Democratic candidates gather in California and take shots at Joe Biden.

2020 candidates take indirect shots at absent Biden

SAN FRANCISCO — Democratic presidential hopefuls took rival Joe Biden’s absence at a California state party gathering Saturday as a chance to take subtle digs at the former vice president and craft themselves as better positioned to bring Democrats into the future.

“Some say if we all just calm down, the Republicans will come to their senses,” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said in a clear reference to Biden’s comments that the GOP may have an “epiphany” after President Donald Trump is gone. “But our country is in a crisis. The time for small ideas is over.”

Warren was one of 14 presidential contenders in San Francisco for a three-day gathering of the California Democratic Party, featuring thousands of fervent activists. Biden was the only big-name candidate to skip the gathering, opting instead to campaign in Ohio.

Warren’s remarks served as the most direct jab at Biden, but South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg seemed to draw a contrast with the 76-yearold Biden when he said Democrats won’t win if they bring more of the same to the 2020 contest.

“The riskiest thing we can do is play it safe,” Buttigieg declared. “There’s no going back to normal.”

California Sen. Kamala Harris made no direct or indirect references to Biden during her Saturday morning speech, instead highlighting her policy plans and bringing the crowd to its feet with calls to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump.

“The thing I love about California Democrats is we are never afraid of a fight,” she said. “And we know right now we’ve got a fight on our hands.” New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker was the only candidate to reference Friday’s fatal shooting in Virginia Beach, Virginia,. He said the election is about more than finding a “savior” and simply beating Trump.

“It can’t be the call to beat Republicans. It must be the call to unite Americans in common cause and common purpose to tear down the injustices that still exist,” he said.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper took a different tack, eliciting boos when he declared “socialism is not the answer” to enacting progressive policies and beating Trump. He later wrote on his Twitter account: “I know this message won’t be popular with everyone in our party. But the stakes are too high.”

Biden, speaking at a Human Rights Campaign gala in Columbus, Ohio, didn’t mention his rivals but blasted Trump and his record on LGBTQ issues. He said that Democrats had the majority in the House because they were able to win in moderate and Republican-leaning districts.

“We didn’t have to be radical about anything,” he said. “They talked about basic, fundamental rights.”

Elizabeth Warren