Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is vulnerable, but not enough for Vice President Joe Biden to enter the race, author and political columnist John Fund told
Newsmax TV on Friday.
"He realizes that he has almost a universal name ID, but he does not have universal respect among Democratic professionals or even the Democrat base," Fund, a Newsmax contributor and National Review Online columnist, told "Newsmax Prime" host J.D. Hayworth. "They view him as a nice guy, but sort of like the crazy uncle in the attic.
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"Before you saw Joe Biden step in, you'd be looking at people like John Kerry, the secretary of state; you'd be looking at people like [Massachusetts Sen.] Elizabeth Warren, maybe even [former New York Mayor] Michael Bloomberg, who once was a Democrat and could become one again."
Democratic consultant Brad Bannon agreed, calling all the talk about a Biden campaign "just rumors."
"What Vice President Biden is trying to do is to be ready in the event that Hillary Clinton's candidacy collapses," he said. "I don't think it's going to collapse — and I don't think Joe Biden is going to run.
"It's fun to speculate, but I don't think it's going to happen."
They also agreed that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has soared in the polls because the Democratic establishment is disconnected with core voters.
"The Democratic establishment is so divorced from the daily concerns of much of the Democratic base that they're in full revolt," Fund said. "They see a Democratic Party that, like the Republicans, has often been too close to big business and to Wall Street — and that too many Democrats like Hillary Clinton supported the Iraq War.
"When it comes to a lot of social issues, Hillary Clinton may be on the same page, but they don't trust her sincerity because she was such a johnny-come-lately on so many issues."
Bannon said that Sanders' rise marked a "battle between establishment Washington politicians and populist politicians who are skeptical of the way the system is working and want to make it better.
"You see that on the Democratic side with Bernie Sanders and you see it on the Republican side, maybe even with someone like Donald Trump, who has a big lead in the Republican polls now."
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