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The favorite for the 2020 Democratic nomination is a familiar face: Barack Obama's vice president, Joe Biden.
A new poll from Morning Consult and Politico has Biden commanding either a "very favorable" or "somewhat favorable" opinion rating from 74 percent of Democrats, far outpacing the 51 percent garnered by the second-place finisher, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
And Biden is fueling the speculation he is preparing for a presidential run with his frequent speaking engagements around the country.
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However, as the Hill reported, Biden is avoiding one of Hillary Clinton's most costly errors by deliberately not accepting paid corporate speeches or taking on profitable roles at private firms. A Democratic operative quoted in the publication claims Biden "would love the opportunity" to run and is emerging as one of the leaders of the party.
The Democrats are in a shambles following the victory of Republican Karen Handel in the special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District Tuesday. Many perceive the party as lacking leaders, direction and even a purpose beyond opposition to the agenda of President Donald Trump.
One of the men who has followed Joe Biden's career most closely, veteran editor and reporter Mike Towle, argues Biden is perfectly poised to emerge as the new leader of the Democrats.
Towle chronicled the former vice president's propensity for verbal malapropisms in his book "Biden Time: Crazy Uncle Joe In His Own Words."
But despite Biden’s reputation for putting his foot in his mouth, Towle warns Republicans that Biden should never be underestimated.
"I'm not surprised Biden is leading Democratic polls," he told WND. "The 2016 election is still fresh in voters' minds, and hindsight says that Biden has a likability factor that Hillary Clinton lacked. With many Democrats still bewildered and bitter about their party's loss in 2016, they probably see Biden as the 'coulda, shoulda' candidate they would have won with. But it's early, obviously, with other candidates to emerge."
Towle argues Biden would have been a more formidable candidate in 2016 than Hillary Clinton, who was arguably doomed by her reputation for scandal.
"He had a lot less baggage, a stronger political resume and a more palatable personality than Hillary," Towle said.
Even Biden’s gaffes, he argued, give him a certain charm.
He's back! "Crazy Uncle" Joe Biden in his own words "Biden Time," available now in the WND Superstore.
However, Biden has one important disadvantage going into 2020: He's a straight white male in a party increasingly defined by its championing of "diversity," diversity being interpreted as identity politics for those who are not straight white males.
Towle anticipates Biden will receive resistance from the far left if he throws his hat in the ring.
"Of course he will encounter pushback from ironically-named progressives – that's their nature, one of contrarianism," he told WND. "The only strategy progressives have right now is an anti-Trump one, in cahoots with much of the media, and that act is wearing thin. I suspect many progressives believe the answer to Trump and their own party's in-progress implosion is to ramp up their far-left, liberal agenda even more, as big a mistake as that would be."
But if Biden does run, Towle argues President Trump will be facing a formidable politician who could make a plausible play for the white working-class voters of the Rust Belt who propelled the New York City real estate developer to his improbable victory in 2016.
"Absolutely, he could win back some of these voters to the Democrats," Towle told WND firmly. "Biden is not a hardcore liberal. He can be a friend to unions and toe the party line well, yet he's comfortable reaching across the aisle to Republicans and meaning it. He's the kind of politician who would work well with Republicans in drafting a new health-care bill and revised tax policies that could pass both houses comfortably."
Should Republicans panic? Towle argues Biden's advanced age may keep him from making a run for the highest office in the land.
"I think he's done running for president; he sits it out," Towle opined. "He would be turning 78 before taking the oath of office. His best chance would have been 2016 had it not been for his son's death and then the hassle of having to deal with the Clinton political machine. Even with those factors, I still believe that was his best chance, because he's perceived as a better person than Hillary, and he would have been a better counter punch to Trump."
That said, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is even older than Biden, and top Democrats already believe the self-described socialist plans to make a repeat run for the Oval Office. If that happens, the Democratic establishment will need a more moderate candidate who has popular appeal – and Joe Biden may be exactly who they have in mind.
He's back! "Crazy Uncle" Joe Biden in his own words "Biden Time," available now in the WND Superstore.
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