Biden is far more like FDR in political temperament than Sanders

[andym]

Consider FDR in 1932. He ran providing few details of what he would do to help the Depression economy. That's because he really didn't know what he would do once in office, although he did foreshadow some of his programs while Governor of NY. The key was that he was incredibly open-minded to finding solutions that would work which included experimenting with various untried ideas. After he assumed office he assembled an innovative team, the "brain trust", and they went to work to create the New Deal.

Biden has always been practical: trying to find a workable solution within the framework of what's possible politically. Note how Biden has now taken on Warren's bankruptcy and free public college plans-- flexibility to find a solution that goes beyond his previously held positions.

Sanders is an ideologue, a point he kept making in the debate-- he has been more consistent than Biden in his positions. He has very specific prescriptions for implementing his vision and is somewhat dismissive of variants like Warren's plans. But consistency implies inflexibility, not much like FDR at all.

We may need an FDR-like leader in the aftermath of the damage the virus does to the USA and its economy.

[TwilightZone]

1. Inability to adapt is not a good thing.

I'm not sure why some Sanders supporters are so adamant about it being a positive character trait. It just means that one is inherently at a disadvantage when a situation calls for a change in strategy, quick adaptability, or compromise.

To be clear, I'm not talking about the difference between flip-flopping all the time and rigid adherence to one's beliefs. It's the difference between being able to adapt to new circumstances or information vs. not.

[sop]

4. Sanders doesn't deal in shades of gray, in his world view everything is black and white.

And it's the same with many of Bernie's followers. "They don't do nuance, they can detect any deviation from pure white."

[NCProgressive]

6. It is like a home seller who rejects all offers not equal to the asking price

and never ever sells his/her home.

[pandr32]

12. Your title is also a hallmark of a personality disorder

While many are pushing false dementia narratives to attempt to harm Biden we find that he does not have a hard time getting along with others; compromising to affect important change rather than sticking to his guns and getting nothing to show for it; have a rigid outlook; or placing blame on others (or perhaps the DNC) for one's own difficulties.

Biden has grown considerably with social attitudes and related values as social issues have come into play. His willingness to listen is also important as too many people feel they aren't being heard. He doesn't yell and point his fingers at people, either.

I have no doubt that a President Biden will be one of us and not a Russian or corporate tool.

For those reading this and wanting to alert--I am not slamming anybody. I am speaking in general terms.

[Gothmog]

2. Biden has had some actual legislative accomplishments in the real world

sanders has no significant legislative accomplishments in the real world. I have never considered sanders to be a serious candidate in party due to a lack of significant legislative accomplishments.

FDR could work with people had had real accomplishments before he became POTUS

[zonkers]

3. Maybe Biden can read us the funnies over the radio and kiss babies and use words like malarchy..

Yeah, thats what we need right now.

[wyldwolf]

5. or maybe sit next to a pathetic fireplace in a poor imitation of FDR like Sanders did?

[andym]

8. Warmth and empathy of folks like Mayor Laguardia helped to keep morale high during the Depression

I don't think FDR read the funnies, but Mayor LaGuardia dd. It was much appreciated as people need not only political remedies but cultural ones as we do now.

Good point that although Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are both empathetic, Joe has a far more outwardly empathetic personality than Bernie.

[Sloumeau]

7. FDR was wise enough to distance himself from the "Socialist" label.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Republicans, in particular, had lumped Socialists, Communists, and Anarchists together under an "un-American" label, and a whole lot of American citizens were buying what the Republicans were selling. Because of things like this, FDR never called himself a Socialist, and never referred to his many programs as Socialistic programs. As andym correctly points out, FDR did not make a lot of big promises before he was elected in 1932. He really only made one big promise--that he would make things better--that happy days were here again.

Donald Trump's previous doctor apparently used to have the White House chef sneak ground up cauliflower into his mashed potatoes in order to get some vegetables into Donald Trump, who would not have eaten the cauliflower if the cauliflower had been presented as a side dish. Sometimes one has to sneak in things that are for people's own good. FDR was determined to put in place programs that were for people's own good, and he did not need the stigma of "Socialism" tied to his programs because the stigma of Socialism would make it harder for members of Congress to vote for those programs and because the stigma of Socialism would have made it harder for the American public to accept those programs.

Senator Bernie Sanders, to this day, refuses to acknowledge how much stigma is still associated with Socialism, despite the fact that he is the only Socialist Senator, and despite the fact that there are only 2 or 3 Democratic Socialists in the entire U.S. House of Representatives. There is a reason why so few Socialists exist in Congress. Similar to 1932, a whole lot of America is not ready to embrace Socialism. The fact that Bernie Sanders proudly wears a label that so obviously hurts his candidacy betrays a complete unwillingness on Bernie Sanders' part to make compromises that will help him get things accomplished. Senator Bernie Sanders simply will not bend, and this is his greatest weakness, because politics is about knowing when and where to bend, and when not to bend. Bernie simply never bends, and that is not good politics. That is just stubbornness.

[Turin_C3PO]

11. Great post!

I agree with everything you wrote.

[dalton99a]

15. +1.

[relayerbob]

9. Yes indeed, Biden exhibits these traits:

[ link: ]

[TomCADem]

10. The Irony Is That FDR Epitomizes The Democratic Establishment

Bernie attacks the Democratic Establishment while citing FDR as a gold standard. FDR was born to parents who were members of New York’s oldest and wealthiest families.

[NurseJackie]

14. I often get a chuckle from that. Well... sometimes a chuckle, sometimes rage.

It's just the craziest thing. So absurd that THAT is a "talking point" and that they keep making such prideful comparisons. It's ridiculous.

[NurseJackie]

13. Sanders is no FDR. (I have no idea how that ridiculous rumor got started.)

[George II]

16. Depends upon what FDR is short for, certainly not Franklin Delano Roosevelt.