I just can't pile on Biden. Sorry.

[Funtatlaguy]

All the grief he’s gone thru in his life.
He didn’t need to run for Prez.
His reputation is as a gaffe machine.
He messes up a lot.
We all knew that.
But we also knew where his heart is.
Or at least I thought we did.
But for those that want to rip him apart for whatever reason, I’m sure you feel justified because of his admittedly inartful framing at times.
As for me, my eye 👁 is on the prize of replacing Trump and I will not engage in Dem bashing.

[Dream Girl]

1. Agree. He doesn't want to do this. Doesn't have to do this.

I believe he is trying to save the country fro Trump. I think if he had the choice he would live out the rest of his days quietly with his ice and family. That poor man has been through some shit.

[hlthe2b]

2. The sad part is knowing his gaffes are not at all meant to be malicious in any way

he is continually attacked for them--not merely pointing it out as would be expected, but using it like a cudgel every opportunity they get. Even when he acknowledges and tries to apologize.

I find it unconscionable and those who keep beating that drum are doing tremendous harm to our prospects and to their own candidates and yes, reputations.

He is a good man and those who don't recognize it have shown their own very evident short-comings.

I'm undecided, but what I will say is that those who are leaning towards Biden (and even those who are not) may well be pushed in that direction by the drumbeat perceived to be truly unfair.

[Kurt V.]

3. my eye is on the prize as well. Exactly why biden is not the answer. also my life

has seen more than its share of sadness. i carry on. we all do. i think biden is hurting the the other much more qualified candidates who actually understand the moment we're in. he should drop out but won't.

[hlthe2b]

5. callous....

that is all.

[Kurt V.]

8. Hardly. if you only knew. Everyone suffers , some more than others. maybe you as well

[hlthe2b]

11. I have. Which is why I can empathize so much with Biden and admire his ability to rise beyond, to

think of others, to connect with others, and to look for a greater purpose in life.

[Kurt V.]

16. we do too. me and you. who is admiring us? this elitist worship has got to stop.

[hlthe2b]

19. I said I ADMIRE him for all he has accomplished despite his personal tragedies. NOT WORSHIP

you really don't seem to want to be anything but callous. Whoever your chosen candidate may be, you'll do them no favors convincing others with this approach.

[Kurt V.]

22. my entire approach to all life is compassion. Surely you know this isn't true among elites

[Turin_C3PO]

24. Are you saying Biden has no compassion?

Some elites have no compassion. 99% are of the Republican Party.

[Kurt V.]

28. I'm saying elites like biden have a definition of compassion that doesn't jive with mine. who

is right is up to the voters.

[Tarheel_Dem]

38. When you refer to elites are you referring to wealth? Because I think Warren is just as, or even...

more wealthy than Biden?

[hlthe2b]

26. And Biden is an Elite? Really? He has certainly done well for himself, but he's hardly

among the most wealthy in the Senate and quite modest compared to many.

I may not go on to support him, but it isn't because I doubt his sincerity. At all.

[Kurt V.]

34. he has and possibly will make decisions that you or i can't control the future of our country.

[mac56]

124. "he has and possibly will make decisions that you or i can't control the future of our country."

See also: every other potential candidate.

Also: please find your shift key.

[progressoid]

112. There are different types of elites.

I suspect KurtV meant political elite not wealthy elite.

[oldsoftie]

57. Well, YOUR candidate would be considered an "elite", being a multi millionaire & all that.

[Kurt V.]

137. you misunderstood my terminology. Wealth isn't the sole qualifier

[redstateblues]

63. Elitist worship? WTF?

[emulatorloo]

129. "Elitist worship" is a low blow and not accurate. Please self delete

[Kurt V.]

136. we do it. Humans have always done it. That's changing

[kcr]

70. Ridiculous

Joe Biden is not entitled to the White House.

[treestar]

73. Whoever wins the election certainly is

[hlthe2b]

75. Not entitled to White House, but certainly deserving of respect and basic human compassion.

Got any?

[Boomer]

121. He's running for president of the United States

As such, he will face criticism of his record and of his actions. That is not only inevitable, it's the right and proper way to vet candidates. They should ALL be subject to intense scrutiny and skepticism during the primaries.

I can like and respect Biden for who he is, and have compassion for his personal tragedies, and still think he's not a strong candidate for the presidency. And none of those warm fuzzy feelings is justification for letting him pass unexamined.

[hlthe2b]

122. Yes and you respectfully voiced your disagreements with him--unlike others. THAT IS THE POINT

Exploiting a misstatement/malapropism or poorly constructed sentence for which his meaning was still clear to keep hammering him as a "racist" --something his most ardent opponents KNOW is not true, is not only deceptive, it is deceitful. Given the respectful tenor of your own comments, I would be amazed if you did not recognize that as well.

I'm undecided as you can see and will likely remain so through the early primaries as that is my normal pattern of assessing the candidates. That said, I have predicted (and the polls are already showing) that those who attack someone with a decades-long reputation of being the ultimate "GOOD GUY"-- for statements blown out of proportion for his opponent's political gain-- will backfire. As well it SHOULD.

[Cha]

9. Sez you.

[Kurt V.]

10. That's right. sez me. a member of the actual working class. and most important voice in America.

back to work tomorrow.

[Cha]

14. Yeah well, many more say he's leading in

the polls.

[Kurt V.]

23. for now. wait till the normal ppl get involved.

[Cha]

29. I'm taking it one day at a time

with my eyes on the prize.

[Kurt V.]

30. That's a bad strategy. Forward thinking will win the day.

[Cha]

42. Not taking advice

from you.

[maddiemom]

89. Enough, already! Are you high?

[Kurt V.]

135. i was. Reading back, i was on quite a roll . some regrets , some victories

[treestar]

74. Um, why is one class any more important than another?

[emmaverybo]

12. They are not more qualified though some would make good presidents. He can't hurt any candidate

with the fact that he currently is ahead in the polls. The primaries give candidates behind Biden every chance to get out ahead and well they may.

Your opinion that Biden does not “understand the moment we are in” may be shared by enough people that Biden will lose in the primaries.

Or your sense of “the moment we are in” might not be the defining one for others.

I suggest you chill and let our democratic election system sort out who wins in the primaries and who loses.

No one at this point in the process needs to drop out to serve any other candidate.

[Kurt V.]

20. other than the fundraisers money, i can't really disagree .

[emmaverybo]

31. Fair enough. I don't think Biden though has locked up all the big donors.

[Demsrule86]

15. Well Warren won't win the rustbelt without which we lose...don't kid yourself ...these attacks are

not working against Biden who can deliver us a victory in 2020. I will vote for anyone who is the nominee...but we won't win in my opinion...without Biden. I look at the candidates...I live in the rustbelt...I don't see any with the exception of Ryan who even have a chance in the general...I will work my ass off don't get me wrong and vote for any nominee. The worst part is we could win with the right candidate...someone who can restore the blue wall...I believe folks see through the attacks on Biden and will make him the nominee and president.

[Turin_C3PO]

21. Evidence that Warren can't win the rust belt?

She’s my second choice, I strongly disagree with you that she can’t win. Unless you have some type of evidence you want to present.

[Demsrule86]

27. She will not win the rustbelt...she is not well liked here...Trumps attacks have and will resonate.

I live in the rustbelt. I tell you she won't. I will do my best with GOTV to elect any nominee but I look at the map...I don't think any other candidate has a shot. I have no second choice. If Biden doesn't win. I will support whoever is the nominee...but I don't care who wins the primary.

[True Blue American]

105. Same here.

[Demsrule86]

32. She is from Masssachusetts and will be branded a socialist... and Trump has already sowed doubt

about her...she won't win...it is an opinion...mine. I believe the polls where she is not beating Trump at all or by one point show the problems. I will upsport her of course in a general, but I don't hold out hope for a win if this happens...but I will do my best.

[redstateblues]

64. Warren can win the primary but not the General

She has plenty of baggage some of which could sink her in the General

[John Fante]

106. What baggage? "Pocahontas"? Bullshit.

[Demsrule86]

114. Consider what worked last year with Hillary...I do not believe Warren can win the states we need. I

have presented the electoral map several times to show why and give evidence. We have no path without MI, WI and PA...and I just don't think Warren is the candidate to do it...don't misunderstand I will work tirelessly for her general campaign should she be the nominee...GOTV...and pray I am wrong.

[John Fante]

116. Hillary was attacked for 30+ years and had a FBI investigation

against while she was running for president. The investigation proved to be a nothingburger, but it ultimately did her in thanks to Comey's letter.

Warren doesn't have that kind of perceived baggage, and her populist positions are wildly popular right now. Shes apples to Hillary's oranges.

[Demsrule86]

117. He positions are not popular in the rustbelt.

[Kurt V.]

25. warren wiil absolutely kill it in the rust belt.

[Demsrule86]

33. Polls say otherwise.

[Kurt V.]

35. again, i say wait till normal ppl get involved.

[redstateblues]

65. Who are these normal people?

Joe has huge appeal with normal people

[Demsrule86]

95. I like Warren...although I don't agree with some of her stuff and think she has no chance to get it

done...she also gives up a Senate seat we desperately need...but the reason I would not consider supporting her is she won't win in MI,WI or PA...she will be branded socialists. Honestly, I doubt any woman can win...we live in a sexist country. We must beat Trump Biden is a good guy and smart...he can take the states we need. I fear we could lose the house too with a candidate considered to far to the left or socialist...it is a moderate majority.

[emulatorloo]

130. 'Normal People' are being polled in these polls. Best to keep in mind that DU is a bubble

full of self-selected political junkies, and it doesn’t represent Democratic voters.

[kcr]

71. Really? Which polls?

[marylandblue]

78. Maybe this one showing Warren beats Trump by 7 points.

Last edited Mon Jun 24, 2019, 09:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Biden does crush Trump by 13, while Warren merely beats his badly. If you are only winning by 7 points, nobody in Mchigan will vote for you.

https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2627

[Demsrule86]

94. All of them.

Google them.

[marylandblue]

109. I did, and they don't all show that, so no.

[Demsrule86]

113. I have not seen a poll where he is not leading...the only one leading Trump in Texas in fact.

[marylandblue]

118. Now you are changing the story. Other people are leading Trump besides Biden.

You consistently say that ONLY Biden can win, but there are polls showing that OTHER people than Biden are leading Trump by comfortable margins.

Which was the point.

[Locrian]

46. I agree...

sad as it may be this is no time to loose sight of the big picture.

We're in a fight for out lives and the survival of the planet.

And we're running out of time for "gradual" and "incremental" change.
I wish it wasn't so but here we are.

[treestar]

72. Your candidate can't win unless he drops out?

Very interesting view.

[Control-Z]

4. He is the only politician who has ever

spoken to my heart about loss and sadness and overcoming terrible pain. Actually, the only person in my life who gets it. I believe it is what makes him so warm and generous. He is qualified to put our government back together and he can beat the WH squatter.

I won't pile on either.

[brooklynite]

6. Once, again, please give us guidance on what issues aren't "bashing" or "piling on".

[BlueMTexpat]

7. This. eom

[leftofcool]

13. + 1

[Buzz cook]

17. I agree that Joe being an inartful talker isn't what we should protest.

Joe's statements about working with segregationist was poorly worded and poorly timed. It also missed the point he was trying to make.
Joe wanted to indicate that he was able to negotiate with opposition politicians in order to pass legislation. The person he mentioned was a fellow democrat. The problem today is working with republicans, not recalcitrant democratic politicians.

What we here and the media are ignoring is that Biden has a decades long record. If we examine that record and find it wanting, that's legit. Picking on Biden because he's a gaff machine isn't.

[Skya Rhen]

18. There are so many hateful people (in Twitter Land), on the left and the right. They have no problem

willfully smearing the good, lifelong reputation of a decent man like Biden. Some say that this is expected in politics but I reject that sentiment. It happens far too often, but this is not acceptable human behavior. The end should not justify the means especially when a person's character is assassinated in order to gain an advantage.

Biden has never engaged in the act of knee-capping his political opponents in order to advance. The perfect example is a story that I heard on either CNN or MSNBC, several years ago.

During the last presidential primaries debate in 2007, a question was asked by the moderator. Several candidates responded and then it was Obama's turn. Biden could sense that Obama was lost so he inconspicuously whispered the question to him. He helped Obama out. He could have chosen to look the other way but he didn't. This is the character of this good man. And I am so sad to see him put through the nastiness that he, himself, has declined to ever engage in.

For months, I have been scouring the internet trying to find a video of this, but to no avail. I would really love to see this clip again because it was so uplifting and made my heart sing...

[emmaverybo]

53. Thank you for your post, Skya. I agree. You got to the heart of the matter.

[George II]

36. Joe Biden didn't even want to take the oath of office back in 1973 he was so heartbroken....

...his sons were still in the hospital and his wife and daughter were gone. It took a lot of convincing by Mike Mansfield for him to go on. He was sworn in at the hospital where Beau was still recovering from the accident.

[TryLogic]

37. I interpreted piling on to mean following the crowd, which is really scary. We've done that before.

Following the crowd is based on fear.

We absolutely must think (and feel) for ourselves, each of us. I worry that many people consider that Biden, who is a good and likable person, deserves the nomination, or is owed it because of his previous service and loyalty... very much like how Hilary got the nomination.

We must have a candidate with minimal vulnerabilities in addition to excellent skills.

One of my strategies for deciding is to include judgment of how much I trust the person. Biden is not at the top of my list.

[Skya Rhen]

40. Definition of "pile on" from Merriam-Webster

pile on phrasal verb
piled on; piling on; piles on
Definition of pile on
US, informal
: to join other people in criticizing something or someone in usually an unfair way

[delisen]

76. What is your evidence that H Clinton got nomination by being "owed.'"

or because of previous service or loyalty?

Instead of what? her competence, capabilities, record?

[quickesst]

39. Everyone knows exactly what he meant...

... and they understand the context. Some of his opponents, and some of his opponents supporters are pretending they don't because they are trying to bring the front runner down, and elevate their own status. He has explained himself well enough that even a 10 year old can understand. Jim Clyburn and John Lewis understand this perfectly. Of course, as usual, I do not expect anyone to address or comment on these two honorable men by standing up and telling them how wrong they are and why. They will tell everyone else how wrong they are and why, but not these two gentlemen for fear of sticking their foot in their mouth and creating the kind of embarrassment for themselves that they are accusing Biden of.
And while I'm at it fuck MSNBC who as far as Joe Biden is concerned has become a mirror of Faux News.

[CDerekGo]

41. I will not and refuse

to bash any potential Democratic Nominee. NONE, NADA, No One. Infighting is what GOP loves best about others. It's also something they do quite well.

Me, I haven't made up my mind as of yet, but I do have a few favorites that I'm watching carefully, but to be honest, it's only 2019, I may not actually make up my mind for another 6 months, and who knows if even before the DNC Convention.

[Vegas Roller]

43. David Sirota is the real culprit here

He has been microscopically examining everything Biden says, then twists it into something perverted and leaks it to his buddies in the media like Charlie Pierce.

David Sirota does NOT care for the Democratic party and if Senator BS doesn't win, he will probably advocate voting for Green party again. He and his cohorts Brihanna Joy-Grey and Nina Turner made it their life's passion to defeat Democrats.

I would not fall for the Biden smears coming from that camp.

[hedda_foil]

58. Exactly how are you managing to pin Biden's oops on Bernie's stsff?

I've read this slur several times here but never seen a shred of evidence for the accusation. Please substantiate with something besides Sirota bad and his little dog too.

[Vegas Roller]

59. His little dog had nothing to do with it

it was all David Sirota … because the NYT reporter, Charlie Pierce and Sirota are close buddies and this channel has been used by Sirota before.

The proof you want is not in my control unless said parties sent me their telephone logs, their emails and their text messages.

[hedda_foil]

61. Charley Pierce writes for Esquire and you admit your accusations are sheer conjecture.

Cut it out!

[Vegas Roller]

62. Your refuting those are a bigger conjecture. n/t

[hedda_foil]

67. I guess you don't understand the meaning of the word conjecture. That's a shame.

Look it up. It's something DUers the to avoid doing.

[Vegas Roller]

68. I understand it perfectly

You're just trying to defend Senator BS and his Jill Stein loving staff.

[Celerity]

81. that's rich, you are trying to smear an 18 year DU member (you are 12 days old), who is a Warren

supporter, as some type of Sanderite/Stein apologist all because they do not play along with your very questionable attempts to construct some Emmanuel Goldstein-style all-powerful arch-villain narrative.

So wrong.

As I stated before

The detestable Sirota has the media narrative-shaping power of a flea

He is tossed into the mix to try and piggyback off his (well-deserved) unpopularity here and thus to attempt to neuter and discredit any variance from 'the Biden or nothing' line via a dodgy guilt-by-association inference.

[Vegas Roller]

83. Why defend and be an apologist for Sirota

unless you are propping Senator BS?

[Celerity]

84. NO ONE is defending Sirota, you are the one who artificially injected him into the thread in the

first place to create a very questionable narrative and play plazzy guilt-by-associations games to discredit posters who do not agree on Biden being the best we can do.

[Vegas Roller]

85. It was relevant and material to the conversation

Anyone who defends Stein-loving Sirota is defending Senator BS.

[Celerity]

88. NO ONE DEFENDED SIROTA, the entire thing was artifically ginned up by you, then you slur

an 18 year poster with rot based off your own slanting.

[Demit]

107. I'm still marveling at the sentence "the proof you want is not in my control."

Imma commit that one to memory, in case I ever want to make an utterly unsupported accusation, lol.

[Celerity]

108. I destroyed that poster's entire line of tosh below,via a multiple post colloquy with another poster

[BannonsLiver]

110. Pierce was totally in the tank for Bernie in 2016.

[Vegas Roller]

111. He and Sirota are buddies. n/t

[Autumn]

133. There is one person who gets banned over and over who does nothing but insist that

every negative thing that comes up about any candidate goes back to Bernie.

[Voltaire2]

77. Teh Mitey Srota Strikes Agin.

Ridiculous conspiracy theory is ridiculous.

[Celerity]

80. the detestable Sirota has the media narrative-shaping power of a flea

He is tossed into the mix to try and piggyback off his (well-deserved) unpopularity here and thus to attempt to neuter and discredit any variance from 'the Biden or nothing' line via a dodgy guilt-by-association inference.

[ucrdem]

87. If that were true Sanders wouldn't have hired him. nt

[Celerity]

90. Bernie hires many people, most all of them are niche wannbees, Sirota did NOT create this Biden

shitstorm, that is ludicrous to assign a little plonker like him that power. The national MSM press was at the fundraiser were Biden said the words that kicked it all off.

[ucrdem]

92. Somebody got the ball rolling. Who?

It's something I've been wondering.

[Celerity]

97. Biden's words got the ball rolling, the MSM, big newspapers, the big cable networks picked it up and

ran with it. It came out of the press pool report. It was not spun up out of whole cloth by some clique.

From the NYT (I link below to the article)






Sirota's first mention (he did not tweet any original content) of it was when he re-tweeded Edward-Isaac Dovere of the The Atlantic (who, to add to the irony, is a very anti-Sirota reporter)



Here is Dovere exposing Sirota back months ago

Bernie Sanders Just Hired His Twitter Attack Dog
David Sirota had been working unofficially for Sanders while savaging the other Democratic candidates on Twitter.

EDWARD-ISAAC DOVERE
MAR 19, 2019

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/03/sanders-promised-civility-hired-twitter-attack-dog/585259/



then

Minutes later Sirota re-tweeted the NYT's article. Before that he only was talking about Biden having fundraisers with billionaires, he was not pushing the 'Eastland! OMG!' angle





this is the NYT article Sirota re-tweeted (and I excerpted briefly above)

Biden, Recalling ‘Civility’ in Senate, Invokes Two Segregationist Senators

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/us/politics/biden-segregationists.html?smid=tw-nytpolitics&smtyp=cur


here is an article from the Washington Post that pre-dated even the NYT's one, I came out just hours after the event


‘We got things done’: Biden recalls ‘civility’ with segregationist senators

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/06/19/joe-biden-james-eastland-herman-talmadge-segregationists-civility/?utm_term=.d3c04b863a13

finally

Here is a really long article from May 1st (so 2 months ago, almost) in the Jackson Free Press (Mississippi) newspapaer that talks about Biden and his relationships with Eastland, et. al. It even goes into the 'he called me son' story that seems to have been a constant part of some of his speeches. The WaPo article uses thsi article in it.


Joe Biden and the Dixiecrats Who Helped His Career

http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2019/may/01/joe-biden-and-dixiecrats-who-helped-his-career/



Sirota is an asshole, a dirty trickster, a wrecker, but he was not the person behind starting this Biden mess. He deffo will latch onto, as he is a ratfucker, but his influence is small (only Berners mostly)

[ucrdem]

98. "according to a pool report" says Wapo, without linking to anything.

So where did this pool report originate?

p.s. not that it changes anything, but this isn't the first time I've wondered how these "gaffe" reports get launched around the world minutes after the words are uttered. I imagine Biden is well aware that anything he says can and will be instantly be megaphoned; I'm just wondering who does the megaphoning.

[Celerity]

99. from the pool of reporters at the event, I am not a news agency (obviously) so do not have access to

press pool reports. Pool reports are not editorial in nature, they just produce raw info. They are composed of MSM news organisation's people, like WaPo, NYT, AP, Reuters, Bloomberg, CBS, ABC, NBC, Newsweek, Bloomberg, etc etc.

[ucrdem]

100. Okay. So the question remains.

As is so often the case.

[Celerity]

102. nothing significant in terms of how it became a story, all the major news sources simply ran

with what happened at the event via a bog standard MSM pool of reporters. It is the same method as any other event (not just political ones) is covered where there is no live, real time video coverage (and even then there is a pool as well). I am sure you could contact NBC, WaPo, AP, the NYT, etc etc etc and suss out who the exact reporters in the pool were, but they are just a draw from the normal ones who make up all the major event MSM pools on a rotational basis. I have contacted individual reporters in the past at the big newspapers and MSM channels/platforms via- email and most all have replied and been very cordial and forthcoming.

It most definitively was not some hidden group of Berners weaving a faux tale to try and sabotage Biden. That is conspiratorial tin-foil territory, and was scuppered instantly by the fact Biden not only straightaway proclaimed he did say the words (and Biden has said the same thing for years in the past, as shown by the link I provided in my previous reply) but then doubled down and demanded Booker apologise to HIM. That was the thing that troubled me the most, as a PoC, about the whole thing, as the optics of a white man demanding a black man, a sitting Senator, apologise for simply saying he had issues with what he saw as racially problematic words. That was not a good look at all.

Sirota doesn't even have a press pass, btw, as he was forced to resign his positions after his hiring by Bernie Inc was exposed by Dovere from the Atlantic (again so ironic as Sirota retweeted the Dovere tweet on the Biden fundraiser, as well as the New York Times article). Sirota is just some rogue ex-journo on Twitter whose tweets get recycled in Bernie land. He certainly was not the Wizard of Oz who invented the whole shitstorm, he is just some tag-along crank.

The entire Berner world (and rats like Greenwald etc) HATES Edward-Isaac Dovere, lolol, over his exposing Sirota.

Bernie Sanders Just Hired His Twitter Attack Dog
David Sirota had been working unofficially for Sanders while savaging the other Democratic candidates on Twitter.


https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/03/sanders-promised-civility-hired-twitter-attack-dog/585259/

[ucrdem]

103. So basically the trail ends at "pool report."

Thanks.

[Celerity]

104. no, I tracked it down, the pool report was written by Ken Thomas from the Wall Street Journal and AP

All the major media immediately picked it up, there was NO conspiracy or dodgy dealing


https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/6/19/18690910/biden-fundraiser-controversy-segregationists-donors

What Biden said about the segregationist senators

Here is what Biden said about the segregationist senators, courtesy of a press pool report written by the Wall Street Journal’s Ken Thomas. (We should note that Biden made the decision to let reporters in to all of his fundraisers.) He began by talking about the importance of reaching consensus:

“I know the new New Left tells me that I’m — this is old-fashioned. Well guess what? If we can’t reach a consensus in our system, what happens? It encourages and demands the abuse of power by a president. That’s what it does. You have to be able to reach consensus under our system — our Constitutional system of separation of powers.”

Then, as an example of how this could be done, he brought up segregationist senators Eastland and Herman Talmadge (D-GA). Though he disagreed with them, he said, “we got things done.” Such “civility,” he went on, is sadly lacking in today’s politics.

Mr. Biden then recalled his time serving in the Senate. “I was in a caucus with James O. Eastland,” Mr. Biden said, briefly channeling the late Mississippi senator’s Southern drawl. Mr. Biden said of Mr. Eastland, “He never called me boy, he always called me son.”

Mr. Biden then brought up a deceased Georgia senator, “a guy like Herman Talmadge, one of the meanest guys I ever knew, you go down the list of all these guys. Well guess what? At least there was some civility. We got things done. We didn’t agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished. But today, you look at the other side and you’re the enemy. Not the opposition, the enemy. We don’t talk to each other anymore.”

snip


https://twitter.com/kthomasdc

Ken ThomasVerified account
@KThomasDC
@WSJ political reporter covering 2020 Dems. @AP alum. Hoya Saxa! RTs/links do not equal endorsements. [e-mail] #LGM

Washington, DC
Joined July 2008



https://muckrack.com/kenthomas

Ken Thomas VERIFIED

Washington, DC
Political Reporter — The Wall Street Journal
Politics, U.S.

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snip


WSJ hires AP’s Ken Thomas as a reporter
BY CHRIS ROUSH · NOVEMBER 5, 2018


https://talkingbiznews.com/1/wsj-hires-aps-ken-thomas-as-a-reporter/



Ken Thomas

The Wall Street Journal has hired Associated Press reporter Ken Thomas to cover the Democrats and the 2020 election.

He will start in mid-November.

Thomas has been a reporter for the AP since 1999. He also worked at the Charleston Daily Mail in West Virginia for a year.

Thomas holds degrees from Georgetown University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

snip


this is the article linked in the first one


Biden opens big-donor fundraisers to press

By offering the media access to private fundraisers, his campaign is nodding to transparency — and putting the former veep on notice that anything he says will be public.

https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/03/joe-biden-donors-2020-1301504

[ucrdem]

120. Okay thanks for that!

Now we know. I do have a couple of observations, but they can wait until tomorrow.

[ucrdem]

86. This would not surprise me.

Someone had to get the ball rolling and the instant coordinated response makes it clear this is not an amateur operation.

[elleng]

44. Thanks

[PatrickforO]

45. Nice post. I agree with you.

Honestly, I wonder if his heart is in it, or if he's just doing it because he sees what a shit show the Republicans are running and feels called to serve.

He's probably a pretty good guy, and was fine as Obama's VP. I disagreed with a few of the things he did in the Senate but that was then and this is now.

Guess we'll see how it goes. I'm supporting Warren, because of her excellent grip on fiscal and monetary policy and the great ideas she has (the plan) to get us back on track.

[gordianot]

48. I have made one political donation this year to Joe Biden.

If he ends up the Democratic nominee I will vote for him but another donation will not be forthcoming to his candidacy. What he said was so unnecessary, tone deaf I am worried, Trump has to be beat and as Biden stated it is “existential threat”.

Being old myself I did not consort with or support segregationist back in the day for that call me a snob. I have known calling an adult person of color “boy” is offensive for the last 60 years since I was at least 5 years old. Calling someone “son” who is not your relative is an act of dominance over that person. The only person I call “son” is my actual son and even I avoid trying to dominate him as an adult by calling him son. If they do not call you “boy” but are calling you “son” is still an insult.

[pazzyanne]

49. I have had a good impression of Joe Biden for years.

His gaffs do not bend me out of shape. I watch what he does, not what others say about him. I know his history. I see him connecting with people on a very human level. I know he has worked on teams, and under Obama he helped build teams. He is not afraid to listen to people's ideas when they talk. He has worked with our allies and done a good job. He understands the world stage and what needs to be done to bring our country back to it's morale and leadership standing. In my world Experience matters! At this point I am still supporting Amy Klobuchar and will do so until the primary. But I have no qualms about supporting Joe. If I would get upset with Joe all I have to do is tune in to tRump and his modus operandi. After I get done throwing up while on that little trip into tRump syndrome world, I will be good to go again.

Quoting Funtatlguy, "As for me, my eye 👁 is on the prize of replacing Trump and I will not engage in Dem bashing."

[Funtatlaguy]

55. Wow, thanx. I don't think I've ever been quoted before. 🤗

[Jarqui]

50. I think the world of Joe Biden. Always have.

He makes gaffes like you say.
But he is, through and through, a very good man.
He's 180 degrees opposite of Trump in so many characteristics - all of them for the good.

I'll fight with everything I've got to help get any Democrat elected.
If Joe won, that would be somewhat emotional for me because I like him so much.

[Doreen]

51. Joe Biden

is human. Enough said.

[Tribalceltic]

52. Joe is Good People!

Not that any of the others aren't. He has the experience and the intelligence to make a good President.

[LakeArenal]

54. Who are the normal people?

The normal ones who aren’t being polled now?

[redstateblues]

66. Normal people? What a cop out!

[Celerity]

91. The OP never said 'normal people', that was another poster

[Skittles]

56. we can do better

[Deb]

60. Like most voting Dems, I voted Biden twice for a WH gig.

No regrets here.

[kcr]

69. I deeply admire Joe Biden as a person and for his time as VP under Obama

But he shouldn't have run this time around. I just don't see it as "ripping him apart." Sorry.

[Skya Rhen]

93. Yeah, Joe shouldn't have run this time around as is evidenced by him doing so poorly in the polls.

Hardly anyone wants him - poor fellow is hovering around 8%, on a good day...

[CousinIT]

79. Ditto that a million times. Thank you. n/t

[aka-chmeee]

82. Jeez! how can you support this guy on DU?

Damn, don't you know he's WHITE and MALE and OLD, too?

[UniteFightBack]

96. Me neither. All this nonsense saying he's giving comfort and 'normalizing' segregationists???????

It's honestly SILLY and I'm not sure how you can glean that from his statement.

I mean give me a fucking BREAK. It's also another way to pit the old against the young.

People need to GET A FUCKING GRIP and GET REAL. I'm tired of the perpetual panties in a fucking twist bullshit.
Obviously this was a political opportunity that someone(s) are exploiting.

[AtheistCrusader]

126. See, there's that sexism I worry about, right there in your own post.

"I'm tired of the perpetual panties in a fucking twist bullshit."

I guess it's just 'old against the young' maybe. You tell me.

[UniteFightBack]

131. or the 'pure' vs. 'impure'. I'll take impure any old day and we have much more fun too. nt

[Nitram]

101. There is only one question to ask about any presidential candidate. Is s/he the best we can get?

[Demsrule86]

115. 'Best' is very subjective...the question is this...can he she win?

[marylandblue]

119. Anybody can win. Not really much of a question.

You just think 23 out of 24 can't, based on your own subjective assessment of states you don't live in.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

123. Why, what did he do now? Sorry I just cant keep up with the latest phony outrage du jour nt

[AtheistCrusader]

125. Please suggest a means I can express my stark terror that Biden may lose in the long run.

Because this is for all the marbles. I would have bet (and did bet money in fact, with some co-workers) that Trump would have been impeached before he completed his first year of his term.

And here we are.

So please, tell me how I might go about raising that I am not convinced he can do it, without 'piling on'. Because if he loses, we're back to impeachment, JUST to get Mike goddamn Pence as president... Small consolation.

We cannot afford to lose this election. Surely we agree there.
Therefore, we need the best candidate available. Can we afford NOT to test our candidate with fire and find if they are for endurance made?

[Funtatlaguy]

127. Questioning his policy positions and statements is fine.

Questioning his motives is not.

[AtheistCrusader]

128. And that, I do not.

I will happily say, I'm sure his motives are pure.
I think he probably shares my fear, because I'm not sold on any of these candidates, and quite likely, neither is he, hence running himself.

[LongtimeAZDem]

132. Given that he appears to be vastly more popular than anyone else under consideration,

how are you NOT in stark terror of someone else getting the nomination?

[AtheistCrusader]

134. Because it's very early in the primary.

Early assumption of the winner caused a rift in our party that has yet to be addressed.