2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumBiden in hush-hush donor meeting: Sanders ‘doing a helluva job’
Joe Biden sounded off Wednesday on one of his potential primary opponents — but it wasn't Hillary Clinton.
“I am not a populist. But Bernie Sanders, he’s doing a helluva job,” Biden said, puzzling at least a few donors at a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraiser in Miami.
Sure, it was a Joe-being-Joe moment. But a few donors weren’t over amused.
“What the hell was he saying? I mean, 90 percent of the room is a Hillary donor,” one contributor told POLITICO.
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/joe-biden-bernie-sanders-213297
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think
(11,641 posts)to the American people.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)
TheKentuckian
(25,023 posts)let's the truth out from time to time.
That is why he was washed out with the nearly infinitely lame plagiarism fake scandal, the fear he'd beat boring ass Poppy and worse be candid about something important.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)
Skwmom
(12,685 posts)What a surprise.
Definition of Populist:
: a member of a political party claiming to represent the common people;
: a believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people
Don't worry Joe. We would NEVER accuse you of being a populist.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)This wasn't for public consumption. It only came out because a Hillary backer was appalled.
Bernie's strength may be on his mind as he considers a possible run.
jfern
(5,204 posts)Armstead
(47,803 posts)From the story:
Another attendee chuckled at the out-of-the-blue mention of the Vermont senator: “Yeah. It was kinda weird.”
-------------------
I have mixed feelings about Ol' Joe. I don't know why he had to distance himself from "populist" politics, and his corporate ties bothr me. But I also think his heart is in the right place, and he's basically a liberal in his instincts. In another era, I think he'd have been more clearly liberal. And I like the fact that he is rather unfiltered.
But the response of donors (at least as reported) at his positive words about Sanders 00 who IS a viable contender that is gaining strength -- reveals the arrogance and detachment of many of the moneyed backers of the Democratic establishment. Snd yes, that also means Clinton backers.
"Ohhhhhhhh, that Sanders fellow and those icky grassroots people? Ewwwwwwwwww."
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)One thing.....He doesn't sound like someone who is about to run for President.
When I read a post like yours, I always come away with the feeling that someone is trying to subtly persuade me to their point of view.
You write "I don't know why he had to distance himself (like Joe was forced to INSTEAD of choosing to and since when was Joe ever been part of POPULIST politics - he voted for NAFTA, the bankruptcy bill, etc. .)
So reading your post:
Bernie - weird.
Joe - he had to distance himself from populist politics. His heart is in the right place. His positive words about Bernie even though the big money backers didn't like it demonstrates that he's really not one of them.
If Biden wins the primary, he will pick Hillary as VP. Of course, we will read articles about how that wasn't what his heart wanted, he was forced to sell out to the big money backers, etc.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)No devious agenda there. What I said is what I meant.
And I've been a Bernie booster since the 90's.
Your mileage may vary, of course
MuseRider
(34,106 posts)This is one of the things I like about Joe, and there are a lot of things to like about him. He says whatever the hell he wants to say or thinks should be said. He does have a good heart. I could not vote for him or support him because of all the other crap he has attached to him but he sure is a fun guy from time to time.
I think he is often good at piecing out things. I would guess he and Bernie have been way around that bend from time to time but are probably at least respectfully friendly. I don't know anything of the sort but it seems within both men to be able to balance that. He obviously respects the work Bernie is putting into this.
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)When Joe Biden "tells it like it is", he is blasted for being a gaffe machine or whatever. Yet when Trump just says whats on his mind, they are lining up to lick his ass. The real difference of course is that Joe Biden is a good man telling it like it is from a good man's perspective and Trump is not a good man and thats just a polite way of putting it.
MuseRider
(34,106 posts)but it does work.
Biden has done some horrible things as a politician, IMO anyway, leading me to not ever wanting to cast a vote for him but it is easy to recognize the goodness in his heart. It is hard to separate that sometimes. Trump is just layers of ick and bad.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)in 08, but I wouldn't back him against Sanders. Clinton? Maybe. But I don't think he could pull off the general this time around.
Hiraeth
(4,805 posts)Geronimoe
(1,539 posts)Hillary and her campaign are telling Party elites and donors that she is their gal. She & Bill can raise more maney from Wall Street than anyone else to support the corporate Party. Biden is obviously mad about getting stabbed in the back. So he is givng a little bump to Bernie in return.
These people are all ego. Don't try to cross them. Remember how Hillary insulted Ted Kennedy's brothers and Teddy came roaring out as the Lion that he was, giving full support to Obama.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)I don't remember that, but if she did then that is some gall.
Fuddnik
(8,846 posts)Maybe he's getting ready to endorse Bernie.
cascadiance
(19,537 posts)... and basically a veiled criticism against the party establishment and the system that allows corporate donors to "run" the party's candidates when he makes these comments.
It's his way of "endorsing" Bernie, without literally doing so. Perhaps he's saying something like he appreciates Bernie's doing something that he hasn't found a way to do when he's in the system he's in that in effect prevents him from endorsing Bernie without leaving the system.
By saying Bernie's a "populist", that's code for him saying that Bernie is THE candidate running for the interests of the people, when the rest of us have to be "owned" by corporate donor money.
Makes me wonder now with these comments, if his meetings with Warren were more about her asking Biden privately how she might endorse Bernie and not get a lot of pushback by the party establishment and donors as well. It looks like with these comments, he's been trying to deal with that same question himself. If rumors that Warren is ready to endorse someone shortly, perhaps that is part of the big picture then.
840high
(17,196 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)
LettuceSea
(337 posts)He doesn't pretend to be something he's not, while still praising Bernie for capturing the hearts of the people.
If he's playing the long game, this was a very wise thing to say.
PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)
#HelluvaBern
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)They should change that to "Bernie- he's a big fucking deal" 
cascadiance
(19,537 posts)virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)actually, there is still time for you to do that, now that I think of it.
d_legendary1
(2,586 posts)The problem is that the media only reports on his gaffes (ITS A BIG F*CKING DEAL!) and distorts some of what he says to make him look like Dan Quail:
http://www.trbimg.com/img-4eaac830/turbine/os-bidenhalloween-20111028/600/600x338
This was the gaffe when he was fighting for the American Jobs Act. He was talking about how stimulus spending would keep crime down when municipalities were laying off officers since they couldn't afford them. Uncle Joe isn't some GOP Dumbass. He knows what he's talking about.
Qutzupalotl
(14,305 posts)Calling him articulate (and Obama IS fucking articulate, but there was a big outcry about Joe's use of that word). I think he was saying Obama was the one to beat, not so much Hillary. Biden is aware of Sanders' big crowds and Clinton's big $, and probably feeling that he can't compete with either one. He doesn't want to burn bridges with either camp. So I doubt he'll run, despite the media buildup.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)BERNIE WHO?!
arcane1
(38,613 posts)
OilemFirchen
(7,143 posts)And, to a lesser extent, Politico, for animating them.
Another unsourced, context-free article cheers up the Berniacs.
Meanwhile, a story from them about Sanders approaching the DNC with a funding deal, replete with quotes from his staffers, results in accusations of dishonesty.
I love this place with a twisted passion!
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)that kind of phrase needs no context.....
As for the DNC story, it also rings true also.....Bernie is running for the Democratic nomination.....he has a stake in their success,
even though their recent track record leaves much to be desired.
OilemFirchen
(7,143 posts)Joe, like yours truly, has a rather sardonic sense of humor. I read it as a joke at Sanders' expense. Beyond reading it as another Politico click-bait fantasy, of course.
virtualobserver
(8,760 posts)OilemFirchen
(7,143 posts)L0oniX
(31,493 posts)