Biden Says About '10 to 15 Percent' of Americans Are 'Not Very Good People' (NYT)

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/04/us/politics/joe-biden-not-good-people.html

Biden Says About ‘10 to 15 Percent’ of Americans Are ‘Not Very Good People’
Mr. Biden, speaking to black supporters about the need to improve the country, accused President Trump of dividing the nation and pledged to unite it.
By Reid J. Epstein
June 4, 2020

WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. told a group of black supporters on Thursday night that most Americans were good people who think the nation can be improved, while also declaring that “there are probably anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of the people out there that are just not very good people.”

Mr. Biden offered his estimate during remarks in which he spoke about the importance of a president setting a positive example for the nation on racial issues. He accused President Trump of dividing the country while pledging that, as president, he would not.

“The words a president says matter, so when a president stands up and divides people all the time, you’re going to get the worst of us to come out,” Mr. Biden said during the discussion, which was moderated by the actor Don Cheadle.

“Do we really think this is as good as we can be as a nation? I don’t think the vast majority of people think that,” the former vice president said. “There are probably anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of the people out there that are just not very good people, but that’s not who we are. The vast majority of the people are decent, and we have to appeal to that and we have to unite people — bring them together. Bring them together.”

[Laelth]

1. +1 He's right. n/t

-Laelth

[DavidDvorkin]

2. He's too generous.

[Mister Ed]

22. Or...maybe not.

I'm often reminded lately of something I read a few years ago, at the time of the Ferguson unrest, when a retired police officer spoke on the topic of police brutality. He said that the makeup of a police department was pretty much like the makeup of the general population, in that about 15% were the saints, the salt-of-the-earth types who would always do the right thing in any situation. Another 15%, he said, were the really bad guys, the criminal element who would abuse their authority at every turn.

And what about the 70% in between? He said that those were the ones who were malleable, who tended to follow the crowd. They would tend to fall in line with one or the other of the two groups, depending on which one seemed to be in keeping with the general prevailing ethos of the department. If the department's philosophy seemed to be in line with the saints, then the massive middle group would drift toward them. If the department's unspoken ethos seemed to favor the abusive, criminal element, then the department as a whole would become abusive and criminal.

The important thing, he said, was for the department to create the strong and subtle feeling that the example of the best cops was to be followed, and the example of the worst cops was something to scorn and shun.

I think that retired cop was right, both about police departments and about society as a whole. For too long now, the malleable middle of our population has been getting the strong message that the prevailing ethos of our society is that of the most "Deplorable" - the hateful, the racist, the bigoted, the selfish and the greedy. That massive middle has drifted toward the worst in our society, and given them strength in numbers.

I have a strong sense today that the tide is at last turning, and that popular sentiment is rapidly flowing away from our worst 15%, leaving them high and and dry as it flows toward the best. I hope my gut feeling proves true.

[DavidDvorkin]

23. I hope you're right

And that the retired cop was right.

[BlueLucy]

3. He low balled it.

[rusty quoin]

5. You have that right.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. Try 40%. Joe.....but I get the calculus. nt

[Nevilledog]

9. I agree.

Problem is none of them think they're bad.

[comradebillyboy]

6. It's probably more than that based on my

totally anecdotal observations.

[Swede]

7. Like a basket of deplorable.

I'd go higher, say 30 percent.

[shanti]

13. At the very least.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

8. Biden knows

About the issue of narcissism. I'm glad if he does know. I would say 30% too.

[Skittles]

10. is that his version of "deplorables"?

[ecstatic]

14. Lol. NT

[Lock him up.]

17. I don't think that's what he meant.

There are "not very good people" in every country on earth.

Except maybe in Tibet? And Danemark...

[Tommy_Carcetti]

25. I dunno. You ever see "The Last Kingdom"?

Ancient Danes? Pretty rough crowd.

[OnDoutside]

28. I heard there was something rotten there too....

[honest.abe]

29. This was in reference to those hijacking the protests.. for looting, violence, etc.

and to bad cops and to racists. Not political at all.

[GusFring]

11. That's a very low estimate.

[Turbineguy]

12. That's the good news.

If I had to make up "a little list" (in the Mikado sense), I think there would be about 100 people on it. Even though many more would like to be on it. And no, they would not be missed.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

15. Yes, there's good and bad people everywhere.

We need to "accentuate the positive" and get Trump and his crooks OUT!

Like Mattis pointed out, Trump is divisive and making matters worse. There's more good than bad, but it often doesn't SEEM that way with such horrible people at the helm.

Edit: And much of social media makes it seem worse too, imo.

[RandySF]

16. Is this going to be a thing?

[Tripper11]

18. Just another way of saying deplorables

And I am fine with that!

[TeamPooka]

19. There are more republicans than that.

[pbmus]

20. Even deplorables can be nice for 15 minutes...

[smirkymonkey]

21. His estimation was very generous.

I would put it at around 30% at the very least. How else do we account for Trump voters?

[Vinca]

24. I'd put the number at 33% - the hardcore Trumpers.

[jmg257]

26. 100 million shitty people??? Lets hope not.

[Takket]

27. So true... but considering how well "deplorables" worked out

For Hillary... maybe not the place you want to go. With all that’s going on right now though I doubt anyone will remember this.