"Welcome to the race, Sleepy Joe": what can Biden count on in the fight for the US presidency

Former US Vice President Joe Biden has announced that he is entering the election race for the post of head of the White House. The American politician said this in a video message specially recorded for this occasion, which he posted on April 25 on his Twitter.

“At stake are the key values ​​of our country, our position in the world, our democracy — everything that has made America become America. Therefore, today I announce the nomination of my candidacy for the presidency of the United States, ”Biden told social network users.

Under the heartfelt music and video on which the 2017 ultra-right march in Charlottesville is contrasted with a documentary chronicle of 60-80 years ago, a veteran of American politics said he was challenging the very president of the United States, Donald Trump.

The United States of America - is at stake. That's why I’m announcing my candidacy for President of the United States. # Joe2020https: //t.co/jzaQbyTEz3

“If we allow Donald Trump to stay in the White House for eight years, he will make fundamental and irreparable changes to the very essence of our country. I can not stand aside and watch how this happens, ”- said Biden.

The current American leader, who has repeatedly made fun of Biden’s attempts to return to politics (in March, he even called the ex-vice-president “a man with a low IQ”), and this time turned out to be true to himself.

“Welcome to the race, Sleepy Joe. I hope only that you have enough sense - and there are doubts about it for a long time - in order to perform successfully in the primary elections. The fight will be dirty - you have to deal with people promoting truly unhealthy, delusional ideas. But if you manage, see you at the start! ”- wrote Trump on his Twitter.

Welcome to the race Sleepy Joe. I hope you have a successful primary campaign. It will be a bit nasty - you will be dealing with people who truly have some very sick & demented ideas. But if you make it, I will see you at the Starting Gate!

Immediately after Biden announced his intention to run for president, he was supported by several Democratic lawmakers, The Hill reported. The publication lists the names of Senators Christopher Koons, Bob Casey, Doug Jones and Tom Carper, as well as Congressman Tom Suozzi. Also, the former vice-president was supported by Michael Avernatti, a former attorney for porn actress Stormy Daniels who had sued Donald Trump.

Press Secretary of Barack Obama Kate Hill, in turn, told reporters that the former president and his deputy remain close to this day, but did not announce the words of formal support for Biden as a candidate for the main post of the country.

Fourth attempt

About the plans of Joe Biden to be promoted to US presidency, the American media have reported more than once since the beginning of the year. However, Biden’s intentions were repeatedly criticized by the Democratic Party’s supporters themselves.

Biden in November of this year will be 77 years old, and in the election year will be 78, he is four years older than Trump, who in 2016 became the oldest US president after Ronald Reagan. The experience of his participation in the previous presidential race is unsuccessful. Joe Biden tried to become a Democratic candidate three times - in 1984, 1988 and 2008 - and always lost the primaries.

As a liberal centrist, Biden causes antipathy among young and radical democrats who are guided by the ideas of "democratic socialism", experts say.

Popular among this part of the democratic electorate, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes said a few days ago that Biden’s candidacy “doesn’t inspire” her. Also contrary to the position of the party leadership, who rushed to defend Biden, after he was accused of sexual harassment, she had previously claimed that women who spoke out against the former vice-president "must be heard."

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes
• Reuters
• © Aaron P. Bernstein

However, Biden has a strong position in the American establishment and enjoys the support of voters, especially older people. Thus, according to a survey of the sociological company Ipsos, published on April 24, which was commissioned by Reuters, it is supported by 32% of voters aged 55 and older. The second group, where Biden leads, is national minorities. As indicated in the survey, 30% of “non-white” Americans are ready to support him in the democratic primaries.

In general, according to this poll, which was conducted April 17-23, Joe Biden became the most popular among candidates for the post of Democratic candidate with a support level of 24%. In second place with 15% - 77-year-old senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders. Each of the other Democratic candidates, and there are now 20 of them, did not receive more than 7%. 21% of respondents are undecided.

Positions and Values

According to a survey conducted by Morning Consult on April 15-21, 30% of the Democratic Party’s supporters are ready to vote for Joe Biden, and 24% are for Bernie Sanders.

Simultaneously with the English-language address, where he talks about the protection of democratic values ​​from Donald Trump, Joe Biden published a video in Spanish - for potential voters from the Latin American minority. In it, people talked about Biden's struggle for more mundane things: fair working conditions, affordable medicine and education .

Hoy estoy anunciando mi candidatura para presidente de los Estados Unidos. Somos Los Estados Unidos de America - juntos no hay nada que no podamos hacer. Únete a nuestra campaña: https://t.co/9MBT8Qkyzd#Joe2020pic.twitter.com/GhSYDci4dr

In general, in matters of domestic policy, the leader of public opinion among democrats is not particularly different from his rivals within the party. He adheres to the views traditional for representatives of the democratic establishment regarding foreign policy.

In February of this year, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Biden devoted a significant part of his speech to criticizing Moscow and the alleged threat coming from it. The former US Vice President has repeatedly made accusations against Russia.

"Joe Biden will be nominated by the liberal part of the Democratic Party, supported by the American establishment," said Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies, in a conversation with RT.

Biden, as vice president of the United States, has repeatedly visited Ukraine. Some analysts called him the curator of the Ukrainian direction of American foreign policy under Barack Obama. Biden's son, Hunter, was part of the leadership of the Burisma energy company that worked in the country. As the journalist John Solomon noted on April 1 in a publication on The Hill’s website, it was because of Hunter that the US Vice President at one time demanded that President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko dismiss Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin. Earlier, Biden himself admitted that he had put pressure on the Ukrainian leadership, promising not to give a loan of $ 1 billion, if the “son of a bitch” is not dismissed.

• Joe Biden and Petro Poroshenko
• Reuters
• © Gleb Garanich

However, sources in Ukraine told Solomon that Shokin’s dismissal was due to the corruption investigation he conducted against Burisma.

Biden vs Trump

According to a poll by Morning Consult, commissioned by Politico on April 19-21, Joe Biden is now even more popular among American voters than current president Donald Trump. If they fight for the presidency, 42% of respondents are ready to vote for the vice-president of the times of Obama. For Trump - only 34%.

• Donald Trump welcomes supporters
• Reuters
• © Al Drago

“These data are very preliminary,” notes Vladimir Bruter.

As the expert emphasizes, much can change before the first primaries of the Democrats and the Republicans will be held in Iowa state early next year.

“Joe Biden has advantages in terms of finances and fame, but he is very weak from a personal point of view - he is not charismatic at all, rather dull and not used to be tough to answer. Trump is just waiting for such a candidate, ”notes Vladimir Bruter.

According to him, a more dangerous rival for the current US president would be Bernie Sanders, who, like the current American leader, is positioning himself as an opponent of the establishment and accumulating the voices of the youth.

According to the expert, in principle, the democratic establishment is able to make Obama’s former partner a party candidate. But then the left wing of supporters is in danger of turning away, demanding changes both in the country and in party structures.

In turn, the president of the American University in Moscow, Eduard Lozansky, notes that age and dark spots of the biography are working against Biden.

“There is a whole trail of compromising materials behind him, one of them is a corruption scandal in Ukraine,” said RT Lozansky. - He has a high rating, but the more the campaign will develop, the lower he will fall, as all of his previous scandals will begin to emerge. Most likely, and fatigue will take its own, it is unlikely at that age, he will be able to withstand a tight schedule. For Trump, Joe Biden is the perfect match. ”