Run, Joe, Run!

I hereby express my enthusiasm for a possible Joe Biden presidential candidacy.

He would bring youth, diversity, and a fresh face into the Democratic competition — elements that are sorely needed.

And his history of fascinating comments, and the promise of many more, would provide excellent material for cartoonists, opposing political ads, and late-night comedians.

I’m guessing that his entry into the race would hurt Hillary far more than it would hurt Bernie Sanders; the Bernistas are committed to their dream of a socialist America, and Joe Biden wouldn’t get them there nearly as fast as Mr. Sanders, who, be it remembered, chose to spend his honeymoon in the Soviet Union.  (Of course, by some significant measures, the United States are already at least as socialist as Denmark.)

So maybe Joe Biden would give the Democratic nomination to Bernie Sanders.  That would be fun.

Or he would get it himself.  That would be fun.

Or perhaps he would weaken Hillary but, in the end, she would get it anyway.  That would be fun, too.

But it would be a lot more fun with a good Republican nominee.

And I’m  very afraid that we’re not going to get one.

I would be happy with Carly Fiorina.

I would be happy with Marco Rubio.  I think he’s Reaganesque.  (I wanted him as the vice-presidential nominee in 2012.)

I don’t think Ted Cruz has a chance.

I doubt that Jeb Bush is going to catch fire.

I like Rand Paul.  I’ve actually had dinner with him, and he’s very personable and good-humored.  But I worry about his foreign policy positions and, anyway, his campaign seems to be on life support.

And so forth.

I like Ben Carson a great deal, but one of the many concerns that I had about Mr. Obama back in 2007-2008, his lack of any executive experience at all, applies to Dr. Carson, as well.  (It’s a concern about Senator Rubio, too.  But there are mitigating factors in his case.)

As for Donald Trump — who, by the way, brayed insults at Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush and George W. Bush over the weekend — I continue to see lots of boasting but little if anything of substance in what he has to say, I don’t see him as a real or reliable conservative, and, if he has a presidential temperament, I’m a radish.

If he wins the Republican nomination (which he might do, though with at most a relatively small plurality of the vote), I’ll face a real moral dilemma come November.  (Think “Bernie the socialist versus Trump the demagogue.”)  And I think he’ll lose.

Sigh.

Maybe we’ll come to a deadlocked Republican convention, and the party will turn to somebody with high national name recognition and a cadre of loyal aides and donors all ready to go on short notice.  Someone who doesn’t “need” the office but who has a long record of service in both the public and private sectors.

One can dream.

By the way, presidential campaigns typically have official songs.  Here’s my suggestion for the Biden campaign.  It was written and performed by Loretta Lynn:

If you don’t get the joke, Google Joe Biden coal miner.  And that’s just one of many, many treats to come, should he run.  If people have doubts about Hillary’s veracity, what will they make of the inimitable Mr. Biden?