Exclusive: Biden expresses skepticism of Democrats' leftward tilt and AOC's mass appeal

[brooklynite]

CNN

Des Moines, Iowa (CNN)Former Vice President Joe Biden expressed deep skepticism of the leftward tilt of the Democratic Party in an exclusive interview with CNN airing Friday.

Biden, speaking with CNN's Chris Cuomo in Des Moines, Iowa, suggested that "Medicare for All" is irrational, argued that the majority of Democrats are "center left" not "way left," and said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while "brilliant" and "bright," did not represent Democrats who can win a general election in a competitive district or state.

The interview made clear that Biden, who is facing criticism from the left of the party amid an increasingly contentious Democratic primary, does not feel the need to sway to the left to capture the party's base and, instead, hopes to set himself apart by embracing his moderation.

Biden backed up that confidence by pointing to the 2018 midterm elections, where a host of swing districts were won by more moderate Democrats.

[wyldwolf]

1. Yep! And so do I (at least on leftward tilt part)

There is no indication of any Democratic leftward lurch. The left has always been louder. And the nation has always, at least on paper, embraced more liberal policies.

Beyond that, it's the same song and dance, election cycle after election cycle after election cycle. The left claims Democrats are moving left, but moderates win midterms and presidential nominations, and polling of Democrats suggest the party wants moderate candidates.

:Shrug:

On AOC, plenty of mass appeal. I know Republican women who've said they wish they had someone like her on their side.

[Cha]

2. AOC already said she

didn't want Biden.

Biden is right about the BlueWave Democratic Victory in 2018, of course.

[riverine]

3. This is a winning strategy for the VP

pitting himself against the far left (AOC, Warren, Sanders, Harris).

its because Hickenlooper, Klobuchar, Bennet, and the other moderates have not cut into his lead.

[Gothmog]

4. I am also skeptical of the leftward shift in the party

The polling that I have seen does not support the claim that the party has shifted to the left

[watoos]

7. What issue in particular?

What is your definition of a leftist issue? The polling that I see shows that the American people support leftist issues.

[Gothmog]

10. The polling set forth below show that the party is not moving towards the left

The vast bulk of the party is moderate

Link to tweet

Former vice president Joe Biden is embracing his role as the leading moderate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary field. He has at times adopted an almost curmudgeonly tone about his opponents’ embrace of more progressive policies, preferring a nostalgia for the way things were back in the good old days of, say, 2015.

It’s an approach that, at first, seems at odds with where the party is going. We’ve noted previously that Democrats are increasingly likely to identify themselves as liberals, a trend that probably helps explain why so many of the 2020 candidates have embraced progressive positions — and why more progressive candidates have entered the race.

Polling, though, suggests that this may not be a foolproof strategy. For one thing, a crowd of more progressive candidates (an admittedly nebulous designation) will compete for the same voters, freeing Biden to vacuum up support from moderates. But polling also shows that Democrats overall aren’t necessarily prioritizing a candidate who espouses progressive policies. The data below are from a recent CNN-SSRS poll: More Democrats think it’s important for a nominee to work with Republicans than to support liberal policies.


.....

[bluewater]

17. No, your own chart disagrees with you.

Last edited Fri Jul 5, 2019, 11:36 AM - Edit history (1)

"The vast bulk of the party is moderate" Well, no it isn't.

Self-identified Ideology among Democrats

55.1 % self identify as liberal

~35% self identify as moderate

And that's for ALL Democrats.

The party has been growing more liberal consistently. Again the chart you presented for all Democrats clearly shows this.

[MineralMan]

29. Self-identified and undefined.

What does "slightly liberal" even mean? Or just "liberal?"

Those terms, unless defined in detail, mean something different for every individual. For example, explain what they mean to you. What issues define someone who is "slightly liberal" in your mind. Or "liberal?"

Without detailed definitions, such a survey is essentially useless. And the previous years? How were the terms defined then?

[bluewater]

31. It's not my chart

lol

The person I replied to presented the chart and then declared the exact opposite of what it showed.

As, to your point, I agree.

Terms describing the spectrum of political beliefs are so vague and shift over time. Beliefs that were considered "moderate" 50 years ago are now viewed as "conservative", or worse, today. "Separate but Equal" was once considered a "moderate" position in regards to civil rights, for example. Heck, in some places it was considered a liberal position.

Where the center of gravity in the Democratic Party is today is worth discussing, but it should be done on the basis on specific positions on specific issues. But overall, I do think the party has been shifting to the left.

Thanks for the discussion.

[Gothmog]

37. Not in the real world

The progressive wing is a small part of the party in the real world. Moderates make up the bulk of the party in the real world

[Act_of_Reparation]

22. What do these terms even mean?

They aren't defined in the poll. The people responding have no idea what's being asked of them, and we have no idea what the responders mean by their answers. It's like it was designed by a child.

[Demsrule86]

15. The polling I see shows they don't in the states we need...MFA for example loses if Private

insurance goes away or is outlawed.

[Chitown Kev]

5. Biden is correct about that.

[watoos]

6. Saying that Democrats need

more Joe Lieberman Democrats instead of progressive Ned Lamont's is a winning strategy ehh?

I'm not enthused with centrist Democrats. I am a proud FDR Democrat and hopeful that one day in the future we will elect another progressive like FDR.

We won in 2018 to put a check on Donald Trump, to hold him accountable.

[wyldwolf]

8. You're wrong on two counts

1. No one has mentioned Lieberman. Ned Lamont? The guy who just endorsed Joe Biden?

2. FDR was no "progressive" - at least noy how we define the term today. "Progressives" of his time hated FDR as much as Republicans did.

[BannonsLiver]

19. +1

The FDR obsession is weird and overdone with some folks. I’d wager few if any know what they really mean when they say or write it.

[Demsrule86]

16. FDR was almost 100 years ago...we need modern solutions for modern times...I personally

believe FDR save our Republic but was deeply flawed in the areas of race and of course jailing Americans of Japanese descent...he did not after all jail Americans of German descent. So while he is to be admired...like most he is flawed...and Lieberman is a bad choice as an example as he went over to the right and was not a moderate Democrat.

[SouthernProgressive]

20. Joe Lieberman is not a Democrat. You should know that.

When he was, it was Al Gore who put him on the ticket as VP, not Biden.

The Lamont who just endorsed Biden?

[ucrdem]

9. I agree he should keep U-turns and apologies to a minimum.

Not giving an inch to Harris last week is looking more and more like the winning move in that exchange.

[Midwestocrat]

11. Thank God

One of these candidates quits walking on eggshells for "the base," and returns to reason.

[marylandblue]

12. I don't agree with him, but that's exactly the debate we need to have.

I didn't like it when we were all expected to come together under Joe and sing kumbaya.

May the best candidate win.

[IluvPitties]

13. I am center-left

That's why I am with Joe.

[Demsrule86]

14. He is correct...while candidates like AOC took Democratic seats. Moderates won the house. We run

left at our own peril particularly when we need the moderate to left rust belt.

[SouthernProgressive]

18. Biden makes sense.

The purity brigades hair catches fire.

[yellowwoodII]

21. Where I Tilt Left--Anti War

There may be issues where I am more moderate than some left-leaning Democrats. Where I am extreme, however, is in my opposition to any taint of war hawkishness. Biden voted for the disastrous Iraq War, but Bernie voted against it. So I voted for Bernie in the last primary and not Hillary, and I won't vote for Biden in this one. I will only fall into line if Biden is my only choice in the general election.

I think that the most important issues that I care about are regarding world peace and the environment.

[Hoyt]

24. Wars/tensions happen in many ways. Warren's "Economic Patriotism" does not bode well for peace, IMO.

[Peacetrain]

23. I think we all can agree 2018 was a major win for us..

and where we won, was in districts with more moderate Democrats.. so, I have to agree with the assessment made by VP Biden.. You have to know the country.. all the country.. and try and play in all the elections.. we can win (and did last time) the vote, but lose because of the electoral college.. we just have to play everywhere..not just where we are the most comfortable.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. K&R

[shanny]

26. 'course he does. he has to.

[comradebillyboy]

27. Regarding AOC, I share Joe's skepticism.

[Drunken Irishman]

28. His comments qre 100% spot on. AOC is great - she wouldn't have a prayer in Utah.

[Voltaire2]

32. Which candidate has a prayer in Utah?

Oh right. None. So why do we give a flying fuck about Utah?

[Drunken Irishman]

34. Well I care about Utah since I live here. Your extremely rude reply not withstanding...

This past November, Utah elected a moderate Democrat to the House, flipping a GOP seat. So, uh, he, in fact has a shot at winning here. Before snidely replying with what you think is a cute reply, maybe know the facts.

[MarcA]

30. Semantical Games. "center left", "way left".

Put extreme labels on the opponents while putting "reasonable" ones
on yourself. It's one thing to admit you want something and can't get it
and another to not want it and to pretend otherwise.

[Voltaire2]

33. No shit.

The honest labels would be center-right and center-left.

[Autumn]

36. Shitting on a chunk of the Democratic party is a dumb move. nt

[JudyM]

38. He is certainly sounding like he's splitting us rather than uniting us.

[Raine]

35. Agree nt