to support him.
4
I wonder if Trump knows what "existential threat" means. He probably knows it's not good.
17
Mr. Biden has largely resisted responding to Mr. Trump’s individual broadsides, insisting repeatedly that he wants to avoid a “mud-wrestling match” Sorry Joe Trump will be in the mud covering you your family and friends now days we say go hard or go home.
Biden gets the crowd to chant Lock Him Up; he will win.
Sleepy Joe will lose for sure. 25-hour a day Tweeter Joe might win.
1
It is hard for me to get excited about Biden. All I can see is another 4 years of frustration as he toes the corporate line. The candidates who are passionate are Warren and Harris. I especially love Warren who is fiery when she talks about helping people. The thing is if the Senate doesn't flip with McConnell then nothing will get done for 4 years, no matter which Democrat is president. McConnell really doesn't care about people or governing. If anyone is committing obstruction, it's him. We need the government to work together, not just be split into warring sides. However, having said all this, if Biden gets the nomination, I will vote for him. I don't think our democracy will survive another 4 years of Trump and I don't ever want to live under a dictatorship like in Russia.
10
I agree (ex-pat American). I’m going to decide which candidate has the best chance in the primaries in my state between Warren, Harris, and Sanders and vote for one of those.
2
I saw Warren speak in Oakland in May and I was impressed with her energy. She was forceful and thoughtful. It was her 90th town hall already. She has the right message to beat Trump. Real structural change to reverse the destructive income inequality and legal corruption. I do think she should reach out to Trump voters more. She can tell them they were smart in 2016 to vote against the status quo. She can frame it as being conned by a con man who made promises he had no intention of keeping. They had the right idea they just hired the wrong contractor. Warren is the right person to fix what Trump voters knew was broken in 2016. Give 2016 Trump voters an out, a way to save face. Biden is not the future, he is the past. He could have beaten Trump in 2016, but nobody want the name calling in 2020. The people want to believe that America can solve big problems with big solutions again.
4
The entire Democrat party has always cared about all Americans in principle and practice. The Republicans know it and that's why they began a campaign of deception aimed at their own base to convince them otherwise out of fear of losing their support. After the Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act to save all Americans, the Republicans set to the task of brainwashing their followers with peripheral excuses like naming it "Obamacare" to nurture their base's instinctive tribalism, or convinced them the required participation was contrary to freedom. What Freedom? To Die or suffer needlessly? The Republican leadership deceived them again when they passed the tax cuts that mostly benefited the rich then taxed their base with tariffs to pay for the deficit it caused.
The Democrats always cared about all Americans. Republicans deceived their own followers, we democrats read through the lines.
So maybe the Democrat leaders will now see how they should have taught the public the reality that they care about all Americans and cite those facts such as Roosevelt's New Deal that saved the nation, or Kennedy and Johnson's Civil rights accomplishments. We leave no one behind. We care about everyone. Say it again and again because it's the truth.
I tell it like it is. So does Joe. The rest of the Democrats should too. Just tell it like it is. Americans can handle the truth.
6
@WITNESS OF OUR TIMES
You do realize that the 'Affordable' Care Act is anything but Affordable ? Ask those of us just barely over the 'income cliff' how it's worked out for us (many of us are modestly successful small business owners nearing but not yet eligible for Medicare and thanks to the ACA now going without insurance because we can't afford it.)
For those who are subsidized, remember that those subsidies serve to hide the real cost of coverage.
3
And many more of us are thrilled and relieved that we won't go bankrupt if we get seriously ill.
4
I've been convinced (or deluded) as many people have: that Biden is the one contender to beat Trump. Why? Only because Biden has the aura of goodness and decency, and only "good" can stand force to force against the evil of Trump. I've never heard of the great clash of Policy vs. Evil.
5
Really? If that aura is all you are looking for, I would recommend Mayor Pete or Alan Yang.
3
It is so UNFAIR that the electorate in the early primary states get all the attention—and get to “decide”.
And then we have more and more states trying to out “early” each other. Surely we can devise a more fair system.
5
Beating Trump is the golden goal of the 2020 election. Everything else will flow from there. Without removing Trump from office, we have no chance to save the U.S.A. Period.
12
Oh boy, we are in for a disgusting campaign.
What will Trump say if a woman in the nominee?
Will he accuse her of "bleeding from wherever.." on stage during the debate?
Won't that be fine family entertainment for the children to watch.
The debates will have to be rated R.
I am 70 and this country went downhill fast, as far at the national elections are concerned.
7
@J. Alfred Prufrock
Before you use a name created by Eliot, remember he sent his wife to an insane asylum for, what many medical professionals believe was Endometriosis.
4
@H.A. Hyde
and was deeply anti-semetic.
5
Listening to the campaign coverage of this today on MSNBC I have to force myself to try and forget that the election they’re covering is not until November 2020, not November 2019 like their urgency implies. Otherwise I’d scream at the thought of what this means I’m in for for the next year and a half.
5
Biden needs to tell the Iowa farmers, aka Big Agri, that he won't use tariffs.
Biden needs to show the Iowa people that he is a decent human being and doesn't engage in mud slinging and name calling.
Biden needs to prepare to deflect Trump's attacks with effective responses. Such as Reagan's "You're no Jack Kennedy..."
Biden should hire Al Franken to write some effective and comic retorts for the lesser of Trump's attacks.
As a 70 year old white male, I would prefer if the Dems could run a younger person with new ideas, but for this election it's necessary to win and Biden has quite a strong showing in the polls, for what they are worth.
6
Like a true bully, Trump is an expert at projecting his own weakness and low self-esteem through petty insults.
12
Too funny. The Biden ship is taking on a lot of water. Time to bail.
3
@AZPurdue: For that matter, this could be Trump's election to lose; more than plenty of time to say or do something stupid enough; he will then get the torpedoing he's had coming.
3
@Ponsobny Britt
As they say, "it's the economy, stupid".
Trump has a strong tail-wind.
2
@AZPurdue: Nothing is guaranteed. Reread my comment, and think about it.
Biden/Buttiigieg would be my ideal ticket. We need a stabilizing presidency now.
8
@lkos
Well, since we are speaking of ideals - my ideal ticket would be Harris/Buttegeg (Sp?).
5
So Joe said he would miss the inauguration for his granddaughter's high school graduation and his daughter's birthday?
Why would he say such a thing? Yes, yes, we get it, you love your family. If you love them so much you couldn't miss your own inauguration, I say goodbye! Sheesh. I can't believe he said that.
I'm sure they would understand. I'm sure your granddaughter would forgive you. This is the country we're talking about - not you yourself. But America!
He won't make it. I just hope he's not the nominee because he won't make it if he is. What a bizarre attitude. How self-centered! Ruh-roh, another one, only Joe thinks he's so 'good' and the other self-centered one is so 'bad'.
6
@sophia
The only way that makes sense is if he is referring to The Donald's (re)inauguration. If memory serves me, incoming Presidents are expected to be there, and to give a speech, and put their hand on a Bible and stuff . . .
It’s called hyperbole.
1
"...Democrat contenders who believe Trumpism has redefined the Republican Party and say the country needs bigger, structural change that goes beyond defeating one man." First and foremost someone has to take out Trump. Of course it'll be swell if many Republicans are voted out since they've been obstructionists and dirty players long before Trump. BUT it's imperative to make Trump a one term president. He's the Boss, the Big Bad, the Fearless Cult Leader. He's gotta go.
8
And to think the eyes of the world continue to be upon us while the current president and the leading Democratic presidential candidate go at it with that 3rd grade level of name calling.
For once, just once, could the topics of conversation and discussion and disagreement be centered on the country's policies, problems and potential solutions?
I would hope this would resemble some level of an intellectual debate rather than a juvenile summer camp rumble. What's next - short changing one's bedding or putting a frog inside one's boots?
4
Anti-Biden Democrats have to get over the fact that he has too much political baggage (Anita Hill, plagiarism, etc.) and isn't "progressive" enough. As Biden has shown over his long career, he has the capacity to evolve toward the side of the angels (e.g. gay marriage), which brands him a "realistic progressive." However, I don't think calling Trump an "existential threat" (though I agree with it) is a winning line of attack. I'd suggest he play on the theme of "Don the Con" and enumerate the ways in which Trump's radical divisiveness is making America weaker, not stronger (bullies are always the real weaklings) and propping up the plutocracy rather than the working man and woman.
4
What are the meaningful partisan political principle and policy life experience differences between Donald J. Trump, Sr. and Joseph R. Biden?
Unlike Donald Trump, Joe Biden didn't inherit 295 streams of income from his real estate baron father that insulated him from being the worst losing businessman in America over a ten year period.
Unlike Donald Trump, Joe Biden has been an experienced elected office governing politician.
Unlike Donald Trump, Joe Biden is not a heathen hedonist pagan moral degenerate serial adulter sexual assaulter and harasser.
Unlike Donald Trump, Joe Biden has never been elected President of the United States.
10
@Blackmamba
You forgot to add "yet". Otherwise, right on.
5
Biden isn't even in my top five, but I'd still vote for him enthusiastically if it is him vs. Trump. Don't fall for the divide and conquer rhetoric which mostly comes from Trump supporters who are trying to get progressives to sit out the election. Any candidate including Biden would be a marked improvement. If nothing else remember the Courts!!!
8
@Blackmamba
Joe Biden is the only current candidate whom I ever met personally. A result of my volunteer work a few years back with a prominent national civil rights organization. Politicians are expected to be great at appearing to be normal people. Joe Biden is among the most 'normal' politicians whom I ever met.
I was with Bernie in 2016. And I favored and preferred my South Side Chicago homeboy Deval Patrick for 2020. Patrick moved ably between the private and public sector. But his withdrawal has left me with anybody but Donald Trump. Every Democrat has costs and benefits.
1
Trump trots out the "low energy" insult once again. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. In this case, it's a tiny one.
8
Joe Biden is too old, too tired, and too white. I hope the Democrats realize Trump will beat them handily if they nominate another Old White Guy. The Dems need a bold 2020 move such as an all-female ticket.
1
@Aaron VanAlstine
You can't be a Democrat and cultivate ageism, anti-white racism, and utterly absurd and false claims such as the idea that Biden would lack energy.
You either support ALL Americans and then vote Democrats, OR you give in to racism and tons of other horrible prejudices. Then you better vote for the GOP rather than imagining that you can give Democrats advice.
5
@Aaron VanAlstine
No, we don't. You can stop the yelling about ism's from under your bridge. We are not listening.
Democrats need a bold move to pure identity politics like a fish needs a bicycle. (Remember that tee shirt?)
5
@jaco: So true lol. Clearly people will think of all kinds of excuses to defect. How about we show some support for whoever gets the nomination? Biden’s not my first choice either, but he shows the ability to fight back. Trump is the very last person on earth that I would choose.
1
Trump: “I think [Biden's] the weakest mentally. . . "
Same old projection.
11
Biden a loser? That’s just malarkey.
I recently read about a man who lost over $1 billion within just a decade. (Hint: it wasn’t Joe Biden.) This loss occurred about thirty years ago, so the amount would probably be a lot more in today’s dollars. In any case, that would make this individual a much bigger loser.
24
I bet Biden's law school and other transcripts are better than Trump's grades!
I bet the dinner conversations with Biden's professor wife are more mentally stimulating than the tings Trump discusses with his ex-model trophy wife.
I bet Biden has always s been known as a good family man and a great neighbor. I bet Biden has had the energy to get involved in civic projects and schools and sports with his kids. I bet the same isn't said about Trump, who lacks a spark of interest in schools.
I bet Trump has to ride a golf cart to play sports with his kids--and always has. I bet Biden knows how to o do more energized play, like baseball and football with sons and grandkids, swimming with them, etc.
So is the hot air Trump blimp calling the wrong candidate " low energy"?
11
I'd have thought that Joe Biden's promise to cure cancer if elected President would have been given wider coverage.
4
Trump’s not even good at insulting people anymore, and that was the one semi-skill he had in his garbage bag of personality problems. But more importantly, I suspect when Donald talks like this about Joe Biden, or anyone, really, he’s echoing the way Fred Trump treated him as a boy.
Most people would have gotten over it by now, but not Donald. He’s still struggling with daddy issues as a 72-year-old.
45
@Kip
Indeed they are getting stale like loser / fake news / low ratings and what not. I wonder what he will call Mayor Pete ?
He has names for Senator Harris, Senator Warren, Biden all these have good numbers and theretofore trump feels threatened.
4
Note to VP Biden: Please don't stoop to Trump's level. Tell us instead what you would do for our nation were you to be elected President.
Thank you.
6
Joe Biden
'Mr. Trump...“an existential threat” who could fundamentally change the nature of the country and its values, and who is already jeopardizing America’s standing around the world'
Donald Trump
'...thought Mr. Biden was “a loser” and questioned his mental fitness. “I’d rather run against, I think, Biden than anybody...I think he’s the weakest mentally, and I like running against people that are weak mentally. I think Joe is the weakest up here. The other ones have much more energy.”
Says a lot. doesn't it?
8
The most republican sentiment spread by Democrats? What is, Joe Biden the electable.
Really worried about Biden being president. It looks to me that this guy is as incompetent as Robert Gates stated it a few years ago. Does anybody remember Rusia’s interference in the 2016 election when he was the vice president, and all the hacking going on against the USA when he was the Vice President, and his NO to the operation that killed Bin Laden, oh, and by the way, isn’t it the guy that advocates for closer economic ties with a China....
5
(Biden) "described Mr. Trump as “an existential threat” who could fundamentally change the nature of the country and its values, and who is already jeopardizing America’s standing around the world”
Trump's characterization was more succinct: (Biden) is a “loser”
The campaign is all there. It is what you, good people of America, will get until November 2020. Arguments against unsubstantiated insults (and blatant lies). What will prevail? The answer is, tragically, unclear...
4
I'm looking forward to seeing what Trump can do in a match with Joe Biden. If Trump cleans Joe's clock, his next challenge should be Pocahontas, and if Trump is still standing, then K. Harris. If he is still standing, then Uncle Pete B. should have a go. If Trup beats them all, I need to vote for him.
1
The video clip of Trump appears to offer his fairly honest assessment of Biden and the Democratic field. Heady Mexico success with his tariff bludgeon strategy has emboldened him, at least temporarily, to tell the truth as he sees it.
Trump regards Biden as the easiest Democrat to beat: lots of political baggage; a fading mind that was never too sharp to begin with; the habit of making a fatal political gaffe at a critical moment.
So, for Trump, Biden also wins the electability argument -- Trump's electability, that is. Older Democratic voters of course cherish a different image, one rooted explicitly in the Obama years that willfully ignores Uncle Joe's earlier history.
It will be interesting see where these two clashing narratives end up. The sharpness of Biden's performance in the early candidate debates will be critical to his fate. Everyone will be watching for signs of weakness.
Trump *says* he regards Biden as the easiest to beat. If casual observation of this president has hammered home nothing else the past 2.5 years, it’s reminded me again and again never to take what Trump says at face value.
5
Whatever Biden does, please no bipartisanship talk. This is a new era and Democrats and Republicans will never again be "friends". Doesn't anyone learn from President Obama who thought that they could work together. He paid the price for that.
11
@pb No, Bush learned that from Nancy Pelosi, when Dems took control of the House. Working together ceased.
I get what people say about Biden's electability. However, my concern is this: Over and over again, I hear, from people on the ground in their state, that no one is particularly enthusiastic about Biden, whether they support him or not.
And this concerns me, as TURNOUT is absolutely key to winning--especially amongst the young folks, who are strongly liberal. And people, especially young ones, are far less likely to turn out for someone they are not terribly enthusiastic about. Especially if they perceive that person as willing to make compromises with the powers that be and to deliver more of the same with a Donkey sheen.
1
And to think the eyes of the world continue to be upon us while the current president and the leading Democratic presidential candidate go at it with that 3rd grade level of name calling.
For once, just once, could the topics of conversation and discussion and disagreement be centered on the country's policies, problems and potential solutions?
I would hope this would resemble some level of an intellectual debate rather than a juvenile summer camp rumble. What's next - short changing one's bedding or putting a frog inside one's boots?
1
@Marge Keller ...and who's responsible for that? Not Biden, certainly. No. That's the way Trump does business.
6
Elections are primarily driven by narrative. Who the Democrats nominate will determine what the narrative of 2020 is and how the story will play out for 2022 and 2024 and so on.
The Biden narrative and strategy seems to be 2016 Part 2.
Civility fetishism and a love of the "Discourse" and the belief that all of these problems arose specifically because Russia helped put a bad orange man in office. It's a story about how a fundamentally good country was tricked into being racist by Russia.
It seems like a sure fire way to guarantee a catastrophic loss in 22' and 24' as this strategy depicts Trump as an aberration and allow Republicans to escape any scrutiny for supporting him or any of his policies. 2016 was just the narrative of 2008 but without the unique charm or political moment that catapulted Obama to power before immediately ceding it to the GOP. If the existential threat is just Trump then there's no need to show up for the mid terms or the next election is there?
Also let's be real, we all know that the second Trump is gone the next big move for the party is to find a new one and the next one will be worse.
This narrative may work for 2020 but in a larger picture it will be a huge disaster.
2
So, 2 old white guys who avoided the draft (one for bonespurs, the other for teenage asthma) are in Iowa to duke it out.
And like the fighters they are, they are using words like "loser" and "existential". Wow! Almost as entertaining as women's roller derby...not.
Biden keeps saying that the Republicans will return to normal after Trump. His 8 years as V.P. prove otherwise when the Republicans would not even allow Merrick Garland to be voted up or down. Do we need Biden back in the White House giving the Republicans whatever they want?
The Republicans rallied around Nixon until they could no longer get away with it. They pushed their Evangelical goal of theocracy down the throats of the rest of the nation. And Biden wants to return to this normal?
A vote for Biden is just a vote for the Republicans. He is not a liberal or a Democrat. He is just an empty suit who keeps creeping out women.
6
Biden needs to take note of how Pelosi handles Trump. She waits for him to say something childish, hateful and unpresidential. She doesn't have to wait long. Then she says he's just not worth it and moves on to things that matter.
Most of all, she is dismissive. She treats him like a thug, and engaging with a thug will not make any American's life better.
25
@JR
"[Pelosi] waits for [Trump] to say something childish, hateful and unpresidential."
and she never has to wait long, every third sentence out of Trump's mouth or off a tweet is childish, hateful and unpresidential.
8
@JR. But she blabbed out he should be in prison. Explain how that is dismissive.
@Jackson
that Trump belongs in prison is an empirical fact...Trump knows it, Barr knows it, Mueller knows it and anyone who has bothered to read the redacted Mueller Report knows it.
7
Trump is Wall st in everything he does. Biden is a man in the armchair in everyone's living room. Make your choice.
3
Of the candidates in question Trump is the weakest mentally by far in that he is absolutely off the wall and needs to be in an institution. When he starts to attack people as he so often does it is a sure sign that he is frightened of them—and he is apparently frightened of Biden.
7
I don’t know that I’d characterize “an existential threat” as a personal “barb.” It seems to me that it’s a fairly accurate assessment.
35
Go Joe! And go Liz, and go Kamala, and go Bernie, and go Pete, and go Jay, and go Andrew, just to mention a few favorites. Go Democrats!! I agree with Joe that the most important step for preserving American democracy and the world's climate is beating the orange narcissist.
Much as I respect her, I deeply disagree with Nancy's opposition to impeachment. Congress' job is to uphold the Constitution. Democrats are not going to win any votes by looking like they are scared of doing their job.
7
@Looking-in
I never agree with Pelosi but she is correct by moving slowly with impeachment. Appears little tangible evidence to impeach Trump. Disliking him is not a solid reason to impeach.
1
Anyone who shows up for work every day at 11 am and spends every available moment on golf courses or watching cable news shouldn't be commenting on anyone else's "energy."
35
And you know that as a fact?
1
@Andrew
It has been written about numerous times, which of course does not mean that it is true.
I honestly can't believe Biden is leading the polls. He is bringing nothing new to the conversation and is instead dodging bullets from hi past and playing tough with Trump. This is Hillary Clinton 2.0.
6
@Lucia
No, this is Biden 4.0
Hillary Clinton actually won her election.
5
@Maggie by Hillary 2.0. I mean that he is someone who has been in politics forever, who carries a lot of dirt from the past and who has ideas and practices that no longer resonate with the direction the Democratic Party is taking post Trump. Hope it makes more sense :)
1
The USA’s reputation is already ruined. Ask anyone who loves elsewhere.
Your nations middle populations worship of a so called entrepreneur demonstrates where your counties true values are.
I know an America that is better, brighter and more progressive .
5
I would say Trump is weak -- morally:
He let the border police separate babies from their mothers.
He oversees a border security operation that is weak -- with children in custody dying of treatable diseases.
Trump is morally weak.
Very weak, morally.
8
NYT please don't cover the upcoming election as if it was a football game. Most of us don't care to hear more of Trump's petty behavior, name-calling, and ridicule of his opponents. We need adults in the room to address how America will compete and be part of the future of this planet. This time around would you concentrate on the issues, and not give Trump the attention he craves by being a boor?
10
Trump calling anyone who is not his lackey a "loser" or "a real beauty,"--is just name calling and hence a personal attack. Considering Trump's conduct a threat to democracy is a valid expression of opinion--one shared perhaps by a majority of the electorate. On the other hand, if Democrats want to give him a sobriquet, suggest the Yiddish phrase. "trumbenik,"--one who likes to toot his own horn.
9
Another virtually content-free news article, thanks for nothing. Couldn't the NYTimes possibly afford to assign some talent to making a new video instead of re-running the same poorly done one on the Biden campaign that is now in use, again? It's almost as if you are purposely undermining this candidate, but I'll stop short of that accusation. I leave it to others to decide for themselves. The Biden video, however, is tiresome and already dated by new information coming out of his campaign. Environmental plan, Hyde amendment...what else? At least update it, please. Better yet, ditch it.
Agent Orange is just doing what he knows how to do best, be a bully. And Biden is doing what his advisors and the polls dictate - be a gentleman, stay afloat and don't make too many waves. These consistencies could be seen as a good thing, toward mollifying our craving for stability, at least for the moment. We don't really need the drama, do we?
Getting out my crystal ball, and assuming Biden makes the cut during the beer run and advances to the final round of voting without major damage, I believe his choice of running mate is critical. Just as Palin deep-sixed John McCain's chances, (with me, and I assume, at least a few others) the right choice could put Biden into the win column. Let's face it, at his age, this is even more relevant, and not window dressing at all. Clinton didn't help her chances with her choice. (Does anybody remember his name?)
Polls? Horsefeathers. Onward!
1
Trump Tells Reporters He’s the ‘Best Thing That Ever Happened to The Farmers’
The farmers must feel the same as Fred Trump, after Donald started playing with his money.
7
People love Joe Biden because there hasn’t been a single debate. Obsessive commenters and followers of the news cycle (guilty of it myself) might easily forget that most people pay very little attention to the nitty gritty details of politics and may have no idea who the other candidates are or how they are branding themselves in their campaigns.
Biden has name recognition. I am not a political scientist, but I would wager a lot of hard earned money that this is mostly why he is in front right now. When candidates take to the debate stage, the public will see more of them and hear many attractive ideas that may shift their focus away from Biden. Long story short: it is way early.
Oh, and Trumpism IS an existential threat. That isn’t some barbed, personal attack, that’s the sober truth.
5
@X
Agent Orange won't get away with stalking opponents like he did Hillary during the debates, this much we know. So what will he resort to? His arsenal is already running low. And we know his vocabulary is limited. His campaign staff has some heavy lifting ahead. All Biden's team has to do is keep calm, carry on, and let Joe be Joe. We don't need to hear any more apologies. We want to hear him roar.
2
Basically a contest between Biden and Trump is between a small d democrat and a dictator. While it is hard to see any desire for a dictator in American history it appears that many Americans have decided that is the only way to get a white Christian country. The desire for a white county goes all the way back to the beginnings of the US and seems most clearly stated by the election of Andrew Jackson who transported native Americans from the South to frontier areas in the West to clear out nonwhites who were not slaves. There are probably still some bad feeling about the Civil War and Reconstruction. The effort to unite the country still goes on but Trump has gained power going in the other direction, dividing the country based on race. If Biden is the nominee he is going to have to convince enough people who aren't quite sure which side of the divide they are on to support democracy and diversity as the best future for the United State.
2
Reading recently about Elizabeth Warren, it seems to me the Biden-Warren ticket should make a winning Democratic pair despite Trump's furious fusillades on both. Warren as a presidential candidate at present is tailor-made for serious policy wonks in blue states. Yet, as the 2016 presidential election showed, to win the electoral college majority , a crude man like Trump could sway large swathes of voters without any intellectual heft but by pushing popular emotional buttons.
On that "heart" front, Elizabeth Warren does not look very promising right now, although her policy platform is patently in the interests of the majority of voters. Voters in those states still seem to harbor a deep resentment of East coast intellectuals like her, however irrational it is; it needs to be allayed by a little more waiting, testing, and seasoning .
Warren has the weight of an able and clean law professor and senator, and she should make a strong candidate for vice-president to an intellectually lighter but decent, solid and commonsensical Joe Biden for the presidency. With long and deep ties to American labor, Biden can connect better with masses of marginalized voters in both red and blue areas.
After a one-term President Biden, Elizabeth Warren will have (hopefully) earned much greater trust among most voters across the country and may become electable as the first female president ever. We shall then have put to rest for good the gender issue in presidential politics.
5
@VCM
Warren/Klobuchar or
Klobuchar/Bennet (cuz 'ya gotta have a white dude in there)
The trenchant point is qualifications and policies that are for 330 million Americans in 2020.
2
@VCM: Warren is too old to be Biden's running mate (if Biden is the top of ticket nominee, which I don't think he will be). There has to be a younger V-P pick. I think he would have to pick Harris. We absolutely need the African-American vote (the AA women are the backbone of the Democratic party, let's never ever forget that - and do all that we can to help them vote!). They already love Joe, Kamala would seal the deal.
3
As much as I don’t like the idea of Joe Biden winning, he does know how to fight back. The more progressive the candidate is the more they seem to want to flyby on niceness.
3
I agree that Joe Biden is the best candidate to lead the Democrats in the 2020 presidential election.
But it's not time for the 2020 presidential election, yet. It's time for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.
Mr. Biden simply can't continue campaigning as if he's the only guy left standing. For one thing, it's rude to speak over other people. When Biden crisscrosses the country, talking about his vision for a united America and how Trump is an existential threat, he's basically saying that he can't be bothered to win one election before fighting the next one. And there are still important questions the Democratic candidates need to answer.
Countless people are engaged in the task of verbally chastising Trump. If Biden wants to distinguish himself, he can outline what actions he'll take as president to ensure that ex-President Trump goes to prison, and stays there.
The only reason Mueller didn't go to town on Trump is because the scope of his inquiries was limited, and because the Justice Department claimed the office of the presidency was some kind of a quasi-religious godhead that places it outside the reach of human justice.
Ex-President Trump will also present a national security risk, should he be allowed to remain free. He's a squealer and easily manipulated by others.
What would a President Biden do to to save America? I'm not buying his current argument: that Republicans are simply going to de-radicalize and play fair when he's becomes president.
1
Biden is beating trump by up to 10 points in new polls, other dems beating trump too but by not as much. Trump has resorted to spending heavily on Facebook, where no lie gets challenged.
Trump is already running scared.
9
Half seriously, hand out free MAGA hats to everyone in attendance. This would diminish the trump cult symbol.
Seriously, at every Democratic campaign event the candidate should face the flag behind them on the stage and lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance without teleprompter. At the debates, the senior official should lead. At the presidential debates (if trump decides to show), the incumbent should lead. Maybe have the candidates lead the National Anthem and God Bless America, too.
You can give trump all this time to prepare, and he still won't be able to do it.
1
We don't want Trump here anymore. Ever since he is president we have become like Alabama, last state in everything. We use to be the 2 nd state in education excellence, we are 14th now according to the Des Moines register. Pork business and corn industry are shutting down. Unemployment is still one the lowest in the country since Obama but going up slowly. Malls are closing faster and businesses closing. We need change. Even Governor Reynolds is lost of explanations and excuses. Trump can't win here.
8
I have an enduring memory of shock as I watched Trump prowl around Clinton on the stage during the last debate before the election. He preys on humans and humanity. He's dangerous. Biden has the right idea to advise the American public that he is dangerous, in those words, not creative narratives above many people's comprehension. Just the truth, nothing but the truth will conquer Trump. Additionally, this is no time for all those Democrat rivals to fight destroying each other. They can have different platforms and policies but on the subject of the Trump Wall st coup, they must be united if we have any chance of keeping Trump's victims out of the cattle cars, and I'm serious. Doesn't everyone know he is controlling himself, barely, with the goal of winning the election? It's obvious Trump will be even worse if he wins. We must unite.
6
Well I have only one agreement with the dangerous and detestable DJT.
Biden does look tired.
In contrast the elderly Sanders is full of energy and the not so elderly Warren is a bundle of energy. Mayor Pete and Tulsi Gabbard are very charismatic candidates.
All can beat Trump. I may have left out others who are also admirable choices such as the other three women.
2
“I wish he would talk less about Trump, We’re Democrats, we know why we don’t like Trump.”
Therein lies the problem. As Joe says the first step in implementing any Democratic policies is to get rid of Trump. There are few candidates who stand a chance of convincing enough non-Democrats to do that and he's way out in front of the field right now. This isn't a Democratic beauty contest; it's deadly serious.
1
Whenever I think I can't be more disgusted by Donald Trump, he goes and proves me wrong. There is literally nothing decent or redeeming about him.
7
Scrolling the comments here, one sees a central claim about Biden's defect, that is "Biden is thin on policy". What nonsense. First of all, his recently announced carbon-reduction plan is more focused and is more progressive than the "Green New Deal". Sure he's hoovering up "other peoples' policy work" to some extent, if you mean taking on some more progressive ideas, but that is the best thing he could do. Obama would do the same thing, so would I. And by the way, though you've gotta love her: is Elizabeth Warren a candidate or a policy think tank? Biden's laying out policy as he goes, but more to the point, we know who he is. He has been in the Senate for 30 years, so what he believes and will fight for is know, it was forged in the crucible of Amercan government and politics. One cannot say that of a single other candice in this race.
4
@Gregory Adair
Biden's not just thin on policy today, he's been disastrously wrong on just about all his policies since 1973. He hit his Peter Principle moment already and needs to go gently into that good night. America cannot afford either of these old bozos, Biden and Trump.
@Maggie
USA, Maine, North Carolina, L.A.? There is no comparison between Biden and Trump. Biden is a patriot.
2
America does not need septuagenarian candidates.
All trends point to America and the world facing a climate catastrophe in 30 years without a major effort to mitigate it and prepare to adapt for it. We need a candidate that not only sees the urgent need to act, but one likely be around 30 years from now to see if those efforts will save life on the planet.
BTW: I find the survival of planet more of a presidential issue than the survival of an unwanted fetus.
46
“The weakest mentally”? Who talks like this? Who acts like that. His behavior is juvenile and obscene.
48
@Steve Cohen
Trump's words belie his sadistic predatory mind.
6
Weak and a loser? How is Biden, twice vice-president and multi-term senator, (who most people like and admire) fit this description. He doesn't, and the Trump is just hoping for a nickname that sticks. He called John Dean a loser yesterday, so that's the latest adjective stuck in his head.
He saw it worked with Jeb Bush and he won't stop, and it doesn't matter to his supporters that he's like an 11 year old shouting school yard taunts.
I want to see every candidate for the Dems get out there and verbally chew him up— it ain't hard.
26
But one must know, however naive one is re the sciences of psychology and psychiatry, that whenever Trump demeans an opponent in the most negative manner, he is actually speaking about himself. It’s called projection and is a manifestation of a very very low self esteem.
8
The potus called Biden a "dummy" - the potus is the genuine dummy, i.e., he is running to not to make anyone "great" but only to benefit his own interests and bankrupt businesses. Here are synonyms for "dummy" quoted from the Merriam-Webster dictionary: "artificial, bogus, ersatz, factitious, fake, false, faux, imitation, imitative, man-made, mimic, mock, pretend, sham, simulated, substitute, synthetic".
6
Out of curiosity, what is his policy proposal about illegal immigration, border security and the asylum loophole? How hawkish is he when it comes to military interventions abroad? What are his positions on regulation of social media platforms and gigantic tech corporations? I have no clue what he intends to stand for besides "orange man bad".
2
Biden can handle the repetitive Cartman( South Park) insults that Trump delivers; and maybe its better that he absorbs the early blows. In my mind, his more questionable issues have been brought up by other Democrats.
At worst, he will occupy Trump while other strong contenders get themselves out in front of the public, presenting ideas and getting their names recognized.
Mr Yang - you are too smart to descend to criticizing Biden on this petty issue. But I hope if you don't land the nomination, you stick around and run for something else. You sound as if you would bring enormous intelligence and energy, but some of us are a little leery of businessman whose first political goal is the Presidency.
OK, some of us are a little leery of Biden, too, a man who is viewing the same office as his last political goal.
What Trump thinks ( if he does) - or rather the trash talk he engages in against anyone whom he doesn't "own," doesn't have anything to do, positive or negative with the strength of that candidate.
As a Dem voter, I hope the candidates avoid the dread circular firing squad approach, and talk about issues. And that those who are way too low on the polls' totem pole will exit as opposed to splitting the party into worthless shards.
3
The low poll people are there to delivery an important message. Thus, for example, Tracy Gabbard is educating us about the futility and national harm caused by regime change wars. May she occupy the stage long enough for us to hear and understand!
At the appropriate time she will make a graceful exit perhaps endorsing Mayor Pete, Bernie, also with mayoral experience, or Elizabeth Warren. Mr. Yang also has much of value to communicate. He too will make a timely graceful exit.
So there are not too many candidates at the moment except each may not get much TV debate time. Now, if after NH, Iowa and South Carolina there are still 20 candidates that would be too many.
And on the other side kudos to Bill
Weld and Congressman Amash. I pray they’ll
qualify for debate even if Trump not present.
(Though I do recognize Amash is not now a candidate.)
Maybe there are other Republicans now well hidden in the wings who will step up to the plate.
Let us pray.
2
It does strike me that Trump states he would love to go up against Biden in the 2020 election. I agree that Donald Trump isn't playing 3-dimensional chess, and that his intentions can usually be easy to read but I'm not so sure we can take his comments at face value and assume he truly means the opposite because he has the brain of an infant,
I think Trump wants to have a battle of insults, he truly does want to go up against a candidate who will make the election about him, because that's where he thrives and unfortunately I believe Biden is too decent of a man to fight dirty.
Whats left are candidates with an impressive portfolio of bold progressive proposals *cough* Warren *cough* who are talking about the root causes of issues voters care about and are not trying to erase the "aberration" that is Trump. Trump is not an aberration he is a perfect representation of the Republican party base of the last decade in human form and anyone who does not understand that has learned absolutely nothing from 2016.
527
@Robyn
If you want to get rid of the dirt, stop imagining that we need candidates who "fight dirty" and start supporting candidates who have proven strong moral character.
Trump is merely focusing on insults because both his record in DC and moral character are horrible.
Elections are about contrast. People often want a totally different governing style, and Biden perfectly embodies that difference.
He's not my favorite candidate (WHAT a fantastic crop this year!), but I do adore him, both as a person and as a politician. And the only way to get REAL policies back to DC is to radically STOP the insulting and show what real leadership means.
33
@Robyn Oh I think Trump is scared of Biden. Biden is a person who has much greater credibility and Trump know it. And I don't think we win when we have a battle of insults. Joe's best weapon is his chuckle.
55
What I have learned from 2016 is that it makes absolutely no difference how the situation is viewed.
The only thing that matters in the least is how to protect the human beings of the U.S. and the world from the current high threat level emanating from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
68
Trump is losing in several rust-belt states and in Texas to Joe Biden.
This according to Trump's own internal polling.
Trump instructed his people to lie publicly about these polls.
If Bill Weld were to miraculously win the Republican nomination, he would likely win the general election.
Republicans, you have a way out. An avenue to hold on to the White House.
You better take it while you can.
I say this knowing that you won't.
Thanks for handing the White House to the Democrats.
2
Gets tricky wading through comments to this article. I imagine as the campaign season intensifies, it will get trickier. Those who attack Biden's strategy are likely supporting someone else without saying so. Meanwhile, we're awaiting the arrival of the trolls. I believe that he is smart not to attack other Democrats. Keep the focus on Trump and stir some passion. Those who believe the long campaign will be won on the basis of who has the better ideas are unfamiliar with American voters, evidence being the low polling figures, so far, for those Democrats who are doing just that.
2
Let’s hope the press doesn’t report this event as a reductive pugilistic match worthy of the WWE. It isn’t. The country and world are slouching into the abyss of imminent and present/ future danger under Trump’s and key GOP leaders. Let’s hope the press will showcase speeches by Trump and Biden side by side.
1
While Trump is commonly in U.S. media as the evil we have to defeat and his faults are viewed under a microscope there is an evil present in our system in plain site. Mitch McConnell can block any legislation from being enacted except when the situation is explicitly ruled out by law. The net effect is to Prevent government from functioning. The Speaker of the house nor the Senate majority leader should not have this dictatorial power. The U.S. is no longer a functioning democracy, because of this and other reasons: When the people revolt, should anybody be surprised?
5
@Michael Cohen
True. And both Trump and Mitch McConnell are up for reelection in 2020, but I tend to think the good people of this country see the clear and present danger more acutely than the good people of Kentucky when it comes to voting for the lesser evil.
Let’s hope Joe Biden is old enough (and I’m 78) to remember the post-war childhood chant to those like Trump that “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” Let Trump wallow in such childish mudslinging, just call out his infantile behavior while focusing on adult issues that require adults to handle. And, given your issues with women like Anita Hill and more recently abortion, you need to issue your own Emancipation Proclamation setting women completely free of any and all attempts to restrict access to reproductive care. It’s time to demonstrate the leadership so lacking. While you’re at it, it takes an adult to say “I’m sorry” something that Trump is incapable of, but you should be man enough to say to Anita Hill.
2
Biden’s face-off against Trump is what Biden sees his own strength in this race, as one old white male against another, a clear match up.
Biden does not know how he can match up against 22 other Democrats running for president since they are not in his kind of "background" and none has served in the Federal government (other than Congress).
It's just that simple.
The only thing that trump can come up with is "loser". We all knew his range of thought and vocabulary was very very limited.
3
PLEASE NYT, stop this kind of false equivalencies.
Saying that someone is a "loser" or "mentally" weak is something totally different than saying that the words and actions of a president are an existential threat to the nature of the country.
First of all, Trump IS attacking the very nature of this country, by governing in the most cynical and immoral way possible. So Biden is right here.
But that's not the most important thing.
Fact is, seeing a way of governing as a threat to the values of a country is an evaluation of the impact of a politicians actions, NOT a PERSONAL attack, whereas obviously, calling your opponent a loser and mentally weak IS a personal attack.
As we know already since Cicero wrote about this: you can question a person's accomplishments, and criticize them. That's part of a healthy democratic debate. But an argument "ad hominem" is something entirely different, AND, as Cicero has shown, the weakest (and ugliest) kind of argument.
It's the job of the media to point this out, rather than constantly take over the GOP's cultivation of cynicism.
8
Here's a line that Joe Biden can use: Calling anyone "mentally weak" is a rare instance of President Trump's knowing exactly what he is talking about.
2
I saw about 10 minutes of Joe Biden’s
speech this afternoon.
He is far from slow, ill or sleepy. Physically and mentally, he appeared to be able to run rings around Trump.
He said what must be said about Trump
AND put forth some policy regarding education and also explained how it could be financed.
We, as a country need to retake our place in the world by taking the lead in medicine, climate and technology.
Biden acknowledged that and said it often begins at our research universities. Education should be a major priority.
Trump could care less about education, as evidenced by his idiotic tweets and statements. History? Science? he has no clue.
The enemy of good is perfect, so if Biden isn’t a dream come true for parts of the Democrat party, deal with it.
At this point, I believe Biden can take on Trump and win.
That is the most important issue.
21
@joan nj
Well said Joan!
I heard Jill Biden speak a few weeks ago and she clearly has Joe's ear regarding education. First Lady DOCTOR Jill Biden has a nice ring to it.
I want to see the back of betsy deVos ASAP before she completely destroys the jewel that is our public education system.
5
I can't say I'm looking forward to this slam-fest where Donald Trump will prove, once again just how low he can go.
No doubt after calling Mr. Biden every name in the book, he'll go back to the familiar strain of "No collusion" and "Build the wall" -- without fully realizing he's already built one.
8
Ya, well, while they trade barbs, Elizabeth Warren will get the job done.
13
I’m part of the “anyone who can beat Trump” group. That being said, the candidates should not make it all about Trump. It’s exactly what he wants. Please talk policy ideas and ignore his unpresidential, childish, mean spirited barbs and nicknames. Take the high road. Let we the people, the media, and Congress call him out on all of his lies and wrongdoings.
11
By now, even the guy sleeping under a bridge after a three day drinking spree can tell you that Trump always means the opposite of what he says. When Trump states that he would rather run against Biden, he means that he’s scared of Biden.
23
Biden: I like running against draft dodgers. They are cowards and will not confront the enemy. Easy to defeat since they run away and hope to tweet their opponents away. SAD!
10
@albert - Biden is a Draft Dodger.
2
The NYTimes like most other supposedly left leaning news sites keeps throwing it's weight behind the Biden as front-runner narrative.
Biden is essentially just Hillary 2.0 and is the absolute last thing the democratic party needs as a candidate. But he'd be great for the corporatist democrats that the Times best represents.
8
@Owen Ap Owen - Let me be the first to hit the recommend button!
1
Notice that The NY Times is already positioning Biden to be the Democratic frontrunner. This how it’s starts, folks. The Times, already biased against Sanders and Warren, sets the stage for primary contests through the quantity and quality of coverage for Biden. The Times’ treatment of Sanders in the last election was a travesty of journalistic impartiality.
27
Joe Biden is a flip flopper who will change his stated policy on an issue to gain voters. The Hyde Amendment is just one of the examples. President Trump made presidential campaign promises that he actually has kept. He has made America great again. You cannot trust Joe Biden on the issues. He changes positions faster than the weather.
4
@KMW come on! Trump made good on his promise to make America great again? What does that even mean? How can that be determined or measured? Like many of Trump's great deals with Kim and Mexico its just a vague statement. The only thing that he has actually accomplished was to pass a tax cut for corporations and the wealthy while providing temporary crumbs to the lower classes (individual tax changes expire in 2025) which in part has in part caused a $1 trillion annual deficit. Where is the great and beautiful health plan he promised that would cost less? Why couldn't he deliver on this for the 2 years when republicans had control of both houses of congress?
8
@KMW Dude, if you think America is "great" right now, I'll have whatever you're drinking.
3
Trump is getting mighty nervous. I listened to Joe Biden just now. He sounded calm, knowledgeable and very competent - and Joe Biden has my vote.
8
In stating that he would rather run against Biden than anybody else, trump is showing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is afraid of running against Biden.
And the more trump puts his 8th-grade intellect on full display with childish insults and name-calling, the more voters will be turned off. Not the lost-cause cult members, of course, but those who have not completely ceded their capacity to think.
622
8th grade ? Mighty generous.
Seriously.
87
@RickyDick
Exactly. If there's ONE thing Biden stands for, it's moral character and integrity.
That's the exact opposite of Trump. So he's afraid, very afraid.
His only hope is that once again, he can work together with "progressives" to depict Biden as TOO moderate, as he did with Hillary, but many Independents and truly moral Republicans won't care about that, quite on the contrary (after all, he IS white and female, AND has their age).
Obviously, everything indicates that most Democratic candidates today are highly moral people. But Biden is better known than any of them, AND has shown strong moral character for almost half a century now, something none of them can match.
And then we're not talking yet about the fact that he'll certainly pick a young, very integer VP candidate, which will fire up those "progressives" who tend to give in to cynicism and ageism.
So Trump is afraid, very afraid.
The only advantage Trump has here, compared to when other Democratic candidates would win the primaries, is that he had the time to know how the media treat Biden and as a consequence to develop tweets that play into that. And as that's his only strength, when it comes to influencing voters, it is an advantage. I'd ADORE to see a debate between Biden and Trump, however. THAT's when it will become utterly clear how despicable Trump is.
29
@Ana Luisa
I wouldn’t count on the debate performance. Trump looked like an idiot in his debates with Clinton (no puppet, no puppet), and yet that didn’t sway enough people in the mid-west states. Turnout has to be the democratic focus for the election.
50
No wonder Trump calls Biden "Sleepy Joe". His talk in Iowa sounded like he was asleep and thinking of the past. We need to move forward not live in the past.
4
Trump is hoping to face off against Joe Biden. What does that tell us? It tells us we should run someone else, someone who he is actually afraid off.
If the contest is about physical fitness Biden seems in far better shape than the paunchy President. Junk food and minimal real exercise are taking their toll on Trump. Based upon mental acuity and effective communication Biden is far better than Trump. Biden has the potential to restore dignity and intellect and civility to the Oval Office. And that would be a refreshing change.
10
The Mueler investigation examined the potential Kremlin meddling into the 2016 American elections.
It could have been accomplished by corrupting either of the presidential candidates.
One of them smashed all the personal smart phones and bleach-wiped out all the email accounts.
Do you know which candidate was thouroughly investigated for the potential collusion?
If Mr. Biden failed to understand it promptly as the ex-Vice-President, what chances are he might get it correctly as the next President?
3
This Presidential campaign is NOT a wrestling match; it is a competition to see which candidate is the best person to lead our country, which candidate has the best ideas to make life better and safer for us . . .
and, last but not least . . .
which candidate has the best VISION for America.
Media people: Please stop treating this like a wrestling match; it is anything but.
We need the media people to tell us about the ideas each candidate has for America.
I do not care how many insults one candidate has lobbed at another.
Please stop assuming that is the best way to cover this Presidential campaign.
It isn't.
484
@Lilburne
I couldn't agree more.
The president sets the agenda, including the media's agenda.
But why aren't we talking about the comprehensive immigration reform bills the Democratic candidates supported, as that's the news of the day right now, and how much better those are, when it comes to increasing southern border security, than Trump's inaction combined with immature tweets?
PLEASE NYT, don't repeat the same mistakes as in 2016 this time, focus on CONTENT, as that is what HAS to be debated publicly before a democracy can thrive ... !
43
@Ana Luisa
The motto of news has always been, "if it bleeds, it leads."
This is how it will be covered.
13
@S James
I'm sorry, but I do expect more of the NYT. Call me naive if you want.
19
Mark Burnett took this failing businessman and turned him into a folk hero in The Apprentice. People bought the lie hook, line and sinker. Now, as a result, we have almost half the American population who don't want to let go of the myth and U.S. Government and world leaders who are forced to deal with an illegitimate president who is a bully with the mind of a five-year-old. If we survive Trump, it will probably take decades to undo all the damage he has done and to gain back the respect and trust from our allies. Television is dangerous because too many people buy into its fiction and fall in love with its fake heroes.
25
@Wally Wolf: A producer on The Apprentice said it took something like 300 hours of video to get a 42 minute show. All scripted, of course. Anybody would look like a hero, bold and strong, if we lived in that kind of reality. And we know now that he can't even fire anybody in 'real' life. He's too much of a coward and he wants everybody to love him. Fat chance on that.
5
"Trading barbs"?? 45 is a bullying name caller, vile and unpresidential. Biden spoke the truth in a much more civil manner. Let's not start equating what is not equal.
26
I would love anyone to take Trump on. Mano a mano....give it right back to that guy. He deserves to fall back on his cushioned, gilded throne with legs splayed and flailing arms. If it is Biden, let it be. Take him on. But in the process, for every criticism that this person taking up space in the Oval Office deserves, it is crucial that his opponent delivers on workable policies which go to the heart of each community's and each state's needs. Like it or not, it is all about affordable and accessible health care, jobs, living wages..and throw in climate change, minority and women's rights while at it. The more Trump impugns those aspiring to run against him, the more this little bully in the school yard reveals his fear. He is running scared. He is vulnerable.
26
Biden is going after Trump mostly based upon policies; actions and failures of Trump and what Biden would do differently.
Trump is going after Biden mostly based upon person insults, "weak", "loser", "failing"; the same things he's said about others who criticized him or stood in his way.
It's not the same. One is a grownup, the other a child. One is about running the government, the other is about ruining the government. One wants people to understand the issues, the other wants people to cheer for him. It's not the same.
50
@Mark Miller - I haven't heard ANY policies of Biden's yet. He is under some illusion that Republicans will return to "normal" after Trump. I guess he missed the Nixon years when the same party allowed their leader to go off the rails.
So far, all I have heard Biden do is apologize, sorta, kind of, for his past votes and actions. He keeps talking in the past but doesn't seem to be looking forward.
5
@Mark Miller Well, yes, DT is a child, but in this case the adult in the room (or campaign) has to lay out the impostor and liar, etc. as well as act like an adult. Sometimes, even as an adult, one has to show the bully that he is going to get whomped upside the head as well as clobbered in the adult realm. That's politics; it may even be life its own self. And Biden isn't the only one who can do it among the 23. I wouldn't bet against Warren of Sanders giving it to him. In the larger scheme of things, we NEED someone to give DT what he deserves for all he has done.
2
Today is the first day of summer break at school so I didn’t have to go to work today and got to watch morning TV news at home and see Trump speaking live to reporters about Biden on MSNBC. He certainly didn’t sound like a delusional man who was scared and running for his life. He tended to use the word auspices too many times. Maybe time to start calling it the Trump auspices rather than administration. Other than that he sounds lucid and is aware of who and where he is. We’ll have to see about Joe.
2
@John Doe
Not what Trump staffers are saying. Trump repeats himself, looks vague and obviously does not remember what he says from one minute to the other. Plus the guy can’t spell and obviously has not regard for spell check. Wouldn’t get a job teaching third grade in a half way decent public school.
5
@old lady cook, I’m a public school special education teacher which is kind of like being a third grade teacher in a lot of ways and no way would you want me negotiating trade with China.
Biden is right and beating Trump is the only thing we should be worried about. There is absolutely no excuse for dems to be anything but united. If the far left continues to cause internal squabbles we will be weakened. This is triage. We are dying under Trump.
16
Trump won because he had the biggest brand name. Us dems are flocking to Biden because he is in Trumps league as a brand.
@Jeff M
Sure, bud. Because "Clinton" was not a well-known brand?
5
Watched the last bit of Biden on the stump. Content of his message is spot on, but his delivery is sooo boring. He must change.....can he?
3
@BBBear - "He must Change..."
One can only Hope.
In Ottumwa Iowa just now, Biden said that it was more important to be at his daughter's birthday party than to join the other 20+ Democratic nominees at that huge weekend event in Iowa.
If Biden thinks he can prioritize his "family time" ahead of campaigning for president full time, he's kidding himself and might as well go home now.
Biden is using this event to call Trump out for calling people names & says Trump threatens our core values.
If Biden can't start talking about what specific policies he wants to pursue for the American people instead of talking about what a jerk Trump is, he's not the right Democrat.
This administration isn't just about the appearance of "our values." We need to hear from Biden the same thing we're learning about every other Democrat running. What about health care, jobs, education and the other things that are making people stay up at night with worry.
Biden can't run as the "elder statesman." He needs to get down in the trenches with other Democrats running.
Don't run as though you're already the nominee, Joe.
You're in for a rude awakening.
5
Listening to Biden makes me feel hopfull. When I think of Trump and his constant hateful comments I don't have any hope. America is better than Donald Trump. If Biden is chosen to run against Trump, I will vote for Joe Biden.
5
In 2016, Trump was anathema to GOP leaders, donors and pundits. Democrats didn’t rush either to embrace the billionaire Turncoat. Indeed, he lost the ‘popular’ vote by a few millions but won in the ‘Electoral College’ --- thanks to the defection of Democrats (Sander’s Votes): Organized Labor in the Rust Belt and unorganized poor elsewhere!
Trump kept his promises, mostly! Immigrants on the Southern border is a trickle! His voters relish their enemies squirming --- the “Dreamers”, China, Stock Markets, the Elite! But Trump did break his promises of “Single Payer” Health Care! Jobs a galore, but the majority couldn't save $400.00 for a family emergency! That is why lot of his voters deserted him in 2018.
Joe Biden is a well-meaning, honest, loyal, smart and experienced leader! He might even convince voters that Trump is an ‘existential threat’ to civilization! Unlike Bernie Sanders & Co, he is a “moderate”! Just like Hillary!
1
@T. Ramakrishnan - So, if the voters rejected Hillary and Biden is just like her how does he fare against Trump who as you point out has kept most of his campaign promises to his base?
I wish we could get them both in a boxing ring.
2
@Benjo
No, more fun would be a woman, clever, who could make Trump cry.
3
I'm okay with both!
1
The reason we are in this trade war is that for decades, politicians did nothing to stop the inequities. Every once in a while we heard bluster about the problems but their words we nothing more then those of a paper tiger. In China's case they were also demanding we hand over trade secretes from companies entering their market. The have also stolen intellectual property, In the past no one has stood up to them. Trump sent negotiators to work out these problems and agreements were reached. But when the time came around to finalizing something, they reversed what they agreed to. Trump walked. Before him, we would have caved just to get something to brag about. Biden was there part of that past. Trump hasn't caved He believes now is time to take a stand. Of course China reads the paper and sees all the attempts to keep him of the ballot in 2020. They figure if he is not there and the Democrats are instead, all will go well for them and they are probable right. We have a new agreement with Mexico and Canada and close to agreement with Japan. But Joe doesn't really have history of taking a stand. Now that he is a candidate, just a few days after his campaign was saying he stood solid for his support of the Hyde amendment he rejects the Hyde amendment. It's all about votes.
2
@Ron so where are trump's clothes maufactured? Is the family business paying tarrifs?
2
@Ron We most definitely do NOT have a new agreement with Mexico. It's the same old agreement being characterized by Trump as "new". This is his MO: create a non-existent emergency, talk tough about what he's going to do unless "they" give in to his demands, pretend that the strongman tactics have won the day, declare a "win" to a problem that never existed, with a "solution" that also doesn't exist. Rinse, repeat.
5
@Karl V.
Well they are preparing to take up the no new agreement and decide if the will vote for it or not. It shouldn't take long since if it is a no agreement agreement. But it will be interesting to hear them debate the different sides on this no agreement, agreement
So Team Trump is letting word 'leak out' that they most fear Biden and we're supposed to take the bait that Biden is not Trump's choice for opponent. Hmmm....
6
@Reader J Trump is not afraid of Biden, he is afraid of Warren.
4
Biden and Trump are both existential threat to democracy and the Earth. The world needs a different approach. The younger generations and progressive will vote, and the rich will, take a backseat while we try to save humanity from their selfish, greedy paws.
9
@Susan I do hope you are correct that younger people and progressives will vote. Unfortunately, the evidence does not support your assertion. Young people are a notoriously lousy voting bloc, and in '16 was shocked to hear so called progressives proclaim 'Bernie or Bust' months after the dude was out of the race.
These two voting blocs that either refused to, or couldn't get out of bed to, vote for Clinton. Which landed us exactly where we are today.
6
@Susan...Wow that is some arrogance. Completely ignoring experience and thinking you have all the answers. This is how teenagers think. People like you will sink us.
5
@Susan...The younger generation and the progressives (Bernie supporters) are the reason Trump is in the White House and why we will have a conservative Supreme Court for the next 30 years. Thanks a lot. I will pay more attention to what they say when they prove that they know how to count.
5
Jesus, does Trump listen at all to what he is saying. Today, to press, he said "Nancy Pelosi said horrible things about me while I was with the Queen of England, while I was with the President of France, and you are not supposed to do that". What planet is he on? ----- With the graves of American D-Day soldiers behind him, President Donald Trump gave an exclusive interview to Fox News where he called special counsel Robert Mueller a "fool" and nicknamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "Nervous Nancy" and a "disaster. Looney Tunes. Biden is your loyal, stable Dad, Trump is crazy step-dad.
91
Why talk about electability? In most polls, most Dem challengers handily defeat Trump. The same folks telling us the center will hold laughed at the idea of Trump winning and sent Hillary in. Combined, left-of-Biden candidates have the majority. Biden can’t exit soon enough.
11
@JM
Well, they are not running combined. Besides, I take all these polls with a grain of salt. There are too many respondents who conceal their support for Trump.
5
@JM
" In most polls, most Dem challengers handily defeat Trump"
Umm, no, they don't.
3
I’m sure the Times is eager for the candidates to start trading blows as well, so they can start reving up their gossipy narrative coverage.
I just can’t wait to see what this cycle’s “emails” will be.
7
Beat them all!
“My granddaughter was graduating,” he said at a fund-raiser. “It was my daughter’s birthday. I would skip inauguration for that.” He is expected to reiterate a version of that message on Tuesday.”
Oh dear, just when I was about to change my mind once again about whether Mr. Biden was up to the task of beating Mr. Trump at the debates much less in 2020, here he goes and steals my heart with that line.
Sorry, but how CAN I NOT consider him a real contender? Family values is paramount in my mindset. I don’t ever recall Mr. Trump talking about families, much less his own. For now anyway, it seems clear to me that Mr. Biden’s priorities and head are on straight. He has not lost my vote nor my confidence. It may be shaky at times, but never lost.
I think if Mr. Biden continues to not fall for Mr. Trump's notorious cheap, mean and hurtful bait, he will prove himself to be a qualified candidate to not underestimate, like I have myself, recently.
Give him heck Joe!
24
@Marge Keller
Better yet would be for the president to think of the whole country as one family.
6
@NotKidding
Does that mean all layabouts get sweet gigs being directors of Urkainian gas companies? Or billion dollar infusions from the Chinese government to prop up their failing investment firms?
3
@NotKidding
Oh my gosh - such a perfect and wonderful sentiment.
You nailed it!!!!
2
If Trump loses the 2020 Election, and on his way to join his former attorney Michael Cohen in jail, will Biden pardon 45th?
Probably Trump will resign, in the event of losing election on November 4, 2020, Mike Pence will immediately sworn in as 46th and he will pardon 45th and Biden will be sworn in as 47th on January 20, 2021. I am sure that Trump's strategy.
2
Biden's strategy of campaigning separately from the rest of the candidates is actually a pretty good one. Why go to a rally with 20 other candidates, with only 5 minutes to speak, when you can go off by yourself and have all the attention.
But his strategy of "beating Trump" has to be more than Trump is a bad president. He needs to come out with solid policy proposals. At this point, Harris and Warren would wipe the floor with him in a real debate. Unfortunately, we don't have real debates in this country, with each candidate getting only a few minutes to speak and no real ground rules on what they can or can't say.
But I digress. Our presidential debates are a whole other rant I could go on.
3
@Patty O To me insted of a good strategy is a big sign of weakness if not pure fear.
If Biden is going to win back Trump voters he needs to talk very basic like Trump and not act like a job for life politician.
2
@Scrumper If the guy wins, he's pushing 80 by inauguration day. I think this may very well be a job for life.
2
Biden will seek middle ground as President and that will disappoint our more aggressive left wing. Under Biden's brand of leadership many of us may also be disappointed because we won't get everything we want from our country. However our job in 2020 isn't to re-write American democracy, it's to restore it
23
@ijarvis
The so called left wing supports policy that is typically over 60% of what the US populace supports. Many aspects such as ending briber politics are major aspect of their push polls over 90%. I want mine and your vote to matter not the donors.
I don’t really see many negative views by republicans though about Biden? Maybe he should run as a republicans as they love him.
I don’t know anyone who believes he will fight for liberals. If he is elected he will turn into the republican assistance. That’s the problem.
3
@Mathias
I get you. As I said, he's gonna disappoint and some of his core beliefs reflect Republican mores. But we're going to elect him and he'll answer to his base. I don't expect to agree with Biden on all things but I'd rather we have any D in the office and the access he or she will bring to our hopes and dreams for a better America. He clearly won't be sending the Justice department on wild goose chases or criticizing the FBI or sucking up to Putin or making side deals with Saudis for real estate after his term of office ends.
Like I said, first, let's restore Democracy,
2
@ijarvis
True but we have great candidates running that actually offer core policy the majority of Americans desire. The problem is the right wing news is amazingly good at sabotage regarding policy that is good for their voters.
Even so the presidency itself need to be part of the agenda. We must go for the senate. If we maintain house and grab the senate we can hold Trump accountable if democrats don’t kowtow to their donors in mass.
Either way I’ll vote for anyone not Trump. But in the primaries that should be the concern. We can do that after the nominee is chosen. If you add Bernie and Warren together their support trumps Biden’s numbers.
2
Biden seems ready and capable of attacking Trump. I would like to see an orchestrated effort by all Democratic candidates to day-by-day, one by one, make an outrageous comment about Trump to take over the “news” day. Play Trump’s game. I doubt Trump could handle such an attack
14
Biden and Trump???? Biden has a lot of baggage that he has carried with him from the 20th Century. It's all going to confront him in Iowa when he faces all of the Democratic fresh faces and Bernie. Biden would already have been POTUS decades before if he were a better candidate. Despite the fact that he was a good vice-president for Obama he is probably not the first choice of the majority of people like myself who are not "Democrats" but will support almost anybody but Trump. (P.S. I am over 75)
6
@RLW and yet trump entered the race with much more than a lot of baggage. On top of that, he added hate & discontent to his potion of evil. That didn’t seem to bother either the Russians or the people who voted him into office. Republicans had a goal of putting anyone who could sign a bill into office and succeeded. If Democrats could find the same singleness of heart, mind, and purpose then nothing could stop us from overcoming the garbage that has been allowed to accumulate over these last 2.5 yrs. Let’s use our primaries and convention to chose our best candidate and then VOTE BLUE, NO MATTER WHO!!
1
Biden: "The cashiers at Target see what’s going on — they know more about economics than Trump."
Once again, Biden shows his Foot in Mouth disease by implying that Target cashiers under every day normal circumstances are not very smart people.
2
As someone who worked as a cashier at Target when I was in college, I'm not offended.
2
@rudolf No, I think Biden is saying that everyday people understand the economy and how it affects them; a sometimes struggle NOT to live paycheck to paycheck.
Our job numbers reflect the numbers of workers in the service industry and these people are at ground zero.
They get it. Trump does not.
3
@rudolf
No, he's just saying that Mr. Trump doesn't know very much about economics. Not that the average Trump voter will get that, I guess.
2
"Trump and Biden Get Ready to Spar in Iowa". Oh good. Those other 22 candidates have just been picnicking in Iowa so far, and finally Joe is going show them how to go after Trump.
3
@ReallyAFrancophile - I can't wait. Two old men are spending millions of dollars to hurl insults at each other while a newspaper reports.
Lordy, how i hate the summer when all of my favorite shows are in hiatus and I have little to watch but some clever Russian hacks on YouTube.
I was just watching Trump, who doesn't hold press conferences, take shouted questions from reporters as he on the White House lawn. There are no daily press briefings from the press secretary - the Trump administration junked that.
This administration is a chaotic mess. It's just Trump's circus, a freakshow. There's no coherent foreign policy or domestic policy. No courtesies or niceties anymore between Trump & the American people. We're just his audience & his hostages. The corruption of Trump himself, his relatives & his cabinet - is jaw dropping.
Joe Biden is a poor candidate, an arrogant old man who no longer understands contemporary politics or what we want from a president. He's mired in the politics of the past & his recent jokes about touching women are disgusting. Biden recently told a 10 year old girl at a campaign event that she is "good looking." This is beyond creepy. Biden's the wrong candidate for these times & I don't believe he can beat Trump. Nor do I believe the Republicans will stop their obstruction & work with the next Democratic president. The Republicans obstructed Obama for 8 years & were prepared to obstruct and abuse "President Hillary Clinton" if she had been elected. It's bizarre that Biden doesn't understand those days of bipartisanship are over.
I support Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
But Trump is breaking democracy & endangering America with his criminal behavior.
If Biden becomes the nominee, I'll support him.
Trump has got to go.
63
@fast/furious
Why are we paying Huckabee Sanders?
5
@fast/furious
I fully understand your many trepidations, valid concerns and real important distinctions. I feel like a cat on a hot tin roof - jumping from one Dem candidate to the next - not 100% certain on any one candidate. But it's also too early in the race and I will continue to keep any open mind.
You are totally spot on about Mr. Trump when you stated, "There is coherent foreign policy or domestic policy. No courtesies or niceties anymore between Trump & the American people."
Thank you for reminding me of issues and instances that I have either forgotten or was not aware of. I truly appreciate and value your comments.
6
Memory isn’t a big deal, so why not?
Democrats:
No more old white rich men who are Washington insiders and career politicians, etc
We need diversity, LGTB representation, young fresh faces, a woman or a gay man
Also Democrats:
Joe Biden is my candidate! He’s all we stand for.
Don’t worry, the DNC is gifting him the super delegates on Super Tuesday.
All the others are there only for show.
@AutumnLeaf
"We need diversity, LGTB representation, young fresh faces, a woman or a gay man"
Why? LGTB people comprise about 4-5% of the population. A greater percentage of Americans watch Game of Thrones; why aren't you insisting that we elect as President a fan of that show? That would be more representative.
1
@AutumnLeaf Super delegates are not "gifted" to anyone, and definitely not on Super Tuesday. They are elected or appointed party officials whose job is to help break deadlocks at the convention on second- and third-round ballots. The delegates on Super Tuesday, and every other primary and caucus date, are earned based on the winning percentage of the top candidates at that caucus and primary.
1
I really hate it when far right wing Trump supporters pretend to be Democrats for propaganda purposes. It is so unsavory and hypocritical. I have a near-photographic memory. I remember your posts and know what you stand for.
3
Can we all agree to refrain from quoting the President's name calling. You can cover the topic and state "the Pesident called VP Biden names" without giving the name the intended subliminal power. Because his opponents won't drop to his level and call him names back, doesn't mean we have to continue to give the Pesident an edge by repeating the childish nicknames he gives to people with whom he disagrees.
11
ANYONE but Trump. I love Bernie and his ideas and will work hard for his nomination as I did last time around. If he wins the nomination I'll work my heart out to get him elected as he represents my values and has so diligently for a long time. However, whatever name appears opposite to Trump's come November will get my support and my vote. This national nightmare must end.
205
@Anne, agreed, but honestly, I’m not convinced that electing someone who’s essentially a status quo friend of corporations and banks will end the nightmare. In fact, I’m afraid it would drag it out. The gig economy is unforgiving, and our lack of a safety net makes things worse. Some people may blame the wrong groups for this problem, but they know there’s something wrong and they know that people like Biden and the Clintons won’t make it better.
Biden has this fantasy that he can usher back bipartisanship once Trump is gone. Where was he during the Obama years?
He knew what was going on — which makes me wonder if he believes he’ll do better than his boss did. He won’t. The solution isn’t to be affable with the bullies and wannabe tyrants. The solution is to show strength and to persuade others to vote against their toxicity. Biden isn’t the one for that job.
12
@Anne,
Exactly right. Too bad more Bernie Bros didn't do this in 2016, or our nation wouldn't be in the horrific situation it finds itself now.
12
@Valerie
Bernie will not show Trump that he is affable; he will show him his contempt.
Biden likes his tough scrapper image, but it isn't supported by his record. In that respect, he is like Trump - all hat and no cattle.
12
Joe Biden, go for it! Be passionate about the future of our democracy. We need a candidate with some ethics, not a street-fighter. Talk about what needs to happen in America, how different the country's path could be with you, how being able to talk to each other needs to be restored, how the heart of America, and our relationship with other countries needs to be healed by an honest human being. Do the right thing by making the DACA kids legal. Yes, I love many of the women running; these women will be the center of the party; however, there are many people in the red states who do not understand these women, and want to vote for "other than Trump" to restore our republic. We need to help the red states to become more successful and they will be less resentful of the states on the coasts that have most of the money and resources. The job calls for a diplomat, not a rebel.
222
Let me guess...you probably felt the same about Hillary. That she was more muffler-if-the-road electable than Sanders. And look how that turned out. I think you’re out of touch with what’s actually happening macro-politically. It’s the milquetoast, in the-pockets, been there/done that politicians that aren’t electable. That’s why we got Trump. Mediocrity will not pass muster in 2020.
17
@K.M
Biden can't talk about how different the country would be with him in office. He has no ideas. "I'm not Trump" is an assertion, not a policy position.
He tells people at rallies that he won't bore them with the details (as if that ever stopped him!). We aren't as dumb as he and the DNC seem to think.
9
@Brooklyn Dog Geek
So interesting to read the various opinions of commenters to mud-wrestle, don't be a street-fighter, etc. (I lean toward the former.)
What primaries are for, eh?
My mortifying fear, though -- I am a worry wart -- is that it's going to be decided by superdelegates at the convention. Ugly.
10
If Biden is going to cite Econ 101, he should get it right. Economic theory holds that tariffs are paid 50/50 by the producer and the consumer. Not that theory is reality, but no one (except Biden) holds that consumers pay the entire tariff.
1
@Pete Prokopowicz
Wrong.
economic theory does not hold that tariffs are paid 50/50 by the producer.
Where did you get that from?
Tariffs are the same economically as increases in freight costs and are an artificial economic inefficiency that reduce the American standard of living.
Mostly an unnecessary burden on the average American.
4
@Pete Prokopowicz Where do you get that face. The producer may suck up some, that depends on their profit margin. The intermediate retailer may suck up some. but eventually the bulk is paid by the consumer. Worse local producers often raise their prices to just under the tariff price so the consumer pays even more. Most of what the produce pays in via reduced demand.
In the end it is primary a consumer tax not a producer tax.
Listening to Trump I wonder are his tariffs a trade thing or does he want to hurt the Chinese economy. He seems to have no issue with our balance of trade deficit just shifting to other countries.
What is his real strategy with China trade or economic war?
@GUANNA
I believe his strategy is pick a target and attack it so his base rallies around him. That’s what bullies and dictators do. I don’t think it extends beyond that.
Now people like Mulvaney and McConnell likely have a strategy. I’m sure they have no problem letting Trump hang if and when the time seems appropriate for their agenda.
1
Did I miss the primary? I thought Bernie has not yet rolled over and played dead yet. Again.
3
@Doug Ferguson
It's all for show.
The DNC is going to give the super delegates to Biden.
All the others are there just to appease people.
1
@AutumnLeaf - Well, then it looks like 4 more years of Trump, then. The only difference between Hillary and Biden is that she doesn't smell chick's hair when she gets up close and personal. Other than that though, Biden and all of his policies are nothing more than Hillary. Same administration, same ideas, same giving Wall Street anything and everything they want.
Biden's task is to frame POSITIVE detailed proposals for America's future in the context of Trump's failures - as a person and his disastrous policies. Overall, stay positive and hard-hitting.
This is what all Democratic candidates need to do.
14
Somebody needs to tell Biden not to use words like "existential" and "aberration." He doesn't need to be talking to college graduates or showing off his vocabulary and higher education to high school graduates who already feel "dissed" by "the elites." Get a Thesaurus, Mr. Biden, or listen to the guys talking in the Iowa diners and bars. Maybe pick up some phrases from country music or action movies.
6
@abigail49
Actually, existential and aberration are the words on the script provided by Biden's campaign, not Biden's own words. This is one of my major problems with Biden (not to mention his illiberal voting record): when making a presentation, he simple reads from a prepared script.
Sort of like Trump, although he has a hard time sticking to one -- time will tell about Biden.
4
@abigail49
But Joe likes to make people think he has a high IQ, and that he graduated in the top half of his law school class, and that he was the only student in his law school class on a full academic scholarship!
Maybe Joe can dust off that Neil Kinnock speech that he cribbed a few elections ago but replace the coal miner stuff with claims of how his ancestors were sons of the soil, like the farmers in Iowa.
2
@abigail49
Aberration is high school word. Even Existential is used so often lately that it is common.
Would you Biden use Bigly.
Respectfully, Mr Biden, we all know how unfit Donald Trump is for the office he holds. Even my X-er children, who politely change the subject or leave the room when I talk about politics, know how unfit he is, and will surely vote against anyone running against him.
The rest of your campaign seems to be about apologizing for, or reversing positions you previously held. While I'm glad that you are seeking more liberal credentials, I am not comforted by how many times you have to change your mind.
Perhaps you can defeat Donald Trump – seemingly the main goal of your campaign – then what? Amidst the pain, we all had a good chuckle in 2016 seeing Trump as the dog that caught the car. What car is Joe Biden chasing.
Maybe we can find a candidate whose consistency of ideas and credibility is a little more reassuring.
3
Biden's goal is to beat Trump but he doesn't have any good policies. His time has come and gone, step aside and let more progressive Democrats take the lead.
37
@Jacquie
Right now, beating Trump is policy enough for me.
17
@Jacquie
Whoever offers the best chance ridding the world of Trumpism takes precedence over progressive politics for the next 4 years. Also many progressive political reforms are part of the part platform. Give the Democrats the House and the Senate along with the Presidency and Trumpism is dead and buried. Another historical GOP failure like Trickle down. I expect the Democrats to repeal and replace the Bush and Ryan tax cuts with something more fair to America's workers.
3
@mja Biden won't be able to do it and we will have Trump again!
5
Not saying he will be my choice of the Democrats, but this may be a time, similar to the post Nixon era, when a majority of voters want domestic peace and honesty above all else. So tired of dishonesty and divisiveness! Might be Biden's moment to shine.
24
@JB
Yeah, and maybe pigs really will fly.
Biden: Voted for the Iraqi War, the Patriot Act, NAFTA. Voted for Clinton's amoral, Republican Lite Welfare "Reform." Wrote and voted for the 90's crime bill that led to mass incarceration for millions of African Americans. Fully supported the war on drugs. As senator from MasterCard he wrote and promoted laws making it harder to declare bankruptcy from predatory credit card debt and student loan debt. Has deep ties to Wall Street, Big Pharma, credit card and insurance companies, and accepts donations from same. Helped silence and shame Anita Hill; never called other witnesses to Clarence Thomas's sexist behavior. (That's why that reactionary GOP stooge will be on the court for another ten years, at least.) He is reportedly a little too hands on with the opposite sex, but we can count on Kristen Gillibrand, slayer of that monster Al Franken, to deal with that. He's an nice amiable guy but he is NOT progressive by any means. The last time we nominated someone with this much baggage was Hillary Clinton. And I know she won the popular vote by three million, but nonetheless found a new and innovative way of losing the election. Joe is also prone to stupid gaffes and has done abysmally every time he's run for president.
Finally - and scariest of all - if he thinks his election is going to usher in a new era of bipartisanship he sorely deluded, or must have in a coma the eight years he served as Obama's vice-president. Republican neo fascists need to be OPPOSED - not coddled.
81
@Ignatz Farquad
Thank you!
Some one had to say that.
11
@Ignatz Farquad
Your comment is a gem, thank you. Times, surely a Pick.
The jab about Gillibrand is priceless. And it's why she'll have to be content with a cabinet position, at best.
8
The neo-fascists such as you are about to be removed from the conversation. Democracy will prevail.
Do we get to vote in a primary before one is coronated? Asking for a friend.
12
We need a vigorous, unambiguous, well-infomed and progressive Democratic candidate. Biden is none of the above.
Liz Warren is all of them.
Yes, Biden's name is recognized. As a consistent loser.
33
@archer717
The midwest states we need to get to 270 will not vote for her.
2
@dba
Swing Texas.
1
Let's start here: Trump voters don't know what the word "existential" means.
16
I seriously doubt that Trump knows the meaning either.
3
@Rover
Yes, but neither do I, and rest assured I will never vote for Trump.
1
to date Biden's campaign is emulating Hillary's 2016 campaign and Biden is emulating Hillary.
it is time for the DNC to see through the polling numbers—polling techniques are as outdated as Biden—before we get to a month out from election day and Biden and Trump are dead even in every poll.
5
Trump's policies are so loathsome and destructive it seems any campaign against him will win by emphasizing the opposite.
But the campaigns need to stay focused on policies.
Anyone who isn't living under a rock already knows that Trump is a despicable person and a terrible representative on the world stage.
5
Is trump an 'existential threat' or is he a 'threatening existing stench'?
2
@Technic Ally
Both.
3
Another 4 years and Washington DC and the American public is still paying insane amounts of money for basic healthcare and it continues to rise to the glee of the medical industrial complex.
GOP continues to be the reason that NOTHING is being done and NO plans are on the table. However I will never forget what Teddy Kennedy did to Jimmy Carter's heath plan. Not nice Teddy.
But hey Joe and Donny are going to trade insults at 2 year old level today instead of making change happen.
3
Trump is, indeed, an existential threat to America. But, Joe, you are not going to be able to avoid a mud wrestling match. You’ve got to take off your gloves and fight him because he is a streetfighter. We must get rid of Trump. You are almost certainly the best man to beat him. Keep it up.
73
Warren is armed with FACTS and PLANS. Harris is a former prosecutor and knows the tactics of persuasion and NAILING points. Mayor Pete is a young, calm, broad thinker and can articulate visions and goals. Any of these three is a far better choice than Biden.
95
@Dock Yard
And don't forget Bernie, whose overarching vision generates the enthusiasm it's going to take to beat Trump.
Oh yeah, and he's the only Democratic candidate (so far as I can tell) who's outright called Trump a Pathological Liar and backed it on the spot with evidence. Now that's some good mud wrestling!
3
@LAM
Biden staying "above the fray" from the other Democrats running and acting like it's already the general election and he's busy taking on Trump is a terrible strategy.
It makes Biden look arrogant and clueless.
Hillary's campaign did this too, refusing to even acknowledge Bernie was a threat until he won a string of primaries. Hillary lost partly because she grew angry with Bernie (as did her surrogates) & she refused to make peace with Bernie & woo his supporters during the general election. Losing those voters contributed to her loss.
If Biden doesn't get it that he's going to have to run to represent the whole Democratic party and not just the ones he thinks are his 'working class' supporters & "Obama/Biden" people, Biden is not going to have enough popular support on election day to beat Trump.
Quit hiding & get out on the trail with everybody else, Joe. Or you're going to lose. That lead you think you're sitting on and protecting doesn't exist.
2
In 2018 the Democrats took back the House of Representatives with campaign issues important to their constituents. Healthcare, Jobs, Wages, and the like. Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, and others are following a similar path.
If Joe Biden starts a back and forth name calling with Trump, it will not only look bad, it plays into Trumps hand.
Speak to the issues most important to the country Joe Biden, that's what we want to hear. We already know Trump is an existential threat, and have for well over 2 years.
89
@cherrylog754 You are conflating state and local elections with a national presidential election, That be workable as a theory were the US a multiparty system with multiple national elections dependent on coalitions of parties. But it isn't. A national election is a different game entirely. The 2018 was a great and important moment for the House and the successful strategies employed then were locally based.
1
So Biden is campaigning on the same approach that Clinton used, which is to attack Trump as unfit, therefore, pick me.
Biden, Clinton, and the DNC strategists completely fail to understand why those swing voters switched from Obama to Trump to begin with. I didn’t, but know people who did. They wanted change. They were angry with the status quo.
Sure, there was an element of misogyny and racism in there, but focus on the swing votes. They wanted change and were sick of entitled candidates. Trump played to that and he continues to play to it. Yes, I know he’s making things worse. But we have to try to see past our anger and understand that status quo candidates who attack the guy saying “change” aren’t appealing to people who voted for Obama (“change you can believe in”) and then Trump.
There are lots candidates who are campaigning on policy and change instead of “I’m not Trump.” Why is a man who lost more than once getting so much attention?
328
@Valerie
"Sure, there was an element of misogyny and racism in there..."
that "element of misogyny and racism" has become the only element from Trump's 2016 campaign that survived and thrived through his first two and half years in office.
the element that drove 'swing voters' was Hillary's baggage [not to mention her inept "We Can Lose This One Too, Yes We Can!!" campaign and the DNC's heavy handed handling of Bernie Sanders' winning campaign and platform.
32
@Valerie
Biden's getting attention because of the polls.
Biden and everybody else need to remember that right up until October 2016, polls showed Hillary beating Trump by a wide margin.
If Joe Biden thinks believing the polling is the way to go, he's a fool.
40
@teoc2 and Valerie
Combining your 2 comments -- both of which have considerable truth -- gives a pretty good picture of what happened.
9
Biden/Harris. They complement each other perfectly.
51
@John Terrell
I'd prefer to see a Biden/Warren ticket, but I think our rationales are similar. Biden is the one that can pull in the center and center-right voters, something a 'progressive' candidate can't do in this political environment - right wing media is relentless in portraying Democrats as radical socialists. Enough so that independents might be skittish about casting a ballot for a progressive/left candidate. These are precisely the voters that gave 45 his sliver-thin victory. Biden represents stability and experience that can attract those voters and either Harris or Warren can carry the banner of the progressive policies Democrats bring that can actually make life better for the middle and working classes.
And, as wrong as it is, and as much as most of us wish it to be different, there's still a portion of the American electorate that will choose (perhaps not consciously in many cases) a white male candidate over a woman/person of colour/gay nominee for president. The United States remains significantly more conservative, religious, and racially divided than Canada and the western European countries. Wishing it otherwise doesn't negate the reality of the here and now.
The point of this endeavor is to defeat Trump and every vote counts. Democrats will have to use every tool in their kit to engage voters beyond their base. They need to attract voters who cast their ballots for Trump but are not part of his hardcore base. Biden, imho, can do that.
10
@Kent Moroz
"The point of this endeavor is to defeat Trump"
And that's exactly why it will fail, because it is nothing more than a vanity exercise.
Nadler held hearings just now on renewing the healthcare bill for 9/11 first responders. Practically no one was there, not even Nadler who waved them away as soon as it was polite to do so in front of cameras rolling.
Yesterday, that same room was packed to the brim, with committee members active and arguing over points they wanted to make. Everyone was there to listen with bated breath to the moralizing ramblings of John Dean and a couple of professor nobodies ramble on about Trump's attacks on democracy.
Today, do you know who was there? Nobody. Nadler was his usual self practically falling asleep. There wasn't even an article in the NYT written about it.
But John Stewart was there. No democratic presidential candidate running was there. Not a single one.
Not Joe Biden and not even Hillary Clinton - though she sure loved to bring up how much she built up NYC after 9/111 and how much she cared about them.
7
@Viv No Viv, it isn't a "vanity exercise." It's about trying to rescue this republic from a set of policies and actions that will destroy it. Trump is the antithesis of those who founded and fought for this nation; I doubt he has ever read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, nor does he care. He likes to compare himself to Andrew Jackson, but he is light-years awqay from Jackson, even when one takes note of Jackson's bigoted Indian policies and disastrous economic policies.
"Professor nobodies?" From whom do you get your knowledge of history; maybe, like DT you don't care. If you don't think Trump is not attacking democracy (with the help fo his GOP enablers), you aren't paying attention, or don't care about that, or don't understand the roots of American democracy and justice.
4
Biden will divide the country 10x more than Trump has and is a way larger existential threat than Biden could ever be.
At least Trump realizes that US governance since the end of the cold war has been directionless and subpar. Biden thinks Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama is something to be emulated. That is an existential threat.
2
Biden saying that Trump is an “aberration” is very worrying. Trump IS the Republican party; the guardrails were thrown off before he was elected.
Whether it is exiting TPP, the Iran Nuclear agreement or tearing up the Paris climate Agreement or putting wholly incompetent people at the head of every part of what Steve Bannon calls the goal of dismantling “The Administrative State,” the damage being done may be irreparable.
And for all of the Democrat’s bluster, Trump is still winning the media Facebook game. What is being done to protect voting since Florida found Russian hacking recently? Nothing. Interference in the elections IS the winning hand, isn’t it?
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Biden's campaign says it released the transcript of his speech early to "frame the political day," and to counter Trump's tweets. I'm sure that's partially true.
That said, I was struck earlier how inept Biden appeared when reversing his position on the Hyde Amendment, literally reading from a script clearly written for him. I can't help but wonder if his campaign is releasing a transcript of his speech to give the press (and its readers) the substance of what Biden wants to say without having to actually listen to or report on him and his presentation.
The debates are coming up in a couple of weeks. His campaign can't keep him under wraps or highly scripted forever.
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@avrds Exactly. Biden has flubbed so many times in debates when he ran when he was younger. He can't be getting better. I say this as someone almost his age who knows how our minds age.
10
Biden is starting to remind me of Carly Fiorina in the previous election cycle. She kept attacking Hillary Clinton and seemed to have forgotten that her concern was not Clinton---it was winning the nomination. Which she obviously failed to do. As will Biden.
Biden cannot hide behind Trump. It is time for him to explain what his policy positions are. Trump is bad is not going to get it done. Ask Hillary Clinton.
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@Concernicus
"Trump is bad is not going to get it done. Ask Hillary Clinton."
That's not fair. The problem with Hillary wasn't the message; it was the messenger.
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@Concernicus
There’s a difference. Hilary was not liked or likeable by many, and Trump was not President. Now as president it’s easier to attack him, not for his vulgarity and supercilious remarks, but for his bad decisions and why they have put the country in jeopardy. Carefully selected attacks and sound bites will work to anger the child and cause him to go off the rails even more.
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@Concernicus I agree that Biden and all Democrats should espouse their own policies. But, on the other hand, I don't think Biden, or any of the Dem candidates should let trump get away with his lies, fantasies and misrepresentations. For instance, I heard him speak to Iowans this afternoon saying that no other president has been better to farmers than he has. He boasted that he gave farmers $16 billion to help them get through the China tariffs. I wish I would hear Joe Biden tell the same Iowans that trump is giving farmers $16 billion in aid to help them through the crisis that he himself created. Moreover, where did the $16 billion come from? The US government doesn't earn money by selling Girl Scout cookies. The $16 billion came from American taxpayers. In other words American taxpayers are footing the bill for trump's China tariffs. I would really, really, like to hear Biden counter-attack trump's nonsense with indisputable facts. This was basically Bill Clinton's and Barack Obama's game plan - don't allow any insult or misleading statement to go unanswered.
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Is it just me or is Biden running in a different election than the Democratic candidates than are involved in primary campaigns right now?
7
“If you want to know what the first, most important plank in my climate proposal is, beat Trump,”
There’s one big problem with seeking to support a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump, regardless of their policies, and Joe Biden’s “climate proposal” offers us just one small glimpse.
To elect an opponent to Trump, whose policies are of secondary concern to whether or not they might win, suggests that the Democratic Party cares less about their purported values than the Republican Party does their own.
Welcome to the slippery slope.
2
Pointing out that Trump is an existential threat did not work for anyone running against Trump in 2016, so why on earth would Biden believe that's a winning strategy now? What are you going to do for America, Joe?
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Ripping into Trump as hard as possible, with the gloves off, is the only way to go. Pelosi and Schumer have a very different problem and may need to use a very different strategy, though that is a subject of debate. But Biden needs to go out there and rip Trump to shreds every day in every way - to put the lying, the criminality, the corruption and the danger front and center, sound bite after sound bite. Trump is not invincible nor perfectly impermeable. Pounding and pounding and pounding on him - not from the press, but from a former Vice President who is not afraid of him - could make some inroads and shake him up and maybe, most importantly, wake up some people who are sleeping or in denial.
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@XXX Agree, but it has to be done right. I think he should speak to the overall character of Trump and ask American parents, "Is this the president you want your son or daughter to dream of becoming? Can you hold Donald Trump up to your grandchildren as a model?" Also speak about his business ethics. "If you're a carpenter or a plumber, would you sign a contract to do work for him? If you have some money to invest,would you loan it to him?"
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@abigail49 Sure, that approach sounds good. Most of these people who vote for Trump, in their own life and in their own world, wouldn't trust him to wash their car. Tying his behavior to how people behave when they actually have to care about what happens is one good way to go. But just so long as Biden hammers him relentlessly.
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@XXX
Agree. But pound with facts about his failures, poor judgment, bad decisions, not by calling him juvenile names. Let Trump do that and look silly to all but his Mob.
8
I can agree that Trump is a threat to the ecology of both this country and the world for future generations.
His more immediate threat is to the economy with his tariff wars and his fear of migrants, these items will ruin this country in short order.
5
The DNC is also an existential threat to democracy, as they have their fingers on the scale for Biden.
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@Jackson Chameleon
Yeah, they really learned their lesson from 2016. I think it was "Do the same thing, only harder and earlier."
I won't give them one dime! The difference between the DNC and the GOP is one of degrees, not type.
4
I will wager that 99.9% of Biden's audience will have not the slightest clue as to what an "existential threat" is, or means.
If he continues to use polysyllabic and modestly arcane words like that he can kiss the electorate and election goodbye!
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@Bob I'll take your wager. Corn won't grow in flooded fields, and there's no point in planting beans that no one will buy. So we here in Iowa have plenty of time to look up the "funny" words.
Iowa ranks 10th in the nation in SAT scores - about 25 spots above your state, and even above the heady state of New York. Iowa is home to the first UNESCO City of Literature in the Western Hemisphere. Does your state have one?
6
As much as I hate to admit this the one Democrat running for the 2020 nomination that I am assured can beat Trump is Biden.
So it comes down to do we want the Perfect or the Best candidate to run.
For me Joe Biden is not the most perfect, but he is the Best. At all costs Trump must not win in 2020.
Since I am the first to comment on this article, I challenge anyone to convince me that any of the other candidates can do a better job than Biden at beating Trump and why.
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@Brit
He's running Hillary's campaign, i.e. mix of Obama with Bill Clinton for nostalgia's sake.
How did that work out the last time? How many seats did the Dems lose in the last 10 years with that strategy?
You want to campaign for moderates that have gone the way of the middle class, in other words, a shrinking group of people? Go ahead then. Blaming Russia's off the table for next loss, btw. Who'll be next scape goat? Venezuela?
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@Viv But then there is his polling numbers . It appears that he is popular . Perfect 'No' but likeable and he makes people feel safe. Maybe that is what people feel they need now.
I know I want to wake up feeling good about my country again, not having to worry about getting killed attending services at my Synagogue , wanting to pick up my phone without having to see the latest crazed message from Trump .
In essence I want my life back to how it was before January 2017 and if it takes Joe Biden getting elected President for that to happen ' I am fine with that'.
BTW there is documented evidence that Russia interfered in our election in 2016. the Brexit vote, the French national elections in 2017, our 2018 mid terms, need I go on. This is not made up and contributed to Trumps wining the Electoral College
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@Brit Biden feels "comfortable" to people, but I don't think he'll end up with the nomination. Based on what I've heard and read of platforms on the campaign trail, I think Warren will inspire Democrats to vote.
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Donnie Disaster. His luck will eventually run out. OURS already did, with his " election ".
Seriously.
23
Profound and intellectual. Duh.
2
Yet, here we are existing!
2
@David Godinez perhaps our goal in life should be a tad higher than to exist.
You know lets raise the bar a little.
9
Is this news?
Is there anyone who pays attention
to our environment, our laws,
our climate or our international relations
who doesn't know that Trump is an existential threat
to our constitution, our moral standing,
and our very future as a species?
459
Yes, my neighbor across the street one of the kindest caring people I know. Go figure.
They’re not all deplorable just too many.
10
@C. Whiting, Is there anyone who pays attention... that would be a democrat
9
@C. Whiting I watched Biden speak today and honestly felt he has to get a little more of the Billy Graham spirit.
I doubt if he moved any of Trump's Motley Mob one bit.
I wish Biden luck and will vote for him or anyone else standing against our deranged President.
5
Good for Biden!
We need someone to show that Trump's irresponsibility and ignorance are driving this country off a cliff.
We need someone who will pull no punches.
And we need someone whose own priorities and values align with ours.
Go, Joe!
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@NM Yes we need that, but Biden is not the answer. How can we trust someone that has openly lied about marching during the Civil Rights marches?
2
@Jackson Chameleon I am not sure that NM is choosing Joe over the other candidates but advocating for coming at trump straight on.
@NM And bang the drum on corruption every day. Why aren't they out there enumerating he and his admin's massive corruption? Don't think no one will care.
Biden and Obama were too chummy with McConnell to point out Russian interference in our election. Biden is not a bold leader.
3
@Keith Dow
Oh yeah? Then pick one: Trump or Biden?
Yeah, I thought you'd change your tune. LOL
4
@Butterfly Are we not allowed to pick one of the other 24 candidates?
4
@Keith Dow
Chummy? McConnell made it clear that he’d block bipartisan denunciation of Russia before the 2016 election, and that he’d publicly call any effort by the White House to challenge Russia on election interference as being motivated by partisan politics.
5
Why not just create a Joe Biden doll that mouths whatever words the audience wants to hear? That's what he does anyway.
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@Michael Livingston
Ummm you can turn that comment around and point it at Trump.....
8
does Joe Biden even know that the supporters he is going after do not know what the word existential means?
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@jim
I agree. Existential has become the by-word of politicians. Biden might have better said "Trump is a threat to the existence of democracy." He needs to fine- tune his speeches.
7
Joe, try not to confuse Trump with the big words.
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@Linda
Don't worry; Joe doesn't know any big words.
4
@GMooG
I assume Linda was referring to this:
Biden called Trump an "aberration"
1