Biden and Warren Seek Revival, With Two Very Different Strategies

[brooklynite]

New York Times

In a primary sharply divided between progressive and more moderate candidates, Mr. Biden and Ms. Warren both trailed opponents with whom they are competing for many of the same voters.

The former vice president was badly beaten in the fight for center-left Democrats by Pete Buttigieg, according to the still-incomplete Iowa caucus returns, while Ms. Warren was significantly outpaced among left-wing voters by Senator Bernie Sanders.

“Each underperformed expectations in Iowa, and a second week of disappointing results could have a dire impact on money moving forward,” said David Axelrod, the Democratic strategist.

Yet as Mr. Biden and Ms. Warren look to revive their campaigns in New Hampshire and stop their ideological rivals from gaining momentum, they are adopting strikingly different approaches that could both prove perilous.

Badly outspent on the airwaves here, Mr. Biden has started taking direct aim at both Mr. Buttigieg and Mr. Sanders in a revamped stump speech, a first for a candidate who has led the field in most national polls and largely focused his fire on President Trump. Ms. Warren, however, is amplifying her message about being the Democrat who can unify a badly fractured party but is so far avoiding direct criticism of her rivals.

Mr. Biden risks coming off as overly negative, always a gamble in a multicandidate race where third parties can benefit from such attacks. But there are dangers for Ms. Warren as well, if she appears to be acting without enough urgency, given Mr. Sanders’s lead in New Hampshire polls and the expectations she faces coming from next-door Massachusetts

[bluewater]

1. Warren needs a boost in NH. Biden must beat Pete.

At this point, as I see it, Warren needs to be viable enough to finish in the top 3 slots going forward to last long enough until the field thins out. If Buttigieg or Biden become seen as unviable long-term, she is hoping to pick up those voters.

Finishing 2nd in NH would be a much needed boost. Finishing 4th would hurt her, especially with fund raising.

Biden, on the other hand, must finish at least 3rd AND beat Buttigieg in the process. Coming in 4th AND losing to Pete would totally hamstring him and his fund raising would evaporate.

[MerryBlooms]

3. Saw this morning Biden and Warren polling at 12% in NH,

both trailing Sanders and Buttigieg. If their numbers stay that low or drop, fundraising is going to be an issue for both.

[bluewater]

4. Very true.

Warren needs a top 3 finish in NH, minimum. And she needs to beat Biden there, no doubt about that either. It's all about hanging in there thru Super Tuesday.

[MerryBlooms]

5. Agreed.

[squirecam]

2. New Hampshire voters react negatively to personal attacks

Biden better be careful

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1929415_1929418_1929431,00.html