Biden has the perfect strategy... other dems should follow if they want to compete with Hillary

[Clintonista2]

Biden and his feud with the Ghoul has been brilliant, and it achieves a number of things. First, it unites the base (even non-Biden supporters are cheering him on). Second, it shows how one would fare in a GE. People want to know that a candidate can win, and Bidens ability to run circles around Rudy is a great indication of his ability to win. Finally, as Edwards proved during his feud with Coulter, it's a great way to stir up interest in your campaign, and it's a great way to gain some media attention.

If I were to look at this objectively, I would say that Obama and Edwards would have a much greater chance of catching up with Clinton, if they were to focus their energy against one of the Repug candidates. Going negative against Hillary has not worked. Believe it or not, but many (probably *most*) dems outside of DU don't *hate* any candidate, they just *like* one candidate. Going negative on fellow dems probably isn't the most effective strategy, going negative on the Republicans is proven to work. That's just my two cents.

[Frances]

1. Agree 100%

I wasn't even considering Biden until this last debate. Now that he is getting the best of Rudy, he has gone up in my opinion.

[MethuenProgressive]

36. "dems outside of DU don't *hate* any candidate, they just *like* one candidate"

That's been my experience too.

[Cameron27]

2. I absolutely agree,

he takes command of these debates by focusing his anger at the real opposition and scores big points for that.

[KittyWampus]

3. It's not just the fact Biden attacks one GOP candidate-it's the WAY he does it. W/ humor & derision

And man did Biden get lucky when said candidate's aides were stupid enought to respond- mulitple times.

[Cameron27]

4. Exactly

He's the one I look forward to hearing at these debates the most, precisely because of his style of attack.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

5. And authoritative derision. If he wasn't obviously more experienced than Rudy it wouldn't work

[avrdream]

6. I've been thinking the same as I watched from very far away.

Biden has come off looking quite mature while the others seem like schoolyard boys.

[Jade Fox]

7. Agree completely.....

I'm frankly getting sick of the HRC/Barak/Edwards squabbling. It lowers my opinion of all of them. I want them going nuclear on Republicans all of the time, and leaving other Democrats alone.

Meanwhile, the Biden/Ghoul squabble seems to be actually damaging Rudy.

[emilyg]

8. Agree.

[jillan]

9. You know, I was really hoping that Biden would attack Hillary before the debate - but he didn't.

Instead he said that he wasn't running against Hillary. He was running to be the leader of the free world.
and that's when he attacked Rudy.

Wow - he sure played that right.

[PatSeg]

10. He obviously has some moves no one had anticipated.

He is a brilliant politician.

[baseballhead]

13. He's always been my favorite

He has the experience to do the job and his foreign policy experience is far better than any other candidate.

[PatSeg]

16. Welcome to DU!

I've been watching him for several years now and thought he was the best choice for president. He has repeatedly reinforced that opinion the past few months.

[CrispyQ]

32. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

I'm a new Bidenite & in just a short time I have come to be more excited about his candidacy than I have been in decades. It's a great feeling to go to the polls to vote for someone, not against someone else. Zang!

Love your screen name!

[BenDavid]

11. "I watched the Democratic debate Tuesday and

I'm not impressed with candidates who use personal and phony attacks. I think Edwards in particular and Obama to a lesser extent are behaving more like Republicans than Democrats. If a candidate can't win on the merits of their position and their record then they shouldn't win. When candidates go negative and do it in a dishonest way all you get is a dishonest politician. I used to like Edwards and Obama. Now, not so much". Marc Perkel

[William769]

15. I had Obama pegged from the beginning, Edwards was a surprise to me though.

But if they keep it up, it's only good news for Hillary.

[PatSeg]

18. Obama appears to be doing what he was advised to do

but it doesn't suit his personality and it shows.

[PatSeg]

17. They are over handled and that can be a big mistake

It is okay to compare positions on issues, but when it comes across as "attacks", it becomes a turnoff.

[jmp]

22. I see that the latest Clinton talking points are out.

...

[Joe the Revelator]

29. Exactly....it is so transparent when they get their new marching orders

nt

[Cameron27]

33. Exactly what are you implying?

Do you think it's impossible to support Biden, and still be opposed to aggressive negative campaigning against any Democrat including Clinton?

[Joe the Revelator]

34. You not even in the same ballpark of what I'm talking about..

if you don't understand my posts, just let them lie, instead of try to pick a fight when you obviously don't know what you're talking about.

[Cameron27]

35. You're perfectly clear, and I wasn't trying to pick a fight.

STFU I will then, including posting anything positve about Biden in any of the threads you chose to start. (That's what I had to do with few Obama supporters before I crossed him off my list, and before they got tombstoned) I'm sure you could give a shit.

[Joe the Revelator]

39. Threats of having me banned or not supporting my candidate...

does not really add much to whatever argument you were trying to make.

[Cameron27]

40. I wasn't threatening to have you banned.

It's not my board, and I don't make the rules. I wasn't even suggesting that in my comment about a few Obama supporters, but I'm also not just threatening to not post anything positive your threads, that's something that's going to happen. It's not about supporting your candidate, or even writing negative things about Clinton. It's about posting gossipy innuendo about other DUers instead of being upfront about what you're accusing them of. That bugs the hell out of me. As I said, I know you could care less.

[Clintonista2]

37. You've been particularly nasty lately, mr. Wolsh

I never see you write anything positive. I would say that 85% of the stuff I've seen you post is you attacking other DUers. The other 15% would consist of you attacking dem candidates.

[Joe the Revelator]

38. I'm not sure that you're the person to be making that distinction Lirwin...

...a very strong argument could be made that you are clearly biased against me.

To answer your question though, I am not being nasty for the sake of being nasty. There is a certain contingent of Duers that either don't understand the realities of Presidential politics or enjoy playing as if they do not understand the realities of Presidential politics. That they all support the same "democratic" candidate may just be a strange coincidence.

In closing, mind your and I'll mind mine.

[gateley]

12. I'm not sure the others can do it quite like Biden. Someone on DU said "I like

his snark" - and I agree. Not sure the others have that "gift". :7

Edit to say I've heard Hillary snark about Cheney - and it wasn't the planned Darth Vader line - it was off the cuff and pretty damn good. I loved it! So she's "blessed" too.

[PatSeg]

19. She is known for her wit and occasional sarcasm

but doesn't usually let it out in public. When she does, it is really very effective. I like her better when she is being herself, but we don't see that too often anymore.

[cleveramerican]

14. Biden is doing great

He just strikes the right tone at the right moment.
Thats what politics is.
And he is pretty darn good at it.

[PatSeg]

20. Yeah, he doesn't have to create a public image

He can just be who he is and eventually people notice.

[jmp]

21. But most of all ...

Don't expose Hillary as a liar and a fraud. God forbid we elect someone other than a well-worn corporate bagman. :eyes:

[Evergreen Emerald]

23. Where are you getting your information?

Liar and fraud? Those are strong words, and short of fact or reason. Critical analysis is out the window on DU. Time for political hackery.

[jmp]

26. From Hillary's mouth.

:eyes:

[Evergreen Emerald]

27. no...from...

the mouths of those who have a vested interest in beating her.

[The Magistrate]

24. Quite True, Sir

Sen. Biden shows the way, and some of his more prominent rivals are engaged in self-destruction by taking the other path. The rank and file voters of the Party are in no mood to reward divisive attacks on fellow Democrats. We know who the enemy is....

[rucky]

25. FYI: Biden's sister runs his campaign.

just thought that was a cool little factoid to add.

[Faryn Balyncd]

28. Right on,

[ginchinchili]

30. Do you honestly believe that Hillary wouldn't be doing the same ...

if she weren't the front runner? You couldn't expect her to just sit back and let the leading candidate run away with it all, could you? No, she'd be trying to figure out ways to make herself look better than the other candidates and one of those ways is to make the candidate(s) ahead of you look like, well, a lesser choice. And, yes, there's risk involved, but even greater risk in doing nothing but saying nice things about the candidate(s) in front of you.

[Clintonista2]

31. Of course she would do it too

It's politics, after all. What I'm saying is, Obama/Edwards have gone negative, and it hasn't been effective. That's an empirical fact. Polls released after the debate show that Hillary actually rose slightly. If Obama and Edwards were to adopt a new strategy, I think it would be much more effective.

[denem]

41. WOW - thats it isn't

The policy differences between the contenders arn't huge and what Democrats wasn't to know is how they will do as the nominees - yes, how effective they would be against the Republicans. That's what Rudy does most of the time, he runs against Hiliary.

So let's start calling Republican lies early this time. And keep calling them.

I remember on the 'pledge' question on Iraq thinking - What I can pledge is if Major Guiliani is elected President they will be there in 2013 and will stay there as long as he feels like it.

The Repubs are already talking about socialized medicine, so why don't the candidates compete on calling them on it. If you want to see backbone and passion - direct it where it belongs. I agree.