Nolte: Barack Obama Slaps Joe Biden in the Face with Deval Patrick
Joe Biden is barely hanging on as the frontrunner and Barack Obama just slapped him in the face with Deval Patrick.
Never before in the history of the modern presidential campaign have we seen such a thing. The news former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has decided to pull the trigger on a late presidential run is nowhere near as interesting or consequential as the why behind his decision. At this point, there are really only two people who could scramble the board: Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama. Patrick is waaaay behind in the crucial areas of fundraising and field organization, and has no national name recognition. Nevertheless, Patrick, a popular two-term governor, has some things going for him. At 63, he’s younger than 77-year-old Biden (But who isn’t? — oh, yeah, Bernie Sanders.), he’s not disintegrating mentally and physically like Biden, he’s not a demented socialist like Bernie and Elizabeth Warren, he’s older than 37-year-old Pete Buttigieg, and as a black man he can win those votes in South Carolina. In other words, had he launched his campaign months ago, he might very well be the frontrunner today. Granted, there are also some benefits to jumping in late. He’s a clean slate without any gaffes, and he knows what the competition is up to.
The deficits, however, are huge. On top of money and organizational issues, after leaving the governor’s office in 2015, he went to work for *shuts off lights, places flashlight under chin* BBBBAAAAAIN CAAAAAAPITAL. You remember Bain Capital, the organization evil corporate raider Mitt Romney worked for, the organization Obama used to beat Romney senseless with during their 2012 presidential match, the organization that gives women cancer? Yep, same Bain.
