Joe Biden, Senator from Citibank (oops, DELAWARE), to Run for President

Not going to stop Fox News or Trump from bringing it up, no Biden voter is going to not vote for him if they don't, "independents" probably don't even know it happened.

I should rephrase: good eternal politicians

One guy in Canada--I'm the only one...I don't know; if you saw it, I think it's hard to pretend you didn't see it. I'm not saying dwell on it, just come up with something. For Biden, it's mostly an advantage--magnanimous, I was wrong, doesn't hold grudges, etc. But maybe something from Harris.

It'll come up in the debates, maybe from one of the questioners; why not head that off?

Nope. Ignore it until one of the debate questioners brings it up (because as you say, they'll be unable to stop themselves) and then answer with a variation on, "Are you still talking about that? That was like a year ago, and I don't know if you've noticed, but a lot of shit has happened since then. So let's talk about [pet issue]..."

"We've had our differences - that's politics - but fundamentally we agree that..." is prewritten language, easy to tuck in somewhere.

But I also don't think the candidates should dignify every "why haven't you addressed..." question with a response.

For the same reason you don't let Trump bait you into taking a test or whatever.

xp - That you're posting in this thread means you pay more attention to American politics than 90% of the people who'll vote in November.

Some thoughts from reading recent updates to this thread:

Race isn't real, but racism is, and is an intimate part of this country's founding and continuing myth creation. I lecture about this to almost every class I teach. What is most important for people who aren't Black or Indigenous to recognize is that being an anti-racist must be a part of who one is, so that it becomes part of one's learning and living processes. My anti-racism has evolved (and evolves) over time to become more nuanced and understanding of complexities of white supremacy and oppressive structures in this country and elsewhere— it's not set in stone.

One of the biggest problems with a lot of white liberals is that they don't take into account the continued learning that MUST be a part of being an anti-racist. They take it as an identity rather than a learning process, and thus when they are called out on something racist, they take it as an assault on their identity rather than an opportunity to grow. In this sense, white liberal anti-racism is well-intentioned some of the time, but is inextricable from and complicit in the very structures of white supremacy and anti-Blackness that it purports to be against...because white liberal anti-racism's default position is *whiteness*.

As far as Biden and Harris go, of course I don't know what's in their hearts (lol), but to think that Harris is some sort of progressive when she has a literal record of jailing poor black people, excusing their murderers, and doing nothing about Nazis stabbing people in California state capitol, well...it's just really disappointing that the politics of representation has come to this. The woman is a literal enemy of Black people and poor people, not to mention an enemy of undocumented people. Nothing that any white liberal or older Black moderate (or any conservative for that matter) says can change that fact.

(xpost) Maybe. I wouldn't handle it that way. What's happened since doesn't erase what was said then. I say this as someone who was 1000% hoping Harris was the VP pick.

here's a piece laying out the argument for her being "the most progressive DA in California," seems a little thin to me:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2020/08/10/kamala-harris-progressive-pioneer-san-francisco-da-column/3334668001/

(it's a bummer how quickly their position has solidified into "build on the affordable healthcare act")

In which Joseph demurs on whether he'd still veto #MedicareForAll if it came across his desk, and still refuses to support it outright.

"It's not gonna come across my desk." pic.twitter.com/tdjM26Ldw2

— HootHootBerns🌹🌺 (@HootHootBerns) August 12, 2020

he's right about that

Good to know he's letting him them know not to bother

it's not like Pfizer and Glaxo are gonna need to pay for a big splashy inaugural

"It's not gonna come across my desk."

i mean he's basically telling us to not vote for him, isn't he?

Why the fuck would he even say that? He really has zero ability to pivot. "There are a wide range of ideas, but one thing we all agree on" etc.

god he sucks so bad

Joe Biden: He'll Delay The Apocalypse By A Couple Of Years Maybe

I liked it better when they weren't letting him talk

Thank god they can't trot out "America is ALREADY great" again.

Joe Biden 2020: The Fuck Else You Gonna Do, Jack?

He's right, but I find it hard to believe if a Democratic-controlled Congress sent him that legislation that he would veto it. Not going to happen (on both accounts).

Joe Biden: He'll Delay The Apocalypse For Big Donors

xp this is exactly what's maddening about it. Forget it coming across his desk—he's shooting it down as an idea, just as it's gaining (some) traction.

Hey dipshit—how about starting with single-payer and make your compromises from there. Next-level Obama negotiating skills already in full flower.

xxp - A Democratic Congress takes it cues from a Democratic President.

Suggesting that he'd veto it isn't the worst part of the clip; it's that he keeps saying that the pandemic has not exposed any weaknesses in the US private / employment-tied health system a) at all, and b) openly and massively lying that integrated public health systems around the world have not handled the pandemic better.

agreed

He doesn't want single payer, it wouldn't make sense for him to start there as a negotiation. He doesn't even, as Obama didn't, give a shit about his public option.

What are people without access to healthcare going to do, vote Republican? Fuck 'em, man!

Cue 2022 red wave

xxp of course not, but honestly I just thought it would be more like January b4 he stopped posing—and that at a minumum that posing would forward some actual policy conversation

He doesn't want single payer, it wouldn't make sense for him to start there as a negotiation. He doesn't even, as Obama didn't, give a shit about his public option.

― Donald Trump Also Sucks, Of Course (milo z), Wednesday, August 12, 2020 7:03 PM (twenty minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

From what I understand, not a whole bunch of americans want single payer either.

not a whole bunch of Americans wanted a lot of things that should absolutely unequivocally be rights but somehow we managed

It's too bad our elected leaders have zero influence on public opinion, really.

elected

This seems key.

He's speaking of what will come after he's elected, yes - if you don't want that appellation for someone who was elected VP twice, to the Senate for three centuries and so on.

Milo do you think the genie is out of the bottle wrt single payer? I’m pretty certain Biden//Harris is the last ticket in Dems history to not be 100% for single payer.

Zero chance of that.

The Pelosis, Schumers, Clintons, Manchins aren't just going to go away of their own volition.

There are plenty of soulless strivers to replace them - Joe Kennedy III and Buttigieg for two prominent examples.

Biden winning will be seen as proof that the left flank is either irrelevant or properly cowed by the evil of the GOP, no need to meddle with the status quo. The political and donor class and most of the upper-middle class can ride out imperial decline in style.

If the left flank makes sure they are a key constituency, and since 2016 there seems to be some valuable progress in that regard, they won’t be seen as irrevelant. Obama//Biden in 2008 and 2012 don’t propose a 2 trillions green plan, now he does.

Better to pretend it never happened. Who's going to care?
― Donald Trump Also Sucks, Of Course (milo z)

It occurs to me that isn't this something that was argued about for 30-some posts earlier today--whether or not Kamala Harris called Joe Biden a racist in the debate moment nobody cares about?

The Joe Biden sucks thread remains too small to be relevant electorally, unfortunately.

But even the people who care here, it's not changing anyone's votes.

If the left flank makes sure they are a key constituency

What does this even mean?

As ever, once you're a guaranteed vote the Democrats have no interest in actually serving your needs or desires. Why would they? The fuck else you gonna do, vote Republican?

Republicans are terrified of their voters, Democrats disdain theirs.

Legalize Marijuana

DNC Platform
vote: 106n, 50y, 3a
% support: 31/67 (-36) 👈

Polling – Pew 11/19
Public: 67/32 (+35)
Dems: 78/20 (+58) ←

Medicare for All

DNC Platform
vote: 36y, 125n, 3a
% support: 22/76 (-54) 👈

Polling – KFF 5/20
Public: 57/40 (+17)
Dems: 78/19 (+59) ←

— austerity is theft (@wideofthepost) July 28, 2020