Biden brings confidence to New Hampshire
CONCORD: Democrat Joe Biden strode into New Hampshire’s state house Friday like he owned the place, back-slapping officials and insisting he has broad voter support as he ramps up his bid to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Biden has struggled to retain the frontrunner status that he claimed when he entered the crowded Democratic field in April.
He faces tough competition from progressive US senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and from up-andcoming fellow centrist Pete Buttigieg, an Indiana mayor who is half Biden’s age. The party elder statesman finds himself under relentless attack by Trump, who has branded him “corrupt,” without evidence, for his son’s dealings with a Ukraine energy firm. Biden’s debate performances have been shaky, and questions have swirled about whether the candidate who turns 77 on November 20 - has the stamina for a grueling one-year campaign.
And Biden faced renewed scrutiny Friday after Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire ex-mayor of New York, suddenly signaled he could enter the race, possibly
syphoning moderate voters away from the former vice president. But Biden has shown resilience on the campaign trail and in national polls. He appeared to shrug off the latest developments as he made his entrance to the New Hampshire secretary of state’s office, after celebrating with cheering and drum-beating supporters in the building’s crowded hallways.
“Alright, where do I sign, boss?” a confident Biden quipped as he took part in an early hallmark of US presidential races: filing at the 200-year-old state house in Concord to be on the ballot in the small New England state that votes second in the nominations process. Biden has been here before; he ran for president in 1988 and again in 2008. But this year is his best shot at the presidency, despite his advanced age and intense competition. After filing, Biden braved freezing temperatures and snow flurries to address a rally of about 100 supporters.
John Lynch, the popular former governor of the Granite State, described Biden as “genuine, caring and authentic, and I can’t wait for him to get into the White House.” Biden is a party establishment favorite. But he pushed back at the suggestion he might be too cozy with the Democratic elite to inspire young voters and reach new voices. “I am reaching them. I’m the only person in this race that has significant support” across the voter spectrum, Biden told reporters. “I’m ahead across the board.” — AFP