Joe Biden, 76, finally announces his 2020 presidential candidacy

SWITZERLAND-DAVOS-WEF-U.S.-BIDEN

I honestly haven’t been paying much attention to Democratic Party politics lately. I already know I’m going to do whatever I can to get a Democrat elected next year, so I’m pacing myself and allowing the Democratic field to narrow naturally. Elizabeth Warren has been impressing me, and for some reason, Kamala Harris is constantly sending me emails (I didn’t sign up for her mailing list, but I have given money to other Dems in years past, so I guess I’m a well-known Democratic donor). I like Mayor Pete too, but I don’t want him to get the nomination. I hope I get to vote for a woman for president again, and I hope this time it doesn’t end in disaster.

The future is female, I feel that strongly. The future is not 76-year-old white dudes who rub strangers’ thighs and sniff women’s hair and are generally grabby and handsy. But that’s what we’re getting, because Hamlet has finally made a decision. Joe Biden announced his candidacy with this really cheap-looking video:

I appreciate that Biden’s launch video is specifically about Donald Trump being a f–king Nazi. I appreciate that he isn’t sugarcoating it. And even though I’ve made a ton of Hamlet jokes, I don’t think it’s “too late” for someone to get into the race – it’s April 2019 for goodness sake. What I hated was the fact that we knew he would run months ago, but he turned it into this fake-ass drama about whether he would announce, blah blah, like he was going to play the part of Reluctant Savior. Enough. But yeah, I just fundamentally feel like Biden and Bernie Sanders are too old for the presidency. Call it ageism, whatever, maybe it is. But that’s something I can’t get past. I also can’t get past his inappropriate behavior towards women and girls. Two strikes against him at the very start.

Joe Biden At The Grand Opening Of The Museum Of The American Revolution

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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125 Responses to “Joe Biden, 76, finally announces his 2020 presidential candidacy”

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  1. minx says:

    He’s not my choice but if he can peel off some Trump states, fine.

    • Wow says:

      He can’t and that’s a problem. I don’t know where they get his polling numbers I don’t know anyone who is supporting him.

      • Esmom says:

        Small focus group to be sure but the millennial woman I share an office with told me yesterday she is ALL IN for Uncle Joe, as are her friends. We talked about his behavior and she was surprisingly dismissive about it, saying his breadth of experience matters the most to her.

        I wonder how successful the GOP will be in trashing Joe for his handsiness considering Trump’s behavior has been arguably far worse.

      • minx says:

        All Biden has to do in win PA, which he definitely would, and it’s over for Trump.

      • C says:

        I think you’re right!

      • Megan says:

        Biden did not win a debate with Sarah Palin. I’m not convinced he can win anything. And his “aw shucks” demeanor means Trump will rip him apart.

      • aang says:

        Megan I see steel behind those blue eyes. I think he knows it’s time to fight.

      • FHMom says:

        Pennsylvania and maybe Wisconsin. Trump isn’t going to pick up any states, and Pennsylvania alone should do it. Biden is from Scranton.

      • mycomment says:

        he’s leading in the polls strictly on name recognition. if you can, seek out elizabeth warren’s appearance at She the People yesterday. She was so spot on in her remarks where she spoke about her father suddenly unable to work and her formerly stay at home mom becoming the sole breadwinner — all on a minimum wage. and then she went into how impossible it is to support a family on a minimum wage today. she received an enthusiastic response from the crowd at the end of her remarks.

        hell no for joe.

      • Cate says:

        Biden has already had several runs for the presidency and each time he sticks his foot in his mouth and says something dumb. He was a great senator and a great VP but I don’t think he’s really got it together enough for the Presidency.

      • snowqueenM says:

        He’d probably have a decent chance in Florida, to be honest. I live here, and I’d imagine he’d get love from the retiree crowd and some of the Republicans-lite who vote R, but don’t really love Trump.

      • Mego says:

        He can’t beat Trump and he is arrogant to think he can.

        That said, I wish he or some Dem could…

      • LW says:

        I will literally vote for a boulder over Donald trump. But I can tell you, I live in the rural part of a blue state, but my area is firmly Trump country and the Democrats that are around here LOOOOOVE Joe. I actually like Joe, but I think his time has passed. But I can also definitely see him peeling away some fence-sitting 2016 Trump voters here that only voted for Trump because they hated Hillary more. Not saying that’s the right thing to do, I’m just saying that here, it is reality. Luckily, Chicago makes our state blue, but pretty much the rest of the state is red so it can be compared to PA or WI or other places like that in my opinion.

    • H says:

      I know my opinion won’t be popular around here, but at this point unless more skeletons fall out of Joe’s closet I believe he is our only hope to dethrown Trump. I don’t think this country can survive another 4 years of Trump. I have friends who are transgendered and a little brother who is gay, and everyday more discriminatory laws are being enacted to give bigots a legal reason to discriminate against minorities and the LGBTQ+ community.

      Personally I can’t stand Bernie, but if he’s the nominee I’ll vote for him. As I’ve said before, at this point I will vote for Satan if it gets Trump gone. I live in Florida where there’s a lot of old white guys and a lot of them really like Joe Biden. (I know, I never would have guessed). Yes, I would prefer a woman, and I would be overjoyed if Mayor Pete got the nomination; but I have to be realistic that’s not going to happen.

      • Lala11_7 says:

        Raise your standards…if Biden is your only hope…if our election votes aren’t PROTECTED…it won’t matter…Hillary got MILLIONS more votes than Trump…even with racist/bigoted White folks…

        Please focus on WHY she was cheated…because she did NOT lose

      • H says:

        @Lala11_7, I really wish I had the option to raise my standards because the last time I did that and voted for Hillary, she lost. And don’t get me started on the electoral college.

        I live in a red state, red county where Bubba’s drive around everyday in their pickup trucks with Confederate flags hanging off the back. Even though I’m a white female in which I should be safe just based upon appearances. But the minute they find out I’m Jewish and if they ever found out I was gay… all bets would be off.

        Do I want a woman as president? Absolutely. Do I think we’ll get one in my lifetime? As I used to tell my students, I don’t think so. I’d love to be proven wrong. But unfortunately racist America wants an old white guy. At least with Biden as president I will never have to worry that he will start World War 3 on Twitter, that he will ban my transgendered friends from the military or he would have someone like Nazi Stephen Miller in his cabinet.

        But whoever the nominee is I will be voting for them. No independent or democrat can sit this one out. Even if it’s Bernie and I hope it’s not I will hold my nose and I will vote for him.

      • Himmiefan says:

        I agree, Biden is the only hope unless another centrist candidate rises. The Reps know that the Dems have no chance of winning with a far left candidate, so I smell a Rep rat in the voices calling for the party to go far left. I hope Biden has some good people who can counter- act some of the vicious people Bernie has on his staff.

      • LP says:

        I’m from Michigan and I lived there during most of the 2016 campaign (I moved to Ohio for work and voted there that year). To me, the big issue is voter turnout, rather than trying to appease racist whites. Someone styling themselves a ‘middle of the road moderate who’d never endorse all those crazy lefty ideas’ doesn’t turn out the vote, which we saw in 2016. I supported Hillary for sure but she tried the moderate thing and it didn’t work. If half of the people who didn’t vote in Michigan in 2016 had voted for Hillary she’d be president right now. Trump won by a small margin for lots of reasons, but math wise if we turn out the vote we’ll win. All this to say, he has the name recognition, but I don’t think Biden can get the turnout even to win the primary.

      • Canber says:

        If 12,000 more people showed up to vote for Clinton in Michigan, she’d have had that state. The margin between Trump and Clinton was less than the people who voted for Jill Stein there.

        That’s how I believe the Russian psyop worked – it depressed the vote, especially in one key county. And it’s scary that now any bad actor can hire a mini-army of trolls in order to target this or that district or county.

      • Snowflake says:

        @H, I live in the Destin area of FL. They regularly play Fox News in restaurants around here. I’m a Democrat and at my job, I hear “I like Trump, that was an OBAMA program,” etc. I bite my tongue so many times. I don’t discuss politics at work because I know I will be the only one who agrees w me. I look very white bread and people assume i’m a God fearing Republican. I just smile, nod, move on to another topic. I need to find a Democrat group, I just moved here from Jacksonville FL. I feel like i’m not going to be able to hold it in sometimes. I need a safe space lol

  2. Sean says:

    I can only imagine the headlines if he becomes the Democratic nominee.

    Grabby Hands vs Baby Hands for Presidency of the United States!

    Rumble in the Nursing Home!

    Thrilla in…wait, Wheel of Fortune is on!

    MAAATLOCK!!!

    • B n A fan says:

      I was hoping for someone younger, but if he can defeat the lying conman I will vote for him. Anyway, it’s to early to know how things will shake out in the primaries and debates.

      • Sean says:

        Agreed. While I do want someone younger (get some new blood in there) and less problematic, if Biden is the Dem nominee I will vote for him. We need to remove Trump from office.

    • grabbyhands says:

      Uhhhh, I have made no official declaration as of yet…. 🙂

    • Esmom says:

      Lol. I get that but if Biden can be Trump I’m ok with it.

  3. Cat mom says:

    I feel icky about Biden now. No one is emerging as a front-runner for me yet. Whoever can beat our Orange Furor will do.

    • Desolee says:

      Warren is the front runner, I thought.

      • Esmom says:

        I feel like that’s the narrative that’s been building. I love her and I hope she can overcome the Pocohontas smearing she’s had to endure. Seems like maybe she is.

      • ByTheSea says:

        She’s not. People are literally laughing at Warren on Facebook after that whole dna debacle. She has the best policies and plans, bar none, but she’s taken a hit.

      • Canber says:

        Warren – nope. Biden was the front runner, even before he announced.

      • minx says:

        I love Warren but sadly she’s nowhere near being the front runner.

  4. Aang says:

    Meh. Not my first choice but I’ll vote for whatever is not trump in the general.

    • Salted Watermelon says:

      That’s my thing. He’s definitely not my first choice, and I really hate his inappropriate behavior towards women. But I think at this point, the Dems need to run some boring, vanilla white guy so all of the “economically anxious” people in swing states don’t have to vote for some woman or minority (God forbid!). The Dems can’t have people sit out this round because they don’t like that the candidate is gay, or female, or black. That’s how we got Trump in the first place.

      • Becks1 says:

        But, Democrats need to energize the base. We need that more than we need those “economically anxious” people. If we can energize the base, and get back the Obama voters who switched to Trump, and get the vote out in key states, we can win.

        Trump’s electoral victory looked a lot bigger than it actually was. Defeating him IS possible, but we need a candidate people are excited about.

    • lucy2 says:

      Same here. I feel Biden’s time has passed, and I’d much prefer Warren or Harris, but I will vote and volunteer for whoever gets the nomination.

  5. CharliePenn says:

    Ugh, sit down Joe. Sit down and keep your hands to yourself.

    • B n A fan says:

      I’m not going to tell him to sit down at this time. If the grab them by the $#@@$ is still standing anybody can stand.

      • Wow says:

        No it can’t, we can stop standing for the abuse of women. Just because Trump did it doesn’t mean we should accept it from others. How about you don’t get support if you are like Trump and we stop normalizing abusers? Can we do that?

      • CharliePenn says:

        B N A I get this line of thinking, for sure. But we cannot allow that p*ssy grabbing animal to set the standard!
        I hear your frustration. I feel it too.

      • Aang says:

        A patronizing old man, yes. An abuser no.

      • B n A fan says:

        @CP, I know, but if “grabby” is standing we cannot ask anyone to sit, IMO, grabby is not human.

  6. Rapunzel says:

    There needs to be a new law capping the age at which you can serve in politics. I’m so sick of our Congress/WH looking like an AARP convention.

    • Salted Watermelon says:

      How can we expect them to do anything about climate change when they’re all going to be dead anyway?

      • Jerusha says:

        Hey, hold on there! I’m two years younger than Joe and, based on family longevity, I’ve got another 30 or 40 years.😅 I want to save the environment and the creatures in it. And there are shits in every age group-look at all the 20 and 30 and 40 something assholes surrounding Lardass. But truly, I’d prefer someone in their 40s or 50s as prez. Not because we Seniors don’t care, but for energy level among other things. And one of our very worst presidents-Ronald Reagan-was in his 70s, wasn’t he?

      • Esmom says:

        Aw, Jerusha, you are a gem. Good points, as always.

      • Christin says:

        Excellent points, Jerusha. As for Ronnie, I think he would have also been awful at a younger age. He was just acting his way through political life. Why some claim his was a great presidency is beyond me.

      • B n A fan says:

        When my grandmother was 80+ yo she could remember everything that happened from a child to her dying days. When I was 50 I could hardly remember what happened last week. My father remembered everything all his life. We cannot generalized.

    • Wow says:

      Right? If you cant safely operate a car you can’t run the country. Run by the age of 70 or accept you won’t be present. Honestly, in my experience individuals start having massive decline in mental faculties around 65. I believe there are studies to back that up, but since I’m too lazy to cite my sources I’ll leave it as opinion.

      • Swack says:

        @Wow, I really take exception to this: my experience individuals start having massive decline in mental faculties around 65.

        You must not be around many 65 year olds. I’m 65, take care of grandchildren, get them on the bus every day, help them with homework (even those in high school), play softball, officiate softball, baseball and soccer and my mental faculties are not in a massive decline. I know many 65+ year olds that are the same as I am. I had a great aunt that cooked 3 meals a day for her husband, grandkids, and great grandkids until the day she died at 95. Had another great aunt who hand quilted up to 50 quilts a year until she was well into her 80’s. I HATE general statements like you made and it doesn’t do anyone any good to make them.

      • velourazure says:

        That’s not a good generalization, Wow, everyone is different. I personally know people in their 80s who run circles around my friends in their 40s.

        I do take exception with older white men having a lock on the presidency since our country’s founding. It’s time for other points of view shaping this country: women and people of color of all ages. I don’t particularly care how old Biden is but he’s a white man in America who has been shaped by that innate privilege his whole life.

      • Wow says:

        In most instances it is true. There is a decline, people move slower. You can be very sharp at 65, but people don’t slip into senility overnight. Its a slow decline. When 65 is really when you start fitting the category of elderly. I have seen patients that seem completely functional, but they have family or the state making medical decisions for them because they are no longer competent.

        I’m sorry, I don’t want someone who is over 70 running the country. Its too old. Human brains degrade with age. We have had enough elderly law makers create awful legislation because they are simply too old to understand the people they are representing.

      • Tourmaline says:

        Does this go for Congress too? Just asking because at 79, Nancy Pelosi is years older than Joe Biden.

      • LT says:

        @WOW – that is ludicrous.

        In my firm, partners are kicked out at 60 (to make room for younger folks), though some get exceptions to stick around for another few years. Those who do retire usually go onto to other lucrative gigs for YEARS. Running companies, sitting on boards, etc.

        I gave a presentation recently about the changing workforce. Babies born today will likely see a lifespan of 100+, so the working age will go far, far beyond 65. The idea that people have outlived their intellectual usefulness at 65 is crazy.

  7. Wow says:

    I know I complained about Kamila Harris, but I’ll stop now if you all take Biden back.

    *chanting*

    Don’t win the primary, don’t win the primary

  8. Diana says:

    Let me start by saying I started off really infatuated with Beto because he’s young, well spoken and reminds me of a Kennedy. But the more he speaks, the more I realize how shallow his messaging is. I also started off dismissing Elizabeth Warren not because I don’t like her (I have huge respect for her), but because the last election made me jaded… Hillary couldn’t overcome that stupid email debacle, how can warren overcome the name calling and Pocahontas crap? We know now how collectively idiotic the general population is…. Trump got elected for chrissakes. But the more Elizabeth Warren speaks the more inspired I’ve become. She is incredibly sharp and has a plan to back up everything she’s proposed so far. But is the country ready? I know we Democrats have been ready… but will people in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, etc be unbiased and mature enough to pick her over Trump?

    Re Biden’s announcement video – I disagree. I thought it was moving and quite powerful. He showed empathy and nuance. I cried a little!! Let’s see where this goes. But as it stands I think he’s got a good shot if he can get past the primary. He also has to pick a winning vp to assuage people’s fears about how old he is. And he needs to stop touching people and cracking jokes about it! Like how hard is that?

    • Wow says:

      My issue with Warren is she has a ton of policy ideas that seem unreasonable. For instance using tax money to pay for student loan forgiveness in the middle of a healthcare crisis instead of advocating for reform and reducing interest rates.

      The issues she has on the table are the right ones, her policy ideas seem a little pie in the sky.

      Beto honestly needs more time.

      Most of all Biden ain’t it!

      • Becks1 says:

        She’s a little pie in the sky, but she does actually have plans, well-thought out plans. There’s an argument to be made about whether her plans are the best plans, but I feel like she is more realistic than most candidates.

      • Megan says:

        Unlike Bernie, Liz has articulated a clear plan for how to pay for universal childcare, eliminate some student debt, and make state college free. It is a 2% on all income above $50 million and a 3% tax on all income above $1 billion.

      • Cate says:

        I have to say, the more I hear from Warren the more I like her. She seems to have good ideas and actual ideas on how to pay for them. I LOVE the concept of a wealth tax and I really hope that gets more traction. Our tax system is so regressive compared to the rest of the developed world and it is really hurting us. I do wish she would have more of a focus on climate change BUT I also think we aren’t really going to be able to “fix” climate change without also fixing a lot of these other social injustices (i.e. people might be more inclined to go along with a carbon tax if they aren’t also paying off crazy student loans and sinking under medical bills). I would love if she got the nomination and then co-opted some climate and environment positions from someone like Inslee.

  9. WingKingdom says:

    I’m voting for a woman in the primaries, I know that much. Right now I see 3 strong female candidates, with Warren really stepping up the discourse with her ideas. I don’t see a role for Biden here other than to suck oxygen away from the women who should rightly be at the forefront.

  10. Uppenyrcraut says:

    Too old , surely??? You guys need a Justin Trudeau type to Gen X it up a bit!

    • Eliza says:

      Bernie is a year older than Joe. There’s a lot of men vying to be in their 80s and president.

      • Aang says:

        I still think there needs to be an upper age
        limit. Like 65 for your first term. Age related cognitive decline is a real thing. And while experience can help to compensate we see are seeing the real danger of dementia in the Whitehouse.

      • Who ARE these people? says:

        Yes and we may already see dementia in the White House with Trump.

      • Megan says:

        We saw it with Reagan. You have to be at least 35 to run, why not cap the age as well?

  11. Eliza says:

    More people splitting the ballot and doing the Republicans works for them by slinging mud at each other before the primaries. Granted being handsy didn’t stop our current mess from ascending. But it won’t work for a democratic ticket.

    • Who ARE these people? says:

      It’s not slinging mud to have a healthy competition. There will be only one nominee in the end.

  12. anniefannie says:

    I initially thought Mayor Pete running was far to premature til I’saw his interviews. While he hasn’t introduced a lot of policy his thoughtful responses to absolutly everything has blown me away with his intellect, compassion and steely resolve. He has positioned himself as the antidote to Trump and I’m all in…

    • H says:

      I joined his campaign on his web site. I know he probably won’t get the nomination but I’m seriously hoping he gets the VP nod.

    • a reader says:

      Mayor Pete says lots of words, but there is very little substance.

      I’m beginning to think of him as an empty suit.

      I also read a chunk of his book. He seems to have no core values. He’s certainly not progressive.

      • aang says:

        I agree. I need some details. I love that he is gay and picking fights with the homophobe pretend christians but that is not enough.

    • (THE OG)@Jan90067 says:

      LOVE Mayor Pete! He is intelligent, well-spoken, sincere… I do think he needs a bit more “seasoning”, but VP, oh hell yeah! Pete and Kamala have been my “front runners” so far. I like Warren, but I don’t feel she has the “it” factor, the “charisma” to win it (don’t jump…it’s just my opinion!).

      I will #VoteBlueNoMatterWho, and I’m doing work for my local Dems (writing/calling etc) now. I think most Dems will vote blue, except the B.Bros., who’ve threatened to vote for Declining Don if Bernie doesn’t get the nod. Man, I *really* dislike them 😛

      • Diana says:

        Bernie bros are seriously going to vote for trump if Bernie doesn’t get the non? Are you serious???? Bernie really needs to step up and put a stop to this kind of dangerous line of “reasoning “. Baffled!

    • Parigo says:

      Pete mainly appeals to white liberals. He has a fraught history with POC in his own community. I can’t see him getting past that and building effective coalitions.

  13. y says:

    I think Pete Buttigieg is angling for a VP slot. I’d be happy to see him on the ticket. I think he could have a real chance at being President in his lifetime, but for now I think he’s aiming for VP.

  14. Div says:

    I am fairly far left and I love Warren and Harris (despite some of her issues). I dislike Biden for his handling of Anita Hill among other things. I have to admit the video was very well done. Also, I can’t deny that he is crushing the others in 95% of the polls, even before he announced, and I’ve seen polls where he crushes Trump by 10% or more. And he wasn’t out there like Bernie, who has basically been running since 2016 if we’re going to be honest…so while he has name recognition he doesn’t have the same momentum that Bernie had. And he’s an excellent debater…

    Basically, as meh as I am about it I suspect Biden is going to win the nomination unless he f*cks it up big time. Political twitter, which makes Biden out to be universally despised, isn’t real life (half the coverage makes it seem like all the Freshman congressmen and women are AOC types, when in reality not a single Justice Dem flipped a red area blue and most who won were center-left or centrists). Atlantic had a good article recently about how the Democratic party comes across on twitter and the media versus the types of Democrats who are getting elected irl.

    If he does win and he’s smart, he’ll pick someone who can flip an area that carries a lot of electoral college votes and who is much younger: as much as I love Stacey, Andrew Gillum comes to mind as I think Fl would be easier to flip.

    • H says:

      Andrew Gilliam, as much as I loved him and voted for him, just paid $5,000 in fines for some sort of scandal. The Republican idiot we now have an office beat him, so I think if Joe gets the nomination he needs a bigger state (Beto, TX or Mayor Pete, IN/IL/Mid-West). Don’t pin your hopes on us down here in Florida — we always disappoint.

    • GMonkey says:

      My dream ticket is Harris/Sherrod Brown. He will get the Midwest easily. Harris is a bad ass.

      I will definitely vote for Biden if he wins the nomination, but I cannot campaign on behalf of a person with physical boundary issues and who treated Anita Hill like garbage. Clarence Thomas is in the Supreme Court because of him.

  15. lassie says:

    I’d vote for Satan in overalls to get Trump out.

  16. Busyann says:

    Im excited for any democrat and really got behind a Biden nomination from the very beginning because honestly, I think he’s the only one that can beat Cheeto. Voters at the end of the day are going to want stability. I would love a more progressive candidate, but is that desire for a progressive going to beat voters just voting for the guy that can do the job and beat Trump? I’m not so sure. What I would like is a Biden President and a progressive and younger VP. I really wanted Biden-O’Rouke, but a Biden-Bootyguy or Biden-Warren, ticket would be fine with me. I will say some candidates I was excited about in the beginning have started to lose my support.

  17. Becks1 says:

    I just want someone that we can get excited about, and I’m not sure that’s Biden. I wish he had just gone into the sunset as a beloved vice president.

    No candidate is going to be perfect, and Democrats DO need to just get over that hump. I see so many comments (here, FB, twitter) about how “I really like X candidate, but they did Y, so maybe not.” Get over the Y. No candidate is going to be perfect, or check every box. Find the one you can get excited about for the MOST reasons and go from there.

    • Christin says:

      I am tuning out the “but there’s this” negative talk, too. That is exactly what kind of doubt and chaos that our adversaries want us to have, while ignoring the inept, self-serving, terrible situation we have.

    • Kitten says:

      I agree with everything, especially the part about finding a candidate that checks the most boxes for you. That being said, I think it’s ok to hash it out a bit over the candidates. The key is to keep it respectful–if you do that, it can actually be really productive in terms of helping you decide. I just feel like the primaries are the time to vote with your heart and soul and the general is the time to vote with your head. *shrugs*

      • Becks1 says:

        @Kitten – oh I definitely think people should hash it out, and we should debate all the different policies etc. Castro said something to that effect a few months ago – that a wide primary field could be a good thing for the Democrats, because we could really debate policy and figure out what we prioritize as a party.

        I’m just seeing too much of “Meh, this person is *almost* perfect but they did this one thing 5 years ago so no.”

        Now to somewhat contradict that, I can understand people having lines in the sand – and saying, “because of X, I cannot vote for this candidate.” But then that candidate wouldn’t be “almost perfect” for you anyway, you know? They’re probably more of a non-starter.

  18. Kitten says:

    Warren is the right person to lead this country but sure, maybe we’ll all be fortunate enough to witness a d*ck-swinging contest between two old white men. I know how much everyone is looking forward to that.
    *eyeroll*

    • Wow says:

      Warren is the only one in that clown car I could vote for without feeling disgusted with myself. She’s not perfect and some of her policies are unreasonable, but she has policies, she has ideas.

      Yeah, she shouldn’t have done a lot of the stuff she did in regards to the first nations, but if you are from Oklahoma it is not uncommon for a lot of people to have these family members who claim to be native. Most would need a DNA test to be proved wrong and still wouldn’t believe it. Her biggest issue was going against tribal leaders to prove her heritage with a DNA test. I do think she learned a lot about drowning out Trumps noise from that and focusing on herself. She had an experience and changed after. I respect that because I want policy not a campaign full of bickering with trump.

      • Kitten says:

        Thanks, Wow, I appreciate your views on this.
        To your last sentence: EXACTLY. I’m sick of our country being a f*cking reality TV show. ENOUGH.

    • B n A fan says:

      @kitten, I really like Elizabeth but I don’t understand why she’s not doing better in the polls. IMO, if Clinton did not make it, don’t believe Warren will. I know 45 and Putin stole the election from Clinton , I truly believe this with every fiber in my being.

      • Kitten says:

        I’ve said it before but aside from the name recognition issue, the main problem she has is people (like so many around here) saying “I really like her, but she can’t win.”

        Because every time someone verbalizes that thought, another person looks to the polls, sees Biden and Sanders at the top, and throws their support to them because they’ve been told Liz can’t win. In turn, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because *surprise!* SHE CAN ONLY WIN IF YOU VOTE FOR HER.

        And THAT’S why the notion of *electability* is pure bullshit. It really is simple: if you believe in the kind of campaign Warren’s running and if you believe in her platform, then amplify her candidacy, donate to her campaign, canvas for her, and VOTE for her. Instead of saying “I like Warren a lot but she can’t win”, say “I believe in Warren’s campaign and I am committed to doing what I can to help her.” It’s not that we shouldn’t be realistic about it being an uphill battle–it is–but she’s not facing anything harder than the other candidates. It’s a battle for ALL of them–yes, even Sanders and Biden–at this point. Recall that in 2007, Clinton was leading Obama in the primaries by double digits.

        So my advice to those who like Warren but are doubtful about her ability to win is this: STOP letting the polls and lazy punditry decide your vote. NONE of us have a crystal ball and NONE of us know what will happen in the time leading up to the primary.

        And with that, I will see myself out because I can tell people are going to @ me and I just don’t f*cking care anymore.
        I’m voting for Warren in the primary. So should you. The end. 😉

      • snowqueenM says:

        Wasn’t Warren a Republican until like 1996? She flipped when she started working with families in bankruptcy. I’ve heard it called her “Road to Damascus” moment.

        Could be so incredibly inspiring, if only people would listen to her ideas and give her a real chance. I feel like she could be far more electable than Bernie Sanders, for instance.

  19. Yvette says:

    I think Joe Biden is overly affectionate, not grabby. And granted, many people have a problem with that. The fact is also that he has always showed the same behavior towards men as women. Many men and women said so when this story first broke, but I guess this narrative is more fun. It’s sad that women are perving Biden out and putting him on the same level as Trump. What’s next? “Biden looked at me longer than 15-seconds and now I feel violated?”

  20. Lala11_7 says:

    I as a Black woman…and part of the Democratic Base…and being over 50 years old…

    I have to say…that I am SO VERY, VERY, VERY excited…

    To ONCE AGAIN….

    NOT VOTE FOR JOE BIDEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    His policies have PERSONALLY had a detrimental effect on me and every working class person I know over the last 30 years….he’s a Republican and part of the reason why the Democratic Party shifted WAY TOO FAR TO THE RIGHT! I’m over that…and him…and ANYONE like him

  21. Jerusha says:

    I want the best, most qualified person as candidate, but I recognize that we have a lot of STUPID and or BIGOTED voters in this country. They don’t follow policy discussions. They vote on image and dog whistles and lies. I’ll wait to listen to everyone, vote in the primary, watch the field thin, then full steam ahead.
    I want someone who will beat the hell out of the current POSOTUS, and if that meant a ticket of Alec Baldwin and Kim Kardashian, I’d hold my nose and vote for them.
    I would hope we had learned something from 2016 though and will get behind the chosen ticket and stick together.

    • (THE OG)@Jan90067 says:

      Amen, Jerusha! We all have one that we “like” more than the others, and that’s all good and fine…now. But when the field narrows down to one, we MUST #VoteBlueNoMatterWho, and work to that end. Period.

      (I’ll step down from my soapbox now, and put away my megaphone 😄)

  22. Busyann says:

    Hmm, some of the comments are highlighting the issue I was referring to. This might honestly come down to the person that will beat Trump. I hope voters want a progressive candidate, yes, absolutely….but at the end of the day the only thing that matters is who is going to get the job done. This has the ability to go the way of Jill Stein….taking votes away and actually electing Trump AGAIN if people are not careful with how they vote.

  23. virginfangirls says:

    I agree that a democratic candidate must be chosen ultimately as one most likely to beat the “father of lies.” The democrats who don’t think that are willing to cut their nose off to spite their face.
    I remember my husband’s old supervisor Tom, who he remained friends with, a 60 yr old democrat who had worked in politics at times in his career, had told my husband when Hillary first started running how much he disliked her. Mu husband highly respected Tom for his intelligence and decency.
    And my husband would argue that Tom was surely not supporting Hillary when she won the primary, always reiterating that Tom thought her a pretty awful human being. After Trump was elected we all went out for dinner, and I asked Tom who he had wanted to win between Trump and Clinton. He told me while he was no fan of Hillary, he voted for her against Trump, for the simple fact she was 100 times better than Trump. And I smugly looked at my husband.

  24. HELEN says:

    this primary feels so all over the place. hopefully some republicans will primary trump bc apparently, whenever incumbents are primaried, they tend to win the primary, but then lose the general..

  25. FluffyPrincess says:

    I will vote for whomever lands on the Dem ticket against what’s his ass in the White House.

    But I feel strongly that Democratic candidates need to stop worrying about convincing Trump voters to switch sides. Ef them. The will NEVER vote for you over their Messiah. Get.Over.It.

    And what’s wrong with firing up the people who WILL vote for you? I feel like we get left out because of the pandering to the other side. Again, Ef those people. Energize and INSPIRE US–YOUR VOTING BASE!! How hard is that to understand? Gah!

  26. Lynne says:

    I believe if elected he is past the age to be an effective first term president.

  27. tmbg says:

    Oh no. If this is going to be the Democratic party’s nomination, we’re all doomed. 🤦🏼‍♀️ He’ll still have my vote though. I just wish they’d pick someone younger with no creepy reputation.

    • B n A fan says:

      We didn’t pick him yet, he’s in the race like 19 others Dems. We have to go through the primaries, and the debates.

  28. Busyann says:

    Lol my hubs, whose more liberal than I am ( and I am extremely liberal), just said “Joe might be too old.” Lol what are we going to do!

  29. KBeth says:

    I’m not crazy about Biden but I would vote for my neighbors senile poodle over Trump.

  30. Cacec04 says:

    His stepping in to run makes me mad. I liked him as Obama’s VP abs definitely think he can hold his own if Trump were to attack him, but he’s just more of the same old same old. Our country has been crying for radical change since W’s last term. This is how we got Obama and this is how we got Trump (for better or worse). Biden does not represent change to me and he’s going to cause problems for more progressive candidates who could have a good chance. It’s too little too late for him and it’s going to infuriate me if the DNC throws all its weight behind him. Don’t get me wrong, if he wins the primaries I’m voting for him in the general but he’s not going to be the change we need at this point.

  31. Chef Grace says:

    This old white dude gets my vote. Hopefully he will choose Beto or one of the strong females for vp.

  32. Danielle says:

    We need to accept reality. 1. Third parties like Stein and Johnson didn’t get enough votes to make any impact. 2. Even if we “beat” Trump, we still need to identify and address the conditions that led to him being our President. The Rust Belt rightfully feels abandoned by the Democrats because of trade deals, the middle class is disappearing and poor, uneducated voters are in even worse shape. The economy is abysmal. A lot of racists did vote for Trump, but even more than that…most Americans don’t vote at all. I think we need to abolish the electoral college because that’s why Trump won. He also did a great job of convincing uneducated voters that he really meant his “populist” message. They knew Clinton would pass the TPP and I think that played a bigger part than people want to admit. Biden is just another establishment Democrat and most Americans won’t like or trust him.
    I like Elizabeth and Bernie because they are actually earnest and sincerely populist and have policies that will help the American people that are struggling the most. And fyi, the “Bernie Bros” aren’t real Bernie supporters. They were anti-Clinton trolls who would have voted for Trump regardless.
    Furthermore, I dont know if any of you watched Bernie’s town hall on Fox, but their viewers and the audience loved his message and his policies.
    America doesn’t want or need another centrist. They want real change, that’s why so many people believed Trump’s lies (not including the very real and obvious racist ane xenophobic voters who loved his racists messages against immigrants, refugees, and Muslims).
    We need someone like Warren or Bernie and I think they have a better chance than any other candidate at beating Trump and creating the kind of stability that will prevent another Trump from popping up in the future.
    The other candidates are just spewing their talking points and not doing a good job of it, as well as raking in money from Pacs, lobbyists, ECT. Neither Beto or Mayor Pete are ready, and shouldn’t be in the race.
    And I also don’t believe we should refrain from criticizing every candidates voting records and history. That’s the entire point of the primary…weed out the weak so we end up with the strongest candidate with the best policies; that’s how we win.
    Sorry that went on longer than I intended lol

  33. Lilly (with the double-L) says:

    Someone’s probably said this, but no thank you. We can stop accepting the media trope that our only hope is the old white guy savior who can get the votes of those pesky middle-of-the-road folks, rather than a woman and/or someone who moves forward. It really feels like this is a change in the world time and let’s grasp it, since there’s no choice.
    p.s. I don’t see older age as the barrier – it’s no discernible, or genuine, change in attitude.

  34. BuddyJack says:

    Candidly I think a Biden/Harris ticket is a winner. The bottom line is the independent / middle of the road voter is the one that decides freaking elections. Despite the appearance on websites like this and Twitter, there is a significant percentage of Americans that don’t identify with either party. And they don’t post with caps, and explanation points on social websites discussing politics, But they are there and they vote. (All of y’all on this website were so convinced of Hillary’s invincibility….the night and day after the election, the posts here showed the trauma of being gobsmacked with reality you didn’t expect was academically great sociology. Go back and read them.).

    ……Whatever support Trump got from the middle is eroding. Dems would be idiots to put up too progressive a candidate……those in the middle will vote 3rd party or hold their nose for trump over what will be spun as a socialist progressive candidate.

    I’d vote for Biden/Harris in a heartbeat to get trump out. Your mileage may vary.

  35. Cojii says:

    I get why Biden didn’t run in 16 but I think he would have won. Now I think he’s too old. I would like to vote for a woman again but for me the #1 thing is getting rid of that orange criminal.

  36. olive says:

    too old, too male, too white.

    also, too centrist!

  37. Yes Doubtful says:

    I will vote for whomever gets the Democratic nomination. Trump is out of his mind and dangerous.

  38. Catherine Page says:

    Thank goodness he arrived, I was so worried we wouldn’t have enough white male voices in the political landscape!

    I enjoy his Cooky Uncle shtick, but would it kill him to throw his clout behind a more diverse candidate? As he witnessed with Barack, representation matters. There are talented voices he should be elevating with his platform.

  39. Xtrology says:

    Two words: Anita Hill.

  40. ikki says:

    Nope. Not voting for this creepy, corporate-sponsored man.
    I’ll be putting my support on Bernie at the primaries. Change IS possible.