Just four days ago, two friends and I — two brilliant friends who have been around politics for decades — were having coffee in Brookside and talking about the Democratic primary. We concurred on at least one thing: Joe Biden had been lackluster and in all likelihood would not become the Democratic presidential nominee.
Like many other Democrats, we thought then Bernie Sanders was the person who would claim the nomination.
But, my God, how fast things changed! The Biden turnaround has been tantamount, in a sense, to the 1880s engineering feat of reversing the flow of the Chicago River.
On Saturday, Biden roared to a landslide victory in South Carolina. Then, on Sunday night and Monday morning respectively, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race, and that night they enthusiastically endorsed Biden at a rowdy rally deep in the heart of Texas.
…I think that night could be long remembered by historians and others. It was there, in Dallas, that many Democrats around the country saw that if they wanted to beat Donald Trump in November, it was time to coalesce around the former vice president.
News story after news story, analysis after analysis, had emphasized the hazards of nominating Bernie Sanders…Too far left, too strident, too risky.
Democrats across the country had taken in that message, but until Saturday-Sunday-Monday many of us didn’t see any way around a Sanders candidacy. Many of us were almost resigned to it and were just hoping Sanders’ appeal would expand beyond his core group, young adults. (Our son Charlie, 30, is among that group. Four years ago, while living then in Las Vegas, he met Hillary Clinton while waiting in line to vote in the Nevada primary. Then he went into the polling place and voted Sanders.)
On Monday night, Biden particularly benefited, I thought, from a rousing speech by Klobuchar, who could well end up as the Democratic vice presidential nominee.
Klobuchar had been my favorite, even though she had been unable to make inroads with African-Americans and Hispanics. (I backed up my conviction with my wallet, too, contributing $600 to her campaign.)
In Dallas, Klobuchar talked about it being “time for Americans to join hands instead of pointing fingers.”
She went on to say…
It is time to turn back the division and the hate and the exclusion and the bitterness. And it is time to work together to lift up those who are left out and to bring people with us instead of shoving them away. I believe — and it’s the reason I’m standing up here — that we are never going to out-divide the divider in chief. If we spend the next four months dividing our party and going at each other, we will spend the next four years watching Donald Trump tear apart the country.
But another thing happened Monday: Biden found his best voice, the voice of caring, empathy and common sense that has stamped his long political career.
After Klobuchar spoke, Biden talked about the scourge of Trump and his amorality.
He proceeded to say…
He cannot stay; we all know it. There is no sense of decency: The way he ridicules people, the way he demeans people, the way he talks about and demonizes people who are different, the fact that he’s so self-absorbed…He doesn’t seem to care about anything. Folks, I mean, I knew — I believed — he wasn’t going to be a very good president, but I have to admit to you, I didn’t have any idea just how much it was always going to be about Donald Trump. It’s having a corrosive impact…I’ve said many times in this campaign, this nation will be able to overcome four years of Donald Trump, but if this man is re-elected, he will fundamentally alter who we are as a nation for better than a generation to come. And we CAN-NOT-LET that happen!
**
Then came today. At this writing, Biden has won the primaries in Minnesota, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Sanders won Vermont, Colorado and Utah and is leading in Maine and Texas.
The polls just closed California.
However California turns out, it looks to me like Joe Biden is back and has a good chance to win the nomination.
…Now, some of you are going to remember that last April I wrote that because of the way Biden pulled the rug out from under Anita Hill at the 1991 hearings for then-Supereme-Court nominee Clarence Thomas, that I would never vote for Biden.
Well, most of you have read me long enough to know I tend to be impulsive and sometimes jump to quick, dogmatic conclusions (one reason I never thought I’d make a very good elected officeholder).
Sometimes I have to go back and eat crow, and this is such a time…Not only would I vote for Biden but I would do so enthusiastically. (I would also vote for Sanders, of course, but less enthusiastically.)
This presidential campaign has to be about values and principles.
We CAN-NOT continue with a president who has none.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Rep. Jim Clyburn should get a great deal of the credit for his turnaround. His endorsement resulted in the huge win on Saturday, which totally energized the Biden campaign. All of it goes to show you that you can’t predict everything in politics! Biden was not my first choice but I’ll go with whoever can beat Trump!
100 percent on target about Clyburn, Gina…That was the trigger pull on Biden’s “re-start.”
Jimmy Fitz
I think you would be a good elected official or public servant! What a breath of freshness to have a person who is candid and willing to admit when they are wrong (eat crow).
Thanks for supporting Joe over the modern day “Huey Long Jr.”
What do you think of Amy K or one of the Castro brothers as JB’s running mate?
Thanks, Donovan…You speak of Julian and Joaquin Castro. I don’t know a lot about either but more familiar with Julian, who was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (your area of expertise) under Obama, from 2014 to 2017. If that’s the way Joe goes, fine with me, but I think it would be smarter to go with Klobuchar and lock up some of those pivotal Great Lakes states that Hillary lost in 2016.
Jim … Yes, Julian during his brief POTUS campaign he received praise for his immigration plan. During his many trips to KCMO as Obama’s HUD Secretary he was greeted as rock star among the Latino community and housing advocates. He also former mayor of San Antonio, TX. … I agree Amy would bring much to the Biden ticket among the Great Lakes states and suburban women votes. Besides she would be ready to be POTUS on day one of the Biden administration and after his tenure! I believe you know of the special connection between Biden and the state of Missouri – Congressman Dick Bolling? You should share the story on your Blog, Each time I have seen Biden in Missouri he fondly tells the story of his senatorial campaign assistance from Congressman Bolling.
Anyone is better than Trump. Unfortunately, Biden is all about the past and has ZERO new ideas. Just because you had Obama’s back doesn’t make one a particularly good leader. I imagine the financial, drug and insurance industries (not to mention the military-industrial complex) are feeling quite happy today because with a Trump-Biden race (whoever wins) they will still be in complete control.
I wonder why Obama didn’t endorse Biden? And why he shifted his endorsement from Bloomberg to … Warren?? Seems like an odd choice.
I don’t believe Obama has endorsed anyone, even though Bloomberg’s commercials IMPLIED Obama was endorsing him. (Sneaky misleading advertising seems to be a characteristic of New York millionaires). Goodbye and good riddance Bloomberg.
I initially supported Biden until I heard Buttigieg’s speeches and reviewed his position statements. Now that Mayor Pete dropped out and endorsed Joe, I am moving to Biden’s camp. I can only hope that Pete gets a position on Biden’s team and can help heal the country.
I believe that Bernie and his band of hateful supporters are not good for the Democratic party and will continue to divide us. “Socialist Democrat” is an abomination. He’s either one or the other.
Well, if he’s not officially endorsing anyone I’d be pretty mad about having my name thrown around. Not sure those ads would stay on TV for long.
Still curious about Obama and Biden. No love lost, I guess.
This just in: now BO is “endorsing” Biden. Spreading the love around, I guess.
I will vote for Biden, but how enthusiastic my vote is depends on Biden’s handling of his horrible treatment to Anita Hill. I also remember that defeating Trump has to be the Democrats top priority. Leonard Pitts wrote a nice piece on why that is important. https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article240850551.html
Hard to be enthusiastic about a choice between an atrocious President and a tired 77-year-old who shows signs of incipient dementia. But it is slightly better than the choice four years ago. Wall Street is obviously pleased by the results from Super Tuesday, because neither candidate poses any threat to crooked CEOs.
If your son is now 20, how in the heck was he voting in Nevada 4 years ago at the age of 16?
Thanks, Holly…He’s 30.
I think Biden has surged because most Democrats just want to have someone they think will beat Trump. A return to normalcy. And every poll shows Biden does that pretty handily. And Biden’s platform has been shifted by the other Democratic candidates in the race to be more progressive. Considering Biden’s age, he will likely be a one term president. That will make Biden’s vice-president choice extremely important.
Good points…Amy for VP!
Somebody I think would make a great VP but I haven’t heard mentioned is Rahm Imanuel. I just looked him up, he’s 60. I’d like to see him debate Pence.
I think Kamala Harris should be his VP.
You better read up on Rahm’s record as Chicago’s mayor. He was pretty disliked by the end of his terms. He chose not to run again because of that. The new Chicago mayor was elected to pretty much repudiate what he stood for and accomplished. And having been Chicago’s mayor does not help in downstate Illinois. And downstate Illinois is everywhere but the Chicago metro. I’m not sure he’d even help win Illinois and it’s been a Democratic state for president for a long time now. There are better options.
I’ll bet that Hillary Clinton will be Biden’s VP choice, and if elected, it will be like Woodrow Wilson’s second term in office for Biden. Perhaps this time, the 25th Amendment will come into play. Sanders is the stronger candidate. And it will be interesting to see the debates between Trump and Biden.