BY: HASSAN FARAZIAN
SUMMARY: As the Democrat’s Fish Fry gathering kicked Its primary parkour into the high gear, the debate and conversation on everyone’s choice have become on who has the best chance of unseating President Trump as well as unify the Party in its direction. Beating an incumbent President with still a very solid Republican base support; while presenting an acceptable and appealing agenda in unifying the democratic party – exactly in that order, should be the main criteria for a democratic candidate. Former Vice-President Joe Biden unequivocally fulfills the above more than other candidates. Here are the arguments in his favor.
There is no doubt that in a very divided Washington and the country as a whole, he represents name recognition with a track record of experience, integrity by Washington standard, and reasonable compromise so desperately needed now more than any other time essential to the art of politics. The segregationist debate controversy surrounding his past political maneuvering dismissed right out of hand by the Congressional Black Caucus is a case in point.
Further, Joe Biden’s appeal to both the struggling white middle class (whatever is left of it) and blue-collar workers that were crucial to President Trump’s 2016 success and the independent voters not to mention the African American voters an important part of the Democratic Party — is matched by no other – current Democratic candidates. He represents a well-liked character across the board and is certainly politically and racially color neutral for the good of the country in the very messy and divided American political landscape. In short, he has both the name remembrance by the majority of the voters and the record to back his legitimacy by having served at all levels of government, including the Vice-President position during an economic meltdown that was handed down by the legacy of another unpopular Republican president. Biden’s indubitable working and personal relationship with former President Barack Obama along with his support for him in due course will be the icing on the cake to his candidacy.
TRACK RECORD AND AMIABILITY
Biden’s Choice of Vice President: An Inevitable Bridge
The Democratic party must also seriously begin the action of passing the torch of modernity to the new generation of millennials who are unwilling to accept the status quo and are impatient with the many dead woods such as Nancy Pelosi — that is seen as an impediment to a progressive agenda. Joe Biden represents the very last chance by the Democratic Party in appeasing the older generation with a “good faith” grandfather figure while being able to willingly deliver the Party in an orderly manner to the new generation with their legitimate demands. Thus, the choice of the right person in carrying the race as his Vice President and a viable future partner with him is an important task.
Two current candidates, Tim Ryan from Ohio and Beto O’Rourke from Texas are probably the most qualified people in that respect. Tim Ryan has already proven himself by demanding a rejuvenation of the Democratic Party when quite rightfully he had appeared at the top of the list opposing Nancy Pelosi’s run as the Speaker of the House. This will certainly put him in tune with the younger generation. Further, he will bring an enormous advantage to the ticket by definitively delivering the swing state of Ohio with its 18 electoral colleges. As for representative O’Rourke, his legacy of the last senate race in Texas speaks volumes about his popularity in delivering the south. A comparison of Kennedy / Johnson Ticket to a Biden / O’Rourke with the age reversal that is telling of our times is in place.
Lessons From The Past
President Trump’s election as most analysts would agree was more than anything and by far a protest vote for “No more business as usual” after what had been perceived as – decades – of corruption and incompetence by both parties. In the 1976 movie “Network” the veteran news anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) tells his audience:
“I don’t want you to riot. I don’t want you to protest. I don’t want you to write your congressmen. Because I wouldn’t know what to tell you to write. I don’t know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the defense budget and the Russians and crime in the street. All I know is first you got to get mad. You’ve got to say: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore. I’m a human being, goddammit. My life has value”
But the chaotic events of the White House and a “Stable Genius” at the helm of a very complex and ever ungovernable and disputed political system has made many people who had supported the change to seriously wish for relative normalcy that is at least rooted in some kind of stability. This is where the former vice president can radiate that comforting image of a wise statesman who can deliver. As the saying goes, in politics, perception is reality and Biden can project this reality, hands down.
The Democrats though must be Very Clearly Weary of repeating the Clinton / Sanders drama of the 2016 where not only precious money but time was lost on internal bickering instead of targeting the real challenge of the Republican candidate that ultimately left a bad taste, to say the least, in the aftermath of Hillary Clinton’s nomination. They should also be careful that just like the 2016 and despite the many factors in their favor – Not – to underestimate the American people’s sentiment. More than anything, the power of social media, rather than the typical Town Hall meetings in capturing the millennials vote should be given the highest priority.
Finally, in the current tremulous international relations that by all accounts this administration has projected an antagonistic posture towards both the allies and adversaries, the experienced Joe Biden’s foreign policy image will be a reassuring advantage by the disenchanted voters. In short, he is the man of the situation to heal both a badly broken domestic American politics and a hubristic ever more irrelevant and discredited foreign policy. Ultimately, Joe Biden with his wise, likable grandfather or a favorite uncle image is the only candidate that can throw an “Uncle Charlie” pitch to a President Trump that is close to striking out politically with the American people.
Hence, continued attack by Kamala Harris or others at this stage would – Not – advance any future Democratic candidate’s cause if they continue to question VP Joe Biden’s credibility. The millennial supporters of Bernie Sanders didn’t forgive or pardoned Hillary’s political machinery manipulation of the Democratic party, it is certain that Joe Biden’s older white supporters will also react adversely at the 2020 election to any other possible contender who would throw their favorite Joe under the bus.
As it stands now, President Trump’s Huffing and Puffing has lost serious momentum and badly needed concrete support going forward. The National Rifle Association ( NRA) is in a shamble, the Chamber of Commerce has turned it’s back on his reelection, and the well oiled Koch brother’s notorious political network is out of the picture since President Trump in his usual self-inflicting wound announced that, “…I don’t want their money or bad ideas” a few months ago. Further, by all accounts, the economy is cooling down and his foreign antagonistic Trade policies with China as well as America’s European partners do not help the cause of a “Great America First” economy. Added to this is the continuing ballooning of the budget deficit – with no end in sight.
There is no doubt that the abandonment of the Republican Party by Justin Amash is only the tip of a very disenchanted Party whose members have started to see the writing on the Wall for the upcoming presidential election. Thus, the question is whether the Democratic Party will have the right pitcher to play ball in the aftermath of probably another controversial and certainly bloody election. With sentiments running high and bloody wounds dominating the aftermath of the 2020 elections, only Joe Biden can step up to the plate in appeasing a Far Left Democratic Party and a bruised Republican Party that would still need a helping hand from across the aisle to begin a precariously needed healing process both for the good of a working government and ultimately the country as a whole that seems to have been forgotten so far by them– except with a high dose of lip service.
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