'Is it Even Right to Call Joe Biden a Frontrunner?': Jake Tapper Questions Veep's Status in 2020 Rac

[JoeOtterbein]

Mediaite

By Connor Mannion Jan 2nd, 2020, 4:56 pm

CNN anchor Jake Tapper questioned if it is correct to call Joe Biden the 2020 Democratic frontrunner when his fundraising is “eclipsed” by Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

“Is it even right to call Joe Biden a frontrunner if he’s being eclipsed in fundraising by Buttigieg and by Bernie Sanders? Bernie Sanders has a huge fund-raising donor base and also the state-by-state polls show that it’s really fluid and voters haven’t coalesced around a candidate yet,” Tapper questioned his panel on The Lead Thursday.

NPR reporter Ayesha Rascoe responded by saying Biden’s support has remained “fairly consistent,” and noting Biden was able to bring in millions of dollars himself in fundraising.

“This was a do or die moment for him, in a sense. If he hadn’t been able to show that he could do the fundraising right now, that would have been a real problem for him,” she said.

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more at link

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Cant wait to see the reaction when and if Liz is the front runner...

Will endless stuff be said about how she really isnt?

[TidalWave46]

15. Not by me.

I would love to see her at the top. She speaks for me.

Keep kicking ass Rosewater!

[brooklynite]

28. Emphasis on the 'if".....

https://projects.economist.com/democratic-primaries-2020/

If Warren is going to become the frontrunner, she's going to have actually GAIN on Biden, not keep dropping...

[pfeiffer]

2. Yes!

Bernie and Pete did fantastic with their fundraising this past quarter.

And I very much like Jake Tapper. BUT...this story is...well...

Bawahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

3. EXCELLENT QUESTION!! ANSWER IS NO... BUT BARELY AT BEST!!

At this stage of the race, Bernie prolly prefers winning the campaign contribution race... preferably from small doners rather than corporate types.


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[Thekaspervote]

6. Double digit leads in all the major polls Ntl as well as many states indeed he is the front runner

I will be so glad when the primaries are over and sanders returns to VT

[peggysue2]

9. You and Me both, Kav

The question itself is nuts. Biden has had the lead from the start, went through a flat period and came out the clear lead in national and important swing state polls. So, now the marker of the leader is . . . fundraising. Because . . . ????

Moving the goalposts for the convenience of those who poll numbers are not so hot. If that's the case, then we better get ready for a Steyer of Bloomberg presidency.

Give me a break!

[Kurt V.]

4. they all raised money. big money. think of a place you would spend it

[dsc]

5. That is absurd

He has a double digit national lead, he has double digit lead in SC, is one point short of a double digit lead in NV. Even in Iowa and NH he is close. If that isn't a front runner, I have no idea what one would be.

[TwilightZone]

7. I didn't realize that Tapper was detached from reality.

Nice of Ms. Rascoe to explain it to him.

The media is desperate for a horse race, even if they have to make it up themselves.

[Thekaspervote]

8. Biden....Double digit lead over next 2. Bernie supporters... still think he will win

Even here on DU he polls at 8%...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

18. Make that 9% & that's with the multitude of Bernie supporters who left DU for reasons I wont mention

The DU poll numbers will only grow in Bernie's favor as he starts racking up primary wins!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[Thekaspervote]

24. Thank heavens sanders will not be the nominee!!

[Hav]

27. Right, and the major reason you don't want to mention is

that they didn't want to support the Democratic candidate for President.
That's not a positive trait to have connected with a group.

[TexasTowelie]

31. You mean the ones that refused to vote for a Democrat in the last general election? nt

[Joe941]

32. He is starting to increase even on DU. Impressive!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

35. IT IS JOE! LITTLE WONDER THAT AS BERNIE GOES UP IN THE POLLS, SO DO ATTACKS ON HIS GOOD CHARACTER!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[LanternWaste]

36. No wonder that as Bernie stagnates in the polls, so does the defense of him become sloppy

[W_HAMILTON]

38. Because it's about him -- not us.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

39. Bernie IS us... at least the working class.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[BannonsLiver]

41. Watching that not happen is going to be entertaining.

[SWBTATTReg]

10. Personally I don't think anyone is a front runner until a single vote has been cast...by voters on..

the ground. Don't the voters have a say (other than the indirect support of money to support candidate's campaigns)...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

20. THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[ritapria]

11. Biden is a weak frontrunner

If he finishes 4th in Iowa and NH , he will become a former frontrunner …..On the other hand , If Biden finishes a strong 2nd in Iowa and NH , he will become a strong frontrunner ……. No one knows what will happen in Iowa and NH ……..I don't know about the strength of his organization in Iowa ...I do know Biden's people simply did not show up in any real numbers at the Liberty and Justice Dinner held in Iowa 2 months ago - a possible ominous sign for his prospects on Caucus Night

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

25. Not a good sign indeed!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[LanternWaste]

37. And again, an allegation lacking any data or evidence to support it as such.

And again, simply another series of prophetic, faith-based If-Then hypotheses.

[11 Bravo]

12. Well, let's ponder this. He's running, and he's in front.

So yeah, I'm guessing "front-runner" isn't too far off of the mark.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

21. Joe's certainly A front-runner by that definition.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[highplainsdem]

13. Tapper: "Let's pretend all the races where the also-rans raised more money never happened..."

LOL!

[George II]

14. Inasmuch as "his fundraising is "eclipsed" by Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders"....

....and he's still maintained a clear lead since even before he announced his candidacy in April, how can he not be considered the "front runner"? Does Tapper know the definition of "front runner"?

BTW, he still is 9.2% ahead of his closest rival nationally.

[treestar]

16. Fundraising has to show in polls about who people are going to vote for

I thought money was not the be-all and end-all? Whoever spends the most money wins? Isn't that something we are against?

[PatSeg]

17. Didn't Jeb Bush

out raise everyone else? Yet He was never the front runner.

[Joinfortmill]

19. That's the most important thing

Tapper finds to talk about?

[ChubbyStar]

22. As one who has studied and handicapped horse races for 35 years I will say this

The favorite in the race is the chalk or the favorite, odds based on race experience, throw in a bit of trainer and some breeding, and that horse has the edge. Race experience can be prior wins or just hitting the board, but none of this maters, in a fucking marathon race rest assured that the horse you just dismissed, just bidding his/her time, will hit the wire. Slow and steady my friend.

[boomer_wv]

23. Nate Silver

was just talking about this.

Fundraising numbers are about as significant in predictiveness as endorsements are. However, both are well below polls for being predictors of election outcomes. So, which being the top fundraiser is a good thing, being the polling leader is a lot better.

[RandySF]

26. Yes

Next question.

[PubliusEnigma]

29. He's always been the frontrunner, and will be until the day he's nominated.

Will Bernie back Biden?

Money <> Votes

[UniteFightBack]

30. From the polls I saw today...yes. Biden is beating dump in Florida by 2 points. We are going to

run the fucking table come election time. Either get a seat or get the fuck out the way.

[Dem4Life1102]

33. Tapper??

[Joe941]

34. Keep in mind we went the anti Bernie route in 2016...

And that didnt go particularly well. If you want tRump out then let's not let history repeat the 2016 story.

[patricia92243]

40. If who has the most money is how the front runner is decided, then it is hello

President Mike Bloomburg.

[OKNancy]

42. Perhaps Joe's supporters are more likely to be unable to donate much

if anything. Joe's voters are the working class and lower income folks... not Bernie. Bernie has the white kids and college educated.
Joe's people's votes are just as important as some kid who wants free college.

[Gothmog]

43. Sanders Launches Harsh Attack On Biden That Proves The Former VP Is The Most Electable Democrat

Link to tweet

The independent lawmaker’s comments are his sharpest attacks on Biden to date, but they show that Sanders recognizes that his biggest weakness – electability – is the former VP’s greatest strength.

The only problem with Sanders’ assessment of Biden’s chances against Trump is that a mountain of national and statewide polling data contradicts it.

In fact, based on the current RealClearPolitics average of state-by-state polling, Biden is the only candidate among the Democratic frontrunners – including Sanders – who is leading Trump in enough states to win the Electoral College.

As of Dec. 31, Biden stands at 322 electoral votes compared to Trump’s 166, with 50 electoral votes falling into the toss-up category.

Sanders, on the other hand, leads in states totaling just 265 electoral votes to Trump’s 257 electoral votes. Only North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes fall into the toss-up category.