If former Vice President Joe Biden does enter the 2020 Presidential race, it’ll be on nobody’s terms but his own. Despite pressure to get into the fray, Biden is taking his time and applying his usual candor to the difficulties that would accompany a run.
According to a Wednesday New York Times report, Biden is concerned about the scrutiny a run would bring down on his family members, especially his son Hunter who was recently divorced and struggling with substance abuse.
He also seems to well aware of his weaknesses in what’s shaping up to be a very progressive primary with an increasingly progressive base, and has been spending hours on the phone with civil rights leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton.
That being said, affection for “Uncle Joe” is widespread. One of the reasons former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg reportedly bowed out of the race is the overwhelming positivity focus groups felt towards the garrulous former VP, a sign that Biden would be a more viable centrist-type candidate.
I think the only thing keeping Joe up at night is the fact that the Democratic Party is a female dominant party. The Dems won 60% of the female vote in 2018. Many of the Indies who will vote in our primaries are likely to be majority women, which will increase that gender gap. He might be thinking that those voters may align behind a strong female candidate given Joe’s long voting record, which at times has been very progressive on the issue of women’s rights (VAWA is his thing) and at other times has been a clunker (Anita Hill).
I think the affection for Joe in the party is real. The voters are wary of Trump and the electoral college and want a clear winner. Joe checks a lot of those boxes.
A man truly behind his time.
https://politicalwire.com/2019/03/06/bidens-senate-votes-could-prove-troublesome/
Joe, I love ya, but your time has really passed. For the sake of your legacy, please don’t run.
I’ll second the please don’t run part
Well, he’s not a septuagenerian with warmed over 1960’s socialist platitudes— there’s one plus.