Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign
| Biden for President | |
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| Campaign | 2020 United States presidential election |
| Candidate | Joe Biden Vice President of the United States (2009–2017) United States Senator from Delaware (1973–2009) |
| Affiliation | Democratic Party |
| Announced | April 25, 2019 |
| Slogan | Our best days still lie ahead |
| Website | |
| www.joebiden.com | |
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Incumbent Tenure
Vice presidential campaigns Published works
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The 2020 presidential campaign of Joe Biden was announced early in the morning of April 25, 2019, with a video announcement.[1][2] Joe Biden, the former Vice President of the United States and a U.S. Senator from Delaware, had been the subject of widespread speculation as a potential 2020 candidate after declining to be a candidate in the 2016 election.
Background
Previous presidential campaigns
Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign is his third attempt to seek election for president of the United States. His first campaign was made in the 1988 Democratic Party primaries where he was initially considered one of the potentially strongest candidates. However, newspapers revealed plagiarism by Biden in law school records and in speeches, a scandal which led to his withdrawal from the race in September 1987.
He made the second attempt during the 2008 Democratic Party primaries, where he focused on his plan to achieve political success in the Iraq War through a system of federalization. Like his first presidential bid, Biden failed to garner endorsements and support that he withdrew from the race after his poor performance in the Iowa caucus in January 3, 2008. He was eventually chosen by Barack Obama as his running mate and won the general election as Vice President of the United States, being sworn in on January 20, 2009.
Speculation
Vice President Joe Biden was seen as a potential candidate to succeed Barack Obama in the 2016 presidential election. On October 21, 2015, following the death of his son Beau, Biden announced that he would not seek the Democratic nomination in 2016.[3][4]
During a tour of the United States Senate with reporters on December 5, 2016, Biden refused to rule out a potential bid for the presidency in the 2020 presidential election.[5][6] He reasserted his ambivalence about running on an appearance of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on December 7, in which he stated "never say never" about running for president in 2020, while also admitting he did not see a scenario in which he would run for office again.[7][8] He seemingly announced on January 13, 2017, exactly one week prior to the expiration of his vice presidential term, that he would not run.[9] However, four days later, he seemed to backtrack, stating "I'll run if I can walk."[10] In September 2017, Biden's daughter Ashley indicated her belief that he was thinking about running in 2020.[11]
Time for Biden, a political action committee, was formed in January 2018, seeking Biden's entry into the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.[12][13] In February 2018, Biden informed a group of longtime foreign policy aides that he was "keeping his 2020 options open".[14]
In March 2018, Politico reported that Biden's team was considering a number of options to distinguish their campaign, such as announcing at the outset a younger vice presidential candidate from outside of politics,[15] and also reported that Biden had rejected a proposition to commit to only serving one term as president.[15] On July 17, 2018, he told a forum held in Bogota, Colombia, that he would decide if he would formally declare as a candidate by January 2019.[16] On February 4, with no decision having been forthcoming from Biden, Edward-Isaac Dovere of The Atlantic wrote that Biden was "very close to saying yes" but that some close to him are worried he will have a last-minute change of heart, as he did in 2016.[17] Dovere reported that Biden was concerned about the effect another presidential run could have on his family and reputation, as well as fundraising struggles and perceptions about his age and relative centrism compared to other declared and potential candidates.[17] Conversely, his "sense of duty", offense at the Trump presidency, the lack of foreign policy experience among other Democratic hopefuls and his desire to foster "bridge-building progressivism" in the party were said to be factors prompting him to run.[17]
Announcement
On March 12, 2019, he told a gathering of supporters that he may need their energy "in a few weeks".[18] Five days later, Biden accidentally said that he would be a candidate in the slip of his tongue at a dinner in Dover, Delaware.[19]
On April 19, 2019, The Atlantic reported that Biden planned to officially announce his campaign on April 24, 2019 in a video announcement, followed by a subsequent launch rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or Charlottesville, Virginia.[20] In the days before his expected launch, several major Democratic donors received requests to donate to his campaign committee, to be named "Biden for President".[21] However, subsequent reports on April 22 indicated that Biden's plans remained uncertain, with no known launch date, locations for campaign rallies unknown, and no permits secured for an event in Philadelphia; though associates continued to plan a fundraiser on April 25 in Philadelphia hosted by Comcast executive vice president David L. Cohen, it is unclear whether the fundraiser will be held as planned,[22][23] though his associates have continued to solicit donations in the days leading up to his expected announcement.[24] Subsequent reports indicated that Biden would formally enter the race on April 25, 2019,[1] so as to avoid overshadowing the She the People forum on the day before,[25] and reserved the Teamsters Local 249 union hall in Pittsburgh for April 29.[26]
Biden released a video formally announcing his campaign early on April 25.[2]
Allegations of inappropriate physical contact
There have been multiple photographs of Biden engaged in what commentators considered to be inappropriate proximity to women and children, including kissing and or touching.[27][28][29] Biden has described himself as a "tactile politician" and admitted the behavior had got him in trouble in the past.[30] A particular image of Biden in close proximity to Stephanie Carter during her husband's swearing in as Secretary of Defense in 2015 resulted in a mocking epithet that was widely repeated. Carter defended Biden's depicted behavior in a 2019 interview.[31]
In March 2019, former Nevada assemblywoman Lucy Flores alleged that Biden kissed her without her consent at a 2014 campaign rally in Las Vegas. In a New York magazine op-ed for The Cut, Flores wrote that Biden walked up behind her, put his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair, and kissed the back of her head. Adding that the way he touched her was "an intimate way reserved for close friends, family, or romantic partners – and I felt powerless to do anything about it."[32] In an interview with HuffPost, Flores stated she believed Biden's behavior to be disqualifying for a 2020 presidential run.[33] Biden's spokesman stated that Biden did not recall the behavior described.[34] Two days after Flores, Amy Lappos, a former congressional aide to Jim Himes, said Biden crossed a line of decency and respect when he touched her in a non-sexual, but inappropriate way by holding her head to rub noses with her at a political fundraiser in Greenwich in 2009.[35] The next day, two additional women came forward with allegations of inappropriate conduct. One woman said that Biden placed his hand on her thigh, and the other said he ran his hand from her shoulder down her back.[36][37]
By early April 2019, a total of seven women had made such allegations regarding Biden.[38] At a conference on April 5, Biden apologized for not understanding how individuals would react to his actions, but claimed that his intentions were honorable and went on to say that he was not sorry for anything that he has ever done, which constituted a mixed message in the eyes of critics.[39] He then jokingly deflected criticism by proclaiming, with each public embrace given during the event, that permission had been received for it. Some of his original critics felt that his apology and change in tone were incomplete, while other observers cited his change in tone as responsive to the criticisms received.[40]
Endorsements
Political positions
Historical significance
- If elected, Biden would be the oldest person to hold the office at the age of 78 (he would be older than all four of his predecessors) and the first president born during World War II.[citation needed]
- Biden would be the fifteenth vice president to become president and the tenth to be elected as president.[citation needed]
- Biden would be the first Roman Catholic to become president since John F. Kennedy.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ a b Saenz, Arlette; Zeleny, Jeff (April 23, 2019). "Joe Biden to announce his 2020 presidential bid on Thursday". CNN. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ a b Saenz, Arlette (April 25, 2019). "Joe Biden announces he is running for president in 2020". CNN. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ McCarthy, Tom; Gambino, Lauren; Roberts, Dan (October 21, 2015). "Joe Biden announces he will not run for president in 2016". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Baker, Peter; Haberman, Maggie (October 21, 2015). "Joe Biden Concludes There's No Time for a 2016 Run". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Memoli, Michael (December 5, 2016). "Joe Biden wouldn't count out a 2020 run for president. But he was asked in an emotional moment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
- ^ Abadi, Mark (December 5, 2016). "Joe Biden floats a potential 2020 presidential run". Business Insider. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
- ^ Lang, Cady (December 7, 2016). "Joe Biden Discussed Running in 2020 With Stephen Colbert: 'Never Say Never'". Time Magazine. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ Wright, David (December 7, 2016). "Biden stokes 2020 buzz on Colbert: 'Never say never'". CNN. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ Revesz, Rachael (January 13, 2017). "Joe Biden: I will not run for president in 2020 but I am working to cure cancer". The Independent. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
- ^ Alter, Jonathan (January 17, 2017). "Joe Biden: 'I Wish to Hell I'd Just Kept Saying the Exact Same Thing'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Hansler, Jennifer (September 8, 2017). "Joe Biden's daughter says ex-VP considering 2020 run". CNN.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Charnetzki, Tori (January 10, 2018). "New Quad City Super PAC: "Time for Biden"". WVIK. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
- ^ Noe, Megan (January 10, 2018). "Quad City men launch super PAC to support Joe Biden". WQAD. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
- ^ Lederman, Josh (February 18, 2018). "Biden, in public and private, tiptoes toward a 2020 run". ABC News.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b Dovere, Edward-Isaac (March 9, 2018). "Team Biden mulls far-out options to take on Trump in 2020". Politico.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Joe Biden says he will decide whether he's running for president by January". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c Edward-Isaac Dovere (February 4, 2019). "Biden's Anguished Search for a Path to Victory". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
- ^ Saenz, Arlette (March 12, 2019). "Joe Biden teases possible 2020 run: Save your energy, 'I may need it in a few weeks'". CNN.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Wade, Peter; Wade, Peter (March 17, 2019). "Biden Accidentally Says He's Running, Crowd Chants 'Run, Joe, Run!'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Dovere, Edward-Isaac (April 19, 2019). "Joe Biden Is Running for President". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- ^ Burns, Alexander; Goldmacher, Shane (April 19, 2019). "Joe Biden Begins Taking Money for a 2020 Presidential Campaign". The New York Times. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- ^ Korecki, Natasha; Caputo, Marc (April 22, 2019). "Inside Biden's battle plan". Politico. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ Tamari, Jonathan; Brennan, Chris (April 22, 2019). "Joe Biden campaign launch back in flux, potentially delayed". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ Dovere, Edward-Isaac [@IsaacDovere] (April 23, 2019). "Biden's team has been fundraising in recent days, and he has been personally reaching out to donors himself - but without so far filing any paperwork with the FEC" (Tweet). Retrieved April 23, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Lah, Kyung (April 24, 2019). "Biden's team was warned about announcing 2020 bid on same day as forum focused on women of color". CNN. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ Olson, Laura (April 23, 2019). "With campaign launch timing still in flux, Joe Biden is coming to Pittsburgh". The Morning Call. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
- ^ McGann, Laura (March 29, 2019). "Lucy Flores isn't alone. Joe Biden's got a long history of touching women inappropriately". Vox.
- ^ Terkel, Amanda (November 15, 2017). "Joe Biden 2020 Is A Terrible Idea In A Post-Weinstein America". HuffPost.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ Markowitz, Karol (February 18, 2015). "America Shouldn't Tolerate 'Biden Being Biden'". Time.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ Brice-Saddler, Michael (March 29, 2019). "Nevada Democrat accuses Joe Biden of touching and kissing her without consent at 2014 event". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Forgey, Quint (March 31, 2019). "Ex-Defense secretary's wife says photo of her with Biden misleading". Politico. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ O’Connor, Lydia (March 29, 2019). "Ex-Nevada Assemblywoman Says Joe Biden Inappropriately Kissed Her". Huff Post. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ Marans, Daniel (April 1, 2019). "Lucy Flores Still Wants An Apology From Joe Biden". HuffPost. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Taylor, Jessica (March 29, 2019). "Former Nevada Candidate Accuses Biden Of Unwanted Touching, Which He Doesn't 'Recall'". NPR. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ Vigdor, Neil (April 1, 2019). "Connecticut woman says then-Vice President Joe Biden touched her inappropriately at a Greenwich fundraiser in 2009". Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Burke, Michael (April 2, 2019). "Two more women accuse Biden of inappropriate touching". TheHill.
- ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Ember, Sydney (April 2, 2019). "Biden's Tactile Politics Threaten His Return in the #MeToo Era" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Amanda Arnold (April 5, 2019). "All the Women Who Have Spoken Out Against Joe Biden". New York (magazine). Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ Heffernan, Virginia. "Joe Biden is sorry, not sorry". latimes.com. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
- ^ Lerer, Lisa (April 5, 2019). "Joe Biden Jokes About Hugging in a Speech, Then Offers a Mixed Apology". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 8, 2019.