The Washington Post’s Philip Rucker, talking to Democrats after the debate in Las Vegas, said there was a sense that Clinton “sucked a lot of air out of the Biden balloon”.
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The group released its second and most poignant video that aired Tuesday on CNN during the first Democratic debate. The eventual nominee, John McCain, had been a thorn in the side of the White House for years, but Obama still had no problem painting McCain as the four-more-years-of-Bush candidate.
National security is often overshadowed in US presidential races by domestic issues, most notably jobs and economic growth.
You think that Clinton’s performance-to repeat against a wholly underwhelming cast-would intimidate a man whose ego is, shall we say, secure?
In fact, Biden has also specifically indicated in the calls that if he were to opt out of the race he has no plans to endorse Clinton because he believes it is an open race that has not been sewn up by the former Secretary of State.
With Ms. Clinton’s resurgence there is little demand from Democratic insiders or major Democratic donors for the vice president to “save the party”. “Al Gore is doing nothing”, said a Democrat who sits on a board with him. There is no room left for Joe, they said. “Joe Biden has met with her. Hillary Clinton has met with her. They’re both seeking her support; and so over these next couple of weeks, particularly if Biden gets in the race, I think she’ll be somebody to keep an eye on”. She had, it was widely acknowledged, dominated the stage and reassured anxious Democrats that she had the political skill to win.
Biden can give Clinton a run for her money with Democratic voters who are looking for someone who is what she isn’t – authentic, trustworthy, likable, loyal to the White House. Ted Kaufman said in an email to a list of Biden alumni. And he doesn’t generate the personal scandals or drama that Clinton does. If Mr. Biden does run there will be widespread bitterness from many women who support Ms. Clinton-they do not want to give up the notion of America electing a female president who is highly qualified and has recently achieved a new burst of momentum.
Once presidential candidate scrutiny begins, the media will look at his decades of service in the Senate representing Delaware, and will report that-like all Senators from banker-friendly Delaware-Mr. Because the Clintons won’t.
You could sum up the first Democratic debate in two sentences: Bernie Sanders had a good night.
There are two of the 747s, actually, to share the workload and to be sure there is backup available on long-haul presidential trips. “We were friends before, we will be friends after, whatever you decide, ‘” she told the newspaper. It would get ugly.
To jump ahead, there is a rush of stories today that Biden is already talking to people not about whether to run but, as CNN put it, “how to launch a presidential bid”. There’s all this speculation if he’s running or not.
How low will a politician sink to defeat a rival?
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Clinton responded with an eye on the general election, as well as the primaries.
