Is it fair to say that Biden is the early front runner for 2020?

[Renew Deal]

[Wounded Bear]

1. It's fair to say anything...after all, we have that 1st Amendment thing going.

What's also fair to say is, "Does it really matter who is leading now?" History says, "No, it really doesn't."

I can't really remember when a 'front runner' in December after the mid-terms won the nomination, but I can state with certainty it doesn't happen very often.

[Renew Deal]

4. I agree that it doesn't really matter

When you look at big races like 2004 and 2008. It was notable in small fields like 2000 and 2016. I have a feeling this will be a big field.

[erlewyne]

41. We are on a different page.

Trump may be forcefully removed and Pelosi is next in line.

[radical noodle]

45. No, Pence is next in line

[erlewyne]

69. Pence will go down with Trump.

This has all been thought out, no more Nixon bullshit. The G.O.P.
has to act fast to shore this up. Why the hell do you think
the old white-haired men in the house are trying to replace
Pelosi? (The old men in the house are threatened).

[radical noodle]

74. I hope he goes down too

but he's much more sneaky than trump. I worry he will survive this.

[lapfog_1]

2. Biden is a very decent person.

I supported his run in 2008. I sort of wished that we had nominated him in 2016.

His is one of the most recognized names of the crowded field that might run.

but I have to say... I hope he doesn't run. It's time for new names to take center stage.

That said, if he decides to run and wins the nomination, I will work my heart out to get him elected President.

[Heartstrings]

3. Same here....

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

5. Biden would have cremated the Dotard had he run.

[EffieBlack]

23. That's easy to say about anyone who didn't actually run

And, thus, didn't have the Republican smear machine - aka Republican campaign - turned on them.

If Biden had run, they would have dragged him through the mud and it wouldn't have been pretty. He might have survived it, but it's not certain he would - and if he didn't, people would now be saying that he should never have been the nominee and if HILLARY had run, sheeda CREAMED Trump because, after all, she had 70% approval ratings, was the most popular woman in America and didn't have all of Biden's "baggage" (i.e., the stuff - actual and made up - the GOP would have thrown at him had he been the nominee).

So, while the "Biden (or anyone else who has the luxury or remaining above the fray because they didn't get into the ring) woulda CREAMED him!" fantasy may be satisfying, it has no connection to reality.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

27. Yes, LOTS of things are easy to say... guess we'll never know for sure.

But, someone as politically astute as Joe Biden, and as a former V.P. who demonstrated his fierce loyalty to a highly successful President, and who, like Obama, so easily connects with working folks and the average voter, I do think he would have destroyed Drumph.

[radical noodle]

46. He'd run in primaries before

and stepped on himself every time. I don't think he'd have been a slam-dunk.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. Certainly not to the extent Bernie wouldve crushed the Dotard... but, hey, a win is still a win!

[radical noodle]

82. LOL! Good one!

[AlexSFCA]

54. no kidding; in the era of metoo and anita hill history

this will be his major vulnerability in primaries.

[jalan48]

36. +1

[Dennis Donovan]

15. He would've beaten the pants off of trump

...hands down!

[TexasBushwhacker]

16. The Russians still would have installed Trump n/t

[Dennis Donovan]

59. It wouldn't have been close enough for them to do so...

IMO.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

28. NO QUESTION!!!

[AlexSFCA]

57. agree; the only one who is guranteed to win is Sharrod Brown

IMO. And that is because trump cannot effectively campaign against him since he shares many of his voters in midwest.

[WeekiWater]

6. Considering name recognition I think that is a fair assessment.

He also has very close connections to Obama's coalition. I just think his coalition is going to scatter a little bit with some of the excellent names being mentioned. I just don't see him making it all that far in the primary. I still like him speaking for us on an elevated platform. Jump in Joe!

[Renew Deal]

7. I agree with almost all of that

I hope he stays out so he doesn’t damage his reputation when he eventually loses the nomination.

[angrychair]

14. That is the risk, right?

If he runs and fails, as a former VP to arguably the most beloved and respected president in our history, it could take a little shine off the apple.

I love Joe. I think he should stay in politics and mentor and advice for years to come, to be honest, I hope that of the Clintons and Bernie Sanders and president Obama, we need them. We also need a new cadre of Democrats to take on their mantle of public service and work on making this world a better place for all of us.

In full disclosure, as of this moment, my favorite for 2020 is Kamala Harris.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. The dude who just said he doesn't want to hear about millennials "whining"?

Uncle Joe is a treasure in some ways. He was a great VP with Obama. And sure, everyone knows his name. But sooner or later we'll have to come to terms with the fact that he's problematic in several hurtful areas.

[Renew Deal]

12. Agree

[cwydro]

19. What's the story behind this pic?

Either I never saw it or don’t remember. But eww.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

20. Biden giving Stephanie Carter a shoulder rub while her husband, Ashton, makes some remarks as

defense secretary. 2015.

[cwydro]

24. Looks like more than a shoulder rub, somehow.

I don’t know their relationship at all, but certainly seems unprofessional.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

26. Whatever it is, it's clearly making her uncomfortable.

That's our wacky Uncle Joe!

[cwydro]

30. Lol, I picked up on that too.

Unfortunately, I remember that kind of thing happening to me also in my younger years.

I hated it.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

33. Same.

[cwydro]

37. Always an older, and seemingly kind, sweet man...usually in authority.

Yuck. Gives me the icks just remembering it.

Here’s the funny thing: I’m really not a touchy-feely person, so I always thought it was MY fault that I was creeped out!

[MrsCoffee]

51. Her husband laughed about the fauxrage.

“Oh, I laughed. I laughed. I laughed. They know each other extremely well, and we’re great friends with the Bidens,” he said in an interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie on the “Today” show. Carter was traveling to his high school alma mater for a speech on the future of the armed forces.

[TexasBushwhacker]

70. Nice save. Still creepy.

Men need to cut that shit out. SERIOUSLY

[cwydro]

73. Damn right. nt

[Renew Deal]

21. It is an example of what the previous poster was saying

And there are many more

[MuseRider]

38. I have never seen this. ICK!

I am also sure there are many more instances like this to hear about even if not on a photo. Joe would not be my pick anyway, he has way too much baggage after all these years, things that make him look bad in many ways that would make women feel uncomfortable about and then there are other issues. I do not think he is a crazy molester nor do I think he has ever been that way, he just has boundary issues that he has not seemed to address. He NEEDS to take care of this. He loves to talk and issues come out that way too. As a friend he would be a kind man and a lot of fun but we need serious after this fiasco.

I really like the guy, the way he does blurt things out is often hilarious and he almost always means no harm. He is funny and kind but those boundary issues would cause him a lot of distress and actually should cost us the election. In these days the kind of behavior above should make one so beyond consideration that they would never even consider running no matter how well intentioned. For a woman, look at the face above, this is just not acceptable behavior from anyone.

[monmouth4]

32. Most of the time I find him downright creepy. Many times I often thought Obama tolerated him. n/t

[LakeArenal]

42. Obama loves Joe Biden.

Suggesting Joe was “tolerated” is so misleading. Joe and Barack were the closest and most cooperative President and VP ever.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Your point is?

I like Joe but it's still early in the game.

[Renew Deal]

10. That's my point

[LanternWaste]

29. I suppose a "It's too early to decide" post doesn't give quite the same copy.

Ellipses being points too.

[delisen]

11. no

[Renew Deal]

13. Then who is it?

[erlewyne]

17. Pelosi

becomes speaker in a few days.

What if she becomes the incumbent?

[Renew Deal]

18. Funny idea

Do you think she would run? I don't.

[Chemisse]

31. If she became the incumbent she might run. Otherwise no. n/t

[LakeArenal]

48. Ageists would bloom.

Or is ageism just for Joe?

[Autumn]

22. It's fair to say it. At this point in time I doubt it's accurate.

A lot of talk of people considering it but I'll wait for the announcements .

[Midwestern Democrat]

25. If it weren't for his age, I'd say he would be the definite favorite to win the nomination

His only real major hurdle, IMO, is the fact that he will be 78 years old in 2020 (and unlike many on DU, that's a factor I can't easily dismiss as inconsequential). However, all the other names I've seen mentioned have serious enough question marks of their own that I am essentially backing Biden for the time being unless a younger challenger emerges who looks genuinely electable.

[at140]

34. I trust Biden more than any other candidate!

But I can support any other candidate who is not extreme.

[Freddie]

35. According to a recent poll

“A new face” beats everyone on the list. Couldn’t agree more. Love Uncle Joe but it’s time to put 2016 aside and start fresh with someone who did not run (or was not in the WH) then. Please.

[beachbum bob]

39. I like to see how polling would be if Michelle Obama's name was part of it?

[Eliot Rosewater]

55. Irrelevant.

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/419414-michelle-obama-why-im-not-going-to-run-for-president

Not gonna happen.

Whoever the D candidate is will need love and support from every person who claims to be a patriot.

ANY democrat MUST be supported, and not with nose holding bullshit either.

[beachbum bob]

83. you never know....sometimes a person's sense of patriotism takes over from their personal wishes

in 2020, we need a force and no running on the polling list has anywhere near that "force", not biden, sanders, orourke or any one else

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

56. Michelle is incredibly popular, for good reason... she would really shake things up!

[LakeArenal]

40. Biden 2020

[dameatball]

43. At least some of the 80 gazilliion polls say that he is the front runner.

[LakeArenal]

50. I think that is the point...

Attack the front runner. Keep the party in disarray and busy answering attacks as opposed to pushing the party forward in the popular direction.

[Just a Weirdo]

44. In my humble opinion

Wait. It's TOO damn early.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

47. I remember when

Joe Lieberman was the front runner back in the day.

[LakeArenal]

49. Howard Dean as well.

[dameatball]

53. The sad thing about Dean is he was hounded out of the race due to his bizarre victory howl.

Now we have a president that makes that incident look like the molehill that it was.

[Renew Deal]

64. Dean was going downhill prior to that incident

If you remember, he lost Iowa and his support in the early states was tanking. The criticism of him was that he wasn’t ready. The scream confirmed it and that was that.

[dameatball]

72. Probably so. My point had more to do with what was considered normal then and what we have arrived

at now. Vastly different.

[LakeArenal]

65. Just like they smear every front runner and

Again Dems fell for it.

[Renew Deal]

63. Dean was a real front runner for a while

November-December 2003. But his campaign collapsed just prior to Iowa and it was over. I’m still not convinced that we were better off with Kerry. He avoided getting blown out, so I guess that’s something.

[LakeArenal]

66. Until a smear campaign about a display of enthusiasm.

And Dems fell for it.

[democratisphere]

58. Too early to tell.

[ucrdem]

60. Has he ever NOT been the frontrunner?

It's still early, but not that early. The midterms are over and it's time for the campaigns to get rolling. If he's been in front this long I don't see him losing the nom. And if he makes a good VP pick I see him winning in 2020. It's kind of hard to believe that Joe could become pres but who would have believed the last one?

[OnDoutside]

61. As the song goes....

[Chemisse]

62. I hate to identify a frontrunner so soon.

A frontrunner quickly becomes the 'inevitable nominee' and is given all the media attention, for better or worse.

I'd like to see everybody on an equal footing for a good long while, long enough for us to get to know them.

[karynnj]

68. He is the leader in all the polls I have seen - so I guess he is the front runner

However, it is very early. There is a huge field and many big the name they know and thing is the "right" answer.

Those polls do make it more likely that he enters the race. However, he does know what he is getting into and he knows his entering the race will impact his entire family. In 2015, when he clearly wondered if HRC was too damaged by her response to the email issue, was to show interest ... and to quickly rethink it .. possibly due to the drop of several negative stories that almost immediately came out. I would not be surprised if he is doing what candidates often do -- hiring people to do opposition research on him. That would give him a pretty good picture of what could be thrown at him.

One question is whether people having strong impressions of who he is will make him less susceptible to accusations based on legislation or actions from decades ago. If not, some of his bills and his chairing the Clarence Thomas hearings might hurt in the primaries.

At this point, I would consider that his support is support for a mainstream Democrat with extensive experience. (Note that could define HRC 2008 and 2016). If he opts NOT to run or flails when he does, a question is where that supports goes. Looking at the list, my guess is that it might be Elizabeth Warren.

[maxsolomon]

71. Its fair, but I wish you wouldn't.

every one of these speculative 2020 posts is hurting the democratic party.

[customerserviceguy]

75. When will it be safe

to start talking about 2020?

[maxsolomon]

77. After someone declares their candidacy.

Until then, I suspect the intentions of every OP doing so.

I was here in 2016. I haven't forgotten.

[customerserviceguy]

78. OK, fair enough

I don't suppose we will have to wait very long for that.

[samnsara]

76. hes mine

[tavernier]

79. He's mine, too.

Let’s see how it shakes out.

[Brother Buzz]

80. Is it fair to say that Biden is the ideal Democratic stalking horse

Nothing more, nothing less.

[Gothmog]

81. I would support Joe if he ran

It is clearly too early to predict who the nominee will be