Joe Biden Backs Down to Leftist Critics After Calling Mike Pence a “Decent Guy”
Richard Moorhead
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Former Vice President and potential Democratic 2020 Presidential candidate Joe Biden sought to explain himself in the face of a progressive Twitter mob on Thursday, who were incensed that he had described his Vice Presidential successor Mike Pence as a “decent guy.”
Biden was speaking about Pence’s speech at the annual Munich Security Conference in Nebraska, lamenting that the elitist liberals in attendance were less than thrilled about the American presidency Pence represented. Biden had earlier sought to play to the crowd at the event, describing his own country as an “embarrassment” under Donald Trump’s administration. The former Vice President made a passing reference to Pence being a “decent guy” while invoking his speech bombing with the audience.
Biden had developed somewhat of a professional relationship with Pence while transitioning out of the White House, assisting the incoming Vice President in moving into the Naval Observatory where the holder of the office usually resides.
Commentators and activists on the progressive left took offense to Biden’s passing compliment to Pence, describing it as an insult to LGBT individuals- who are apparently Pence’s mortal enemies, according to progressives such as New York actor Cynthia Nixon. The former candidate for Governor of the Empire State scolded Biden for his reference to Pence as anything but a villain, and Biden responded on Twitter, backing down and correcting his suggestion that Pence was “decent.”
You’re right, Cynthia. I was making a point in a foreign policy context, that under normal circumstances a Vice President wouldn’t be given a silent reaction on the world stage.
But there is nothing decent about being anti-LGBTQ rights, and that includes the Vice President.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 28, 2019
The gaffe could be the latest strike against Biden’s potential 2020 candidacy in the eyes of progressives, who may be inclined to seek a younger and more politically correct candidate. Presumably, Democrats seeking to obtain the support of leftists like Nixon will have no choice other than to approach milquetoast conservatives such as Mike Pence with nothing other than contempt and personal hostility.
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