Who does Biden represent and why would a two time loser be the saving grace?

[reddread]

Whatever interests Clarence Thomas serves, must be Biden's as well.
There isnt an iota of light slipping between the folk's with the means to
place Thomas on the SCOTUS despite the singular absurdity of his refusing to
comment on Roe V Wade and his assertion that he had never discussed it with
anyone.

Thomas was confirmed ONLY because of Biden's role as chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/jamie-stiehm/2014/04/16/anita-tells-of-joe-bidens-forgotten-role-in-confirming-clarence-thomas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Thomas_Supreme_Court_nomination

so with the issue of women's reproductive rights, workplace safety and the integrity of the court
tossed in the trash, we get a series of terrible rubber stamp appointments and a very serious problem
manifested so harshly in 2000, turning our country into a cesspool of unbridled greed and shattered
guarantees enumerated on some GD piece of paper.

all of this can be laid at the footsteps of the Thomas confirmation.

Who does Biden represent?

He has never been a vital candidate, just an also ran with capped teeth and hair plugs.
probably his most authentic features.
The only institution I expect would fully back his prospects would be the NSA.
we need to remember who really has their interests in direct opposition to democracy, freedom and justice.

They may cast the deciding vote.

[reddread]

1. dirty hands

<that “the preponderance of the evidence suggests” that Thomas lied under oath when he told the committee he had not harassed Hill.[36][61] Mayer and Abramson say Biden abdicated control of the Thomas confirmation hearings and did not call Angela Wright to the stand.[36] They report that four women traveled to Washington DC to corroborate Anita Hill’s claims, including Wright and Jourdain.[36]
According to Mayer and Abramson, soon after Thomas was sworn in, three reporters for The Washington Post “burst into the newsroom almost simultaneously with information confirming that Thomas’ involvement with pornography far exceeded what the public had been led to believe.”[62] These reporters had eyewitness testimony and video rental records showing Thomas’ interest in and use of pornography.[63] However, according to Jeffrey Toobin, because Thomas was already sworn in by the time the video store evidence emerged, the Washington Post dropped the story.[62] The book by Mayer and Abramson was subsequently made into a movie.>


In fact, Thomas was called "the number one customer" of a Washington DC porn shop by the owners.
This going to the heart of his denials regarding pornographic statements made to Anita Hill and presumably the sequestered corroborating witnesses.

Some of the dirtiest hands on the planet.

[tularetom]

2. He represents the party honchos who are getting cold feet about Hillary

Her campaign has turned into yet another Clinton scandalfest and is in danger of imploding. They need somebody to step up and save their phony baloney jobs.

Biden has his own baggage, notably his links to the credit card industry, his Iraq war vote and of course the Clarence Thomas thing. He ain't great but he's all they got.

They're petrified that Sen Sanders might get the nomination and clean house at the DNC.

Biden is the un-Hillary.

[reddread]

3. un-hillary, perfect

i was thinking anti-hillary, but that isnt quite right.
The real problem, is what we think of as baggage, or crimes against America and the World, etc,
they think of as qualifications.

[Nay]

16. I end to agree with you. I can't come up with any other reason why Biden

would be considered.

[last1standing]

30. Biden isn't the "un-Hillary."

He's a possible Hillary surrogate to run as the un-

[Garrett78]

4. He represents the same faction as Clinton.

The dominant, neoliberal faction of the Democratic Party is probably concerned about Clinton's electability. A big name, less polarizing Plan B, even one known for gaffes, who seems to have a good relationship with the still-popular (among Dems) Obama may be pressured to enter the race. So, it's purely the establishment that Biden would be saving. Perhaps if O'Malley had gained some traction by now (it doesn't help that there has not yet been a debate) Biden wouldn't be called upon. Given that 25% of registered voters have never heard of Sanders, I'm guessing at least 50% have never heard of O'Malley (not to mention Chafee and Webb). Biden doesn't have that problem (amazingly enough, though, 4% of registered voters have never heard of the sitting VP).

Biden is certainly not ideal, but what other big name neoliberal can the party establishment turn to?

[LondonReign2]

36. Spot on

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. Third Time's the Charm? Or so they hope? nt

[Warren DeMontague]

6. He represents status quo panic that Hillary's problems will sink her

I think he's a terrible choice.

Who wants him? I dunno, DEA gravy train types hoping he'll "get tough" on legal weed, and send troops into the pot states to arrest everyone who has a bong?

If he was such a stellar choice, why is everyone only turning to him now?

If we really must drag additional people in, I say get Al Gore. Or maybe someone fresh, like Gavin Newsom.

[reddread]

7. who wants to work for Gavin the backstabber?

he can limbo under a snake's belly

[Warren DeMontague]

8. At least he's gotten ahead of the ball on some important issues.

I dont have any preconceived biases against the guy, other than not liking his haircut and being aware of his past marital stuff.

You have to admit, we really need to expand our bench beyond this handful of aging east coast baby boomers.

[underthematrix]

9. Apparently this is the Bernie Toddler Group

Joe Biden is the Vice President of the United States. This POTUS and VPOTUS have been partners in running the country for the past almost 8 years. He was elected and re-elected as part of this partnership. His past record would matter more if he was a senator who has never held a chair position on a Senate SubCommittee.

[Armstead]

15. Your'e being asinine

Without that dismissive "toddler" snipe, you might have had a point to make.

[underthematrix]

18. I was responding to the post. Did you read it?

What do teeth and hair have to do with a legitimate argument? That's why I used the word "toddler." While intensely disliked Clarence Thomas, I completely understood the context of the situation, which was racialized by the media and others. It was not simply a matter of not confirming him because of his inapporpriate behavior 10 years prior. Enmeshed in any outcome was the hopes and dreams of many African Americans who saw this disgusting man as someone who had acheived great success as an African American even though at the same time we understood he had abandoned the AA community. Biden had to balance all of those interests. I fell in love with Biden because it was very hard and complicated and he got it done even though Thomas is disliked by so many in the AA community. Biden is the same senator who authored and sponsored the Violence Against Women Act. That to me was more important then anything. It shifted women from property to individuals with rights equal to and separate from their husbands, partners interests.

One of my hobbies is reading about former presidents, major supreme court cases, policy development and implementation and leadership. I'm basically a history buff. I prefer cogent arguments rather than those grounded in emotion. That's what the other side is doing, which is why their lead candidate is a goosesteeping German whose rhetoric is eerily similar to Hitler's, see the History Channel's Nazi America; very very enlightening.

[Armstead]

19. The context of your replies are much more construcctive than just insulting us all

It;'s one thing to criticize the premises of the OP in the thoughtful way you did. You actually made me at least consider Biden and that whole situation somewhat differently.

But you undercut that by first calling those of us who support Sanders as a "Toddlers Club." It immediately alienated me (and I'm sure many others) from reading the very legitimate (if debatable) points in your posts.

[MH1]

27. Well, I took "Bernie Toddler Group" as implying the existence of a "Bernie Adult Group"

YMMV, I guess.

One reason not to post in asinine and insulting ways such as the O.P., or the post you're referring to.

I'll say, I know Bernie isn't the same as his supporters, but crap like the O.P. does leave a bad taste in my mouth. And I'm not really a Biden supporter particularly. (I'll probably not get a real choice in the primary and will vote for the Dem in the general, so I can just sit back and be alternately amused and disgusted by the antics of the DU partisans.)

[underthematrix]

29. I appreciate your feedback. You did tell me I was being an ass

but I figured you needed to say that before you provided your great feedback. I don't have a problem being called names. i want you to bring it in whatever way you need to bring it as long as we can keep talking the key is to keep the conversation going.

The issue is not Biden's qualifications or his past policies. The real issue is process. What happens if Biden gets in the race? Many HRC supporters feel it is her turn and in some ways she is owed the Presidency. And most Democrats were happy to oblige but President Obama does not suffer people who inadvertently or intentionally mishandle classified information. Recall Gen Petraeus? So now we are in very different territory. Will HRC drop out if the situation becomes more dire? And if she did, when would that be? Primaries and caucuses start in early 2016, which is the same time the State Dept. says they will be finished with their review of her emails. But after that, there's a 15 step process in which other departments provide review and comment before the final review. It's a very very long process. What other issues will arise from the FBI investigation of her server? Will other people be dragged into the situation? How will HRC's testimony in October in front of the House Oversight committee impact her campaign and poll numbers, particularly in batteground states?

The majority of Dem voters want Biden to jump in but how will that impact those loyal to Clinton and excited about Bernie? If Biden runs, I imagine Warren will be his running mate. This will be good because in four years, she would be ready to assume the Presidency and could run either at the top of the ticket or do another four years with Biden. Then Warren could be at the top of the ticket and with one of the Casstro brothers taking second chair.

i'm so disappointed that we have this wrinkle. Nah, I'm pissed and I keep asking why why why. I thought it was going to be easy sailing. We would have our primaries and caucuses. We get our gen election candidate, VOTE deep blue and bingo, we get the WH, the House and the Senate. But now all of that may be in jeopardy.

[Armstead]

31. DU brings out the best and worst in us all...especially duing prmary season

Personally, my main concern is that sander's message and goals be a real part of the overall campaign in the rimaries and GE. I hope he is the messenger, but if not, I just went to be sure it isn't tamped down yet again. We have to stop ignoring the causes of the extreme economic and social disparity, growing poverty and concentration of power that is occurring, We have to stop ignoring the elephant in the room, and stop kowtowing to the wealthy and powerful and stop letting corporations replace the role of government.

[zeemike]

23. You are under the illusion that people are satisfied with the status quo

They are not...even after electing the first black president who promised them change... they got shit and things are hardly better than they were under Bush.
Don't be fooled by approval ratings, there is a deep discontent with the status quo...Sanders and Trump show it in left and right.

[underthematrix]

32. promises?

"YOU PROMISED" Every candidate that's running on the Dem side are really good people. Not one of them is a shitstorm. But whoever you support, you're going to be disappointed because PRESIDENTS do what they can, not what they promise.

[Peacetrain]

10. How to win friends and influence people??

Seriously are you kidding me..

[MH1]

11. Just to be clear, those are your own words, right?

A lot of people on this site don't know how to use the "excerpt" tag. I just want to be sure I'm associating the words in your op with the correct author.

[madville]

12. I'll take him over Hillary anyday

It's not even a close decision, plus he is more qualified for the position than she is.

[bowens43]

13. He's preferable to Hillary but that's not saying much

[hedgehog]

14. And here I was wondering how long it would be before the discussion of Biden turned nasty!

[MyNameGoesHere]

17. Glad to see Biden is on the

DU shit list. Things are shaping up nicely.

[Sunlei]

21. The OP is NOT the voice of DU.

[Sunlei]

20. VP Biden would make an excellent president too. He will let us know for sure in the fall.

I think his late son asked him to consider running and VP Biden will honor his late son by considering.

Everything you, OP posted about VP Biden I disagree with.

[sufrommich]

22. "an also ran with capped teeth and hair plugs"

I get the feeling there's a lot of DUers who don't like democrats,period. It's hard to imagine how you could be any more insulting with this.

[Le Taz Hot]

24. I remain just as outraged today as when it happened

30+ years ago. This is the DNC looking to back another corporate shill 'cause ole Hil ain't lookin' that good these days and he's just enough of an egoist to lap it up.

[KittyWampus]

34. Nice conspiracy theory. Would still love to seem ANY proof of that.

[mmonk]

25. He is acceptable to the Party elites

though I hear the Sanders campaign has all the elites (in an alternative universe).

[JoePhilly]

26. "capped teeth and hair plugs" .... oh yea ... we should take you seriously.

Thanks for the laugh.

[ibegurpard]

28. He would not be.

He would be Hillary without any of the puzzling enthusiasm she is able to generate.

[reddread]

33. he is to sexism what Trump is to racism

makes me very ill to realize Id rather have Hill.

[Zorra]

35. He could be the saving grace by splitting the Third Way vote, and

thereby handing the nomination to Bernie

[LettuceSea]

37. Why are we losing in OH, struggling in PA, MI?

Our current candidates are having difficulty connect with the most important voting groups, working class and minorities.

Ideological debates aside, how can we win the general election when we can't connect with the most important groups of voters in key swing states?

[senz]

38. Salon's Joan Walsh is clearly afraid of Biden entering the race.

And she's a big Hillary supporter. Here she is this morning, damning Biden with the faintest of praise. But mainly damning.

http://www.salon.com/2015/08/26/the_case_against_joe_biden_2016_why_remind_democrats_hes_even_less_liberal_than_hillary/