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One-Term Biden Could Prove Unbeatable

Ruth Marcus on

WASHINGTON -- Could Joe Biden be the man for this season?

The vice president has been running for president since Hillary Clinton was first lady of Arkansas. His first campaign, in 1988, fizzled over allegations of plagiarism.

His second, in 2008, limped to a humiliating close with Biden winning less than 1 percent of voters in the Iowa caucuses. He received most attention for unwise comments about Indian-Americans ("You cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts [in Delaware] unless you have a slight Indian accent") and Barack Obama ("articulate and bright and clean.")

But there is an argument that 2016 could be Biden's year -- a moment that will reward, even celebrate, his loose-lipped authenticity and his from-the-gut middle-class politics. In Iowa the other day, Donald Trump received thunderous applause when he proposed outlawing teleprompters. In 2016, Biden's unscriptedness could be appealing.

Look at the latest polling. Matched up against Trump, Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio, Biden outperforms Clinton in the new Quinnipiac poll.

Sure, there are stumbling blocks, even leaving aside the still-dominant position of Clinton and the daunting mechanical challenges of instantly assembling the necessary staff and money.

 

His career is one obstacle: At a time when the public is sour on politicians, Biden has been in elective office for 45 years, since being elected to Delaware's New Castle County Council in 1970.

His age is another: At 74 on Inauguration Day, Biden would be the oldest president ever, including Ronald Reagan at his second term (just shy of 74).

But these are surmountable issues -- capable, even, of being turned to some advantage. One person's career politician is another's devoted public servant: Biden has never spun through the revolving door to vacuum up six-figure speaking fees. A delicate topic, to be sure, but a comparison with a Certain Other Candidate that others might make.

The matter of age prompts my broader theory of Biden's case: He should run as Biden Unbound. He can, pardon the phrase, trump concerns about age by announcing that he'll seek just a single term -- and picking a strong, preferably female, running mate. (Elizabeth Warren would be a tempting choice, but probably not optimal. She'd be divisive in a general election and, at 66, reinforces the age issue.)

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