Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

“woke” is the new caravan.

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

I am pretty sure these ‘journalists’ were not always such a bootlicking sycophants.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Relentless negativity is not a sign that you are more realistic.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The willow is too close to the house.

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

We’re watching the self-immolation of the leading world power on a level unprecedented in human history.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

Roe is not about choice. It is about freedom.

My right to basic bodily autonomy is not on the table. that’s the new deal.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

America is going up in flames. The NYTimes fawns over MAGA celebrities. No longer a real newspaper.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2020 / Biden Makes It Official

Biden Makes It Official

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Here’s the announcement video:

Here’s the opening tweet, which gives equal pride of place to both the candidate and a certain former president missed acutely by sane people worldwide:

Snazzy campaign logo!

The video spends a lot of time on the Charlottesville Nazi rally and Trump’s kind words for the Trump-supporting white supremacists and anti-Semites who caused mayhem there. Over a montage of iconic images, Biden says Trump’s presidency is destroying “what makes America — America.” He says that’s why he can’t stand by on the sidelines — we’re “in a battle for the soul of this nation.”

In the video, Biden doesn’t provide any specifics or really even outline a vision about what he would do as president, aside from the implied goal of rolling back Trumpism and returning the country to a pre-Trump “normal.” That’s a worthy goal all by itself, of course — Trump must be stopped.

But it’s a benign species of MAGA in a way, a harkening back to the past. It matters greatly, of course, that the past in question is 2015 instead of 1955 or 1861. But it’s still somewhat backward-looking. Biden’s opening pitch is one simple message: “I can stop Trump.” Fair enough — it’s a three-minute video, and Biden will undoubtedly flesh out policy proposals, etc., in the coming days.

De-Trumpifying America is necessary but not sufficient. We must address the fact that Trump is just a particularly ugly symptom of other pressing concerns, including that a third or more of our fellow citizens are fascism-curious, and a rising global oligarch class enabled by Republicans are leveraging that unfortunate fact to further consolidate power and hoard resources.

No candidate can afford to go full “basket of deplorables” in an announcement video, but is Biden capable of calling out Republicans who are part of the problem, like alleged “decent guy” Mike Pence? Can he successfully defend his extremely troubling bouts of “bipartisanship” on hugely destructive legislation like the bankruptcy and crime bills or his awful handling of Anita Hill’s testimony in the Thomas hearings? I remain skeptical that he’s the man for the moment.

I’ve made no secret over the past several months of my fervent hope that Biden would put aside his presidential ambitions and rest on his laurels as a good VP to a better president. But here we are. Biden is the front-runner out of the gate, and even though polls mean little at this stage, he has a decent shot at winning the nomination.

I’ll be disappointed if that happens, but of course I’ll vote for Biden if he’s the nominee. With the SCOTUS and so much more on the line, anyone who pouts and taps out because their preferred candidate didn’t win the primary is fucking dead to me.

Reader Interactions

128Comments

  1. 1.

    Paul W.

    Well, Biden is coming out swinging on Trump so I have to admit I like that. Not that any other candidates have been soft on Trump, but Biden is clearly going to take the role of a fighter and prepared to go tit-for-tat with Trump (which most everyone else has said they won’t be distracted by him).

    Not bad Joe, but I’m still not feeling the JoeMentum over my favorite Warren at this time who is far ahead of the pack for me.

  5. 5.

    Citizen_X

    Glancing at that picture:
    “Ooh, Obama’s running again?!?”

    “Oh right, he can’t. It’s just Biden.”

  6. 6.

    Amir Khalid

    That photo in the tweet shows Biden looking admiringly at Obama. Is that going to be the tone of Joe’s candidacy?

  10. 10.

    MomSense

    Have to admit, that’s a great video. There’s probably a sizeable number of us who are looking for that strong father archetype and he definitely gives off that vibe.

  11. 11.

    JR

    Biden is fine, I have no real animus for him. But I get a strong Kerry 2004 impression if he’s the nominee.

  13. 13.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    Polls show beating Trump is the most important thing for D voters choosing a candidate. Biden’s picking that to concentrate on is no accident.

    Mind you, it’s my most important goal too. I was just hoping for more because that part is obvious. Then what?

  15. 15.

    Baud

    @MomSense:

    I suppose that’s part of it. I haven’t seen every candidate’s opening video, but I found this one compelling because of the simplicity but also depth of the theme. Makes sense for him because he isn’t going to win the nomination on policy.

  18. 18.

    Another Scott

    @Baud: I’m not so sure that it’s as good as it should have been.

    For instance, he didn’t mention why the rally took place in Charlottesville. It was held to protest the decision to take down Confederate statue[s] of Lee and Jackson. It was, at its heart, a neo-Confederate rally, with all the racism that that implies. Tiptoeing around that (while mentioning Nazis and Iwo Jima and all the rest) isn’t a good look.

    On the whole, it was too touchy-feely for me, and too much emphasis on Trump (and hot enough on his enablers like his old good buddies in the Senate).

    We’ll see how well he does.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  22. 22.

    Betty Cracker

    Trump weighed in on Twitter:

    Welcome to the race Sleepy Joe. I only hope you have the intelligence, long in doubt, to wage a successful primary campaign. It will be nasty – you will be dealing with people who truly have some very sick & demented ideas. But if you make it, I will see you at the Starting Gate!

    This tells me he hasn’t watched the video — he’s just responding to the announcement that Biden’s in the race from Fox & Friends or an aide.

  24. 24.

    Capri

    We’ve got a marathon primary process to sort them all out. If Ole Joe emerges from the pack I’ll pull the lever for him. There are quite a few candidates that have already done a lot of ground work in the early states and it appears as if he’s counting on name recognition primarily. We’ll see how that goes.

  25. 25.

    Kraux Pas

    hugely destructive legislation like the bankruptcy and crime bills or his awful handling of Anita Hill’s testimony in the Thomas hearings? I’m remain skeptical that he’s the man for the moment.

    This is why he’s the only potential candidate (I don’t put Gabbard in this category) who would give me even slight pause voting for them in the general election. I’ll still vote for him but, Christ, I don’t want it to come to that.

    Also, let’s not forget Iraq Part 2.

    @Betty Cracker:

    It will be nasty – you will be dealing with people who truly have some very sick & demented ideas.

    But he’ll have to make it through the primary first, eh? EH?

  27. 27.

    Amir Khalid

    @MomSense:
    Yes, but it’s only a campaign kickoff video. And not-Trump is not enough. I would want to know more about what Joe Biden stands for.

  29. 29.

    Betty Cracker

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: Once he finds out his name is mentioned several times, he’ll watch it. Then it will take all of Ivanka’s and Kellyanne’s combined strength to hold onto those tiny orange thumbs and prevent an epic Twitter tantrum.

  31. 31.

    Baud

    I don’t agree that it was just a “not Trump” video. He said what we often say, that the future of this country is at stake. I think it’s wrong to denigrate that idea as simply not Trump.

    If you want to criticize him for ignoring policy, fine. That’s accurate.

  33. 33.

    Kraux Pas

    @Baud:

    I don’t think it’s weak so much as his schtick is growing more thin with each passing day.

    I thought it was growing thin as soon as he started. To some people, though, it’s classic.

  34. 34.

    BC in Illinois

    This is what I said a few days back [“Joementum“] about getting off Joe Biden’s email list:

    I admire Joe Biden’s work and ability and experience. I appreciated his speeches in St Louis for Jason Kander and Claire McCaskill. He can speak well of why we are proud to be Democrats.
    But.
    There are better candidates this year. Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, to name the two who lead the list.
    And I will give you one more reason. Look at the picture on the right side of this [unsubscribe] page. Totally. Old. And. White. Now, I am old (70) and white, but this is not the face that even I want to see for the Democratic Party.
    I love and respect Joe Biden. He is not my candidate for 2020.

    The picture on the “unsubscribe” page shows Joe shaking hands on the patio of some eating establishment. Everyone in the picture is white. With the exception of one woman (who may be one of his staffers), I think that everyone in the picture was born during the Truman administration.

    Now, I was born during the Truman administration, but c’mon — really? If you’re going to announce your candidacy in 2019 for an election in 2020, at least move into the 1990s.

    Mark me as “unsubscribe.”

    It occurs to me that I have a simple test for 2020 Presidential Candidates.

    Your last name must have a double “r” in the middle of it.
    Single “r’s” or separated “r’s” don’t cut it.
    Double “b” is a disqualification.

  35. 35.

    Harbison

    @Baud:
    There is a chance that you are Trump’s intended audience.

    I’d wager that 27% of the country think this brilliant.

  36. 36.

    TaMara (HFG)

    Such a contrast to the previous thread…and not in a good way. But if he’s going to spend his time attacking Trump, welcome. Let the other candidates focus on policy and he can point out all(!!!) Trump’s flaws. He won’t make it past New Hampshire is my prediction.

  38. 38.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud:

    If you want to criticize him for ignoring policy, fine. That’s accurate.

    Qyestion: Did any other candidates focus on policy in their announcement videos? I’d be very surprised if any gave anything more than a nod to the generalities of policy.

  39. 39.

    Baud

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I don’t know. I haven’t seen too many of them. I’d imagine some talked about what they hope to accomplish in broad terms. I doubt anyone got into specifics.

  40. 40.

    Jeffro

    @Betty Cracker:

    [trumpov]: “you will be dealing with people who truly have some very sick & demented ideas”.

    This guy and his crazy-ass language. Every other adjective he uses is some variation of ‘sick’, ‘demented’, ‘crazy’, ‘radical’, ‘hateful’, and so on. 110% projection and the first Dem to point that out consistently will get in trumpov’s head and stay there for as long as they like.

  41. 41.

    Ella in New Mexico

    Right now, my favorite team would be Warren-Buttigieg but I will say that even though he’s not everything I want in a candidate for the future of the Democratic party we could do worse than decent, wizened and scrappy Joe Biden taking our country and our Executive Branch back to the good ole’ days of Obama.

    I know people think we can pretend this is 2015-16 and we’ve got the luxury of picking our Buzzfeed “Plan Your Dinner Party and We’ll tell you who your Democratic Ticket Is” quiz but we don’t.

    I’ve already heard rumblings from 20-30 somethings and others who supported him last time against Bernie getting in, so we’ve made progress. But the same rumblings are that they think Biden is going to be the toughest candidate to beat Trump right now. It’s early, of course, and they’re not really that tuned in but that’s what I’m actually surprised to be hearing from these guys. “We need to beat Trump, period” is the zeitgeist.

    We’re fighting an uphill battle against enemies foreign and domestic, thanks to our folks in Congress thinking they don’t want to rock any boats with Impeachment hearings. The message is now it’s a total free-for all here in American elections. Team Trump is gonna double and triple down on the psy-ops and cheating and the only thing that will save us is if we get enough of the cross-over Trump voters in those 5 key states to change to our Party. Not vote independent or third party or stay home. We need their votes.

    If Biden on the ticket is what we need to get rid of Trump and the Republicans then so be it. Put our best, most capable younger candidate with a progressive platform on it with him to start the changes in government we need to pave the way for the future.

  42. 42.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Baud: I’m thinking in terms of, “We need to focus on the future by educating our children…” which I see as just as vague as anything Biden said in his video. My point is only that each candidate tries to make him/herself stand out from the others by speaking to (in a most generalized way) a specific area. Outside of Warren, most of the other candidates have very little in the way of actual policy out there Harris made news with her Education policy, and Castro has his immigration platform but I haven’t heard of what else they might have gotten specific on. I may have missed other’s from them and some from the other’s.

    I just thought Biden’s video was fine, I guess is all I’m saying.

  44. 44.

    nativeprof

    I respectfully disagree that Biden is serving up “a benign form of MAGA.”

    Yes, he will not accomplish much compared to Warren or Klobaucher, the two most obviously competent candidates to serve as standard bearers for the left and left-center, respectively. He will not have the energy of Warren, Klobaucher, Kamala, Pete, or Beto. He has none of the imagination of Warren, who would put a dent in my family’s unbearable loan debt. But none of this matters if we don’t thrash Trump and take the Senate.

    Unless the data is bullshit, Biden is the *only* one doing that in practically every single poll. It has been a major source of stress relief to look at the polls and see that we have at least one candidate who beats Trump comfortably and consistently in every state that matters. He would also protect against Schultz and his extortionist brand of centrism. Normally this would be a pathetic example of running scared, but I admit it: I’m scared shitless of Trump winning. Also, Biden *did* serve as Obama’s vice president for eight years and was entrusted with a robust portfolio, what is wrong with running on that experience?

    Clearly, something’s wrong with Biden if he generates enough anger on here that the we front-page videos from the Justice Democrats, even though we know they are bad actors. But it makes me nauseous.

  47. 47.

    tobie

    It’s a powerful video. He uses his age to his advantage in it by talking about the long arc of American history, and implicit in the video is the question whether the American century (the twentieth century, as showcased in pictures of US troops arriving in Normandy and MLK and the march on Washington) will continue through the 21st century.

  48. 48.

    schrodingers_cat

    I somehow missed this, but BS was on the TDS earlier this month and said that immigrants import poverty. Russian Asset #2 is as much a bigot as Asset #1. But we already knew that.

  50. 50.

    Chris Johnson

    Biden is not fine. The Senator from Credit Card Companies and Anita Hill Hearings isn’t right for these times. I don’t think he helped Obama one bit, either. I would call Obama’s failure to endorse him (over the many obviously better and more appropriate choices: good call, O) a huge red flag. I would be deeply disappointed in Obama if he DID endorse the man.

  53. 53.

    White & Gold Purgatorian

    Color me shocked — by my own reaction. I had hoped Joe would not run, too old & too much old baggage, but watched that video and was suddenly all “you go, Joe!” Clearly, he hit all the emotional buttons for my demographic: old, white, female, liberal, straight ticket D voter who hates Trump and what Trump is doing to America. And I agree with Joe that America is a set of ideals and promises rather than just a collection of geographical areas. Yes, he didn’t say that explicitly, but that is what I heard.

    Also, that round Joe 2020 logo up in the corner just takes me back to the Obama logo in 2008. Those were good times and the resemblance cannot be accidental. IMHO, this also targets olders like me who remember those giddy days and notably differs from many other 2020 logos incorporating different colors that seemed to represent a break with the red, white and blue only style, possibly more appealing to younger folks.

    Warren, Amy and Harris are still at the top of my list, but I’m no longer disappointed at Joe for getting in the race, which is surprising the hell out of me because he still has all that damned baggage I hate. Maybe it is the fact he’s clearly itching for a fight with Trump and he knows why it is important to have and win that fight. Will be interested in the reactions of other Biden skeptics, heart vs head wise.

  54. 54.

    Kay

    I know this is harsh, a stern view, but I have trouble with the sentimentality and nostalgia of the video. I just think nostalgia is killing us, as a country. It’s fine to honor the past but you really can’t live there. You can’t go back and honestly some of it wasn’t that great to begin with. I know it’s a minority opinion and I think the video will be popular and I very much would like to win but I was disappointed there wasn’t more “forward!” action :)

  55. 55.

    Barbara

    @schrodingers_cat: Regarding teeth whiteners and Botox, it’s like the make up and costumes used for ice skating competitions — when you see them on a small screen they look horrendously over the top and gaudy. When you see them afar in a live arena, you barely notice them.

  57. 57.

    tobie

    @nativeprof: Someone suggested on dKos yesterday that Warren and Klobuchar should be put in a room together to knock out a full policy agenda. Warren’s got the vision and Klobuchar is a master at nuts and bolts and getting legislation done. Together they’d make a great team. I thought that was funny.

  58. 58.

    Canadian Shield

    Biden retiring after 1 term at 80 for his younger female VP (Harris? Warren?) to take over wouldnt be a bad deal. If he can win the primary and beat Trump in the midwest…he could be the MAGA suppository to clear out Trump and make Americas bowel move again.

  59. 59.

    chopper

    @Capri:

    yeah, it’s already getting hot and the first primary isn’t for like over 9 months. it’s gonna be a real long year and a half.

  61. 61.

    Kay

    @schrodingers_cat:

    You and me gossip about these things, and thank god you do (!), so I have to say I think his teeth are less white. They’re more toward the normal teeth end of the spectrum. Perhaps he took our advice :)

  63. 63.

    Baud

    @Kay:

    There are already too many people who are pursuing the forward theme. Biden can’t compete there.

  64. 64.

    Joey Maloney

    I’d like to see Buttigieg on the ticket for a strategic reason. It will bait the religious right into running an intensely vicious smear campaign against him as a Sodomite. That might’ve worked 15 years ago but times have changed. Itwon’t win them a single vote they don’t already have but it will be so disgusting, so nakedly hateful and deranged in its attack against something that most people don’t give a shit about anymore that it’ll push some off the bubble to vote for the D just because they’re so repulsed.

    Mind you, I don’t think Mayor Pete is ready to run a winning Presidential campaign yet or actually be President. But he’d make a great running mate for Warren or Harris.

  65. 65.

    Hildebrand

    @TaMara (HFG): Yep. If Joe wants to be the one who takes the fight to Trump throughout the campaign, well and good. The Democrats need to have a few folks who will offer themselves up as the ones who will pepper Trump with attacks, which will allow everyone else to make a more substantive, constructive case.

  66. 66.

    Miss Bianca

    @White & Gold Purgatorian: I am a “better Biden than Bernie” gal myself, and I find myself thinking, as someone else here said, that if after winning the primaries (by no means a foregone conclusion), he picked Harris (or Castro, I could see that), I would, in fact, be all in. But damn…really loving that Harris and Warren are out there laying out the goods in terms of actual policies. Loving.It.

  68. 68.

    khead

    @Kay:

    I just think nostalgia is killing us, as a country.

    You tap danced around it but you can go ahead and say it – “Old white folks nostalgia”. It IS killing us.

  69. 69.

    chopper

    @Baud:

    biden’s best shot is to run as an extension of the obama admin. of course several others on the stage were also in the same administration, tho obvs in lesser roles.

  71. 71.

    Baud

    @khead:

    Not just that though. Every time you see a lefty making a lame comparison of current Dems to FDR and (Fuck) LBJ, it’s harmful nostalgia rearing its ugly head.

  72. 72.

    Leto

    @Joey Maloney: But does that go back to the “conventional” wisdom that says you need a white guy on the ticket to help reassure voters that there will be a stable hand there? That’s what Biden was. That’s what Kaine was meant to be. That’s part of the strategy for the future primary winner, I guess. Optics and all that.

  73. 73.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Kay: Also toxic nostalgia is what the RWNJs the world over are offering, they are offering a past that never existed except in their imaginations. The ongoing Indian elections are a sad example of that. RWNJs in India are nostalgic for a past of over 5000 years ago. They make MAGA folks look sane.

    ETA: So I agree with you that this cannot be our brand.
    ETA2: Also glad you like my shallow posts too, so many of our BJers are much more high minded than I am. Glad to have company.

  74. 74.

    chopper

    @Joey Maloney:

    i dunno if that’s enough to put him on the ticket, but i will say that so far his beef with pence is turning out strongly for team D.

  75. 75.

    Kay

    @Baud:

    We’ll see. I read the policy stuff he has released so far on Vox and it’s “15 dollar minimum wage, slightly tweak labor laws”

    He has this kind of fuzzy idea that he can somehow “empower” workers without unions, except it looks exactly like a really weak union, because there aren’t 500 new ideas on how to “empower” workers, which is why people keep returning to the old idea, which is “unions”. It’s been around so long not because it’s such a great idea but because no one ever came up with anything else :)

    I also hate the word “empower”. I want it stricken from the Democrats vocabulary.

  76. 76.

    Jeffro

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Not my first choice, but better Biden than BS.

    So very, very true.

    @Miss Bianca:

    I am a “better Biden than Bernie” gal myself, and I find myself thinking, as someone else here said, that if after winning the primaries (by no means a foregone conclusion), he picked Harris (or Castro, I could see that), I would, in fact, be all in. But damn…really loving that Harris and Warren are out there laying out the goods in terms of actual policies. Loving.It.

    Ditto to every word of this (except ‘gal’ ;) Harris, Warren, and Castro are definitely my three faves.

    Biden better stick to criticizing trumpov and his GOP enablers for a good, long while (like, forever). The most likely way for him to mess up the lead he has just jumped into would be to do a Cuomo ‘both sides’ bit. Any hint of that, and D primary voters are going to swing hard towards the others.

  77. 77.

    nativeprof

    @Kraux Pas up in comment 25: You’d honestly consider voting Gabbard over Trump, but Trump over Biden?

    I’m a little overwhelmed trying to distinguish between authentic viewpoints that reflect a person who votes, and stuff written in St. Petersburg to mess with our minds. I’m not saying opposition to Biden is bullshit—it’s not—but the waters are infested.

  78. 78.

    chopper

    @Jeffro:

    three of the four B’s are at the bottom, Buttigieg, Biden and Bernie. pretty much in that order i guess, but def Bernie’s the last of em.

  79. 79.

    snoey

    This isn’t the first time Biden has run and he’s never done at all well. He’s got a higher starting point this time due to name recognition, but I’m not sure if anything else is different.

  80. 80.

    Leto

    @Miss Bianca: I’m in that category too, of loving Harris/Warren out there laying down policy. Shows that they’re in it beyond, “I want to be president!” They’ve thought about the issues beforehand, are presenting their solutions (not totally complete, but more advanced than almost everyone else), and can talk about multiple issues, in-depth. I like that.

    The only reason I don’t want a Harris/Warren ticket, or H-W/Klobuchar ticket is that we have to win the Senate, and that would be taking two D votes out of it. I don’t want to leave those seats up to special elections. Pragmatic side of me.

  81. 81.

    kindness

    I love Joe but not for President this time. Sorry Joe. 2016 would have been his year. Not 2020.

  82. 82.

    tobie

    I’m pretty much a Beto, Booker, and Klobuchar gal. Beto and Booker strike me as the strongest rhetorically and Klobuchar stands out as the most gifted legislatively. None unfortunately add anything to a Biden ticket.

  83. 83.

    azlib

    Folks, it is early days. There will be a lot to sort out in the next 12 months. Biden is by far not my first choice and I think parts of the Dem coalition are going to have a hard time coalescing around an older white guy. Look to see what kind of team Biden puts together. It better look like the Dem coalition. I will also be curious to see polling broken down by ethnicity and age.

  84. 84.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Kay: If I could have run for President, I would have hired you as my Chanakya. You would give the Tad Devines of the world a run for their money. I like the way you think, even when I don’t agree with you!

  85. 85.

    nativeprof

    @tobie: Agree. Klobaucher has an amazing track record of writing laws that actually pass and work. There’s a gulf of difference between asshole bosses who twiddle their thumbs, and asshole bosses who stay up working until 3:00am and are the smartest, most productive people in the office. Amy is the latter.

  86. 86.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @schrodingers_cat:

    so many of our BJers are much more high minded than I am.

    Hmmmm, If I say I look up to you, does that mean I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel?

  87. 87.

    Kay

    @tobie:

    I like Klobachur too, although she’s to the Right of me. I like how tough she is. She’d be fine against Trump. I think we’d be like “jesus Amy, cheap shot!” – I think she probably defies her “type” in real life.

  89. 89.

    Miss Bianca

    @Leto: I am with you on that, and as I have said before, I wish my ex-gov Hickenlooper (who really is That Guy, a pragmatic centrist D) hadn’t persuaded himself that what America needed right now was another white guy in the Presidential race, necause if he had announced he was running for the Senate? The odious, oleaginous Cory Gardner would be toast right now.

  90. 90.

    Redshift

    I’m looking forward to the media pivoting from “Democrats can’t just be anti-Trump, they have to be for something” to “focusing on being anti-Trump is so brilliant!”

  94. 94.

    Kraux Pas

    @nativeprof:

    You’d honestly consider voting Gabbard over Trump, but Trump over Biden?

    No, no, no. Gabbard would also give me pause, but I don’t see her getting the nomination for a second. And I said right in the post I would vote for Biden.

    Reading is fundamental.

  95. 95.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @nativeprof: I took @Kraux Pas:

    This is why he’s the only potential candidate (I don’t put Gabbard in this category) who would give me even slight pause voting for them in the general election. I’ll still vote for him but, Christ, I don’t want it to come to that.

    as Gabbard is one he couldn’t vote for at all.

  96. 96.

    rikyrah

    We need good news:

    New Orleans teen gets 115 college acceptance letters
    Updated Apr 24, 3:32 PM; Posted Apr 24, 10:05 AM

    By Wilborn P. Nobles III, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

    When Antoinette Love was born six weeks prematurely to Anthony and Yolanda Love, all her mother wanted was for Love to live. The New Orleans native only weighed 4.4 pounds, but she eventually left the hospital 23 days later.

    Years later, Love blew past another milestone: Acceptance into 115 colleges and universities nationwide.

    Love, a senior at the International High School of New Orleans, applied to and was unanimously accepted at 115 schools across the country, according to her school. Her efforts also resulted in more than $3.7 million in offered scholarships. Love is determined to become an educator and wants to major in elementary education beginning this fall, her mother said by phone Tuesday (April 23).

    Love, who is planning to be on the road the next few weeks visiting several colleges, said she’s excited to see what the schools have to offer. She advises students to seek out as many fee waivers as possible for every college they apply to. Students should only consider paying for applications at the colleges they “really want to” attend, she added.

    Love said she’s planning to make her college choice by May 1.

    Yolanda Love calls her daughter’s accomplishments amazing, but she pointed out Love had a lot of support around her. Her counselor Denise James helped her identify college application fee waivers. Love also used the College Common App to apply to multiple colleges through one application, and the Common Black College Application to apply at 50 historically black universities, Yolanda Love said.

    Love by phone Tuesday night said she started applying in September and continued to apply until their small mailbox overflowed with letters from colleges. Yolanda Love said the first school that accepted her daughter offered $72,000 in scholarships.

    “A trickle effect” soon occurred, and Yolanda Love said the mailman had to leave letters on the porch and wedge others in between the screen door and the door due to the overflow.

    I love the image of the mailman bringing all the acceptance letters.

  97. 97.

    Betty Cracker

    @Canadian Shield:

    Biden retiring after 1 term at 80 for his younger female VP (Harris? Warren?) to take over wouldnt be a bad deal. If he can win the primary and beat Trump in the midwest…he could be the MAGA suppository to clear out Trump and make Americas bowel move again.

    I don’t think running as a one-termer is a sound strategy, but I had to salute your turn of phrase there! ;-)

  99. 99.

    Another Scott

    @nativeprof: January poll from PPP:

    PPP’s newest national poll finds that at the midway point of Donald Trump’s term as President, he’s a clear underdog for reelection.

    Trump gets just 41 or 42% in head to head match ups against 7 likely Democratic candidates for President. He trails Joe Biden 53-41, Bernie Sanders 51-41, Kamala Harris 48-41, Beto O’Rourke 47-41, Elizabeth Warren 48-42, and Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand each 47-42.

    Trump’s low 40s support for reelection essentially tracks with his approval numbers. Only 40% of voters approve of the job he’s doing to 57% who disapprove.

    As of January, any named Democrat would beat Donnie (in a fair election) – it’s not a Biden thing.

    HTH.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  100. 100.

    Betty Cracker

    @Kay: Agreed. At the present moment, Klobuchar is in my top 3 along with Warren and Harris, despite being a little too determinedly centrist to be an exact match. She’s so tough and competent underneath that unassuming exterior and has undoubtedly been underestimated by assholes like Trump all her life, to their cost. Surprisingly, my husband, who is somewhat leftier than me, also likes her a lot and believes she could win.

  101. 101.

    Leto

    @Miss Bianca: I don’t mind that he’s in the race, as long as it helps hone our overall message. What I don’t want it is the inevitable circular firing squad where we do the Republicans work of tearing down our nominee. I don’t want a BerniBro repeat of 2016. Wilmer promised to support the primary winner, yesterday at ShethePeople. I thought 1) you said the same thing last go around and eventually went negative to our detriment and 2) what about your asshole supporters?

    Policy critique is fine. Tearing people down? Fuck’em.

  102. 102.

    tobie

    @Kay: Klobuchar’s certainly unflappable. Kavanaugh acted like a dick towards her and it didn’t phase her in the least. (Re blackouts: “Answer the question, please.”) And her questioning of Barr, in which she forced him to agree to various definitions of obstruction, is coming back to haunt him, so kudos to her for that. Goddess willing, if the Dems retake the Senate and a Democrat is in the White House, she’d be able to knock out some pretty important legislative proposals quickly. Mr. tobie wants her as AG, but I’d really like to see Adam Schiff in that position.

  104. 104.

    nativeprof

    @Another Scott: You might be right. I really hope so.

    This is a battle against fascism. Trump’s in Central Europe. Schultz is little Mussolini. Kobaucher is England, tough as nails with some imperialist skeletons. Pete is Canada, a very white man running a little country well. Beto is Australia, driving across the outback doing strange things. Warren and Kamala are America from coast to coast. Sanders is Japan, not really fascist but in a dark alliance of convenience. Joe is the Red Army, deeply flawed (#meetoo) but a warhorse who can take 10,000,000 casualties for us if push comes to shove.

  105. 105.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Leto: What about candidates whose only schtick is vote for me because I am Mr. Cool, I will solve all your problems and don’t give any policy details. I have noticed that the only candidates that adopt this stance are male. Should we be all praises for them?

  106. 106.

    Harbison

    @Baud:

    You completely misinterpreted my post.

    I don’t know where you got this notion that I was implying that you were seduced by MAGA cuture or whatever you said.

  107. 107.

    Kraux Pas

    @nativeprof: You may notice on the bottom right of each post is a reply button. It links to the post you’re responding to. Quite helpful.

  110. 110.

    schrodingers_cat

    @nativeprof: I love how your little WW2 analogy omits India and other non-white countries completely. For example more than Churchill’s speeches it was India’s contribution in blood and resources helped the allies hold their own. Factoid: A substantial number of the troops that were able to get away at Dunkirk were from the British Indian Army. A fact omitted by the Hollywood version of Dunkirk. Its not just T and BS that think we are not people.

  112. 112.

    Betty Cracker

    President Obama’s spokeswoman released this statement in response to Biden’s announcement today:

    “President Obama has long said that selecting Joe Biden as his running mate in 2008 was one of the best decisions he ever made. He relied on the Vice President’s knowledge, insight, and judgment throughout both campaigns and the entire presidency. The two forged a special bond over the last 10 years and remain close today.”

    It’s not an endorsement, but it was probably as far toward that as PBO felt he could go in supporting his friend while remaining neutral as the Dems duke it out in the primary, as he did in 2016, IIRC. It’s not just the VP experience — Obama’s obvious affection for Biden is a strong asset, regardless of a formal endorsement. It’s not enough to reassure me about Biden’s deficits as a legislator and candidate, but it probably will be for some.

  113. 113.

    Leto

    @schrodingers_cat: Nope, and I don’t really see that here. I believe you’ll put up Buttigieg as the counter to this, and on a policy front he is thin. People on here do like him for a number of reasons, including that he’s their actual mayor and know him a good bit through his actions there.

    But I believe that the primaries will sort this out, as well as debates. If he makes the first run off and has to go up against Warren/Harris/Klobuchar/Castro, I hope he has shit in order. Because they’ll expose him in every facet, and they’ll do it in a non-shitty way.

    Again, hone the message. Stop giving the Rethugs free ammo.

    PS- Thanks for the biscuit where-to-find suggestion. I tracked down some bourbons and they’re wonderful :)

  114. 114.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Leto: I was actually thinking of Senator Millionyahs and Billionyuhs. Short on policy and long on rhetoric.

    ETA: You are welcome! I can tell you about other treats sweet and savory that you can get from your Indian grocery store.

  116. 116.

    Another Scott

    The blog has been weird for the last hour or so. E.g. lots of slowness, and Cole’s new thread upstairs about Biden just disappeared.

    Is Alain poking at the hamsters again?

    Just curious.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  117. 117.

    Leto

    @schrodingers_cat: Totally agree on him too. Difference though is that he’s not a Dem. Open season on him, imo.

    I guess I’m falling into the Reagan trap of, “Speak no ill will against your own party”. I don’t want a repeat of 2016, there’s too much at stake overall.

  118. 118.

    japa21

    There is, rightfully, that anyone who is in Trump’s circle turns to crap, no matter what they may have been beforehand.

    I think the opposite is true for those who were associated with Obama.

    I think her experience working in his administration changed Clinton in an extremely positive way and helped me put aside some of the things associated with her past that had disturbed me.

    I also saw changes in Biden. He is not the same person now that he was when he was a senator.

    First choice for me? No. But he would get my support in many ways if he wins the primary.

  119. 119.

    schrodingers_cat

    @Leto: If we don’t vet our elebenty candidates we might end up with one foisted by MSM, who are not our friends. I would subscribe to your philosophy after we have a had a bunch of primaries and it becomes clear who our nominee is going to be.
    That worked out quite well for us in the 2008 cycle.

  123. 123.

    Leto

    @schrodingers_cat: Agreed. I think we can vet them without being vicious about it. Without being Wilmerits. 2008 is a good example. I know we have elebenty candidates, but I think we’ll only see about 8-10 of them due to how the new DNC rules are set up regarding polling/funding.

  124. 124.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Leto: The first debates will winnow out a good chunk of the non-viable candidates (and may raise the profile of some who are being dismissed as also-rans at this time). The first few primaries will do the rest. I doubt that more than three will be in the race with any kind of chance after Super Tuesday.

  126. 126.

    MomSense

    @Chris Johnson:

    Honestly I’d prefer credit card Biden in the White House as compared to back in the Senate. He’s not going to generate bad consumer legislation from the west wing but he would sign good legislation coming from a Democratic Congress.

    My first choice is Harris, followed by Warren but I wouldn’t hesitate to vote for Joe in the general.

  127. 127.

    catclub

    @Jeffro:

    and the first Dem to point that out consistently will get in trumpov’s head and stay there for as long as they like.

    so why don’t they?

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