I’m quite disappointed to see that the NYT has chosen to feature not one, but many comments on Biden’s supposed “cognitive decline.”
I’ve seen Biden in person. He’s quite sharp. John Kerry spoke before him, and stumbled over a few words here and there, because he is a normal human being. Heaven forfend Joe get a word wrong — there would have been three think pieces on it in this very paper the next day.
“Cognitive decline” is not provable or disprovable. Does nobody remember that Hillary was dying in 2016? It’s very irresponsible to feature these casual smears. Please do better.
9
UH OH JOE! Blippity Bleep Bleep! Bleep Bleep! I guess Uncle Joe is making a return. One thing is certain: Joe never was politically correct 100%. Almost nobody is. He harkens back to his stumping during campaigns of his youth, when it was truly a different world. Pols did not think about political correctness. Salty language was, well, sort of expected. Time was when in some places, if your speech wasn't "earthy enough," you weren't "real or down to earth." Actually, given the use of semi-automatic weapons in the largest slaughter in US history in Las Vegas, I'd have a hard time being civil to someone who argues for more access to guns. What Biden has that nobody else in the running has got, is very solid political and policy experience, both of which are desperately needed during the onset of a global pandemic. Along with the salt, Joe gives out his private cell number to people who are grieving for painful loss. Because he knows about it, having lost his first wife and a son years ago, to having lost another son to brain cancer in 2015. He has a solid command of legislating and governing. Joe was at Obama's side when he made many essential decisions, giving his expert advice. That contribution to the US outweighs a the Uncle Joe schtick in my book. All right, so he say some not-so-nice things. But he has also contribute a significant number of remarkable achievements, for which Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Joe knows his stuff!
5
Yes, it’s all over now. Bernie’s given up, rigid old “my way or the highway” just has a few positive points to make, then we can shut this puppy down. Joe Biden’s the true social democrat now. The DNC and The NYT editorialist have just won the election. With Biden you’ll get your way and nothing will change. If it’s Trump, just remember: Bernie’s a Commie! Bernie’s a Commie! Bernie’s a Commie! BE SCARED! Abundance will continue to bless YOUR lives.
The rest of us, oh we know that we can’t possibly live lives of health and dignity, because we aren’t a small, ethnically homogeneous nation with communitarian social traditions. It’ only logical. It’s just impossible! We’re so radically different from Western Europe, Australia and especially Canada. It’s another world up there! So scary! So weird! And it would be soooo expensive. How do those other nations do it? It can only be because Norway has all that oil.
As for me, I’m just so proud to live in a free country where people can work 2 McJobs, or live and die in the streets. Gives me goosebumps!
5
How does streaming video of Biden hurling profanity and threatening a voter to fisticuffs in an alley vibe with this so-called "campaign of dignity"?
The DNC is about to ordain an arrogant, short tempered, short sighted, life-long entitled white dude who's only hook is that he rubbed elbows with Obama.
No way this works out for the best.
8
Cash me outside guy is running for prez!
Kudos to Gail Collins! From my perspective, as someone who is burdened by student loans, medical bills, job loss due to coronavirus (!) and who is clearly a thinking, living, breathing Leftist who supports Bernie, it seems that Collins is the only NYT writer covering the campaign without rhetoric biased against Sanders! Collins consistently offers good, honest political reporting - thank you!
I would like to add that David Brooks, Thomas Friedman and many other NYT Op-Ed contributors appear to me as intellectually deficient fascists desperately attempting to claw back to an old way of life, and especially Brooks and Friedman should no longer be given a platform that I support financially.
Hail Gail Collins! More Gail!
3
Love it!
1
How long until Biden quips that he has the best shot at beating Reagan?
4
Okay, once and for all let's get this straight. We are not coming for your guns but we opposed to gun owners using weapons of war to slaughter elementary children, or to murder Jews worshiping in a synagogue, or to open fire with an AR-15 in a crowded bar, or to use a high capacity magazine to wantonly kill dozens in a crowded plaza. Are you opposed to that?
5
Way to go NYT/Gail Collins...here:
"shill": "an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others"
It's too bad that Mike--stop-and-frisk--Bloomberg stepped out already, he brought out the white-privilege in all of the nominal "liberals" and "democrats" out there, and it was funny watching all of the privileged, “woke,” gentrifying hypocrites tussle with themselves publicly over him.
Now Biden is filling the vacuum and doing the same--my god, Kamala Harris has even forsaken your boy Bernie. How pitiful is it when a political party has been reduced to a position where its strongest selling point is that it is simply not its competition?
Of course, Trump is even worse...
...but what a debased circus of privilege and cowardice the democratic party is at this point in the process. Bernie was/is the closest thing to sincerity and integrity amongst them, and we see where that's taking him.
"The unpreparedness of the educated classes, the lack of practical links between them and the mass of the people, their laziness, and, let it be said, their cowardice at the decisive moment of the struggle will give rise to tragic mishaps."
2
Gail your points are well take about some of Biden's optics on the trail. However, for the love of God, we're begging you and Dowd et. al. to please no spend the rest of this campaign season in False Equivalenceville. In no small part the media contributed to Hillary's demise with its relentless reporting on the emails, the fainting, the deplorables comment (which was routinely taken out of context) and "likeability." We're not in the mood this year. We have a criminal organization in the WH which has made this pandemic worse and that more than overshadows Biden's penchant for gaffes.
Maybe you could have lead with this:
"I’m only recalling this since it gives me a chance to point out that after I wrote, rather disapprovingly, about that particular address, Biden called to thank me “for showing me what a jerk I was.”
Try to imagine Donald Trump doing something like that."
4
Is Biden trying to be "tough" like Trump with all the name calling and in-your face stuff? Really, he comes off as a doddering old man cussing at the kids on his lawn.
So we get to choose between Biden and his old man stuff, or Trump - obviously a compulsive liar, con-man, misogynist, insecure bully and no clue what to do about much of anything.
Wow.
2
My guess is that quite a few people liked Biden standing up to the Detroit gun supporter.
3
There is something so reassuringly self-assured, not to mention likable, about a guy who'd thank someone -- particularly a woman -- for "showing me what a jerk I was."
This is why we let Joe get away with stuff that other Dem politicians might never get away with. Like those cozy, back-room relationships with the financial industry and credit card companies.
Here's hoping that Joe will thank Bernie for showing him what a jerk he was, and roll back some of those truly rapacious loopholes he gave to heinous leaders and creditors.
Bernie, we're counting on you to keep Honest Joe honest. Your platform is the wave of the future. It's coming, one way or another. But you can bring it home sooner with Biden. And that's a good thing for all of us.
2
"Biden called to thank me 'for showing me what a jerk I was.'
Try to imagine Donald Trump doing something like that." Indeed. Some pundits and Fox "News" constantly carry on and exaggerate Biden's stuttering. I would much rather have a president who thinks about what he says and stutters rather to have one who talks out of both sides of his mouth.
3
You can wave a sow's ear around all you like, but you can't make it into a silk purse. Now a sow's ear might be better than the pig's foot we are likely to get, but that seems less than obvious to most people.
It sure was a big week for Joe. But this was DESPITE him, not because of him.
5
Always look forward to your work Gail. But Joe did exactly right by calling that guy out. You gotta know when to throw a punch. We get rolled all the time locked into that they go low we go high. Sure there is a time to take the high road. But usually the smart thing to do is counter punch.
1
The canard of Biden as a "gaffe machine" has been forever mooted by Trump's constant lying, the total now exceeding 17,000 over his term.
5
Biden's verbal stumbles are along the lines of "I forgot why I came into the kitchen" followed by "oops, sorry." As opposed to Trump's many horrible statements which are lies more often than not, mostly mean, generally ignorant, and for which no apology is ever forthcoming. Besides, the GOP has now established a rule that stupid statements are by no means disqualifying.
5
Thank you, Ms. Collins.
It is long past high time someone seized the bull by the horns re Biden's pathetic, impossible-to-ignore mental deterioration.
Kudos for making indulgent, inconsequential amusement of it.
2
This is a strange assessment of Biden...the more I see of him the less I like about him. I don’t like his boasting, demeanor, nor temperament. He lacks charisma, mental acuity, and vigor. The glowing false teeth are just plain ghoulish...not to even mention the inappropriate touching of girls.
4
Biden will defeat Trump, whose only goal is to help Russia.
1
On one occasions Biden said he was going to take away assault weapons AR-14's he called them and on on other said he was going to put Beto in charge of gun control.
They all lie, don't they?
1
I am 76 and haven't lost it at all. Nor has Joe Biden. I think it is agist to keep harping on Biden's age and his gaffs. I'm thoroughly sick of hearing about his supposed decline.
4
If I may offer Joe Biden a suggestion for how to handle the fools, jerks, Fox News plants, and others attempting to provoke:
Just smile, shake your head, and say what we Southerners say in these situations: "Well, bless your heart!"
2
I guess Joementum is the imaginary candidate we would like Biden to be. Too bad he doesn't actually exist outside of our imagination.
2
This summer’s presidential debate should prove exciting. On one side you have a man with obvious mental deficiencies, who has trouble stringing coherent words and sentences together, and you never know what’ll come out of his mouth next.
On the other side you have Joe Biden
5
At least when Biden misspeaks he admits it. Unlike Trump who doubles down on whatever nonsense happens to spew from his mouth.
2
Time to go all in with Joe, no question. Now on to the selection of a running mate. You want to put a fork in Trump? Get Kamala on board tomorrow.
2
Ah, Gail, you never cease to make me laugh, and this is why we love you.
1
within the first 50 seconds, he managed to call Donald Trump a “pathological liar” as well as “racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe and a religious bigot.”
The best one minute of television in years.
5
Kudos to “kudos.”
1
Yup, at least you have to concede Biden is genuine. His team, unlike one that will here remain nameless, has not even resorted to sartorial stunts like a baseball cap, open collar shirt, and windbreaker to show he is right on the ground with this killer virus to direct mitigation efforts as mitigator-and-motivator-in-chief.
2
Gail:
Enough is enough. Your continued waxing on about Biden’s gaffes (along with some other “responsible” journalists, only serves to undermine how critical and scary thins are right now. The world is on fire, many lives are being lost, and people all over the world are downright terrified. Your barbs may sound cute, but when measured up against the fiercely disgusting comments coming out of other news outlets, as well as the President himself, they are highly destructive. And the continued taunts by so many journalists about Biden’s stuttering are shameful and an insult every parent and child afflicted by this sad liability. Stop, think hard and try to put a sane set of ideas in writing. The stakes could never be higher and opinion journalists have an obligation to be a truly fourth estate sane voice in an otherwise totally insane universe.
3
We love you, Gail. And humor is the best medicine as the Readers Digest used to remind us.
However, Biden's flaws and his apparent cognitive decline cannot be masked during the remainder of the campaign. Party insiders are pushing to protect him from further debate appearances with Sanders, but he can't duck and dodge the arena opposing Trump in the glare of national television. That is Trump's natural home.
He's been a TV entertainer for 40 years and he will stalk his easy prey across the debate stage. Biden is the weakest of all the Dems who ran this year.
32
@Michael McAllister We will be looking in November to two candidates who are not in tip-top shape cognitively. Still, I prefer the one who has normal age related lapses than one has difficulty putting sentences together, has the attention span of a gnat, and totally lacks empathy. Biden has redeeming qualities and Trump has none. Enough said.
30
@Michael McAllister Biden was the DNC pick, because he could deliver the African American vote. The last 6 people to drop out had no chance of getting any meaningful minority vote.
How else can you explain a 5th and 4th place finish, but going up like a Trident II missile fired from a submarine, after South Carolina?
Democrats should consider Bernie staying in the race a good thing. A show of hands that think Joe will will implode. Therefore, Bernie has the second most delegates and can be the nominee. If the DNC has to pick a nominee at the convention, sans Bernie, it will be bad.
2
@Michael McAllister
Even on his very worst day, Biden is still cognitive light years ahead of DJ Trump.
That, and he actually gives a damn.
14
Claire McCaskill said she thinks that moment with the union worker will actually help him.
5
There's actually a lot of criticism and mockery of Biden in this piece, yes? And it's a bit of a stretch to say that Biden and Sanders are on the same wavelength, policy-wise? I mean, they both think Medicaid should exist, and that we should have taxes and public education. Really different ideas, though, historically, about debt, crime, poverty, and health care as a human right, among other things. Sanders knows he works for us. Biden works for the Democratic Party. Better than just working for himself, but still not what we actually need.
3
I'll take Joe Biden challenging an 83-year-old to push-ups any day of the week over a so-called "president" who has no idea how to handle the health crisis we are in. His speech today on what he would do right now if he were president was excellent, with sound ideas and clear action proposals. I do not expect Trump to do any of those things--and I can't trust him or his administration to tell the truth about this virus, to which I am vulnerable as an older adult who has asthma. As long as Joe doesn't lie, I'll all in for him now!
9
I hope that there are a few Republican senators thinking that they could have impeached him before all of this started. Even President Pence would have done better.
4
I have loved Joe from the start and I applaud him for giving that awful accusatory jerk some deserved clapback. In fact, I want to see more Democrats giving these Fox zombies the grief they deserve. I'm am tired of the press criticizing Dems when they speak their minds, shame on you Gail with the double standard treatment of Joe's spunk.
7
Guess you don’t remember his treatment of Anita Hill or had a loved one sent to Iraq when voted for the war. More than that in 1968 and 2016 the dems put up the establishment candidate, leading to Nixon and Trump.
2
Nice spin but it doesn’t fly! Biden is running to lead as a servant of the people...he failed the test miserably and you all now know from watching the video. It was worse than the Howard Dean yell!
6
Given Biden’s geriatric age one thing is sure, having spent 8 years in the WH he won’t get lost in any of the rooms! He will remember the contours like the back of his hands.
2
"I’m only recalling this since it gives me a chance to point out that after I wrote, rather disapprovingly, about that particular address, Biden called to thank me “for showing me what a jerk I was.”
Try to imagine Donald Trump doing something like that."
I could - but Trump would do so very much worse. You wouldn't be a jerk, for Trump, you'd be a nasty ugly woman, and his followers would be calling you with death threats.
27
@Susan StoHelit This was Biden saying he was glad Gail reminded HIM of "what a jerk" he was, not that she was a jerk. Quite different.
2
This good person from the real heartland ( the part of the country that supports the rural hinterlands ), who has borne terrible suffering, may just be the person to lead us away from the destruction of our country. GO JOE!
7
A nice column. Hope Joe Biden will be more careful. If not he may not win in November. Biden’s propensity for gaffes are well known as Donald Trump’s to lie. As these lies have become Trump an unacceptable president, Biden’s gaffes can also make HIM an unacceptable candidate to be voted in. True, unlike Trump, Biden is ready to apologize, which may help some.
1
I'm sorry, but I have no problem with Biden telling an obvious troller that he is full of manure or worse. And he's not working for him... he'll be working for ALL Americans, most of whom oppose the possession of semi-automatics and machine guns, as Biden pointed out. If the "downtrodden" white working class wants candidates who tell it like it is, Biden is doing just that.
14
@DW54
Is calling a 25 year old woman a lying dog-face also "telling it like it is"? Instead of balking at such a sudden rebuke, the audience laughed.
She did nothing but politely ask about his poor performance in IA and NH. She did not go on Fox News, or any other outlet.
The veteran who asked him about his war vote was also physically threatened and Joe's fingers in his face.
Joe's aide, a young black woman, was told repeatedly told to shush as she was trying to de-escalate the situation.
"Is telling it like it is" being a misogynistic, racist bully now?
3
I'm very disappointed with the NY Times. The constant anti-Sanders drumbeat is a reminder that our news only comes from large conglomerates and/or billionaires. While the Times isn't Fox News, its fear and character assignation of Bernie Sanders would be welcome on the Fox Network. I recently subscribed to the NY Times and have been absolutely shocked at the lack of objective reporting. Clearly I made a mistake.
10
The number #1 question voters have for Joe. What is your Rogaine regiment? We already know about taking trump out behind the woodshed. The channeling of everything Obama energy waves. The steady drum roll as Comrade Sanders winds down the we are all Marxist-Leninist now express.
A pencil thin mustache and a little dab of Brylcreem will do yah is exactly what the Key West troubadour recommends to spice up the stump.
Go Joe Go!
2
One of the things that irritates me about the Times opinion pages is I can comment on Gail Collins ' jibes but not on other op-eds of a more serious nature. I would prefer to be discussing the other opt-ed argument about Warren for vice president. I like her but she is a Mugwump or, as we use to say in the sixties, a process liberal. Joe is old line Democrat. No need to send mixed signals. Amy is more congruent. Good piece Gail.
1
Genially laughing off marked cognitive deterioration?
Think that's gonna save his candidacy?
That your recommended tack?
Think that'll be your view if Biden's nominated, after a first debate with Trump?
Pathetic and doomed.
5
Fortunately, Trump's bleeps far outweigh Joe's and his nepotism far outdistances Joe's. However, his grasp of the issues does not. Joe knows how to walk around the block in D.C. Trump refuses to ...
4
Is it considered "cheating" if BYE-DON has a hearing aid-like device deep in his ear canal and an aide could talk to him via s pocketed cell phone and using blue tooth during the debate? Or is this already assumed with this age group? If for no other reason to calm him down so he doesn't, um, go off script? No more pony soldiers - the election is too important.
2
Perhaps if the Times had bothered to write about so called everyman Joe's record instead of the fear and smear campaign, the election results would have been different. The only way that he is the safe candidate is if Trump's absolutely abysmal response to the corona virus finally does him in.
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2020/03/democrats-you-really-do-not-want-to-nominate-joe-biden
4
So under that milk-toasty veneer of duh-so-what there is a fang after all...
I'm all in!
2
Gail Collins is the greatest!
She should run for office
2
There's a story I heard from a rabbinic colleague about a Baltimore resident, a poor Jewish woman, who died and whose shiva minyan (a Jewish tradition of gathering in for a religious service in memory of the deceased) was held in a common room in her building, her apartment being too small to accommodate the crowd. Sometime during the service, the door opens, and in walks Senator Joe Biden. Heads turned, but it was inappropriate to interrupt the service, so the service continued.
When the service ended, the rabbi asked Biden what he was doing there. He replied, in effect, "From the time I entered politics, this woman donated $18 every time I ran for something. I had to be here."
Yeah, Biden, with his obvious public speaking issues, strikes me as a real mensh. We could do a helluva lot worse than him for president (e.g., the current sort of one), and not much better.
10
I complain about Biden a lot but I simply cannot find any problem with saying you'd like to "beat the hell out of" Donald Trump. Is this not a thought that occupies a not insignificant percentage of the headspace of all decent and reasonable people?
8
I am not in America but I can hear the shout "I am mad as Hell and I ain't gonna take it anymore."
Even as no one is able to tell me why they are mad as Hell I know and understand mad as Hell and why America elected a Nihilist.
When you are mad as Hell and don't know why it is because life no longer has meaning. The meaning cannot come from religion or politics it can only come from the face in the mirror.
3
When Joe Biden hosted a group of well-heeled donors last June at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan, he didn't, stutter, stammer, stumble or verbally assault the assembled representatives of the 1%. This is because he spoke from his heart when he faithfully promised them that in a Biden administration, "fundamentally, nothing will change". He has suggested that he might choose billionaires Michael Bloomberg and Jamie Dimon for cabinet posts, along with Bank of America vice chair, Anne Finacune and Elizabeth Warren. Surely, he threw in Warren to get her support as there is no love lost between them since she schooled him on finance law during the Senate Banking Committee hearings when Biden tried to prevent laws to protect consumers from predatory financial institutions from being passed over Warren's brilliant objections in 2005. If Bernie Sanders can't even get his alleged bros to turn out for him during crucial primaries, why on Earth does anyone think that Sanders will be able to move Biden leftward?
15
Goodness gracious, a politician pitched his speech toward his audience. Imagine that.
Biden could be 10 times worse than he is, and he'd still be 10 times better than trump. I agree with Gail, let's stop quibbling over this nonsense and elect Biden. It may be our last chance to save the Republic.
14
@Clearheaded
Yes, if Biden is elected he will have saved it for his donors, not you. Further, Biden is a lateral move, not a great improvement over the wretched Trump.
4
@John Bacher You can't be serious. If you care about women's right to choose, the environment, wealth inequality, health care for all... you know what, if you still think there's not much distance between them it's not worth the time to argue with you.
10
Joe is asking "where is the 38 trillion dollars for Medicare For All?" while Bernie knows it is insolvent stashed in off shore accounts.
I feel McConnell's icy touch in the payroll tax suspension idea.
The money, the McConnell privatization, Betsy Devos and Erik Prince. Historically it is in times as these these kinds of people make their moves.
18
I wonder if Gail and the Biden supporters are terrified of Sunday’s debate one on one with Bernie. His cognitive decline will be out there for all to see. I think it might be very very sad to watch
20
@Mitchell myrin Biden just needs to keep his message simple and Brief in the upcoming debate. He doesn’t need to be aggressive. He just has to get through it and move on to his next round of victories.
16
@Mitchell myrin: Biden has no cognitive decline, but Trump has.
4
@Mitchell myrin agree. But why bother debating? Biden has nothing to gain.
What blew me away was the last paragraph. Biden thanking a journalist for setting him straight. And it was not *Biden* who released that statement (thus demonstrating for all to see what a great guy he is), no, it was the journalist!
Indeed, "try to imagine Donald Trump doing something like that". Ahem. trying to imagine that. Failing. Trying again. Failing again. I can try to imagine Trump calling a huuuuge meeting and saying that the forgives the journalist, however wrong she was - no, sorry, not even that.
Gaffes? Occasional outbursts? Fuhgeddaboutit. Vice President Biden is a decent human being, and that's good enough for me. A man who quietly calls a journalist, apoligizes, and doesn't capitalize on it. He is what the US and the world needs right now. Like Ford and Carter after Tricky Dick Nixon. Like Obama after Katrina-Bush. Like Biden after The Orange Menace.
4
Lest we forget after the past ghastly three years--a president is not a one-person band; he is the sum of the people with whom he surrounds himself. By this measure, old Joe, or anyone with a pulse in the Democratic party, is light-years beyond the current horror. Here's to Joe selecting a great Veep candidate and a stellar bunch of cabinet members, plus people in scientific positions with science diplomas, people in diplomatic positions with diplomatic experience, etc.. Hooray for the Deep State.
7
Joe Biden has, mostly, overcome a stuttering problem. That he gets "tongue tied" on occasion seems very likely given that history. I wish the press and commentators would be careful with the implication that being tongue tied on occasion suggests some sort of mental inadequacy. And as far as I'm concerned, calling out that worker for his phony assertion was a breath of fresh air.
6
On occasion? I don’t think I’ve seen a speech from him, that didn’t involve him stumbling over his words in 1 minute succession. Not to mention his consistent lies/misremembering (this depends on your praise of him. I have no praise).
We really can’t play this down as a stutter. He didn’t have it in previous years.
I don’t think I’m personally qualified to say he has dementia, but he definitely seems affected in some way- and we can’t act like it doesn’t exist. Which is why it’s unimaginable that the DNC is so willing to push him to us, like we should think he’ll fare well in the general election.
5
"[T]he Detroit incident is hardly a moment that’s going to live on in history. We could forget about it instantly..."
...since Sanders didn't say it...in which case it would have triggered an endless news flood of moralistic scoldings about 'belligerence' and concerning 'emotional self control' and 'civility' and 'Trump-like outbursts' and 'disqualifying for high office' ad nauseum.
7
It was a good thing when Joe told off that Trumpista. The other guys there threw him- the Trumpista- out. That guy just wants to be the next "...Joe the plumber..."- who was really Joe the bathroom parts salesman, btw.
5
With Joe Biden, less is more, especially at this exhausting, scary era in our history with our histrionic, self-absorbed president, who cares only about himself and winning the election in 2020. Win to do what?
Biden is the opposite of Trump. Biden comes across as a "regular guy," who doesn't need to be seen as the brightest, shining bulb in the room; he is just steady-as-you-go, Joe, and steady is exactly what our country needs right now.
Biden has been through a lot of tragedies in his life, and he conveys a genuine understanding for middle-class family struggles. And for all his gaffs, I think most Americans forgive him, because we have all been there, and unlike Trump, Joe forgives others.
Biden doesn't feel he must the "expert." He has enough common sense to let the experts have their say and do their jobs without micromanaging and interfering, or purging anyone who looks smarter than he is.
And as Gail pointed out at the end of her column, Joe is man enough to apologize when he makes a mistake--we won't ever see Trump do that.
Politically experienced, stable, sane, and thoughtful is what this country needs desperately needs.
Who do we want handling the next crisis? Trump?
9
After three years of Trump, especially after Trump's coronavirus fiasco, I just want an adult in the White House.
8
Biden is lucky! The bar is very low and he can pretty much get away with any kinda bad behaviour!
4
Man, I just cannot believe the amount of folks rallying around a man who pretty much stands for nothing. Essentially acting as a human wind sock and flapping in any direction the Establishment wishes. This mass endorsement is a sad joke.
15
Bernie or bust, eh?
2
"...within the first 50 seconds, he managed to call Donald Trump a “pathological liar” as well as “racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe and a religious bigot.”
It is Democrat primary voters that DID NOT vote for women nor people of color. It wasn't the Russians. It wasn't Trump.
The DNC elite had better have a Plan B. If there is a debate on Sunday, Biden may not fare well. He may bomb. Would Democrat voters want to know the ability of the Democrat nominee well before a Trump/Biden debate?
"All Sanders wants now is for Biden to adopt more of his political positions."
Aren't these the same positions the DNC elite say they don't want Bernie to espouse?
After the convention, will Biden be able to match Trump's schedule? In 2016, Trump did 4 or 5 events per day. Hillary showed up to cough and stumble twice a week.
4
Okay, so Joe Biden is 77 years old. 77 is the new 67.
3
Oh goodness. Faux Noise will be trying to make a new "Joe the Plumber," out of this poor little fella who Biden called out. Goof thing Trump never does stuff like that.
1
Anyone who's outside the Acela Corridor and talks to workers at auto factories, steel mills, warehouses, small town coffee shops, factory gates, etc., knows they don't speak the Queen's English or abide by verbal politesse.
They may not be as extreme as the Irish who use 4 letter words for punctuation but Biden in his exchange with the gun nut engaged honestly, bluntly and fully within the milieu he was in.
Joe is no silk-tongued Ivy Leaguer slumming with the hoi polloi. These are the people who inhabited his gritty Wilmington neighborhood growing up, the parents of his schoolmates, the folks who went to the same Catholic Church as Biden. He knows how to talk with them, not at them, about them or above them. They've elected him to six terms in the Senate.
People overlook a dimension of Joe Biden that defines him: a deep, informed and engaged Catholic faith, once tested when he was refused communion at a South Carolina church because of his strong support for a women's right to decide.
His core values -- shaped by his childhood, his severe stutter, his despair over family loss, his evolution from one of the youngest senators ever to the 4th senior Democrat in the Senate -- are firmly grounded in Catholic social justice doctrine, which is often at odds with Church royalty. (When he met the pope, his mom said "Don't kiss his ring! And he didn't.)
Joe doesn't kiss rings. But he's no hater. The folks who'll elect the next POTUS see and hear one of their own.
17
I believe that Biden’s inherent decency will deflect most of Trump’s attacks. Not my first candidate, but I’m with Joe
8
Gail, Jomentum is fine by me. I'm still waiting for the final Trumplosion.
4
On the day the President apologizes to you, Ms. Collins, will you please take a proper social distanced selfie to record the moment. Even if the pandemic has subsided it's probably a good idea for you to keep a good social distance from this president.
1
Nobody older than 25 should need to have bad behavior pointed out by a newspaper columnist in order to realize his behavior was bad.
6
Boy, after watching Trump give a bizarre speech in automaton mode last night which racheted up the nation's anxiety (exactly where are those promised test kits?), I am grateful that this morning, Joe provided a coherent, thoughtful, and coordinated science-based approach to the evolving crisis.
8
'All Sanders wants now is for Biden to adopt more of his political positions. And for the most part, the two men are on the same wavelength'. Uh, no, actually.
Sanders wants Medicare for All while Biden opposes it. Sanders wants to address our extreme income inequality while Biden reassures wealthy donors that 'nothing would fundamentally change'. Sanders wants to do something about student debt while Biden's bankruptcy bill made it impossible to get out from under student loans even in bankruptcy. I could go on, but that should be sufficient.
To say the Sanders and Biden are basically in agreement, just differing in intensity, is to miss - or misstate - the point entirely, of what the primary race and the Sanders campaign has been about.
8
And, lo, Gail is spot on as usual.
Thanks for yet another humorous column at a bad time with some great historical reminders thrown in for good measure.
Keep up the good work, Ms. Colins!
2
Let Joe be Joe. Based on the coverage I saw that guy was a plant by the right wing. He was on Fox News the next day!
6
The momentum Ole Joe's getting is kick back from huge population that is Bernie Allergic. Biden was MIA last Sunday when News goes into overdrive. Sanders was on every show including Fox Wallace. Now if Biden could coast a little more, he could probably get a blowout in November.....
Sleepy Joe is mumbling his way into his stolen nomination.
6
Bernie is not waiting for Biden to adopt his policies. Biden doesn’t do policy. Bernie is keeping up the fight. The country can choose between policy or incompetence. Thank you Bernie for giving us the choice, even if we’re too stupid to make the right one.
8
Trump must go, but we can win with Joe! A lonely nation turns its eyes to you! Vote Blue.....This time next year we will have a real Nation and President back in office!
4
Gail says “Biden called to thank me ‘for showing me what a jerk I was.’”
Wonderful Biden anecdote to contrast with Trump having sent Gail Collins a missive concerning a disapproving column she wrote about him, in which he called her “a dog and liar with the face of a pig.”
Like all pathological narcissists Trump will brook no criticism or an admit to making a mistake. He will continue to try to mask his egregious inadequacies with barrages of cringingly self-congratulatory tweets and announcements interspersed with ugly, puerile insults of his opponents.
Whatever Biden’s flaws, he is a self-aware, compassionate and decent human being who might just be able to begin to heal and unite our divided nation.
10
@Susan
Yep, nothing says unite like threatening to slap someone who dares question you. To jab a stiff finger into their chest and into their face. To challenge them to a fight out back.
To launch a verbal triad of profanities and nonsensical ramblings.
Did you notice Joe didn't dare lay hands on that hardhat like he usually does to those he disagrees with?
Yeah, Joe is very self-aware and compassionate; he's a decent human being...except he's increasingly not.
5
Yeah. We need to be checking out Jill Biden for competence and her stance on M4A. She's going to be running the oval office if Joe is elected.
4
Gail ...the best week of his career? I bet. Better than Trump. That's the ticket.
And the cutest headline of yours, Gail, in a career of cute headlines. And that's what we need now, of all times, right?
In fact this whole column is just so cute and entertaining. Espcially about 'Medicare for All'-- that radical notion that threatens our Freedom.
Never pass, huh? When people are sick and dying, and going bankrupt, or can't afford a doctor visit, and get no paid sick leave, so come to work sick, and spread their illness to co- workers who aren't sick, and then they maybe lose their jobs, and can't pay for rent and food.
Yes, cute, clever, wise cracky columns to entertain us. Just the recipe.
Anything's better than Trump,no matter what.
3
I personally would like to see JB follow your advice. Plus, Joe needs LOTS of training and preparation for debating Trump (I assume he will be nominated). The first rule is don't let Trump make you angry! Joes head should be bursting with one-two liners that crush the insults and lies that are bound to be thrown.
"(On the other hand, within the first 50 seconds, he managed to call Donald Trump a “pathological liar” as well as “racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe and a religious bigot.” Kudos.)"
I have to hand it to Sanders for this, he pretty much has Trump pegged. I don't think he missed anything, except maybe "incompetent" and "corrupt".
4
As usual, Gail condemns by faint praise followed by criticism, basically calling Joe too old. Sounds like Gail wants to have her cake and eat it too.
1
When Fightin’ Joe takes the oath of office, he should immediately appoint Gail Collins his chief speech writer and America’s prose Laureate. Three months ago my wife and I were ranting about Joe Biden being too old, that he should get out of the way for the next generation, and how he surely had no chance to get the nomination. Now we are thrilled to see him kicking ... er, doing well. Joe’s got spunk, and much better hair than the orange man. I can’t wait for him to win the election. He will make life interesting. And maybe he’ll appoint his old buddy Barack to be Chief Justice. Oh, we already have one? I’m sure President Biden will fix that. Go, Joe!
1
So it begins. The NRA going after Biden on gun rights (as they would with any Democratic candidate). The GOP going after him for being a communist (as they would …). Barr using the power of the Justice Department to have baseless and very leaky investigations of Hunter Biden. Trump himself accusing Biden of senility based on Biden's verbal gaffs. (Nevermind that Trump's symptoms and verbal gaffs are orders of magnitude more glaring – it just increasing the devotion of his base.) There will be a suspicious #MeToo allegation that's just credible enough to be divisive among the Democrats. All of this will be amplified in the media by Russia and Fox which will include the use of deepfake technology. All will be awash in dark money. Main stream media will diligently report on all of this with a just-the-facts attitude while their pundits focus on those stories. Netanyahu will weigh in shortly before elections. Look for an October Surprise at the start of November, and God bless us, everyone.
2
The union member in the plant? A plant.
10
Promise us a woman VP on Sunday, Joe! More than 50% of the US population--the female majority--has never had a chance to vote for a woman VP. The majority of your country(wo)men could use a little help with that glass ceiling.
Please don't tell us that you cannot find one single qualified woman in America to fill that position. If you can't fix this 200+ year-old problem, clearly you can't fix anything.
Put an end to bigotry and misogyny! Please.
2
We just learned that Trump ordered England to float away from Europe to avoid the pandemic.
We learned that his economic recompense policy for those affected, by our boarding businesses and crowd control, are incomprehensible, or secret code to certain Republican insiders. The futures market is crashing again.
We got problems. Will Biden's regression to his HS days be a beacon ho his presidency. I think when push comes to shove he'll defer to his better self.
Hopefully we'll all live and be well next November, so we can say goodbye to Donnie Boy.
3
I dont think reluctant Biden supporters fully realize the train wreck thats about to befallen on them. Trump is going to leave Biden a smoldering pile of ash. When Biden announced his campaign, the media only barely touched on his creepy touching and sniffing women and young girls. This isnt illustrated with stories that nobody is going to read. Its on video, lots of it. These videos will be played 24/7, Swift Boat style. Then theres the video of him bragging about strong arming the Ukrainians by holding back the 1 billion. I could guarantee a lot of folks have never heard that. they are going to wonder - Isnt that what they impeached the President for? These altercations he is having with voters isnt going to stop. As if his obvious mental decline wasnt bad enough, he gets completely unhinged when challenged. This is something new, something we really didnt know about until now. A couple more of these episodes and its going to prove, on video, that hes really unstable. Bernie may be an angry guy, but hes not unstable. Trump may be brash and in your face, but he's not unstable. Then there's Biden's agenda. 4 Trillion in new taxes? Back to wide open borders? Has anyone read his webpage? Its all there, in its rambling form. Bernie and Warren fell apart when the cost of their agenda was finally taken seriously. Biden is no moderate. What will happen when all is revealed? Its going to be like "Release the Kracken". He excites no-one, and is going to crash and burn.
4
The gun guy on Fox told them he wasn't offended by Biden's language. In fact, he said that's the way people talk. That's the way HE talks.
Remember when the media tied itself in knots trying to decide if they could say the president "lied?" Well, he's still lying.
4
Telling someone confronting you with a lie to get his lie of Fox News that he is "full of ...." was definitely not a bad moment for Joe Biden. If anything it was the most liberating moment of the entire Trump administration. Day after day, week after week the President and his fan boys told lie after lie after lie and no one called them out as forcefully as Joe Biden did with those four words and I hope that he has liberated everyone and especially the media so that the next time President Trump tells us that 2+2=197 or he's a genius who should have been a doctor or an astronaut, or he's incapable of being anything but perfect that he is "full of ..."!
3
Biden's main campaign point is to oppose Universal Medicare for All in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic that is going to sicken and kill untold people, millions of whom have no health insurance, no paid sick leave, and live one paycheck away from homelessness. A pox on both the Democrat and Republican mafias.
6
The ultimate confrontation between a politician and a protester occurred when Jean Chretian was approached. His "Shawinigan Handshake" was effective in the moment, and improved his popularity for years after.
Please please PLEASE do not devolve into Hillary-2016-gotcha mode -- as ... well, pretty much EVERYONE in the media did -- concerning Biden: looking for something -- ANYTHING -- to criticize or snark about, just because you gotta do something to keep your bothsides cred.
If he says or does something seriously wrong, fine. But if you're having to dredge for "a speech to college students Biden gave a couple of years back," you're not building cred; you're destroying it.
4
Obviously you hit the enter button on this shilling for Biden column before you heard him describe himself as a “bridge” one that is to nowhere as far as I can tell.
As we now confront what might be the not only the next 1918 style pandemic and a full fledged depression I hope you’ll try to understand what Bernie and his supporters do.
1
I’m a double board certified MD. Joe Biden has a serious cognitive impairment...it’s no joke. Wait and see—it’s going to get very ugly for him, unfortunately.
9
@Fred Jackson
Then you should know your distance diagnosis is inappropriate.
3
Biden will most likely not even survive one term, especially with the Covid running around infecting everyone. Better make sure he picks a good VP.
My first thought on hearing of Joe Biden's "You're full of ..." outburst was that it was a blunder, that he might better have pointed out that his accuser was repeating a lie put out by the Russian troll farm. But then I thought back (way back) to my days as an autoworker and I realized that "You're full of..." is exactly what one of us would have said to a co-worker who spouted something both false and foolish. Maybe Mr. Biden didn't make any such calculation but simply lost his cool. Nevertheless, he sounded like what he claims to be--a man with authentic roots in the working class.
3
Dog faced pony soldiers, Corn Pop the gangster, you know the thing,...he can pretty much say/fumble through whatever he wants and still cruise to the nomination. Yet, his opponent, sharp as a tack and actually fighting for the things that liberals are supposedly passionate about, gets rejected. Just makes no sense....
6
Gail,I love your recounting Biden's call to thank you "for showing me what a jerk I was."
It takes a big person to admit to being a jerk.
Biden is savvy enough to surround himself with smart, good people.
Let's just hope that both Bernie and Biden are washing their hands!
Love your columns, Gail, but you are simply wrong about Biden going after the right wing auto worker. The guy was full of it, he claimed since Biden wants to reinstate the ban on semiautomatic weapons, he wants to overturn the 2nd Amendment and take all guns away. That’s what riled up Biden, it was Trumpian nonsense ... his response was, unlike a certain phone call, perfect.
3
Unfortunately, this reminds me of 2016, when the New York Times over covered and lent credibility to the various fake scandals the Repubs tried to pin on Hillary. "Oh, the e-mails!" We ended up with the bizarre sight of Trump, a real world class crook, getting traction calling his opponent "Crooked Hillary."
2
It is typical of the NY Times readership that it is fixated on how Biden will do in a debate with Trump. Trump is not a good debater. He lost every debate with Hillary. It didn't matter. The average American, unlike the average NYT reader, does not care about having an articulate President. Remember George W. Bush, anyone?
Obama needed to inspire. All Biden needs to do to beat Trump, especially in a time of plague, is to reassure.
@Pundit I'd rather have a president that governs the way Trump does than one that speaks the way Obama does.
Democrats can thank their lucky stars that Trump’s insane yammering has set the bar so low that Biden could say he and Obama were possibly brothers separated at birth and no one would care. Ok perhaps Obama would care. But should any independent voter really care after Trump intimated he is nose deep in the gene pool of esteemed scientific genius and perhaps thinks he is a Nobel contender for his research linking windmills to cancer?
America pick your poison; Gaff-a-day Biden or Lie-a-day Trump.
5
Please be safe, Joe. We have so much hope riding on you!
1
Joe Biden should ask Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to be his running mate. This would be a winning ticket. I am also looking forward to Jill Biden being our First Lady.
2
Wait until Trump starts pushing Biden's buttons. I have these strange visions of Secret Service tackling Biden on the debate stage to prevent him from harming the President.
What a sad sorry state of affairs, a debate between one liar who knows he's lying and another because he misremembers. It's going to be like P.T. Barnum vs. 50 First Dates.
1
Thanks, Gail!
Given the current occupant of the White House, it is blessed relief to hear that persons with presidential aspirations can act like human beings.
President Trump has an ego that blocks out the sun, insists on acting like a horse's patootie, and is so starved for attention that he tweets juvenile-delinquent thoughts, hour after hour.
Your remembrance that:
"after I wrote, rather disapprovingly, about that particular address, Biden called to thank me “for showing me what a jerk I was.” -
is maybe the best thing I've heard all day.
Biden, 2020.
1
Earlier today, I attempted to reply to a comment made by NM applauding Biden's "feistiness". I took issue with this description, and in an attempt to illustrate my point that having a candidate who is socially boorish and loose-lipped, I offered a few quotes, things Biden himself said when arguing with voters. Because one of them included an expletive, my reply was blocked, even though -- as I say -- I was quoting candidate Biden directly. Shouldn't it be concerning that we now have two candidates, Trump and Biden, who choose to be offensive when confronting opposition?
2
Before we coronate, let's see how Joe goes in a 2 hour 1 on 1 debate. The word is he is going to say some crazy things!
2
I'm pro full of it because the guy was baiting Biden on a lie about his record. Instead of becoming senatorial and filibustering with nonsense, he said exactly what the guy's Union buddies would've said and probably do say to him.
What you missed was the panic among Union officials when this happened. Eventually one wrapped his arm around the guy and took him away.
At least Biden wasn't afraid to engage, which would have resulted in 20 columns on whimpy Democrats- even though it left you clutching your pearls.
The same advice could be proffered to the NYT columnists who have by and large been cheerleading for Biden ever since Bernie’s early Primary success. Rarely does one see so clearly such a relentless campaign against one candidate. Well, folks, you’ve won for your man and can ease up on the anti-Sanders throttle
5
I guess swearing among politicians is the new wave of political expression. Apparently, old geezers like Trump and Joe think they appear young and tough again if they swear and swagger. On them though, it's just ridiculous. Neither of these oldsters is fit to be president. Swearing won't make them tough guys. It makes them inarticulate and obnoxious. Grow up, guys.
4
If there's a problem, it's mid-Atlanticism. See the rather awful series "It's always Sunny in Philadelphia." This pugnacity is a feature of life from Baltimore to New York and it's a piece of regional culture, like cheese steak and pastrami. There are worse problems out there--this one can be funny, except Trump is a charter member.
2
Certainly not the best piece written by Ms. Collins. Joe Biden is a genuine guy or go ask president Obama. Right now what is required is not fancy intellectual critiques but for all of us to come together and support Mr. Biden. It is an opportunity to see what caliber a man Sanders is. Will he get behind Mr. Biden? Will hem ask his fervent followers to put country ahead of ideology? There is a con man in the White house and it is imperative that we remove him.
Now that Biden is a shoe in for the “Electability Party’s” nomination without one iota of evidence that he actually can beat Trump, it appears buyer’s remorse is beginning to set in. Still, as all his gaffes and intemperate remarks start to get dredged up, electability seems all but certain.
Usually the incumbent has no incentive to engage in debate with a challenger. My bet is this will be the exception and Trump will jump at the chance to debate Biden. Trump will call Biden “ sleepy Joe.” Biden will retort that Trump is a “lying, fog-faced pony soldier”. The debate audience will squirm uncomfortably in their sestd and then sweep Biden into the White House. You gotta love that electability thing.
3
The leadership of both parties had a pretty good week too. The Republican leaders got the Dem nominee Trump wanted as Dem interest groups fell for his, "please, Br'er Fox don't fling me in dat brier-patch" con. The Democrat leaders got the "insider" nominee they wanted, the one certain not to challenge their failed leadership of the party.
4
"I’m only recalling this since it gives me a chance to point out that after I wrote, rather disapprovingly, about that particular address, Biden called to thank me “for showing me what a jerk I was.”
Try to imagine Donald Trump doing something like that."
Great wrap up at the end of this column, Gail. I can't ever imagine Donald Trump doing something like that. In that simple example you deftly capture one of the key differences between the two men. One is capable of humility and honest self appraisal. One man recognizes he isn't perfect and strives to improve. The other man isn't, doesn't and won't ever.
There's a clip I remember during the Obama campaign when a reporter asked question that ended with something like "Given all that, how is Obama not a socialist?" And Biden kind of paused, with a slightly incredulous look, and replied "Are you kidding me?" Totally brilliant and shut the reporter down. Hopefully his unscripted, unguarded moments will remain in that tenor, which might endear Biden to some voters who feel rather "meh" about him.
1
Of the voters who voted for Trump in 2016, there must be many who now quietly doubt his ability to govern and fear the repercussions of his policies. I hope Mr Biden doesnt try to get the Trump voter by trying to trash talk like Trump does.
We need an adult in the White House, who clearly is facing every issue with careful thought and consultation with advisors who actually know something.
Biden should say the same thing to Trump. Being feisty obviously didn't hurt Trump.
Move over, Bern
It’s my turn to fly
I've got me some things
I'm eager to try
It may be well known
My words aren’t well honed.......But
You're gonna hear from me
(Inside Daisy Clover song)
Ms. Collins, being cute in the midst of crisis just doesn't work.
1
His “you’re full of s—“ comment was his “I paid for this microphone,” moment. A Democrat who takes the fight to the nonsense-spewing, Fox-fed, masses. Hillary, who wouldn’t be caught dead (it actually did kill her) on the floor of a factory, couldn’t say, “I hunt with (in her case), Chelsea.” Joe has guns. Joe hunts with his sons. Joe asked why the worker needed “100 rounds?” Perfect question. Perfect.
Well, Joe is right on both counts, but come on man, we already have a profane knee jerk reactIon buffoon in the White House.
NYT really running all the positive Joe stories.
Maybe it's best to get the Ukraine payments to his son and stumping for an R in Michigan out of the way before Trump absolutely crushes him.
No need to white glove the candidate.
2
Biden was right. It’s time to get in the faces of these gun goons and come at them the way they and the NRA enablers have been coming at us. The pertinent question wasn’t “why are you coming for (our) guns?” It’s “why do you need a machine gun in your house.”
Why so much focus on Biden's supposed mental deficiencies when this man is the absolute motherlode of DC corruption, self-dealing and representation of the nation's thoroughly rotten financial industry at the expense of everyone else?
He represented Delaware, for heaven's sake, one of the world's worst tax havens! He was famously the senator from MBNA. He squeezed suffering debtors by pushing draconian bankruptcy filing rules. He actually boasted about trying to cut Medicare, Medicaid and our already grossly inadequate Social Security four separate times.
He voted for the Iraq war, was instrumental in supporting the infinitely corrupt Maliki there as well as a brutal right-wing nut in Honduras who drove many of his people to seek refuge in the US. And need I mention Ukraine and Biden's layabout son?
And yet we're supposed to be worried about Biden's gaffes, which may or may not suggest a bit of mental slippage. Give me a break! But it's an easy subject for so-called journalists, requiring little more than thumb sucking. May I be so bold as to suggest that the mainstream media get off their collective duffs and do some sustained, detailed, page one reporting on Biden's horrid record in public life?
5
There are no other places that allow comments in these columns, so forgive me, Gail, for venting here. Is the NYT aware that half the country hasn't even voted yet?(!) Calls for Sanders to step aside are worse than premature; they tell the rest of us that we have NO VOICE.
5
Whenever you mention Biden, we know, instantly, however honest, what a flawed man he is. This, in comparing with Trump, who is a 'perfect' idiot, convinced he 'knows more than the generals', and has no doubts that his ego is the perfect answer to all our problems...as long as he can keep the presidential power for self-enrichment and keep his mantra 'divide to conquer'. Biden has some inkling he needs a lot of learning to do, so to be responsive to the needs of the people. Trump, in turn, being deeply ignorant, is dead certain that his lies and innuendos are the gospel truth, however much debunked in the past. At least, you'll have 'to admire' his farcical persistence.
I kinda like Joe's "candid" talk with the union guy about guns. He sounds real, not scripted, and in his candor took a position I agree with. It's about time someone told the Trumps they were being asinine.
And I like Bernie's style and passion too. Honestly, the Dems have great people. Too bad they didn't go for the most presidential one of all, Liz Warren. But Joe and Bernie are cool.
2
(On the other hand, within the first 50 seconds, he managed to call Donald Trump a “pathological liar” as well as “racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe and a religious bigot.” Kudos.)
I love Gail Collins.
Joe is a good and decent person. Although all anyone needs to get my vote is to be NOT TRUMP.
6
“on the other hand, we won in North Dakota”
Gail, Biden should make you his spokesperson, your whit cuts right through the crap and humorously acknowledges our concerns.
Great column
3
Old Joe is allegedly our future!
Is anything wrong with this statement?
What is so disfunctional with the Democratic Party if it failed to produce any strong male Caucasian candidate in his prime age as the leader?
We are talking about the social group that was the key factor in winning the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the WWI and the WWII.
How has the DNC manage to alianiate this critical constituency?
We have a simple option in front of us - to declare all of them as the racists or to conclude that the DNC failed America.
If we found the DNC guilty of catastrophic incompetence, we would have a direct cause for having Trump in the White House.
The people like Trump have always existed but couldn't gain any popular support.
His rise is the indication that both the DNC and GOP failed America...
2
Joe needs to memorize that line from Bernie that Donald Trump is a “pathological liar, racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe and a religious bigot.” Joe can use it to great effect during the Biden/Trump debates. Of course, he will have to be a little careful about over using the phrase, although he could probably use it as a response to most any Trump comment. It could be used like the “there you go again” comment employed by Reagan against Carter.
Presuming Biden gets the nomination, we might finally have a reasonable assessment of how much of a role misogyny played in the 2016 presidential election. I'm not sure that Clinton was as unprecedentedly qualified for the job as was made out, but she is clearly a more qualified candidate than Biden, who was a mediocre at best politician when he was at his physical and mental peak. Their platforms and records? - virtually identical. If Biden goes on to win it's difficult not to assume his gender had a lot to do with it.
2
Love your columns, Gail. But you are still suggesting taking knife to a gun fight - your comment on Biden talking with a voter on second amendment. If 2016 elections have taught us anything it is that humility doesn’t work in America.
1
Gail's colleague Nick Kristof writes today that he believes both Biden and Trump are much more likely to contract coronavirus than the average Joe. All the public gatherings and hand-shaking that are part of the job description of being a candidate for the presidency. I hardly think we'll see the American equivalent of the Popemobile, but perhaps it may become a necessity in the coming weeks.
If it comes down to whose physical constitution has more grit to withstand life's tragic vicissitudes, Joe (not the average one) wins in a walk, while Trump does not do tragedy well precisely because he is one.
As for Biden's takedown of the auto worker whose gun query/accusation was hardly politely couched, I own a lot more guns than Biden, and probably more than the Fox News hero that uttered it, and I am proud of Joe's unloading on him. So there was some snark about Biden calling the man's wannabe assault weapon of choice an AR-14 instead of AR-15. I say, keep it up, stick with the diminutive number 14, since 95+% of the "patriots" toting their favorite toys around have never held let lone fired the real deal, an M16.
Biden's choice of running mate is his biggest challenge to turning Trump out to pasture. Too bad Liz Warren isn't Amy Klobuchar's age, because age, like it or not, is a major issue in this campaign...for both parties.
2
Since we're on high school sports analogies. It's pretty easy to sweep Super Tuesday when Pete Buttigieg chop-blocks the linebacker and the safeties decide to block for the other team. That includes Warren and Klobuchar both.
Anyway, if you think things are bad now, just wait. Democrats are replacing a shouty old man with a less coherent shouty old man. Great. Watch. Sanders will get blamed from damaging Biden in the debate. As if there were anyway Biden couldn't get damaged in a debate right now. What are Democrats doing?
We don't need a candidate who apes Trump's mannerisms in a supposedly more polite way. The appropriate response is actually "I'm working for all Americans, not just you." Take a guess which candidate would think of that response.
7
Please Joe - don’t lose your temper at the debates - if possible answer criticisms with humor - “There you go again” with a chuckle was one of Reagan’s most successful lines against Carter
1
I'm sorry but the double standards are ludicrous. Could you imagine if any female candidate had said what Joe said to that Michigan union worker. Imagine if Bernie had said it. The media would have exploded in contempt. But Biden does it, so it's "telling it like it is."
5
I’d a lot rather have Joe Biden’s occasional bursts of honest, simple anger without care for the political consequences than five seconds of Donald Trump’s vicious little rabble-rousings.
1
Gail, it’s really simple. Think about who you would invite for Thanksgiving Dinner:
Uncle Joe: smiling, nice, talkative but reasonable. Slips the Kids some cash, when Mom is out of the room.
Uncle Bernie: cranky, lectures and berates the Kids, repeatedly wakes the Baby by shouting.
Uncle Donald: ditches the wife, brings his girlfriend. Monopolizes the conversation the entire night. Brags and blusters. On the way out, steals the Kids piggy banks.
Stay healthy, folks. Take care of yourself, and others.
9
@Phyliss Dalmatian
Thanks for illustrating the fact that Biden's supporters would rather view the impending election in November, arguably the most crucial election in America's history, through the lens of "who they'd most like to invite to Thanksgiving Dinner" rather than who will take on Wall Street, big banks, and the corporate oligarchs that have plunged the working people of this country into despair. Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner with "Uncle Joe". The vast majority of working-class Americans can't even afford Thanksgiving Dinner, that's if they're not working at places like Walmart and Target for $7.25 an hour on Thanksgiving Day to ensure that the comfortable middle-class Biden supporters can storm in to buy discounted flat-screen TVs to their hearts content. There is no hope for this country.
Let's hope Biden survives the virus. He's always looked frailer than either bloated Trump or vigorous Bernie. If Tom Hanks can get it, anyone can.
2
"I’m only recalling this since it gives me a chance to point out that after I wrote, rather disapprovingly, about that particular address, Biden called to thank me 'for showing me what a jerk I was.'"
Thank you for pointing that out, Gail. Those of us who read your columns know about the insults that Trump has hurled at you for calling him a "thousandairre" a few years ago and more recently when you wrote the "Trumpvirus" column.
Biden thanked you for pointing out he went too far, whereas Trump insulted you.
I have a feeling the country sees Biden as a decent human being, warts and all, who knows his shortcomings and acknowledges them and see Trump as a braggart who never admits he made a mistake.
When Trump recently commented about his administration's response to coronavirus, he said, "The [coronavirus] tests are all perfect, like the letter was perfect, the transcription was perfect, right? This was not as perfect as that, but pretty good."
Only Trump will bring up his impeachment in a response to a pandemic. "Not as perfect ... but pretty good" is far as he will go to acknowledge the mess that is his administration's response to a grave crisis.
Let's hope Joementum lasts through November.
3
Well, first of all, Biden doesn’t work for him. Biden, currently, is not employed.
It's never been more important to know who his VP pick will be.
2
It is interesting how the attacks on Biden are age=based and seemingly "mentally unsound-based". We have had an elderly, mentally unhinged narcissist in the Oval Office for three years that has proven time and time again that he is the most unfit President in our history.
If Trump thinks he can play these cards against Biden, he will be in for a very rude awakening. While Biden may have verbal gaffes, Trump has gaffes that are both verbal and actions. His gaffes are now leading us into a true medical and financial crisis that he knows no way out.
1
Thanks, Gail. I guess we are just doomed.
4
Actually l loved it! About time someone showed some
emotions about having war machines threatening kids, shoppers, night clubs etc. I love seeing Biden with Moms Demand Action supporters! Time for common sense gun laws!
i think that what people assume is "cognitive decline" is actually a stutterer trying to keep up. remember biden had a terrible stutter and because of this he needs to think before he speaks and he needs to form the words. that's why i believe he makes gaffs. anyway i am beginning to feel that the who you pick for your cabinet is as important as being president. and joe could put together a stellar bunch
3
Crazy Joe Biden says a lot of weird stuff, it's true.
But compared to the Birther Liar, Joe Biden is stunningly sane.
Biden won't be rolling out anything approaching these award-winning whoppers:
"And again, when you have 15 (coronavirus caes) and the 15 within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero, that's a pretty good job we've done."
"And again, we've had tremendous success -- tremendous success beyond what people would have thought."
"It's a little like the regular flu that we have flu shots for. And we'll essentially have a flu shot for this in a fairly quick manner."
"There's a chance that it won't spread, too, and there's a chance that it will."
"So far we've done a great job."
Or as Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a former health policy adviser in the Obama administration, simply said regarding Trump's coronavirus self-coronation comments:
"I found most of what he said a little incoherent."
As anyone with eyes, ears and a normal electroencephalogram knows, Trump lies, fibs, fabricates and gaslights from morning until night seven days a week, 365 days a year.
For those counting, Trump's lied 16,241 times in the first three years of his so-called Presidency through Jan 20, 2020....but that was 50 days ago.....so add 756 lies to bring us up to date.
So, yeah, we're not too concerned about Crazy Joe Biden as long as we can get President Coronavirus to exit the stage right and pursue his fake dream of becoming a world-class vaccine and pandemic expert.
2
My first choice in primaries was Mayor Pete and I still feel nostalgic for the lost opportunity of a presidential candidate who speaks in complete sentences, not to mention having the intellectual wherewithal to understand what a virus is. But it is what it is, and Biden is the only rational alternative now. In fairy tales, it is often the dumb third brother who becomes a hero and slays the dragon. If Biden slays the twin dragons of Trumpism and socialism, there should be new fairy tales written about him.
1
All that matters to me: Biden called to thank me “for showing me what a jerk I was." This is exactly what is decent and endearing about Biden, that he accepts criticism and works to improve -- the number one quality required in any good leader. He's been around a long time and certainly made his share of mistakes, but has the maturity and wisdom to grow as a result.
1
Voters want to destroy trump. As part of making that happen, we want Bernie's ideas enacted by Biden.
Bernie's ideas will far outlast both men. Apart from destroying trump, that's the everlasting value here.
2
One of the perks for Biden in nailing down the nomination will be that the standard punditry penalty for “just being a jerk” will be transmuted. The new test will be: is Biden measurably being a bigger jerk than Trump? That creates for him vast new vistas of opportunity and freedom. Chances are that Biden couldn’t be a bigger jerk than Trump even if he tried. Let Biden be Biden. Turn him loose!
Who knows, if Biden comes to understand that no gaffe or flare up, however absurd, can possibly put him into Trump territory, he may feel completely liberated. The spontaneous and unscripted Biden may take us into delightfully uncharted mental terrain, channeling the folk soul of America in unexpected and instructive new ways.
In view of the dreary conventionality we have endured so far, any change will likely offer some level of improvement. How can it be morning in America until the alarm goes off? If Biden suddenly wakes up, he may bring the entire country along with him. What is there to lose? Let’s do it. Unchain Biden.
Just super charming the way he threatens to assault voters who disagree with him.
5
It's fine to criticize Joe Biden. I'd like to think that he's honest enough to admit that he's imperfect. At least he's likeable, decent, and empathetic. I think Gail does appreciate those positive traits.
However, it's time for people like Gail to channel their inner Paul Krugman. Stop with the passive/aggressive commentary and be tough on Trump. Bernie's comments about Trump were adequate. Frankly, calling Trump a pathological liar, a racist, a sexist, a homophobe, a xenophobe, and a religious bigot should be standard fare.
But back to Joe. I think people would be comfortable with him in the Oval Office, particularly during a crisis. I'm sure that Joe would be much better than the guy last night who had trouble reading from the teleprompter, fumbled his words, and wasn't comfortable with what he was saying.
For the record, that was Donald Trump. The financial markets have no confidence in Trump. He opened his mouth and the Dow futures dropped another 1,000 points. That's our new reality.
1
The confrontation with the gun rights guy was a good moment for joe, in terms of demonstrating he’s not a wimp on issues that are important to him
2
Actually, after hearing from hyperventilating whiners that any and every Democrat is out to 'get their guns,' Joe's scatalogical response is exactly the retort that many of us have been longing to hear.
It is right to the point. They're full of it.
While people may fan their face and exclaim, 'Oh my!', many of us are thinking "It's about time."
It's not exactly the negative that everyone seems to assume.
1
The run in with the FOX News auto plant worker was perfect. Gail a "voter" is not some sacrosanct being that all times should be coddled. That's farmers. Just as Biden has told Republican's he could work with the ones, after he beats trump, that are willing to work with him he is telling ammosexuals you have gone too far. The guy has been involved in politics for a long time. Everything that seems visceral may not be just a reaction but part of a plan. Telling Republicans that
they could feel at home with Biden has helped him win the suburbs that will also happen against trump.
2
My ranger husband thinks Biden handled that auto worker perfectly. No caving to the gun lobby here!
2
When the best thing you can say about your candidate is that he is not like Trump, that is pitiful.
5
Wondering if the Biden/Sanders Debate will take place after the president's dire ignorant and misinformed address to the nation about the Coronovirus Covid-19 threat from the Oval Office last night? Shocking global events move so swiftly today in our wired, plugged-in cyberworld that whatever Joe Biden said to an union auto-worker in Detroit yesterday is outdated today.
1
The corporate media is the largest SuperPac for Biden giving him years of glowing coverage while continually going negative on Bernie. They all would rather have Trump than Bernie. Bernie last night won by over 70% the people under 50, but lost significantly those over 50 who get their news intravenously from MSDNC, CNN, NYT, WaPO and other corporate pandering media. Biden is barely able to complete a sentence and even the DNC is changing the rules for the upcoming debates to favor Biden - like sitting down. Biden unfortunately will be trounced by Trump
2
There are times when you have to talk to people in language they understand.
"I’m only recalling this since it gives me a chance to point out that after I wrote, rather disapprovingly, about that particular address, Biden called to thank me “for showing me what a jerk I was.”"
Among other reasons, this is why I'm voting for Biden and why I know he will be the president this country needs now.
2
"I’m only recalling this since it gives me a chance to point out that after I wrote, rather disapprovingly, about that particular address, Biden called to thank me 'for showing me what a jerk I was.'
Try to imagine Donald Trump doing something like that."
Exactly. Joe is a class act, decent and willing to admit a lapse of judgment here or there.
“But we’re talking choices here. Who wouldn’t rather have a president with a habit of babbling than one who’d move into the Oval Office and start deconstructing the government’s pandemic control team?“. I would much prefer the latter.
I see nothing wrong with some judicious cussing by anyone, including politicians.
2
He's terrible at campaigning. Just awful. However, this is easily overlooked in light of the fact that trump is the worst president in the nation's history, by orders of magnitude.
2
I really hope Joe and Trump don't get a bad case of Covid. Trump is very weak and the easiest target. While Joe is the Democrat's best hope for winning votes.
Gail, in the Trump World the racists and xenophobes have forced us to live in for 3+ years, Biden's remarks sound tame, still connected to reality, and not wrong. They weren't tactful, but they weren't wrong.
Can we ever say that about the corrupt, knuckleheaded conman we call our President?
1
Biden needs a strong VP.
The media is setting us to be ambushed in the general election. The centrist bias is so strong here. We know every pore if detail about sanders and his policies.
Do you think he will win progressives when he is the bankruptcy bill guy? Why don’t they harp on this for months at a time? How bad it is? Debt prisoners? The moral and ethical issues.
Not a peep.
How about all the recent studies showing Sanders plan is fiscally responsible compared to Bidens medical plan? Not a peep.
His hostile way with voters where they give a pass here. If Sanders said shush to a female aid in public like Biden did The NY Times would explode with WAPO.
The media is biased. And by ignoring Bidens issues they are setting us up for a major reckoning in the general election.
Trump is a liar. He can run to the left of Biden. He can not do that with Sanders or Warren. Maybe he has worn out his welcome and it doesn’t matter.
But saying a guy is decent, dignity and other nonsense doesn’t make a campaign. What is this prom king? Your idea of decency is yours alone. I see him as a guardian of crony capitalism and part of what got us here. There is nothing decent about that.
It’s so obvious how biased the media is. Sanders has several negative articles per week. Can you think of a handful of negative articles on Biden? Decades up there and maybe a handful this election cycle.
The pro corporate bias is so obvious.
2
Gonna be fun to watch this infatuation turn to concern turn to panic. Nice going moderates, what’s the next travesty up your sleeve?
3
The fact that Biden called and thanked you for showing him he'd been a jerk tells so much about him. No one can imagine Trump doing that because in his mind he is never wrong. Biden's response to you tells me he is still teachable. Thank you, Gail.
Actually, I loved it that Biden told that guy he was full of it. Because he is.
1
I think you'll find that canned responses are more out of style than you may think. Biden's comments were refreshing. Maybe it'll give Senators McConnell and Graham the vapors to hear it, but it's about time we stood up to these bullies and their nonsense.
Joe was not my first choice, thought Liz was incredible. However, I will happily vote for him in November. He will indeed bring decency back to the Oval Office. The pathetic response to covid19 from 45 tonight is another obvious reason.
2
I’m tired of seeing pundits downplay Biden’s condescending exchange with the union auto worker (and condescending shushing of a FEMALE staffer in the process). Let’s not forget that he also incorrectly said “AR-14” multiple times during that exchange.
The bar for Biden is so low right now and the Democrats aren’t properly vetting him. Can you imagine the backlash if Sanders had put down a woman who worked for him in the same fashion?
More importantly, let’s not forget that that was Biden’s brief and only public appearance in a week that’s considered his best. It may be a single forgettable exchange, but six months of those could add up to electoral death by a thousand cuts.
The consolidation around Biden was a brilliant move to get past Sanders, but I wish the DNC could execute the same maneuvers in order to defeat Trump. Leading Biden like a blinkered pony through the rest of the primary — Clyburn even called for cancelling Sunday’s debate — will never prepare him for the onslaught he’ll face from Trump. There’s a lot of Joementum right now, but it’s all speculative, extremely hyped, and most importantly has not run into any obstacles yet. More importantly, he’s been labeled “Joe Hiden” and not actively campaigning while surrogates are doing most of the leg work. How did that work for Hilary?
I hope to God he wins the election, but barring a corona-induced economic meltdown, it’s hard to see him winning. This untested bubble will burst.
5
“Bernie, if I win, the chances that Congress is going to send me a Medicare-for-all bill when I want something less sweeping are approximately the size of an anthill. An anthill constructed for an ant-chihuahua. Don’t be a dope.”
And so millions of people won't be covered. Something many Times columnists somehow see as a victory.
5
The media including NYT did a good job letting everyone know the Bernie was one of those socialist people that will ruin our free market capitalist society (except for those obligatory bailouts and subsidies).
Now hopefully Republicans can come up with something good to scare the public about Bidden, and Bernie supporters can now stay home and not vote in November (maybe due to the coronavirus?).
1
It turns out that the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is the biggest contributor to VP Biden’s campaign. They also contributed tons of money to Corey Booker and Kamala Harris. The law firm also represents Trump’s personal lender, Deutsche Bank. What could go wrong? What could possibly go right? Cute headline or columns won’t save the country. Good reporting might. Let’s hope for good reporting,
3
Getting feisty with a loudmouth autoworker who insults you to your face and misprepresents your position on guns in front of an audience of other autoworkers was not a good moment for Joe? I disagree.
I heard about this incident while listening to the Joy Reid show. Her frequent guest Karrin Jean-Pierre, the former Obama staffer and current MSNBC commentator said that Biden needs more moments like that. Karinn is the woman who didn't miss a beat when a 6-foot tall protester rushed the stage and grabbed Kamala Harris's microphone at She The People. She just jumped in and blocked his access to Kamala until help arrived.
1
I look forward to seeing Uncle Joe be utterly defenestrated in a head to head debate with Sanders. It will be a bitter sort of satisfaction, but satisfying nonetheless, to see Biden with no punching bags to hide behind. Sanders' debate game is second to none, and he is capable of reducing a cowardly relic like Uncle Joe to a smoking heap of ash.
Trump and the republican dirty tricks machine will make mincemeat out of Joe in the general. He's not fit to handle the heat, as his feeble attempts at acting pugnacious clearly prove; they smack more of Monty Burns than Joe Louis.
The Dems have chosen the hill they'll die on, and all that's left to witness is an excruciating slow-motion massacre.
3
It’s apparent you’re not particularly fond of Biden. But, it would be helpful if you didn’t write snarky bon mots that the current administration’s toadies can use for fundraising, tweets, and regular digs to turn out their voters at the polls. We need Biden to succeed and take out the cancer in the White House, as well as protect the House and gain as many seats as we can in the Senate. Don’t do their work for them by making it seem Biden shouldn’t be elected.
Another "perfect" decision by Trump: ban travel from Europe, except from Britain, which already has 400+ cases of the covid-19. Trump thinks no one can get on the Chunnel from Calais to Dover, go the Gatwick and then fly into the US. Sheesh.
1
It looks like Biden will be the Democratic nominee. Would love to see Dr. Jill Biden his V.P. running mate.
The “Go high when they Go Low” doesn’t work in a society with little regard for respect and decency to one another.
Anyone offended by Biden’s interaction with that automatic weapon enthusiast was not voting Democrat anyway.
Dear Gail,
quit your job!
Joe Biden is a war criminal together with Obama and Hillary.
You failed to understand it almost a decade ago. You still don't understand it! It’s time for you and all the NYT op-ed columnists to go, together with the entire editorial board!
You have failed the country!
By the way, if you would like to learn why Barack, Joe and Hillary are the worst war criminals, give me a call…
P.S.
All they had to do was to give a call to the head of the NATO member country, Turkish president Erdogan, and order him not to arm the rebels in Syria and stop the influx of the islamists across its territory in order to prevent a civil war and a sectarian violence.
Their duty was to preempt turning the Arab Spring into the sectarian strife.
However, their hatred incited them to attempt the overthrowing of the Syrian president Assad, thus making them directly responsible for several hundred thousands civilian deaths, the several millions refugees and eventual morphing of the rebels they armed into the ISIS.
Those actions constitute the war crimes!
Those actions were premeditated, thus intentional and without excuse!
5
It's always big fun huh,Gail? Please can you NYT commentators
get it straight that real people,real citizens of this nation are suffering? Iknow you probably don't know anybody without health insurance,o.k. maybe your uber driver. Your flippancy
about this race and the real people who vote or don't vote in it
is reprehensible. TellingJoe to slow down when he is definitely
in cognitive decline is an insult to his family and to the voters. It's all good fun. You can't deal with the fact that we are about to nominate a man who is declining. And you seem to
have no real understanding or worse, caring for the citizens
who have problems. What a sham you are. Saying
things like Bernieis just like Joe in his policies just more intense. Making fun of getting Mediare for all through the Congress, while not saying why that's such a hard slough.
Because the people who finance Joe, don't want it. Please
try to write with some concern for your fellow citizens. Well
you ain't no HL Menken. Truth to Power try it, sometime, Gail
6
Bazooka Joe (minus the eyepatch) is going to tank just like our plummeting stock market.
Bernie 2020
3
@Zareen
Ah, trumpian, childish name calling, classy.
Stick a fork in Sanders, he's done. Furthermore, he knows it and gave himself an offramp yesterday.
Gail:
Stop already. Your obsessive desire to focus on Biden’s “gaffes” are no better than the daily barrage of irresponsible, mean-spirited, ill-informed lies and stupidity coming out of other news outlets and commentators. Now is the time for responsible journalists and op ed writers to step up to the plate and tell the public what is really happening. The world is on fire, people are terrified, leadership in the United States is gone (that also includes Senate republicans as well as the President). And making continued fun about Biden’s stuttering is mean, cruel and and a horrible way to treat people afflicted this humiliating and difficult affliction. I, like so may others, scour the papers each day, looking for responsible journalists to step up and provide a rational voice in an otherwise irrational country. I always that the New York Times was such a publication, but no more. Interestingly, some of best stuff has come from conservative and moderate journalists. Step up to plate, Gail, or step down and (as has been suggested by another reader) go write a book.
2
You go, Uncle Joe!
1
Not to quibble, Gail, but I doubt Biden’s response to that auto worker is going to be considered a problem by many Biden voters. Many are tired of this alt-right tactic. Websites coach people to shout out the absurd talking points and conspiracy theories, or post them on public forums like here on the NYT comments. Then everybody is supposed to respond to them thoughtfully and in a measured way thereby legitimizing them.
It is like someone shouting, “Stop eating babies!” It is designed to make the discussion about you eating babies, no matter how absurd. Sometimes you just need someone to respond by sayin that they are “full of $&”$!”
3
You’d think after four years of Trump, reporters would be over their pearl clutching. Oh well, they probably will be after eight years of Biden. :)
@Mercury S there's been a lot of funny points so far during the dems campaign but your comment about 8 years of Biden takes the cake. He can barely string together a sentence now and you think he'll be in office for 8 years? funny stuff...
Ms. Collins. I thoroughly enjoy your columns. Elizabeth Warren is not going to be the nominee for the office of President of the United States. I am sorry your candidate failed to advance. I expected more of you. Instead of damning Joe Biden with faint praise, maybe you should recognize that Ms. Clinton was a flawed candidate in 2016. Flawed because she was the bane of the far right because of healthcare in 1993. Flawed because she failed to personally connect with voters. Flawed because she was seen as Wall Street puppet. But....flawed. Write THAT column. Because it explains Joe Biden's Margin of victory in Michigan. Compared to Ms Clinton's loss in Michigan four years ago.
1
It may take a street fighter like Joe Biden to take out a gangster like Donald Trump in the general election. God's speed Joe Biden.
2
Gail Collins for VP.
1
Joe Biden is the Dalai Lama compared to Daycare Donnie.
President Coronavirus-Covfefe has worn out his welcome.
Time for some quiet boring sanity in the Oval Office.
4
Don’t go all Maureen-Dowd-vs-Hillary on us, Gail.
We can’t take much more of this.
2
Joe Biden personally called Gail Collins to thank her for a negative article she wrote that pointed out what a jerk he had been.
Donald Trump would have sent out a vicious misspelled tweet attacking her and the failing New York Times.
Could the difference be any clearer?
2
@Me funny, I remember just this week a citizen asked him a serious question about his stance on gun confiscation and he went nuts on him, swearing multiple times, threatened to take him outside to fight, waving his finger in his face, said I'm not working for you, called him a liar....all while the conservative citizen remained calm. what happened to the tolerant left?
1
The only thing that could reasonably standing between Joseph R. Biden and 4 year occupation of the Oval Office of the White House beginning in January, 2021 is the return of smiling. smirking. hacking. Interfering and meddling Vladimir Putin and his henchman Benjamin Netanyahu on behalf of Donald J. Trump.
Along with their useful assets and idiots at Facebook. Google. Fox News, Amazon. Twitter, Wall Street Journal, etc.
1
Thump is going to mop the floor with this clown.
3
I love Uncle Joe.
Haha Gail you are asking us to settle for one clown after this present clown bizarro in office is kicked out! I guess we have no choice but keep voting for clowns cuz you know Americans wink wink are clowns themselves. The rest of the world is scratching its collective head when President Trump declares coronavirus a foreign virus. How dare the virus enter America without a visa!! So he is gonna ban all non citizens SVP green card holders from entering he country because you know only foreigners carry a foreign virus.
What a riot!
1
He called you to thank you for showing what a jerk he had been ?
Wow .
I mean - super Wow .
"Joementunm" isn't that where the Democratic Party picks up speed to drive off a cliff.
3
John Mccain said anyone who speaks publicly for more than 5 minutes is bound to say something stupid.
2
The Emperors New Clothes have vanished. The Trump Essence is now on full Display: Too Stupid to know you’re Stupid, and too Vain to accept Help. We are in DEEP trouble.
GO, JOE.
Joe's response to the 2A zealot was spot on. What else do you say to a bad faith argument designed to make a viral moment?
It is entirely possible Joe said those words, likely in the context of a red flag law or restrictions on those with domestic abuse convictions. "Rounding that up" to "taking away my guns" to distort a half minute interaction is indeed FOS and being a HA.
As my grandfather explained to my horrified grandmother after a bit of profane verbal road rage, "you have to use the proper term".
1
A right wing media plant receives an honest response. Good for Joe. Bad for an NYT opine who uses the phrase "Joementum."
Joe! Bye, Don!
When the Right Wing Nuts lie and cheat during this election cycle all REAL patriotic Americans must call them out on the spot.
1
Dear Gail,
While it's true that our Uncle Joe can get a lttle beligerant and over-feisty when confronting morons...oops, we're not supposed to hurt the feelings of Orange Face's fans by describing them by their actions—i.e. accurately—sorry. But remember , please, that the other stable's geniass is a full-time potty mouthed braggart who is always braying insults at someone. In other words, let's at least cut our own side some slack and judge in comparison to the horror we're up against.
1
Well, for all those Trump supporters who like a president who "tells it like it is", Joe telling that guy that he's full of manure and not to be a horse's patootie should be just the ticket.
@Jim but he's going to hire Beto who's campaign focused on confiscating weapons. Joe is the one who's full of it in this scenario.
I am not the only person who felt Biden's response to Mr NRA was perfect and about freakin' time.
@david moran shall not be infringed, Joe is a joke and will say absolutely anything to get the nom, Trump in a landslide 2020
"But we’re talking choices here. Who wouldn’t rather have a president with a habit of babbling than one who’d move into the Oval Office and start deconstructing the government’s pandemic control team?".... While babbling incoherently.
Let's remember something about the "super moderate" Joe Biden; he was the guy whispering into Obama's ear just before he signed the ACA into law: "This is a real big f*@$ing deal."
I am going to pull the lever for Joe Biden with great and sincere happiness and relief.
1
Am I the only one who thought the "full of ---" line was funny? And appropriate, as the "Democrats are coming to take all your guns away!" has always been a BS argument.
Did Gail/The NYTimes print “full of S—-?”
If I write it, they won’t publish this.
But the reporters and columnists can say whatever they want today - so long as they are quoting a politician.
It’s the new journalistic normal.
Something else we can thank President Trump for.
2
Okay, thanks Gail for pointing out Biden's mindless gaffs, when we have the worst president ever, who has absolutely no idea what he is doing in the Oval Office, doesn't care, and generally makes any bad situation worse.
But Gail summed it up well:
"But we’re talking choices here. Who wouldn’t rather have a president with a habit of babbling than one who’d move into the Oval Office and start deconstructing the government’s pandemic control team?"
I think that part of the calculus in choosing Biden over Bernie, Warren, Klobuchar is that many of our fellow Americans want to vote for someone they want to have a beer with, and certainly not some smart presidential candidate with political experience and "plans." It's called "electability." And how many of those enthusiastic young Bernie fans just didn't bother to vote in the primaries?
Some of the fault lies in in our broken political party system, which functions on dividing us in order to win elections. I think it is time to try the ranked ballot system where we vote for the individual not the party. And also, the antiquated Electoral College vote should not be winner-take-all (as it is in all but 2 states) but based on proportional votes in the popular election.
We can do better and we better figure out why we aren't and how to fix what is clearly broken in our election system. I think big donors like it though.
I am a progressive and I think Bernie's positions are the correct ones for the Democratic Party. And sure, I will vote for Biden if he is the nominee. But, I wonder whether our country or the world can afford much more of the corporate greed that has been eating the working class and destroying the environment for the last 40 years. Democrats are guilty of capitulating to the 1% for too long.
8
Discouraging to see so many commenters justifying Biden's remarks to the auto worker. A few years ago people expected presidential candidates to restrain their anger, no matter how justified, but apparently now it's ok to openly insult members of the public. Trump has seriously lowered the standards of this entire country.
10
How are we to understand this? Democratic primary voters have picked the 5th or 6th best candidate presented to them a few months ago. Certainly there was malign influence from corporate sources and establishment media, but how much of this folly does that explain?
Laudatory articles about Warren and Sanders are proliferating now that they are neutralized. Senators Booker and Harris disappeared way too early. Mayor Pete was inexplicably lionized. Klobuchar’s ideology was close to Biden’s, and she had none of his liabilities.
Democrats have only one real campaign strength left: the widespread and well-justified hatred of Donald Trump. We could have done better.
10
Wait until he forgets where he is during a debate or mixes up his wife with his sister again. Then we'll revisit "Joementum."
12
And Bernie is 1 year older.
As a Dem, it makes me very sad that Joe is the pick of the pile. He is not ready for this. Neither is Sanders. We are in one heap of "doo doo" to have to pick this candidate as our leader. There are others who were so much better. God help us.
6
In the days of 24/7 Internet Porn and when grade school kids, both male and female on my street use graphic sexual words as normal, hard to believe that Ms.Collins is such a Prude and offended by Biden's language.
3
Trump would have called Gail Collins to tell her what a jerk she is!
2
I am proud of Biden for not taking the bull of a machine gun-wielding fox news set up.
Just because it is not smooth-talking politician pablum, does not honest and in its way eloquent.
Go, Joe.
8
Biden off the leash is still preferable to Trump on the leash, or Bernie, for that matter. But yeah, sometimes his slobbery kisses are too much even for dog lovers. Sit, Joe, sit! Good boy!
2
It's about time someone tells those deplorables where they can go. I'm all for Joe telling it the way it is.
2
I wouldn't cringe if Joe saved his potty talk for Trump, but to do it with a working stiff is really stupid.
4
@Enough
No, it's just being blunt - and using the language the guy himself no doubt uses, because we all do.
1
seems to me that is the oft times much vaunted authenticity that folks claim to love (sic) about Trump....at least it's not coming out of the mouth of the Wizard of Con
We need a candidate who will bring dignity back to the presidency. I always liked Joe but think he should control himself for the good f the country. We already have a foul-mouthed low life in the White House. We do not need to replace him with another one. Biden is better than this!
1
I find it ironic that this septuagenarian columnist cannot seem to complete one column without disparaging the former Vice President's age. Ms. Collins exhibits the same tired verbosity without the Joementum...
1
He has some cringey moments. But compared to who he’s hoping to unseat, he’s Marlon Brando.
1
Dear Gail, nice try to turn me off with your attempt at panning Biden. You succeeded.
1
Uncle Goofy vs Donny Liar Boy. Who could ask for more.
4
Biden is an imperfect candidate, OK, but does he speak like a NYC cab driver who taunts his opponents with juvenile nicknames? Does he suck up to Russian oligarchs and our nation's number one foreign enemy... V. Putin? Has he bragged about receiving love letters from dictator for life Kim J?
Comparatively speaking I'll settle for some small missteps by Joe as opposed to our current leader who put lives at risk by soft peddling a killer virus to protect his GDP numbers.
4
Biden's a bleeper like Trump's a bleeper.We think Bernie's a bleeper too, but nobody is sure what he's bleeping. Then there's the bleeping media, all of whom bleep.
6
Give 'em hell Joe! I cannot wait to knock on doors for a Biden campaign. The Sanders folks need to look in the mirror, realize it's not happening and honor their promise to support the best candidate to defeat the President.
2
Gail, Biden's comments remind me of a kinder and gentler time. Years ago, then Senator Al Simpson invited his colleague Ted Kennedy to Wyoming. Al hosted a town hall meeting with Ted as his guest when one of the attendees shouted out, "what's that Horse's Ass doing here". Al had that person removed and moved on with the meeting. Afterwards, Ted thanked him as said he didn't realize that Al thought that highly of him. Al's response was "I don't, but I can't stand to see a horse insulted like that, we value horses here in Wyoming". Unlike the town hall attendee, I am certain that Joe Biden was not attempting to insult horses, he was just stating a fact.
1
National politics is now about, powered by, internet and how it provides instantaneous audio/video/text news coverage with too much detail with inadequate context about everything. It's too much information, too fast, skewed one way or another with no information about the reporter's, or his employer's, ideological or commercial purpose; to say it simply--people are getting manipulated. It'll take time for viewers, readers, voters and consumers to learn how to use/discount this wall to wall information blizzard--we're just at the beginning of that learning process--it's hell. In politics it almost just gave us a semi-communistic Democratic presidential candidate; that challenge having been successfully turned back by last-minute voter commonsense, it has now moved on to provide us with the Coronavirus panic--what next?
George Washington was also a politician with significant flaws, proud and egotistical, and a man who struggled to overcome his shortcomings, not least for the good of the nation.
It worked out pretty well, no?
And that guy in Detroit was a horse's rear end. So Joe nailed it.
2
I remember liking Joe Biden from the 1988 campaign -- That's the one with Dukakis and the tank. :(
Through the decades, I've liked how Biden has, overall, carried himself. He is just enough of a brash idiot that his humanity shows through. I doubt he planned that (gun) response, it just sort of came out. It shows me that in those raw moments of action, Biden has a base personality that calls a jerk a jerk or horse's ass a horse's ass. That is an honesty and directness I want in the person in the seat at the end of the table in the Situation room.
I'll (likely) never be privy to any oval office conversations, but it seems to me that of the remaining choices for presidency of the United States in 2020, Biden has the experience, attitude, and empathy that makes him my choice..
The difference between Biden and Trump is Biden has the experience and understanding to back up his faux/real bluster with policies and positions that are closest to mine. With Trump, all you get is the bluster with no apparent logic, thought, or policies to back it up other than Donald Trump putting himself and his cronies' needs before the country's best interest.
The choice before me has becomingly glaringly obvious.
he called an NRA voter 'full of sh t'?!
- sounds like a shrewd move to his base, Biden is not too old yet to learn new tricks from the current champion of name calling trash talk
2
I completely disagree and was delighted to hear Biden light in to the guy who was indeed a horse’s ass looking for his 15 minutes which he promptly got. And the man was definitely not a Biden or even a Democratic voter. He was a heckler, a provacateur. Whaddaya think he was there for, a measured policy discussion?!? Come off it. Really, please. Just cut it out.
3
I'm glad Ms. Collins brought this up--Biden's tendency to counter-punch with threats of aggression--"fightin' words." Every time he does it I cringe. It sounds like male adolescent taunts: I'm gonna kick your ass, etc. It's immature and unconvincing. Better to go with "Don't get mad, get even." Also, Trump's a gifted counter-puncher, which complements his basic approach of "the best defense is a good offense." Biden should take lessons from Asian martial arts: deftly step aside and use your opponents force against him.
2
We live in a time when all the old rules have been revoked. There was a time when any of a dozen things Trump does or says in the course of an average week would have killed a political career. Not any more. "O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts, and men have lost their reason."
"Horse's ass? " "Dog-faced pony soldier?" Who cares? Now we wish for simple decency and a time when the color of the President's suit was the day's big controversy. We'll get that from Joe.
When his adversary said, “You’re working for me, man,” Biden swiftly retorted, “Don’t be such a horse’s ass.”
You're shocked that Biden didn't turn the other cheek?
Maybe we're tired of platitudes, and what Biden said was what many men would have said.
1
Trump says or tweets at least five stupid things every day. His supporters often reinterpret them, or even tell us to disregard them entirely.
So why am I supposed to get worried about Biden telling a rude jerk to "stop being a horse's ass"?
A little context here, please.
2
"It was during an argument over gun control. When his adversary said, “You’re working for me, man,” Biden swiftly retorted, “Don’t be such a horse’s ass.”
As it is hard to not notice, Joe Biden is a very angry individual for all the wrong reasons.
The president is a public servant, who definitionally serves the public. When confronted with basic truths of government and how it functions constitutionally, his retorts seem to demonstrate not only a terrible personality (calling people horse asses, which is not even funny) but a fundamental misunderstanding of the office for which he is running.
Enter then articles such as "Bernie Angry, Bernie Smash" that also seem to conflate the difference between anger and outrage. Bernie has much to be outraged about, yet outrage is a healthy expression to injustice. Bernie insult no one and yes, with outrage, confronts opponents to his agenda with facts, ethics, and just measures that are the paragon of presidentially.
Thank you for this wonderful article making so clear the absurdity of how alt facts have also become the prerogative of the New York Times.
Albert, Psychoanalyst
4
Gail, I miss the days when I found you funny or sincere. While you miss no chance to call Bernie "cranky" or "always yelling" when Biden disrespects a voter, calling him "a horses ass" and "full of shit" you act like it's cute. Biden also shushed his female staffer during the same incident for those in the Warren camp concerned about sexism.
4
No candidate has ever been as cognitively challenged as Trump (I’m giving 2nd term Reagan the benefit of the doubt). Tonight his address on Coronavirus response was delivered by a waxy old man holding on tight to his script, saying ridiculous things walked back by the white House staff within two hours. Talk about babbling, Trump is the political poster child. His tongue is loose and his mind is squarely on his glorious achievements, “all the best, yes they are, yes they are. . .buy my hats. . .buy my bs. . .buy my hate, paying my price.”
The Democrat front-runner, Joe Biden, tells the world that he's going to bring civility & dignity back to the White House. He then proceeds to tell a UAW member he's full of sh*t, threatens to slap the man, then finishes his exchange by telling him to stop being a horse's as*.
Kudos to Gail for acknowledging that it was a "bad moment". But it was more than that. Joe has a history of popping-off like this. Couple that with his obviously developing cognition issues, and a strong case can be made that Biden is unfit for office. If Democrats want civility and dignity back in the WH, they should nominate someone with more of them than the current incumbent.
4
I'm 78 and I've earned the right to call anyone a horse's ass at any time in any venue. So has Joe. He wasn't my first choice, but I have followed his career for nearly fifty years and he has fewer unforced errors and more accomplishments than most political figures his age. And he's a decent guy who will bring competent people back into government.
2
It is the man that calls to thank you for showing him he was a jerk that makes us trust him. It is the man who tells a voter that he is full of shit that appeals to people that thought Trump was "authentic". Yes, as much as I like and admire Joe, I was really hoping for one of the younger candidates to make it to the top. If Biden can make it to the White House, I will have absolute confidence in his administration and hope, once again, for the future of the country.
I don’t know that the “full of shit” moment was a bad moment for Joe. Other than fox viewers who were never really going to vote for him anyway (in which camp most of is put said union member) most other people were tired of lies and gotcha used on topics like gun control and abortion, were tired of democrats getting kicked in the rear while going high when disingenuous would be project veritable groupies try to frame things in less than good faith. Mostly what I’m hearing is people saying good for joe. Bout time people got push back when lying about democrats p,atforms etc.
2
I don't know, telling that guy he was "full of shit" kind of made my day.
3
Oh, the poor gun fetishist got called out for being a moron. Boo hoo, snowflake.
3
Biden probably won the whole darned election by telling that guy that he was full of excrement. He established himself as a Real American.
And who knew that a distinguished NYT columnist would be permitted by management to use the word 'shit'?
Dan Kravitz
2
The guy was full of shit and Biden had the clarity of mind to say so. Good for him. That said, he needs to reclaim the high road for the sake of contrast between him and Caliban. It will do him good in November.
1
Thamks for sharing your thoughts on Biden Gail. I guess it's time for the NYTimes to start stoking the Ol' Gaffe Train in preparation for the nomination and election.
Personally I liked it when he told the gun lover off, especially when that clown was so "full of shit." I'm glad Biden feels confident enough to be willing to lose a potential vote and let an honest opinion out now and then. Go get 'em Joe. You're too old but I guess you're all we got left.
1
Reagan had pre/post Alzheimers. Bush's bushims makes Joe's slips look mild. Trump is clearly crazy AND a liar.
Need some examples of Bushism's:
**"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."— Aug. 5, 2004
**I want to thank my friend, Sen. Bill Frist. … Karyn is with us. A West Texas girl, just like me."—May 27, 2004
**"I'm honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein."—May 25, 2004
**"One of the most meaningful things that's happened to me since I've been the governor—the president—governor—president. Oops. Ex-governor. ."— Jan. 9, 2004
**Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN's aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."—Sept. 6, 2004,
**"It's very interesting when you think about it, the slaves who left here to go to America, because of their steadfast and their religion and their belief in freedom, helped change America."— July 8, 2003
**"First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill."— May 19, 2003
3
Practice this phrase: "Bernie makes a good point." You do not have to agree his solutions are realistic to agree with his powerful critique of the powerful! Make sure his supporters know you understand. And make sure you DO understand.
Gail:
If you want to dive into Biden’s gaffs, forget doing a column and go write a book. After you spend all that time writing you might learn that nobody wants to buy it.
Same is true for that part of this Opinion. About the only readers to get charged up by your mentioning a handful of Biden foot-in-mouth moments are those ardent Sanders supporters hoping you’ll take a swipe at Joe.
And you did. And the Bernie crowd is enjoying the moment while the rest of us simply don’t care. Perhaps it’s time to stop stirring the stew Gail. We’ve all got more important things to deal with than wondering what Joe might say next. We have to worry about what Trump will say next because that actually will have an immediate impact on our health, safety, 401k’s, businesses, etc.
You do however bring up a worthwhile conversation regarding how Biden and particularly Sanders will handle the next debate. With just days to go, it is terribly important that these two provide all of us with a vaccine that helps to both heal and unite our nation (and the world).
Like FDR who implored Americans that “the only thing we have to fear is ... fear itself”, these two must focus on being calm and reassuring. They must both respect each other’s positions and show restraint at yelling into the camera. A calm and measured denouncement of Trump will have greater impact than the rants used to date. We will still be stuck with Trump for the next 9 months but leadership begins now.
4
Gail, If I wrote in response to any of your columns I think “you’re a lying dog-face pony soldier,” the fine watchdogs of the reader comments would shred it, burn it, and flush it to the fourth circle of hell deep beneath Times Square never to see the light of day. And yet you sit here fidgeting grasping for excuses for your dearly beloved centrist kingpin.
Joe Biden will be the laughingstock of American politics before this is all over, if he’s not already.
2
It is hard to imagine trump doing anything good or positive that doesn't involve benefiting himself.
1
Policies, engagement with the international community, respect from others, long knowledge of government...and his humility itself represents a welcome and much-needed change!
2
I'm surprised retorts like Joe's don't happen more often. Not just from Joe, from everyone. It amazes me that these politicians running for President put their shoes on the right feet; they must be exhausted, weary of spirit being asked the same question day after day.
We need a six week campaign season. Stop the debates, they show us nothing.
2
I know one thing Biden, as President, would do. He’d restore government departments and staff that you need to run a government. Big example: the entire department that Obama established that Trump abolished. It was designed to work on n Global Health issues. Sorry, I can’t remember the name of it. You need trained and experienced people to administer government. This is all very obvious but it bears pointing out. So what if Joe Biden makes verbal gaffes? He may not be a pyrotechnic speaker but so what! The decency and good faith of the man resonates. He knows that wise leaders surround themselves with knowledgeable and experienced administrators and staff. He’s not an out of control narcissist. He can delegate and collaborate. You can’t overstate how much we need that. We’re living in a house that’s been subjected to a vicious home invasion. I’m shell shocked by the relentless assaults on humanity of the last 3 years. Let’s get our house in order, right the wrongs with an eye to improving what used to be the status quo. If Biden chooses a vigorous running mate, lots of outstanding people to choose from, a vibrant can-do team can electrify the nation, get us back on track and plan future improvement.
3
Joe's Excellent Adventure.
2
Joe is a fundamentally decent, instinctively polite, old-school gentleman, and might be a good President. I fear, however, that he's in the early stages of clinical dementia. (I'm sadly watching my own father go through this.)
There's a slight deterioration of both short and long term memory. Now and then he'll forget where he is, or what day it is. Sometimes he's fully alert and present, and other times he appears to be not quite all there. Periodic cognitive difficulties - its like he clearly knows what he wants to say, but the words don't come out right.
He's never been great at extemporaneous speaking, but it seems to be getting a lot worse. He's been known for gaffes over the years (some of which were actually almost charming), but it used to be every few months. It is now weekly, sometimes daily.
And he's now (suddenly) heading into a territory that will put this under a harsh spotlight. Until now he was on the debate stage with six, eight, even 10 others. Actual speaking time was relatively minimal. But he's now about to enter a scene where he's going one on one with Sanders, and then Trump. Two or three grueling hours at a time where fully half the time will be his, and without a teleprompter.
Bernie will come after him, but there are a lot of lines he won't cross. They'll be punching, but with soft gloves on. Trump will show no such restraint. Biden often barely held his own against second tier candidates. I fear Trump debates could turn into a bloodbath.
16
What is the basis for your clinical analysis from the couch? Are you a psychiatrist? An expert in aging?
What you put up is from the early stages of the GOP / Russia misinformation program. Trying to create another “email” scandal.
Which Democrat POLICIES would make America better? Hating Trump is not a policy. What is the proper role of government and what should it stay out of? These are key questions to ask and discuss.
10
If the policies were really the key things in most Presidential elections, the Democrats would be the overwhelming favorites because poll after poll show that most Americans support, and in many cases by a large margin, policies that they promote like universal healthcare, raising the minimum wage, taxing the wealthy more fairly, common sense gun control etc. etc. etc. I’m old enough to remember quite well when Reagan crushed Mondale in ‘84 and the majority of Americans when polled on the issues were strongly in favor of what Mondale stood for but the majority nevertheless voted for Reagan. The point is that people tend to vote for the candidate they ‘like’ and feel comfortable with and in ‘84 Reagan was an old, friendly, cheerful and positive guy so the vast majority of the people voted for him. It was a gut or visceral feeling that guided their decision, not policies. So, bottom line is, millions of people voted against their best interests and for Trump for similar reasons. They felt betrayed and ignored and he was going to help them. (I like to hear what he has done for many of them now though!) It is imperative that the Democrats make it about their candidate and how they are a huge step forward as a human being from the morally bankrupt, intellectually challenged mean spirited narcissist we have in office now. Policies, while important, will not, on their own, beat Dumpy. The Democrats must win the hearts of those voters.
1
@Ed Smith I don't agree with most of what you said on policies. People voted for Trump because Obama and Hillary's policies were terrible - Obamacare increased costs, higher taxes, higher regulations, more government handouts, etc. Just because something is expensive does not mean government should provide it. Wanting to help someone doesn't mean government should forcefully take your money and give it to someone else. If I put a gun to your head, took your money, gave it to someone else, that's called robbery and is illegal. But when the government does it, it's not? We need to teach basic economics in this country and teach personal responsibility. Get government out of healthcare, out of mortgages/housing, from being the police of the world, eliminate subsidies, bailouts, welfare, get out of education, out of student loans, stop excessive regulations, and stop spending trillions more than what they take in. We are $23 TRILLION in debt. Some proper roles of government: To provide national defense, to protect individual freedoms, to prevent fraud, to prevent monopolies and promote competition. This does not mean no government, weak government, anarchy, or completely unregulated capitalism. Government does have a role to play.
My goodness, been sleeping the past 8 months? We have had hours and hours of debate specifically about Democratic polices, universal health care has literally been debated for hours by dozens of Democratic leaders. It was all on The TV ... most people noticed.
The constant mention of the "sign-wielding vegan" strikes me as strange. How do you know if the person is really a vegan, and why describe people by their food habits in the first place. The "union worker" at the Detroit auto plant was not described as a "hard-hat wearing omnivore".
6
They were anti-dairy protesters. When veganism is the argument, it's reasonable to refer to them as vegans.
3
@Mitch4949
Why? Because it is apt.
@Mitch4949
Was that sign made from incredible burger?
If Bernie were to ask Joe about the fantasy of "Medicare for All" actually making it through both houses of Congress and arriving at the President's desk, would it be impolite of Biden to ask Bernie why gun fanatics attack Biden, but seem to be perfectly ok with Sanders's record on gun control?
6
Like every rational person in the world, I want someone who can beat Trump. But even as a dyed-in-the-wool liberal, I am not fond of any candidate who is impudent with voters, even voters offering straw man arguments or Fox New mythology. Our nation needs a leader who chooses to rise above the fray and Biden should know that having been VP for the paragon of that behavior, President Obama.
This brings to mind a couple of previous events similar in nature:
First, I recall the Congressional hearing in which Barbara Boxer--another Democrat--took umbrage to a military man addressing her as "Ma,am." "could you say "senator instead of ma'am?" was her arrogant response.
Second, there was the moment when singer Sheryl Crow tried to address the uber Republican then-VP Dick Cheney at a function and he brushed past her. She insisted that he give her the respect of a dialogue by asserting, "You work for us." Cheney's reply was a terse, "No, I don't."
Crow and the auto worker in this article are both correct. These people either do work for us or want to. They do have to answer our questions, whether sincere or loaded with agenda, and we at least deserve a respectful departure when their answer may not satisfy us. None of us would tolerate any of these behaviors from anyone we employ, with the possible exception of those hard to get contractors and plumbers.
We want Biden because he can do much, much better than Trump. So would he please demonstrate that on the campaign trail?
8
Sorry, Gail, I loved it when Biden told off that guy in no uncertain terms. He showed he’s for real, he has passion, and he doesn’t change his story depending on which voters are in the room. And, unlike Trump, Biden responded to the guy right there in person—not from the safety of Twitter. Even if Biden didn’t win over the workers, I’ll bet they came away respecting him.
BTW, I would say the same thing a female candidate chewed out someone in the same manner.
11
I totally agree!! I loved it! And I would add that I’m glad he called that gentleman out for the blatant lie that Joe and Democrats are going to take your guns away! What rubbish that is. If we can’t even get a common sense measure like universal background checks passed after Sandy Hook, it’s pretty obvious the government isn’t taking guns away.
2
I actually didn't think it was a "bad" exchange at all. Biden looked real and genuine. He was willing to stand up for himself and not just pander to someone for the sake of a possible vote. I'm not a big fan of Joe, but he has nothing to apologize for or be ashamed of.
8
I'm not sure what this piece is about, but it seems to be about providing cover for Joe Biden. I only know that if Bernie Sanders regularly displayed this same kind of behavior, it would send the Times op-ed pages into a complete meltdown. We'd never hear the end of it.
This paper has been trying its best to push the debunked Bernie Bros myth as a "real problem". Now we have an actual candidate who has moments of going off unhinged and that's just a mild diversion.
10
He called to thank you and acknowledge when he'd been at fault, Gail? Now I don't care if Biden "is not great at spontaneous back-and-forth" - calm reflection and the ability to admit when he's not "perfect" means a lot.
What a breath of fresh air that would be.
9
"Truly, if it was a choice between nominating the reincarnation of George Washington or the candidate most likely to defeat Donald Trump, Democrats would know which way to go." What a great sentence! Always love your articles but they rarely cause me to burst out laughing like I did just now reading this sentence. It was great to laugh though since there does not seem to be much to laugh about these days.
3
I hope Bernie Sanders turns his focus and fury on Trump and not Biden.
8
I always love reading your columns, but I was disturbed about today's. What's the point, Gail? You had a sweet one-line explanation of why you chose to recall Joe's unfortunate responses, but not everyone reads to the bitter end. Why now? Romney's dog on top of the car? That's funny. But now? Right in the middle of the most important presidential campaign? If you started in the beginnings paragraphs with the explanation that would have been better. It didn't help Sanders' minions vote for Joe for you to criticize him now. Sometimes things are funnier in theory than in practice.
3
We are out of the old 'caution, norms, protocol, traditional' campaign paradigm.
Using that rude expression probably got him more votes than he lost.
This just might be what it takes to beat a malevolent mime like Trump.
The other way didn't work in 2016.
Can't wait to see GoJo! open up on Trump on stage.
Prediction: Trump won't debate Biden.
2
I’m sorry but Trump is absolutely relishing the prospect of debating Biden.
I’m a Bernie supporter who will happily vote Biden, but I fear his performances against Trump in the debates could sink his candidacy. The DNC is trying to smooth Biden’s path to the nomination as much as possible, but Trump and the republicans are going to be vicious and relentless come the general and it will reveal Biden to be a paper tiger.
2
Ms. Collins, I needed your "refreshing" take on things today - it was a bad day for me. Thank you.
3
Here is the part where Gail starts to, um, distance herself from the meaningless, moderate, establishment status quo she’s been cheering for all along.
Imagine the firestorm across the mainstream media if Bernie had acted so horribly to a simple question from a worker.
Joe Biden is a captain without a compass but rather a sneering condescension for the crew, and you’re all going to go down with this leaking listing ship.
7
Jay’
Get over it.
Joe needs to channel his inner Pete Buttigieg during debates or other moments of stress. Maybe Pete can coach him.
7
What a great response to that gun crazy guy. We need this confrontation and honest response from the Dem candidate when he meets these Trumpers. People can relate to that type of a stance against people who say this. It's another reason why regular Americans relate to him and they didn't to Hillary.
3
If the Democrats nominate Biden, I suspect (but do not hope) that he will lose. But I can almost relish the prospect of inflicting on Republicans a nominee, or perhaps a president, as inarticulate & befuddled as usually inflict on us.
1
Gee, some of those stories make Joe sound like a kind of an endearing character....
Biden seems to be able to learn from his mistakes; an honest man can grow into the Presidency.
Trump only reminds himself that he never makes a mistake; the dishonest man finds the Presidency to be a heavy coat of armor whose weight weakens him more every day.
Vote Blue, No Matter Who, Up and Down The Ballot.
3
Yes, it was an INCREDIBLE turn of fate for Joe Biden. What could possible account for this sudden electoral success? Are we supposed to act like the COLLUSION within the democratic establishment that got Klobuchar, Buttigieg, Beto, et. al. to drop-out/endorse Biden (the internally-chosen representative) RIGHT before Super Tuesday is not the main reason for this? This may even be historically unprecedented. Did they also "encourage" Warren NOT to endorse Bernie? I wonder when this 'nuclear option' was first formulated? Just imagine what the race would look like today if it hadn't happened! I thought it was weird in January for Castro to endorse Warren, well after she fell in the polls. Now, it could make some sense. The democratic party hit a new low, it seems. The Republican party allowed the democratic will of the voters to prevail, thereby allowing their anti-establishment outsider, Donald Trump - who they loathed as well - to win the nomination. I guess we're just more corrupt....
7
You’re exactly right. Biden’s rapid turnaround from a has-been to frontrunner is the result of a heady weekend of coordinated falling-in-line endorsements, anti-Sanders PAC spending (including Liz’s short-lived pac), and an inundation of “earned” media touting him as electable after his core constituency handed him a first ever primary win in SC, a red state he can’t win in the general anyway.
Democrats are so buoyant about Biden’s prospects now, they’ve totally forgotten what they thought about him a few short weeks ago.
It was a brilliant strategy to slingshot past Sanders, but it’s poison when we go up against Trump.
I’m terrified of the prospect of another Trump term, but when the speculative Biden bubble inevitably bursts and he gets walloped by Trump I will surely feel a touch of schadenfreude. The DNC will have kneecapped their best candidate for a second election straight and will lose in the exact same manner because of it. The worst part: they’ll blame the left yet again. And then in 2024 run another flawed moderate.
3
@carl bumba Stop with the Establishment's against Bernie garbage. The VOTERS made their choice: not Bernie, not now, not ever.
@Austin
What a brilliant description of the situation. If I could add to this, this PR coup was made possible by a powerful and BOGUS narrative about Bernie not 'even' able to get the youth vote (compared to 2016). I have read this nowhere, but from what I can ascertain Bernie got HIGHER youth voter-turnout than in 2016. But it can be made to APPEAR less if you view it only as a fraction of ALL the age-groups, i.e. relative to 'baby boomer' age-classes, which increased their voter participation from 2016 even more than the youth age-classes did. Even more important, the share of the electorate of youth age-classes went down compared to the oldest age-classes since 2016, again, allowing this pretend argument to be made. It is really an artifact of demographics.
1
It's actually been a bad week for Joe, since the "electability" argument has just been made irrelevant. With the way Trump's mishandled the coronavirus outbreak, it's clear that now a ham sandwich will beat him in November. If that's true, there's no need to fear Bernie's candidacy. Folks have been thinking: "Bernie's ideas are great, but he can't win." But now he'd win by 200 million votes when only about 130 million will be cast. So what's the point of backing Windbag Biden?
3
Gawd! I sure hope Biden and his staff read and heed Gail's piece. There are so many chances for missteps which can be seized upon and magnified (even by non-Fox media), potentially to damage his candidacy. Most of these problems can be avoided by excellent anticipation of tough situations and creative means to defuse them: coaching in crisis avoidance, if you will. It is hard to remember to stay on message - calm, cool, and determined - when the instinct is to strike out, but the effort is worth it.
3
10/11/12 - VP debate
Joe Biden bested Paul Ryan after a poor showing by Obama against Romney. Joe's performance righted the ship and set the stage for a comeback by Obama in the two remaining debates.
It was a performance now totally overlooked by those all too ready to accuse Joe of being a poor debater and gaffe prone.
3
When Uncle Joe is confronted face to face by an ignoramus trying for his Joe the Plummer moment, he was right to confront him with the truth. He could've done so without the language, but the tone was firm and direct.
A small step toward getting back to fact-based politics, one misinformed MAGAite at a time.
5
Joe has momentum, all right. Wall Street, the weapons industry, Pharma, and Insurance can all breathe easier.
The rest of us? Not so much. Joe has supported every war that's been proposed for 50 years, and has never done anything that called for courage or actual help for the people.
Maybe we'll get someone better in 2024, when the facts of our corrupt and incompetent government become obvious to everyone. Let's hope we survive the next four years without too much damage.
4
Yeah this virus and economic collapse will be great for the Democratic candidate. I can almost appreciate it between waves of intoxicating fear!
1
In this age of Trumpian rhetoric, whatever gaffes Biden commits will be ignorable, after all, that only seems take him appear authentic.
Difficult for Trump to win against Biden, as Biden will win MI, PA, Wi
1
"Indeed, any address in which a candidate’s most positive remark is “on the other hand, we won in North Dakota” could probably be described as bleak."
To those familiar with the game World of Warcraft..."At least we got the Stables."
hehehe
I've never been more nervous about a VP selection process.
3
Both of the Biden's will be exponentially better than the WHOLE Trump Clan.
Ms. Biden is a educator, and will be a legitimate force correction in our broken education system.
Education is where everything, begins.
7
Even if Biden is past his prime, he will bring infinitely higher caliber people to advise him than we’ve grown accustomed to. That and a good running mate (lots younger, preferably female) should satisfy the queasy.
But.... he should absolutely refuse to debate trump. The country does not need to evaluate the candidates based on a televised gladiator contest.
1
It’s truly amazing that Democrats think Joe Biden is their best shot at beating Trump. The moment of truth on that will come for Democrats when Biden debates Trump on the national stage. If the last primary debate was a little like a cage fight for Democratic candidates, the presidential debates, for Biden, will be like a cage fight with a gorilla! This is Trump’s turf, he is the master counterpuncher with a killer instinct, but what is surprising about Trump is that he rarely uses profanity to ridicule his opponents— not so for Biden. If Biden has a meltdown during the debates, he will most likely unleash a string of profanity that will shock viewers and have them wondering about his mental condition. His other problem is that everything negative that can be said about Trump has already been said—repeatedly! No one to date has figured out how to attack Trump and make it stick, but that not true about Biden and when the groves are off don’t expect Biden not to be confronted with a long list of personal issues including his own Ukrainian “quid pro quo” and his self-serving dealings with China. Biden is an unvetted candidate and a poor choice to beat Trump!
3
If Joe had run in the last election we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. I won’t forgive him for that!
2
I think that Joe Biden spoke to that worker about the gun issue in the only language and demeanor that that person could understand. The fact that the guy went whining to Fox News reveals him as the thin-skinned bully he is.
When I think of a Joe Biden Presidency, here's what comforts me: we will no longer be talking about putting humans in cages; we will not have to suffer the insult of a ridiculous tax cut for the 1% and corporations; we can breathe easily knowing that the Supreme Court will not be stacked with neo-cons; we can stop worrying that Russia will have free rein to influence the White House, nor will we have to be appalled at our President obstructing justice; we can look forward to the restoration of a sane and impartial Justice Department; we can heave a sigh of relief that State Department professionals will no longer be viewed as enemies of the President, and can do their jobs the way they know how to do them; and we know we can stop cringing at the character of the person in our White House.
Have I forgotten anything?
8
You forgot the lowest unemployment rate ever for ALL races and sexes, the great economy that allows Americans who are willing to work to benefit, “put America’s first” immigration policies, etc., etc., etc. Yes, the stock market is falling...from historic highs, not lows. Sorry for the people who can’t visit or move to our country in the next months, but it is our country, not yours.
1
The landscape has changed and it is now Biden's game to lose. What can help that to happen are more displays of cognitive decline that Trump can turn into ads. Such as Biden saying he is running for the Senate, or confusing his wife with his sister.
We are going to vote for Joe Biden because we know that he will bring a capable team of experts in to our government once again, restore the value of our institutions and protect our democracy.
It would benefit our chances to be rid of Trump if Uncle Joe uses the Corona virus pandemic to restrict his statements to Twitter, (after they are well vetted by his staff), and brands Trump as a lying criminal, unworthy of being debated.
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@rich Your comment is not educative, helpful, nor useful as a talking point to spark a debate among fellow commenters. You are venting your spleen, showing your hatred of the president and presumably his supporters, but little else. How foolish, anti intellectual it is to write that "we know that he(Biden)will bring a capable team of experts in our government once again to restore the value of our institutions.."How do you know, and do you doubt that Trump has already assembled an efficient team of epidemiologists to diagnose the "fleau," and give us accurate updates in Doctors Fauci, Redfield, head of CDC and Azar.Taught 25 years in zone school, UWS as a dean,teacher of English, and bilingual history--French and Spanish being the lingua francas, and would never allow students to get away with unsubstantiated generalizations.Trump a "lying criminal?" SEZ WHO?If u resort to flabby universalisms, you should make an effort to embody them, prove them. If not, what's your point?
1
@Alexander Harrison
The Trump administration fired the U.S. pandemic response team in 2018 to cut costs.
How's that working out so far?
First of all, because we know that contrary to the advise of pandemic experts, Trump had said that it's ok to go out to work when exhibiting the symptoms of the Corona virus, we are depending on the scientists and doctors that he has tried to muzzle and we can only hope that our government officials are too.
This election is between Trump and "fill in the blank", and is about having an American dictator aligned with Putin, or restoring the Justice and State Departments, the Intelligence agencies and the government, to the job of working for the American people instead of one man.
9
@rich But you have no proof for any of that, and unsubstantiated generalizations, unproven conspiracy theories weaken your argument.Russian collusion was disproved by Mueller investigation, and impeachment effort backfired on the Democrats. Pelosi,having promised a bipartisan vote, got instead a strictly partisan ballot. To want to rid governmental agencies of Obama holdovers is legitimate, and when you see ex intel. officers like Brennan and Clapper signing on with cable networks and whose self appointed mission is to smear the c-in-c, you understand the need to "sortir les sortants,"get rid of the old guard which does not wish the present admin. well.We have never seen a crisis like the present one, and it is time to put politics aside and to lock elbows,"se serrer la coude!"Instead, we find Dems. rooting for the Coronavirus as apparently the only way to take down the president.
Couple this with Frank Bruni's column today and you can see that even those who cheered the triumph of "moderation" realize they have an old clunker on their hands that needs very careful driving -- easy on the brakes, easy on the gas, leaks oil and backfires regularly, bald tires on wobbly wheels pull a bit left then inexplicably veer right -- just to make it to the convention starting line. They are right to be worried. Biden did nothing -- no great speeches, no new policies, no great debate performance -- to produce his miraculous Super Tuesday turnaround. It was handed to him through a "liberal" media onslaught against the "socialism" and "impossibility" of Medicare for All and the direct intervention of the Democratic Party establishment. Jim Clyburn is not just an African-American Congressman. He's the House Whip. Hardly gets more establishment than that. They better keep hard at it, too, because we all know who sold us this lemon. If he doesn't win, there's a storm coming.
52
@RRI I don't believe the overwhelmingly pro-Biden voters were motivated by the liberal media or Democratic establishment, as you claim. Pretty insulting, actually. In fact, exit poll after exit poll showed the unifying theme of votors is simply who can beat Trump. No conspiracy here other than a desire to return to something normal. Is Biden perfect? Of course not. But way better than the alternative, which is another four years of Trump.
20
@RRI No disagreement here, but being hopeful here, I can't wait to see Trump's face when "sleepy Joe" beats him.
7
@RRI i wish people would stop disrespecting the voters. when people don't agree with you and vote another way then you blame the "establishment". that's too easy. and is just shoring up the politics of grievance of which we have plenty, among them the dude in the white house. and stop accusing people who don't support your agenda as being coopted by the "establishment" before long you'll be singing about the "deep state". aoc had it right. ask yourself why you are not reaching even some progressives not all progressives are on your page...
9
Actually Gail, it wasn't a bad moment at all. Here was a politician who told an oaf the truth without any spin or focus group testing or delicate phrasing. Go Joe!
8
Yes, I do indeed hope Joe is able to use his frontal lobes in a debate performance, with Bernie on Sunday, and more importantly with Trump later. But when it comes to the loudmouthed union member, it tells me all I need to know that he was capitalizing on his 15 minutes of fame by appearing on Fox the next day. Another Joe the Plumber. Whatever happened to old Joe the Plumber, anyway? As to the loudmouthed union member, I'd like to seem him tell Trump "you're working for me, man", and see what the response is.
4
@earlyman
What about the lying dog-faced woman, and the "fat" elderly gentleman? What about the veteran at the Veterans Against War event?
None of those people appeared on Fox News or any news outlet. What did they do to deserve Joe's bullying?
You are missing the part that average Joe voter appreciates and likes these squabbles. You may not but we do. Sincerely, Joe
3
Can you really blame me for ignoring everything in the article except the part where Trump “deconstructed” the CDCs pandemic response capability?
I get that Biden has been gaffe prone. The reality is that the false equivalence machine is trying to focus on a bungled response to a question to distract from the disastrous decision to leave us all vulnerable to this pandemic.
This time can we just spend a little more time on gross incompetences and dishonesty and less on this year’s equivalent of meaningless emails.
4
How wonderful that Joe reads your column: another reason I will vote for him :)
6
Biden’s argument with the worker was not really limited to that one man’s accusation, but rather, a response to the larger lies from the gun lobby that Democrats are going to take away people’s guns.
Frankly, I will be relieved to have a president put the NRA in its place.
6
No, Gail, Biden going after that creep over gun-control was NOT a bad moment at all! People who continue to defend the indefensible especially regarding semi-automatic weapons that KILL EVERY DAY do not deserve to be treated with kid gloves. At 77, Biden understands well that some things simply cannot be compromised on, and the creep tried to bait Biden. I would submit that Biden did NOT take the bait but rather simply swallowed up the bait AND the creep in one fell swoop. I'm a little surprised that you, a very insightful person usually, failed to recognize what was a stellar moment for Biden and instead misinterpreted it entirely. Currently we have a gangster-president who gets prickly over the size of his hands. Hopefully we'll have a president who gets prickly with fools who defend the indefensible instead.
7
The gun rights supporter made the false claim to Biden's face that Biden had said that he was coming to take everyone's gun away. Joe may not have used the exact language that I would have in that situation, but I liked his spirit in rebutting this particular conspiracy theorist.
6
Maybe Hillary should have spoken this way to Trump on the debate stage.
I think Biden should nominate Eric Swalwell as his VP. No matter whom he names though, he will be criticized.
2
Unfortunately, Joe Biden will keep embarrassing himself all the way to defeat in November.
4
Please Democrats, don’t take away anyone, especially Warren, from the senate in the quest for a VP. We need all the Democratic senators we can get. Control of the senate will do a lot to curb trump if, deus avertat, he is re-elected.
6
It's amusing to see how many times the FOX phrase of 'cognitive decline' is repeated by concern trolls! Boy, it's sure a concern to see Biden talk, I guess. The irony is.............trump speaking about anything at all. Animated only by revenge and resentment, he cannot form a coherent sentence beyond 'I'm the best there ever was'.
No matter who wins the nomination, I'll vote blue. I only trust trump's brain (or gut) to serve himself. He has no intrinsic empathy or humility; nothing is useful unless it's useful to trump. Biden and Sanders are basically humane people with expertise in enough areas.
Cruelty and Totalitarianism, even if delivered with polished teleprompter words, is worse BY FAR than a teachable, experienced public servant who understands the concept of, you know, PUBLIC SERVICE.
5
Compared to trump, these small annoyances remind me of micro-anthills.
3
Bernie just went way up in my esteem. He probably won’t win the nomination but he is standing in solidarity with us all to remove this corrupt and incompetent President from office. He (and Elizabeth Warren) already have had a major impact on the issues of wealth inequality and health care. And he is leading his followers by example, showing the priority of standing together against the shameful lack of judicial and congressional independence enabling clear abuse of office by Trump.
Bernie gets it. Will we? Vote Trump and McConnell out!
So I guess now that all of my potential candidates have bitten the dust (Bernie will be soon gone), I have to go with Joe. Go Joe! We have to have a unity of purpose and at this point we know what our purpose is. So, Go Joe! But a note to Mr. Biden's Campaign staff watch out for those Vegans - they could be dangerous, especially when they are right. But Jill and Symone, way to show spunk. Go get 'em.
2
I doubt that Mr Biden has been overworked, since he as barely campaigned. He spoke at one rally for seven minutes. He spontaneous retorts to potential voters should be of concern to all Democrats. When he speaks he is often incoherent. His over reaction to criticism goes hand in hand with the idea that he is well into senility. Trump has already begun tweeting out videos of Biden saying things that make no sense. Democrats cannot just turn a blind eye.
3
I'd vote for Gail Collins any time, but count me out when it comes to Biden. If he's the Democratic nominee, I'll vote for the Green Party nominee...and it won't matter if it's a wasted vote because California voters will even vote for Mickey Mouse. Am I being redundant here by referring to Biden and the mouse. Who? Not me.
Yes. Trump's turning the office of the presidency into a sewer pit gives Biden leeward to be a little childish like challenging opponents to push ups, fights etc.
Normally that would be a no no but that is how far politics have sunk.
2
I’m pretty aghast that the trump ‘senility’ talking point has become the Bernie supporters ‘cognitive decline’ talking point. Lots of diagnosing is going on without taking in consideration a disability that prevents a person from being glib.
1
‘As Biden’s campaign seeks to keep him away from open microphones and limit his public appearances, serious questions are being asked about Biden’s mental health and his decades of right-wing positions and policies. Nathan Robinson, editor-in-chief of Current Affairs, discusses Biden’s record on criminal justice, the climate crisis, women’s reproductive rights, war, and trade. Robinson accurately predicted Trump would defeat Hillary Clinton and he argues it will all happen again if Biden is the candidate in November. His latest article is titled, “Democrats, You Really Do Not Want To Nominate Joe Biden.”’
2
I must say, Biden’s speech on Tuesday night was well written, well delivered and just good all over. No ball cap necessary.
2
Hi Gail,
Great column, and funny too (as usual).
Just one request. Re-watch the debate between Paul Ryan and Biden. Biden destroyed him. Sure, he was younger and sharper then, but still -- I'm just sayin'.
183
@SHJ Thanks for the reminder! I’ll bet I’m not the only one who’s blotted out the memory of Paul Ryan, Vice-Presidential Candidate.
116
@AutumnLeaf
Just for clarification, Romney and Ryan ran in 2012. So eight years ago, which isn't a single decade much less decades ago.
19
@crystal Yeah Autumn Leaf is a bit math-challenged.
9
Mr. Trump will be addressing us in a few minutes. His enablers, especially on Fox, don't realize that almost every one of us wants him to do well leading us through the crisis.
Unfortunately, they also don't want to grasp that our low expectations aren't based on partisanship, but his own performance.
The least terrible thing about how his fans on Fox have dismissed coronavirus as a hoax is that they're less likely to justify any authority grab on the basis of the emergency. The most terrible is how many senior citizens will believe Sean Hannity about it being a hoax, and how many may die as a result, if percentages elsewhere are any indication.
77
@grennan It makes me want to weep. Some of our most frail citizens. They don't deserve that. Most are members of the admired Greatest Generation.
9
@grennan If anyone has to die from corona virus, I’d rather it be a Fox News watcher. Poetic justice.
5
@Kathleen Yet they, the Fox-watchers, will literally be defending Trump to their graves - SAD.
6
After watching the Oval Office address on the pandemic, I am more frightened by Trump’s rattled demeanor, stumbling on words but throwing in references to “the foreign virus” and how we’re the best. Give me Joe with his dukes up ready to do battle anytime and Jill who is ready to defend him at a vegan’s notice!
We need the resolve and economic acumen of Elizabeth Warren to help us out of the economic chaos that will follow this worldwide health disaster. She and Joe can give America a fighting chance to recover our wits, our health and our pocketbooks.
628
@Ichabod Aikem Warren would do a wonderful job as Senate Majority Leader working with President Biden and Vice President Amy Klobuchar.
24
@Ichabod Aikem You won laugh of the day with the vegan's notice line.
19
@Ichabod Aikem I agree on all points mentioned here. Just reading your comment and seeing someone with the same mindset as myself has put me at ease that I'm not crazy in these crazy times!
14
Biden isn’t the best candidate, but- he is a TRILLION times better than trump.
5
It is time Senator Sanders is shown the mirror reflecting the Truth of his tall claims. In the last 4 years Senator Sanders has pathetically managed the support of only 14 Democratic Senators for his loudly-touted Medicare for All. In 2009, VP Biden marshaled the support of 60 Senators, including several Republicans, within Nov-Dec to pass Obamacare in the Senate. Senator Sanders has done Nothing in Senate in last 4 years to provide Tution-free College to American students. US Media & VP Biden must ask Senator Sanders why he has miserably Failed in last 4 yrs to get Medicare for All & Tution-Free College passed through the Senate in last 4 yrs. A Do-Nothing Senator Sanders now contemptuously insults the 1.85 million Democratic primary voters who have voted for VP Biden as the ‘Establishment’ ! Such rogue behavior in public service must be called out.
4
Biden's cabinet is likely to be awash in corporate interest yes-men (women, too, of course - being bought-off is gender neutral). It'd be nice to be proven wrong, but if one admires the work of people like Jamie Dimon, that does not bode well for who will be selected as decision-makers.
Bernie listens to grassroots organizations on the front lines of what it really means to be considered expendable.
I worry that November 3rd will be a sad day for our youth and our irreplaceable ecosystem. I find it shameful that our elder generations are not voting in the best interests of our Posterity (future generations). Instead, the currently comfortable who benefited from government programs designed to uplift the (white) working class take this time to crow over the loss of a real chance for change.
Apparently, Biden swearing at and dismissing a blue collar worker is somehow admirable. But Bernie getting fired up and gesticulating when speaking his outrage that billionaires are blocking the changes required for young people and the poor to gain some small semblance of security...? Well, the voters who are not young have decided they don't like those hand gestures, so too bad young people. Deal with the dying planet, we got ours.
And before you say the youth don't vote - many did (or tried to in hours-long lines), and most of those are the are the ones who are deeply engaged in the political process. Besides, aren't we supposed to be looking out for them?
2
The sad problem with Biden's verbal gymnastics is that they drown out the many good, heartfelt, well-reasoned statements that he makes. After you cut out Trump's blunders, you've got none of that.
59
Actually, I think you're totally wrong. Biden demonstrated that he still has fight in him and that he's willing to go toe to toe about gun violence. That incident didn't harm him at all, it helped him.
It helped him with all the mothers and fathers that are concerned about their kids going to school. It helped build an even more insurmountable lead in the suburbs.
Nit picking the exact words that were said just means you missed the overall message in the incident. That he is willing to fight for what is right. We already know for sure that Joe Biden works for us and we know that he knows it too.
6
Health insurance stocks ascended along with Joe Biden. The shape of things to come.
3
"The Biden camp thinks voters have no problem with his tendency to retort creatively."
Only pundits think that the job of a president is to retort creatively. It is only part of the reason that pundits love all of the "creative retorts" Trump constantly comes up with. It gives them a massive amount of great material to work with as, with the help of the GOP, Trump burns our republic to the ground.
Most American despise Trump's "creative retorts" as they understand they are not only horrifying and vicious, but inseparable from his bigotry, incompetence, and gaslighting. Only Trump supporters and pundits seem to think Trump's quips are clever and meaningful.
Most voters understand that creative retorts have nothing to do with being president. It is why they can value Joe Biden for his decency, competence, and caring, and have no problem ignoring any gaffs he makes. If anything, Biden's gaffs are an asset, as they prove how little he is like Trump and how repugnant he finds Trump's perpetually calling people "clever names", like "Jeff Flakey", "Evan McMuffin", "Dummy Beto", "Crazy Nancy", and who can forget, "Basically Braindead Bernie".
In contrast to presidents, pundits are meant to offer-up clever repartee, which makes one wonder what this piece is actually about.
38
@Robert B I just don’t understand why people call him decent considering his dismal track record for poor and non white people. I have to think those folks must have some of the same problems themselves.
I've just got my fingers crossed that Biden picks a good running mate and can keep it together at least until inauguration.
126
@Richard Yeah, Richard, this is going to be the biggest running-mate watch ever.
69
@Richard me too
1
Sounds like you aren’t really a Biden supporter. He’s seems to be a place-holder to you for someone you want to lead this country. Not the way elections are supposed to work, buddy.
1
The presidential debate should be exciting. On one side you have a guy with serious mental issues, has trouble stringing words together, and you never know what’s going to come out of his mouth.
On the other side you have Joe Biden.
3
Listening to Biden is like digging out that old VHS, Presidential Bloopers. Remember that one? President Ford falling down multiple times, etc. It was all in fun, without a hint of maliciousness from anyone.
So it is with Biden. He means well, and always has. That's not much, you say. But every word from Trump's mouth is nastly, sarcastic, hateful, frequently vile and almost always a lie. I can't think of a company that would risk hiring someone like Trump. Except Fox News.
6
‘Make home rhyme with history’; yesterday, Biden gave us a great theme for this election.
1
@NM
Sorry, ‘Make hope rhyme...’
Who would imagine that Biden will be Trump’s Waterloo. Go figure. Amen and hallelujah!
8
I am looking forward to Sunday's debate, with two people talking about issues that matter to people. This debate should help Biden alot. He can find common ground with Sanders on many issues, and point out divergences where they matter. The common ground is much greater than most people realize. For example, they both want to achieve universal lower cost health care. Biden proposes substantial changes to reduce drug costs and a public option that could actually be passed. He proposes a big expansion in Federally Qualified Health Centers (safety net clinics), an idea that Sanders has also supported.
Biden has found his footing by winning, and will appear more confident and sure of himself than in the ridiculous "debates" with ten candidates waving their hands to get called on, or being asked asinine yes-no questions. The debate should be followed by victories in key states. This is an opportunity to put to rest the idea that Biden is cognitively impaired.
Sanders is doing Biden a big favor by continuing the contest a bit longer. The debate and subsequent primaries are custom made to strengthen Biden. Sanders will come out looking good too. The debate will find lot's of common ground and will help prepare both candidate's supporters for the general election.
Bring it on--it could be a debate for the history books, one that actually serves the public rather than media seeking to create manufactured conflict.
5
Biden has is flaws but is very human. Trump is nothing but flaws and lacking any signs of humanity.
Joe just needs to be Joe. In moderation. A little bit of Biden goes a long way.
And that's all we need.
8
What is the opinion put forward in this article? I read it, but I'm not sure why it exists.
2
Hopefully, voters forgive Biden for his frequent verbal miscues. He speaks better than Trump and he is not a liar. That is good enough for me because the bar is low these days.
2
Anita Hill for VP!!!
She’s smart
Honest
Brave
Young
Loyal - she said she’d vote for Joe. That’s despite having experienced him at his worst
Pass it on.
She's an esteemed law professor who speaks common sense. Read Jill Abamson's book to see how many other people Thomas harassed. Imagine how hard it was for Blasey Ford then think about how much braver it was 30 years ago. Anita Hill's really the first of the Metoo movement. At 63 she's a youngster compared to Biden, Sanders, trump and Pelosi.
It might be good to have someone other that John McCains team vet her but it would be the making Biden.
2
I am a pro-gun Democrat who actually thinks the Assault Weapons Ban is a waste of government time and money (read the studies about how ineffective it was last time around). So, I think Biden is wrong about this issue.
But I actually really like Biden's response to this guy. Because it wasn't just about the issue (although Biden passionately defends his position on this, and wrong as I think he is, I respect that). It was about a man coming up and calling Biden a liar to his face. And Biden might have asked him to take it outside. But who really started the fight here? It's not popular in this era where, you know, there's zero tolerance for fighting in school and contact football is bad and violence is not the way to solve problems.
But in the place where I grew up (a blue collar rural area), calling a man a liar to his face was basically starting a fight. And few people would blame Biden for wanting to get physical in response to that kind of assault on his character. And despite the leftist parroting of Trumpian misinformation, Biden didn't look confused or lost in this exchange - he had a good command of the issue, and although he was profane, looked like a man ready to stand up for what he thought was right. Despite, I might add, being a 77 year old surrounded by fifty young ironworkers.
I like that guy. Gail likes him. Even Bernie likes him (see today's Buzzfeed article about the Sanders campaign).
269
@Pacificus I grew up in an urban poor/blue-collar neighborhood. I totally understood that interaction just like you say. It wasn't that uncommon.
55
@Pacificus
Yes, indeed, happened all the time where I grew up, too (rural blue collar like yourself). When I was in high school in the 80s that would have ended in a fist-fight behind the gym.
I remember the old Westerns: "them's fightin' words!" Guy was trying to get a rise out of him and he did. And I don't blame Joe one little bit. He didn't "resort to fisticuffs", just told him what was on his mind.
My wife and I voted for Warren in the primary, but are both happy to vote for Joe in November!
56
@Pacificus Actually there were less mass murders when we had the assault weapons ban. It may not help as much as we'd like, just like banning yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre may not prevent many fires. We need sensible gun reforms: true background checks, control of types of arms. Can I have a ground-to-air missile? My own atomic bomb? Of course not! Banning private ownership of assault weapons is worth it to me.
59
Does anybody pay any attention to debates? People have already made up their minds. They are actually quite boring.
Is there even a single person who has said after a debate: "Hey! I'm changing my vote."
2
@Travelers
Actually, I was considering Bloomberg before I saw his performance at the debate and realized he was unelectable.
2
@Travelers
ask Michael Bloomberg
If Bernie raises the question of whether Biden would veto a Medicare-for-all bill, Biden should obviously say "if both houses agree we should have Medicare-for-all and they represent the majorities of their voting districts, yes, it should pass and I won't veto it." That is such an easy answer. Every sane person knows the passage of such a bill is highly unlikely. But if all of these politicians will put their seats on the line, Biden should say "let it pass with my blessing."
318
@JKM Sure, but I kinda prefer to see the candidates talk about what they want to do in the real world.
38
@JKM And he should quickly follow up by saying, "and you can continue to live in a fantasy, Bernie; I prefer to live in reality, and govern accordingly."
6
@JKM
He already said that in his interview with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC.
4
Far from being a low point, I thought the exchange with the auto worker about gun rights was appropriate, an even exchange and showed Joe has energy. Well done, I thought, and I like Joe more for that.
400
@John R
That man is a citizen and a voter. He asked a serious question of a presidential candidate and said nothing that was out of line, yet Biden swore at him and treated him like a "deplorable". I don't know how you can seriously defend that, let alone come out of it liking Biden even more. It takes some pretty twisted logic to do that.
36
@John R I thought it was a great moment! One of the best I've seen from Biden, ever. He wasn't backing in the face of all these guys ganging up on him.
69
@John R
I agree. I would not object if Biden acted this way if during any debate with Trump he is treated with as much disrespect as Clinton was when she debated Trump.
44
I some ways Joe Biden reminds me of John McCain. Flawed (as we all are), but redeemed by good character. We need someone who can put together a good team, take advice, and work across the aisle. I’d vote for anyone not named Trump. Let’s get behind Joe and make the best of it.
9
Joe Biden is unique: he has been in politics for decades but is still a real human being , not a robot spewing out catch phrases. He has dealt with more tragedy in his life than most of us will ever deal with and is compassionate and caring. All in all, he is a candidate perfect for this particular time -the perfect antidote to Trump.
938
@beth Reese Agreed he is no Lincoln or anything close to it but as the old expression goes any port in a storm and Trump is the storm, the greatest threat imo to our democracy since the Civil War.
47
@beth reese ".....he has been in politics for decades but is still a real human being"
Apparently these are the only qualifications for President these days.
The robots will be very disappointed.
Perhaps we should reconsider.
14
@beth reese Biden's best weeks seem to coincide with him being less in the public eye. This is likely due to his clear cognitive decline when speaking... I'm a Bernie supporter, but its clear now that Bernie has no path to the democratic nomination. The DNC is ignoring Biden's cognitive issues, but Trump won't. One of the things Trump's supporters like about him is that he will say what many people are thinking, but are too polite to discuss in public.
19
All 3 of the currently viable candidates are too old. They're older than I am, and I am too old (I'll be 70 in a few days). They should be retired and relaxing on the golf course or something.
What happens if all 3 of them succumb to the corona virus?
@Dennis Cox I'm 74 and I voted for Buttigieg in California. It's amazing to me that young people are so intent on Bernie. I wouldn't ever dream of running for president at this age. It's hard enough just getting up in the morning at times.
2
Getting rid of Trump is priority one. Winning the Senate is priority co-1.
All the speculation about Biden's "progressive" bona fides are irrelevant. He will sign any progressive bill that Congress sends him. The important thing is to have a Congress that will send him something - anything.
The presidential sweepstakes are tainted by the inaccurate and irrational notion that any president will do "this" or "that."
I don't love Joe, but I'll settle for sanity, decency and competence. The rest is up to the peoples' representatives.
9
Seriously, Gail? The M4A question--so hypothetical as to be utterly fantastic--was the easiest thing in the world to answer. There were no stakes. And Biden gave the game away: he's too beholden to monied interests to even imagine threatening their power.
If the primary finishes playing out as it's headed, I hope he beats Trump--a real gamble and far from a given. But if he does, we'll be right back where we started--just a few more years behind at a time when every month counts.
1
I am not certain that "Ranting Trump" is going to agree to debate Joe Biden. And I am very sure that the current "debate" format is worthless in helping voters decide whether Trump or Biden should be President.
Let's see how the Sanders v Biden "debate" goes, before everyone gets all excited about a Trump v Biden debate. Trump just wants to be a "Stand-up Comedian" and spout the lies he can remember about subjects. Biden really likes to answer voter questions and get into the subject if he disagrees.
A "Town Hall" format would most likely show voters more about the temperament of each man than watching in horror how much of their "canned" responses two old men can remember once they have figured out what the moderator's question was.
Since Trump--- if left to ramble and rant---always says what he thinks is funny to his base, Trump's temper should be obvious from the start. Biden will undoubtedly have a long list of what he has done in the past. Having them both on the same stage will be a show. (Remember when Trump rounded up all the women Pres. Clinton was accused of having "inappropriate conduct" with and sat them where Sec. Clinton could see?)
Ms. Collins, no one thinks Trump v Biden will focus on policy!
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@Lynda I don't listen to Trump nor read any tweets. I watched him at a recent Town Hall (a relative wanted me to watch it). Members of the audience asked questions. Trump was never at a loss for words, was mentally sharp and "on the ball." I was impressed. So I want to see the debate between Biden and Sanders. It will be a Town Hall/sit-down with probably the audience asking questions. Sanders is energetic and mentally sharp in spite of his age. I can't say the same about Biden.
1
@Lynda ,
I don't think Biden or ANY Democratic nominee should debate Trump. You just don't engage with a crazy person. Besides, the thought of Trump "stalking" Biden around the stage like he did Clinton is just SO creepy an image...
How has the contest come to this? There were half a dozen younger candidates who presented a clear age difference to Trump (and visual impressions are important, like it or not). But now, his opponent is going to be a man who's even older than he is!
Our electoral "system" is clearly broken. But maybe it's been broken for a long time now— in my lifetime, it's given us Nixon, Reagan, Clinton, and two Bushes.
How do we get better candidates? I have no idea, other than to say that what we DO get has everything to do with the process that pushes them forward.
2
@Rollo Nichols All of the other candidates were mentally competent and most of them are younger than Biden. Biden is probably the worst one the Democrats could have chosen. He is the only one that is mentally incompetent. He is scary and dangerous and should not be running for president of the U.S. Perhaps he will drop out before November and the Democrats can nominate a better candidate. Biden cannot win against Trump.
1
I'd love to see Biden adopt a few progressive policies that would be particularly beneficial for young people. Universal child care, broad student loan relief, ambitious climate action, paid medical leave, and paid maternity/paternity leave are all ideas that could help create an unbeatable multigenerational coalition to take on Trump in the fall.
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@Andy M. Great ideas! Thanks. I have a daughter-in-law struggling with student debt. It’s the major issue in her life, making all her professional and personal choices for her...
10
@Mjxs thank you! My heart goes out to your daughter-in-law, as my wife and I, as well as many of our friends, are in similar situations. Hopefully the broader Democratic platform agreed upon at the convention addresses these concerns.
2
What if, instead of debating, Joe and Bernie take the stage and announce that they are going to talk about how they’re going to unify the country and defeat Donald Trump. They could demonstrate what collaboration and compromise look like.
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@Leslie Logan
Biden can do that on his own by tailoring his responses to emphasize how much he and Bernie agree on fundamental issues, how Bernie has brought important issues to the fore, and how they both contrast with Trump. I suspect Bernie would quickly follow suit.
9
YES! I would like the concept to come from Biden anyway.
I am looking forward to the next debate. Eliminating the audience may stop the debaters from trying to gin up applause lines. Joe may be our best hope to rid ourselves of the Trump Virus, but he clearly is not the first choice of many of us. Let us hope that the prospect of Four more years of OJT will motivate every soul not counted in the Trump 37% to get out and vote to save the Union.
BTW - I would love to see Cory Booker as Joe's wing man.
9
I like Biden but the numbers '77' and '8' don't work well for me. I hope Biden chooses a much younger and very capable running mate if he wins, because it's going to take more than four years to shovel out Trump's mess.
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The most important issue for the Biden team to consider is his choice of FEMALE VP. Kamala, Amy, Liz, etc. And not based on the usual considerations of policy, geography, etc., but who can take over the Presidency best, given Joe's age, etc. And let that FEMALE speak loud and proud about her capabilities.
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@M Harvey I can think of someone that has presidential pantsuits ready to go. She's been tested. She is the most investigated innocent person. Ever.
1
@M Harvey: Yes! And Michelle Obama and Stacey Abrams would be great VPs too!
I am 100% certain that Biden will assemble a 100% highly skilled, competent ethical cabinet and have long laudable coattails.
I cannot say the same, with the same level of certainty about Sanders.
I give Sanders and the younger folks credit for policies goals I agree are where we need to head, but we need to win in order to restore our soul and protect the most vulnerable.
I am hopeful that Bernie and the BB’s will graciously recognize our perilous times and act accordingly.
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@MK Sutherland Some Democrats are worried about a Bernie fight at the convention over platform issues, but you’re right to hope that he’ll support Biden and urge his followers to do the same. He sure sounded that way this week.
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@MK Sutherland Obviously, you are quite happy with the status quo. You should be grateful and consider yourself lucky.
2
I welcome the debate and hope the moderators/panelists/hosts can restrain themselves from irritating posturing and allow two decent men to exchange ideas freely. Lincoln and Douglas were able to do this. Allow Bernie and Joe this freedom. Too much is at stake.
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For every commenter here proclaiming you are ‘tired of incremental change’, the status quo, etc. look beyond which Democratic candidate will be our president. If you truly want change then help expand the House, re-take the senate and get rid of Mitch McConnell. With McConnell still pulling the strings it won’t matter who is president. We will get nothing. Send $ to help those campaigns!
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@Wade Agreed! I am sending what i can every month to Amy McGrath. McConnell is as dangerous as Trump, maybe more so! It's time to send him home! Go Amy!!
3
I seem to recall a debate between Jerry Brown and Bill Clinton after Clinton seems to have the nomination in hand. They sat at the table and talked. I remember it as one of the most refreshing political discussions in my lifetime. This is what we need Sunday. No more bloviating "zingers," but discussions about how to take on the problems that face this country. I understand why Bernie is not pulling out. He believes in his cause and wants to make sure it remains a part of the discussion. Biden needs to reassure the rest of us that he is not going to bend over backwards to conservative politicians as he has in the past. I hope they talk to one another about taking our democracy bak and giving it to the people.
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Well Biden is going to be the candidate facing Trump. He needs to spend a lot of time in rehearsals. He has to come across as sane and competent against a crazy but very polished street fighter.
It ain’t going to be a shoo-in. It’s going places no man has gone before.
24
Yknow, I don't mind Biden offering to slap the guy or take it outside.
The response to inevitable Republican smears has to be visceral and immediate.
I tried to watch the Hulu Hillary thing the other night but had to turn it off when it started on the emails. Her careful response made me cringe. Love her, and long deep sighs are cleansing, but I'll have to come back to it later.
Btw, I'd like to thank the Times for its leading role in taking her down...
21
After the stock market tanks, you need stupendous gains just to get back where you were. After what Donald Trump has done to the American government and the courts, it will take at least four years to right the ship of state. Big structural change? Not until we rebuild the foundation on which to build it. So while a Biden administration (and perhaps the Democratic Senate he will bring with him) is rebuilding that foundation, perhaps he will have the foresight to build it in a way that permits it to support the change that we need and is coming. Suppose he gave attention to tax reform to make it fairer, a wealth tax to raise revenue to support infrastructure spending, focus the department of education again on support for public education including a renewed focus on technical and vocational education to provide the workforce we need, renewed support for science and basic research, and maybe, just maybe, add a public option to Obamacare. We won't have a revolution, but we will have a restoration and significant, albeit slower, progress and national renewal. All without the nasty, brutish vitriol of the tweeter-in-chief in charge. Biden is not perfect, but a President who is sufficiently self-aware to recognize when he has been a jerk and apologize would be revolutionary and a change we desperately need.
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I am tired of all of the hand wringing that occurs when any Democratic candidate or office holder fires back in kind when he or she is confronted by people spouting lies such as this fellow did.
"When they go low, we go high" is a wonderful ideal in a perfect world, but in today's political atmosphere, our Democratic candidates should not be afraid to take on tripe like this in the strongest terms. The NRA has used scorched earth language for decades and has, so far, won the battle over gun control measures. It was refreshing to see Biden take the guy on and call it for what it was. I don't for one second believe the confrontation will hurt Biden and I'm pretty sure many people feel the same when I say that when the moment requires it, bring it, Joe.
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@Thomas my feelings exactly. Give'm hell Joe!
@Thomas I agree. And the irony of trump's rallies, where the most vile lies, insults and insinuations, mockery and all manner of claims about Democrats being traitors.......
Boy, they can sure dish it out in their safe spaces. Then this planted worker runs off to FOX to whine that he was attacked by a mean Dem! Such a transparent campaign scheme, very trumpian! Now they'll doctor the video to claim Biden said 'Burisma' or something.
Yes, we get it, trumpies. Your claim is that your party is literally lily white pure America via the republican party, and anyone trump doesn't personally like (even Vindman, McCain, Khans, Biden, etc) is worthy of humiliating defeat by any means.
Otherwise, no adult would solemnly defend this childish 'poor working man' set up. Hey, aren't trump supporters the ones who just hate 'gotcha' questions? No. No they don't.
It's very easy for trump to avoid this kind of embarrassing situation, since his handlers allow zero possibility he'll ever come face to face with actual Americans who might confront his policies.
2
At this point we can look at incidents like the one with the auto worker, cringe, and say "Don't do it, Joe", and get that sunken feeling after he does. But we all need to remember , and especially Trump supporters need to remember, that Trump does what Biden did with the auto worker about once every 15 minutes. And it doesn't impact Trump's supporters one bit. Why should Biden not be afforded the same consideration? Are Democrats required to behave better, not swear, not say inappropriate things, not lie, not insult anyone? Sorry. If we have learned anything from Trump it's that the ends justifies , or perhaps ignores would be a better word, the means. It is being left unsaid at this point, but let's do it. Biden could shoot someone on Main St. and not lose any votes. The 705 train to the White House has left the station and there is no stopping it.
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@Walking Man frankly, I loved it. It makes him look like more of a flesh-and-blood human being than a politician reciting tired, polished cliches. And it's not a function of age. I remember attending a lecture by Sen. Biden at the University of Louisville in the early 80's. During the Q&A, a very elderly man started this rambling diatribe on how all Democrats were really Commies and traitors at heart, etc... Biden's started his answer with "Sir, if you were forty years younger, I'd ask you to step out back in the alley for my answer."
So he comes by it honestly. :-)
If Joe Biden loses the presidential general election to Donald Trump the Left must put up candidates to challenge every Democratic politician who endorsed Biden behind the electability argument.
8
@Howard Gregory Couldn't the left just focus on defeating the rght?
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@Howard Gregor And if the Left fails to back Biden and causes four more years of Trump...?
1
If Biden loses to Trump, I’m looking where the blame belongs....voters who stayed home, who let their “perfect” be the enemy of the good, the voters who think to hold others hostage to their participation unless they get their choice. In the general the job is ours. If you falter, it’s on you.
The last two sentences are the best example of the differences between Biden and Trump. And maybe difference between Biden and Bernie.
30
@HPower and exactly why we need Biden in the WH.
Please let's hear these two candidates debate one-on-one, as the nominee will have to do with Trump, before making our last determination. Just as I did in 2016, I will support the Blue candidate, no matter how unfairly that person is chosen, but I seriously question Biden's fitness for the job. When his handlers have to shrink his public speaking down to a few minutes to prevent gaffes and keep him on message, that does not bode well. I want Democrats to win. If Joe holds his own in a debate with Bernie, then I'll join the others in pretending he's a great candidate, but if this emperor has no clothes, you'd better all admit it.
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@Janet
What's with the "unfairly" chosen? My vote shouldn't count?
@Julia G No, no problem with the voting. The unfair part is from the media deciding en masse, right as SC was happening that Biden had won the primary. At 7:06 pm that night, the NYTimes ran an article saying that Biden had run away with it. I get it that that was based on exit polls, but to not even wait for official numbers to come in shows incredible bias. From then on it was hard to find any news outlet containing its joy over Biden winning. That is not the role of the media. They can swing things with their coverage, and they did exactly that.
2
It appears that Biden is going to get lucky on his third try for the nomination.
So, Sen. Sanders, look on the bright side (to quote Eric Idle) there's still hope for you in 2024.
Finally, Biden could have called that union guy what Tillerson called Trump, so kudos to Joe for exercising verbal restraint.
24
The time has come to stop and take a deep breath. Joe Biden is almost certain to become the Democratic Party's nominee. And Joe is easy to like. That bodes well for November 3, 2020.
Two big things stand between Joe Biden and the White House -- COVID-19 and the Republican machine. COVID-19 is a personal threat to Joe Biden. He will need to campaign during an epidemic in the primary and the general elections. That means public appearances, large crowds, an exhausting daily schedule and frequent exposure to the virus. At age 77, Biden is particularly vulnerable. COVID-19 will be lethal for about 8% of people the ages of 70 and 79 who become infected. Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump face the same challenge. The result is likely to be campaigns with fewer public appearances before smaller crowds and greater reliance on media.
And then there is the Republican Machine powered by Fox and Sinclair and fueled by mega donors, Trump's Republican base is steadfast at 42% nationwide and higher in the Red states. The advantages of incumbency and Republican voter suppression in battleground states make Trump a formidable candidate.
We will need a unified Democratic Party and a bit of luck to elect Joe Biden on November 3, 2020.
27
@joe parrott
He is 77.
@joe parrott
Um, Biden is 77.
I am not a fan of Joe Biden. But in the name of fairness, he also asked the "horse's petooty" if he needed 100 rounds of ammunition. Obama tried to make nice and it didn't get him far. So, Biden spoke to "Joe the Plumber 2020" in a language he understands.
As for Bernie and whether or not he told Elizabeth Warren (whom I miss VERY much), that a woman couldn't get elected in 2020, it seems "the burn" left his 2016 campaign apparatus in Michigan intact. Do you think he had a 2020 run in mind when he didn't wink wink make that remark to Warren?
My guess is that right now Bernie is using his time-tested strategy of making a lot of noise, getting people angry, turning them off, and not accomplishing anything.
A master of the art of negotiation he is not.
38
Sure, I wish he'd handled the gun protester differently.
But wasn't he "being real" and "telling it like it is" and "not politically correct," all things that Trump supporters proclaim they like about their man?
I can understand why Republicans would use the double standard against us, but why do we keep using it against ourselves in counterproductive ways?
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Thomas,
I agree with your comment. We have 1 mass shooting in our great country almost every week. I am angry about that, Biden's angry too. Anger is a gift. If Joe isn't going to bring the fight to the cowardly Trump, we are not going to defeat him.
Blue wave 2020 !
@Thomas :When you call someone a "horse's ass,"challenge him to "take it outside,"insult people willy nilly and expect that to be called presidential, then that it really going over the line.Remember Moynihans's wise words about "driving deviancy down"No wonder Biden's minders restrict his town hall talks to 7 minutes. Strategy appears to be that Biden can remain rational for just so long, a matter of minutes before he descends into irrationality, saying "n'importe quoi n'importe comment!"Is not Ms. Collins the op ed writer who coined the term "Trump virus?"Is that not another example of abnormality from a Times newspaper proud of its tradition of objective, disinterested analysis and reporting?
In a time of plague, all thoughts turn to health. Fitting therefore that health, and all aspects of government’s role in health care, should be at the center of Sunday’s debate. I hope that both candidates will specifically remind people that a Republican, Texas judge has struck down Obamacare, and that the Republican Supreme Court will hear the appeal — but not until after the November elections.
17
Given the fact that either Biden or Sanders if elected would be the oldest candidate to win the presidency, the question of who their running mate is going to be will the one voters will need a reassuring answer for.
For me, she needs to be under 70, well-respected, politically experienced, and reasonably likable.
Ladies and gentlemen, the next backup President of the United States, Amy Klobuchar!
16
@Alexander Harrison you must have been reading Pecker's Enquirer
@Dave Reyburn :Klobuchar has yet to condemn, publicly, deplore the behavior of Minnesota A.G.Keith Ellison who is all for open borders,"pueblos sin fronteras,"and is still under investigation for beating up his girlfriend, pulling her by her hair from the bed onto the floor. This is domestic abuse, yet silence from Klobuchar is deafening. Perhaps it's because Ellison is a fellow Democrat. In any case, if Sen. Klobuchar cannot or is afraid to show leadership on thisisssue and focus on it, how can one qualify her as a leader of presidential caliber?
3
@Armo Do you mean that AP and other sources are incorrect in noting the domestic abuse charge being investigated against the Minnesota A.G.and that it is also inaccurate to note that AG is for "pueblos sin fronteras" and the tee shirt he wears on which that "mot d'ordre" is written is doctored? National Enquirer has come up with some great scoops over the years. Examples: first "hebdo" to reveal John Edwards's two timing, that while his wife was dying of cancer, he was carrying on with another woman whobecame pregnant and Edwards was the father. NO OTHER PUBLICATION was on the case. NE also revealed a photo of Rafael Cruz, senator's father in N.O. in the company of Lee Harvey Oswald, and according to an interview I conducted with Antonio Veciana, former head of ALPHA 66 in Miami in 1987 who was present in Dallas weeks before the regicide on 22 November with other anti Castro "flingeurs,"Rafael Cruz was among them, along with Novo brothers, Frank Fiorini, Bernard Barker. NE also ran a photo of an ex OAS roving ambassador, Jean Rene Souetre, whom I later interviewed in Divonne Les Bains near Swiss border who was also present in Dallas. Don' t underestimate the Enquirer.It is a reliable news source
The debate on Sunday will settle, in my mind, what the trajectory of the Democratic Party will be going forward. Will it elevate Sanders to his well earned status as tribune of the people even as it offers Biden the chance to prove that he merits the donning of the purple? The outcome of the next election and the path going forward will determine whether this country is capable of living up to its much vaunted ideals.
15
Life has taught me that revolutionary movements are spearheaded by leaders who give it all, joined by a minority of heroes, and by a majority of opportunists. Only too often a hero is turned into an opportunist by Power, the great betrayer.
The truth is that progress occurs when the ruling class accepts the demands and grievances of society at large, and finds a way to accommodate them without breaking the continuity of everyday life.
In my opinion Elizabeth Warren would have excelled in that role, but...
That’s why I find Mr. Sander’s message so important.
I don’t know about you, fellow readers, but it does seem that a unified progressive platform for the 2020 election is designing itself before our very eyes...
9
Like a lot of people, I am fed up with incremental social change. It would be great if we could elect a leftist who would ignite a political revolution in this country once in the White House, shifting the paradigm on income inequality, health care, immigration and – fill in the blanks.
Well, we can't – this time around – because a psychopath is president and the cancer he represents must first be excised and then the miasma of evil he leaves behind exorcised. This is why a Biden presidency makes sense – a moderate who first and foremost restores decency and sanity to our politics.
But Bernie Sanders has accomplished a lot. One thing I learned during my leftist youth protesting the Vietnam war is that the left in this country doesn't win, but it doesn't necessarily lose either. What it does is create political space for the center.
That is, the left normalizes ideas which had seemed far fetched but which, through its efforts, get integrated into the mainstream political conversation. This opens up political space for the center to shift leftwards, allowing it to stake out more progressive positions. See, e.g., the Occupy Wall Street movement and its introduction into mainstream conversation of the “one percent” idea, making it impossible thereafter for centrist politicians, such as Biden, to avoid talking about income inequality.
This creation of political space is exactly what Sanders' impact on the Democratic Party has been – and will continue to be.
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There is nothing stopping you or anyone else from voluntarily multiplying their tax rate. It’s right there on the 1040. There’s nothing stopping you or anyone else from donating to a fund that provides a free college education to those you’ve deemed to deserve it. There’s nothing stopping you or anyone else from residing in a state that reflects your desire for a cradle-to-grave nanny state. But the left’s insistence that if only all of us were as intelligent, as empathetic, as worldly, as generous, as they are, we would see the glory of their universal positions, is just another form of religious fervor. Let’s minimize the federal government to the level required by the Constitution. Such a government can justify a common defense, certain infrastructure support, the promotion of commerce and yes, taking the lead in responding to pandemics. But the national government should not be inserting itself into the employer-employee relationship, into states issues not listed in the Enumerated Powers like education.
@Barry Schreibman
Words of wisdom, Barry.
1
@From Where I Sit
Dear Mr. Sit: Where you're sitting is pretty blinkered. You write: "Let’s minimize the federal government to the level required by the Constitution." I spent a lot of time in law school studying the Constitution and failed to discern a mandate in it to maintain living conditions as they existed in 1783 before, just to take a random example, the invention of the rail road. Rather, the ambiguity of so many Constitutional terms (e.g., "due process") is purposeful and absolutely necessary since the Constitution, like any law, is based on experience and on the wisdom that experience changes from generation to generation. The Constitution is a living document, meant to address the conditions of living people, not a museum artifact in a glass case. Your pinched reading of it benefits only the rich and the powerful -- those who do not need change but, instead, are afraid of it.
1
In this age of Trumpian rhetoric, whatever gaffes Biden commits will become easy to forgive. If at all, such gaffes only make the man more endearing.
33
In this age of Trumpian rhetoric, whatever gaffes Biden commits will become easy to forgive. If at all, such gaffes only make the man more endearing.
4
I understand all he comments worrying about Vice President Biden's way with words (I am being very polite) . His lack of mouth-control can be embarrassing, both for him and those listening to him .
But what really matters is not how he speaks, but what he says about where he stands and what he stands for . He may not be as "progressive" as some would like him to be, he might not enthuse the supporters of Senator Sanders and, in fact, he certainly will not generate the same kind of enthusiasm as President Obama created as a candidate (both times) .
But what he represents, I believe, is pragmatic progress - a recognition that the inequities that exist in this country must be be mitigated before they are resolved and that"progress" means precisely that . I does not mean complete achievement of a goal .
Though I am not a great fan of Senator Sanders, I understand and agree with his vision for America . But where I fault him, if even I can say that I "fault" him at all, is for the fact that, at no point in either of his presidential campaigns, has he been willing to confront the political reality that , even within his Party of choice, vast divisions exist concerning his most far reaching proposals .
This is why I support Vice President Biden .
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Let's ask ourselves two staggered questions. Can Joe Biden win the Democratic nomination? Yes, he can, that is becoming ever more obvious. Then, can he win the Presidency? Well, that depends on an awful number of factors.
From the hitherto un-assessed one of what the impact of the coronavirus will be, and this may be quite dramatic in a number of ways, to the kind of campaign it will be and to what extent Biden manages to convince the unaffiliated voters to take time off from work to vote for him.
I imagine it will also depend on who gets to be the candidate for Vice-President. The man IS 77 years old and totally unprepared to take on the mess that Trump will leave, both in terms of the US' international standing and with regard to the smouldering ruins of a once functioning federal bureaucracy.
And of course, he will have to work with the Congress that he gets and a Judiciary stiffed with as many conservatives as Trump has been able to shoehorn in.
I wish him well.
9
@Rudy Flameng If Sanders gets nominated could he beat Trump? He is also quite old. Their differences are not in age or electability but rather in their platforms. Either man would be a great improvement over Donald.
18
@Barbara
Well that’s not saying a lot. At this point replacing Trump with a stuffed animal would be a great improvement.
@Rudy Flameng I just think Joe Biden was a Vice President for a reason - he is kind of our current era's Dan Qualye but creepier in his comments, touches and hugs. It is hard to get a pass once you get down to being the only candidate, showing something besides an empty suit and hate for Donald Trump may be necessary to win. Joe has been in Politics for so long it makes most Americans want to vomit - he has been a lifelong example of "What is wrong with Washington DC"
Let's be honest - the Biden nomination is less about the man than it is about the name recognition and celebrity, the association with the stabilizing and comforting Obama legacy - the only priority that matters is defeating DT. Biden has had a poor performance at the debates, appearing wooden and confused at times - no matter. He hasn't advanced any particularly unique policy ideas and is caught somewhere between the status quo and trying to appeal to progressives, grudgingly - and most Democrats couldn't care less. Perhaps what we need is his Madame Tussauds wax figure - less chance of gaffes and it would probably do no worse in the debates.
And perhaps this is just fine at this moment in time, particularly if the VP pick is someone like Warren. We need to stop focusing so heavily on the office of the executive and restore some semblance of 3 co-equal branches, repair and rejuvinate the American democracy overall. We need to build some depth and resilience, because if there's one big takeway from the DT era is that our institutions have been surprisingly fragile and vulnerable.
27
@Kevin I like Biden. He's a smart, kind-hearted, and practical guy. I think he would make a great president regardless of who he MUST beat--and he must.
48
@James Biden is kind hearted. He is also poor on the debate stage, prone to ramblings and gaffes, and a sitting duck for lowbrow attacks from our sleaze bag POTUS. His obvious cognitive decline is not going to be challenged in the current Democratic debate formula...a series of crowded stages followed by an upcoming chat without an audience. This is a recipe for disaster.
2
@Kevin Does anyone remember when Biden debated Paul Ryan? Biden mopped the floor with him. If you can find it on Youtube, watch it again.
1
Great article and wonderful writing. I hope Ms Collins does not have a Twitter account or, if she does, she will publish the rants she gets.
6
Entertaining as always, and illuminating, especially the last two paragraphs. Humility begins before honor. I cannot imagine 45 graciously thanking you for a spot on critique. God that VP Joe did.
22
I’m excited to possibly have Dr. Jill Biden as First Lady. Not only is she Joe Biden’s best asset, but she is an English professor, wonderful role model, and phenomenal educator who will truly advocate for our students. #qualityandnotbebest
186
@JM Thanks for your comment. Bet we’ll all be hearing a whole lot more about Jill Biden in the months to come.
47
@JM :
All that and a community college professor!
What says for-the-people better than spending one's life in "pioneer country" serving first generation, returning, retraining, modest income, motivated students? Jill knows you!
6
@JM I'm a former English professor with a Ph.D., and I've run 5 marathons, so I LOVE Jill Biden! I'm just jealous of her left hook.
10
I sincerely hope that Joe Biden chooses Stacy Abrams to be his running mate. She is young, incredibly bright, articulate, measured in what she says and how she presents herself and she would be an asset to the team.
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@mary
How does a Stacy Abrams get any votes for the ticket in the Midwest? Same with Warren
Amy Klobuchar should be his choice. She has shown she could handle herself in the heat of presidential politics.
19
@Mary Hudak
Biden will choose wisely when it comes to his running mate and broader cabinet.
The choice for running mate is a complicated one but the choice must be completely in line with Biden's governing philosophy and be so well-equipped as to take on any critical role Biden delegates.
Picking a running mate is not a popularity contest. It is a very serious matter.
15
@Mary Hudak Stacy Abrams does not have the experience to be in that position. I don't think she was well vetted during her run for governor and was allowed to get away with very weak answers on a couple of troubling issues such as directing the entire Democrat ic house to vote for the republican bill which gerrymandered districts and favored Republicans.
2
The less excited we get about Joe the better this will be a pragmatic vote. It is not about personality, it is about the courts, Roe V. Wade, maybe some slight improvement on immigration. Some prescriptions will cost a little less. Ok, see, it’s better to be honest with ourselves about it.
18
@Jeremiah Crotser even if the vote is pragmatic, I do not see why it would benefit us to be less excited about Joe.
16
@James
Absolutely, positively, unequivocally!
What on earth is not to be excited about when it comes to a Biden presidency!?
And, I mean that sincerely, I'm not trying to be facetious here.
Biden For President!
How inspiring.
I think Joe's best bet is to go into isolation until November.
The less we see and hear from him the better he'll do.
29
So far so good, but he needs an articulate youthful woman for VP.
18
@Richard Schumacher I'm still a Warren fan, and she's younger than he is--and women tend to live longer--and she might placate the Bernie fans.
19
I’m a Warren fan too, but I don’t see her as a VP pick. The Senate balance is too precarious for the Democrats to be okay with giving up her seat.
32
@DTW they will have a special election, and MA should elect a democrat. I don't expect it to happen, but I'd love for Elizabeth to be the VP - balance him a little.
9
It’s genuinely peculiar to me how charitably people are inclined to view Biden’s gaffes. Many of the comments on this article, for instance, try to make his idiosyncrasies seem more like features than bugs. Don’t get me wrong, while Biden isn’t my first choice, he’ll get my vote in the general if (really more like “when” at this point) he gets the nomination. While I don’t doubt that Biden is a nice guy or would be a HUGE improvement, I often find myself cringing when he talks, an experience that I’m surprised isn’t more common. Can anyone really imagine a candidate who was a woman and/or person of color receiving as little scrutiny as Biden does for these kinds of gaffes?
34
@MO It's called "Fake News". Trump is no worse than Biden but Biden gets a pass because the media has a bias. Once you start to notice it, you'll actually start to see the bias is constant. Welcome to understanding "Fake News".
@MO
I agree with your last sentence, but at the same time I think if would be foolish of Dems to hold Biden overly accountable for gaffes that are milder and far less offensive and consequential than Trump's daily barrage of lies, bullying, and mean-spirited put-downs.
@MO It is another way he would better than Trump. Biden's gaffes are just that. They are perhaps vestiges of his old stuttering problem. When fantastical, hateful things come out of Trump's mouth they represent what is in his mind and heart. Biden's verbal gaffes reveal no such maliciousness. He is trying to say something reasonable even if he stumbles getting it out. He needs to surround himself with younger aides and competent Cabinet members, as well as a vital VP. I believe that if he's elected he will choose good people and be willing to delegate to them an administration of caring and good ideas.
1
Ms. Collins,
Thanks for the article. Though I wish I could have your lightheartedness, sometimes, it feels inappropriate to the seriousness of the times and I can't even muster a grin when I hear 20/20. Gone are the days when that meant perfect vision! ...Although I do hope we have the perfect vision to elect Mr. Biden.
If you have "Joe's" ear, as you seem to, perhaps a piece like this can be a source of helpful criticism for him. However, I fear that some of these little gaffes can be magnified out of proportion when put in print for all of us to start chattering about and may not be at all helpful. So, slip him a note if you think he needs to tone it down but, please, don't brandish it in the press. ...and even though you did it with empathy, grace and style, save that for the big infractions - not the minor ones.
18
@Blanche White
Ms. White. I love your response to Ms. Collins. But Ms. Collins needs to accept that Elizabeth Warren is not going to be the nominee for the Democratic party.
Please, Ms. Collins, stop re-fighting 2016. Hillary Clinton was a FLAWED candidate. It's the only explanation for Joe Biden's win in Michigan against Bernie in such a landslide. Ms. Clinton was flawed because of 1)She was a Clinton 2)She couldn't Connect with people, 3) she felt entitled, 4) Bengazi 5)She couldn't connect with people.
Stop talking Biden down. Please. We are all sorry Warren isn't going to be the nominee. But to be so half-hearted isn't your strong suit.
1
Joe will be fine. But if he asked me what he needed to win the general election, I would say: an hour in the gym every day; split the time between the weights and the cardio. And get a good night's sleep. A healthy diet wouldn't hurt, either.
32
@PB
He'd better hot foot it to the gym as COVID-19 will soon force the mandatory closure of health clubs. Even if they remain open, he's quite frail with a history of serious health issues, so a veritable petri dish is probably not the best environment for him.
@PB , try running for president and see how you do. It’s quite the workout.
1
@PB Do you think he has a bad diet? Too much time on the treadmill might cause injuries. I know, I am pretty old too and have been laid up before from gym mishaps.
1
Biden should run his campaign based on positive programs he promises to institute, rather than on just getting rid of Trump. Hillary Clinton fell into the trap of heaping criticism on Trump accusing him of many things he would do (many of which came true), and failed to develop a strong message of her own beyond continuing the administrative successes of Obama. The problem with that approach is that there were some people out there in the battleground states that heard her, believed what she said about Trump, and liked Trump even more hearing it from Hillary. And enough of those few people voted for Trump to elect him. Biden can build a program based on healthcare (insure people with preexisting conditions), climate change, renewable energy (solar, wind, tidal), and foreign policy (restore our relations with our long-time allies). This program should resonate with all voters. It is like apple pie and mother's home cooking. Trump cannot attack this successfully, but he might try. More likely Trump will dig up dirt (remember "the emails!" and "lock her up"). I hope that Biden "goes high when Trump goes low" to paraphrase Michelle Obama when that happens.
14
@Harold She had many good ideas on her website. She talked about many ideas on the campaign trail. She spent too much time a) defending herself about email and b) believing she was a shoo-in. She did get 3 million more votes than Trump, however. She wasn't strategic enough about the Electoral College. I still think there may have been some hanky-panky with the votes in close States.
10
Mixed feelings about the confrontations. I grew up with guys like that (urban poor/Blue collar). There may be a downside for some but not everyone will see it in the same way. I can put myself inside Joe's head and see that these things are no big deal in certain contexts, though not good for campaigning. Except for the joke which I didn't understand (?)
On the other hand, to try to put myself inside Trumps head, which is difficult to say the least: A scary place. Very scary. Uncharted in some primal way.
Morning Joe had a video of Trump's gaffes. Very bad. Not at all perfect. The difference is that Trump breezes by it with con-man aplomb. Joe's gaffs are the result of stuttering, so they stop him and we notice.
It's great that he contacted you about that comment.
29
If it weren't for Anita Hill, I would for for Biden. Luckily I live in Manhattan on the west's upper left side. My vote is pointless. I loved Mayor Pete and fully supported Bernie last time. He has become extreme and bombastic.
9
@Linda
Something has changed. Is it really Bernie?
@Linda. Please don't use your location as an excuse not to vote blue. We need every vote, don't take anything for granted.
@Linda Upper LEFT side is great. Perfect. Very, very good!
Biden has had experience more suited to being president than any of the other candidates, and vastly more than Trump ever had. As a Senator and then a VP, Biden knows how to work with Republicans and Democrats.
67
@Bonnie Like helping get Garland appointed to SCOTUS?
I will vote for whomever wins the nomination. But now, even more than when Bernie was the front runner I am getting ready for another four years of Trump. It will be hard but we'll survive that as well as the coronavirus.
6
@SM
I think events of the past two weeks should give rise to optimism instead of the despair you suggest.
The almost electric wave that started on Super Tuesday and still continues suggest that the majority of voters think Biden is the answer to ridding the Country of this nightmare. ...And I don't think they are wrong even though I was a Warren supporter.
Biden is a decent person though I have, numbers of times, felt let down by him. Yet I support him now and hope others will too.
55
@SM Some will survive he coronavirus. There are estimates that as high as a million of us won't. It's not at all like the flu as we've been told.
Glad you're voting Blue! Me, too. In November absentee, though.
1
@SM - Bernie was front runner for a week, just as he is Democrat for a year. It’s a burden off me to know that I won’t have to force myself to vote for Bernie.
2
why is America so fixated on extremes? Republican vs Democrat? Extremism vs. conservativism? Black vs White? Left vs Right and so on. There is nothing wrong with capialism Why is America so fixated on extremes? Republican vs Democrat? Extremism vs. conservativism? Black vs White? Left vs Right and so on. There is nothing wrong with capitalism if wealth is distributed fairly with realistic provisions are truthfully provided for the less privileged regarding health care, education and social welfare?
On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with true socialism if there is a realistic budget to pay for it. European countries used to have ideal medical care for its citizens prior to the creation of the EEC. Now with the abolition of borders within EEC countries, including previous English colonies, the European open medical system is overwhelmed beyond its capacity with rationing of care and long waits for life-threatening conditions due to
this overwhelming demand.
The same applies to education where "free" public schools are filled with unmanageable student-teacher ratios many of the students don't have even basic English. Therefore there needs to be a restoration of balance here in the USA before embracing either extreme. It is, for this reason, I believe that Joe Biden a centrist is the right candidate at the right time to restore an economic balance before electing an extremist candidate on either side
e
3
@Christopher Slevin A problem with capitalism is that there is nothing in it that creates a fair distribution of profit. Some external force, like government, would be needed to control the natural operation of greed.
29
@Christopher Slevin Don't forget: sane vs. insane. con man vs honest guy. slime ball vs gentleman. We certainly have been at an extreme in these dimensions for the last 3 years.
disagree. it was a good moment.
there goes your premise.
23
Biden now has the chance Sunday to win it all. Pull Bernie and his supporters all in... and show the rest of the country there could be an ADULT in the White House after November.
He doesn't claim to have it all together, and that is exactly what is required, TRUTH. I guess I'm a radical moderate.
58
I have a hard time understanding, especially after watching this campaign assiduously for more than a year, how anyone could think Joe Biden would represent the best hope of beating Trump. His debate performances have been, for the most part, lackluster. Never one to avoid a malapropism, he often appears confused and out of his depth. Much of it, I believe, is media driven, because the corporations are frightened of Sanders, and saw to it that Liz Warren was disposed of early. Go back and watch the debate tapes. Anyway, I don't see Joe inspiring anyone, but hope that enough people are disgusted with Trump to vote him out. Mr. Biden seems like a genuinely nice guy, with the occasional outburst, but in a world populated by Trump's "friends" like Putin, MBS, and Kim Jung Un, I'm not sure that's enough to be reassuring.
31
@Frank Gardner It's true that the ideal candidate would be inspirational, youthful, imaginative, and optimistic. But those qualities are hard to find--Obama came close, which makes a lot of people yearn for another like him (even if we have to go to Kenya!), but we've got another set of options now and the candidate we choose has one job: kick out Trump. Thoroughly and permanently. Inspiration can wait till 2024.
21
@Frank Gardner
I think, Frank, that not everyone thinks the debates are very important. In college I was awful in debate and rhetoric but one-on-one has always been ok with me. Debate is only one communication ritual among many. Being "confused and out of his depth" is also something many of us can identify with. As President I see him more as a team leader and he will have an excellent team who will lead the country.
22
@Frank Gardner , Biden actually knows more about those people and foreign affairs than any other candidate. And there’s a core of toughness in him.
13
Amazing that so many are jumping on board the Biden train. Because an endorsement lead to a mass stampede? Several weeks ago, a neighbor and I canvassed our entire neighborhood. The number one "issue" was "Beat Trump!" The answers were: Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar, Buttigieg, Bloomberg. No one mentioned Joe Biden. What happened? What changed?
35
What happened is that more people voted for Biden than for the other candidates. Apparently your neighborhood is not representative of the larger Democratic electorate. (Which is also a problem with the early primary states.) And I believe that Biden has generally been among the leading Democratic candidates in head to head matchups against Trump (Sanders being his only rival in that regard). Biden just seems to be a candidate that many people are willing to get behind.
48
@Rebecca Lowe , suppose Sanders had decided to step back after the mess of 2016, as Clinton did, letting us recover from it. I think Warren would’ve had a great chance with broader appeal. The other candidates except for Warren couldn’t pull enough votes. When you split a group, that wrecks your electability. Sanders seems to do that quite a bit, seems to feel it has to be him.
8
@jb both Biden and Sanders should have had the grace and sense to sit this one out. Their name recognition made it impossible for ant of the newer candidates to have a chance.
1
I don't see any issue with his "outburst." The Democratic Party has far too long played the quiet game. Republicans take full advantage of this and exploit it. They're loud, boisterous and usually off a few facts, but look at their ranks and reach?
Why can't Joe call someone out when that guy is flat out wrong?! I loved the fast retort from Joe. I felt proud to hear something passionate, protective and without hesitation from our Democratic nominee. It's a beautiful thing.
364
@Kyle
For one thing in the debates Biden was constantly dissing Sanders on his gun stance. Sanders took the criticism rather better than Biden did. I hope Biden, if he is the nominee, stands up to Trump the same way he has with regular people on the campaign trail when he strongly disagreed with them. For help with that he might take a lesson from Sanders' speech today.
10
@Kyle What do you mean, wrong? Joe Biden's website states he wants to ban "assault weapons" which he defines as an AR-15. Even though the AR-15 is simply a semi-automatic rifle that simply looks like a military style rifle. Biden also stated he wanted Beto O'Rourke to take care of the guns, and Beto wants to come and take your guns. So how was this guy wrong?
@Kyle You’re right. Calling a young student names, even obscure ones and in jest, was definitely bad. Calling a supposedly tough guy out, on the other hand was entirely fair and appropriate. And I agree with Joe, he was being a ‘horse’s ass.”
8
Throughout the debates, Biden was far from my favorite candidate. As a 74 year old, I have watched him for years and still recall his failure to treat Anita Hill appropriately. His bravado and occasional outbursts are a concern. Gail did a good job of reminding us of his weaknesses in this respect. All the same, Biden does bring some important qualities to the contest — his ability to calm, to care, to reassure, to understand and to manage are a great contrast to POTUS. Let's hope he learns to restrain his outbursts and focus on the positive messages to voters. He will restore honor, dignity and soul to a White House that is now infected with the TRUMPCOVID-2020.
38
@No more Trump
And the Trump Slump!
1
@No more Trump
Yeah. Honor again to the White House. And anyone who says otherwise is a no good dog faced pony.
As for Trumpcovid-2020. I suppose might as well blame him for a virus that started in China. People like you have already made a non-falsifiable religion out of a conspiracy theory he takes his orders from Putin. Maybe Putin ordered him to spread the coronavirus, too? Meanwhile, when Trump ordered prohibiting any non-US-citizen from entering the US in late January along with a quarantine of any US citizen returning from China after an unidentified flu-like illness emerged, your guy Biden, the NY Times and the rest of the usual TDS mob accused Trump of racism and xenophobia. Today Trump is announcing the same for any European with an exception for British nationals. Can we expect a reprise of the racism and xenophobia from the TDS crowd again? Can we make a guesstimate what the infection rate in the US would have been had Trump listened to the NY Times and the rest of the mob, and had been less "racist" and "xenophobic"? Must have been Putin's orders, anyway. Right?
I find "Joeisms" kind of endearing. Given that practically every word he speaks aloud is now recorded and reported, I'd rather he stumble a bit than restrict his answers to scripted sound bites. As long as his heart's in the right place I'm perfectly willing to overlook a few slips of his tongue.
228
@M Davis I’m still thinking the Joeisms would be more appealing without the four-letter words. But not the biggest issue in the world, for sure.
26
@Gail Collins
" I’m still thinking the Joeisms would be more appealing without the four-letter words. But not the biggest issue in the world, for sure."
Totally - I mean, it's not like it Sanders swearing or something egregious like that.
3
@M Davis
He needs to apply some sort filter, like "What would Barack say?"
Sanders and co. need to accept that Biden will most likely be the nominee.
It can be tough to give up on 'your candidate.' But many voters now supporting Biden used to support someone else -- and have moved over and consolidated behind Biden.
If Sanders thinks he'd be better in a race against Trump, why can't he beat Biden in primaries?
41
@mm Biden had tons of success during the most recent primaries because of the decision to coalesce behind him in the days before Super Tuesday. The Dem Establishment saw he was their best bet, thus giving his campaign days of positive airtime and approval in the media. Many older voters rely on MSNBC and CNN for news coverage, which delivered nothing but breathless support for Biden in the days leading up to the primaries.
The race is still not over, and if the roles were reversed, Biden most certainly would not be pressured to drop out.
18
@Steve, I don't see how the establishment called all of those African American voters in SC the night before the primary and told them to vote Joe..... They listened to their elected representative..... And they voted.. I am so tired of Bernie supporters blaming the media or the establishment for his failure to grow his base... He lost suburban women.... It wasn't the establishment... I was one of them and waited to see who would rise in the moderate ranks... The votes were splintered... I waited until after Super Tuesday to cast my ballot in Wa State... If it was Elizabeth at the top of the delegate lead, I would have voted for her.... They are both excellent... Bernie isn't my favorite because he isn't inclusive enough and polarizes people who disagree with him....But if he is nominated, I would vote for him.. In a heart beat...
29
Biden was being pressured to drop early. Any of the others could have gotten behind Bernie. Bernie waited years to apologize for his vote on gun manufacturers, has a few other troubling issues. African American voters want Biden who is thought to be the candidate who will pull along the most people down ballot between the tow of them. That does it for many folks, including me.
22
The last two paragraphs sum it up perfectly. Make a mistake, acknowledge it, learn from it, move on and don't repeat it. Trump never gets past the first part.
154
@RCS Completely agree. An apology goes a long way in earning my respect and trust.
36
@RC. Well, he makes plenty of mistakes. The rest is beyond his ken
I'm not thrilled with the idea of a Biden presidency. However, he is light years better than Trump could ever be. And, unlike Trump, he is seasoned, has been a heartbeat away from being president, and seems to have some common sense. My biggest concern is his apparent willingness to compromise with the GOP. Why? When Obama was in office he attempted to compromise and all the GOP did was change the name of the game to avoid working with him. There's no indication that this would change if the Senate retains its current GOP majority. The Supreme Court, as it's now constituted, will be another obstacle no matter which Democrat wins.
Sadly for most us, the GOP has done its damage in the most permanent way it could. They blocked judges Obama nominated. McConnell refused to allow Obama to appoint another justice when Scalia died in early 2016. They approved or initiated the rollback of environmental regulations designed to protect us, the land, the water, and the air.
In other words, if a Democrat wins the White House in November, he will have his work cut out for him. Let's hope that this same person picks a highly competent VP, has a great cabinet, and isn't afraid of fighting for working Americans.
3/11/2020 9:59pm first submit
91
@hen3ry In Tao philosophy, the branch that does not bend is quickly broken. In real life, the person that does not compromise loses everything.
54
@Kevin Well, lets hope you're right, because the people who have shown themselves most unwilling to compromise are the GOP. It would be nice to see them lose even a little bit.
16
@michaeltide
If we all get out there in November and do our jobs:vote blue, no matter who, up and down the ticket, the GOP will lose more than a "little bit"!
2
It was great that Biden began his speech Tuesday night by describing the coronavirus as a matter for presidential leadership. It is very responsible that he and Sanders have both cancelled rallies as a matter of public health. Meanwhile, the sitting president announced a new rally, continues shaking hands, is glib about getting tested, and otherwise thinks that propaganda is the way to treat a pathogen.
No doubt that Democrats are the party we need in charge for a crisis. Trump’s presidency is itself a sickness.
95
@NM
Anyone who believes that 45* has not been tested has not been paying attention all these years.
1
@Homebase
Whether or not Trump’s germophobia, or pathological lying, means that he really got tested but denies it, really isn’t the point. What counts is that he is a sitting president and is being dismissive of the idea.
Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post. Best regards.
2
@NM Just because Trump says he hasn't been tested doesn't mean it's true. He lies like he breathes.
2
Didn't Biden threaten to slap one of those construction workers seconds after the picture was taken? This is less about Joementum than Joexaustion: voters have - inexplicably - decided that this mummified heffalump is our best shot at defeating Trump. It's over, we accept that...but trying to spin this as enthusiasm is just a slap in the face to everyone for whom Joe was a 4th,5th, or 6th choice. He wasn't even the best advocate for his own uninspiring policies, and this narrative of enthusiastic Joementum has to be put on hold until the rest of us have time to grieve.
29
@Paul train has left the station Paul...... this might help to envision a Biden president: first order of business restore to any degree possible all the Obama mandates that Trump worked on to dismantle, a competent cabinet instead of lackeys that buy the positions, and so on .... I am hoping he will pick a female VP also
2
@Paul , campaigning for president is an incredibly grueling task. I could never do it; a lot of people younger than Biden couldn’t. He’s got stamina enough. (By the way, your wording, though cute in a sort of venomous way, is an example of the entitled rudeness that has too long infested parts of our party. I look forward to a more mutually respectful time. You’ll still write interestingly—and really, better, more effectively—without it.)
1
@Paul
“this mummified heffalump”
👍
The Penn Wharton Budget Model issued a report today on Biden’s overall tax proposal: the plan would raise between $3.1 trillion and $3.7 trillion. More than half of the proposed tax increases would hit the top 0.1% of high-income earners.
Google it before ignorantly accusing Biden of not wanting "change".
438
@Tim
So 4 Trillion in new taxes is a good thing? We have history as a guide. In the years after Bush cut taxes, deficits went down, not up. From 415 billion in 2004, to 318 billion in 2005, to 248 billion in 2006, to an incredible 161 billion in 2007. How is that possible, since taxes were cut? Because tax policy is not a zero sum gain or loss. It changes behavior, and that is something some folks can never understand. Once you tell the investing class that you are raising their taxes, they know exactly whats going to happen, so they change their behavior before it even goes into effect. They pull back their investing and spending. They know their customers and clients will do the same. The result is the stagnant, low growth, declining incomes that we had during the Obama years- where you could send out 20 resumes and get no answer. And as for confiscating those ill gotten gains from corporations and the ultra rich - what do you think, theyre going to just stand there and take it? They move their operations and take their precious capital to tax friendlier shores - exactly what they were doing during the Obama/Biden years - through corporate inversions. Companies were fleeing the US in droves, and saving hundreds of millions in the process. Trump stopped all that by finally lowering the corporate tax rate. Thats why we have a growing economy, with rising incomes and productivity, and a great job market. So taking us back to stagnation is what you would call progress?
3
@Sports Medicine: " In the years after Bush cut taxes, deficits went down, not up. From 415 billion in 2004, to 318 billion in 2005, to 248 billion in 2006, to an incredible 161 billion in 2007. "
Why stop at 2007..
There a recession the next year.
A recession that many are still recovering from.
Of course the 'investing class' recovered nicely.
It just never trickled down.
It never does.
27
@ExPDXer
Because 2007 was the last year Republicans controlled the power of the purse. Democrats took over both Houses in the 2006 election, which made fiscal 2008 the first year they controlled the budgets. They exploded spending, and best passed huge spending bills without a single Republican vote.
Look it up.
2
More voters than not will admire Joe for his Irish temper, especially if he applies it one on one against Trump's bluster.
As for Joe's lapses in debates when he searches for the right word, it must be recalled that against multiple debate-clever opponents he is not agile because he has to overcome a stutter. One on one against a dullard like Trump or in prepared speeches, Biden should be fine. That said, he will need a younger and more agile Vice President as a balance.
71
@Historian
"Defend every moment of your forty years of public service against several shameless opportunists with a minute to respond to each calculated attack" would be a brutal task for anyone.
1
@Historian the time he debated Sara Palin, is still in my mind, he remained calm stuck to issues , did not make it personal, true gentleman
@Historian Ha! I didn't want to say it, but my exact thought. Don't cross someone with an Irish temper like that! He was called a liar by the man. Perhaps deliberate baiting by a Trumpian, setup?
I’d love to have seen some of the former female candidates get away with these kinds of interactions...
But we all know how that would have ended- the same way it actually did.
52
Joe has his share of flaws, for sure. Like most humans. And very much like most humans who are also politicians.
But then, the alternative...
43
@RBW
"Joe has his share of flaws, for sure. Like most humans. And very much like most humans who are also politicians....But then, the alternative...:
Translation re Biden's "flaws": I am literally willing to vote for a vegetable to get Trump out of office.
1
I just hope the Biden campaign is prepared to make concessions to the vast majority of under-40 voters who support Sanders. Replacing Biden's anemic climate plan with one that matches the scale of the crisis would be ideal. The last thing I want is for Joementum to be halted by apathetic youth turnout in critical swing states. No downside whatsoever to beef up his climate plan.
And since you're still here, youth turnout is up this primary season. But over-65 turnout has been astronomical, giving the impression that young people aren't voting. That narrative is false!
12
@Ted B
Why isn’t youth turnout “astronomical,” if under-40 voters are so solidly behind Sanders? What will it take for them to mobilize in large numbers?
21
@NA probably less voter suppression, for one. Many in college towns in Michigan reported 4 hour long waits at polls. Younger Sanders voters cannot afford to miss work to vote, sadly. Most voters over 65 are retired, and have the availability to show up at the polls on a random weekday.
7
@NA What I don't understand is why the answer to "can we have bold climate action" is "if young people wanted it so bad, why didn't you vote for it," as if voting on climate is anathema to anyone over 50
9
During his big, celebratory appearance after the primaries last week, his wife had to fight off a sign-wielding vegan who stormed the victory podium.
Jill Biden is going to make a wonderful first lady, tough, accomplished, a dedicated teacher who by her actions has show how deeply believes in the importance of education and public service to improving American lives.
379
@Leigh
My wife told me it's ok that I have kind of a crush on Jill Biden! Brains, beauty and a mean left hook!
5
@Leigh Absolutely love Jill Biden!
5
@Leigh
"[Biden's] wife had to fight off a sign-wielding vegan who stormed the victory podium."
This is unfair to the vegan - who only stormed the podium because they correctly believed comparing Biden to a vegetable did a disservice to vegetables.
1
I hope that he prepares for the inevitable jabs from Trump about his son(s). Anger won't cut it for an electorate looking to restore gravitas to the office.
20
@Hmakav He could say that Hunter is a lawyer appointed to the Board of Amtrak by a Republican President, which is more experience for Burisma, than either ivanka or Jared had in being hired into the White House.
1
@Hmakav
Maybe you need to remind Trump about both his own anger and his sons and daughters. Biden does engage in angry responses to confrontation, but he doesn't engage in unprovoked belittlement unlike Trump. Trump's sons and daughters engage in highly questionable profiting from their nepotistic situation.
Democrats have decided that Uncle Joe is the man to sideline Trump and his criminal republican party in November. Until then, we expect nothing from him. As long as he shows up for his inauguration, we're good.
60
I hope Biden can learn to change his behavior a little, even at his age. He needs to pull it together. Trump has awesome powers in a national emergency. Like, say, a pandemic? We need all the help we can get from our eventual Democratic presidential nominee. Because we can't afford to lose this one. We have a medical crisis on our hands. And we will have a gargantuan economic mess to clean up next year. Trump will offer us no help. It's going to be up to you, Joe. We hope. This is your last chance. And please keep in mind that it may be our last chance, too.
45
Of course I will vote blue, but Biden is not a empathetic understanding person when he doesn’t like what he hears. Ask Anita Hill. He shows all the signs of old age-distraction, forgetful, quick to anger, fabrication.
We’ll see soon enough what is electable, and how Biden, republican lite will stabilize a country divided.
24
@Michael Piscopiello “Republican Lite”? He would be the most progressive president in US history.
1
@Michael Piscopiello So is "old age-distraction" a clinical term?
The Democratic nominee needs to be the leader of the whole party, and it’s the candidates’ job is to convince people they could be that person.
Over the past 4 years, the Democratic party has moved substantially toward Bernie Sanders positions, and embraced its most progressive and liberal platform ever.
Has Sanders shown any interest in moving, listening or speaking to the centrist and incrementalist side of the party? No, he has not.
It’s for this reason, and not because of some conspiracy by the media and the DNC, that Bernie is struggling to expand his support.
Most of Joe Biden’s voters were supporting somebody else just a few days ago, and have come to Biden not out of love or ideological zeal. They have ‘sacrificed’ their first/initial choice on the altar of electability, and they struggle to understand why Bernie Sanders’ supporters are unwilling to do the same.
Voters are telling us that they have a single priority in 2020, a clear idea on how to achieve it, and a sharp understanding of what (or who) could make us lose.
153
@Donkey Spin
//Has Sanders shown any interest in moving, listening or speaking to the centrist and incrementalist side of the party? No, he has not.
His voting record shows that he has. He has conceded on immigration issues and gun issues in the past to get what he wanted.
As he said at the Fox News town hall recently, he has a history of working with Republicans to come to make bills better. You don't pass the most amendments in a Republican-dominated Congress without compromise.
Getting rid of Donal Trump is not a plan. Remembering the Obama administration fondly is not a plan. They're emotional outbursts and appeal to nostalgia.
Biden has no plans. Worst of all, he has no history to prove his ability to work with Republicans.
Obama already tried to sell the public on Biden as his VP.
We were told back then that Biden knew the ropes, had Republican friends and could make Obama's progressive vision (the one he campaigned on, remember?) a reality.
How did that pan out? Obama had to govern by executive order because Uncle Joe fell flat on his face.
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@Donkey Spin
I see you're already setting the stage to blame a Biden loss on Bernie and his "bros" before we're even out of the primaries.
When his young supporters don't come out to vote for Bernie, that's a good thing. When they don't come out to vote for Biden, that's evil and intolerable. Sorry, you can't have it both ways.
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@Donkey Spin As the song goes, "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with."
Biden may not be Cicero, but he's light-years ahead of the incumbent when it comes to constructing a coherent sentence.
A study two years ago put Trump's verbal ability at the fourth-grade level -- lowest of the last 15 presidents. (Just listen to a few seconds of any speech for a reminder.)
Biden will do fine this fall. The country is ready for someone human in the role, and they're equally ready for the kind of competent team he''ll bring -- the D's being the party of science, expertise, and competence.
Wouldn't it be nice to know the pandemic (and everything else) is being handled by adults?
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@Michael
So now Biden is the embodiment of "science, expertise, and competence"?
Biden has lied repeatedly about his record and his past. As this column describes, he has berated and bullied voters on the campaign trail. He has a record of poor judgment on many policy fronts: Iraq, trade, Wall Street deregulation, bankruptcy, the Patriot Act, Social Security and Medicare.
The praise being heaped on Biden makes me think of The Emperor's New Clothes: there is a disconnect between what people feel compelled to say and what is actually out there, in plain sight.
He is not the antidote to Trump. He is the lesser of two evils.
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@Ann
Read it again. The "the D's being the party of science, expertise, and competence." No claims that Biden is the embodiment of these, but rather the Democratic party.
But then, perhaps compared to Trump, Biden is the embodiment.
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@Michael Biden is also terrific at reading a TelePrompTer, unlike Trump (whose performance tonight was worrisome).
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A good column--as usual. We have a presidency occupied by a Fool. It too will pass. Biden may be older than many candidates but he has experience. Moreover, he has to include a platform for Bernie people or he'll lose. I feel good about the future.
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@DustyCamel He is also the only Democrat that the moderate Republicans are likely to vote for.
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@Jackie they already did in Virginia
Why do so many people like Biden despite all his gaffes and some unfortunate policy positions over the years? He’s genuine. What should he have said when accused of a falsehood by someone who then quickly appeared on right-wing media? Thank him? Biden is far from perfect but he shouldn’t be criticized for standing up for his principles however imperfectly.
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@Josh I actually think that unfortunately, supporters could say the exact same thing about Trump, and do. This is why they excuse him, and love him all the more.
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@Anne
Actually there is a big difference. Most of what Trump is accused of is, unfortunately, not false. Trump supporters support him for doubling down on his lies, not for fighting back against falsehoods.
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@Josh
Sure.
But if somebody online says the same things Joe said to a possible voter...Dems et al have a conniption. If another candidate had repeatedly shushed a black woman, we'd never read the end of it in the Op-ed sections. Had another candidate threatened a citizen with bodily harm, much less a challenge to take it outside...it'd be mincemeat for that pol.
The promotion of violence and threats. Had another candidate had a spittle flecked, profanity laced melt down, it would be the end of their candidacy.
But no.
Instead Dems turn hypocritical and applaud the tough guy act. Now the portent of violence is lauded and heralded as statesmanship.
The savior they keep claiming is calm and mild mannered, going to bring back stability and normalcy to the office, just had a melt down in public...and Dems spin and dissemble and eat it up. That's what "unity" looks like.
If you are allowing Joe's supposedly "standing up for his principles, however imperfectly", then you've got to make the same concessions to the millions of others who do the same.
That won't and never does happen does it.
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Joe Biden is about as interesting as a can of Ensure. I’ll still vote for Bernie, enthusiastically, when the primary comes to my state, but if Biden is the ultimate candidate vs Trump, he’ll got my vote.
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@Exemplius Gratis: realistic, mature, and in the end, practical. Thanks!
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that is truly all the rest of the liberals are asking of Bernie supporters.
passionately advocating for your preferred candidate is one thing. throwing away a vote to stomp Trump and the far right wing is another.
glad you are realistic about the situation.
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@Exemplius Gratis: That was my thinking with Bernie v. HRC in the '16 primary, and I have no regrets about it.
Now, if Joe is the party's consensus, I want to see the Joe train getting up to speed.
I've long thought that Biden is qualified to be president--he was a fine VP--but that his performance skills aren't up to par for a national campaign.
So I'm hoping people are ready to lift him into office for the good of the republic, and civilization in general.
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Biden needs to step out of Obama's shadow now and become the leader of the Party. That's a different position than the one he was in up until now and he will need help.
His first test will be Bernie on Sunday. Will he dig in on borderline Republican positions or recognize that he needs to make a few concessions to the left? Adopting a more aggressive approach to climate change is a no brainer for which he will find a lot of support in Congress (even Schumer).
He needs to have a convincing agenda on inequality and a public option too. That's the minimum to unite our party.
Let's see.
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Biden has the best duality for a leader; he is a healer for a wounded nation, and can be a fighter for the battles worth having. Joe Biden has the qualities we need in our next president.
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@NM
If I want healing, I'll go to a doctor (when I can afford it). If I want spiritual healing, I'll go to my place of worship.
I don't want "healing" from the occupant of the White House.
It should be of more concern that Mr Biden is often incoherent.
So is Mr Trump. How did we get to this point so soon after the eloquence of Mr Obama?
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@JimmyMac Obama was a good public speaker, but his policies were awful. Don't confuse a good speaker with a good president.
@JimmyMac
Indeed.
@Jimmy Mac. Talk is cheap, performance speaks volumes.
Gail, I'm not sure what your point was in this piece, but I'm sure it was in there somewhere. Regardless, what's required now more than ever in this country and the planet is the opposite of a stable genius. Just a leader who possesses the expertise and morality to preserve what's left of our democracy and bring it back to where it was and where it should be moving forward. To some, that's the same old, same old boring status quo. Exactly what we need until we can once again call ourselves the United States of America instead of the Divided States. The jury is out.
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@Guido Malsh , I think you got the point just fine.
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Joe's chances of going to the the White House in January as President, look remarkable good right now.
But keep in mind, if he does, we're going to hear a lot of.... Look, here's the deal. Number One.... But I don't mind a bit, honesty, integrity, and compassion will reside again at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
I'm voting early tomorrow for Joe, and looking forward to in, and then again in November.
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@cherrylog754
You left out my favorite (not):
"And the fact of the matter is ..."
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@Marty - Ha.. that one along with "at the end of the day", and "at any rate" and "the thing is". They're called crutch or filler words we use to fill the space while our brains are formulating the point. Another that drives me nuts is "well, let me ask you this", which prefaces Chuck Todd's every question. It is what it is. Sorry, couldn't help myself. ;)
Gail,
I'm not sure what your point was in this piece, but I'm sure it was in there somewhere. Regardless, what's required now more than ever in this country and the plane is the opposite of a stable genius. Just a leader who possesses the expertise and morality to preserve what's left of our democracy and bring it back to where it was and where it should be moving forward. To some, that's the same old, same old boring status quo. Exactly what we need until we can once again call ourselves the United States of America instead of the Divided States. The jury is out.
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Biden just has to carry that feistiness into the general election and we’ll prevail. We need someone visceral to take down Trump.
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@NM
Yes, exactly, and he can hire Senator Warren as his VP to mop up when he gets tired.
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Strangely, Biden is kind of like Trump in his inhibition about speaking his mind. But Biden is the decent side of the coin, and he isn't only looking out for himself;hHe cares about the greater good. People know this.
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@Jane
Did he care about the greater good when he voted for and supported the Iraq War? Or when has repeatedly called for cuts to Social Security and Medicare? He has supported many policies that have caused great harm and suffering, yet he gets a pass and is never held to account.
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@Jane
Excellent point.
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@Jane
Except that Biden’s mind isn’t warped by lies and egomania.
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The good thing for Biden is that no matter how off balance he gets, no matter how tongue-tied or carried away, he wins by comparison with his opponent. But to play it safe, I think he should boil his stump speech down to seven simple words; just get off the bus or plane, say these words, take a bunch of photos (fist bumps, no handshakes), smile and wave, then off he goes.. The words? "Former President Trump. How does that sound?" That will sound so good, so hopeful, so wonderful, he doesn't need to say anything else.
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@Cal Prof Before the Coronavirus outbreak I would have disagreed with you. Great economies tend to produce Republican presidents ('00, '16) vs. centrist Dems and the opposite holds true as well ('92, '08).
Now however, it's an unprecedented election with an economy that may either tank more or recover by November and leadership challenges that expose Trump's inadequacy. No one can predict the outcome of this election now.
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Liz perhaps you have not considered that your examples of good Republican economies started with economies that had been encouraged, developed and well underway thanks to a democratic president. The obverse is also true.
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@Cal Prof Yes I've noticed a trend of folks suggesting that Biden be kept from actually speaking during the campaign. Am I the only one that thinks this doesn't bode well?
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