This is really offensive. I am lactose intolerant and haven't eaten cereal in like 40 years.
Except that you said it actively hurt him. Which it didn't. Bloomberg made it very clear back in early 2019 that he would only run if he saw Bernie/some other radical progressive defying the odds and winning the whole thing. The media only really hounded him about it until Biden declared, which was of Biden's own making since he declared relatively late compared to the other front-runners. At that point, Biden was running ahead of the field, polling at about 30-40% and Bloomberg made no attempt to run, nor was he an ongoing media attraction. Then you had Warren start emerging as a real threat and Wall Street panicked because she surged to an early lead in Iowa and NH and even NV. THAT is when Bloomberg got re-engaged, but didn't even enter the race until Bernie's heart and campaign were suddenly revived in the fall.
There is no way that Biden was bleeding any voters to Bloomberg throughout 2019. All of his issues were self-made.
You make a good point. I accept that he lazily thought his name would get him through IA and NH, and then he would bring it home in NV and SC.
NV didn't really pan out, so SC will be interesting.
I don't know what media or polls you're following that I'm not but nobody is talking about Amy Klobuchar or Elizabeth Warren as real contenders anymore. Pete is a bit more unpredictable so maybe he's still hanging on.
I have nothing personal against Joe Biden. I have a lot personally against Donald Trump. And I don't think that Joe Biden can beat Trump.
Well they definitely say that Warren is heading onto Super Tuesday. And Pete is almost the most funny to me. He literally has no prospect of picking up a single delegate outside of Indiana. Amy I think anyone with a speck of objectivity knows that she is way past her expiration date. Worst thing to happen recently was that she got a temporary boost in NH.
To 3rd place!! Woo hoo!!
As for Biden beating Trump. I think that you're focusing too much on the primary and not so much on how the general will be.
Lets set aside Bloomberg for now, as I do think Bloomberg would beat Trump.
So say it's Biden.
I know you don't like him. I think we can both agree, that his weaknesses are energizing and young voters...
So now the pluses.
Midwest appeal. Folksy, working class vibe, known and respected, PA would be a lock, MI, and WI almost assured. Although WI is looking more pink every day. NH would be out of play for Trump.
High backing from minority voters, especially those that vote somewhere in the 80-90% range.
Strong relationship with Union, blue collar voters.
Probably the best candidate to keep the moderate suburban vote and even grow it. Really the most essential part of winning big, opening new states, and winning the Senate.
Say for argument that WI is narrowly won by Trump. Ok. If that were Bernie, he'd be in a terribly tight situation. But for Biden, his backups are NC, AZ, FL, GA, and TX, No other candidate in the field has options close to that.
I think that you are dismissing the built in surge of people that want Trump gone, an urgency not at play in 2016. A candidate that has no more baggage than what has already been thrown at him. A guy that actually is a better campaigner than Hillary, Who is more liked and respected than Hillary, and can still, even though debating is blah, can still give fiery speeches not even attempted by Clinton.
I would say the "electibility" probably goes, Bloomberg, Biden, Sanders, Pete/Warren (tied), Amy at this point.