(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?'"
It's well past the time for Democrats to shed their dead weight in the executive branch. Give us a choice other than an overly nice and naive guy who is too willing to let the GOP get their way on practically everything, partnered with a guy who would rather admit defeat prematurely than state the case for his policies. It's obvious that Obama and Biden, for whatever reason, don't want to be reelected. That's all good and well... Democrats, make them move the hell out of the way and give us some good, qualified, competent candidates... Because the GOP sure won't!
After that comment I think Barack should be looking for a NEW Vice President that is less negative about his re-election!
say it ain't so Joe !
Joe Biden: "Its up and its GOOD!!!!!"
GOP CAN beat the dems, and it WILL!!!!!!
I feel the Republicans made the mess they should fix it.
TP buying votes. DELHA what about acorn. Talking buying vote and rigging election?
joe might be catching on, I think obama sees the writing on the wall also. This Herman Cain would be a good choise no matter what party he runs with. This guy has common sense and knows how and what it takes to run a sucessfull business. he would stomp obama big time.
The day of trading away the rights and taxes of the people are over. No more deals. Crooks and special interests run for cover. The people are mad as hell and aren't going to take it any more. Get the crooked corporations out of the press. We need a free press and right now we don't have one. The pols are still in denial but the writing is on the wall. Down with crooks of every stripe. Up with the Wall Streeters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So now people start taking what Biden says seriously?
WOW, CNN is actually reporting this? I am shocked that CNN would report anything remotely negative about Obama. Still waiting on real coverage concerning the serious scandals of Solyndra and "fast and furious"
take a close look at Joes picture? Notice his nose is pointing left. Don't surprise me.
The mayor thing hurting Obamas chances is the lack of enthusiasm from the Democratic voters. Obamas approval rating may be low but the GOP's rating is much much lower. It is my belief that if congress would would work together to pass some kind of jobs bill even if it wasnt his bill Obama would be guaranteed re-election. The Tea party knows this which is why they have decided they arent going to make a move until after the election. They dont seem to care if it causes the economy to dive into a full-blown depression as long as they get someone will an R beside their name in the White House.
Must be a banner night for the moderator for cnn
Too bad we can't just vote everyone out without having to put in the crazy alternative. Obama might have been incredibly disappointing but I cannot consider the majority of the GOP candidates, and even the ones I find reasonable I still wouldn't vote for. So for better or worse, Obama will have my vote on election day.
I read Joe Biden's remarks as not a concession, but a warning that the GOP could win the next presidential election if Americans don't get their act together. Surely most Americans cannot believe everything that the GOP claims–especially the Tea Party segment. If Americans would wake up to what the GOP is up to, President Obama will have a better chance for reelection. It would really help if everyday Americans don't blame President Obama for everything under the sun. He did not create the mess we are in and it is simply not fair to expect instant results with all the negative efforts to undermine the current presidency–anything to defeat President Obama at the expense of ordinary Americans.
Hate and bigotry is the thought process of most republican voters . If Rommey (God forbid) does damn near all or some of the policies Pres Obama implimented ,he would be held a hero. This is a sick nation , sick with racial hate it will destory this nation. I heard a white co worker say when Pres . Obama was elected "I just dont like him, I dont know why, but I hope he fails". I call him to his face back in 2008 just what he is , a racist bit*h.
This guy with his BIG MOUSE! just shut up please.
I am a democrat who will be voting for Herman Cain. The long time politicians have all gotten us to this point.
Biden's intelligence amazes me! He is such a rocket scientist! To see Obama's ratings drop almost 10% in the last couple of months and to make such a bold prediction-he must has super natural powers!
No president has ever won re-election with unemployment above 7.1%.
The Democrats had the Executive branch, House and Senate for TWO YEARS!!! They could have passed ANYTHING they wanted to. The Republicans were the minority and any resistance on their part would have held no value. If the Democrats had a spectacular plan and had implemented it then, then they would see no problems with re-election. Instead, they went against the advise of ecomonists and bailed out the evil corporations you consistantly refer to with no positive effects to the middle class and bailed out the evil banks that failed because they followed regulations that required them to loan money to people they knew had insuffecient income to repay. So you're right. It's the republican's fault.
So Biden thinks that Obama could lose? Ya think? Joe's always been a bit slow.
No other sitting president has ever faced a situation like president Obama and a media smear campaign by fox news and the tea party. Where were all of these people during cheney-bush who had a freeway of spending on the american Tax dollar? Cheney "Deficits Don't Matter" a bush "weapons of Mass Destruction" lets go fight two wars. Obama made mistakes clearly but the agenda by the republican party said pretty much this! By all cost even if the American people have to suffer we will make this black man a one term president...Please, Please , Please vote in a republican president so they can continue their attack on the middle class and continue to make the top 1% earners much much much wealthier... I am going to love watching the average republican get screwed while the rich boys roll all the way to the bank on their backs! Tea Party you cannot change the establishment because this game by and large is for the wealthy Americans not the REAL AMERICANS!
finally, he's right about something.
No other sitting president has ever faced a situation like president Obama and a media smear campaign by fox news and the tea party. Where were all of these people during cheney-bush who had a freeway of spending on the american Tax dollar? Cheney "Deficits Don't Matter" a bush "weapons of Mass Destruction" lets go fight two wars. Obama made mistakes clearly but the agenda by the republican party said pretty much this! By all cost even if the American people have to suffer we will make this black man a one term president...Please, Please , Please vote in a republican president so they can continue their attack on the middle class and continue to make the top 1% earners much much much wealthier... I am going to love watching the average republican get poorer while the rich boys roll all the way to the bank on their backs! Tea Party you cannot change the establishment because this game by and large is for the wealthy Americans not the REAL AMERICANS!