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Congratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: Biden will be the nominee [View all]Gothmog
(145,489 posts)95. Joe Biden's appeal actually isn't a mystery
Link to tweet
Biden shows reverence for the most popular Democrat around, former president Barack Obama; others find fault in everything from the Affordable Care Act to immigration policy. Biden does not bombard voters with a torrent of multi-part plans; he gives them a few basic positions and defends them. Biden does not campaign from the neck up; he campaigns with his heart on his sleeve. Biden is deeply optimistic; his opponents think Americans are the problem, not Trump. (I dont suggest that his opponents are wrong, merely that their stance apparently isnt as popular as they thought.) Biden wants normalcy plus reform; his opponents want a peaceful revolution. Biden knows people want to be heard and seen; his opponents (with the exception of Sen. Kamala D. Harris) dont fully grasp this. They want to help," to pepper people with ideas and a to-do list, while Biden takes the time to listen to them. (Think of the well-meaning friend who has a thousand suggestions when you are grieving and youd rather they just shut up and commiserate.)
This is the grouchy-white-guy-in-the-diner problem all over again. Reporters are blinded by their own age, background, education and geography. Instead of going to West Virginia diners to find the Trump voter, reporters should go talk to the residents of The Villages in Florida, the African American churchgoing ladies and the buttoned-down professionals in the affluent suburbs (the Romney-Clinton voters). These people have endured a noisy, offensive and intrusive presence in the White House. They dont necessarily want a different noisy, intrusive presence even one they agree with on substance.
Part of the mystery of Bidens appeal would be solved if the moderators flipped their questions, as one smart Democrat not in the Biden camp put it. Instead of asking Biden or another moderate, Why arent you going with the big, bold idea of Medicare-for-all?, the moderators might consider asking Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) or Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Why blow up Obamacare, and why dont you trust people to choose Medicare if given the option? Instead of assuming that extreme proposals are the standard, requiring the moderates to explain why they are such wet blankets, the moderators should press the super-progressives on questions such as: What makes you think that voters want to go through another health-care makeover? Why should poorer people pay for richer peoples health care or subsidize their college debt?
Better yet, ask the candidates to relate the personal story from a voter who moved them the most, or the last voter whose phone number they took so that the candidate could call later, or the most insightful thing they have heard from a voter. It might reveal who is talking at voters and who is listening to them.
This is the grouchy-white-guy-in-the-diner problem all over again. Reporters are blinded by their own age, background, education and geography. Instead of going to West Virginia diners to find the Trump voter, reporters should go talk to the residents of The Villages in Florida, the African American churchgoing ladies and the buttoned-down professionals in the affluent suburbs (the Romney-Clinton voters). These people have endured a noisy, offensive and intrusive presence in the White House. They dont necessarily want a different noisy, intrusive presence even one they agree with on substance.
Part of the mystery of Bidens appeal would be solved if the moderators flipped their questions, as one smart Democrat not in the Biden camp put it. Instead of asking Biden or another moderate, Why arent you going with the big, bold idea of Medicare-for-all?, the moderators might consider asking Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) or Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Why blow up Obamacare, and why dont you trust people to choose Medicare if given the option? Instead of assuming that extreme proposals are the standard, requiring the moderates to explain why they are such wet blankets, the moderators should press the super-progressives on questions such as: What makes you think that voters want to go through another health-care makeover? Why should poorer people pay for richer peoples health care or subsidize their college debt?
Better yet, ask the candidates to relate the personal story from a voter who moved them the most, or the last voter whose phone number they took so that the candidate could call later, or the most insightful thing they have heard from a voter. It might reveal who is talking at voters and who is listening to them.
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
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Yep. Not to mention "Fast and Furious"... let's just hand the election to Trump.
SMC22307
Sep 2019
#84
She has to show she can win the rust belt. Right now she's tied with Trump-Biden is up 9
redstateblues
Sep 2019
#58
No, it won't. She isn't winning the AA community and should they move it will be for
Demsrule86
Sep 2019
#65
This is not the same as Obama/ Clinton in 08...Obama was liked by AA community...they
Demsrule86
Sep 2019
#118
I don't think declaring she'll shut down Facebook is going to help her politically.
ElementaryPenguin
Sep 2019
#123
This... Stacy has a very bright future. She should continue to seek higher office. If not in GA
Thekaspervote
Sep 2019
#115
I really like Amy, as well. My money for a Biden running mate is still Susan Rice, however.
WheelWalker
Sep 2019
#34
Like you, I once dreamed of a Biden/Harris ticket, and like you, I don't really want that anymore.
Tarheel_Dem
Sep 2019
#60
I wouldn't pick Warren...we lose Senate seat potentially and what does she bring geographically in
Demsrule86
Sep 2019
#66
I do not agree. It's way too early to determine who the nominee will be. The primary
Ninga
Sep 2019
#7
I totally agree that "All bets are off in comparison to 2016 and other past elections."
MBS
Sep 2019
#48
We need a progressive visionary... not a moderate incrimentalist if we want to guarantee defeating
InAbLuEsTaTe
Sep 2019
#9
Biden is the best choice for (1) defeating Trump and (2) pursuing actual workable policies that
LincolnRossiter
Sep 2019
#10
Kennedy was more conservative than Biden is. He was a pragmatic liberal, like Biden.
LincolnRossiter
Sep 2019
#37
Kennedy pushed a huge tax cut through, slow walked civil rights when necessary to placate
LincolnRossiter
Sep 2019
#44
Biden was at his most focused when he was fighting against the ravages of Trump.
Gothmog
Sep 2019
#88
We need a candidate who appeals to reliable voters, and who can win the electoral college.
highplainsdem
Sep 2019
#17
Well, can we talk? Maybe our party should think about appealing to older, reliable voters and stop
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#47
Good point. I amend. We should do outreach to the young as well as older voters. We must build
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#56
Apples and oranges ...not enough younguns turned out to make a difference...they rarely do
Demsrule86
Sep 2019
#61
Shame on any voter who stayed home because they were fooled by phony narratives.
lapucelle
Sep 2019
#94
Energizing voters is overrated...you have to field the right canididate and those who didn't
Demsrule86
Sep 2019
#124
Care to share a moderate's (any moderate) 'long and proven record of accomplishment'?
Doremus
Sep 2019
#41
He was. Outside agitation and events put the pressure on him. They (capitalists) didn't want to
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#49
He's the only one to have articulated a real vision for uniting Americans, to have defined the terms
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#50
Who is WE? Bernie not my idea of a visionary anyway. More old school revolutionary ala white male
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#46
No we don't. We need to win three states in the Mid West...and left won't cut it this year.
Demsrule86
Sep 2019
#67
Joe didn't discover the evils of white supremacy yesterday. He's been long concerned on a global
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#109
Probably. To me it all depends upon his performance in the early contests. He doesn't need to win
LincolnRossiter
Sep 2019
#45
We all have a responsibility to stand up and speak out when we see abuse of power
Gothmog
Sep 2019
#71
Okay. Do we cancel the primary and just appoint him and should we now start vetting Ms. Abrams?
Autumn
Sep 2019
#74
Wes Clark Was Frontrunner in Sept, Clinton Had a 18+ Lead in Late Dec 2007
DrFunkenstein
Sep 2019
#75
Joe Biden has a range of great folks to pick from. There are several extremely accomplished WOC
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#111
EW & BS being next door to NH.... no surprise that they would come in 1st and 2nd
Thekaspervote
Sep 2019
#83
A lot to unpack here that makes sense. Why am I feeling lectured at and finding that uncomfortable,
emmaverybo
Sep 2019
#112
Biden's Electability Advantage Will Be Hard to Shake Among Risk-Averse Democrats
Gothmog
Sep 2019
#100