Joe Biden’s Campaign To Peak Next Week
Why? Because he is announcing next week. At least, as of today. I may be overstating the case. But if so, only by a week or two.
The initial flawed strategy was for him to delay his entry and remain above the fray. Apparently nobody in the campaign anticipated his hands-on proclivities and disastrous previous public policy forays (the crime bill, Anita Hill) from landing front and center. So, instead of allowing muck to attach to other candidates while he played the role of (very) elder statesman, he now emerges from the political lagoon like the Swamp Thing with hair plugs. And already behind Bernie Sanders in some polls.
He has stated that he is running as (a) the heir to the Obama years, and (b) as an “experienced, calm hand.” Experienced? Yes. Calm? Is this Joe Biden we’re speaking of? He’s not as manic as, say, Alexander Haig at his worst, but he’s not calm.
Even a non-critical look at his candidacy finds many reasons why his campaign will fail: (1) He has sucked as a presidential candidate in the past. (2) The same suspects who mismanaged those previous campaigns are back. (3) His record is extremely vulnerable in the Democratic Party of 2020. (4) How is he gonna sell the likelihood that he won’t make similar mistakes to the disastrous ones he’s already admitted to (Crime Bill, Anita Hill) in his 80’s that he made in his 50’s? (5) What is his constituency beyond Tom Sharp/Reagan Democrats who have built up decades of resentment over ‘uppity’ blacks? (6) He is old, but without the raison d’etre of Bernie’s candidacy. (7) He will commit gaffes, but gaffes this time will only serve to amplify concerns about his age and competence. (8) His record of fighting for the corporatist banking interests will (deservedly) make him exceedingly vulnerable to political attacks, especially from Warren and Sanders.
That’s just off the top of my head.
I will stake what’s left of my blogging reputation in arguing that Biden’s campaign will implode before things get really serious.
Disagree? To quote Andy Reid, “Time’s yours.”
If he had any politcal guts Biden would ave voted against authorizing the invasion of Iraq in 2003. If he had, he would have been carried into the White House in a sedan chair in 2004.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/capitalism-in-crisis-us-billionaires-worry-about-the-survival-of-the-system-that-made-them-rich/2019/04/20/3e06ef90-5ed8-11e9-bfad-36a7eb36cb60_story.html?utm_term=.392af2754948
Like the rest of you I well remember Joe’s past and numerous attempts at getting the presidential nomination, all failed and never gained traction. Would prefer he just goes the hell home.
El Som is on the money laying out the many reasons Status Que Joe won’t even get air under his wings. The crime bill is enough to sink the US navy with the human suffering and financial costs to the fifty states. Three strikes your out is just what he has to feel in Presidential runs for it to sink in? Only money left out there is corporate when reported, he will sink like a stone. He brings 3 runs, 3 strikes and 3 electoral votes to the table and that is like his chances, small. Why would he even get in the race maybe to save the Banks? No, the banks own him? No, the banks owe him. Either way it’s going to be bloody. I wonder what Moyed would say? Ed Rendell is raising funds for him maybe the guys that he was going to sell PA’s toll collections are still hanging around like unwanted Mother-in laws.
Ed Rendell? The Governor From Comcast? The former DNC chair who told Al Gore to be a good sport and just concede?
I can’t STAND Ed Rendell. Apparently, Chris Matthews is the only one who can. Rendell defines the term ‘smarmy’.
I don’t think Biden will still be in the race by the time of the DE primary.
The feckless incompetence of the nascent Biden campaign is already in full view.
The campaign planned to kick off in Charlottesville (b/c ‘symbolism’) but nobody in Virginia wanted it/him. As of three days ago, he was scheduled to announce in Charlottesville, but that’s been nixed.
They then floated the Rocky Statue in Philly, presumably b/c ‘Joe’s a fighter’:
https://www.phillyvoice.com/joe-biden-rocky-steps-2020-announcement-campaign-philadelphia-trump/
but that’s no longer a possibility, according to sources (well, Chris Matthews).
So. How will Biden announce? It looks like it’s gonna be via a recorded announcement featuring footage of, wait for it, his Scranton home. Uh, Joe? There’s a difference between being the only candidate who speaks to Scranton and being the candidate who only speaks to Scranton and, perhaps, to Wilkes Barre.
This has all the earmarks of a clusterbleep.
Rendell is a “Pay to play” politician. If joe take his funds, he’s pay to play as well. Now put that in your pipe and smoke it. Like El Som said “FINISHED” before he gets out the starting gate.
Doesn’t ANYBODY want Joe Biden to announce in their town? The campaign launch may be postponed b/c the Biden ‘braintrust’ can’t decide where to announce his candidacy:
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/biden-vacillating-campaign-launch-may-postponed
I can’t make this stuff up.
More on Biden’s indecision:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/04/joe-biden-seems-confused-about-his-own-2020-launch?verso=true
I love this line:
“It’s all par for the course for Biden, who was allegedly “95 percent” ready to run back in February, but has spent the intervening months pacing inside that 5 percent like a prison.”
And THIS from both New York Magazine and Time Magazine:
“In candid remarks to Time on Friday, a former Biden aide said there’s plenty of chaos behind the scenes: “I’ve never seen anything so half-assed. They’re improvising and doing last-minute planning. The guy has been running for president since 1987 and can’t figure the basics out, like where to stand on his first day? This should make everyone very nervous.”
If he had any politcal guts Biden would have voted against authorizing the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
If he had, he would have been carried into the White House in a sedan chair in 2004.
Possible scenario, not that I think it’s true: Biden knows that if he drops out centrist billionaire assholes like Bloomberg and Schultz are more likely to run, all but guaranteeing a Trump victory.
Latest from AP is that he’ll announce Thursday; no word on where.
Looks like he’ll announce via the ‘Scranton Homestead’ video, and will make his first campaign appearance in Pittsburgh–on Monday. He’s also expecting an endorsement from the Firefighters’ Union.
Hahahahahaha
https://splinternews.com/will-anyone-call-joe-biden-on-his-bullshit-1834240243
“According to Axios, Biden’s first fundraiser will be with David Cohen, the executive vice president of and principal lobbyist for Comcast. Comcast is one of America’s most hated companies, and for good reason. It represents everything that sucks for the modern consumer-citizen, for whom things like internet or TV access are extremely basic necessities, but who are usually given the option of purchasing it from just one or two companies. In many places, including in my apartment, Comcast is literally the only choice for internet service; in other areas of the country, another company dominates. If you don’t like your cable provider, you have to keep it anyway. They raise rates after an arbitrary point of time; they charge way too much to begin with. If you call to find out why your internet is out or your TV channels are disappearing, the customer service is terrible, and everyone who works for them is probably miserable, too, dealing with irate customers.”
Does Comcast have an escalator in their building? If so, all problems solved.
Uncle Joe really has his finger on the pulse of the electorate.
Latest from Howard fineman says will be on Chris Mathews show @5 today.
https://twitter.com/howardfineman/status/1120764336245477377
Biden’s not gonna be on. Fineman’s gonna be on to talk about Biden’s campaign.
Looks like his campaign has at least figured out that prolonged exposure to Biden is not a boon to his chances.
MSNBC 10am hour Stephanie Rule had this = The NRA “The Gun Bill That Saved America:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/biden-voted-nra-when-senate-nation-were-very-different-n997311
That’s gonna turn women off.
Stephanie also had Rendell on talking up Joe about fund raising.
I also found this https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/biden-has-vp-history-working-against-him-2020-n997946
Biden can’t even get on the internet how in the hell is he going to run America?
Right. Chris Matthews, who worships at the altar of Ed Rendell, pretended last night that he didn’t even know that Rendell was supporting Biden. Didn’t he bother reading anything on the internets? Rendell’s fulsome praise for Biden was everywhere.
I was living in Philadelphia when Rendell was mayor. Frank Rizzo was leading him in the race before he keeled over. Say what you want about Rendell now, if Rizzo had lived a bit longer Philadelphia would be worse than Detroit today.
Btw, I saw Rendell on one of the Sunday local talkshows, he looks terrible. I think he has Parkinson’s.