Booker Pushes to Dismantle Biden's 'Electability' Claims

[left-of-center2012]

Cory Booker is stepping up his offensive against Joe Biden ahead of next week’s Democratic debate, just as the former vice president has begun to take a more aggressive tack against his opponents.

Speaking to the National Urban League on Thursday, the New Jersey senator planned to question Biden’s claims to "electability," asking African-American voters to consider whether the Democratic front-runner inspires them enough to boost voter turnout in their communities.

"It is easy to call Donald Trump a racist now -- you get no great badge of courage for that. The question is what were you doing to address structural inequality and institutional racism throughout your life?" Booker planned to say Thursday the group’s convention in Indianapolis, according to prepared remarks. "Don’t tell us you’re going to be a champion for our communities when you become president if you haven’t been a champion already."

Drawing support in the low single digits in most polls, Booker is seeking to break through when he shares the debate stage with the former vice president on July 31 just as California Senator Kamala Harris’s attack on Biden’s record on mandatory busing to desegregate schools gave a jolt of energy to her campaign at the first debate. Booker has been gearing up for a confrontation, on Tuesday calling Biden "the proud architect of a failed system" in reference to the 1994 crime bill Biden supported as a senator during a national crime wave that ended up creating longer sentences for black convicts than whites.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-25/booker-pushes-to-dismantle-biden-s-electability-claims?srnd=premium

[JustAnotherGen]

1. He's beginning to irk me

And I love Cory. Proud to have voted for him and donate to his campaigns.

If he's not doing it to Sanders by calling him out for his crime bill vote, and calling out Warren for being an actual Republican in 1994 - then he shouldn't be doing this. Anyone in the race over the age of sixty should be getting the same treatment from him.

[Politicub]

6. His attacks aren't gaining him anything. He'll have to drop out at some point

once he loses enough donors since he'll run out of money.

[JustAnotherGen]

8. That's what I'm thinking

I'm a bit of a persona non grata in Committee Circles because I haven't donated to him yet. I'm known as a Committee Member in NJ (elected) but also a donor.

If he pulls to 10% I'll consider it, but I don't think he can win the nomination.

Anyone in the debates who is trying to prove they can take on 45/280 in a debate is wasting their time.

45 isn't debating in 2020. For me? Debates in the 2020 Primary are really about crafting a flawless platform with the best ideas across the widest swath of Democratic Party Members.

Taking potshots at each other doesn't allow me to hear your 'best idea' so we can trample 45.

[JI7]

11. minorities aren't supporting Sanders or Warren that much

he is hoping to break support for Biden so that start looking for someone else with the hope it will be him.

[JustAnotherGen]

21. Yeah

Family reunion was down south weekend before last. 22 - 94 -


Biden, Warren, Biden, Biden, Julian, Biden, Andy . . . . only one person said the words Cory Booker and that was my uncle Otis - who someone taught the phrase "taint wart".

So he was saying - I'd vote for Booker over the taint wart.

Taint Wart is what he calls Trump.

Our family is really into politics and the discussions/arguments are who is more liberal -


No GOP in black southern family.

[LeftTurn3623]

2. This is a little disheartening

I do not think attacking Biden on race is a good thing for the long haul for the party.

Sorry, but Booker is sitting at maybe 1%. He is not climbing his way to the top and odds are Biden could be the nominee. I do not think its a good idea to suppress the African-American voters.

[OhZone]

3. After all his lies about Biden -

and low polls to start with, Booker is one of the least likely to ever be electable as President.

[onetexan]

16. oy vey, a desperate attempt by Booker. Crazy that a freshman senator is challenging Biden with

all of his years in Congress and 8 years as VP. Booker should hold on to his integrity and humbly bow out of the race.

[awesomerwb1]

4. Wasn't a fan before

Not gonna ever happen at this rate.

Could this be a personal thing?

[SouthernProgressive]

5. Really sad he is doing this.

Really bad form for him. I've lost a lot of respect for him.

He is showing he does not have the ability to lead.

[LeftTurn3623]

14. I agree

[crazytown]

7. Sad

[quickesst]

9. There is nothing he can do or say....

.... that will hurt Joe Biden. The only way they hurt him is by mischaracterization and plain making shit up. Harris knows all about that as everyone should. Any damage done however will be short-lived.

[oasis]

10. If Russiabots pick this up to use in their G.E. voter suppression strategy

for the AA community, Biden will lose valuable votes. Voter enthusiasm counts, bigtime.

It's been documented that Hillary's numbers suffered in 2016 partially because of the "super predator" crappola spread by social media Russiabots that targeted the AA community.

[flamingdem]

12. agree!

[Hortensis]

13. And, huh, Politico?: "Cory Booker's campaign of love and unity has him

sitting at 2 percent in the polls. So he's... "

Exactly when was this love and unity thing? Booker's been pushing me away from the beginning, starting in March with attacking Kamala Harris and Sanders with claims that they "bragged" and joked about using marijuana. Who the hell would brag about that? Sanders has a history of bragging about a civil rights march, true, but that he'd brag about marijuana is still a stretch, and I don't think he's capable of joking.

In any case, Booker's chosen the wrong strategy for 2020. Maybe try again next decade, after 2 Democratic terms, then following the usual Republican term(s).

[LeftTurn3623]

15. Hey!

"n any case, Booker's chosen the wrong strategy for 2020. Maybe try again next decade, after 2 Democratic terms, then following the usual Republican term(s)."


There will be no more Republican terms!

[Hortensis]

18. :) Conservatives are here to stay. Maybe they'll be reborn.

I just read an unimportant but enjoyable escapist novel that satisfyingly gathered a representative bunch of the worst of the far right in one place and set off a nuclear warhead under them.

[Cha]

17. Sigh.. Who's advising Cory

on this ugly strategy? Or is this all on his own?

[highplainsdem]

19. Pathetic strategy, and possibly damaging to the Democratic Party, if Booker's attacks on

Biden suppress the black vote in the GE, if Biden is the nominee.

[Cha]

20. Oh? Why doesn't Cory Work to Push

his "electability?