Biden's Busy Schedule Spurs 2020 Speculation

[Captain Obvious]

Biden is the only legitimate DNC potential candidate IMO at this point

http://www.npr.org/2017/10/07/556259759/biden-s-busy-schedule-spurs-2020-speculation


This week, the typically upbeat, jovial Joe Biden sounded anything but during a speech in Washington.
"President Obama and I have been very quiet and respectful, giving the [Trump] administration time," the former vice president said Thursday night. "But some of these roots are being sunk too deeply. I believe it's time to challenge some of the dangerous assumptions."
Biden went on to excoriate the Trump administration's foreign policy. While accepting an award from Center for Strategic and International Studies, Biden said he was worried the country is "walking down a very dark path that isolates the United States on the world stage."
The sober and stark speech was just one of several public appearances Biden made over the past week, including a campaign appearance in Alabama with Doug Jones, the Democrat running in the state's special Senate election.

[AZ Jim]

I like him. He's got a great backlog of knowledge. He is also humble.

[Captain Obvious]

I like him. He's got a great backlog of knowledge. He is also humble.

I could consider voting for him.

I didn't vote for Trump and I wont if he runs again.

[Green Arrow]

It would depend on if he plans to promote a progressive agenda a la Bernie Sanders, or a corporate agenda like Hillary. If it's the former, I can consider supporting him. If it's the latter, I'll be voting third party again.

[IMPress Polly]

Personally, I think there is a very good chance that Joe Biden will not only run, but that he will be our next president. He will definitely run. Whether he'll get the nomination I think just depends on whether celebrity candidates opt to jump in as well. Celebrity candidates always seem to win their elections. But if Biden is the Democratic nominee, I think it's likely that he'll win the White House as well. He can beat Trump on personality alone at this point.

As to my opinion of him, Biden has traditionally been someone I've regarded as right of Obama and Clinton. He would need to change several positions (and prove that he means it!) before I would consider voting for him. Among these things, he would need to stop supporting "free" trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (even Clinton was not explicit about that), start supporting Medicare-for-all instead of just the continuation/alteration of the Affordable Care Act (as I've now got a long list of commonly-named potential candidates who ARE willing to do that), and embrace abortion rights for women (you know, like even Clinton and Obama were willing to do). As things presently stand, based on his known positional history, there is no chance that I would vote for Biden.

[Common]

At this point I would vote for no one that thought like Bernie Sanders. I believe soundly that socialism rapes any countries successful and creates more bums

[Adelaide]

He's going to be kind of really old (4 years older than Trump). The DNC might be pressuring him to get more involved and run, but I think that Biden would step aside if someone younger, who isn't tainted by the party and has the potential to win, would enter the race. I do not think he would exit if someone like Warren ran - what the DNC needs is a younger Biden.

I don't mind him. I find him funny, but he has a lot of experience.

[Crepitus]

I wouldn't say I really like him, but we could do worse. His age is a bit concerning.

[Captain Obvious]

At this point I would vote for no one that thought like Bernie Sanders. I believe soundly that socialism rapes any countries successful and creates more bums

Agreed, if he pushes a Bernie agenda then no way would I vote for him.

I really need to see what his agenda might be, I'm basing my consideration on my view of him as a sensible leader and a moderate.

[Common]

Agreed, if he pushes a Bernie agenda then no way would I vote for him.

I really need to see what his agenda might be, I'm basing my consideration on my view of him as a sensible leader and a moderate.
Cap no democrat can run as a moderate, they would never make it to the end of the primary. The democrat party has gone so far left just since the last election. Biden will certainly go to the left.

[IMPress Polly]

Common wrote:
Cap no democrat can run as a moderate, they would never make it to the end of the primary. The democrat party has gone so far left just since the last election. Biden will certainly go to the left.

I hope you're right, but I fear you're not. In my observation, the Democratic Party hasn't nominated someone belonging distinctly to the populist wing of their party since George McGovern in 1972. I doubt the next election will be the exception. Biden, a former member of the neoliberal Democratic Leadership Council alongside the Clintons and John Kerry, among others, realistically will qualify as a pro-corporate centrist candidate unless he undergoes some kind of radical transformation in the next 18 months before he inevitable declares.

[Captain Obvious]

Cap no democrat can run as a moderate, they would never make it to the end of the primary. The democrat party has gone so far left just since the last election. Biden will certainly go to the left.

Maybe, that's a fair point but I think the left doesn't vote on principal, they vote on whoever is wearing their team jersey.

It's really what the moderates want and considering Trump was elected, I don't think, now at least, moderates want progressive assholery.