Pirhana....apparently Joe agrees with you....

[1corona4u]

from an WAPO article;

"The explanations for the long-running failure of senators' presidential ambitions are as varied as the personalities of the men and women in the world's greatest deliberative body. Donald A. Ritchie, associate Senate historian, said voters appear to prefer governors as can-do chief executives. Four of the last five presidents have been governors or former governors.

Biden blamed media bias toward the history-making nature of the current Democratic nomination fight.

"That's history, man, that's a big deal. There's an African American and a woman. . . . Nothing like this has ever, ever, ever happened," Biden said, admitting he realized in late August that he had no chance.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/23/AR2008012303783.html


I find it hard to believe that Biden said he realized it in late August though.....he seemed so confident in Nov/Dec...

[gateley]

1. Maybe he, like us, saw the support growing in October and beyond. That

would be hard not to be optimistic about.

[Eurobabe]

2. As a former Clarkie, here's my take...

When Clark jumped into the race in Sept. 2003, he was immediately vaulted to the top of the pack because of his credentials (4 star General, NATO, etc.) after a couple of gaffes about the war, and then the media glombing onto his "voting record" (he's not a Democrat by birth they cried!!) -- Clark was marginalized and given little media coverage by the end of December. What coverage he received was quite biased and negative thanks to Candy Creepy Crawley and Judy WoodRUFF, etc. on CNN. Granted Clark wasn't best campaigner, but we still loved him. I guess my point is, Dean was sucking all the oxygen out of the room, and after Kerry's win in Iowa and his mo, Clark knew he was toasted. He continued to make us all believe that he would get the nomination. So in that respect he was a savvy politician. You really don't expect them to ever come out and say "folks, this just doesn't look good for us" do you?

Me being the CT :tinfoilhat: that I am, with Clark endorsing Hillary so early, I wonder if Clark was put into the 2003 race by the Clintons to take down Dean (I can't believe I am saying this!!) so that Hillary would be able to run in 2008. I got really mad at someone last year for even suggesting that, but now I am actually entertaining that this might be the truth. Given the ugly factor of the primary.

Slap me silly!! :spank:

[1corona4u]

3. Nah...I don't think so....

Remember, people begged Clark to get in...so did I. It took him a while to do it as I recall...

[elleng]

4. Right, he was drafted.

How many people actually pledged amounts of money if he would get in?

[elleng]

5. 48%, I AM slapping you!

Feel silly yet? That b.s. always sounded preposterous to me, then and now even moreso.

Wes suffered very similar msm treatment as has Joe: ignored for a lot of the time, after, of course, WH had him removed from role on CNN as expert. I suspect WH didn't dare allow him to succeed anywhere (as he did, actually; won OK, 2d several places; Edw won SC.)

I don't think Dean sucked any of Wes' air, but Kerry in Iowa messed things up for Wes in NH, where he was headed for a comfortable 2d, I think.

Some jerk on Wes' staff made the 'announcement' after Tennessee; Wes didn't authorize or know about it.

I can't stand this! We have lost the best possible candidates, largely due to media, but also, I think, selfish 'dems.'

[Eurobabe]

7. ellen, I was a draft clarkie

BUT, for some reason, I no longer really trust the Clintons and their machine. I sincerely hope that Clark was not used as a pawn by the Cs. :shrug: I have learned alot since getting involved in this cesspool (politics) in 2003. And I don't believe everything I see and hear anymore. I am permanently jaded by now.

It's like nails on a chalkboard listening to Bill these days. Hillary actually bugs me less than he does! IMHO, she should have dumped him a long time ago, I never would have put up with half of his bullshit. Hillary is a smart woman on her own accord, she doesn't need him to muck this up for her.

[gateley]

10. The more I've read about the Clintons, the more inclined I'd be to believe

that strategy.

Whether it's factual in this instance or not, I have become pretty much convinced they will stop at nothing to get the WIN.

She's a dichotomy to me. When I hear her speak I believe her, trust her, and am always impressed. Then I step back and look at the huge Clinton Cloud -- and it makes me nervous.

This WSJ article is obviously written by a rabid anti-Hillary person, but I think there are nuggets of truth in there.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120104819435508233.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[elleng]

12. gately, I agree about the cloud.

Won't read the article now. TOO much b.s. going on.

[elleng]

13. 48,

I've never 'trusted' or particularly cared for clintons. I think they're the reason Wes didn't go for it this time; they sucked all the air + money out.

I pray that he won't be sorry about what appears to be his growing connection with them. But he's so strong and he's building his contacts, he'll be successful at whatever he does.

But its so clear that we need him and Joe Biden, well, here I go, falling falling falling.

[PatSeg]

6. That kind of threw me off

but its possible at that point (in August) he knew things that we didn't.

[Muttocracy]

8. since it's not a direct quote about August...

I'm not sure what to think. I don't trust the media to paraphrase Biden correctly. For that matter, he talked about Obama's campaign being historical on the day he announced his own campaign and got into all that trouble.

another hard to read quote... They frame

"Whoever the next president of the United States is, they're going to have to spend a fair amount of time with me," Biden said.

as sounding like via him as chairman of SFRC. But whether or not Biden intended it, that could also apply if he took VP or SecofState :)

[PatSeg]

9. We have no idea what is going to happen

but I can't see him turning his life upside down to serve as VP or secretary of state. He has a lot of influence where he is now and because he ran for president, he has more recognition. If the Dems get a larger majority in congress, Joe could accomplish a lot in the senate.

[Muttocracy]

11. I can't see him doing either for Clinton

I guess for Obama it will depend on many factors. You're right, if the Dem. majority increases, Joe could do a lot in the Senate. And if the Dem. majority slims or is lost (which I fear could happen in 4 or 6 yrs) we'll need him there even more.

It will be interesting to see. I think at this point Joe does sound like he's planning on continuing as a senior statesman in the Senate.

[jillan]

14. I have a real hard time believing that Biden thought it was over in August.

If that's the case - that would really piss me off.

I will admit something here tho - there were times I would get so pissed at Joe because he didn't come off very confident.

Looking back at his campaign I can see a couple of areas where he may have screwed up. But I will keep those to myself.
I still love the man and am so sorry that he is no longer in the race. Especially now when Hillary and Obama are acting like such
idiots. Biden represented the grown up party - not Edwards. Infact, didn't Edwards steal that line from Biden? I know there was an article last year saying that Biden was the grown up in the race; but didn't Biden also say that????