Biden: GOP 'strong enough to beat us'
(CNN) – As President Barack Obama prepares to take his re-election campaign into high gear, his running mate is acknowledging the formidable contest ahead.
Speaking at the Atlantic Ideas Forum Thursday in Washington, Vice Pres. Joe Biden said Republicans posed a real threat to Obama's reelection prospects.
When asked about the Republican Party's strength, Biden said, "It's strong enough to beat both of us."
"Look, no matter what the circumstance, at the end of the day, the American people right now are in real trouble," Biden continued. "An even larger percentage have stagnant wages. And a significant majority of the American people believe that the country is not moving in the right direction. That is never a good place to be going into re-election, whether it's your fault or not your fault. It's almost sometimes irrelevant."
Biden's remarks came the day before new jobs data showed the unemployment rate remaining at 9.1%.
Biden said ultimately voters will look to the Obama administration's record on the economy as they cast votes.
"What I'm counting on - I'm counting on what I read out there, the judgment of the American people to decide - they know the hole we're in; they know how far we've come out; they're dissatisfied how fast we're going; and they're going to have to choose whether or not the path we have set the country on is the path that we should continue to go or we should go back to 'liberating' the economy," Biden said.
As Obama and Biden continue to push Congress to vote on the president's American Jobs Act, the vice president said a fractured GOP was leading to legislative gridlock.
"This is just Joe Biden's impression, but I truly believe if just Eric Cantor, Joe Biden, Barack Obama and John Boehner were allowed to settle the deal in the room we would have had a deal," Biden said.
He said if the GOP were able to unify, a deal could get hammered out.
"We need a Republican Party that's united," Biden said. "We need a Republican Party you can sit down with and say, 'OK, this is a deal. Can you deliver? Can you deliver on the deal?'"
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I am one of the 99%. I don't feel represented in Congress anymore. They are all failures.
Hey, Joe – say it ain't so! Oh, wait, both parties are responsible for this gawdawful mess we're in today. And the GOP will never, ever, represent the middle class with the current crop of bozos in office. And the Dems are afraid to say no to PORK.
The comments in here have gotten absolutely comical. Blame blame blame. Both sides. Name calling. Finger pointing. An absolute disgrace. No one has any concept of personal responsibility and accountability any more.
As for the jobs bill...all I read about is how Republicans are trying to block it and defeat the President. What I'm not reading about is the over-whelming LACK OF SUPPORT the jobs bill is getting from Democrats. Silence. Crickets. No public support what so ever. Prove me wrong.
and oh ya...OBAMA/BIDEN 2012!!!!!
It never ceases to amaze how stupid the American electorate can be sometimes. How can a middle or lower class American (actually anybody other than the top 1-2% of this country) vote for a Republican (unless it is one that is particularly moderate and probably should be a Democrat)? Don't they get that is voting against ALL of their best interests? How any middle class American could talk about voting for Herman Cain is COMPLETELY beyond me. The guy's 9-9-9 plan would RAISE TAXES on EVERYONE EXCEPT THE ULTRA WEALTHY and didn't they all pledge to not raise taxes on anyone??
There isn't any candidate that deserves to be president. Obama has let us down and I think much of that was lack of experience. He thought he could go into the presidency and turn it around with the snap of his fingers. Obama was not experienced enough or smart enough with the right amount of respect for the problems. The U.S. is in trouble. Obama being re-elected is not the solution but there isn't a GOP strong or experienced enough to turn the economy around. It is very discouraging to feel helpless. Then you get the Congress that can't work together and the Senate that is not strong enough to make positive things to happen. I worry most for my children and grandchildren.
I agree Obama is likely to lose because overall his administration looks and acts more like Bush II than anything else and the economy is in shambles...the liberal base will simply not turn out to vote in the numbers they did in 2008...the Right will get out the vote as they always do...
After this comment Mr. Obama should dump Biden as his VP running mate in the next election. Regardless the Republicans are still hung over from being drunk on having all the power like they pretty much did during the Bush years. The only thing on their minds to get back into power any way they can. The sad part is a lot of people believe they will make things better when they were the root cause of the problems and now do anything they can to prevent reforms that benefit the average person. If it doesn't benefit their rich friends or big business they don't care!!!
If people can not see how the Republican party have placed partisan politics over the best interest of the country then we deserve just what we get. Let's face it, the Majority Leader of the Senate said that he wanted President Obama to be a one term president. This reminds me so much of what Jackie Robinson went through as the first African American to play major league baseball. The only difference is that this is political arean and this is 2011. You have the same foolishness now as we had then. The only difference is that the names of the people have changed. How can any one forget the mess that was caused by the Bush administration and now we want to turn things back over to the Republicans.
If any of the American People are smart like the majority of these comments that are coming out firs they should know the President did not make this mess and what he thought was a good judgement he did he did not do anything for himself or the Democratic personal base. Only the Republican look out for themselves and the people who put money in there campaign. America Wake Up Vote Democratic if you want to survive the Republicans.
I'll be voting a straight Dem ticket next election.
Of course the GOP can beat Obama/Biden. People quickly realize that the GOP actually believes in the citizens and that ALL people with hard work and sacrifice can succeed. Obama and the Democrats continue to tell their constituents they are unable to succeed on their own and without government they would not even be able to tie their own shoes. Which one are you? Do you believe in your own abilities to become successful? Or are you one of those who cannot tie their own shoes without government assistance?
Some people were misled by the "Hope and Change" mantra. Now they realize that what Obama meant was you need to "Hope you can find some loose Change in the sofa because that is all you have left".
Thanks for the tip Joe. If they can't beat Obama/Biden on their record then they don't deserve to lead. Everything the GOP said about Obama being totally unprepared for the Presidency was true and alot of misfortune for the country has come to fruition from his being eleected.
I think that most Americans are biding their time until Nov 2012 when they will make history and turn every state red.
What the heck is the matter with the people in this country, that they can not see what the republicans have done to this country and what they keep on doing. They need to get the tea party racist out there, they are nothing but a bunch or racist and some day they will have to answer for their actions And I hope it is soon.
Liberal fish, stuck in their fishbowls, waiting for their governing masters to feed them a few flakes of sustenance. Never to be free of their self imposed limitations. Always someone else to blame while casting hate. Always needing someone else to make them whole and incapable of finding the strength of the constitution within themselves. The American people can see right through the speeches, the corruption and absent lack of leadership. Change is coming alright. A change of address for the president that is.
I'm sorry to say I'm starting to wonder what angle your working Joe. I support the President, do you??
The Jobs Act will not pass because the Repubs are not going to give Obama a feather for his campaign hat. Find another way to help the American people between now and the next election! Cut, cut, cut bloated government spending on wars of choice, cut the defense budget appropriations, eliminate the phony war on drugs and associated programs, pass the bill to decriminalize cannabis possession, and step aside to let people startup agribusinesses. It's not rocket science and I can see these simple solutions from my porch! Why can't you?!!!
One thing's for certain.........if Obama is re-elected, the probability of riots in the streets will go way up.
Yo Joe! We got this in the bag. The GOP is on the verge of becoming extinct. Their radical views is not what the country wants. The REVOULUTION is here and is being televised. It's the haves againstthe have nots.
It is so sad that people would be willing to go back to the party mainly responsible for today's problems. Anybody wonder how most large corporations are making more money than before the financial crisis but still aren't hiring? That's the main problem, these corporations own the GOP and they are KILLING life for the middle class.
Two wars that cost TRILLIONS and accomplished nothing and deregulation or lack of regulation that led to the financial crisis is what people want to go back to?
It's terrible that we who know how horrible the GOP is will be brought down by the stupid masses who bought into all their talking point BS.
They oppose Obamacare, so I guess people want to return to fat profits for health insurance companies where they deny innocent children who desperately need care the insurance needed to pay to help or alleviate their conditions?
What a tragic state we live in. God...are you watching? We need you.
Gotta give Crazy Joe some credit for his honesty! He's right because the American people will have witnessed a Democrat controlled Senate for 6 years, a Democrat controlled House for 4 years and a Democrat President for 4 years and they see what a wreck the country is and all the Democrats want to do is continue the insane spending and engage in class warfare and blame games. They, especially, Obama, have demonstrated ZERO LEADERSHIP ABILITY. They advocate we go down the path of BANKRUPT EUROPEAN SOCIALIST STATES. The American people are not blind and stupid. They know another 4 years of Obama and the Democrats and this country will be TOAST.
Do you people REALLY think that Romney can beat Obama? Even the Tea Party has paid for attack ads on Romney! When people realize that he was for abortion rights (before he was against it); for gay rights (before he was against it); for healthcare reform (before he was against it) – nobody is going to buy the Romney ticket! ESPECIALLY moderates and independents! I'm not 100% happy with the Obama performance, but I know one thing for sure – I could NEVER in a million years vote for Romney (and yes, I'm an independent). The only people I could vote for at this point is Paul, Huntsman, Johnson and possibly Buddy Roemer...and we all know THEIR chances of getting the GOP primary vote: ZERO.
Well, I'll give Biden credit for seeing the writing on the wall.....The American are sending both Biden and his boss packing in 2012, thank goodness!!!!
Denny – Keep dreaming. As a NH citizen...I doubt my state or ANY northeastern state would ever vote for the dark side.