Democratic Primaries

Gothmog

(145,725 posts) Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:17 PM Jan 2020

Joe Biden speaks on Iran -- and bolsters his electability argument

Biden is the only person who can deal with the mess created by trump https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/01/07/joe-biden-speaks-iran-bolsters-his-electability-argument/

It is not unusual that a presidential incumbent has a campaign advantage in his second election. President Barack Obama’s supporters liked to say, “GM is alive and Osama bin Laden is dead.” To beat an incumbent president, a rare historical occurrence, the challenger’s foreign policy bona fides must be solid, especially when troops are deployed around the world.

That is the considerable advantage that former vice president Joe Biden has in the Democratic primary race against contenders with little foreign policy experience or with irresponsible, extreme views that put off a lot of voters. In New York on Tuesday, Biden delivered remarks seeking to capitalize on that advantage.

“Make no mistake: this outcome of strategic setbacks, heightened threats, chants of “Death to America” once more echoing across the Middle East, Iran and its allies vowing revenge — this was avoidable,” he said. “The seeds of these dangers were planted by Donald Trump himself on May 8, 2018 — the day he tore up the Iran nuclear deal, against the advice of his own top national security advisers.” Biden argued that the trouble started “the day [Trump] turned his back on our closest European allies and decided it was more important to him to destroy any progress made by the Obama-Biden administration than build on it to create a better, safer world.”

Biden’s argument is that careful diplomacy and measured use of force had kept Iran at bay. Now, however, “a president who says he wants to end endless war in the Middle East is bringing us dangerously close to starting a new one,” Biden warned. “A president, who says he wants out of the region, sends more than 18,000 additional troops to deal with a crisis of his own making. And an administration that claims its actions have made Americans safer in the same breath urges them to leave Iraq because of increased danger.”....

If Biden’s aim was to sound like the adult in the room, the one with every ally on speed dial, he largely succeeded. He will benefit in making a clear distinction between himself and candidates who promise to bug out of the Middle East immediately or sound as though they are making excuses for an evil regime. Biden understands that average Americans do not want a war with Iran, but neither do they want to feel as though the terrorists have free reign. Just as in health care — as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) recently learned from her fumble on Medicare-for-all — Democratic candidates who get themselves too far to the left on matters of war and peace risk viability in the general election. Biden — who boasts the biggest lead over Trump in head-to-head matchups, according to the latest Morning Consult poll — seems to understand this. Whether the others do will determine whether their electability argument collapses.

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

34 replies

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Highlight:

Joe Biden speaks on Iran -- and bolsters his electability argument (Original Post) Gothmog Jan 2020 OP

It's sure getting a lot of play BeyondGeography Jan 2020 #1

Almost everyone I have ever heard on PatSeg Jan 2020 #9

Just having some fun BeyondGeography Jan 2020 #10

Got it! PatSeg Jan 2020 #13

Especially in this case where the Iraqis have just expelled US armed forces Thekaspervote Jan 2020 #14

like i tell my husband when i mix up a word and he questions it : samnsara Jan 2020 #26

As I've gotten older, PatSeg Jan 2020 #30

Wrong. Any Democratic candidate we have can easily deal with the mess created by Trump. Autumn Jan 2020 #2

If sanders is the nominee, trump could win 45+ states Gothmog Jan 2020 #3

Wishful thinking. Poll show all three candidates beat Trump. What do you think about Biden mixing Autumn Jan 2020 #11

You do know that trump has a ton of really strong oppo on sanders Gothmog Jan 2020 #17

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it Gothmog Jan 2020 #24

You might keep that in mind. The problem you have is younger voters don't fear socialism Autumn Jan 2020 #25

if trump wins again we kiss socialism AND Democracy good bye... samnsara Jan 2020 #28

it doesnt matter.. we all do it.. samnsara Jan 2020 #27

Nope... here's the latest EC count Thekaspervote Jan 2020 #16

Thank you for posting this Gothmog Jan 2020 #18

The EC is spit three ways. At the end of the primary we will have ONE candidate. That graph means Autumn Jan 2020 #19

Desperation on your part to make a big deal out of a misspoken word. Demsrule86 Jan 2020 #21

Bernie would not be a good choice to deal with this. All his decisions are too extreme!! Thekaspervote Jan 2020 #4

Thx for posting Gothmog. He is the only one to deal with this and not get us into a worse mess Thekaspervote Jan 2020 #5

lol bahrbearian Jan 2020 #6

Voters will be reminded that we have an entire world to deal with, The Valley Below Jan 2020 #7

Indeed! Thekaspervote Jan 2020 #8

Biden Says 'Tweets, Threats, Tantrums' Won't Ease Iran Crisis Gothmog Jan 2020 #12

And he's right! World leaders may tweet minor stuff, but not notify and make policy with tweets Thekaspervote Jan 2020 #15

Biden the only statesman running nt NYMinute Jan 2020 #20

'Tweets, threats and tantrums': Biden tears into Trump's handling of Iran crisis Gothmog Jan 2020 #22

This Joe Biden ad really hits home Gothmog Jan 2020 #23

Very fine. And every scene true to the man and principles. Hortensis Jan 2020 #31

Recommended. guillaumeb Jan 2020 #29

K&R Tarheel_Dem Jan 2020 #32

Joe Biden is the only candidate fit to contest Trump in what is now a foreign policy election Gothmog Jan 2020 #33

And in a foreign policy election, no one will be able to claim that Joe Biden "never met a dictator The Valley Below Jan 2020 #34

BeyondGeography

(39,388 posts)

1. It's sure getting a lot of play

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:33 PM

Jan 2020

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

PatSeg

(47,685 posts)

9. Almost everyone I have ever heard on

Reply to BeyondGeography (Reply #1)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:55 PM

Jan 2020

television, journalists, pundits, government officials, and politicians, have at one time or another said Iran instead of Iraq and vice versa. It is a mistake, but a very common one.

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

BeyondGeography

(39,388 posts)

10. Just having some fun

Reply to PatSeg (Reply #9)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:57 PM

Jan 2020

As a Warren supporter I have a few favors to return to the OP.

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

PatSeg

(47,685 posts)

13. Got it!

Reply to BeyondGeography (Reply #10)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 05:42 PM

Jan 2020

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

Thekaspervote

(32,813 posts)

14. Especially in this case where the Iraqis have just expelled US armed forces

Reply to PatSeg (Reply #9)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 05:50 PM

Jan 2020

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

samnsara

(17,651 posts)

26. like i tell my husband when i mix up a word and he questions it :

Reply to PatSeg (Reply #9)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 12:22 PM

Jan 2020

"You KNOW ( 'what the fuck'.. is implied here) what I mean!"..and then i give him the Dont Question Me look.

because you know what? in the end it just 'dont' matter that much.....

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

PatSeg

(47,685 posts)

30. As I've gotten older,

Reply to samnsara (Reply #26)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 01:02 PM

Jan 2020

I've learned to listen more to what people mean than what they say. This especially comes in handy when listening to Donald Trump!

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

Autumn

(45,120 posts)

2. Wrong. Any Democratic candidate we have can easily deal with the mess created by Trump.

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:33 PM

Jan 2020

Out of all three of our front runners Biden is the one who had to walk back things that he says.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287408643
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287409259

You might want to look at post #1 for another mistake Joe made today.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287411462#post1

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

3. If sanders is the nominee, trump could win 45+ states

Reply to Autumn (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:48 PM

Jan 2020

How would re-electing trump help solve the problems caused by trump?

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

Autumn

(45,120 posts)

11. Wishful thinking. Poll show all three candidates beat Trump. What do you think about Biden mixing

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #3)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 05:10 PM

Jan 2020

up Iran and Iraq today?

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

17. You do know that trump has a ton of really strong oppo on sanders

Reply to Autumn (Reply #11)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 06:42 PM

Jan 2020

No one is intimidated by sanders. Amused maybe but not intimidated.

There is a ton of great oppo on sanders. None of the Democratic candidates are using this oppo because no one really thinks that sanders has a chance of being the nominee. There are tons of video of sanders praising Fidel Castro, the old Soviet Union, Central American socialists and other enemies of the United States that would make great attack ads. trump has the money to run these ads on a constant loop so that sanders would be lucky not to repeat the results of the 1972 election.

In addition, Russia targeted African American voters last cycle to depress or suppress their vote.

Without strong African American voter turnout, no Democrat stands a chance. sanders has made Russia's efforts easy in that all Russia has to do is play videos of sanders delegates booing John Lewis, Elijah Cummings, Stacy Abrams and others. There is a ton of anger out there about this stunt by sanders delegates at the National Convention.

Do you really think that sanders can win more than 2 or 3 states in face of these kinds of attacks? Again, no one is intimidated by sanders at all,

I am glad that we will not have to find out. I will support the nominee of the party but I really doubt that sanders will be the nominee. No Democrat has wasted their time going negative on sanders because no one thinks that sanders has a chance of being the nominee.

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

24. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it

Reply to Autumn (Reply #11)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 11:47 AM

Jan 2020

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

Autumn

(45,120 posts)

25. You might keep that in mind. The problem you have is younger voters don't fear socialism

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #24)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 12:03 PM

Jan 2020

and we older votes can't live forever.

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

samnsara

(17,651 posts)

28. if trump wins again we kiss socialism AND Democracy good bye...

Reply to Autumn (Reply #25)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 12:24 PM

Jan 2020

...im not willing to take that chance..ive got grand kids to think of.

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

samnsara

(17,651 posts)

27. it doesnt matter.. we all do it..

Reply to Autumn (Reply #11)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 12:23 PM

Jan 2020

and its not that important for me...

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

Thekaspervote

(32,813 posts)

16. Nope... here's the latest EC count

Reply to Autumn (Reply #2)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 05:55 PM

Jan 2020

?s=21

As you can see warren and sanders do not even reach 270

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

18. Thank you for posting this

Reply to Thekaspervote (Reply #16)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 06:42 PM

Jan 2020

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

Autumn

(45,120 posts)

19. The EC is spit three ways. At the end of the primary we will have ONE candidate. That graph means

Reply to Thekaspervote (Reply #16)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 07:35 PM

Jan 2020

less than nothing. Now tell me. What do you think about Biden confusing Iraq with Iran in a speech today over an event that just happened in the last couple of days?

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

Demsrule86

(68,735 posts)

21. Desperation on your part to make a big deal out of a misspoken word.

Reply to Autumn (Reply #19)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 07:50 PM

Jan 2020

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

Thekaspervote

(32,813 posts)

4. Bernie would not be a good choice to deal with this. All his decisions are too extreme!!

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:48 PM

Jan 2020

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

Thekaspervote

(32,813 posts)

5. Thx for posting Gothmog. He is the only one to deal with this and not get us into a worse mess

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:50 PM

Jan 2020

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

bahrbearian

(13,466 posts)

6. lol

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:51 PM

Jan 2020

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

The Valley Below

(1,701 posts)

7. Voters will be reminded that we have an entire world to deal with,

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:52 PM

Jan 2020

one that is sometimes hostile and one that requires an American president who can build alliances and who will exercise good judgment.

Support for Biden will rise.

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

Thekaspervote

(32,813 posts)

8. Indeed!

Reply to The Valley Below (Reply #7)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 04:55 PM

Jan 2020

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

12. Biden Says 'Tweets, Threats, Tantrums' Won't Ease Iran Crisis

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 05:12 PM

Jan 2020

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden called Tuesday on President Donald Trump to return to diplomacy to ease rising tensions with Iran and urged the president to explain why he’s chosen to escalate a situation that had for months appeared relatively calm.

“The only way out of this crisis is through diplomacy -- clear eyed, hard-nosed diplomacy grounded in a strategy that’s not about one-off decisions and one-upsmanship,” Biden said.

With less than four weeks until the Iowa caucus, Biden’s quickly organized speech in New York was a chance for him to show off his deep knowledge of international issues and to demonstrate to voters that he has leadership qualities he believes the president lacks. Polls suggest Democratic voters think he possesses those qualities more than his rivals for the nomination.

Subdued and reading from a TelePrompter, the former vice president spoke in detail about Middle East policy and the traditional cooperation between the White House and Congress.

“No one wants war. But it’s going to take hard work to make sure we don’t end up there by accident.”

The former vice president said he knew that Trump wouldn’t listen to his advice but said he hoped the president would listen to top national security officials and find a way to back away from his “tweets, threats and tantrums” of the past week. He urged Trump to reach out to European allies and to signal privately to Iran that the U.S. is still open to a diplomatic resolution.

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

Thekaspervote

(32,813 posts)

15. And he's right! World leaders may tweet minor stuff, but not notify and make policy with tweets

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #12)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 05:52 PM

Jan 2020

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

NYMinute

(3,256 posts)

20. Biden the only statesman running nt

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 07:40 PM

Jan 2020

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

22. 'Tweets, threats and tantrums': Biden tears into Trump's handling of Iran crisis

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Tue Jan 7, 2020, 08:22 PM

Jan 2020

Joe Biden gave a great speech today on trump's failures https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/07/joe-biden-trump-iran-095610

Joe Biden on Tuesday ripped into President Donald Trump’s handling of the growing crisis with Iran, demanding the president provide evidence showing the drone strike that took out a top Iranian military official truly was aimed at preventing what the administration has insisted was an “imminent threat.”

In a speech in New York following a fundraiser, Biden slammed Trump for offering “tweets, threats and tantrums” and “shifting explanations” rather than “levelheaded words meant to dial down the tensions” with Iran. Pointing to the president’s rocky history with the truth, Biden asserted that “if there was an imminent threat that required this extraordinary action, then we are owed an explanation, and the facts to back it up.”

The former vice president, now a frontrunner in the Democratic race to challenge Trump for the White House in November, blasted the president, accusing him of isolating America on the international stage while potentially bolstering Iran, China and Russia and threatening to severely limit Washington’s options for de-escalation if the U.S. gets bogged down in yet another conflict in the Middle East.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have quickly reached a boiling point in the days since last week’s U.S. drone strike, which killed Iran’s top military commander at the Baghdad airport, with worries rising that the U.S. is on the brink of war with Iran.

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

23. This Joe Biden ad really hits home

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 02:23 AM

Jan 2020

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

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)

31. Very fine. And every scene true to the man and principles.

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #23)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 05:23 PM

Jan 2020

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

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)

29. Recommended.

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 12:27 PM

Jan 2020

When Biden said:

“Make no mistake: this outcome of strategic setbacks, heightened threats, chants of “Death to America” once more echoing across the Middle East, Iran and its allies vowing revenge — this was avoidable,” he said. “The seeds of these dangers were planted by Donald Trump himself on May 8, 2018 — the day he tore up the Iran nuclear deal, against the advice of his own top national security advisers.” Biden argued that the trouble started “the day [Trump] turned his back on our closest European allies and decided it was more important to him to destroy any progress made by the Obama-Biden administration than build on it to create a better, safer world.”

Trump is so jealous of Obama, and has such hatred of the black man, and this hatred is the reason he is determined to undo everything Obama accomplished.

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

Tarheel_Dem

(31,246 posts)

32. K&R

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 05:39 PM

Jan 2020

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

Gothmog

(145,725 posts)

33. Joe Biden is the only candidate fit to contest Trump in what is now a foreign policy election

Reply to Gothmog (Original post)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 08:18 PM

Jan 2020

Given that this election is likely to be dominated by foreign policy issues, the President that we need to succeed Trump is Joe Biden. The all other Democratic candidates have their virtues, but they are lacking foreign policy experience, expertise, and, most importantly, getting it right when it counts.

For Biden, foreign policy would not require on-the-job training. He played a central role in bringing about the Iran nuclear deal, assembling the multi-national coalition against ISIS, and worked to ratify the New START treaty with Russia. As a Senator, he quarterbacked legislative action to bring an end to the heinous genocidal wars in the Balkans during the 1990s.

Many of the former Vice President's critics posit that should he win the nomination, he will be swift-boated by Ukraine. But after two general election victories as Barack Obama's running mate, Joe Biden demonstrated that he knows how to punch back. Not only is there no proof that he did nothing wrong, but this is going to prove to be a trial by fire and make him a stronger candidate for the general election.

Donald Trump promised Americans that they would be winning so often they would get tired of it. While Trump is likely to win his trial in the Senate, we know that his reelection is a risky bet America cannot afford. Joe Biden is the best prepared candidate to build a better, stronger world order out of the wreckage this administration would leave behind.

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

The Valley Below

(1,701 posts)

34. And in a foreign policy election, no one will be able to claim that Joe Biden "never met a dictator

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #33)

Wed Jan 8, 2020, 08:21 PM

Jan 2020

that he didn't like."

The American people will rally to Biden. He was made for this moment.

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

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