Joe Biden has been shooting for the presidency since 1987. Plenty of time to refine his campaigning technique.
He doesn’t have Bernie’s impactful ideas or Obama’s charisma, which leaves him in the ‘safe pair of hands’ politician mould necessitated by his lack of attributes.
The mainstream media have remained predictably supportive during his most recent Democrat nominee attempt. However, the long-running Biden fiasco is treating spectators to a plethora of blunders at a career-high rate.
A 77-year-old’s speech problems are excusable in the scenario of your grandad adjusting to new meds. Unfortunately, the senator’s acted like this for over 30 years and he’s the Democrat nominee favourite.
Here’s a brief look at his habit. Sometimes worrying, sometimes offensive.
1 — During his first presidential run, Biden was as low on speech ideas as he’s always been on policy ideas. Plagiarism was his solution. Subtly, he swapped his name and ‘my wife’ for Neil Kinnock and ‘predecessors’ whilst regurgitating an acclaimed speech only four months after the original. Shortly after, he was caught lying about and during his education and withdrew in preparation for future attempts.
2 — Maybe it’s best to stick to other people’s words when your own indicate such a strong attachment to the wonky era you grew up in. Whilst making another presidential attempt in 2007, he said of his soon-to-be boss Barack Obama -
“You got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.”
People quickly pointed out that bright African American people aren’t any newer than the rhetoric being pushed by the ex-segregationist.
3 — After having his sights lowered to being Obama’s VP, Biden was most likely advised to reign in his out-of-date rhetoric. Having his attention focused on not making racially offensive remarks seemed to make other parts of his work life more challenging, however. At a campaign rally in Missouri, he told a wheelchair-bound senator -
“ Stand up, Chuck, let them see you”.
Although no one was too offended, Biden’s public difficulty was reaching its most consistent stage yet.
4 — Biden bumbled through an administration that carried out more drone strikes and deportations than any before.
Alas, he bases his opposition to Trump on insensitivity to immigrants and poor foreign policy. Trump’s administration hasn’t had time to match the extent of Obama’s horror in these areas, but Biden doesn’t have much else to talk about.
This lack of ideological ground to stand on is possibly why the exercise seems taxing on his mental capabilities. In Iowa in September whilst trying to appeal to a mostly Hispanic and Asian group of voters he exclaimed -
“Poor kids are just as talented as white kids”.
Realising that this line wouldn’t sit well, he scampered to cover his tracks.
5 — Overwhelmed, Biden put his brain on autopilot for the next Democratic candidate debate. This is the real quote.
It’s like when you keep pressing the middle button on your phone’s auto-predict to see what it comes up with.
6 — Whilst trying to downplay age concerns, Biden managed to score a double. Without correcting himself he said that he
“would not have withdrawn the additional thousand troops in Iraq” (meaning Syria, a forgivable mistake for someone not campaigning to be Commander-in-chief)
and
“I would eliminate the capital gains tax. I would raise the capital gains tax to the highest rate of 39.5 per cent”.
7. Discussing solutions to domestic abuse problems, Uncle Joe said it was important to
“Keep punching at it and punching at it and punching at it.”
Running in a similarly uninspired, establishment style to Clinton would hopefully indicate strength in dealing with facts or policy. Unfortunately, both seem a long way off.
At least the Democrat’s last president had some charisma to soften the mass bombing and deporting. Could anyone tolerate it again, especially when it’s so poorly presented?
Originally published at https://malikakembo.co.uk on January 6, 2020.
