@Sommerswerd
Isn't it technically possible that Biden wouldn't end up the nominee? Is there literally no way this could happen. I'm a Brit, so excuse the ignorance.
I think you are mistaking pushback for support.
I don't think many posters here who defend Biden do so out of any great love for him or his policies. Most of the Biden defenses come about in response to hyperbolic vitriol and personal attacks.
Hyperbole is a complex one; there are plenty of people here that use all forms of hyperbole for people, candidates or ideologies they dislike. Personal attacks are another thing completely (which is why I was trying to focus on more generics than just the current spat).
Defending Biden is fine. But you have to recognise that defending Biden full stop is something that will get peoples' backs up. The separation of the political and the personal is an illusion, I know you know this. For people at risk, for people with something to lose . . . it all matters. This is why I keep saying the "left-wing" presence in this forum really isn't what certain folks (that aren't usually leftist, progressive or even liberal) insist it is. Ironsided is possibly an outlier, but the criticism here of mainstream centre-right candidates like Biden is
so incredibly mild.
And he is right when he's not insulting somebody, or saying something else incendiary. The race isn't over (though realistically it could be at this point, I'm not really tuned into the numbers and the ongoing pandemic crisis has taken over my social media feeds - understandably). I stayed quiet on comments about Biden's activity vs. Sanders, because Sanders is a sitting senator (though if that's the technicality that excuses Biden's relative lack of activity, well, I'm calling it a technicality for someone who wants to run for POTUS). I stayed quiet on claims that Biden was doing nothing, because him / his team are
doing things. But could he be doing more? Sure!
There are people who are always going to feel that Sanders was the better pick. And while I sure hope as many people in this camp as possible vote blue later down the line (extenuating life circumstances / trauma aside), I maintain you have to
understand the anger. Even from folks here on CFC.
I have a few UK friends/colleagues who felt that Corbyn got hammered with a false portrayal of his antisemitism and pro-IRA history. Replace that with Bernie's pro-Communist history and I submit that it is indeed a helpful comparison.
Certainly people can be critical or hostile, but if they get personal about it - as IronSided did - then I personally have little difficulty casually dismissing their points.
1. Ah, fair. But that would be the same of any candidate (including Biden). I've mentioned this before though, so not really fussed in keeping mentioning it (I know people are aware).
2. The problem with this, especially at the moment, is the danger of missing points made. I get it, but it's not just Ironsided. And even on that, you're all joining in together with the equivalent of the rollseyes emote and such with your pushback. With some posters literally inciting the reactions, in some cases. It's not like people here aren't above getting petty, but the qualifier seems to just be how you word it, which in my opinion sucks. I dunno, this is getting onto backseat moderating now, so ignore me - I've moved away from the politics-related point I was trying to make!
... Biden could, for any number of reasons suddenly decide to drop out of the race, like have some sort of healthcare emergency... or die. There are in-fact, many, many things that "technically" could happen to keep Biden from getting the nomination. However, it is very unlikely that Biden does not end up the nominee at this point.
But it's handy, because this kind of immediate snark is exactly what I was highlighting to hobbs and Igloo. There's being defensive, and there's been immediately disposed to treating these kinds of questions in bad faith. It's not great, yeah?
