BIDEN 4 BERNIE 2020

[denem]

Last edited Sun Feb 9, 2020, 12:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Joe Biden has gone after Warren and Buttigieg hard during the contest, but generally given Bernie Sanders a pass. If one did not know better (cough), it is like Biden wants Sanders to be the nominee, if he himself can't pull it off.

This weekend's attack ad is a classic example. Buttigieg and Sanders are locked in a neck and neck battle for bragging rights in New Hampshire. At best, Biden is looking at 3rd. So what is Joe's response? A: By running the hardest hitting ad of the entire campaign against Pete, Biden is backing Bernie to win New Hampshire.

If Bernie Sanders wins the nomination, Joe Biden will have done his bit to get him there.


You see. Joe likes me.

[still_one]

1. None of the candidates have have particularly been hard on Sanders. He has essentially been given a

free pass

It isn’t only Biden

Biden and others have questioned some of Sanders past actions, but nothing compared to the scorch and burn campaign of Sanders

It is way past due that Sanders starts getting vetted like everyone else

[denem]

2. Biden is doing his best to hobble Pete in this particular round against Sanders.

Biden wants Bernie to win New Hampshire. There is no other explanation. You are going to reap what you sow, Joe.

[still_one]

7. They are all going after Pete because he is currently the front runner after his Iowa win

Your premise that Biden wants Sanders to win is nonsense

[denem]

8. Gee. I am running an hard ad against Buttigieg while he is neck and neck against Sanders in NH.

But I don't want Bernie to win NH. Does not pass the smell test.

[still_one]

13. This is the primates what do you expect. Were you this upset when most of the candidates went

after Pete in the last debate?

Biden, Pete and Amy have similar views.

At this stage it makes perfect sense for the Biden camp to go after Pete, because he wants to present himself as the candidate with the best chance within those with similar viewpoints

Going after Sanders at this stage serves him no purpose. Biden isn’t competing for Sander votes at this stage of the process

[denem]

18. There has not been an attack ad this hard in the campaign.

Going after Buttigieg on NH election eve serves one purpose, kneecapping Pete in a neck and neck battle with Bernie.

[still_one]

22. You don't really understand the strategy. Amy, Pete, and Biden are competing for the same block of

votes at this stage

Strategically it makes perfect sense for Biden to go after Pete in hopes to try to eliminate the competition for the same block of votes that have a similar view

If that isn’t done early then they will split vote with no clear dominant candidate in that voting block, and improve the odds for Sanders, unless Warren is able to gain traction

A similar situation happened with the republicans. Too many candidates with similar views, staying in too long, and trump became the nominee

[denem]

23. I understand that it makes a difference if Sanders takes the lead coming out of NH.

Buttigieg is uniquely crippled down the track in a contest with Biden - There is real antipathy towards Pete with African Americans.

No Biden's strategy is let's go after Bernie later on, if necessary. I've got news for you Joe - it is necessary- Now!

[squirecam]

35. Biden isn't wrong

Pete could use NH momentum for NV.

Bernie will compete in NV regardless.

[denem]

36. My first priority is seeing Sanders defeated.

That begins with (hopefully) a second place in his backyard, NH.

[squirecam]

40. I assume you are in the minority then

Most other people’s first priority is seeing their candidate win.

[denem]

41. One candidate is more or less certain to lose the GE.

Beating trump is my first priority.

[squirecam]

42. I think that Bernie would lose

But there are 56 states and territories yet to vote.

Let’s see where everyone stands after the first four vote.

[emmaverybo]

15. Dear lord, thank you. Imagination is funny as the song says.

[still_one]

19. Amy, Pete, and Biden are competing against the same block of votes at this stage, and it

makes perfect sense strategically that Bidenwould go after Pete in hopes to weaken the competition from those going after the same block of voters

A similar situation happened with the republicans. Too many candidates with similar viewpoints, split the vote among themselves, stayed in too long, and trump became their nominee

[pnwmom]

20. It's because he thinks Pete is cutting into his own support in the centrist lane.

Joe might think that if Bernie cuts him down to size, then Joe can finish him off.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Joe's campaign strategy has been somewhat of a mystery & the results speak for themselves...

The only thing that does seem to make sense is the way Joe is acting, as if he does prefer that Bernie get the nomination over anyone else - no doubt Bernie would gladly accept it with Joe's blessing - even though Billionaire Mike Bloomberg is waiting in the wings to replace Joe.

My guess is that Joe, being the astute politician that he is, sees the "writing on the wall," which says "the 2020 Democratic nomination belongs to Bernie, and the presidency to soon-to-be inaugurated President Sanders"!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[onetexan]

24. K&R

[redgreenandblue]

3. Perhaps deep down Joe respects all the work Bernie put into this.

It is clear that Bernie has been preparing for this moment intensively for years and is in it with his heart and soul. Maybe Joe feels like Bernie deserves it, one some level. On the other hand, being unseated by some young upstart probably pissed Joe off on a much deeper level than any ideological differences he has with Bernie.

[denem]

4. That is entirely possible.

I think you may be right

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. I agree, down deep, Joe does feel, as Ive said, that its Bernie's time & he deserves to be President

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[UniteFightBack]

39. Do you really think that?

Goodness gracious.

[tirebiter]

5. Lovable curmudgeons

[emmaverybo]

16. That's it! Loved it when Biden gave Bernie the hug. Biden is probably staving off the inevitable.

Maybe he’s hoping Bernie gets his vetting elsewhere to soften up his support or counts on his showing poorly in the south.

[Hav]

6. Or maybe he doesn't see him as competition from the same camp

and he and BS target different voter pools. BS lost around half of his support so those who made the wise choice to move on from BS already chose another candidate. Biden needs less moderates in the race.

[still_one]

11. That is more plausible then the assertion from the OP. This is the primaries, and

the Democrats have too many candidates competing against eac other. What do people expect

I am not sure what specific attack the OP is referring to in regard to Biden toward Pete, but my question would be is the criticism have validity or not? If not then Pete should counter

The primary process is hopefully preparing the Democratic nominee for the GE, and anyone thinking that Trump and the republicans are not going to be worse is quite naive in my view

[emmaverybo]

17. Knew must be a strategy. That's it.

[pnwmom]

21. That's what I think. He views Pete as drawing support from his own lane. n/t

[PatSeg]

32. That does make sense

Meanwhile, this is only the 2nd state in the process and the candidates have just now started to criticize one another. It is much too early to make such assessments.

And of course, Joe does not want Bernie to be the nominee.

[Mike Nelson]

9. I think Biden...

... is going for votes. There are simply fewer votes that would be gained from Bernie supporters. If more candidates do poorly or drop out, Biden stands to gain. Also, he does signal a potential debate with Bernie over his "Socialist" policies. Biden would do more with his "how are you going to pay for all it" line, if it becomes necessary.

[denem]

10. Biden wants Bernie to win NH.

I don't.

[still_one]

12. Sorry, but that asertion has no merit. It is simply your opinion.

[highplainsdem]

26. +1,000,000

[still_one]

14. Thank you for some common sense. At this stage it is political strategy, with hopes to thin the

competition

Nothing more

[thesquanderer]

25. I'll take Occam's razor over conspiracy theory. At least 2 better reasons for this strategy...

1. As mentioned above, Buttigieg's voters better overlap with Biden's. But more specifically, while someone who starts thinking less of Buttigieg has a strong likelihood of reconsidering Biden. someone who starts thinking less of Sanders has a stronger chance of moving to Warren, which doesn't help Biden as much. So with limited resources, Biden gets more bang-for-buck knocking Buttigieg than Sanders.

2. Biden is not aiming to come in first, he's aiming to come in third, or second at best. If he's going to try to knock SOMEONE out of the top two, Buttigieg--who already trails Sanders in most polls and doesn't have the firmly dedicated supporters and historically strong NH base that Sanders has--would be the one to go for. Biden has no chance of knocking Sanders down enough to beat him. But there is at least a small chance he could come in ahead of Buttigieg, or (more likely the goal) at least peel off enough Buttigieg votes that he could come at least come in third.

Simply, with limited time and money, aiming at Buttigieg rather than Sanders is simply the smarter political strategy.

[denem]

28. Psychic motivation is not important.,

only outcomes. The Sanders campaign is depending on coming out of NH with the wind in its sales. Biden's 'brutal' attack ad assists them when and where it matters.

If Bernie Sanders wins the nomination, Joe Biden will have done his bit to get him there.

That is my conclusion, and I stand by it.

[thesquanderer]

43. Joe's goal in NH is to make sure he gets the most votes he can, NOT to maximize damage to Bernie.

The two are not identical. You may wish his goal was the latter, but it's not.

Hurting Bernie does not help Joe get more votes in New Hampshire. Hurting Pete does. It's that simple.

Bernie is going to get one of the top spots in NH. Nothing Joe can do will change that. Pete is more vulnerable.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

27. Our candidates supporting each other

THAT'S how we win!

[tirebiter]

34. They"be been on the road together for awhile.

[UniteFightBack]

30. You can't figure this out huh? NOT recommended.

[denem]

33. I understand Biden is kneecapping Bernie's rival for first place in NH,

making it likely that Sanders leaves NH with the wind in his sails. That's what I understand.

[tirebiter]

37. Who's on first?

[denem]

38. dunno

no homers for Bernie. that's what I care about.

[tirebiter]

44. The afterparties have got to be a hoot

In 2004 Rev Al made the point that he stayed in a little longer because Theresa Heinz Kerry threw the best parties.

Does Bernie have the primoest cush. Does Klochubar know the best time to harvest and which cow dung gives the best ‘shrooms? That’s important.