His candidacy feels a bit like Jeb's in 2016. He's in better shape than Jeb was in, but he's trying to do the same thing. He's the "safe" candidate that the party establishment likes, and he's running as such. However, he knows that the his party has run wildly Left on social issues over the years, and he's trying to keep up - sorta like how Jeb did when he said he was OK with the term "anchor baby." The problem is that it seems very contrived. If you change your position on an issue like abortion when you're over 30 or especially 40, everybody knows that it's BS. Joe Biden is almost surely pro-life in his heart. His religion suggests that, and his past record suggests that. I don't believe he has really changed. His party has though and in a massive way. When he first was running for office and for several years, it wasn't even clear which party was the pro-life party. Keep in mind that 5 of the 7 justices who formed the Roe majority were Republican appointees, and one of the two dissenters was a Democratic appointee. The point is that there was a lot of room in the party for a pro-lifer because of the presence of southerners and blue collar Catholics. By the 1980s, the Democrats were moving toward abortion rights, but they were careful in how they handled it. They were tolerant of those who were pro-life and those who were pro-choice but could see the argument against it and didn't think abortion was a good thing. The "safe, legal, and rare" mentality epitomized this and acceptance of the idea that tax dollars shouldn't fund abortion, and Biden pretty much worked in this framework most of his career. He could reconcile it with his personal opposition to abortion. Nowadays, large parts of the party are wildly in favor of abortion and have extremely strong and "righteous" contempt for those who disagree with them. Not only should it not be legal to them, there are no moral implications of it at all. It's all good, and there should be no shame in it all. Furthermore, it should be funded with tax dollars if necessary. Well, nobody thinks Biden actually agrees with that, and it can't in any sane world be reconciled with his view. Accordingly, he looks like an unprincipled hack when he embraces it or pretends to.
You can sort of tell who the pro-choice people are that don't really feel it in their heart, as opposed to the true-believer zealots who actually believe abortion is a good thing that should be practiced with no guilt and no limits. I guess the litmus is - if an action results in fewer abortions, is that a good thing or not. Plenty of the "no one REALLY wants abortion" crowds would have serious issues if they observed a decrease.
Flip flop Joe Summary of Biden's positions on the Hyde amendment: 1976-May 8, 2019: Supports May 8, 2019-June 4, 2019: Opposes June 5, 2019-8:00pm on June 6, 2019: Supports 8:00pm on June 6, 2019-present: Opposes
^We could do a lot worse. IMO, Governor Abbot has done a very good job. Could that translate into the White House???
It is frightening to me that 3 of the top 4 are getting support for promising tons of FREE stuff ( do that many people truly think the stuff is free?). OTOH in a general election would enough people realize the socialism proposed really won't work? This: "Axios on HBO" poll: 55% of women prefer socialism
Scary that we actually have to consider that. Hope the GOP will include some basic education in the campaign - I'm not sure how many of the younger folks actually understand what socialism is.
HHD Exactly right. The candidates say they want great free lives for everyone . Sounds so caring doesn't it.? The scary thing is it will be up to conservatives to explain why that is not realistic and the Dems will cry rasict xenophobic. Will enough prople undrrstand rather than just react with emotion? Who does not want world peace? Well except maybe the whirled peas folk.
How in the hell did my Texas allow this guy to be in this position? I’m guessing the California immigrants.
He peaked too late. What a time to be a hetero white guy in that party - yeesh. 15-20 years ago, Beeto coulda been a conteda.
It was also the most biased media coverage of a candidate I have ever seen. The nonstop sack licking was nauseating.
Kirsten Gillibrand served drinks in an Iowa gay bar and hung out with Chasten Buttigieg (Pete's "wife") to kick off gay month She also designed herself a "drag tater". Why didn't Beto think of this? Gillibrand serves drinks at Iowa gay bar in honor of Pride Month
Maybe, but most members who become lobbyists have successful records of legislative accomplishment and are masters of legislative strategy. That ain't Beta.
Biden knows he is anointed by the DNC and CNN. He isn’t even trying to be part of the democrat primary.