Joe Biden: Count me in

[Auggie]

I was formerly undecided.

Let me start out by saying I believe any of the already declared candidates would make a great president.

But bottom line is to look outside our bubbles of liberalism (west coast for me) and ask how the rust belt, snow belt, wheat belt, and even the cotton belt, is going to vote.

I think Biden strikes a balance of moderation that, while I do not actually endorse, feel is the best bet to get the disengaged and protest voters to the polls in battle ground states that, unfortunately, did not support our last candidate.

Nota bene: Biden's candidacy is brand-spanking new. We haven't heard from him yet nor heard the rhetoric. We have no indication how he might perform on the road or in the debates, so I'll reserve final judgment until we get closer to the primaries.

But for now, and for the reason stated above, I believe Vice President Joe Biden has the best chance to win back the White House.

Comments?

[leftieNanner]

1. Good point

I believe he should have a woman on the ticket with him.

[Auggie]

3. Biden/Harris is a powerful ticket IMO

I think of the world of the Senator -- supported her for CA AG and CA Senate.

[leftieNanner]

5. I like her too

Fierce woman!

[Auggie]

6. I'd prefer to to leave out the gender modifier ...

fierce is good enough.

Harris would bring good balance to the ticket. BTW, I'd be 100% fine should she win the nomination.

[WheelWalker]

9. Agree with all points.

[Siwsan]

2. I agree

We can't really afford to wait for anyone to complete their learning curve. Joe has the best experience and background. He knows how government works. He is respected. He is dedicated. He's a patriot. He is already on a good and even keel with most world leaders. He is a man who has shown he is still capable of learning and not afraid to own up to his own shortcomings, and to work on improving. He is a man who cares deeply about this country and the people who live here.

He is the exact opposite of what we have, now.

That being said, we have some powerful candidates and there will be a whole lot of very important cabinet positions to fill.

[Auggie]

4. I believe we've learned that experience only goes so far for some voters ...

authenticity, familiarity, and some degree of celebrity, does. IMHO, that is.

[Demsrule86]

7. Agree.

[NYMinute]

8. My thinking exactly

Biden virtually guarantees Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. All he has to do is hold on to the Hillary states.

If he chooses Beto as VP, he may even carry Texas.

[corbettkroehler]

10. I Assign The Same Chance To Sanders But Would Vote For Biden With A Smile

This is one of those cases when an old truism would be helpful: Democrats fall in love. Republicans fall in line.

In other words, Democrats MUST support the nominee. In 2016, even though I was and remain 100% Sanders and had YUGE objections to the mechanics of the primary, I voted for HRC without regret. My feelings haven't changed. Her presidency, although problematic in some respects, also would have been historic.

Can you imagine sending Bill on diplomatic missions which only he could tackle?

I differ with Biden on many things. However, if he secured the nomination, I would vote for him gladly. My mind hearkens back to the late summer of 2008 as the economy tanked. He spoke about his younger years in Scranton and that his father taught him that when you get knocked down, you get up. It was a great stump speech.

[MH1]

11. I agree with your approach to the decision.

I'm not ready to make the leap to the premise that Biden is the best to carry the torch. I'm ready to back him if he is, though.

I think we need the right candidate to start with ... which might be any of several (but not all) of the announced candidates. But I think whoever it is, it may be even more important to figure out how to deal with the GOP slime machine. We could have Mr. Perfect (or Ms. Perfect, but she has a handicap right out the gate with the sexist tilt to our culture), and the GOP slime machine will literally make shit up and spread it all over them until they look like the most gawdawful, no-I-can't-vote-for-that-person! imaginable.

I have reluctant Trump voters among my blood relatives. They voted for Trump only because Hillary was so "awful". Which we all know was 99.999999% manufactured bullshit. Yet somehow they saw her as more awful than Trump, even when they were at least partially aware of the awfulness of Trump.

It can happen again. There's a bunch of wealthy people with a vested interest in making it happen again, and a successful track record of doing it.

If Biden is the guy, I hope he's ready.

[Auggie]

13. Spot on ...

[flamingdem]

12. Yes to that