WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden is facing campaign-style scrutiny even before launching a campaign.
WASHINGTON — In countless conversations over the past year, former Vice President Joe Biden, his advisers and his broad network of friends and family have openly discussed the vulnerabilities he would face if he ran for president. A voting record that is sometimes at odds with the Democratic Party's leftward shift. His age. And the affectionate brand of politics that has made him beloved by many Democrats and a target of Republicans for years.
"He has considerable assets, but the downside of 45 years of experience and relationships is 45 years of experience and relationships," said David Axelrod, a longtime political adviser to President Barack Obama. Biden allies insist the eruption has done little to slow down planning for a 2020 campaign. Barring the unforeseen, he is expected to announce his candidacy, perhaps online, after Easter and immediately embark on a trip to early voting caucus and primary states. Those stops would be followed by a ceremonial kickoff.
But the past few weeks have laid bare the challenges Biden would face. Some women's groups have balked at his attempts to apologize for his role overseeing the Senate hearings in which Anita Hill accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. UltraViolet, the women's advocacy organization, said its message to Biden was"Do better. Do better for women."
The rush of attention on Biden's behavior with women has been particularly intense, raising questions about whether his hugs and shoulder squeezes are simply out of a different era or a new front in the MeToo movement that has put a spotlight on the actions of powerful men.
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