Thoughts on the Sanders Endorsement of Biden

This morning, I finally got around to watching the Sanders/Biden "conversation" on Twitter. Joe's speech at the beginning seemed aimed at proving he was competent, even using such words as 'existential' in his introduction.

So far, so good.

When Bernie took over, he did his usual, off-the-cuff rant against Trump, coupled with a endorsement of Biden that seemed to imply, "Hey, we're on the verge of TEOTWAWKI, so, yeah, vote for him."

What immediately struck me was the facial expressions and dismissive sigh, huffs, and snorts that he used whenever Trump's name was said. It's almost like those old-World Italians of the 20th century that would punctuate their mention of their enemies with gestures, spitting, and other ways of invoking curses upon their hated enemies.

He used facial gestures in the past, along with manic laughter, back when he was debating Paul Ryan. Ryan would be making his usual fact-based, logical points, and, there was Joe in the background, laughing like the jackass he is, shaking his head, and doing his best to get all the attention.

So, this might just be an extension of what he's apparently concluded was a winning strategy.

Maybe.

But, I wouldn't suggest that he use it on Trump - Trump would call him out, and bring the focus to his obvious attempt to hog the limelight. Biden is easily goaded into incoherence; the result would not be pretty.

As to the probability that Biden was reading off a teleprompter, well, yeah, he likely was. He is comfortable with the process, it makes him stay on point, and it minimizes the possibility of a gaffe.

What wasn't mentioned by many is that he is likely looking at his lap for guidance - i.e., he has some electronics located there, that is giving him direction. Also, off to his right, is some person directing his attention. Perhaps to the monitor, perhaps to other directions from the lap-electronics.

16 minutes in - he is spewing his canned speech about "workers built this country", and unions are the reason why. Does he even realize that unions came about YEARS - hell, centuries - after this country was started? He says workers are the reason for everything, not Wall Street.

Actually, Wall Street, the place, was there, early on. It was a place for cattle trading (literally, STOCK markets), and eventually evolved into what we know as the capital-raising place it is today.

But, CAPITALISTS, and their investors, are the lifeblood of this society. Some of those capitalists raised the money from friends and relatives. Others, from work and savings. They were often small-time investors, the kind that worked their own stores/businesses. But, over time, the more financially successful of them built the huge country that benefits today.

18:30 - Biden is on a roll. He's fine as long as he can just read the script. Several times, Bernie tries to get his say, but Joe just steamrolls over him.

But, Biden is quite practiced at making an over-the-top, "I'm for the little guy, the truck driver, the garbageman, the..." speech. It rolls off his tongue easily. He puts up straw men "I'd like them to tell them they don't have the right to bargain" that no one, in their right mind, is supporting. Then, he deftly knocks the straw men down.

Ta-Da!

When asked a question that is not in the prepared script, Biden fumbles, then swerves to his prepared remarks, and takes off running.

19:00 - that's the third time that the term "existential crisis" is used, coupled with climate change. It must be the Official Phrase of the Week for Activists. Nice to know the newest Talking Points.

20:39 - Pivot to Concern for the Young. Biden and Sanders are VERY concerned about their future - well, except for stepping aside for them to - you know - actually have some power over it.

22:59 - I just stopped the video at that point - Biden is saying how HE is paying off his dead son's school loans, and his daughter's, too. I think he means his GRAND-daughter, Naomi, Hunter Biden's daughter, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016 (same time as Tiffany Trump, who she is friends with). I'm not surprised that Hunter chose to finance her education with loans, rather than pay it outright, as he clearly had the money coming in to do. Pity that the kid is stuck with the loan payback. She majored in International Relations, so who knows how much she actually learned. Hopefully, enough to pay back the loans.

And, to be fair, Tiffany Trump, the president's youngest daughter, majored in sociology - not much better as a career choice, but par for the course for Elite Daughters. Few major in STEM subjects.

I've run out of time to finish watching. Can't say much has surprised me, but look to Biden to try to structure the post-convention debates as a remote hookup. Trump absolutely should veto that possibility - he needs to be able to put Joe up front, live, without props. If Joe won't agree, Trump should set up the debates himself, with moderator, and challenge Joe to join him. Leave an empty podium for Biden, if he will not appear. Alternatively, offer to appear - with appropriate distancing - at a live event, remote from an audience. Each candidate can have full access with cameras. No careful 'curating' of the responses. The whole thing, televised.

I'm confident that Trump will squash that little weasel.