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With less than 440 days
until the 2020 Presidential election, and even fewer days until the Democratic
primary, one of the most important periods of American history is fast
approaching.
One of the crucial
things to do during this period is to learn as much as possible about the multitudinous candidates. But alas, with so many in the race it
can be quite difficult to perform in depth research on each and every one of
the candidates. And in this age of “Fake News” it can be hard to know which
sources to trust.
In this multi-article
guide, I will focus on the candidates that have a significant chance of winning,
since that will significantly cull the herd and simplify things immensely.
Namely, I will focus on the following five candidates: Joseph Biden, Elizabeth
Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Pete Buttigieg.
These five at the time of this article’s drafting were the top five in poll numbers.
These five at the time of this article’s drafting were the top five in poll numbers.
The goal of this guide
is to provide an all-encompassing image of each of these candidates. I will look at both the good, the bad and explore facts you may not have known
about the candidates.
The candidates here are listed per poll rankings, and each one will be covered in their own separate article. Without further ado, we begin with Joseph Biden, the frontrunner in most recent presidential polls.
The candidates here are listed per poll rankings, and each one will be covered in their own separate article. Without further ado, we begin with Joseph Biden, the frontrunner in most recent presidential polls.
JOSEPH BIDEN
 |
| Biden on the campaign trail, August 10, 2019 (Courtesy of Scott Morgan, Reuters) |
Having run two unsuccessful campaigns for president in 1988 and 2008, Biden has once more tossed his hat into the ring for 2020. As a
politician, Biden can boast several achievements. Elected as Democratic senator for the state of Delaware in 1973, Biden led the effort to pass the Violence
Against Women Act and enacted legislation to protect children from
exploitation.
But he soared to nationwide recognition when he was tapped by presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 to be his running mate. He went on to serve two-terms as Vice President, in which post he worked with the Obama administration to enact tax relief and job creation measures to alleviate the effects of the Great Recession. He worked diligently and seamlessly with president Obama, using his decades of legislative experience to the benefit of the Obama administration.
But he soared to nationwide recognition when he was tapped by presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 to be his running mate. He went on to serve two-terms as Vice President, in which post he worked with the Obama administration to enact tax relief and job creation measures to alleviate the effects of the Great Recession. He worked diligently and seamlessly with president Obama, using his decades of legislative experience to the benefit of the Obama administration.
Over the course of his 11 years on the national stage,
Biden has become something of a household name in Democratic politics. He is renowned
for his experience in the senate and infamous for his tongue-tied demeanor on
stage. It is no secret that he is not the most refined speaker.
In his private life, Biden has faced tragedy in his own family, losing his first wife and infant daughter in a car accident just one month after his election to the Delaware Senate in 1972. His eldest son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 of brain cancer at age 46. These two incidents have been integral in shaping Biden’s public identity.
In his private life, Biden has faced tragedy in his own family, losing his first wife and infant daughter in a car accident just one month after his election to the Delaware Senate in 1972. His eldest son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 of brain cancer at age 46. These two incidents have been integral in shaping Biden’s public identity.
Both on screen and on the political stage, Biden is confident and witty,
and his gaffs make him ‘relatable’ in the eyes of many Americans. When one
watches him speak, one sees in him the embodiment of the optimism and energy of
the New Democrats of 2008-2012. All of the hallmarks which were so instrumental
in electing the Obama administration to two terms can be found to a lesser
degree in Biden.
He exudes a rustic charisma, which is complemented by a ‘laid back’ demeanor. It is no surprise that he excites so many Democrats, who hope that he can snatch the presidency from President Trump. The idea of engendering success in the Democratic Party by bringing it back to its 2008-2012 roots seems to many in America like a surefire tactic to take back the presidency.
He exudes a rustic charisma, which is complemented by a ‘laid back’ demeanor. It is no surprise that he excites so many Democrats, who hope that he can snatch the presidency from President Trump. The idea of engendering success in the Democratic Party by bringing it back to its 2008-2012 roots seems to many in America like a surefire tactic to take back the presidency.
In short, as the former Vice President of the Obama
administration, Biden’s reputation as Obama’s right-hand man still commands a
lot of clout. As such he continues to enjoy the support of the moderate Democratic establishment. But while this may be the case, it is also undeniable
that 2020 will be very different from 2016. In the last decade, polarization in
American politics has only continued to grow, pushing the median of democratic
politics leftward (and republican politics decidedly rightward).
It is clear that a growing number of Democrats,
particularly young adults and people of color, have shifted in favor of a more left of
center agenda. This is embodied in ‘The Squad’ a group of newly elected congresswomen of
color unafraid to ask uncomfortable but critical questions about all aspects of
American society. It is clear that many in the electorate want a candidate who
will energize them by appealing to these progressive values. A rise in disdain
for ‘career politicians’ among the left wing of the Democratic Party is
another concern.
A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
 |
| Joe Biden Speaks at a conference in Washington, D.C., March 12, 2019 (Photo Courtesy of Win McNamee, Getty Images) |
"Biden finds himself between a rock and a hard place, being “too progressive” for Republicans, but also too “conservative for progressive Democrats”."
Unfortunately for the former Vice President, Biden is far
from ideal when viewed through this lens. Over his near 50-year career in
politics, Biden has at times held multiple problematic positions which put him
at odds with the mainstream of the Democratic Party. This is well encapsulated in his
position(s) on abortion.
Biden has repeatedly flip-flopped on this issue, denouncing Roe v. Wade as a freshman U.S. Senator in 1973 but then backtracking later. Most recently, he recanted his support for the controversial 1976 Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortion with some exceptions. In response to public outcry Biden walked back his original stance in favor of the amendment.
Biden has repeatedly flip-flopped on this issue, denouncing Roe v. Wade as a freshman U.S. Senator in 1973 but then backtracking later. Most recently, he recanted his support for the controversial 1976 Hyde Amendment, which prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortion with some exceptions. In response to public outcry Biden walked back his original stance in favor of the amendment.
In many ways, Biden is a character of opposites. Though he
passed the Violence Against Women Act, he also chaired the Senate Judiciary
Committee during the nomination of Justice Clarence Thomas. In this position he
oversaw the ugly and misogynistic treatment Anita Hill endured during her
testimony regarding sexual harassment allegations against Thomas.
Biden even called Hill weeks before announcing his intentions to run for 2020 and offered a non-apology which left much to be desired. He has also come under scrutiny for his treatment of women when several claimed Biden had made them feel uncomfortable in his presence. While Biden expressed regrets for these incidents, he refused to apologize.
Biden even called Hill weeks before announcing his intentions to run for 2020 and offered a non-apology which left much to be desired. He has also come under scrutiny for his treatment of women when several claimed Biden had made them feel uncomfortable in his presence. While Biden expressed regrets for these incidents, he refused to apologize.
His opposition to desegregation via busing is
another point of contention which has repeatedly emerged during democratic
debates. His reputation on race is only worsened by the fact that he
spearheaded the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, a piece of legislation which exacerbated mass
incarceration in America, a crisis which disproportionately affects people of
color.
Biden also infamously cited his work with devout segregationists as an example of ‘civility in politics’, an exemplar that was (to put it mildly) not well received by Democratic voters. All of these instances make Biden look quite disconnected on issues of race, an impression not mitigated by some truly unfortunate slips of the tongue on the campaign trail.
Biden also infamously cited his work with devout segregationists as an example of ‘civility in politics’, an exemplar that was (to put it mildly) not well received by Democratic voters. All of these instances make Biden look quite disconnected on issues of race, an impression not mitigated by some truly unfortunate slips of the tongue on the campaign trail.
This does not bode well for a candidate running in 2020,
during the #MeToo era, and during an emergence of a progressive and diverse coalition within the Democratic Party. If Biden fails to adapt to this new reality, the former Vice
President risks become entrenched in the consequences of a split Democratic
electorate. In a time where there is so much political polarization and mass
uncertainty, this could be devastating for Democrats.
The Democratic Party currently is struggling from a lack of
a strong leadership figure. To be successful, it will need one and will need
one soon. But for that person to be appealing to a broad spectrum of a diverse
electorate, that person needs to be representative of what that electorate
needs.
They not only need a leader that will pledge to confront and fight for the issues which concern them, but who also understands these issues. Unfortunately, Biden seems unable and at times unwilling to fulfill that role. Because of this, the prospect of him as the Democratic nominee has been met with ambivalence if not outright rejection amongst the left wing of the Democratic party.
They not only need a leader that will pledge to confront and fight for the issues which concern them, but who also understands these issues. Unfortunately, Biden seems unable and at times unwilling to fulfill that role. Because of this, the prospect of him as the Democratic nominee has been met with ambivalence if not outright rejection amongst the left wing of the Democratic party.
Consequentially, Biden finds himself between a rock and a hard
place, being “too progressive” for Republicans, but also too “conservative for progressive Democrats”. Biden has played a major role in American politics, and his
contributions to it have been significant. But the time is coming for him to face
perhaps one of the hardest parts of his veteran career in politics.
Campaigning against President Trump as he seeks a second term only to face defeat would be a catastrophic outcome not only for the Former Vice President and the Democratic Party, but for the entire nation. Because while broad moderate support is important in a presidential election, it is not possible to win one with that alone. Either way, the fact that Biden is currently the frontrunner on the Democratic ticket puts the Democrats in quite an unenviable position.
Campaigning against President Trump as he seeks a second term only to face defeat would be a catastrophic outcome not only for the Former Vice President and the Democratic Party, but for the entire nation. Because while broad moderate support is important in a presidential election, it is not possible to win one with that alone. Either way, the fact that Biden is currently the frontrunner on the Democratic ticket puts the Democrats in quite an unenviable position.
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