Joe Biden's First Campaign Rally Was Full of Democrats Worried the Party Is Moving Too Far Left

[babylonsister]

8 hours ago
Joe Biden’s First Campaign Rally Was Full of Democrats Worried the Party Is Moving Too Far Left
The former VP makes his moderate case in Pittsburgh.
Clint Hendler

snip//

International Association of Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger, whose union formally endorsed Biden on Monday morning, gave the rally’s first speech, where he made the argument explicitly. “He speaks to and connects with those workers who didn’t believe the last Democratic nominee heard about them, cared about them, and felt that their historic votes for the Democratic candidate were maybe just being taken for granted,” Schaitberger argued.

“In a field of good people putting themselves forward this primary season, the most important factor that we must determine in the Democratic nomination process is who can win,” Schaitberger continued in a barb that seemed targeted at Sanders, who has long described himself as a socialist. “Let me shoot straight with you, and this might not be popular in parts of the Democratic Party, but we…can’t have a nominee that’s too far left. It’s just that simple. A candidate that has high-minded ideals, maybe honorable ideas, but little chance of winning.”

Many attendees agreed. “I’m shopping,” Pat Martin-Carr, a retired school psychologist, said, explaining that she had yet to settle on a candidate. “I’m looking for who can win. I like some people, but it’s not about who I like. It’s about who can win…I don’t want someone too progressive.”

Brandon Groves, a 38-year-old social worker from nearby Wheeling, West Virginia, said that Biden was his “early favorite” of the 2020 candidates. “I’m not a big fan of Bernie,” Groves said, citing his position on restoring voting rights to felons. “I don’t like how far left the Democratic Party is going.”

more...

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/joe-biden-first-campaign-rally-pittsburgh-bernie-sanders/

[elleng]

1. it's not about who I like. It's about who can win.

[DownriverDem]

12. Yep

And the country is not far left (or right). Our candidate has to appeal to enough voters in enough states to win the electoral college. That's not to say that there aren't good progressive ideas. It's that you have to bring the country along and have them on your side. The same can be said for impeaching trump. The country isn't there yet. Right now they don't want trump impeached, but they want him voted out.

[MH1]

35. Exactly.

Although, I will probably "like" most, the person I think is most likely able to win.

It is helpful that I actually believe that the President should represent ALL the nation's citizens. Even the citizens I strongly disagree with.

[NYMinute]

2. It's not just those people

A lot of us are thinking the same thing.

[Laelth]

3. Bull. n/t

-Laelth

[emulatorloo]

4. I was at Biden's rally in Cedar Rapids today. Nobody cares about these dumb labels

They care about income equality, lifting up the middle class and working people, supporting unuions, fighting racism and all forms of inequality, getting healthcare and education for everyone, getting the wealthy and corporations. That’s what Biden’s message was today, and our candidates have the same message. We were all on our feet at the end, cheering for the restored America that’s coming soon.

Moderate Centrist Leftwing whatever the news outlets wanna obsess over. We don’t care to play their game. We are uniting to lift our citizens and this country up.

[JI7]

5. +

[emulatorloo]

7. ...

[highplainsdem]

6. Great post! Thank you! Would love to see you post an OP about this.

[emulatorloo]

8. An exhilarating day.

Biden was on fire. The crowd was fired up.

And yet some reporter tried to tell me afterwards that Biden’s speech was “low energy.” I called him out, reminding him of the people crying and cheering at the end.

Suggested he try to refrain from “Hillarying” Biden or anyone else, because that was not going to work this time out.

I was nice about it though. Wished him the best of luck.

[highplainsdem]

15. Sorry about that clueless reporter, but I love hearing about the rally, and just found VIDEO:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287100942

[emulatorloo]

17. Oh great! Thanks for the link!

Excited to see the speech again, and share it with friends who couldn’t be there!

[Honeycombe8]

18. "Low energy" smacks of Trumpism. That's what Trump called Jeb Bush.

And is trying to imply Biden is, with Sleepy Joe. When the OPPOSITE is true. Biden is the high energy one. He doesn't need a go-cart to get around. He can walk. Heck, he can run. Slim & trim. Trump is worried about looking so sloppy and out of shape and older than Biden.

[emulatorloo]

20. Yes I agreed. The speech was very conversational, just the way I want to hear a leader talk

As Democrats we don’t want non stop off the wall insane entertainment like the Trump people do.

We want truth, real stories about real people, and the concrete ways we are going to lift our country up.

And of course Biden pulled out all the stops at the end, around minute 32 if you see the video upthread. Inspirational, motivation, every one cheering and weeping with joy at what we can accomplish!

[Gothmog]

40. Thank you for your report

[Cha]

11. Wow... Lucky you, emulatorloo!

Thanks for that on the ground report from Biden's rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa!

[LongtimeAZDem]

13. Awesome post

[DownriverDem]

14. Yes we are

We must first get our tax code fixed. Two past Presidents dealt with income inequality and they are related. Teddy Roosevelt & Franklin Roosevelt. We need to look back at what they did. The rich must pay their share. Many non-rich repubs are brainwashed believing in the don't tax the rich trickle down theory. We have so many needs, but the tax code has to be corrected first.

[emulatorloo]

16. Biden spent a long time on making taxes fair and equitable

[Kahuna7]

24. Exactly! nt

[Apollo Zeus]

27. +1

In my own experience talking about labels is a distraction.

[Gothmog]

44. Most Believe Socialism Is Not American

Here is some polling that supports the concept that socialism is not in favor with American voters https://politicalwire.com/2019/05/06/most-believe-socialism-is-not-american/

A new Monmouth poll finds 57% of Americans say that socialism is not compatible with American values, while just 29% say it is compatible.

Key finding: 42% have a negative opinion of socialism in general, with another 45% having a neutral opinion and just 10% holding a positive view of socialism.

Meanwhile, 39% of Americans have a positive opinion of capitalism in general, while 40% have a neutral opinion and another 17% hold a negative view of capitalism.

[kimbutgar]

9. I call bs on this articles author interpretation of this event

Why would anyone think of that, unless they have a motive to discredit Biden.?

Some of these suppositions have a motive.

[emulatorloo]

10. Yeah agreed. See my post 4, a different event but today in Cedar Rapids

[Honeycombe8]

19. I don't view being "moderate" as discrediting anyone.

Half of Democrats in the country (the ones who vote Dem. and are not really Republicans) are moderate, and half are more progressive.

Saying the attendees were moderate or looking for a moderate candiate is no more an insult than saying they were looking for a progressive, IMO.

[babylonsister]

21. Thank you. I'm shocked at this reaction.

This is the way it is as those quotes prove; not everyone falls under one category.

[BeckyDem]

22. There are going to be people who will never accept Biden in the primary to represent them.

I don't care what his polls say, nor anyone else's for that matter. The polls all said Trump was going to lose, and he didn't.

Biden has serious baggage of many stripes.

How a Young Joe Biden Turned Liberals Against Integration

Forty years ago, the Senate supported school busing—until a 32-year-old changed his mind.

By JASON SOKOL

August 04, 2015
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/joe-biden-integration-school-busing-120968

[Honeycombe8]

23. That is true for all the candidates. There are some who will never accept Warren or Pete...

or Harris or.....

I was a child when busing started. I thought it was wrong and unfair to children, from the start. I could see what they were trying to do, but that wasn't the way. It was a hardship for kids. Some would have to go out really early to wait for a bus and then take a long trip to a school far away. The blacks in our town didn't like it any more than the whites did. You could say the "people" found it to be a hardship for the children.

History has not been kind to the brilliant idea of busing. Biden was no doubt listening to his constituents, which is the job of a Senator. But I'm surprised it was still being done in the 1970s. It had stopped in our town years before then, as I recall.

Ancient history.

People will have trouble with Harris' stance on crime, since she was a D.A., whose job it was to enforce the laws. More recent history, but that was her job.

[BeckyDem]

25. Their history indicates whether they are suited to be todays leaders.

We definitely pass judgement on their past but I do appreciate your thoughtful post.

[LongtimeAZDem]

26. Twenty-three years ago, Elizabeth Warren was a Republican

[BeckyDem]

28. Yep, some will not see her as trustworthy. Some centrist Dems see her now as a threat.

[LongtimeAZDem]

29. You miss the point. You condemn Biden because of his past, but clearly ignore Warren's

[BeckyDem]

30. You may have missed what I said. We pass judgement on their past.

We approve and or look past that for which we may have disagreed or not. I haven't ignored Warren's past, I'm well aware of it.Will Biden survive the primary race? Imo, no he will not. I have no interest in polls not even when they look good for Warren. I do watch what policies voters support across the political spectrum.

[Honeycombe8]

37. This is probably why Senators & Reps almost never get elected President.

There's too much ammunition, esp if you go back decades.

Votes are made by politicians for a variety of reasons, and it's easy to make it sound like a vote for this or that was supportive of something, when it was really a vote for another reason.

Also, reps are charged with the duty of representing their constituents. Massachusetts Senators may not vote for a bill the same way a Georgia Senator would, because the two states have interests that are not the same, sometimes.

There are some things that are votes with the party, though. I think those are fair to look at. Like a Dem. Party budget...voting no on that is noteworthy.

[BeckyDem]

38. Absolutely true. n/t

[Renew Deal]

31. It sure seems like there is a segment that wants to play keep away with Bernie

Aside from Bernie, I fear that some of the Democratic Party is trying to quickly settle on who they think they can win without looking at the bigger picture moving the country forward. If we do nothing but repair Republican damage, they have accomplished their goal.

[LongtimeAZDem]

32. Moving the country forward means not just defeating Trump, but appealing to Americans

across the spectrum. Otherwise, it just continues the partisan stalemate.

There are issues on which I am to the left of Biden; I am ok with that, as I believe he can bring many people who are likewise to the right of him to the table.

There are many on both sides of the aisle who would rather watch the country go down in flames than find common ground; it is my sincere hope that their tactics do not work this time.

[ehrnst]

36. +1000. (nt)

[Gothmog]

33. I only care about electability

[LakeArenal]

34. First we replace Dump.

Then we get behind the Democratic President.

That’s my plan.

[hurl]

39. Hillary slam

"workers who didn’t believe the last Democratic nominee heard about them, cared about them, and felt that their historic votes for the Democratic candidate were maybe just being taken for granted”

The IAFF guy must not have been paying attention to her competitor, who obviously cared MUCH less. This doesn't make sense at all IMO.

[JI7]

41. the IAFF is sexist. they endorsed Kerry in 2004 as early as the Primary

Biden in 2008 in the Primary and Obama after.

but they refused to endorse the woman who helped pass bill to help first responders after 9-11. they didn't support Trump but just didn't endorse.

how is Bidens record and better than Hillary when it comes to working people ?

no, it's all about Male dominated group refusing to support a woman that deserves it.

[Gothmog]

42. If the choice is between being Woke and winning, I select winning

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

43. Washington Post-Opinion: If the economy keeps its momentum, 2020 will be Trump's to lose

2020 will be a very close election if the economy is strong. Democrats have to pick a very strong nominee

Link to tweet

One wonders whether, at some point, the economic boom will be so huge that it will drive opinions on its own. Once Democrats settle on a nominee, voters will have to make a choice: Do they stick with the guy they’ve got, warts and all, who has contributed to such good times? Or are they willing to take the risk that the next president, even if he or she is a better person, will screw things up with a new agenda?

One election model from Alan Abramowitz, a political scientist at Emory University, suggests the economy will be the winning factor. His “time for change” model has a solid track record in predicting the outcome and direction of presidential races, and data he published last month show that, so long as the economy continues to grow at a 2 percent clip, Trump should be a favorite for reelection even if his job approval rating is as poor as it is now.

Indeed, it’s even better than that for Trump. The model calculates an average gain of 2.5 electoral votes for every one-point Trump shaves off of his net job disapproval. According to the model, even if gross domestic product growth slumps to 1 percent, Trump could win the minimum 270 electoral votes he needs for reelection by lowering his net job disapproval rating to 7 percent. Right now, that number is around 10 percent.

Media attention is focused on the Mueller report and other congressional investigations. But if the economy keeps its momentum, even that or Trump’s failure to trumpet his success might not prevent him from winning a second term.