It seems like Joe Biden's entry into the race has "energized" DU for sure.

[Atticus]

There seem to have been more kitchen sinks thrown at Joe than all the rest of the field combined. 

They say one way to judge a person is by their enemies and, though I remain undecided, after seeing who is supposedly so "offended" by the Biden candidacy, he is certainly now one of my top contenders. 

Joe Biden hasn't always been right, but he's always been a kind and decent man who did what he thought was best for the nation. Those who would have us judge him by selected failures over a half-century career ask us to abandon our common sense. I have no idea how they justify this.

[UniteFightBack]

1. You damn skippy. It sure did energize me. When I mentioned Biden/Harris today my non

political co worker perked up and really liked that.

[Kurt V.]

2. humans take cues from other humans. Always have, always will.

[Decoy of Fenris]

3. Biden has baggage that people take issue with. There's no denying that.

I don't give a shit about any of it personally and I think he's got the best straight up chance of beating Trump. That said, legitimate (and some illegitimate) complaints about his past will come, as he's been involved in politics for a long while. Everyone's got their precious pet issues to wail about, so wail they will. We're seeing it from the left and we'll be seeing it from the right.

One of the benefits of Biden is that it's unlikely there's anything he hasn't had thrown at him already. He'll weather it just fine.

[BlueFlorida]

24. lol

[NYMinute]

25. I know right?

Even if there is just a tiny money clip, some can make whole baggage out of it.

[flamingdem]

4. Biden for the win

It won't be easy but I believe he's our best shot

[hedda_foil]

5. It would take months for Biden to catch up to the crap that's been thrown at Bernie for months.

Frankly, the only way I'll vote for either of them is if he actually wind up being nominated. In the meantime, I'm trying to sort out the legitimate beefs from the troll bait.

[Atticus]

19. Haven't most of the issues raised with Bernie been about the last campaign?

Some of the stuff flung at Biden goes back into the 90's.

[hedda_foil]

21. Of course, though often it's with an updated spin.

[Skittles]

39. neither one will ever come CLOSE to what Hillary had to endure

[Cha]

6. Biden is kind and a Uniter.. that's what's

important.

[BannonsLiver]

8. And that may well be what gets it done this year.

Whoever follows this shit show will have a big mess to clean up. There won’t be a helluva lot of time for on the job training, and that is another check mark for him.

[Cha]

10. Yes!.. he's many things besides

kind and a Uniter.

Biden is experienced as a working and successful Vice President with Foreign Policy Cred.

He certainly would know what he's looking for in a VP!

[Hortensis]

7. That last is so well stated. Thanks.

I have no idea how they are able to compartmentalize his most recent history out of consideration, but they do.

?quality=85

President Barack Obama had his audience in tears on Thursday when he surprised his Vice President and “brother” Joe Biden by awarding him the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction...

Obama described Biden as “the best Vice President America’s ever had” and said that selecting Biden as his running mate was “the best possible choice, not just for me but for the American people.”

[Cha]

11. Because it's a

talking point they've latched onto without much forethought.

Thank You for this pic of Biden receiving the Medal of Freedom from President Obama, Hortensis!

[MustLoveBeagles]

18. I see tears in his eyes

You can tell he was genuinely moved. If Joe get's the nomination I'd vote for him in a heartbeat. He'd be a wonderful president.

[Cha]

20. What a moment in history

for him and for us!

Mahalo, MustLoveBeagles!

[MustLoveBeagles]

30. That it was

Mahalo, Cha

[Cha]

31. Mahalo nui loa and

Aloha to you, MLB!

[CTyankee]

33. The first thing I noticed in that photo. It was just wonderful. So happy for him.

I have a reverence for Joe because of just such moments.

[BlueFlorida]

34. because he doesn't have divine messianic purity. nt

[gateley]

9. Harkens me back to 2007 when I first got on board with him -- he can handle it. :-) nt

[Cha]

12. Aloha, gately!

[gateley]

14. Hey! Cha!!!

SO good to see you!!

[Cha]

15. You, too! You were

always a Biden fan.. and look where we are now!

[gateley]

16. Can you believe it? Here we go again! nt

[duforsure]

13. Like Joe,

But I hope he realizes trump will use his DOJ puppet to criminalize him and Obama with his abuse of power. He'll do like he did to Hillary, only this time he'll be pushing his corrupted people to go after them both, and after he and Mitch has been stacking the courts.

[gateley]

17. Can't worry about what might happen in the future-- just got to do what we can now. nt

[emmaverybo]

23. Thanks

For this wise advice which can apply to so much else than this election!

[gateley]

27. Now how do I learn to follow my own advice? :-) nt

[Hekate]

22. Yep. I think the world of Biden: his heart, strength, patriotism, humanity. We NEED his message...

He won't back down from it. As an announced candidate, he's going to have a great opportunity to get his message out.

Any Dem at all among the candidates will govern in an acceptably liberal manner, some just more strongly than others.

Weeks ago I warned that his very longevity was going to be used against him, and sure enough, at the crack of dawn today certain DUers were on a very predictable attack. Well, to hell with that. Win, lose, or draw, America needs to hear the message Joe Biden is sending.

[emmaverybo]

26. Beautifully put

this last line. I am feeling so energized that I look forward to hearing from all our candidates. We have an embarrassment of riches in our field. They will make each other and America better just by carrying a different tune and tone. Whatever role Biden takes, it will be strong,
positive, and uplifting.

[gateley]

28. I think all of our candidates have important messages -- we are SO LUCKY.

If any one of them becomes POTUS I will have peace in my heart and feel safe. I trust them all.

[Laelth]

49. Well said. n/t

-Laelth

[JustAnotherGen]

29. Some of the words

If ardent supporters of other candidates have caused me to knock their candidates down.

I thought his message this morning was spot on.

And it appealed to my Personal Safety and National Security concerns.

When I'm not at DU and in a circle of other black women -


He addressed our fear out of the gate.

I've heard and read time and again for two and a half years about the work is me concerns of white HATEFUL Trump voters. It's ALL about them.

(Eye rolling equals contempt)

Except, they are hateful.

He addressed it. Head on.

He's in my five - it shifted. Pete, Kamala, Andy, Julian and Joe.

[YOHABLO]

32. I saw a clip on tv today where he states that he's not a 'Progressive'

He said he's a liberal. What is so abhorrent about saying you're a 'Progressive'? Pelosi said she's a 'Progressive'.

[Atticus]

35. Several years ago, with the help of the new media phenomenon called "talk radio",

the RWNJ's managed to make "liberal" a perjorative. The Tea Party then made it dangerous to identify as a liberal in some areas. So, some who had always considered themselves "liberals" quietly became "progressives".

Today, I think they're pretty much synonymous. I don't object to being called either, unless the speaker is a con. Then, I insist I'm a liberal, just because it pisses them off.

[Indykatie]

36. 'Progressive' Has Been Unfairly Given a Negative Connotation by the Far Left

They have defined it as being 100% on board with their agenda and platform. Anything less makes you a centrist to some of them. It shouldn't matter but sadly it does.

[Demsrule86]

38. We went to progressive because the right destroyed the word liberal.

Many still use the word. We should not allow the right to call the tune,

[BannonsLiver]

42. What's so abhorrent about calling himself a liberal?

[YOHABLO]

45. I did not say calling oneself a 'liberal' was abhorrent.

[BannonsLiver]

48. Progressive doesn't mean anything anymore

Liberal has actual meaning. That should be the preferred term, not some word we ran to because the GOP tried to make it a slur.

And I never said you called it abhorrent.

[treestar]

47. why is the label so important?

Any of the 20 candidates are fine with their stances on the issues. And we are trying to stop the Dotard from packing the court more and/or making the Presidency authoritarian. The soul of the nation is at stake. How Biden not saying he is a progressive is more important than that is impossible to understand.

[coeur_de_lion]

37. That's the main reason I like Joe

Because long before he declared GOP talking heads were coming after him tooth and nail.

Yes he is a good man. He will be an able leader. But I love him the most because they hate him.

They always hate the ones that they know can beat them.

And if I wasn’t crazy about him before today I damn sure would be after that campaign ad.

Fucking fabulous.

[Cha]

40. Awww!

And if I wasn’t crazy about him before today I damn sure would be after that campaign ad.

Right?!

[coeur_de_lion]

41. Firing from both barrels

Right out of the gate..

Called him (indirectly) exactly what he is.

White supremacist racist a** unworthy of the Office of the Presidency.

[Cha]

43. It was Brilliant!

I like his Team, too! Back to Reality, MF!

[coeur_de_lion]

44. Its going to be fun

watching him play with trump. He's already renting space in his head.

[Cha]

52. Yeah, trump has some

awful karma coming at him.. and Biden leaves zero doubt what he intends to do to Trump during the next 18 months.

[coeur_de_lion]

54. Enjoying it already

Whether he gets the nomination or not, right now we need Joe Biden.

[Cha]

56. Exactly, coeur_de_lion!

[redstateblues]

51. I loved that he called out Trumps lies today

As one of the three main reasons he’s running. Strong stuff.

[Cha]

53. Outstanding, redstateblues! I

haven't seen it yet.

[treestar]

46. I agree and geez the way to handle it is not looking only for your

opponents' faults. It just creates a negativity overall and that is not "energizing," which is so often deemed necessary. I am not energized for your candidate by your criticism of mine. And yours will have no room to talk, either, as I can find negatives on them. Why have the eventual winner so cut down that we "hold our nose" if it turns out not to be our person? We can't afford this.

[ObamaKerryDem]

50. #This! (Except for the undecided part - I am Team Joe! :)) K&R

[Blue_true]

55. Yeah, Undecided dropped two whole points to 40%.

Honestly, a lot of DU people are waiting for the debates.