They're Blue Collar, and They Think Biden Is an Average Joe

[highplainsdem]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/us/politics/joe-biden-working-class.html

WEST POINT, Iowa — They are white and nonwhite alike, prefer Facebook over Twitter, if they are on social media at all, and can be hard to find at Democratic campaign events dominated by activists from the professional class. But these blue-collar voters could go a long way toward determining who captures the Democratic presidential nomination — and Joseph R. Biden Jr. is racing to press his advantage with that constituency.

With less than three months to go before voting begins in the 2020 primary, and on the eve of the fifth presidential primary debate, Mr. Biden faces significant challenges in the key early states of Iowa and New Hampshire, a cash crunch and several Democrats threatening his standing with centrist voters.

But his greatest compensating advantage right now is notably durable support from a multiracial coalition of working-class voters who feel a kinship with the former vice president and believe he is the Democrats’ strongest general election prospect.

At fund-raisers and on campaign stops, Mr. Biden is warning his party against overlooking voters who were once a core Democratic constituency but had found some elements of President Trump’s message compelling in 2016. His campaign believes the Democratic Party risks narrowing its Electoral College path in 2020, and hurting its standing on Capitol Hill, if candidates do not appeal directly to these more moderate voters in battleground states in the Midwest and Sun Belt.

-snip-

In dozens of interviews, from parades and union rallies to black churches and political picnics, working-class Democrats who support Mr. Biden explained their views in practical terms: they know and trust the Scranton native from his long tenure as a Delaware senator and as Barack Obama’s vice president, they find his incremental policy proposals realistic and they think he can win.

-snip-

The Democrat who forges a cross-racial coalition of working-class voters almost always wins the party’s presidential nomination. It is a path that was disrupted only in 2008 when Mr. Obama was able to achieve what few of his predecessors had — fuse the support of upscale whites with black Democrats.

But surveys in this race indicate a return to the longstanding tradition in Democratic primaries of voters splitting along class lines, and illuminate a key slice of Mr. Biden’s base.

-snip-

[emmaverybo]

1. We know Joe and we trust Joe is a sentiment that no other candidate has had so many express

from so many walks of life. To me, supporting Joe is a no brainer. Most qualified and electable.

That a multi-racial coalition of working class folks support Biden does not surprise me anymore than that progressive candidates are not similarly championed. They simply did not not make
these regular old oft-overlooked people a priority in their thinking from day one while Joe did. Joe has been fighting all his life for the same people now committed to him. Karma.

You can’t fake it.

[Cha]

2. Good to hear!

In dozens of interviews, from parades and union rallies to black churches and political picnics, working-class Democrats who support Mr. Biden explained their views in practical terms: they know and trust the Scranton native from his long tenure as a Delaware senator and as Barack Obama’s vice president, they find his incremental policy proposals realistic and they think he can win

That's what those who call us "arrogant and insulting" for thinking Biden can win and beat trump don't understand.

[emmaverybo]

3. They are having a darned hard time with that, Cha. They don't get it. And yet, the truth is that

“In dozens of interviews...they know and trust the Scranton native...” and who knows and trusts
Joe Biden? Salt of the earth, back bone of our democracy, a multi-racial constituency of the working class. A constituency that represents America. That is who supports Biden.

They just don’t get it.

[Cha]

4. Yes indeedy, emmaverybo!

We see the polls.. but, it's great to read it like this.. what some of us imagined was going on with these voters.. because it's what a lot of us have been thinking too. Biden has an excellent resume for voters to get to know him.. It's more than "name recognition".. it's what he's done to achieve that.

I see some people bring up that Biden has tried 3 times to run for President like it's bad thing.. but that was before he's had 8 years as President Obama's valued VP.. that's priceless experience and qualifications to add to his resume.

Bears repeating..

"..they know and trust the Scranton native from his long tenure as a Delaware senator and as Barack Obama’s vice president, they find his incremental policy proposals realistic and they think he can wink"

And, this..

Salt of the earth, back bone of our democracy, a multi-racial constituency of the working class. A constituency that represents America. That is who supports Biden.

Mahalo nui loa, emma

[NCLefty]

5. It remains Biden's to lose.

[Scurrilous]

6. K&R