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Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: I'm still undecided, but Joe has one of the most important qualities in my book [View all]BlueMTexpat
(15,704 posts)12. While he ultimately voted against
Thomas, he was totally outplayed by GOPers.
See, e.g.: https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/what-joe-biden-hasnt-owned-up-to-about-anita-hill
...
Biden failed to acknowledge that, as the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991, he set many of the rules that damaged Hill and determined the over-all fairness of the process. As Jill Abramson and I reported in our 1994 book about the Thomas confirmation fight, Strange Justice, several of Bidens Democratic colleagues in the Senate later acknowledged that, in his eagerness to be impeccably fair to all sides, Biden got outmaneuvered by the Republicans. That left Hill and, ultimately, the truth undefended. As Howard Metzenbaum, a crusty Democrat from Ohio, later admitted, Joe bent over too far backwards to accommodate the Republicans, who were going to get Thomas on the Court come hell or high water. An adviser to Ted Kennedy, the Massachusetts liberal whose own womanizing eroded his credibility, was more critical still, saying, Biden agreed to the terms of the people who were out to disembowel Hill.
Even one of the top lawyers on Bidens Senate staff at the time, Cynthia Hogan, now faults their handling of the hearings. As she admitted this week to the Washington Post, What happened is we got really politically outplayed by the Republicans. Hogan, now the vice-president for public policy for the Americas at Apple, explained that Biden had wanted to be seen as a neutral arbiter, while the Republicans instead wanted to win. They came with a purpose, and that purpose was to destroy Anita Hill. Democrats did not coordinate and they did not prepare for battle. I think he would say that thats what should be done differently.
...
Thomass defenders portrayed Hill as having carefully plotted to bring him down, but, in fact, she twice declined to discuss her allegations with Senate staffers when they contacted her. Eventually, she agreed to do so out of a sense of duty to tell the government the truth. She also agreed to share her story only if her name was kept confidential, and with the understandingwhich proved falsethat her account was one of several such allegations the Senate was investigating.
...
The staffers working for Metzenbaum and Kennedy, however, took Hills allegations more seriously and were the first to reach out to her. They urged Bidens staff to talk to Hill as well. But the effort languished in Bidens office, where his staff followed his personal rules, which went beyond those of the Senate. The aide who investigated the claim, for instance, declined to call Hill, requiring that Hill instead initiate contact. Once they spoke, the aide declined to act on Hills allegation unless Hill consented to Bidens office confronting Thomas directly and disclosing Hills name to him. Hill, who hadnt asked for any of this, demurred. Bidens aide concluded that Hill had merely wanted to get it off her chest. The public, meanwhile, heard nothing about it.
...
Biden failed to acknowledge that, as the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1991, he set many of the rules that damaged Hill and determined the over-all fairness of the process. As Jill Abramson and I reported in our 1994 book about the Thomas confirmation fight, Strange Justice, several of Bidens Democratic colleagues in the Senate later acknowledged that, in his eagerness to be impeccably fair to all sides, Biden got outmaneuvered by the Republicans. That left Hill and, ultimately, the truth undefended. As Howard Metzenbaum, a crusty Democrat from Ohio, later admitted, Joe bent over too far backwards to accommodate the Republicans, who were going to get Thomas on the Court come hell or high water. An adviser to Ted Kennedy, the Massachusetts liberal whose own womanizing eroded his credibility, was more critical still, saying, Biden agreed to the terms of the people who were out to disembowel Hill.
Even one of the top lawyers on Bidens Senate staff at the time, Cynthia Hogan, now faults their handling of the hearings. As she admitted this week to the Washington Post, What happened is we got really politically outplayed by the Republicans. Hogan, now the vice-president for public policy for the Americas at Apple, explained that Biden had wanted to be seen as a neutral arbiter, while the Republicans instead wanted to win. They came with a purpose, and that purpose was to destroy Anita Hill. Democrats did not coordinate and they did not prepare for battle. I think he would say that thats what should be done differently.
...
Thomass defenders portrayed Hill as having carefully plotted to bring him down, but, in fact, she twice declined to discuss her allegations with Senate staffers when they contacted her. Eventually, she agreed to do so out of a sense of duty to tell the government the truth. She also agreed to share her story only if her name was kept confidential, and with the understandingwhich proved falsethat her account was one of several such allegations the Senate was investigating.
...
The staffers working for Metzenbaum and Kennedy, however, took Hills allegations more seriously and were the first to reach out to her. They urged Bidens staff to talk to Hill as well. But the effort languished in Bidens office, where his staff followed his personal rules, which went beyond those of the Senate. The aide who investigated the claim, for instance, declined to call Hill, requiring that Hill instead initiate contact. Once they spoke, the aide declined to act on Hills allegation unless Hill consented to Bidens office confronting Thomas directly and disclosing Hills name to him. Hill, who hadnt asked for any of this, demurred. Bidens aide concluded that Hill had merely wanted to get it off her chest. The public, meanwhile, heard nothing about it.
...
Lots more at the link.
My fear is that Joe is still too much "go along to get along." In this sense, he may STILL underestimate TODAY'S GOPers.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
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I'm still undecided, but Joe has one of the most important qualities in my book [View all]
RandySF
Apr 2019
OP
joe isnt perfect and i have no purity test except for him NOT to trust trump...
samnsara
Apr 2019
#30
Vote for me I'm not Trump is not enough. Trump is done. Look for policy we want enacted
onit2day
Apr 2019
#49
How.? What are his policies. I want bold new action not angry words or platitudes
onit2day
Apr 2019
#50
No they weren't and SOS...is not the same. In fact I see we have some on the Sanders
Demsrule86
Apr 2019
#41
me too. I dont even care about policy because i know he will do his best to protect me..
samnsara
Apr 2019
#26
He has the most clout and knows the most about how to Constitutionally run the nation.
The Wielding Truth
Apr 2019
#35