Is Joe Biden In?
[guest post by Dana]
The Vice President met privately with Elizabeth Warren on Saturday, a meeting no doubt leaked by the Biden team. The Massachusetts Senator is the patron saint of the Democratic left these days and Mr. Biden would love her support if he does run. Then on Sunday our colleagues in the Journal’s Washington bureau reported that the Veep is leaning toward a run. Other media reinforced the story.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest added to the intrigue when he volunteered to reporters on Monday that President Obama thinks his decision to choose Mr. Biden as his running mate was “the smartest decision he’s ever made in politics.” Mr. Earnest is a careful man who wouldn’t say this without clear presidential authorization.
“The Vice President is somebody who has already run for President twice,” Mr. Earnest added. “So I think you could make the case that there is probably no one in American politics today who has a better understanding of exactly what is required to mount a successful national presidential campaign.”
(That’s funny because clearly Biden has never mounted a successful national presidential campaign…)
For his part, President Obama has not endorsed Clinton, in spite of Josh Earnest noting the president’s “appreciation and respect and admiration” for Mrs. Clinton. But still no endorsement. Given that he’s in legacy mode, it’s a safe guess that the president doesn’t trust or believe Clinton is the one to build on his work:
The President is enough of a cold-blooded politician to know that a considerable part of his legacy will depend on whether a Democrat succeeds him in the Oval Office. Above personal feelings, he wants a Democratic nominee who can win in 2016.
Today, Biden had lunch with President Obama, and according to a senior Democrat, the president gave Biden his “blessing” to make a run for the White House.
But given that Biden has already run twice for president and lost each time, why would this time be any different? Perhaps it has something to do with Clinton’s email scandal:
[w]hat Mr. Biden and Mr. Obama know about Mrs. Clinton’s mishandling of classified information on her personal email server while running the State Department. The FBI is now investigating, and it’s hard to believe the White House wouldn’t have some inkling about the seriousness of that probe.
The FBI pressed investigations that forced two CIA directors, David Petraeus and John Deutch, into pleading guilty to misdemeanors for lesser violations than Mrs. Clinton appears to have committed. FBI Director James Comey and Attorney General Loretta Lynch would be hard-pressed to block an FBI recommendation that sought a misdemeanor plea bargain if it were rooted in solid evidence and consistent enforcement under the law. Such a plea would be devastating to Mrs. Clinton’s credibility even if it didn’t end her campaign.
This could end up being a win-win for Warren. If Biden guarantees to run for only one term and she brings the progressive Run Warren Run vote, then the stage could be set for a possible future Warren presidency. But then, this ignores Sanders and his supporters. Where does the progressive vote go?
Unlike Warren or Bernie Sanders, the Vermont progressive who’s assumed the support of many Warren backers, Biden is a pillar of the Democratic establishment, vice president in an administration that many progressives consider too centrist.
That puts him in roughly the same position as Hillary Clinton: liberal on many issues, but a traditional party loyalist at the end of the day.
Biden, to be successful, would need to appeal to a large majority of progressives who are disenchanted with Clinton, while persuading them that he’s a better vehicle for their beliefs than Sanders, who’s been drawing huge crowds and gaining on Clinton all summer.
Anyway, it’s rich to see another old, white guy consider running for the presidency. Democrats: White Patriarchy!
Predictions?
On the entertainment side, can you imagine a debate between these two?
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (86e864) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:15 pmOn the entertainment side, can you imagine a debate between these two?
I’d rather watch Plan 9 From Outer Space. Back to back around the clock.
Maybe I’m being a lookist, and possibly a coiffurist, but the way both these guys look, one with his botox and the other with his duckface, couples with their hair, makes me nauseous.
nk (dbc370) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:22 pm¿Quien es mas macho? ¿Lloyd Bridges? ¿Joe Biden? ¿O Donald Trump?
I say Lloyd Bridges, even though he died in 1998. He never did a comb-over or hair transplant plugs.
And Shirley, I am serious!
Beldar (fa637a) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:29 pmBottom.of.the.barrel
Kevin M (25bbee) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:31 pmThe MFM will run cover for Joe just like they do with every other Dem, despite the fact that his foreign policy gravitas consists of being wrong on every policy over the last 30+ years.
JD (3898b3) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:32 pmThis is a lousy year for the whole country to start sniffing glue.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:32 pmAgain, I want to hear why Romney was so much worse that what we’ve got.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:34 pmWhat does it say that a presidential election might come down to Biden or Trump? Surely nothing good…
Dana (86e864) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:35 pmBiden or Trump would be an improvement over SCOAMF.
JD (3898b3) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:36 pmIf Biden were on Team R, he would have been driven out of public life years ago.
JD (3898b3) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:37 pmFrom the WJS opinion pages (probably paywalled):
Wow. I bow to no one in my disdain for the Clintons. But if I were Hillary!, I’d be snarling over this one: “G*dd*mmit, I’ve run two successful national presidential campaigns for Bill and an unsuccessful one for myself!”
The Obama people lie reflexively, like breathing. It is what they are. But this is interesting. One the one hand, Obama and Bill were on the putting greens only a few days ago. On the other, Obama’s minions at DoJ and the FBI have seized Hillary!’s server. And now Josh Earnest — how could George Orwell not have made up that name as a character in “1984”?!? — drops this turd in Hillary’s punchbowl.
I’ve always believed that Obama is petty and mean. I’m beginning to think that’s mostly what’s driving him now: If he gelded the DoJ and FBI, he’d clear Hillary!’s path, and she’s still, objectively, the Dems’ best hope, by a huge margin, to hang onto the WH.
But some men just want to watch the world burn.
Beldar (fa637a) — 8/24/2015 @ 6:56 pmIf Uncle Joe gets into the race, it opens the door for any number of other ambitious Democrats. I wouldn’t be surprised if 3 or 4 don’t grab for the brass ring – and who doesn’t love to see Democrats volunteer for a good old fashioned circular firing squad?
ropelight (e3ae15) — 8/24/2015 @ 7:10 pmThe Obama people lie reflexively, like breathing. It is what they are
I think the same can be said of the Clintons. They no longer know truth.
Dana (86e864) — 8/24/2015 @ 7:32 pmDana, I’d say that the Clintons lie strategically rather than reflexively. It’s just that they’ve been on the scene so long, and they’ve already told so many other lies and done so many other things that must be hidden, that strategy forces them to lie just about as often. Now, Bubba chasing women — that’s reflexive, which leads to strategic lying. So, too, is their inclination to hide and conceal any documentary trail that might help anyone who wishes to second-guess or audit or even question them. Choosing to have a private email server was reflexive. But the tall tales Hillary! has told, and continues to tell, about that decision — that’s strategic, just endemic.
Splitting hairs here, I know. Say, have you ever wondered what the meaning of “is” is?
Beldar (fa637a) — 8/24/2015 @ 7:50 pmBut some men just want to watch the world burn.
I don’t think it’s that involved. Obama just wants the world to revolve around him a little while longer. Kind of like a troll.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 8/24/2015 @ 7:52 pmit opens the door for any number of other ambitious Democrats.
Sadly, they don’t have a very deep bench. I try to name 3, and all I get are Jerry Brown and Cory Booker. Andrew Cuomo has his hands full. Is there some successful Dem governor in the heartland?
Kevin M (25bbee) — 8/24/2015 @ 7:57 pmA depressing state of affairs.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 8/24/2015 @ 8:04 pmThey really have nothing. Biden is 73 and Warren is 69. Shheesh! Incidentally, Neil Kinnock could not be reached for comment.
Gazzer (feaf20) — 8/24/2015 @ 8:16 pmHunter Biden got outed on Ashley Madison and is claiming he was like totes hacked. Said the man just recently tossed from ANG, I think, for cocaine use. What a peach. As if someone said to themself, know what would be a good idea? Do a fake profile on Hunter just in case, at some random point in the future, someone totally hacks the site. Gotta be worth a shot, as important as he is./ Must I/
Gazzer (feaf20) — 8/24/2015 @ 8:21 pmBeldar,
It may be reflexive and/or strategic, but at the end of the day it’s nothing more than self-serving manipulations designed to advance themselves, and without one damn thought to the harm their actions might cause Americans.
Dana (86e864) — 8/24/2015 @ 8:28 pmOH NO. QUIEN es mas macho. Ricardo Montelban O Fernando Lamas???
Gus (7cc192) — 8/24/2015 @ 9:04 pmOr more recently… MARCO RUBIO?? O,,,,,, TED CRUZ??????
Attacking Hunter after his brother’s death would not be taken very well. Besides, presidential kids have the worst histories, and that goes for both parties.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 8/24/2015 @ 9:05 pmWorse than Hillary or Barack or Slow Joe are all the Americans out there who, based on ongoing and recent opinion polls, continue to give their support to such a bunch of clowns. Clinton/Obama are as much a reflection of “we the American people” as much as they’re a reflection of themselves. Either way, that’s both pathetic and tragically laughable.
Mark (30fc68) — 8/24/2015 @ 9:10 pmKid? He’s 45 years old ferrcrissakes. OT did anybody ever say that mild cuss word better than Walter Matthau?
Gazzer (feaf20) — 8/24/2015 @ 9:10 pm“ATTACKING HUNTER”.
Poor Hunter. Maybe he should be named “GATHERER” instead. We wouldn’t want him to be “attacked”.
Gus (7cc192) — 8/24/2015 @ 9:22 pmOh wait, Matthau used to do the best “Fercryinoutloud!” My bad.
Gazzer (feaf20) — 8/24/2015 @ 9:23 pmYeah, I think you’re right. Biden’s going to jump in, Warren might, and Sanders is doing fairly well. Clinton drops out or simply loses (again) because of her scandal(s).
Trump is a likely GOP nominee.
Ironically, a Biden/Trump matchup wouldn’t be too bad: at least they’re both willing to talk about Islamic terrorism without pretending it isn’t real and it isn’t a threat.
Finally, a Leader Who Gets Things Done (38d37b) — 8/24/2015 @ 10:44 pmMexican Jeb is a chamber of commerce, illegal loving, U.S. hating republican. As is most of the republican field and its progressive members.
mg (31009b) — 8/25/2015 @ 12:08 amThis just in – W smarter than jeb.
mg (31009b) — 8/25/2015 @ 1:14 amThe H.C internal polling numbers must be awful. Only way I can understand her starting to take responsibility and admit a smidgen of wrong doing with the emails.
seeRpea (181740) — 8/27/2015 @ 10:09 am