Biden hits Sanders, Buttigieg

[Baclava]

SOMERSWORTH, New Hampshire (AP) — With questions swirling about the long-term viability of his campaign, Joe Biden sharply criticized two of his top rivals on Wednesday, suggesting Sen. Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist, was unelectable, while 38-year-old Pete Buttigieg would be a risky and inexperienced choice.

“If Sen. Sanders is the nominee for the party, every Democrat in America up and down the ballot, in blue states, red states, purple states and easy districts and competitive ones, every Democrat will have to carry the label Senator Sanders has chose for himself”

Biden said he had “great respect” for Buttigieg, but didn’t think the Democrats’ standard-bearer against President Donald Trump should be someone who hasn’t been elected to a higher office than mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a city of about 100,00. “It’s a risk, to be just straight up with you,” he said.

The tough talk comes as Biden's third presidential bid enters a critical stretch. He needs to bounce back from what partial results suggest could be a disappointing finish in Monday's Iowa caucuses

“If he came in fourth, yeah, that could hurt,” said Bill Freeman, a Biden donor from Nashville, Tennessee, who added that he hadn’t even considered such a possibility heading into Monday’s caucuses. “That’s a bad night, no matter how you spin it.”

Most precarious for Biden: Some of the would-be donors he could win over with a strong showing are giving new looks to Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor whose entire strategy of sitting out the four early nominating states is pegged to the possibility that Biden falters. Bloomberg, one of the world’s wealthiest men with a net worth approaching $60 billion, isn’t asking for money. He’s simply looking for support that could cut off financial lifelines to Biden, whose campaign reported just $9 million cash on hand to start the year.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/bidens-poor-showing-iowa-shakes-establishment-support-68759834

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The gloves come off

[still_one]

1. What hyperbole from ABC. This is just standard political sparring, not out of the ordinary

[Baclava]

2. Same story is reported by AP, Associated Press, it's in all the headlines

https://apnews.com/8a6ea236b5abcb43b40f79cfbf3f8c20

[redqueen]

3. It's what they do. It'll only get worse. nt

[stopdiggin]

8. dead on.

"negative campaigning" and "attacks" does NOT necessarily mean nary a discouraging word. This is ONLY news because it is a step up from what we've seen from Biden before.

We'll see this .. and more .. as the race unfolds. It's called politics.

[bluewater]

4. Biden realizes that Buttigieg is THE major threat.

If Joe loses to Pete in New Hampshire, it's over for Biden.

It's one thing to lose to Sanders or Warren, senators from neighboring states, but losing to a small town mayor from the Midwest in New Hampshire would DESTROY Biden's "electability" argument.

There is simply no excuse possible if Joe loses to Pete in NH.

[LanternWaste]

9. What objective data leads you to make that allegation?

"There is simply no excuse possible if Joe loses to Pete in NH..."

I've seen no polling data or objective evidence supporting your premise. Can you provide that data for us?

[bluewater]

12. Polling data? To explain why Biden has no excuse to lose to Pete in NH?

Why would we need polling data for that?

If Biden loses to Pete in New Hampshire, there will be no reasonable excuse to explain away that defeat.

New Hampshire is neutral ground, neither Joe nor Pete is from a nearby state.

Both Joe an Pete are competing in the same moderate lane of the party so it's an apple to apples contest between them.

Biden though is a TWO TERM former Vice President that has been leading for months in all the polls. For him to be beaten by a small city mayor and first time on the national stage candidate like Pete would be stunning.

Biden's entire campaign has been built on the argument of "electability", if he's the most electable Democrat, then surely he can beat Pete in New Hampshire, right?

What possible excuse could the Biden campaign put forward to explain a loss to Pete Buttigieg in New Hampshire?

Right now the latest Suffolk poll has Biden And Buttigieg tied at 15% in NH. It would not be shocking at all if Pete beats Biden in NH, especially in light of him defeating Joe in Iowa.

If you want to insist that Biden will beat Pete in New Hampshire, fine. Stand up and make that claim. Don't equivocate.

Time will tell if you are correct.

But if Biden loses to Pete in NH, he simply has no excuse. Period.

[Baclava]

16. Joe calling Pete "risky" in that way was the same argument used once against Obama

Just sayin'

[ibegurpard]

5. campaign noise

I'll vote for any of them

[R B Garr]

6. Biden said he had "great respect" for Buttigieg

But Biden said he had "great respect" for Buttigieg.

[comradebillyboy]

11. And he didn't say anything about respecting Sanders.

An interesting statement. Still Bernie makes a much better target that Pete.

[denem]

13. 'He didn't say anything about respecting Sanders'

Maybe he does not.

[comradebillyboy]

14. That's the clear inference I think.

[R B Garr]

7. About Sanders, he said all down ticket Dems will wear Sanders' political label.

Hardly "hitting" either one of them.

[Scurrilous]

10. K&R

[William769]

15. Nothing worse than a politician scorned.

[Gothmog]

17. A Democrat can not win without support from African American voters

Link to tweet