Biden flexes muscle with new Black Caucus endorsements

[highplainsdem]

AP article...and btw, note the anti-Biden bias in the first sentence where Biden is called an "uneasy" front-runner:

http://www.startribune.com/biden-flexes-muscle-with-new-black-caucus-endorsements/560794822/

A consistent but uneasy front-runner in Democrats' 2020 presidential primary scramble, Joe Biden is flexing his muscle with new endorsements from three congressmen: two former chairmen of the Congressional Black Caucus and a former Florida governor.

The moves from Reps. G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina, Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Charlie Crist of Florida underscore Biden's play both for the party establishment and minority voters who will be key in the early stages of the primary calendar, especially in South Carolina's late February primary and the Southern states that follow in March.

The decisions from Butterfield and Cleaver also come as a potential blow to Sen. Kamala Harris of California, one of two black major Democratic candidates along with Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. Harris still leads Biden in total Black Caucus endorsements, but she's struggled to establish herself as a top-tier candidate alongside Biden and Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

-snip-

"He can connect with the average American — black, white or brown," said Butterfield, arguing that Sanders and Warren don't have the same reach and could even threaten Democrats' prospects to defeat an unpopular Republican incumbent. "Warren and Sanders cannot win North Carolina," Butterfield said, because their policies veer too far left. "I have great respect for both of them, but they cannot win North Carolina. Joe Biden can."

Butterfield and Cleaver finalized their decisions days after the CBC's annual conference. Their endorsements give Biden three former CBC chairmen, with Rep. Cedric Richmond of Louisiana already serving as Biden's campaign chairman.

Cleaver said he "struggled" with the decision, alluding to Booker and Harris when he said that "there are others that I'm closer to" than Biden. "I have nothing negative to say about them at all. I hugged both of them Saturday night" at the CBC gala, Cleaver said.

But he praised the former vice president's experience and legislative prowess and said he gives Democrats the best chance to win in November, even in states, like Missouri, that moved decidedly to Trump in 2016.

-snip-

[Skya Rhen]

1. Excellent endorsements!

[onetexan]

2. BRAVO!!

GO JOE!!

[Cha]

3. Money quote! Mahalo, highplainsdem!

But he praised the former vice president's experience and legislative prowess and said he gives Democrats the best chance to win in November, even in states, like Missouri, that moved decidedly to Trump in 2016.

[George II]

4. An important excerpt from that article:

Cleaver recalled being mayor of Kansas City in the 1990s when Biden helped steer a crime bill that critics now partially blame for mass incarceration, even as it also included federal money for more police officers and a ban on some military-style guns.

"I supported the crime bill," Cleaver said. "We had the Crips and the Bloods, a Jamaican gang ... crack cocaine had exploded."

Echoing a point Biden has made on the campaign trail, Cleaver said most of the Congressional Black Caucus supported the bill, along with nearly all black mayors from large cities, despite the bill's sentencing measures that are now so heavily criticized. "Ministers, politicians, mayors, city council members were all screaming, 'Let's do something!'" Cleaver said.

"Millennials don't remember that history. ... Joe Biden — and I've told his people this — should not apologize for that."

[peggysue2]

5. Very good news for Joe Biden

Butterfield's statement struck me as the 'secret sauce' that Biden has demonstrated while competing:

"He can connect with the average American — black, white or brown," said Butterfield, arguing that Sanders and Warren don't have the same reach and could even threaten Democrats' prospects to defeat an unpopular Republican incumbent. "Warren and Sanders cannot win North Carolina," Butterfield said, because their policies veer too far left. "I have great respect for both of them, but they cannot win North Carolina. Joe Biden can."

That's it in a nutshell!

[Thekaspervote]

6. This is great news!

[Cha]

7. KICK!

[honest.abe]

8. African Americans like Biden.

He is a decent man with a big heart and cares about the issues important to the black community... and being President Obama's loyal VP for 8 years doesn't hurt either!

[highplainsdem]

9. SC political reporter points out Butterfield is particularly close to Clyburn:

Link to tweet

Butterfield in particular is a very close ally of @WhipClyburn, leading the internal campaign among House Dems earlier this year for him to reclaim the whip position. #scpol

[NurseJackie]

10. He has much to be proud of... those are good to have.

I hope some other candidate's campaign and fans don't start getting a little snippy about this.

[Hortensis]

11. Valuable endorsements! Article far better than the beginning

suggested it might be. An editor might have inserted that rather odd "uneasy." I went straight to the end to see if it finished with a smear, but no.

"He can connect with the average American — black, white or brown," said Butterfield, ... "Warren and Sanders cannot win North Carolina," Butterfield said, because their policies veer too far left. "I have great respect for both of them, but they cannot win North Carolina. Joe Biden can." ...

Cleaver said he "struggled" with the decision, alluding to Booker and Harris when he said that "there are others that I'm closer to" than Biden. But he praised the former vice president's experience and said he gives Democrats a chance even in states Missouri that moved decidedly to Trump in 2016. Butterfield agreed, arguing that Biden's approach on "kitchen-table matters" like college tuition assistance will attract voters in swing states.

Crist, who is white, focused less on policy but said Biden offers a moral alternative to Trump and can best serve a fractured electorate. ... "I've known Joe Biden for a long time," Crist said, describing Biden as "an empathetic figure" with a "keen intellect and a deep soul."

Cleaver, 74, and Butterfield, 72, said they've each heard criticisms from some younger black leaders and activists who question the complexities of Biden's record and his understanding of racial politics in 2019. "A lot of the young people don't remember how supportive he's been on civil rights," Cleaver said. "He was strong on it back in the days when you could lose an election talking about civil rights." "... Joe Biden has been directly involved with the positive gains that we have experienced in the African American community ... for the last 40 years."

[PhoenixDem]

12. K&R n/t

[Joe941]

13. Doesnt mean much as this point.

[oasis]

14. Cleaver "praised the former vice president's experience and

legislative prowess...gives the Democrats the best chance to win".

[NCLefty]

15. Isn't he going to get most of Kamala's people if she drops?

[JI7]

16. only the non white ones and she has already lost much of that. her white supporters are more likely

to be high educated and support Warren over Biden. and most have already moved on to Warren.

which is why Harris' numbers have been low.

but she still has time to get them back.

[Scurrilous]

17. K&R