Biden says he's 'not going anywhere' after poor Iowa showing

[webfact]

Biden says he's 'not going anywhere' after poor Iowa showing

By Trevor Hunnicutt

 

FILE PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event in Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S., February 4, 2020. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

 

SOMERSWORTH, N.H. (Reuters) - Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden vowed on Wednesday to go on fighting for the Democratic presidential nomination despite what he called the "gut punch" he took in Iowa, where partial results show the political veteran lagging in fourth place.

 

"I am not going to sugarcoat it: We took a gut punch in Iowa. The whole process was a gut punch,” Biden said in Somersworth, New Hampshire, where he was campaigning. “This isn’t the first time in my life that I’ve been knocked down.”

 

With 86.1% of precincts reporting from Monday's caucuses, Biden was behind Pete Buttigieg and U.S. senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in the first nominating contest of the 2020 campaign.

 

Biden, who bills himself as the most electable Democratic candidate to take on Republican President Donald Trump on Nov. 3, led many national polls in the run-up to Iowa and has a host of high-profile endorsements.

 

But his campaign is in trouble.

 

"There are an awful lot of folks out there who wrote off this campaign...They’ve been trying to do that from the moment I entered the race. Well, I’ve got news for them. I’m not going anywhere," Biden said.

 

In an unusually direct address, Biden took aim at Sanders and at Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, as he tried to recover ahead of the New Hampshire state primary next Tuesday.

 

Biden, 77, said every Democrat running for the House of Representatives or Senate this year would have to carry the label "socialist" if Sanders became the Democratic nominee. An independent, Sanders calls himself a democratic socialist.

 

Buttigieg, 38, held a narrow lead over Sanders, 78, in the Iowa caucuses, according to partial results released on Wednesday. Problems with an app used for vote counting had delayed a final count. Warren, 70, placed third.

 

There was more confusion later in the day when the party released new figures showing the four top candidates on roughly the same percentages, but then tweeted that there would shortly be "a minor correction to the last batch of results," without giving an explanation.

 

BUTTIGIEG AHEAD

As of early Wednesday evening, the Iowa Democratic Party said 86.1% of precincts had reported their results, showing that Buttigieg, who would be the first openly gay U.S. president if elected, had 26.7% of state delegate equivalents, the data traditionally reported to determine the winner. Sanders had 25.4%, Warren was at 18.3%, and Biden garnered 15.9%.

 

Sanders was slightly ahead of Buttigieg in the Iowa popular vote, which is not used to determine the delegates who will formally choose the nominee at the Democratic National Convention in July.

 

After more than a year of campaigning and spending more than $800 million, the results in Iowa had been expected to provide some answers for Democrats desperately trying to figure out how to beat the businessman-turned-president.

 

But the delay has blunted the momentum of the state's eventual winner. The partial results have been released in batches on Tuesday and Wednesday and the Iowa Democratic Party has not said when it will announce the rest.

 

Buttigieg has argued it is time for a new generation of leaders and that his lack of experience in Washington makes him an ideal candidate to break the partisan gridlock there.

 

But he might struggle to win in New Hampshire, where Sanders leads in many opinion polls, and in the next Democratic primary in South Carolina on Feb. 29 where Biden expects to receive strong backing from the African-American vote.

 

Biden accused Buttigieg, 38, of being insufficiently supportive of the achievements of the Obama administration and cast doubt on his experience.

 

“It’s a risk - to be just straight up with you - for this party to nominate someone who’s never held an office higher than mayor of a town of 100,000 people in Indiana,” said Biden, who was President Barack Obama's vice president for eight years.

 

Jeannie Collins, 34, who works in human resources in Manchester, New Hampshire, said she was leaning toward voting for Sanders but agreed with Biden’s concern that the senator may be too left wing for many Americans.

 

That concern was more likely to make her vote for Buttigieg rather than Biden, she said.

 

“I just feel like it's time for the younger generation. That's why I really like Buttigieg,” she said. She described Sanders as “older but his views are younger.”

 

Two other Biden opponents - Warren and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg - released ads on Wednesday highlighting their ties to Obama in a move to pick up Biden supporters who may be reconsidering after his poor performance in Iowa.

 

Warren’s advertisement about her creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during Obama’s administration uses narration from the former president praising Warren as being “very tough” and “one of the country’s fiercest advocates for the middle class.”

 

Bloomberg’s advertisement quotes Obama praising the former mayor’s work on gun control and education, saying he has shown “what can be achieved when we bring people together to seek pragmatic solutions.”

 

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis in Manchester, New Hampshire and Amanda Becker in Washington; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Howard Goller and Sonya Hepinstall)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-06

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[Cryingdick]

He is exactly right. He and his campaign aren't going anywhere.

[AussieBob18]

Biden:  I am going to ride this gravy train until it stops. It is what I have always done, and will always do - I love gravy. 

[Puchaiyank]

Biden will not last...will have to see the Oval Office on TV...☺

[Tippaporn]

Is Biden using his presidential run to shelter himself from criminal probes?  The idea that you can't investigate a candidate because, well, an investigation can ever and only be politically motivated and therefore a political no-no?  If so, it ain't working. 

[Ricohoc]

Biden's not going anywhere.  He's correct.  Most of the time, he doesn't even know where he is.

[Tippaporn]

30 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Is Biden using his presidential run to shelter himself from criminal probes?  The idea that you can't investigate a candidate because, well, an investigation can ever and only be politically motivated and therefore a political no-no?  If so, it ain't working. 

Forgot to add the link:

 

Grassley & Johnson's letter to James Murray, Director of the Secret Service, requesting Hunter Biden's government sponsored travel information under Secret Service protection while he was conducting private business in both the Ukraine and China.

 

https://www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2020-02-05 CEG RHJ to Secret Service (Biden Travel).pdf

 

It's the Biden story that ain't going anywhere.

[ratcatcher]

Joe Biden, not going anywhere, and certainly not 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 

[JHolmesJr]

This just in....let's see where he goes now....

 

"Good afternoon, Senators Grassley and Johnson today requested Hunter Biden’s official travel records from the U.S. Secret Service as a part of their ongoing probe into potential conflicts of interest. A full news release is forthcoming”

[Ricohoc]

Biden is the guy whose main positive characteristic was "electability."  Remember?  Biden and his bride touted it.  Some media propagandists touted it.  He was promoted as the only guy who could beat Trump.

 

Iowans don't think so, and this is yet another example of why national polls in a presidential election aren't worth much.  Presidents are elected by the voters of individual states, not a national electorate.  Polls in each state -- if conducted fairly -- are a better gauge in presidential elections.

 

So far, Joe has zero delegates with 95% reporting. Mayor Pete and Bernie have 11 each and lead the tally. Warren is third with 5 delegates.  

[blazes]

Biden would possibly do much better if only he could remember, half-way through a sentence, where he was when he began the sentence....

[Jingthing]

It's fair that he should stick it out at least until South Carolina. But if he fails there, he really should finally give up his seemingly impossible presidential dream.

 

Then the question would be who would he endorse if anyone?

 

Will anyone even want his endorsement? 

 

He used to have real mojo in 2016 and that was probably his last real shot. But he let HRC take the establishment "it's your turn" slot. 

[Tippaporn]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's fair that he should stick it out at least until South Carolina. But if he fails there, he really should finally give up his seemingly impossible presidential dream.

 

Then the question would be who would he endorse if anyone?

 

Will anyone even want his endorsement? 

I wouldn't.  A Biden endorsement would be an albatross.

 

Small wonder now in hindsight that Obama never endorsed him.

[JHolmesJr]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

He used to have real mojo...

hey everyone...Im Joe.....and obviously I have mojo...please

[Ricohoc]

37 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

hey everyone...Im Joe.....and obviously I have mojo...please

He keeps challenging people to pushups and races and IQ contests and fights.  Still waiting.

[Chomper Higgot]

5 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Is Biden using his presidential run to shelter himself from criminal probes?  The idea that you can't investigate a candidate because, well, an investigation can ever and only be politically motivated and therefore a political no-no?  If so, it ain't working. 

Laughable nonsense.

 

It is Trump who is facing criminal prosecution upon leaving office.

 

 

[Eric Loh]

I will give him some credit for not resorting to derogatory nicknames for his opponents and he don’t stalk too, 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

He is exactly right. He and his campaign aren't going anywhere.

If our say so:

 

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_biden-6247.html

[candide]

5 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Is Biden using his presidential run to shelter himself from criminal probes?  The idea that you can't investigate a candidate because, well, an investigation can ever and only be politically motivated and therefore a political no-no?  If so, it ain't working. 

Come on, nobody claimed Biden could not be investigated.

[crazykopite]

One things for sure he won’t become the next President , Nancy made sure of that when she desecrated all those names mentioned in Trumps State of the Union speech by ripping up the copy she was presented with by President Trump . Love him or Loathe him the democrats have just given him 4 more years in the Whitehouse 

[Jingthing]

10 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

One things for sure he won’t become the next President , Nancy made sure of that when she desecrated all those names mentioned in Trumps State of the Union speech by ripping up the copy she was presented with by President Trump . Love him or Loathe him the democrats have just given him 4 more years in the Whitehouse 

Yeah, sure, crazykopite, that's logical. Thanks for learnin' us.

[candide]

5 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Forgot to add the link:

 

Grassley & Johnson's letter to James Murray, Director of the Secret Service, requesting Hunter Biden's government sponsored travel information under Secret Service protection while he was conducting private business in both the Ukraine and China.

 

https://www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2020-02-05 CEG RHJ to Secret Service (Biden Travel).pdf

 

It's the Biden story that ain't going anywhere.

Well, they did not hurry up on that one.

Ok, but Don't forget to do the same check about the Jr's, Ivanka, and Jared.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-10-10/trumps-adult-children-do-business-overseas-as-president-slams-biden

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/us/politics/donald-trump-jr-eric-trump-business.html

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/12/conflicts-of-interest-trump-kids-gop

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

I’ve got news for them. I’m not going anywhere,"

 

Considering the double meaning inherent in that comment, if I were Biden's PR adviser, I'm pretty sure I would not have advised him to use that particular language.

 

 

[Tippaporn]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

If our say so:

 

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_biden-6247.html

Polls.  I wouldn't put much faith in them.  You can hang your hat on them if you like.  Not me.

 

From the various polls in the linked article the average was Biden +5.4 over Trump.  Largest margin over Trump was Biden +9.  Huh?

 

Now let's take a look at their respective campaign rallies . . . 

 

Trump fills stadiums.  Just a single example of his Hershey, PA rally he attracted 23,000.  Hershey's population is under 15,000.

 

Trumps, New Hampshire rally attracted thousands.  Joe Biden's rally attracted <gulp> 30.

 

As of January 2, 2020 if you add up all the Democrats’ events over the past 3 months, the combined total wouldn’t surpass what Trump accomplished (audience-wise) at ONE event.

 

Attendance numbers at campaign rallies.  That's my yardstick.

[Tippaporn]

1 hour ago, candide said:

Well, they did not hurry up on that one.

Ok, but Don't forget to do the same check about the Jr's, Ivanka, and Jared.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-10-10/trumps-adult-children-do-business-overseas-as-president-slams-biden

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/us/politics/donald-trump-jr-eric-trump-business.html

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/12/conflicts-of-interest-trump-kids-gop

Thanks for the links but I wouldn't trust any of them.

[candide]

11 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Thanks for the links but I wouldn't trust any of them.

The facts reported are facts, and have been reported in plenty of other sources. Which of the facts reported are fake. It is strange that while you are keen on adopting any conspiracy theory based on vague information from suspect sources, you get so picky about reliable sources. There are at least as much reason to investigate them than Hunter. 

[phkauf]

Biden and Electability??? The guy ran for President TWICE and never got past the first few primaries in the past.

The only place Joe is going is the early bird at Cracker Barrel. And Hunter can thank him for all the unwanted attention brought to his sleazy deals. If Joe didn't run, these would have never seen the light of day.

[Cryingdick]

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

If our say so:

 

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_biden-6247.html

 

LOL He will never face Trump. To discuss Trump vs Biden is like wondering if Superman can beat up Mighty Mouse. 

[Thian]

This old fool makes the whole USA looking like a banana.....(to say it polite).

[holy cow cm]

Well he has something right. He is not going anywhere. Putz