Why The Democrats Need Vice President Joe Biden/Elizabeth Warren

[big_dog]

The message for Democrats to win in a mediocre economy, with an unpopular president and the world in disarray, is simple: The Republicans hate poor people, women and minorities and are radicals. Putting aside the potential for a candidate who does not meet that description, the problem with Clinton is that she makes the election about her. And "her" amounts to scandals, lapses of judgment, cluelessness about working people, and gaffes. The Democrats can't win in 2016, the theory goes, if it is about their candidate.

Think about how much better suited Biden is to the task facing the Democrats. He'll send out a plain-wrap liberal message to the base. To moderates, he'll say he's well-liked and can work with Congress. And if Biden, who championed gun control and gay marriage, promises to run only for one term, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., as the heir to the presidency (his VP), he might really pump up the base. Moreover, he's the ultimate attack dog. His aggressive, almost vicious performance threw Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., entirely off his game. Imagine that is how he'd handle one of the fresher faces on the GOP side like Marco Rubio. As compared with Clinton, Biden is far more capable of making the race about ideology — working-class liberalism vs. hard-edged conservatism (as Biden will posit it) — which is the key to both keeping the Democratic coalition together and scaring independents.

Joe Biden meets with Elizabeth Warren as he mulls run for president

With Clinton as the nominee, the GOP enjoys a host of nonideological issues to use against her. Many voters already think she is not trustworthy and does not care about people like them. The Republicans can use those weaknesses to demoralize the Democratic base, pump up their own and convince cynical independents that she is playing them for fools. If they are fortunate and don't wind up with a candidate who seems out to lunch or hardhearted, even one who seems competent and has some policy ideas (what a concept!), Republicans have about as a good a matchup as they'd expect. They know it. Democratic strategists know it. Now, it is a matter of getting Biden (or someone else) into the race to give Clinton, already teetering on the precipice, a nice hard shove into retirement. Whether they can be successful in doing so is another matter.


Washington Post http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-joe-biden-president-20150825-story.html

[Trajan]

1. A right wing multi national corporate media outlet ...

Explains why 'centrist' candidates are favored by right wing multi national corporate media outlets ...

Thanks for bringing this to DU ...

[big_dog]

3. no problem, enjoy it!

swing state numbers in the general don't lie...

[Metric System]

4. I am suspicious. That's all I will say.

[Metric System]

2. Um, that's the Chicago Tribune. And it's written by neoconservative Jennifer Rubin.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/08/exwashington-post-ombudsman-fire-jennifer-rubin-170603.html

[Maedhros]

5. Biden is to the right of Hillary.

What she means by saying he will bring a "plain wrap liberal message" is that he'll throw some vaguely liberal rhetoric into his stump speeches and guarantee the status quo once elected.

[Android3.14]

6. This seems like a Hillary tactic

Biden can't win, but his name recognition can draw supporters off of Bernie. Clinton and Biden are just trying to split the vote, just like LePage and Cutler took Maine.

[ibegurpard]

7. lol

People who support Bernie aren't going to be interested in Biden. He'd hurt Hillary more.

[djean111]

8. Oh, my goodness! As a Bernie supporter, I would not vote for Biden/ANYBODY.

Using Warren to try and siphon off Bernie supporters is really cynical and, well, stupid. To relegate Warren to breaking Senate ties and going to funerals and such, instead of being effective in Congress is probably a Third Way wet dream, though.

No sale.

[m-lekktor]

11. I agree with everything you wrote. nt

[Leontius]

9. Biden seems like a very nice and likeable man but not someone who should be the President.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. Chicago Trib

Endorsed REPUBLICAN Rauner - the multi-billionaire who bought the Illinois Governorship and is one of the worst Governors this state has ever had. Thank the Goddesses we have a Democratic legislature to stop his Teabaggery crap.