Biden claims momentum as Sanders moves forward
CHARLESTON, S.C. >> Eyeing a South Carolina victory to rescue his presidential ambitions, Joe Biden claimed one of the state’s most coveted endorsements on Wednesday as Democratic front-runner Bernie Sanders marched past the blistering assault from his rivals on the debate stage the night before.
And Pete Buttigieg, a leading critic of both Biden and Sanders, canceled multiple events on the day saying he was sick.
The developments came just three days before South Carolina’s presidential primary election — and six days before Super Tuesday — with the Democratic establishment growing increasingly concerned that Sanders, a polarizing progressive, is tightening his grip on his party’s presidential nomination.
Biden is staking his candidacy on a win in South Carolina on Saturday that would deny Sanders a third consecutive clear victory. He got a boost Wednesday after earning the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the highest-ranking black member of Congress and a South Carolina political kingmaker.
“I want the public to know that I’m voting for Joe Biden. South Carolina should be voting for Joe Biden,” Clyburn said, later adding “I know Joe. We know Joe. But most importantly, Joe knows us.”
Speaking afterward, Biden predicted victory and slapped at Sanders. “Today, people are talking about a revolution,” Biden said. “But what the country’s looking for are results.”
The night before, Biden and his Democratic rivals unleashed a roaring assault against Sanders during a contentious debate that tested the strength of the undisputed front-runner in the party’s presidential nomination fight.
Sanders faced the brunt of the attacks for much of the night, and for one of the few times, fellow progressive Elizabeth Warren was among the critics. The Massachusetts senator pressed the case that she could execute ideas that the Vermont senator could only talk about.
“Bernie and I agree on a lot of things,” she said. “But I think I would make a better president than Bernie.”
A group of moderates, meanwhile, fought to emerge as the chief Sanders alternative.
Biden argued that only he has the experience to lead in the world. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar repeatedly contended that she alone could win the votes of battleground state moderates. And Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, pointed to Sanders’ self-described democratic socialism and his recent comments expressing admiration for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro’s push for education.