I get that some people hate Biden for his past votes, etc, but I think attempts to take down Biden

[ecstatic]

should be done carefully, considering it's very likely that he will be our nominee. The last thing we need is for voters to feel demoralized and unmotivated to vote.

Picking apart and micromanaging every joke Biden makes on the campaign trail or every conciliatory comment he makes towards republicans is silly to me, because at that point, you're attacking his character/personality, which he cannot change. He's an old school politician. He's campaigning. That's it. And he's saying what people want to hear--that there's still hope of congress working together to get things done.

I think it's perfectly fine to have a back and forth on important issues like marijuana and the Hyde Amendment, but I think such discussions should be sincere--done with the goal of making our party and platform stronger. Biden has shown that he is flexible and willing to change course when necessary.

Just my opinion, of course.

[Thekaspervote]

1. Thank you for your thoughtful post!

[Turin_C3PO]

2. Yes, thank you.

I have no problem with people disagreeing with Biden. Hell, I disagree with him a lot! But let’s not go overboard and do the GOP’s work for them.

[Cha]

34. Yeah, I do, too.. but I really don't like "smear" attempts..

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

51. I agree 100%... we don't want a repeat of what's been done to Bernie.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Skittles]

3. I don't hate him, I just think we can do better

[zentrum]

19. Exactly. nt

[Hortensis]

42. Yes, good post, but wish people didn't throw that word

around the left as if it was normal. By far most of the good haters are on the right, and those hate most what they fear most.

[ecstatic]

45. Tell everyone to vote their

hearts in the primaries. But people are terrified of trump winning another 4 years, just like we were terrified about bush winning another 4 years.

[Skittles]

47. without Russia, Hillary would be president right now

Biden is not the only candidate who can beat Trump

[ecstatic]

48. I agree with you. I think all of them could beat trump. But

perception is reality in this case, and because of that, it's likely that Biden will be our nominee.

[Skittles]

49. I'd vote for him if I had to

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. BINGO!!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Skittles]

53. sorry, I would not go that far

[emmaverybo]

4. Thank you. Wise and smart post. nt

[shanny]

5. Although I understand we should tread lightly with our own

I think it very unlikely that he will be our nominee.

Even given 100% name recognition, affection and nostalgia, Biden is polling with Ds at about 35% or less (and dropping).

That means, despite those assets, 65% of the Democratic Party prefers Somebody Else.

And, speaking for myself, the Hyde debacle and marijuana BS are disqualifiers on their own. We are not going back to that.

[ecstatic]

6. That's slightly misleading because

people might have a different first pick, but they might also like Biden as well. We have a lot of great candidates!

Also, do we know whether Biden would block an overwhelming call to legalize marijuana? I don't think he would.

[demosincebirth]

29. Pot is not an issue for me - making life easier for the underprivileged

And the low income. That includes healthcare and federal minimum wage of at least $15 an hour.

[shanny]

30. our 5 top candidates

(including Biden, 2 women, a socialist and the gay mayor of a small Midwestern city) are all polling ahead of tRump. and it is early days.

Why should we give away any vote because "I'm sure he doesn't really mean it."

[dvduval]

7. Rally around the leader

We need a clear leader to rally around, and we want someone that is very likely to defeat Trump. We know from past experience there will be underhanded attempts using dark money to sow division in our party. It's happening every day. Most important is we agree to come together.

Probably my favorite candidate is Kamala Harris, but the candidate I believe will most likely defeat Trump is Joe Biden. Barring some unexpected change of events, I feel Biden is the safest pick.

Now what we want is the Democratic Party to take control of the executive branch. This is not just a case of Biden versus Warren. We are going to get thousands of people into power via the winner in 2020. Take no chances.

100% chance there will some story that goes viral detailing how our top candidate (perhaps Biden) screwed over our second rank candidate (perhaps Warren), and the second rank candidate supporters are being lured into being furious about this, and better to have no candidate at all (and so the meme will go). This is 100% going to happen. Be prepared.

[Prof.Higgins]

11. Yep. Even MSNBC's interviews at Clinton Convention 90% were Sannders sulkers, who

adamantly refused to follow Sanders example of advocating for Clinton against Trump.
Whether they voted for Jill Stein or refused to cast a vote for Prez, there were enough of those sulkers to gift the Electoral College to Trump. Don’t let Murdoch and our bone lazy White House Corespondents perpetrate another gaslighting or swiftboating narrative against our Nominee.

Let’s celebrate that there’s a singularly high-quality field of candidates to pick from this election!

[Scurrilous]

8. Well said.

[Prof.Higgins]

9. Exactly right. United we stand. Divided we fall to Trump. n/t

[marylandblue]

10. I have nothing against Biden, but I question whether he is the right nominee.

Like it or not, personality and style are part of the equation. I am paying much more attention to those things that I have in prior elections. Because if you think he's being picked apart now, just wait until Trump gets ahold of him. It's going to be awful and I don't think Biden's approach is going to work against Trump. I just don't. I know people disagree, but we should at least be able to talk about it without getting offended. Or worse, often the response is that he is the only "electable" candidate and therefore it doesn't matter what he says or does or what your personal opinion is.

[Skya Rhen]

13. Buttigieg has a greater chance of getting picked apart by Trump for obvious reasons.

[melman]

16. What reasons are those?

[pangaia]

17. yeah, my question as well.

That statement sure says something, doesn't it.

[Skya Rhen]

21. Google is your friend - search trump tweets.

[shanny]

37. So are you prepared to select a candidate based on

what tRump/RWNJs don't/doesn't like?

[Skya Rhen]

39. Check reply #10 - rubber and glue...

[marylandblue]

43. That's my post. Please write your own. Thank you.

[marylandblue]

22. Yes, he will certainly be attacked as will all other candidates.

But I think Buttigieg's responds well to Trump. He turns the whole thing around and brings it back to basic principals. He says something like: my marriage brings me closer to God. Every American deserves the right to live freely the way God made them.

I think that works a lot better than Biden's punching back.

And it's not like Buttigieg won't attack at all. But it's more like slipping him a stiletto than a punch in the face.

My opinion.

[LibFarmer]

12. Very well said

although smearing and demoralizing is the specialty of David Sirota, Brihanna Joy Grey and Nina Turner who all work for the same campaign.

[Peacetrain]

14. Yep!!!..

First and foremost we have to win this.. and you are right.. our personal politics can get the best of us on any given day..

[Politicub]

15. Hate is a strong word. I doubt many people would say that. We can disagree without

resorting to hating a candidate.

For the Hyde Amendment for instance, the pushback caused Biden to change his position. I think that's a good thing because it shows that he listens.

The primaries are the time to get negative votes aired. If they're out there, you can bank on the republicans using them against Biden or any other candidate, whether or not a primary candidate unearths baggage first. By getting stuff out early, it gives the campaigns a chance to form a communications strategy to either defend their position or show how they evolved.

Also, I understand that the conciliatory-language message is for people who want the seized gears of government oiled or for people who really think someone can bridge the divide. Or at least I would like to hope that it is the point. As someone deciding who to vote for in the primary, I believe that it makes Biden, who I know is very smart, sound naive or oblivious to what's going on around him because he played a round golf with some of his old senate colleagues.

I agree with you that we should be sincere, though it's hard for me to pass up opportunities for a good snark.

[Honeycombe8]

18. This is what it's like to run for President. This is nothing compared to what's coming.

The Republicans are going to run ads about his Iraq War vote, his plagiarism, his hugging women, and everything else negative they can think of.

Democrats now are bringing up legitimate issues that the Republicans will focus on. It serves a purpose.

[aidbo]

20. I don't think Biden can win against Trump. Just my opinion, of course.

[Skya Rhen]

23. If Joe can't win against Trump then be prepared for another four years because no other candidate

stands a better chance - that's for sure. The poll numbers are not imaginary.

[marylandblue]

26. Of course they are not imaginary. But do you imagine they will never change?

[cannabis_flower]

28. No one stands a better chance...

if the election were being held today. But it's not being held today. You don't know if those poll numbers are going to hold up.

[Bettie]

24. I don't hate him

I simply prefer another candidate at this time and don't believe that he's the only choice.

I also think he needs to pull back on the whole, "brothers need to keep boys away from their sisters" deal.

[Skya Rhen]

25. Joe is America's choice. Wise people...

[marylandblue]

27. America hasn't chosen yet. That's what elections are for.

[Bettie]

32. Right now he has a lot more

name recognition than most in the race.

FAR too early to declare that anyone has it won.

[dalton99a]

33. Polls are not elections. Let the voters decide

[Autumn]

41. You think?

[ecstatic]

36. Regarding the siblings thing...

All jokes aside, is that really one of your concerns?

[Bettie]

38. Not really a concern for me

but it is a seriously dated comment and will not sit well with some people.

[Indygram]

31. Don't hate him. I just want something to vote FOR, not just "against Trump."

eom

[Cha]

35. Mahalo, ecstatic.. that's very wise and kind

if you.. I know he's not your choice, either.

[mtnsnake]

40. Please don't confuse criticism with hatred. nt

[ecstatic]

46. I don't think I am. There is fair criticism, hell

I'm sure I've criticized him too, but I was referring to the super petty outrage posts about stuff that doesn't matter. When you pick apart and find outrage in *everything* someone does and says, that indicates an intense dislike (bordering on hatred).

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

55. I know what you're saying... we see those posts against Bernie all the time!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Martin Eden]

44. I like Joe Biden a lot, but I won't support him in the primary

For 2 reasons:

I have never and will never, in a Democratic primary, support a candidate who voted for the IWR in 2002.

Call me an "ageist" but Joe will be more than 80 years old at the end of his first term.

[Iggo]

50. I don't hate him. (n/t)

[OhZone]

54. Unfair attacks like this -

have made up my mind.

I will only vote for Biden in the Primary.

In the general, any Dem over a Con.

[scardycat]

56. Every time I hear a Dem attack another I see

a right wing ad picking up on it...so knock it off

[Gothmog]

57. James Clyburn is siding with Joe Biden on this issue

This is very nice to see https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/06/20/why-joe-biden-is-so-defensive-over-his-remarks-about-segregationists/?utm_term=.ab8bb7949ad8

Biden has powerful Democratic backers on this: The highest-ranking African American member of Congress, House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), told reporters Wednesday he understands where Biden is coming from and that he, too, worked with people such as Strom Thurmond. Other black Democrats in Congress tried to frame Biden’s words in charitable ways.

“I think the sentiment is something that we all know in the legislative body — that you work with people you don’t agree with,” Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-La.), a co-chairman of Biden’s campaign, said.

The Clyburn comment in particular is helpful to Biden. If there’s one friend in Congress you want to make as a Democratic presidential candidate, it’s probably Clyburn. He rules South Carolina Democratic politics, and South Carolina is the first early voting state with a majority black Democratic primary voters. Biden and his opponents will be campaigning in South Carolina this weekend at Clyburn’s famous fish fry.