Biden Criticizes Sanders for Not Being a Democrat

[RandySF]

When asked to identify the contrast between himself and Sen. Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden told the Wall Street Journal: “I’m a Democrat.”

Asked if he was inferring that Sanders was not a Democrat, Biden responded: “Well, he says he’s not. He’s not a registered Democrat.”



https://politicalwire.com/2020/01/30/biden-criticizes-sanders-for-not-being-a-democrat/

[msongs]

1. statements of fact are not necessarily criticism nt

[Thekaspervote]

3. This...

[treestar]

28. +1 how is that criticism?

[Bananaluver]

2. Why is truth a criticism? Sanders repeatedly tells all he is not a Democrat.

Biden was right on and good for him saying it out loud.

[gulliver]

4. Sanders said he was a Democrat but flew the coop after losing the nom in 2016

I don't think we really should allow anyone in the Dem Primary who doesn't strongly and proudly declare that they are a Democrat. I feel like Sanders puts down our party by refusing to say he is a Democrat. It's like he is saying there's something wrong with being a Democrat. The number one job of every Dem candidate, even in the primary, is to get people to want to vote Democrat.

[Sloumeau]

5. Many traditional Democrats do not think of him as a Democrat.

In addition, many Democrats who are part of the more progressive side of the Democratic Party do not really think of him as a Democrat either. They tend to see him as an Independent and a Democratic-Soclialist. As AOC said, if this were England, certain people who are now Democrats would be in a different Party.

[meow2u3]

7. It's about time someone pointed that out

Biden is doing nothing but stating a fact. Bernie is an registered independent who runs for President as a Democrat, giving mainstream Democrats suspicion of possible infiltration; just the facts.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. I didn't know it until now!

[Cha]

11. Now you do.

[LanternWaste]

16. I'd imagine that applies to a lot of your information

[DanTex]

17. LOL.

[Gothmog]

13. Agreed

Link to tweet

[FloridaBlues]

8. Many dems feel the same way. Just ask the members when you go to next local Dem meeting.

[liskddksil]

23. You're supporting a candidate who endorsed George W. Bush, Susan Collins, Scott Brown

and Pat Toomey BTW

[liskddksil]

36. At least your honest nt

[Gothmog]

12. I am a proud member of the Democratic Party

[NCProgressive]

14. Calling a spade a spade .... not criticism

[DanTex]

15. I guess since Bernie has better policies this is where he thinks

he can score points.

[LanternWaste]

18. I guess people can hold than two concepts at once.

If it's too difficult for you, please let us know and we'll give you some pointers on how to hold multiple issues and concerns simultaneously.

Although it's much easier than it must look to you, I understand your confusion of and skepticism at the concept.




(hey... any help at all we can give you helps us all)

[DanTex]

20. In theory, but doesn't seem to be happening in this race.

The attacks on Bernie are that he wasn't a Democrat, or that he said something dumb in the 70s, or that he got endorsed by someone that some people don't like.

Even when Bernie-bashers talk policy, it's not actually that Bernie's policies are bad, it's that they won't pass through a Republican congress. Not exactly an inspiring message, especially when nobody else's policies will pass through a GOP controlled congress either.

But there really aren't arguments I've seen, aside from articles by Republicans like Jennifer Rubin or Republican-funded advocacy groups like Third Way, that make the case that Biden's more moderate policies would actually be better for the country than Bernie's more progressive policies. And that's because, by and large, Dem primary voters prefer Bernie's policies.

The argument for Biden is basically that, well, sure Bernie's policies, if implemented, are the best. But Bernie can't win, and even if he did, he wouldn't get those policies passed. Jill Biden even said as much when she said that people might think another candidate might be better on issues, but they still need to "swallow a bit" and vote for Biden.

[R B Garr]

29. The Blue Wave contradicts you. Again.

No offense, but it does sound like you’ve missed a couple years of news cycles.

[DanTex]

30. You're illustrating my point, with that non-issue-based argument.

Yes, Biden's main draw is his electability, not his policies. That's what Jill Biden was saying.

And, yeah, it's a fair argument. There are also arguments in the other direction, like that since 2000 centrists haven't done great in presidential elections. But I agree with you that Biden is better arguing electability than policy, because on policy, most Dem primary voters prefer Bernie.

[R B Garr]

31. No, you are twisting the obvious. Again.

Last edited Fri Jan 31, 2020, 01:27 PM - Edit history (1)

If Bernie’s policies were so popular, his revolution would have dominated. But it didn’t. That is the most real evidence out there. There is no better evidence.

[MineralMan]

19. However, Sanders is a Democrat when it is useful for him to be one.

As soon as it doesn't matter, he reverts to his insistence that he is an Independent. Indeed, he has already filed for his 2024 Senate run as an Independent.

Right now, he is required to call himself a Democrat. He can do that, because he has no respect for the label or, I believe, for the entire concept of political parties as collective agencies.

[DanTex]

21. As is Bloomberg. But I'd say voters care more about issues than labels.

I don't think that labels are going to stop many centrists from supporting Bloomberg, or many progressives from supporting Sanders. I haven't seen any polls suggesting "respect for the label" is really what people are interested in versus things like healthcare and climate.

[MineralMan]

24. Some voters do, anyhow.

There is nothing one can say that is universal about voters. Some are interested in issues, and some vote based on how a candidate looks or talks. Some are influenced by endorsements. Others have a single issue that occupies their entire minds. They will vote on the stand on that individual issue and ignore everything else. Still others habitually vote for an underdog candidate. For yet another group, party loyalty is a very important factor.

I don't talk about voters as a single group. Not ever. To do so is a serious error.

[DanTex]

26. Fair enough. And you're right, the party loyalty voters will go for Biden probably.

[R B Garr]

37. I bet voting for third party candidates like Bernie's staff

did is one reason voters care about the Democrat label. Many on his staff voted for 3rd party Stein. Stein isn’t a Democrat.

Using the Democratic party for what benefits you, then convincing others to vote third party is dishonest, so maybe “labels” matter after all.

[showblue22]

39. Socialism kills innovation.

In order to have M4A, free college, wiped away debt for medical and student loans, the housing plan Bernie has and an aggressive Climate policy taxes are going to have to be raised on everyone. EVERYONE, not just the top and by a lot. Bernie also talks about public utilities and even media. I don't think Bernie can get any of what he says done. In my opinion his rhetoric (that's all it is, rhetoric) will hurt real progress being made.

[liskddksil]

22. Joe, Sanders is not your competition. You should be attacking Bloomberg

since he is the one taking your support right now. Its practically a lay-up, he endorsed actual Republicans at the highest levels from Bush to Pat Toomey to Susan Collins to Scott Brown. Call him on it.

[LongtimeAZDem]

25. He was asked a question about Sanders, not Bloomberg

[Autumn]

27. On this I agree with Biden. Bernie's not a Democrat, he's running as a dem in the primary.

With leaderships blessings, no one twisted their arms.

That's it.

[RandySF]

33. Because nobody wants chairs thrown at themselves.

[Autumn]

34. I doubt he or his supporters or any trolls, real or not would be in the Democratic caucus if they

had just said no.

[OneMoreCupOfCoffee]

32. I am a proud liberal Democrat.

[myohmy2]

38. if Bernie's...

...not a Democrat for all intents and purposes, why is he allowed to run as a Democrat under the Democratic banner?

...if tomorrow, trump switched Party's and wanted to run as a Democrat, could he?

...