Joe Biden is the guest of honor at a CNN town hall in Iowa Monday night, and he recalled how he called about a dozen GOP senators to encourage them to vote for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. They apparently didn’t have the courage to break with the party and side with the Democrats, but with President Trump gone, he’s hoping Republicans find that courage to do as the Democrats want.
At least that sounds like what he’s saying. Either that, or he’s admitting his overtures on behalf of Garland were a total failure.
Oh, yeah, and the whole Garland battle started before Trump was even nominated, so it wasn’t him pressuring the Senate.
Joe Biden remarks that he called about a dozen Senate Republicans to encourage them to vote on Merrick Garland. Then he says with Trump gone, Republicans will again find political courage.
Left unsaid: Republicans stalled on Garland before Trump was nominated, or elected.
— Matt Viser (@mviser) November 12, 2019
Trying to politicize Merrick Garland, peace be upon him, is a cheap shot from Biden
Merrick wouldn't have wanted this!! https://t.co/UrenKuxjvJ
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) November 12, 2019
I still can’t believe Garland died. RIP
— argyleumbrella (@argyleumbrella) November 12, 2019
Merrick Garland didn’t die to be used as a political cudgel! Let the man Rest In Peace!!!
— Kopp Consulting (@Kopp_Consulting) November 12, 2019
This is just in poor tase. Let the man Rest In Peace.
— AWorldWithoutZinc (@WorldWithoutZn) November 12, 2019
So that was supposed to be his example of when Republicans had courage? Of the good old days we can look forward to returning to??
— DC Deciphered (@DCdeciphered) November 12, 2019
In politics, "courage" always means a Republican voting the way the Democrats want, but never the other way around. No Democrat will be called "courageous" for voting against impeachment, but any Republican who votes for it will be praised to the heavens by the media.
— Ape City on the Edge of Forever (@ApeCityRoller) November 12, 2019
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biden's entire campaign is "i was obama's vice president" but he apparently slept through the entire eight years. https://t.co/AigMAdagVA
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) November 12, 2019
What Joe Biden saw the instant trump was elected. https://t.co/XVIkplE1Rg pic.twitter.com/Br0ar35HKT
— ybsmaR belaC (@Ramsbergable) November 12, 2019
Literally has no idea what's going on. Embarrassing. He's unfamiliar with basic events during his own Vice Presidency https://t.co/v1SzpG6yGA
— disappointed moms for pete (@Kenghazi) November 12, 2019
Really hope he doesn’t actually believe any of this or else he really is senile https://t.co/iCFVFtONSN
— Vincent Barnovsky (@VinceBarnovsky) November 12, 2019
Trump must’ve been behind all of the judicial and legislative obstruction in the GOP from 2011-2016.
— Sam Morey (@moreywrites) November 12, 2019
Does Biden actually believe this? https://t.co/7iO9r7xIGf
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) November 12, 2019
The mere fact that he brought these two things up and doesn't get that it's proof his strategy will not work, is just another reason he cannot be our next President. https://t.co/Tgf3otaVZH
— Courtney (@misscrf) November 12, 2019
The fact that Joe Biden mentioned Merrick Garland, the most well-known example of Republican obstructionism, and then saying that he can convince the GOP work with him is truly some galaxy brain stuff. https://t.co/AJ8Jg6n90y
— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) November 12, 2019
Wait, what?
He's highlighting a failure to bring bipartisanship and fair debates in the Merrick Garland case in order to highlight his "ability" to bring bipartisanship back to DC???
Does not compute. His calls obviously didn't work as Garland was still blocked. pic.twitter.com/oN01eciKXJ— Norm DePlume (@NormDePlume69) November 12, 2019
Isn't this an argument against voting for Biden, because he's really ineffective? https://t.co/BZ5XJnPwXw
— Eric Smith (@paytonrules) November 12, 2019
Joe Biden is trying to convince us that he can get Republicans to work with him by pointing to an example of when… Republicans didn’t work with him. https://t.co/KYAI0dhcuQ
— Joe Kearns (@JoeKearns_PSU) November 12, 2019
you’d think the story where Joe Biden calls a bunch of Republican senators about Merrick Garland and gets absolutely none of them to budge would be coming from the Warren or Sanders campaign and not, you know, Joe Biden https://t.co/a4LIuCHZzY
— Jon Green (@_Jon_Green) November 12, 2019
The best thing you can say about Biden is his rivals’ account of how they’re going to get things done don’t really seem plausible either. https://t.co/JGzByasHzD
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) November 12, 2019
Joe Biden could've stayed the wacky grandpa of meme legend, but instead he'll just show that he didn't pay any attention to things while he was VP. This election won't be one of unity, that's brutal apparent, and the candidates who think so are selling lies.
— KorGhee (@KorGhee) November 12, 2019
He says this all the time and it's naive to the point of being disqualifying.
— Anthony (@azazo) November 12, 2019
This is why I think ol' Joe is an idiot, and he'll be a disastrous nominee if he gets that far. And if he manages to get elected, he'll be a completely useless president. https://t.co/yjZ5ZGaOBF
— Chris Torn and Frayed Wilhelm (@cwilhelm2014) November 12, 2019
This idea that if Trump loses he'll just fade away quietly and have no influence in the GOP is more fantastical than anything Warren or Sanders have said https://t.co/8iH7A870rJ
— Almaqah (@_Almaqah) November 12, 2019
What an idiot. https://t.co/a154TDahSH
— Tom Philpott (@tomphilpott) November 12, 2019
Grandpa needs to put on his fishing cap and go back home. Let someone living in reality fight for the country so he can be wistful by himself with some nice lemonade and penny candy.
— Matthew Bolin (@matthewhbolin) November 12, 2019
At this point we’re not really sure what he remembers from his tenure as vice president.
* * *
Update:
For what it’s worth, CNN seems to agree with Biden’s definition of Republican courage:
Joe Biden: Republicans will be willing to work with Democrats if President Trump loses in 2020 https://t.co/QybkoHGhI4 #CNNTownHall pic.twitter.com/K6iWhYV1yq
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) November 12, 2019
Related:
‘HYSTERICAL!’ Dana Loesch and others roll eyes at Joe Biden’s latest display of firearm illiteracy https://t.co/8QfSVSGAEu
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) November 11, 2019
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