Todd Blodgett Opinion: GAFFE-PRONE BIDEN’S INCURABLE PROBLEM

In August of 2019, CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked Joe Biden, “So, to gun owners out there who say, well, a Biden administration means they’re going to come for my guns?”  Biden replied, “Bingo! You’re right, if you have an assault weapon.” On September 13, 2019, then-Democratic presidential candidate and former U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke said, “Hell, yes, we’re going to take away your AR-15, your AK-47.  We’re not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore.” On March 2, 2020, candidate Joe Biden told Mr. O’Rourke, “you’re going to take care of the gun problem with me,” if Biden is elected. The former VP added, “you’re going to be the one that leads this effort.  I’m counting on you.” Based on what’s been said, how is it not entirely reasonable to conclude that a President Biden would seek to confiscate semi-automatic firearms?

Fast-forward to March 10, 2020, to Detroit, Michigan.  In a heated exchange with Biden, a blue-collar worker expressed his concern that a Biden presidency would undermine Second Amendment rights, and prohibit owning semi-automatic weapons.  Perhaps forgetting his previous statement, Biden told the man he was “full of shit”, before claiming, “I did not say that.” When the guy reminded Biden that video proved his claim, the ex-VP denied that, too, saying, “it’s simply a lie.”  Before walking away, Biden erroneously called the AR-15 an “AR-14” – which doesn’t exist, for common use. He then admonished the worker, “don’t be such a horse’s ass.” Aside from alienating some UAW (United Auto Workers) union members over an issue of great importance to them, the thin-skinned Biden again showed that he’s still not ready for prime time.   What’s REALLY going on here reveals Biden’s incurable problem.

Biden was first elected as a U.S. Senator in 1972, decades before the internet materialized.  Back then, and for the first three of his six re-elections, candidates could still cleverly say one thing to Second amendment supporters, and then downplay it to gun control proponents.  Today, though, anyone can download video from YouTube and other sources and draw their own conclusions. While there’s speculation that the 77-year-old Biden may show some signs of early-onset dementia, the Democrats’ REAL problem is that their frontrunner is of a bygone political era.  As presidential candidates, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush faced similar problems when they ran against Ronald Reagan, whose media savvy far exceeded theirs. Against Donald Trump – whose media skill nearly equals Reagan’s – means that this very real problem will likely erupt, again.  And again. Why can’t the Democrats see that Biden’s ‘sell-by’ date expired decades ago?

As a candidate, O’Rourke expressly advocated confiscating semi-auto guns; Biden, in March, tied his horse to that cart.  Not only will Biden pay for this mistake for the campaign’s duration, but Democrats can probably now say goodbye to Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and even several other states that Hillary Clinton carried in 2016.  In recent weeks, Joe Biden won Primaries in Michigan, North Carolina, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Idaho, Arizona, Tennessee, Florida and Oklahoma. But against President Trump, can Biden win ANY of those states – except, possibly, Virginia?

The Biden who won those races didn’t suddenly become an effective, self-disciplined, articulate, poised candidate; he prevailed only because in the run-up to Super Tuesday, candidates Mike Bloomberg, Tom Steyer, Pete Buttigieg, and Amy Klobuchar all withdrew from the race.  So, by default, old Joe got their votes. But should Biden be nominated, it’s almost inevitable that by default, millions of Democrats – and, especially working-class Americans – will vote for Donald Trump.

Todd Blodgett served on President Reagan’s White House staff, and as an adviser to the 1988 presidential campaign of Vice President George H.W. Bush.  He also worked for the Republican National Committee and the FBI. Mr. Blodgett lives in Clear Lake. His website is ToddBlodgett.us.