2020 election, Barack Obama, Coronavirus, Joe Biden

Obama Endorses Biden in Video, Ending 2020 Neutrality

Obama promises to join campaign trail ‘as soon as I can.’  Endorsement allows Obama to campaign, raise money for Biden

Bloomberg News, by Jennifer Epstein and Tyler Pager, April 14, 2020
Barack Obama speaks next to Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. in 2016.
Barack Obama speaks next to Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. in 2016. Photographer: T.J. Kirkpatrick/Bloomberg

Former President Barack Obama endorsed Joe Biden on Tuesday in a 12-minute video describing his close partnership with his former vice president and urging Americans opposed to President Donald Trump to join together in a “great awakening” against him.

“Choosing Joe to be my vice president was one of the best decisions I ever made, and he became a close friend. And I believe Joe has all the qualities we need in a president right now,” Obama said, speaking directly to the camera.

Much of Obama’s statement is focused on winning over left-leaning voters who may be cool to Biden’s candidacy, with praise of Bernie Sanders, who exited the race last week, and an allusion to Elizabeth Warren’s promise of “structural change.”

He cast the general election as a binary choice between Biden and Trump, making several veiled references to some of the differences between the two candidates’ approach to governing and their personal backgrounds.

“Elections matter,” he said. “Right now, we need Americans of goodwill to unite in a great awakening against a politics that too often has been characterized by corruption, carelessness, self-dealing, disinformation, ignorance, and just plain meanness. And to change that, we need Americans of all political stripes to get involved in our politics and our public life like never before.”

Obama’s endorsement was expected now, just as the general election against Trump begins. He’d long made clear that he would wait for Democratic voters to choose their nominee before getting involved in the race. Biden didn’t wait for the endorsement, however, to capitalize on their relationship. From his campaign launch a year ago onward, the legacy of his eight years in the White House with Obama was at the core of his case.

Obama’s announcement comes a day after Sanders, Biden’s final opponent for the nomination, endorsed him and urged Democrats, independents and “some Republicans” to unite around Biden to defeat Trump.

Obama’s endorsement means that he and former first lady Michelle Obama, the two most popular figures in the Democratic Party, can begin to campaign — and raise money — for Biden. While Biden’s campaign had hoped to hold massive rallies to roll out the support of the Obamas, it is settling for a digital rollout during virus-related social distancing.

Obama remained publicly neutral throughout the primary race, but he offered to share advice and speak privately with any Democratic candidate. Most candidates took him up on the offer. But as the race narrowed, Obama spoke more frequently with Biden, including congratulating him for his victory in South Carolina, and he spoke a number of times with Sanders as he was contemplating the end of his campaign.

The Trump campaign dismissed the big-name endorsement, saying Biden would “embarrass” his former boss.

“Barack Obama spent much of the last five years urging Joe Biden not to run for president out of fear that he would embarrass himself. Now that Biden is the only candidate left in the Democrat field, Obama has no other choice but to support him,” Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said in a statement.

Obama and Biden remain close friends, a bond that deepened when Biden was grieving over the death of his son Beau in 2015. Their partnership in the White House — in which Biden was given a broad portfolio — is also the model Biden has been contemplating as he begins the process of selecting his own running mate.

— With assistance by Mario Parker

Meeting notices

Our Next Meeting – Cancellations due to COVID-19

MARCH AND APRIL MEETINGS CANCELLED…

We decided to cancel PDB’s March and April General Membership meetings (scheduled for March 18 and April 22) at the Dona Benicia Library in Benicia. We took this action as a precaution due to concerns about exposure to COVID-19.  [MORE – Cancellation notice]

When: ???
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Our next meeting details are “on hold.”  We’ll share more information as soon as we can.  Stay tuned for details…

IMPORTANT: if you are a member of PDB, January was the month to renew your annual dues (unless you joined since October, 2019, in which case your initial membership and dues count for 2020).  PLEASE PAY TODAY!

Meeting notices, Progressive Democrats of Benicia

March Meeting Cancelled

No meeting on March 18

Members and Friends of PDB,

We have decided to cancel PDB’s next General Membership meeting scheduled for March 18 at the Dona Benicia Library in Benicia. We’ve taken this action as a precaution due to concerns about exposure to COVID-19. Below are the latest recommendations from the City of Benicia issued on March 9:

CITY OF BENICIA UPDATE ON COVID-19 (3/9/20):

“…At this time, the City recommends that individuals evaluate opportunities to attend events, programs, recreation classes, etc., on a case by case basis. Older people and people with certain underlying health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example, seem to be at greater risk of serious illness and may want to be more conservative when deciding whether or not to attend events. The City has begun implementing enhanced facility cleaning to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19 as well as posting reminders about hand washing and other precautions.”

Here’s a link to the City of Benicia’s web page with coronavirus information, including the full March 9 press release – ci.benicia.ca.us/coronavirus.

And, here are links to additional information on the coronavirus:

Johns Hopkins CSSE Outbreak Tracker
CDC – What You Need to Know about COVID-19
CDC – Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
CDC -Confirmed Cases in the United States (updated regularly)
Solano County Public Health Updates & Resources
OSHA Information for Workers and Employers
Sign up for CDC Updates here

Our next meeting is scheduled for April 22. We’ll share more information on the Earth Day program soon. In the meantime, please be cautious and follow the personal contact protocols recommended by healthcare officials:

    • Wash hands with liquid soap and water for at least 20 seconds; alcohol-based sanitizers may also be used.
    • Clean and disinfect any surfaces you or other people frequently touch.
    • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (or your sleeve) when you cough or sneeze.
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
    • Stay home if you are sick or feel sick (unless you are seeking medical care).
    • Avoid close contact with sick people.
    • Get the flu shot to protect yourselves and others from the seasonal flu.

Please be safe and stay informed!

Ralph Dennis
Chair

…REMINDER…

Have you paid your 2020 dues yet?  If you are a member of PDB, January was the month to renew your annual dues (unless you joined since October, 2019, in which case your initial membership and dues count for 2020).  PLEASE RENEW TODAY!

Equity & Justice For All