Biden Reminds Voters That Sanders Isn't A Democrat

With the Iowa caucus right around the corner, former vice president Joe Biden appears to be taking a different tact with his closest rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. – by telling voters that Sanders isn’t actually a Democrat.

“I’m a Democrat. Well, [Sanders] says he’s not. He’s not registered as a Democrat,” Biden said at a campaign event on Thursday, when asked how he differs from his opponent.

Biden’s simple argument is reminiscent of a strategy Hillary Clinton used during the 2016 primary, when she questioned why an independent was running alongside Democrats. Since then, Clinton has repeatedly maintained this stance. A new documentary on her 2016 bid for the White House has earned Clinton some heat after it came to light that in it, she said that “nobody likes” Sanders.

She faced backlash over the remarks and was rebuked by several Democratic candidates, including businessman Andrew Yang who said Clinton’s word did “not seem like a very helpful message.”

No doubt aware that he may be treading into similarly dangerous territory, Biden gently stepped back from his remarks about Sanders. During an interview on ABC’s Good Morning America on Friday, Biden said that while Sanders “is a Democrat” he also “calls himself a Democratic Socialist.”

Although Biden clearly reversed his position that Sanders isn’t a Democrat, the fact that he said so while mentioning that Sanders is also a Democratic Socialist is worth noting. This follows the tact moderate Democrats have taken in the hopes of curbing Sanders’ momentum – by making highlighting Sanders’ socialist leanings and implying that they will ultimately work against him in a general presidential election by turning off moderates and independent voters.

Whether such warnings will be taken to heart by voters remains to be seen.

On Monday, Iowa will become the first state to caucus. Current polling suggests Biden and Sanders are in a tight race for first place. Nationally, Sanders has made major strides in closing the gap with Biden, with the latest polls even suggesting Sanders may be overtaking Biden in support.