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While Joe Mulls, Dems Should Move On

While Joe Mulls, Dems Should Move On

By Kevin Kelton

Democrats all like Joe Biden. We know he is a smart and loyal vice president, a solid progressive, and we mourn for the painful loss of his son. But he’s not going to be the next President of the United States. So why consider nominating him?

Do you know how many vice presidents have gone from the vice presidency to be elected directly to the presidency? Four. It last happened for George H. W. Bush in 1988. You know the last time it happened before that? Martin Van Buren in 1836. That’s right, it’s only happened twice in the last 180 years.

That doesn’t mean it can never happen again. It surely will. But not in 2016 for Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. (a guy with a middle name almost as bad as Hussein). Because for all the solid work he’s done as vp and all the respect due him for his lifetime of national service, the hard reality that some Democrats seem to forget is that Uncle Joe is something of a national punchline. Sure, he was an esteemed Senator and kicked ass in his two vice presidential debates. But he’s also this guy…

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And this guy…

Joe Biden, Stephanie Carter

And this guy…

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And this guy…

Joe Biden

And this guy…

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And this guy…

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And “The Onion” pictured him as this guy…

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Now, of course, that last one is Photoshopped. But it speaks to a bigger, true picture of how the country sees him. Biden has been a staple of late-night monologues and Top Ten lists since he first ran for president in 1988 and the plagiarism scandal that ended that campaign and almost ended his career.

It’s hard enough for any sitting v.p. to argue for a “third” term. But it’s virtually impossible to make that case when you are older than any president has ever been, serve under a current president whose approval rating is well below 50%, and have been a late-night comedy punchline for eight years running. It’s not fair and it’s not right. But it’s not going away.

Besides, there’s the nasty issue of a record to run on. The man is tethered to every unpopular policy and action the Obama Administration has ever made – and there are plenty of unpopular ones. And when it comes to the one singular foreign relations success of the last eight years – the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden – Biden is quite publicly on record as having given the wrong advice.

So while the vice president continues his Hamlet-esque internal debate as to whether to run or not, the rest of us should move on without him. He’s not the answer to the Democrats’ prayers. He’s the answer to the GOP’s.

And that, to quote Uncle Joe, is a big f–king deal.

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One comment on “While Joe Mulls, Dems Should Move On

  1. Kathy says:

    I agree. And as a registered conservative Independent, he is the answer to my dreams. I disagree with you on the beginning of your article…Joe is passionate, and he is likable, but he is dumb as a stump…really….he is a 24/7 gaff machine and a 3 time LOSER…..he is much like Hilary…the more he talks, the more you know he is not what you picture in that position. Hilary is at least smart…npot very honest, but smart.

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