Biden: Pope Francis wouldn't endorse Sanders' policies

[ericson00]

Source: Politico

Vice President Joe Biden said Friday that while he approves of Bernie Sanders' quick trip to Rome, he doubts Pope Francis endorses the Vermont senator's policies.
“I just think that Bernie making the trip is a good thing, but to suggest that the pope embraces Bernie’s policies, I don’t think that’s the case, I doubt that very much,” Biden said in a CNBC interview.
Story Continued Below

The vice president claimed to know Pope Francis “as well as anybody,” with the two having spent time together after the death of Biden's son Beau last year.
Sanders temporarily stopped campaigning ahead of Tuesday's New York primary to speak at a Vatican conference about income inequality.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/joe-biden-pope-bernie-sanders-222040

[billhicks76]

1. From The Democratic, Vichy-Like Creator Of The Drug War.

His opinion means nothing.

[roguevalley]

12. Biden has lost his fucking mind. Bernie is the empitome of Matt. 25:31-44.

Biden should shut his mouth. He has Bill Clinton disease. What an unbelievably asinine remark. I have struggled to care about him and his opinions since he sold us out to the credit card companies. He is what he is.

[DallasNE]

45. Biden Is Playing Word Games Here

It reminds me of Bill Clinton, who said famously "it depends on what the meaning of 'is' is".

The document coming out of the Vatican will not use the word "endorse" while praising the policies Sanders is pushing. Shameful.

[MissDeeds]

48. +1000000

[tomm2thumbs]

53. Biden

I'm referring to 'policy, policy' -- me thinketh he doth disclaim too much

[JDPriestly]

55. Happen to have my Bible right by my computer.

Is this what you mean roguevalley?

For those who would like to know:

Matthew 25:31-44.

31 Thus saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will but as thou wilt.
40 and he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Saint James

I'm not sure that this is what you intended. I'd like to hear more about why you think this is applicable. Are you comparing Biden to the disciple Peter?

[autorank]

56. That's him. Shows they're all scared:) n/t

[UtahLib]

2. K&R. nt

[Scootaloo]

3. Kind of a strange thing to say

I don't think anyone has ever suggested that the pope would "endorse Bernie." What, like a press release? 'Course not. As for comparative policies, maybe Biden doesn't know the Pope Frankie all that well.

[SusanCalvin]

32. Really.

And which policies, exactly? And why did Biden feel compelled to make a statement on this non-issue anyway? Is a puzzlement.

[thesquanderer]

92. I suspect he would agree with Bernie and not Hillary on the Iraq war vote. (n/t)

[Doctor_J]

58. Very strange thing to say

Wtf is he doing?

[bemildred]

89. Sometimes the ideas they want to fend off can be very informative, politicians.

"Pay no attention to the little man behind the machine!"

In this case, I infer that Joe doesn't want anybody to talk about Bernie's policies, and would prefer that we all not consider them.

And that's because they really don't have any good non-bullshit arguments against them.

[elmac]

4. i'm sure the Pope

wouldn't like Bidens Bankruptcy bill one bit as it keeps people in perpetual poverty.

[appalachiablue]

23. +1 Especially the harm to women and children. And Bill's Workfare & Crime Bills...

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. He's got a lot of nerve.....after that crap bill.

[Jopin Klobe]

68. Ahhhhhh, yes ... passed in 2005 ... before the 2008 economic massacre of the Middle Class ...

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) of 2005, Pub. L. No. 109-8, 119 Stat. 23 (April 20, 2005) ("BAPCPA&quot , substantially amended the Bankruptcy Code. Many provisions of BAPCPA were forcefully advocated by consumer lenders and were just as forcefully opposed by many consumer advocates, bankruptcy academics, bankruptcy judges, and bankruptcy lawyers. The enactment of BAPCPA followed nearly eight years of debate in Congress. According to the book, The Unwinding, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, and Hillary Clinton helped pass this bill. Most of the law's provisions became effective on October 17, 2005.

[elmac]

69. That is why I am glad Bidden didn't run

one corporatist is enough.

[treestar]

77. Abuse Prevention

Does anyone here know a single thing about this act?

The provisions only stop richer people from using Chapter 7 discharge when they could pay it back in a Chapter 13 plan.

They do make it harder to discharge student loans.

Still all the conclusions and condemnation are hardly called for, and the issue has a lot more nuance than this thread provides.

[Omaha Steve]

5. Would the Pope endorse Hillary's per speech income?

Just asking. Just one was more than Bernie makes in a year!

[Thinkingabout]

52. She gave the money to charity which in turn helps those less fortunate, yes, the Pope

Likes to help the meek and sick.

[BeanMusical]

61. Of course she did.

[Omaha Steve]

74. She has never said that when asked durng a debate

And you provide NO LINK!

[Thinkingabout]

81. Now Steve, I am surprised you do not already know this information but here are links

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-donating-speaking-fees



College speaking fees which was not paid by the colleges but supporter of colleges

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-all-my-university-speaking-fees-go-to-charity/


Call these speaking events fund raisers or whatever you want but please accept them for what they are.

[Omaha Steve]

82. That's not the banks fees that are in question

BIG difference.

[Thinkingabout]

83. What are you referring?

[Omaha Steve]

84. The article DOES NOT say ALL her speaking fees are donated to charity

Third paragraph: Not all of her speaking engagements are for-profit, and, out of approximately 90 speeches, she was paid for at least two dozen.

That means some are for profit. Where did the bank speaking fees go?

And the Clinton Foundation as a charity that has had to refile tax returns has more questions than answers about how it handles money.

Clinton Foundation refiles tax returns: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/clinton-foundation-refiles-tax-returns-215959

[Thinkingabout]

85. Okay, where the link you are talking, as far as I can tell it is the

Transcripts from her Goldman Sachs speeches, and to see if she was influenced by those fees. The honest truth here is she did these speeches after she left the SOS, she has not had any official duties after she left the SOS.

[Omaha Steve]

86. At this point it is easier to just drop it

She has done very well for someone that was flat broke in 2000.

[Thinkingabout]

88. Thank you, a few good book deals for both does wonders for one's net worth.

[LeFleur1]

54. Per speech income?

Please state the rule that no politician is to accept payment for speeches.

Of all of Bernie's bitching this constant groaning about Hillary's speeches is probably the worst. If anyone had ever offered Bernie speaking engagements I doubt very much he'd turn them down. He rushed quickly enough to speak at the latest engagement his friend set up...even after he found out (or did he know all the time?) it wasn't with the Pope.

I wish he'd answer questions about his plans and spell them out. That isn't too much to ask. Maybe TV CEOs will pay him to tell the American people how he will go about getting all the things done he has promised. Is that what he is waiting for?

[arikara]

59. Yes. Well.

There is a more than a little difference between a speech on income inequality given at the Vatican, and speeches on who knows what given at investment banks for a quarter mill a pop. More than just Bernie are interested in seeing the transcripts of those.

And l'm sure that if it becomes an issue, Bernie will be more than happy to release the transcript of his Vatican speech, if he hasn't already.

[BeanMusical]

62. The transcript of his speech is available online. He just released his tax return BTW.

Now that's Hill's turn to release those transcripts.

[dynamo99]

63. Sure

She didn't tailor her speech to what the 1% want to hear. Of course not. That's why she'll release the text of the speech tomorrow. And anyhow, even if she did, that doesn't count as corruption.

Sure.

[Omaha Steve]

73. Please state the rule the transcripts are to remain between just the rich and famous

OOPS!

[LeFleur1]

90. Show me the Campaign Rule

that says every campaigner has to release speeches. If there is such a rule, she will do so. Most of her speeches are how to make things equitable and right in this country. But it's to the advantage of Sanders to insinuate that there is some terrible thing lurking about her speeches. Some Sanders supporters and the right wing is very good at that and has been since Hillary was the Governor's wife in Arkansas. It's easily recognizable.

[Omaha Steve]

91. IF she has nothing to hide, why is she fighting to keep them hidden?

And her trust rating keeps falling because of it.

All I heard for the last week was Bernie's taxes and he won't get to meet the Pope is a wasted trip. Now let us Bernie DUers hear the Hillary DUers say Bernie made good on his 2014 taxes. Hillary should releases the transcripts because she has nothing to hide.

[Enrique]

6. i'd love to see something like this right now

[no_hypocrisy]

8. + 1

[dogman]

7. Having read and heard both Bernie and the Pope, I say Biden is full of shit.

From your link Biden speaks:
“I was raised in a tradition called Catholic social doctrine,” Biden said. "It is that is legitimate to look out for yourself, but never at the expense of someone else. It is legitimate to do well, but never at the expense of not looking at what’s behind you.

“We need to create a culture which, as Pope Francis reminds us, cannot just be based on the worship of money. We cannot accept a nation in which billionaires compete as to the size of their super-yachts, while children in America go hungry and veterans sleep out in the streets,” he said. "

That is no different than what Bernie says, except Bernie isn't Catholic. Is that what Biden means?

[Plucketeer]

21. I like Biden

but we MUST remember - he is a dues-paying member of the establishment. He's gonna favor the anointed one when and where possible.

[dogman]

22. And he has the sad that it's not him challenging Hillary.

[Matt_in_STL]

9. He is both VP and spokesman for the pope?

Wow, he is really versatile and busy.

[appalachiablue]

10. Biden should read this article and follow the writings & statements of Pope Francis more carefully.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1280175616

[Gothmog]

11. I trust Joe Biden on this

[roguevalley]

15. then you agree with him that Matt. 25:31-44 isn't the very basis of the faith he says he believes

anymore than him. Biden follows the footsteps of the Pharisees evidently.

[berniepdx420]

30. of course you do.. head ... sand

[SusanCalvin]

35. Good grief.

Why'd he even feel impelled to make the statement? Silly, silly.

[forest444]

13. As Joe Biden knows very well, Pope Francis is very much a social democrat like Bernie.

Francis probably won't issue an explicit endorsement because it's his policy -and the Vatican's - not to do so.

Such is his self-control on endorsements that when his native country, Argentina, had an election last November, Francis refused to endorse either candidate - and that was despite the fact that one was a social democrat and the other, a corporatist GOP clone and dog-whistle racist.

That said, a hint endorsement may indeed take place. When asked for his thought on that Argentine election, Francis said: "Vote your conscience; you already know what I think."

His preferred candidate, by the way, lost very narrowly. But we in the U.S. would do well to at least consider Francis' sage advice.

The consequences speak for themselves: http://www.democraticunderground.com/110848812 http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141403014

[RATM435]

14. Sure joe sure.

[highprincipleswork]

16. Sorry Joe, I don't think you can speak for the Pope. What you think or doubt is besides the point.

[Agony]

17. Biden is then part of the problem...

[greiner3]

18. Holy crap Batman;

So Joe has the inside track on the Pope's inner voice?

Is this a slight on Bernie's religion?

I thought this was a post by a Bernie supporter showing the inanity of Biden's, stupidity for a better word.

But from a Hillary supporter, it means support for the Pope's mouthpiece.

BTW, how long until the convention?

[riversedge]

19. Well said Joe

[berniepdx420]

31. no shame none at all

[olddad56]

20. Joe is just Biden his time.

[LiberalElite]

24. That makes absolutely no sense nt

[MisterP]

25. envy is a Deadly Sin, Joe

[Iliyah]

26. JB and Pope Francis are friends.

God don't like ugly. The Vatican, i.e. Pope is not a happy camper. Using the Vatican as a political tool to advance BS' agenda ain't cool at all.

[FailureToCommunicate]

37. Isn't this is embarrassing to say,

even for a Hillary supporter?

What was it about this trip that made so many of you go off the deep end ?

[Raster]

40. First of all, you have no idea what you're fucking talking about..

..and for that matter, neither does Joe Biden.

1. Joe is a creature of the status quo through-and-through, and is INCAPABLE of any worthwhile criticism thereof;

2. Joe Biden no more speaks for The Holy See any more than I do. And let me assure you, I know I don't;

3. "God don't like ugly." ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?
A. You know the mind of the Almighty?
B. And you have what proof that Sky Daddy even exists at all?

4. You are privy to the inner workings of The Vatican: "The Vatican, i.e. Pope is not a happy camper." And you know this how? Do you have anything to substantiate that statement? Anything at all?

5. Joe Biden is privy to the inner workings of The Vatican? Let me answer that for you: No, he is not. He is a prominent American Catholic that has rubbed shoulders in various events with the Pontiff and received extra attention and compassion at the passing of his son, but to even infer that somehow Joe Biden can speak on behalf or for the The Holy See, is, well, laughable, at best.

[farleftlib]

47. God don't like ugly

That's the only thing in your post that made any sense at all. The rest is "ugly."

[DisgustipatedinCA]

51. Another untrue statement from one candidate's camp.

Don't suppose you have one fucking iota of evidence to offer, do you? No? Don't think you're going to get by with your bullshit here. You're not.

[BeanMusical]

64. "JB and Pope Francis are friends."

Sure they are.

[silvershadow]

27. Oh noes. Were we expecting him to, or something? No, of course not.

More establishment circling the wagons.

[SusanCalvin]

36. Really. nt

[yourpaljoey]

29. They call him blow-dry Jo for a reason

[kadaholo]

33. Wow! Someone has gotten to Joe Biden!

Take a look at what Biden said on January 12, 2016:

Vice President Joe Biden offered effusive praise for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders Monday, lauding Hillary Clinton's chief rival for doing a "heck of a job" on the campaign trail and praising Sanders for offering an authentic voice on income inequality.

And while Biden said Democrats had a slate of "great candidates" running for president, he suggested Clinton was a newcomer to issues like the growing gap between rich and poor.

"Bernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real. And he has credibility on it," Biden said during an interview with CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger.

It's relatively new for Hillary to talk about that," Biden continued...

"Hillary's focus has been other things up to now, and that's been Bernie's -- no one questions Bernie's authenticity on those issues," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/politics/joe-biden-bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-income-inequality/

Clearly the powers that be are running scared and Joe was told to get in line!

[Iliyah]

41. Doubt that, but believe what you want if it makes you feel better

Hope you vote in November for HRC

[kadaholo]

44. Surely you jest...

Surely you jest...

[Land of Enchantment]

50. Interesting...nt

[SoLeftIAmRight]

34. joe is bankrupt

a bankers wet dream - now that he has worked with the republicans to fuck millions of americans for the rest of their lives

[azmom]

38. Half-truth. Not all of the policies, but

Certainly some of the policies. And as liberals, we should be happy about that.

[CharlotteVale]

39. Sez Mr. MBNA.

[SammyWinstonJack]

46. +1000000

[mudstump]

42. Biden another typical DLC swarmy democrat.

[Rebkeh]

49. I can't imagine any pope would *actually endorse* any politician

He may agree, align or otherwise support policies based on their intent and outcome, but that's not the same thing.

[brooklynite]

57. Correct me if I'm wrong.....

...but weren't Sanders' folks here suggesting that Biden was hinting that he supported Sanders just a few months ago?

[BeanMusical]

66. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141416441#post33

[NRaleighLiberal]

60. thoroughly bizarre thing for him to say. Must be opposite day or bizarro world!

[w4rma]

65. Thou shalt not lie, Mr. Biden. (nt)

[BeanMusical]

67. Hey Joe, where you goin' with that lie in your head?

Hey Joe, I said where you goin' with that lie in your head?

[Congruente]

70. Under the bus goes the vice president

Joining many others.

[Bluenorthwest]

79. Biden has been 'under the bus' since he voted for DOMA, helped seat Clarence Thomas and pushed

the bankruptcy bill. He's way to my right and as he says, he follows a religion that is all about saying things but never about actually helping people. To me that's just degenerate.

[SoapBox]

72. Wow...shoot'n from the hip Joe?

Glad to know you have a quote from the Pope....oh...you don't...you're just shooting OGG your mouth.

Your Elitism is showing Joe.

[w4rma]

75. And another one falls on their sword for Hillary. (nt)

[northernsouthern]

76. Your title is as incorrect as teh story.

This...

Biden: Pope Francis wouldn't endorse Sanders' policies

...is not this...

he doubts Pope Francis endorses the Vermont senator's policies.

It is called english, I can tell the difference, and I went to school in Arkansas.

[Bluenorthwest]

78. Wow, Biden has spent months pushing the notion that Francis is an example to follow:

"Pope Francis is challenging us. He has raised some of the most difficult issues facing the world today—income inequality, poverty, mass migration, immigration, human trafficking, climate change. These are issues we can, and must, address.

He’s also offering hope. A message of optimism. That there is no reason we can’t make this a better world. That’s why people of all backgrounds and faiths feel connected to this Pope."
http://time.com/4047605/joe-biden-pope-francis-is-challenging-us/

Why Joe Biden Is Following Pope Francis Throughout His US Trip
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/joe-biden-pope-francis-us-trip/story?id=33983235


It's not right for Joe to reject the policies being implemented and continue to push such ideas as pure religious thought, it's all dogma to him but if we really tried to address those issues Joe says even the Pope would reject such policies?

What's wrong with Joe? Without those policies his Pope is just Pat Robertson. His faith is just a bunch of noise and gestures.

[Raster]

80. The Senator from Mastercard says what?

[Marrah_G]

87. I think Biden should stay out of the fight

[JoFerret]

93. Bernie is now a laughing stock

Face it. He stalks the Pope. Gets a handshake.

And WHO picks up the tab for the stunt? #PopeGate

[BunkieBandit]

94. That's Cardinal Biden to yuz guys.

[hollowdweller]

95. I understand Biden trying to help Hillary

But he's nuts if he thinks Francis and Sanders don't agree on a lot politically.

The Pope may or may not endorse Sanders as a candidate.

But I think the whole thing with Sanders is the Pope's "fuck you" to a lot of the mainstream politicians who say one thing and do another when elected.