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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

Tom Rinaldo

(22,911 posts)
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:41 PM Feb 2020

Biden and Bloomberg are both being called "Moderate Democrats" this year

I haven't thoroughly poured over both of their platforms, but for the sake of argument, let's assume that their positions are more or less similar. Even were that true, there are still huge differences between these men and the politics they represent. Neither of them emerged out of a vacuum into the presidential race spotlight this year. They both have public records stretching back decades, either in public service or in a combination of high profile business pursuits and public service. Look at their lives, what they've said and what they've done over many years, and it is clear that Joe Biden is a moderate Liberal. Mike Bloomberg however is a stone cold centrist. If fact you could use his face to illustrate the political meaning of that term.

I don't claim that a man can't change, that he can't evolve. Barack Obama "evolved" on Gay marriage for one famous example, and Joe Biden might have played some small part in that. But unless someone claims to have had a profound "Come to Jesus" moment that made them rethink everything that they previously held as true, no one at age 78 is going to stray too far from the values and priorities that guided them, successfully, up to that point. I am always skeptical of so called "Come to Jesus" moments, but I don't deny that they (rarely) can happen. There is nobody claiming Bloomberg went through anything like that. It's more like now, on the eve of seeking the support of Democratic voters, he revisited some of the things he stood for before and says that he no longer stands for them quite the same now, which conveniently puts Bloomberg more in line with the primary electorate.

I feel like I have somewhat of a handle on who Joe Biden is as a person and I feel he's clearly a compassionate human being, one with natural empathy for the struggles that others, often of lesser station in life, go through. And the choices Biden has made throughout his life for the most part reflect that. I can't easily reach a similar conclusion about Mike Bloomberg. Joe Biden is a life long Democrat. Mike Bloomberg was a conservative Democrat who became a Republican who became an Independent who became a "moderate Democrat today. I realize that Bernie Sanders has changed labels also, but he has never been a centrist, he has always been left of center and every one knows where he has always stood.

Speaking as a Sanders supporter, I can far easier relate to Joe Biden heading up our national ticket should Bernie Sanders fall short than I could to Michael Bloomberg, and I doubt I am alone in that. While I disagree with Biden on some priorities and policies, I never express concern on DU over who he fundamentally is. My expressed concerns have always related to how effective a campaigner he now seems to be, and whether he can rally the enthusiasm needed to win.

Joe Biden is a class act. I note the way he expresses his criticism regarding Bernie's positions on issues, and on the movement backing Sanders, and Biden does so carefully and precisely. He may say that Sanders is a self professed "Democratic Socialist", he doesn't shorten it to "Socialist" for additional effect He wants Sanders to look into the behavior of some so called supporters of Bernie online, to see if any might literally work for him, and expresses hope that Sanders will do so. Then I contrast that with Mike Bloomberg directly associating Sanders with Donald Trump, insinuating that Trump is Bernie's new Bro. Yes I will support Mike Bloomberg if he becomes our nominee. I know that Trump must be stopped. But it will be much harder to convince some other self identified progressives to do the same if Bloomberg is our candidate, compared to any number of other possible alternatives, should Bernie Sanders fall short himself.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Squinch

(50,774 posts)
1. So, to summarize, you like Biden more than Bloomberg. I think we knew that.
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:43 PM
Feb 2020
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Tom Rinaldo

(22,911 posts)
4. The point is why, and the question is how many others feel the same n/t
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:45 PM
Feb 2020
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

DanTex

(20,709 posts)
2. KR. Biden is very different from Bloomberg.
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:44 PM
Feb 2020
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

ancianita

(35,816 posts)
3. I don't understand.Who's calling them that? Is "moderate" a good or bad thing? Who's their audience?
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:45 PM
Feb 2020
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Tom Rinaldo

(22,911 posts)
6. The media is for one, grouping them together in a so called "moderate lane"...
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:47 PM
Feb 2020

...and virtually assuming that their supporters are interchangeable depending on who seems to have a better chance of getting the nomination on any given day.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

ancianita

(35,816 posts)
7. More of the hype (as I call it) that should alienate voters from media credibility. Not necessarily
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 04:51 PM
Feb 2020

a bad thing when it comes to this particular election. Media need to remake themselves and get out of the horse race lane labels game. More fact, less hype.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Tom Rinaldo

(22,911 posts)
8. Comparitively little discussion of differences between our candidates on the issues
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 08:11 PM
Feb 2020

Have to agree with you there. Especially when you figure in how many hours cable news networks theoretically have devoted to "the news" each day. There's an occasional mention of a flash point difference, such as Medicare for All and the price tag etc., but little real policy analysis.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

ibegurpard

(16,685 posts)
9. Biden has been doing and saying a lot of dumb things
Tue Feb 18, 2020, 08:29 PM
Feb 2020

Which some people have been inexplicably applauding. He also has some very problematic past positions for me. Having said that I agree with you. I like him far better than Bloomberg. I fear Bloomberg's money is squeezing him out though. My primary isn't until June so not sure what I'm going to do.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Tom Rinaldo

(22,911 posts)
10. There are (IMO) solid reasons why Biden isn't my first or second choice
Wed Feb 19, 2020, 09:28 AM
Feb 2020

but I can get why many Democrats, and African Americans in particular, feel a real bond with him. People will work harder to elect someone who they care about. When more voters are exposed to Bloomberg in live settings, rather than in skillfully produced campaign ads, I don't think many will have that type reaction to him. Joe hasn't been a good enough campaigner though, so far at least, to win over many who weren't in his corner to begin with. And that has hurt him.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
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