Blog #2

Joe Biden is an American; in the literal sense and the figurative sense. He has humble beginnings, felt the blows of tragedy, and rose from them. He’s the father of an American hero, who, this year, passed away from brain cancer (and he, survived TWO life-threatening braid aneurysms). He was dealt a hell of hand, yet, in his off-beat way, he pulled through, every time. Joe Biden has a likeability that crosses generations. From our grandparents to our classmates, Biden’s appeal is one of the things that assisted with the success of two-term President Obama. While he’s quite gaffe prone and known for his, often times, off-color humor, Joseph Robinette (we should vote for him solely off his middle name) Biden, Jr. is a smart guy. He was a senator for nearly 40 years before becoming the 47th Vice President of the U.S. and it’s because of his likeability – and use of ‘malarky’ in a national debate. His public image has held strong, even when the President’s public image wasn’t approved. Other than Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden might be the most likeable candidate, with men and women, both young and old. (check out his interview with Stephen Colbert for further proof: https://youtu.be/opVaEC_WxWs )

One more thing – the dude is cool.

Strengths	Weaknesses
·       Familiarity ·       Pushed POTUS to recognize same-sex marriage ·       Deeper background in foreign policy than the other candidates ·       One of the most experienced lawmakers (foreign affairs to the federal budget) ·       Has a traditional, family-man image ·       His candor and the candid nature of it ·       He’s been in politics since he was elected to Senate at age 29 ·       He was the first-ever to be appointed as a White House Advisor on Violence Against Women ·       Served as Chair of the Middle Class Task Force ·       Acts that he’s personally help pass: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Ready to Work Initiative	·       Has ran two previous campaigns unsuccessfully ·       Known for his miscues and non-politically correct way of handling things ·       Age (he and Bernie Sanders are amongst the oldest potential candidates) ·       Biden’s first presidential bid, in 1988, collapsed amid a plagiarism scandal
Opportunities	Threats
·       Having the most experience: Biden’s experience gives him the edge over a lot of the candidates. With 4 decades under his belt, he has more foreign policy experience than Hillary Clinton and John Kerry combined ·       Letting his personality shine through: to many, Hillary can come across as “rigid”, stern and lacking personality. ·       Zeroing in on minority votes (African American and Latino communities): These two groups have the power to tilt the vote either way. Using his familiarity with these communities, Joe Biden has the opportunity to address the issues facing these communities head on.	·       Hillary Clinton: Between her reputation for being a no non-sense political tour de force and the idea of Bill Clinton being the “First Man”, Hillary Clinton is a major threat. While her stances on women’s rights and rectifying police violence, Hillary is coming quite strong. However, her recent email “scandal” and sins of her husband’s past haven’t gone away just yet. ·       Bernie Sanders: Contrary to what many of our parents believe, Bernie Sanders is a contender. His far-left liberal stances are winning with most millenials (my sister, for example, is drowning in student debt and refuses to vote for anyone other than “the Bern”). He’s been quite outspoken on issues like student loan debt, racial prejudice and women’s rights. ·       Donald Trump: Just kidding.

What are they running on? What issues become focal?

While Uncle Joe hasn’t announced his bid just yet, here are some issues that he’ll more than likely highlight:

What He’ll Highlight	What He Should Highlight
·       Gun Control ·       Foreign Policy ·       Marriage Equality ·       Federal Budget ·       Helping the Middle Class	·       Marriage Equality ·       Gun Control – gun violence, disproportionate violence against African Americans and other marginalized groups ·       Prison Reform ·       Overwhelming amount of student loan debt ·       Federal Budget ·       Middle Class

In the past, Joe Biden focused much of his campaign (and even as VP) on these platforms:

·       Social issues: women’s rights, capital punishment, crime, drug law, education, gun control, healthcare, homeland security, LGBT rights, welfare

·       Economic issues: agriculture, banking, energy, globalization, labor unions, tax

·       Foreign policy: Specifically, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Russia

What issues should become the focal point?

·       Women’s rights is one of the biggest issues: Planned Parenthood, violence against women, and the wage gaps are huge topics right

·       Racial injustice – violence against marginalized groups.

·       Prison reform is also vital. The disproportionate number of black and Latinos in prisons is alarming, as well as the stricter charges they receive for the same crimes committed by whites.