Bernie emerges as growing threat to Biden

[JoeOtterbein]

Politico

The former veep is more concerned about Sanders than he lets on.

By NATASHA KORECKI

01/09/2020 05:08 AM EST

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — When Bernie Sanders attacked Joe Biden recently, the former vice president dismissed his former Senate colleague with a contemptuous brush-off.

“You guys expect me to take Bernie’s comments seriously? Come on,” Biden told reporters as he left an Iowa campaign event last week. “I don’t respond to Bernie’s ridiculous comments.”

But that’s Biden’s public posture.

Both in tactics and rhetoric, there are growing signs he takes his rival very seriously — and that he increasingly views Sanders as his most formidable opponent in Iowa and beyond.

The Biden campaign has specifically courted the endorsement of community leaders in Iowa who backed Sanders in 2016. They’ve sought to combat Sanders’ recent habit of rolling out star surrogates like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with their own A-list surrogates. And last week, Biden’s five-day Iowa bus tour heavily concentrated on the eastern part of the state — the biggest regional battleground between the two candidates because of its concentration of working-class voters.

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more at link

[BeyondGeography]

1. Biden's going to have to throw a few punches himself

Countering AOC with John Kerry is pointless. Bernie has made strong points on Biden’s electability; he needs to respond with more than a laugh.

[Hortensis]

28. This clickbait headlines's about IOWA. WHITE Iowa, where

Sanders' failure to develop appeal beyond a minority of Iowa's white voters doesn't show.

White Iowa, where Biden's widely diverse support and true strong lead is hidden by numbers that show him only somewhat ahead with Iowa's white voters.

AND we don't know how much of Sanders' white support is intended as spoiler to take out Biden and reelect Trump, only that it exists this election as it did last.

[TidalWave46]

41. "Bernie has made strong points on Biden's electability"

Very few people question Bidens electability.

When one makes an argument that very few believe in the first place, laughing is appropriate for multiple reasons. One is to show that the argument is being made by someone who is undetectable and not worthy of a response. Second is to not make an argument where none exists in reality. If Biden makes an argument then it means the question is out there in the first place.

Countering AOC with Kerry was a bit much. Kind of like taking a knife to a gun fight. The argument shouldn't be addressed by Biden at all.

[BeyondGeography]

44. You don't think Biden's record on trade, IWR, bankruptcy and crime will be an issue in the GE?

You're wrong. That's the same race Trump ran in 2016 and he'll be happy to do it again, just with Hunter taking place of "her emails." Bernie has different vulnerabilities and it would behoove Biden to point them out instead of just taking a whole lot of incoming.

[TidalWave46]

45. You put words in my mouth and then tell me I'm wrong.

True work of art.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

51. Of course, part of the reason Bernie is surging and Joe is worried!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[Rorey]

2. Just sayin'

There's kind of a difference between taking a rival seriously and taking *some* of that rival's comments seriously. The way I took it is that Biden is saying he's not going to respond to every comment because some are ridiculous, in his opinion.

Every contender should be taken seriously as a whole, but they all say some ridiculous stuff now and then.

Just sayin'.

[Rorey]

3. I'll just add

If a contender for the nomination feels the need to respond to every comment that's made about them, then they'd be a bit too much like the thin-skinned orange man for me.

[ritapria]

4. Bernie cited Joe's voting record in the Senate

There is nothing dirty or underhanded about that …..Is he supposed to hand the nomination to Joe on a silver platter ?

[LanternWaste]

5. With his record cash haul, one would expect Sanders to be doing much better than he is.

[bluewater]

8. Having been Obama's VP, one would expect Biden to be doing much better than he is.

Joe's polling average is still below 30%.

[boomer_wv]

9. Which

Is still 50% higher than Bernies average.

[bluewater]

10. um, no. That's just wrong, I feel compelled to point this out. Sorry.

Check your math.

Biden
27.7%
Sanders
18.2%
Warren
15.7%
Buttigieg
7.2%
Bloomberg
5.3%

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-d/national/

Obama's VP, our last Democratic VP, Joe Biden is polling at an average of 27.7% according to 538.

That is not what one would expect.

[Rorey]

11. The field is still big

As candidates drop out, we'll have a more clear picture of support.

[boomer_wv]

19. Math?

Maybe you should check your math

Bernie is at 18 and Biden at 27. Bernie would have to increase his polling by 9 to catch him, which is 50% of his total.

27/18 = 1.50

So yes, Biden is polling 50% higher than Bernie.

[bluewater]

26. Hmmm. let me look at that unusual phrasing again...

You are correct.

I missed the "higher" qualification in your "50% higher" statement.

I read that as Sanders having only 50% of Biden's total, which is not the point you were making.

Thank you for pointing out my mistake.



The construction of your point really did throw me, I think that was the first time this primary season I have seen anyone using a relative qualifier like "50% higher" when discussing polling results. It's accurate, of course, just unusual phrasing.

For example, Warren is at 15% and Mayor Pete is at 7.5%. I have not seen anyone here describe a situation like that as "Warren is 100% higher than Pete", rather its routinely described as "Pete is polling at 50% of Warren".

Again, thanks for pointing out my mistake.

That still leaves Obama's VP. our last Democratic VP, Joe Biden having a polling average of just 27.7%.

That is not what one would expect.

[pfeiffer]

25. Bernie should be polling WAY higher...

...because he JUST ran in 2016. I mean, his support should have doubled by now.

And what about Ms. Warren? She was leading just a couple months ago. But what happened?

Maybe time to revisit those handy dandy polling statistics? With a large helping of subjective opinion.

[msongs]

40. democrats remember bernie's past behavior nt

[awesomerwb1]

29. Incorrect

[Rorey]

6. Of course not NT

[beastie boy]

13. It's not dirty or underhanded, it's petty.

You decide which is worse, but if a candidate has to go back 17 years to dig dirt on a rival, it speaks more to Bernie's character than Biden's.

[Thekaspervote]

18. +1000 it will be great when sanders goes home to VT!!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

24. 17 years for a colossal foreign policy blunder ...

.., that is currently blowing up in our face? Sorry it’s inconvenient but you know we still have troops there, yes?

[beastie boy]

38. Have you been as vocal about this colossal blunder for the past 17 yers as you are now?

Surely you have extensive record criticizing everyone involved (not just Biden) during all that time, right? I can't wait to see it.

Or did your outrage, curiously enough targeting Biden alone, get triggered around the time Bernie became a Democrat again to run for President in 2020, and Biden just happened to best him in the polls?

[Hassin Bin Sober]

39. Lol. I was one of millions who marched against the war.

Somehow I managed to not be fooled by the dry drunk Bush and his heartless henchman.

[beastie boy]

43. That makes two of us.

But I wasn't marching against Biden. Apparently, neither were you.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

57. Yup, and those candidates who didn't fall for it deserve the nomination over those who did!!

Bernie's superior foreign policy judgment is just one of several reasons Bernie will be the Democratic nominee for President. Joe's chances of winning the nomination are seriously diminished on this issue alone.


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

53. There you go again with those inconvenient facts.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[George II]

20. He keeps harping on that one vote, ignoring the fact that back then there were two votes....

....and HE voted along with Biden on the other one.

Surely Sanders doesn't want his opponents to start listing all of his negative votes (and failures to vote), does he?

[pfeiffer]

27. Or listing his # of post offices...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. LOL... Joe is NOT going to get the nomination once his record is properly vetted.

Thankfully, that process has started and Bernie is surging as a consequence.


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[LanternWaste]

7. This being an example of an "unhinged attacks" you referenced yesterday?

Or do you rationalize this editorial lacking evidence to support its premise as "vetting" or "scrutiny" (which would of course, illustrate you hold Sanders to a lower standard than you do the Democratic candidates)?

[beastie boy]

12. Yaswn.. The same tired story has been popping up in this forum for weeks with amazing regularity,

in one iteration or another. Enough already! Wake me up when Bernie actually BECOMES a threat to Biden. I am not exactly thrilled about hearing of Bernie emerging, and emerging, and emerging, all the way through the convention.

[samnsara]

16. yawwwwwnnnnnn i agree. the last line I wanna see in any ones post..

..about ANY candidate is " I WILL VOTE FOR THE DEM NOM PERIOD". I have yet to see that on some posts...

[Gothmog]

14. I would love to see sanders vetted

I really doubt that Biden is really worried about a weak candidate like sanders. There is so much oppo out there that can be used. I do hope that the media decides to vet sanders. For example, Our Revolution is a dark money super pac that should be investigated I laughed at sanders statement that super pacs are evil given sanders use of a super pac

The press wants a horse race. I doubt that Biden is all that worried. It is clear to most people that sanders would lose badly to trump due to sanders inherent weaknesses and that sanders would kill down ballot candidates. I suspect that you will see more down ballot candidates endorse and campaign for Biden.

[samnsara]

17. yep and i really dislike that Our Revolution slogan..thats so divisive i feel..

[Gothmog]

34. I want to know who gave sanders/Our Revolution $218,000

Link to tweet

[R B Garr]

42. WOW! That is more hypocrisy. Who anonymously

gave Sanders $218,000??

[betsuni]

47. I like this comment: "But a $2800 donation buys influence? I admit I'm not great at math

but isn't $218,000 more than $2800? If $2800 buys influence WTH does $218,000 buy?"

We're in the absurd situation where candidates are called corrupt if a rich person donates a few hundred dollars to their campaign. It's stupid.

[George II]

36. Not "a" Super PAC, but several. He got the backing of another PAC just this morning.

[Mr.Bill]

15. Bernie should be attacking Trump.

It would actually raise his stature by making him look like the presumptive nominee.

Joe Biden knows this well and he's been doing it since entering the race. It's partly why he is leading.

[Thekaspervote]

21. Bernie is actually doing very poorly

Sanders got 40% of Democratic Primary vote in '16, he's running half that this time. Even if he got 100% of Warren's support, he'd still be behind his '16 vote total. thehill.com


And this from 538 updated today. SC is the bellwether for the AA vote. No dem candidate,primary or GE wins without them

Biden 38.6
Sanders 14.2

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-d/south-carolina/

[Hortensis]

31. THIS! Reality numbers. And as indicated by SC,

the old-fashioned notion that little white IA chooses the Democratic nominee and the rest of the states follow that lead is out of Ozzie and Harriet's America.

Republican results might reinforce that notion, but!

[Thekaspervote]

56. Following SC and then Super Tuesday the reality of those numbers will be undeniable

[Hortensis]

59. Just 59 days to Super Tuesday now, also. Finally.

[George II]

37. Even more significant with respect to South Carolina, Biden is the only candidate above 15%.

[Tarheel_Dem]

46. Thanks for that.

[George II]

22. Oh God, another "Biden is terrified of Sanders" post....

[Gothmog]

35. I am also laughing at these posts

[NYMinute]

23. David Sirota's bro buddies spewing misinformation

Sanders has 0% chance of winning the nomination. He is done. Majority of his prior support is gone. G-O-N-E. Only devotees with blinders remain.

[Hortensis]

32. Otterbein, seriously, you wouldn't want our president elected

by a bunch of white people, surely? I knew this headline would be posted as quick as someone could rush it here. But think through what it's suggesting.

Iowa's a nice state, and it is representative of our nation in some ways, but let's not pretend that what white midwest voters want rules the Democratic Party. The Republican white man's Christian party, yes.

But I'm sure you wouldn't want it to be that way for us, even just long enough to elect an unrepresentative candidate.

[whistler162]

48. Bernie "supporters" emerge as growing threat to Bernie - FIXED

[UniteFightBack]

50. +1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

[UniteFightBack]

49. It's not Bernie who is the threat it's his followers because I think a lot of them will not be

voting for anyone else but him.

[Thekaspervote]

54. It's disgraceful!! Sanders should tell his followers to vote for the nominee like their life

Depended on it.. but he won’t. Sore loser

[UniteFightBack]

60. AND how long will he wait?? If history is any guide...... nt

[calguy]

55. I'll decide after the first four primaries......

if Bernie is a threat to Biden or not. Right now it's all speculative propaganda to get headlines and attention.

[evertonfc]

58. the Trump

campaign will pop corks if Sanders is nominee.