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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If obama and the democrats had done anything at all whatsoever to help the middle-class instead of waging war against it. They would have legions of voters ready to re-elect them. Instead they chose to make the republicans stronger. They had the president in office, a majority in congress and senate and all they can seem to do is blame republicans.
...sure hope so. A sad state of affairs when Pres of United States SUPPORTS those malcontents on Wall Street, tools of the Unions. Hypocrites, same people mourning S Jobs passing, an uber-capitalist and business man. We will not get out of this hole until we get some business-friendly people back in the White House. Throw this Socialist bum out. A huge mistake.
SOUTHERN HOTTIE
I am one of the 99%. I don't feel represented in Congress anymore. They are all failures.
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Hmmmmm, for sometime now all you've been posting is how it's all the blame of the Republicans and the Tea Party. Playing all sides now are you, SOUTHERN HOTTIE? Seems to me you're part of the problem...not wanting to work for anything yet want everything given to you.
I cannot bring myself to the low level of voting for Obama, not because of him but becuase of who he surrounds himselft with. He campainged on change and has brought the same old polical corruptness that we have seen in the past. Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Eric Holder are a stain on this nations underwear. We need to clean our under pants.
As one of the talk show hosts said regarding the President, he is the wrong age, the wrong nationality and the wrong color, and he needs to stop trying to make everybody like him. He can lead them to victory and they still will say no, they just don't like him. He is batting down hate all around him, it's a wonder he can even think straight. Mr. President, MAN UP and let them know who is in charge. Let them know you are the President of the United States of America. If they don't want to vote on your ideas, the ones you can VETO. Ask former President Bush, he can tell you all about veto. People if you think voting out the one man who really wants to make this country strong and prosperous again and cares, and replace him with a republican, you and all of us are in for a rude awakening. You think things are bad now who do you think is going to come in and immediately make it all better, I don't care who it is we are going to have to ride out this storm and stand strong and firm with out President. Don't believe the hipe the GOP can save the day (Joke!)
I guess America will not realize until the end will they understand the true nature of the Republican Party. If a near complete collapse of our entire economy and financial systems couldn't convince them, then nothing *ever* will.
Not only can they but they will. THey have to or the US is over as we know it.
correction to my statement. I don't care who it is we are going to have to ride out this storm and stand strong and firm with our President.
So far, I am not impressed with the individuals running as candidates for the Repoblican presidential nomination.
I would love to see the house turn back over to the democrats (no more "Won't raise taxes to save our lives" pledges), the senate gain enough seats to have a filibuster proof majority, and a republican president. I am such a dreamer.
WE want a divided Republican party. With them divided, they won't get behind any of their candidates. A perfect scenario would be the Tea Party splits off, and runs their own candidate. The Republican vote would then be split, Obama would be reelected, and probably a lot of Senators and Congressmen along with him.
Today, out of habit, Boehner said "Joe Biden is wrong, very wrong" before saying "oops...."
The reason a deal can't be reach Is because of the Tea Party. And I don't think the American people want a Republican president that everything he want to do he has to go thought the Tea Party and the KOCH'S BROTHER FIRST. The Republican Control Congress now and the speaker of the House and the rest of the Republican don't pass It. So who Really control Congress right now. The Tea Party or the KOCH"S BROTHER, after all they are not spending all that money for nothing. Think about It.
OMG!!!! : MTATL67
I just cannot vote GOP after I got the response back from my Senator (Chambliss) about his earmarks. $3,100,000 for the Chattahoochee River Rec. area and $7,900,00 for repairs to the Courthouse in Savannah, Ga. His response was “I reserve the right to ask Congress and the President for critical funding”. Recreation and repairs are critical funding but unemployment and jobs are not critical.
I actually think Obama's chances of getting re-elected are much better than the media like's to share. I mean, they made it sound like it was going to be so close in '08 and Obama won by a landslide. I haven't seen a single GOP contender that I can take seriously. Nah, by keeping the race "close" the media gets more ratings. I think there is a very good chance Obama will be safe in his seat for another 4 years.
What the vice-president expressed is all well and good. But the democrats should not sit idly and not turn the public opinion against the GOP leadership. They should tactlfully (not boistrous bad mouthing) paint the GOP as not working for all american and working only for the rich. They may say it as creating an atmosphere of class warfare, but the fact remains- the GOP has not interest in the well being of middle class and the poor. If they do, they would have supported the president's proposal on increasing the tax rate to the rich by a small percentage. Poll the real middle class and the poor and numberw will tell.
When are these politicians going to get it through their respective noggins that we cannot afford any more us vs. them and isle wars. The country is bleeding out while they waste hour after hour, day after day, month after month with politics as usual! Wasn't all this suppose to change under the new administration? Seems to me the isle has become the nile and nobody is benefiting except the croc's!
@alf33, I agree 100%. Obama should dump Biden as VP and get someone who will truly have his back. Biden is spewing out pessimistic garbage when he should be trying to help Obama fight for the poor and middle class. It amazes me how so many people are forgetting how we got to this point in the first place. If the repubs win, it won't be because they have any great ideas about how to grow the economy, it will be because they are doing all they can to demonize the President as well as put laws in place that will suppress voters who normally vote democratic. Did people really think we were going to get out of this mess in 3 years..geez. It's truly pitiful that the repubs will sink the entire country just because they have a personal dislike for the President.
More like the American people are strong enough to vote against their own interests, and forgetful enough to allow corporations to be treated better than people. Both Obama and Biden may be looking for new jobs in 2012 because the American people will be looking for a new scapegoat to blame their own ignorance of issues on.
Well, whatever happens, I'm never gonna vote for a Republican again. I don't want history to repeat itself. I'm still trying to get by these days paycheck by paycheck.
The Republicans are trying one trick after another to prevent people (Democratic regions) from voting. Republican governors have already passed laws that will prevent 5 million people from voting. In addition they are working at changing electoral votes to work in their favor. Their motto is win at any costs and party over country.
If our current President had more support from his own party and from moderate republicans he wouldn't be looking so bad. Yes, he should have been more of a fighter but how do you get around a group of elected men and women who don't offer anything constructive but keep saying NO NO NO.
BUT and it is a BIG BUT do you really want the repoublicans in charge????? You think the rich are getting richer now, just put a republican in the White House and the only ones who will NOT suffer horribly are those very rich 1-5% who don't care about anyone but themselves.
The further Obama can distance himself from the sad likes of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Tim Geithner the better he will be perceived as a leader. Those care nothing about this country, where it is headed or its people.
Hillary would never have let things get this out of hand. I think she is the better leader and Obama could have done with a few more years of seasoning before running for President. Hillary would have focused on what was important and gotten things done. She also would never have picked Joe Biden as a running mate and by now she would have marginalized nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. She would never have picked the inept Timothy Geithner as well...too bad. I like Obama but his team does him no favors!
Don't beleive Obama is leaving the whitehouse in 2012. I saw his campaign last time and learnt about his ability.
somebody asked:
So Rudy, you do not believe this is fundamentally true???
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Huh? Of course, I believe that to be true. Mr. Cain is far more correct than he can conceive. You really would have no one to blame but yourself when you find yourself living in a cardboard box. It will because you voted against your own best interests, and voted Republican.
Listen to the man. He's telling you to be selfish, do not love thy neighbor, covet what others have. Listen to the man. He's telling you it is a dog eat dog world, and only the top dogs will survive. Listen to the man. He's telling you exactly what his motivations would be in his decision making process. That being, if theire's nothing in it for him, he ain't doing it.