Oh My! Biden Praises Sanders; calls Clinton a "newcomer"

[berni_mccoy]

Vice President Joe Biden offered effusive praise for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders Monday, lauding Hillary Clinton's chief rival for doing a "heck of a job" on the campaign trail and praising Sanders for offering an authentic voice on income inequality.

And while Biden said Democrats had a slate of "great candidates" running for president, he suggested Clinton was a newcomer to issues like the growing gap between rich and poor.

Bernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real. And he has credibility on it," Biden said during an interview with CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger.

"It's relatively new for Hillary to talk about that," Biden continued, acknowledging that Clinton has "come forward with some really thoughtful approaches to deal with the issue" of income inequality.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/politics/joe-biden-bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-income-inequality/index.html

[ram2008]

1. Ouch

Not the best time for camp Hillary right now. I suspect he's a bit upset he was strongarmed out of the race.

[Eric J in MN]

10. Who strongarmed Biden out of running for president? NT

NT

[CorporatistNation]

15. Answer: Clinton Incorporated

Now that Biden is out, he should not be trying to come back in if Bernie Smokes her in Iowa and NH!

[Eric J in MN]

25. I think that Joe Biden didn't run because he's mourning his son. NT

NT

[berni_mccoy]

49. I don't think it was that simple. If it were...

he would have declined to run much sooner.

[840high]

42. Correct.

[lewebley3]

78. Wrong: Hilary and Biden are very close

[oasis]

2. I thought Biden was partial to newcomers.

He handled Clarence Thomas with kid gloves.

[Armstead]

5. Oooooo now Biden's under the bus?

Politics is amusing sometimes.

And yes, I'm well aware that Sanders supporters would be upset (or will be upset) if (or when) Joe says nice things about her.

[oasis]

7. Biden put in his two cents, I put in mine. (eom)

[Armstead]

9. You're welcome to...

as am I.

[oasis]

11. You'd think Biden would be content sitting it out

on the sidelines. Oh no, not him. He feels the need to damn Hillary with faint praise. At least he'll be obliged to get on board once she's the nominee.

[Joe the Revelator]

16. Why would you think he would be content on the sidelines?

What would make you think that? He will be an active participant.

[oasis]

26. He should limit his commentary by taking shots at

the GOP field.

[JonLeibowitz]

27. I'm sure that he will decide for himself what to do.

He did say he was going to make his voice heard in this contest.

[840high]

43. Good.

[Joe the Revelator]

28. Why?

Why shouldn't he have an opinion on the Primary? It's choosing the candidate that he and his boss need to entrust their legacy to.

[oasis]

40. In that case, Joe should come out of his patented

dilly dally routine and make his choice.

[Armstead]

57. He didn't endorse sanders. He simnply stated his observations.

I'm sure he'll also be saying positive things about Clinton too.

He also praised OMalley

[Purveyor]

37. Joe made it perfectly clear he wouldn't be sitting on the

sidelines when he announced he wasn't running.

Guess he is sticking with that...

[1monster]

75. No. I don't get upset when people say nice things about Clinton. She is not evil, you know...

She's got some great points. But she isn't the right person for this job at this time.

[zazen]

81. +1 n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

53. There are those of us who will never forget

his VERY heavy hand in getting Clarence Thomas on the Bench -- a "Democrat" no less and that was before Clinton's Third Way. But, we're only talking about a complimentary interview. Although, he IS a Super Delegate.

[antigop]

3. very interesting... nt

[Luminous Animal]

4. Biden is feeling the Bern.

[juxtaposed]

6. holy phuket again!

[Armstead]

8. I saw that and was surprised

When they started talking about the primary, I was expecting him to be even handed or jump on the Clinto9n bandwagon in a subtle way.

I was surprised with his absolutely spot on analysis of why Sanders is doing so well....And not just an offhand remark. He got into it more than I expected. And he didn;t feel the need to counteract it with the usual disclaimer "but then again..."

[Nyan]

22. The tides are turning

And they don't have to be shy about what they really think about Bernie.
Plus, I think Obama and Biden like Bernie on a personal level, and I can't say the same about Hillary.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Yup yup, they see the writing on the wall... Bernie surging while Hillary flailing...

Bernie & Elizabeth 2016!!!

[kath]

32. Yep. methinks there is blood in the water, and Biden is a bellwether here.

[berni_mccoy]

50. Indeed.

[jalan48]

12. Hillary says, "What? There are still poor people in the US? I thought my husband fixed that."

[zentrum]

14. ^Good One!^

[jwirr]

17. Well he did - he moved a lot of the poor off of welfare when

he gave us welfare reform.

[jalan48]

18. True, and NAFTA was part of that rising tide, boat lifting thing that fixed the poor people problem.

[jwirr]

19. Especially if you were one of the poor in China.

[awake]

20. Hillary said that Bill and her were broke when they left the WhiteHouse

[Kentonio]

48. I aspire to one day be as 'broke' as that.

[jfern]

33. Surely some are as as "dead broke" as her

[Joe Shlabotnik]

13. Big K&R

[pnwmom]

21. Biden also said here that even if Bernie "ekes out victories in the early voting states,

he still confronts an uphill climb to the nomination.

"Even if Hillary loses votes -- I've thought this through -- it's a long way to go in the nomination," he said, calling Sanders' prospects of winning South Carolina -- which holds its primary after New Hampshire -- "tough sledding."

[Dawson Leery]

23. +1,000,000

[hedda_foil]

46. None of us Bernie supporters are naive enough to believe that it would be a cakewalk.

It's going to be tough tobogganing all the way. We know it, Bernie knows it, and we welcome the challenge!

[Armstead]

58. Sure. He was giving his observations, and that's part of it too

But "tough sledding" is not the same as saying "doomed to fail."

[BernTheRich]

24. "It's relatively new for Hillary to talk about that"

And I doubt if she would be talking about it at all if it weren't for Bernie.

[Douglas Carpenter]

30. knr

[CharlotteVale]

31. Joe and Hillary are two peas in a bankruptcy reform act pod

So I can't believe he cares about income equality any more than she does. However, I do find this sudden backhanded praise of her interesting.

[senz]

45. I'm a little uncomfortable about this, too.

It sounds odd to me; something doesn't add up.

Unless this is just Joe Biden speaking off the cuff in a slightly disorganized way, as he sometimes does.

[Armstead]

60. Joe has never been shy about giving his opinion and it dosn't always fit in a box

That can be both annoying and refreshing.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

34. Wow!

[Purveyor]

35. Oh hell yeah Joe! eom

[George II]

36. No, he didn't call Clinton a "newcomer"! Where do you see that? Why twist what our VP said??????

[morningfog]

38. He said she was a new comer in speaking on wealth inequality.

The more attention you draw to it, the worse it gets for hillary.

[randome]

68. No. He didn't. That was the word the author of the article used.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

[morningfog]

70. "Relatively new" to talk about it = "newcomer" in talking about it.

Same difference.

[berni_mccoy]

47. Good grief!

It's straight out of the article. Joe under the bus now?

[randome]

69. It's the author's take on what Biden said.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]TECT in the name of the Representative approves of this post.[/center][/font][hr]

[Skittles]

82. thank you

there are serious lack of reading comprehension skills

[Duval]

56. Please read the article again, George II Thanks.

[Trajan]

39. Two interesting facts here ...

1) Joe is speaking nice about Bernie ...

2) CNN is reporting Joe is speaking nice about Bernie ...

BOOM ! .... just like that ....

Rubicon is crossed .... Leverage is applied .... Idea is catapulted into the faceless ether of the electorate ....

I am in awe ....

[Le Taz Hot]

54. Good observation.

Like it or not, Biden is on the A List and what he says and who he says it to matters a lot in political circles.

[Armstead]

61. The metaphysics of politics is always fascinating

I'm serious. The way candidates and issues are perceived, and how the reactions and reactions become manifested as ever shifting trends and movements that congeal and/or dissolve has always been interesting to me.

[840high]

41. Wonderful. Thank you.

[Zorra]

44. ...

[libdem4life]

74. No shit.

[Green Forest]

51. Bravo Biden! It is clear that Beau's death has liberated him from toeing the Clinton Party line obsequiously

President Obama saying he won't take sides in this primary battle completes the picture.

[Le Taz Hot]

52. I saw that interview and he was VERY complimentary

about Sanders and not so much for Hillary. I could see Biden campaigning for him, I really could.

[Armstead]

62. but also be prepared for the opposute. Biden is unpredictable.

[Le Taz Hot]

63. What's interesting is that he's the first

A-Team politico who has been that publically complementary to Bernie. Significant also was that it was with CNN.

[Armstead]

65. I saw it at the tiome, and was surprised (and happy he said it)

[bvar22]

72. He is also the first politico with tight connections to the BIG BANKS....

...to speak out FOR Bernie.
Before becoming vice-president, Biden was know as the Senator from MBNA.

[1monster]

77. Joe Biden was praising Bernie way back in September...

I thought then, even before he decided not to run, that it was an interesting turn of events...

"I am not a populist. But Bernie Sanders, he's doing a helluva job," Biden said of the Vermont senator who's emerged as Clinton's strongest rival on the left, according to Politico.


The remark, delivered at a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraiser in Miami, raised some eyebrows among attendees.

"What the hell was he saying? I mean, 90 percent of the room is a Hillary donor," one person present told Politico.

"Yeah. It was kinda weird," added another.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/election-2016-report-joe-biden-says-bernie-sanders-doing-a-helluva-job/

[UglyGreed]

55. Good for Biden!!!

K/R

[Duval]

59. Great news and quite unexpected. I'm

feeling the Bern, berni_mccoy!

[riversedge]

64. oopsie....USAToday: Biden clarifies comments on Hillary Clinton and income inequality

Thanks Joe for the clarification


Biden clarifies comments on Hillary Clinton and income inequality

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/01/12/joe-biden-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-nbc-today-income-inequality/78673812/

David Jackson, USA TODAY 9:55 a.m. EST January 12, 2016





Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton

Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton (Photo: AP)

Vice President Biden sought Tuesday to clarify his comment that income inequality is a "relatively new" issue for Hillary Clinton, a statement trumpeted by Clinton primary opponent Bernie Sanders.

"What I meant was, for the last five years, she's been engaged in foreign policy," Biden told NBC's Today show, referring to her term as President Obama's secretary of State.

Income inequality "has been Bernie's mantra from the time he's gotten involved," Biden added. "Even when income inequality wasn't as serious as it is today, it was his drumbeat. And so that's what I meant."

Clinton is "coming up with some very good ideas," Biden added...............

The Sanders campaign — locked in a tight race with Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire — quickly promoted Biden's comments on Monday night with a tweet linking to a story about the CNN interview.

[berni_mccoy]

66. So he clarified Clinton really hasn't been focused on it.

Got it. Thanks indeed Joe!

[pangaia]

79. I saw that also.

Looks like Joe got a 3 am call.

"Hey Joe. You fucked up big time. Fix it ! NOW!"

[riversedge]

87. Glad Joe did.

[WillyT]

67. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[Babel_17]

71. Lol, a Kinsley gaffe? With Biden, it's sometimes hard to tell (imo)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_gaffe#Kinsley_gaffe

"A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth – some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say."

[in_cog_ni_to]

73. K&R! n/t

[Yupy]

76. HC I feel sorry. Imagine loosing for the 2nd time around... not nice! Good for Sanders!

[Utopian Leftist]

80. Something is looking inevitable . . .

A surprise repeat of 2008!

And I do not think that is what She considers inevitable....

[Iwillnevergiveup]

83. Albeit wrapped in swaddling clothes

THAT was an endorsement.

[ericson00]

84. Biden, go back to saying "abortion is always wrong"

http://www.salon.com/2015/09/23/no_joe_biden_abortion_is_not_always_wrong_when_the_conversation_stops_at_life_begins_at_conception_women_and_girls_suffer/

[sus453]

85. Whatever Biden meant by his words,

I don't think he and Hillary Clinton are very close. Within the Obama administration, the two were at opposite poles on foreign policy - Clinton being more aggressive and adventurous, and Biden being more cautious.

[Logical]

86. YES!!!! nt