Joe Biden is not an exciting candidate. That's why he is doing well

[Soph0571]

The core of Joe Biden’s popularity lies in the fact that he is the candidate that presents the most marked contrast with President Trump’s governing style. Here, it’s not the policies that count. In terms of policy outcomes, Trump has pursued a rather traditional Republican agenda, cutting taxes and nominating conservative judges to the Supreme Court. But that’s not what people see in his Presidency: the next election is going to be a referendum on his polarizing persona and abrasive political style.

Sanders’s and Warren’s policy platforms are more removed from Trump’s than Biden’s, but they are also perceived as highly divisive candidates. And this is not the kind of change most anti-Trump voters are looking for. What they want, is a return to order and civility.

The paradox is that the mainspring of Biden’s support is therefore also a form of protest voting. It’s a protest against the politics of perpetual scandal and polarization. Protest against protest, if you will – which translates into a call for a return to order.

[link:https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/19/joe-biden-exciting-candidate|]

It is an interesting analysis - more at the link..not sure that it squares all the circles for me but it is worth a read!

[empedocles]

1. Interesting analysis. However, I think the core dynamic for Biden is he is credible and not the

typical, primary driven, purist, or 'aspirational' Dem candidate.

Biden is squarely aiming at trump, [not helping trump in any way no matter how 'incidental'], and winning the 2020 General Election.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Softballing Trump's policies is simply bad journalism

i hardly recognize the last 3 years from what is written in that article

[George II]

3. I don't want an "exciting" candidate/President. I want one with experience and level-headedness...

Unfortunately we got spoiled with Obama, he had everything. We won't find another one like that for a while. Not to be critical, but I don't think any of our 20+ candidates could equal Obama's "complete package".

[cwydro]

6. Same here. I find the swooning over candidates to be annoying.

That includes the swooning over Obama. Pictures of him in swim shorts etc....It seems to be mostly women who go in for this behavior. I’m a woman, and I think it’s stupid.

I don’t care what our candidate looks like in swimming attire. Oddly enough, we never see that behavior around women candidates.

[Gothmog]

21. Biden's Weakness May Be His Strength

Joe is the most electable candidate. Joe is the best candidate to defeat trump https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/19/bidens-weakness-may-be-his-strength/

“Despite a seemingly unending series of gaffes and unimpressive performances in the two Democratic primary debates so far, Joe Biden retains a solid lead in almost all polls. He’s been consistently between 10 to 20 percentage points ahead of his main rivals nationally and also enjoys comfortable margins in Iowa and New Hampshire. By most counts, even if Bernie Sanders’ and Elizabeth Warren’s projected scores were to be combined – which almost never happens when a candidate drops out – it still wouldn’t be enough to match Biden’s projected score.”

“The reason for this is to be found in what many consider Biden’s main weakness. He’s an old-school candidate, with a policy platform and campaigning style that seem to belong to another political era. Even Barack Obama originally chose him as vice-presidential candidate to reassure electors with a message of compromise and reliability. And that was nearly 12 years ago – before anyone even thought Donald Trump could stand a chance as president!”

[JenniferJuniper]

4. People want a return to normalcy,

and Biden, having been VP until the orange ape took over, is the candidate closest to that in a lot of minds.

[blm]

5. I want one who can save the planet and the economy for the lower 95%.

That SHOULD be normalcy. It can be by getting rid of Trump AND McConnell

[JenniferJuniper]

7. I'm a Warren supporter as well,

Just saying that people who don't follow politics closely see Biden a return to a less tumultuous, more normal time.

Biden is not in my personal top 10, but I do think that's why he's leading the pack and may continue to.

[blm]

9. I totally get the desire for normalcy after 3yrs of UTTER CHAOS.

The mess left behind will be too huge and needs the guidance of a reality-based leader who has answers for uncomfortable questions.

I don’t disparage Dems in this battle between good and evil. I just want a full commitment to good.....and fair.

[katmondoo]

10. I support Warren but I also feel people are tired of constant turmoil and would like to

see some peace with some return to working together for the people not for just one party.

[Thekaspervote]

8. Pretty much says it for me

[Gothmog]

11. Joe Biden is the best candidate to restore are rebuild the country

[UniteFightBack]

16. Yes and quickly. nt

[Gothmog]

20. Biden's Weakness May Be His Strength

Joe is the most electable candidate. Joe is the best candidate to defeat trump https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/19/bidens-weakness-may-be-his-strength/

“Despite a seemingly unending series of gaffes and unimpressive performances in the two Democratic primary debates so far, Joe Biden retains a solid lead in almost all polls. He’s been consistently between 10 to 20 percentage points ahead of his main rivals nationally and also enjoys comfortable margins in Iowa and New Hampshire. By most counts, even if Bernie Sanders’ and Elizabeth Warren’s projected scores were to be combined – which almost never happens when a candidate drops out – it still wouldn’t be enough to match Biden’s projected score.”

“The reason for this is to be found in what many consider Biden’s main weakness. He’s an old-school candidate, with a policy platform and campaigning style that seem to belong to another political era. Even Barack Obama originally chose him as vice-presidential candidate to reassure electors with a message of compromise and reliability. And that was nearly 12 years ago – before anyone even thought Donald Trump could stand a chance as president!”

[BeyondGeography]

12. So many things wrong with that formulation

Not exciting equals turnout buzzkill equals defeat.

Whatever “normal” was was followed by Trump.

As for doing well, by what measure?

[UniteFightBack]

17. If that's the case then Democrats deserve a second term of rump because they weren't 'excited'

enough to get out the house and vote. Give me a freaking break.

[BeyondGeography]

22. Oh, and his messaging is a buzzkill as well

Whose bright idea was it to send his wife out to deliver an eat-your-peas line to Democratic voters at this stage of the game?

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/jill-biden-to-reluctant-democrats-swallow-a-little-bit-and-vote-for-joe-2019-08-20?mod=economy-politics

[UniteFightBack]

27. Nobody fucking cares. Good day. nt

[JI7]

23. i think Biden is as exciting as Warren, Harris and some other Democrats

i would have no problem supporting either of them if they win the nomination even if they aren't my top choices at the moment.

[BeyondGeography]

24. That makes you exceptional according to these numbers

...there’s an enthusiasm gap for Biden among some primary voters, the poll found. A majority of those surveyed, 56%, said Warren would fight “a great deal” for people like them, and 54% said the same of Sanders. Only 38% described Biden that way.

When asked who has been the most “passionate” so far, Warren and Sanders each had 28%, while Biden had just 14%. Warren, who has touted her policy proposals, was seen as the most specific candidate, with 42%, while Harris was seen as the strongest with 32%.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-21/biden-leads-in-new-cbs-democratic-poll-but-faces-enthusiasm-gap

Online donations are an indication of grass roots support and he’s struggling there too.

Of course everyone here will vote for him. At the same time, I’m trying to picture what his campaign looks like in a year if he’s the nominee since he’s already being sheltered from the media and keeping a light schedule. Maybe he’s just pacing himself.

[JI7]

25. all those numbers are pretty low and doesn't really tell much

[peggysue2]

13. Kick!

Listened to a similar analysis made by Donny Deutsch on his Saturday night panel show. Basically, that voters are looking for a normal functioning government (rather than revolution) following the non-stop chaos known as Trump.

[highplainsdem]

14. Biden is polling well because people know him, like him, and trust him to do what's right

for the country and the entire world, where our allies have great respect to him.

[Kahuna7]

18. Bingo! nt

[Cha]

15. I know I'm the exception here.. I

find Biden and the thought of getting back our Democracy Very Exciting.

I'm not interested in m4a.. I want to build on President Obama's signature legacy which is hella Exciting after what will be 4 years of trump stooges trying to take everything away.

".. abrasive political style.."? trump has people killing in his name..

Joe Biden is a Uniter!

Link to tweet

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287245842

[OhZone]

30. This this, and -

This!

[Cha]

33. Mahalo, OhZone!

[Gothmog]

19. Jill Biden-Joe is going to win this election

Link to tweet

[samnsara]

26. he, above all the other candiates, makes me feels safe.

[HockeyMom]

28. Riding Obama's Coattails?

Maybe?

[Demsrule86]

29. I really like Joe and find him exciting...but I find the idea of kicking the orange maggot out of

the people's house even more exciting!!! K&R

[OhZone]

31. Normalcy is very exciting.

Kicking Trump's ass is also exciting. ha

[LAS14]

32. The Dems who lost the presidency were not exciting or inspiring, in my opinion.

McGovern, Dukakis, Kerry, Gore. McGovern and Kerry excited me, but for their ideas. Warren is exciting and inspiring. She has that extra thing that Clinton (Bill) and Obama had. That edge.

[Princetonian]

34. Bullsh*t backhanded op-ed. I find Joe to be the perfect antidote to Trump.

[Gothmog]

35. Joe Biden still bests fellow Democrats on electability, polls show

Link to tweet

[NurseJackie]

36. Slow and steady wins the race.

[Gothmog]

37. Joe Biden's appeal actually isn't a mystery

Link to tweet

Biden shows reverence for the most popular Democrat around, former president Barack Obama; others find fault in everything from the Affordable Care Act to immigration policy. Biden does not bombard voters with a torrent of multi-part plans; he gives them a few basic positions and defends them. Biden does not campaign from the neck up; he campaigns with his heart on his sleeve. Biden is deeply optimistic; his opponents think Americans are the problem, not Trump. (I don’t suggest that his opponents are wrong, merely that their stance apparently isn’t as popular as they thought.) Biden wants normalcy plus reform; his opponents want a peaceful revolution. Biden knows people want to be heard and seen; his opponents (with the exception of Sen. Kamala D. Harris) don’t fully grasp this. They want to “help," to pepper people with ideas and a to-do list, while Biden takes the time to listen to them. (Think of the well-meaning friend who has a thousand suggestions when you are grieving and you’d rather they just shut up and commiserate.)

This is the grouchy-white-guy-in-the-diner problem all over again. Reporters are blinded by their own age, background, education and geography. Instead of going to West Virginia diners to find the Trump voter, reporters should go talk to the residents of The Villages in Florida, the African American churchgoing ladies and the buttoned-down professionals in the affluent suburbs (the Romney-Clinton voters). These people have endured a noisy, offensive and intrusive presence in the White House. They don’t necessarily want a different noisy, intrusive presence — even one they agree with on substance.

Part of the “mystery” of Biden’s appeal would be solved if the moderators flipped their questions, as one smart Democrat not in the Biden camp put it. Instead of asking Biden or another moderate, “Why aren’t you going with the big, bold idea of Medicare-for-all?,” the moderators might consider asking Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) or Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), “Why blow up Obamacare, and why don’t you trust people to choose Medicare if given the option?” Instead of assuming that extreme proposals are the standard, requiring the moderates to explain why they are such wet blankets, the moderators should press the super-progressives on questions such as: What makes you think that voters want to go through another health-care makeover? Why should poorer people pay for richer people’s health care or subsidize their college debt?

Better yet, ask the candidates to relate the personal story from a voter who moved them the most, or the last voter whose phone number they took so that the candidate could call later, or the most insightful thing they have heard from a voter. It might reveal who is talking at voters and who is listening to them.