Posted on 01/11/2016 11:15:56 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Vice President Biden heaped praise on Hillary Clinton's chief opponent in the Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), for his "deep and real" focus on income inequality.
Biden said Clinton has come up with some "thoughtful" solutions to the issue, but that people might question her authenticity on the wage and income gaps because she has only begun speaking about it recently.
"I think that Bernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real. And he has credibility on that," Biden said Monday in an interview with CNN.
Asked about the fact Hillary has spoken about the issue too, Biden replied "it's relatively new for Hillary to talk about that."
"Hillary's focus has been on other things up to now," he added. "No one questions Bernie's authenticity on those issues."
Biden said it's not unexpected Clinton would receive scrutiny over her positions, but said "I think she's come forward with some really, really thoughtful approaches to deal with the issue."
Biden's comments could inject even more drama into the Democratic presidential primary race. Polls show Clinton and Sanders running close races in the key early states of Iowa and New Hampshire, defying early predictions of a Clinton landslide victory.
Clinton, who served as President Obama's secretary of State, is widely perceived to be the favored candidate inside the White House. But for months, Biden weighed jumping into the race to challenge her. But he decided this fall not to run while his family and he were still mourning the death of his son, Beau.
Biden, who has declined to endorse a candidate, met privately with Sanders in October, just after bowing out of the race.
The vice president said it's not surprising that Sanders is running close with Biden, explaining that expectations for Clinton were set sky high.
Despite what early polls in Iowa and New Hampshire showed, "I thought for the last six months they were neck in neck in both places," Biden said.
"I never thought she was a prohibitive favorite," he added. "I don't think she ever thought she was a prohibitive favorite ... everything's sort of coming down to Earth."
The vice president also said the issue of gun control wouldn't be a problem for Sanders in the Democratic primary, citing his recent shift on the issue.
"What Bernie Sanders has to do is say that the Second Amendment says -- which he has, of late -- the Second Amendment says you can limit who can own a gun, that people who are criminals shouldn't have guns. People who are schizophrenic and have mental illnesses shouldn't own guns," Biden said. "And he has said that. "
Obama set a litmus test for Democrats, saying he will not campaign for any candidates who do not back "common sense" gun reforms. The Vermont senator has come under scrutiny from Clinton over his past positions on the issue.
Biden recently said that while the decision not to run was the right one, he regrets not being in the campaign "every day." But the vice president shut the door to jumping back into race if Clinton falters in Iowa and New Hampshire.
"No, even if Hillary loses both, it's a long way to go to the nomination," he said. "I don't think there's any door to open."
Poor Biden...he the Deomocrats’ Dan Quayle, except with a Utopian pervert creepiness.
Hillary sat on Wal-Mart’s board of directors for six years; she isn’t new to income inequality, but rather participated.
In my work experience file clerks with ten years’ experience feel they should be paid better than doctors with only three years.
We’ve raised a generation that views any kind of work for less than $1 million per year as slavery.
There is a STRATEGY here.
First, Obama WILL NOT endorse Clinton, now Biden questions her commitment on a core issue.
I think they’re trying to drive her out, but she won’t go. They still have their ‘trump’ card, which is the Justice Department, but would rather not use it.
He’s an avowed Socialist (prefix whatever adjective you wish, they’re all still Socialists), what matter the Constitution? Hell, to anyone on the Left.
Now that he swore an oath to protect and enforce...wait, what?!
Thoughtful solutions?
Equal pay for equal work has been the law for over 50 years.
The proof of how little Dems have to offer is that they have to recycle the same worn-out themes—income equality, tax the rich, the war on women, the war on the elderly.
Funny how they never seem to solve any of them.
Slow Joe is among the worst of them, but he hides in behind a very avuncular personality.
Make no mistake—he aids and abets all of them, so he is a Communist like the rest of them.
You left off the ‘ironic’ last 1/2:
...year as slavery, while actively supporting/voting income distribution (aka ‘welfare’).
Ultimately, the Socialists have done the deed they wished: Too us down in ~100yrs. by 1st infiltrating/overtaking the education system.
Wasn’t like we didn’t KNOW their plan; I just didn’t expect we’d follow it to the letter (OK, one or two points are still in action I’d bet).
Yes.
We go for months without any word from Joe Biden. Then there is word from several sources that the FBI's criminal investigation of Clinton has hit pay dirt.
Suddenly, The Hill is letting us know about Joe Biden's opinion of Hillary Clinton.
“It’s beyond me how the Clintons, with all of their wealth and manifest avarice, can be credible on the income inequality scam.”
It makes more opportunities for them to soak the gullible and put more cash in their stash.
They were “dead broke” at one point don’t you remember?
Gees, yeah. I forgot how poor they were. Just plain folk.
If they ever solved them they wouldn't have that carrot hanging out there for their voters to continually re-elect them.
In fact, they love to create problems just so they can look like heroes when they tell them they will "fix" it.
“I don’t think she ever thought she was a prohibitive favorite ... everything’s sort of coming down to Earth.â€
I BS Joey, she thought she was going to a coronation.
I agree; this is a “warning notice.”
Someone needs to ask Shrillary how many hours WORK her daughter, Chelsea, puts in for the salary of $400,000 she gets paid by the Clinton Foundation.
Nepotism to the hilt.
Over $14 TRILLION of money has been spent on ‘uplifting the poor’....
All of this was done at the expense of the WORKING TAXPAYER.
Who get the best deal in this mess???
I agree. And add to that that much of that money comes from third world, foreign tyrants who rob their own people blind, misogynistic and oil-rich Arabs, people buying quid pro quo influence, and crony capitalists, like Trump, also buying influence. The Clintons are a disaster. Their supporters are yuge hypocrites.
There is no such thing as “income inequality, however, there is definitely a thing called effort inequality.
Indeed there is.
Bump!
I suspect Joe knows Hillary’s toast...
In preparation, they are lining up potential nominees for the brokered convention. Biden is top of the list, and he's probably still sore after being told not to run in the primaries when Hillary started to rise in the polls again last fall.
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