Former President Joe Biden is in Columbia, South Carolina, today to attend a reception celebrating his surprisingly big 2020 primary victory. It seems to be a long time coming, but the state’s Democratic Party figured it was a good idea – possibly a last chance – to thank the man for nearly 50 years of public service.
The event is on the quiet side: Not much advertising and secretive location details until someone RSVPs. Out of sight for Mr. Biden, who normally lights up with his Irishman’s smile when the flashbulbs begin whoosh-popping at his appearance. For $125 a ticket, well-suited attendees can enjoy a cocktail buffet and say a proper goodbye and thank you to number 46 for getting them to this point.
As one might recall, Biden had lost the first three Democratic Primary states: Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada. And that’s when Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) decided the man associated with a lot of Ku Klux Klan members needed his help.
I’ll Get By with a Little Help
South Carolina wants to thank Mr. Biden. Mr. Biden needs to thank Clyburn, undoubtedly the biggest political powerhouse in the state. The 85-year-old Clyburn is the de facto Democratic Party leader in a state where roughly 60% of all Democratic voters are black. His voice, opinion, and probably lotto numbers are copied, entrusted, and nearly enshrined. The man did not need Biden. But nevertheless, he stepped in.
Clyburn’s sound reasoning was emotional: His late wife, Emily, loved Joe Biden. Whatever he said and did, Biden won handily in that fourth primary contest. Exit polls indicated that nearly half – 47% – of Democratic primary voters in South Carolina said Clyburn’s endorsement – or his late wife’s – was a deciding factor, and 24% said it was the most important factor. The guy has game.
"You brought me back," Biden told Clyburn and called him "my buddy."
Does today’s visit help South Carolina politically, or did the state pull the gentleman out of his house before it was too late. As long as Clyburn is alive, Democrats will remain in good shape. So is it a guilty goodbye of sorts?
Biden’s Cancer Is Taking a Toll
Joe Biden is 83 and could be living large after his lengthy bout of public service. But prostate cancer has reduced the retirement years to doctor appointments and hormone treatments. It’s a damn good thing he took so much time off as president (570 days) to lie around on the beach. But no cancer diagnosis is fair. Joe’s cancer has a Gleason score of nine, meaning it is aggressive and more likely to spread quickly and to the spine. The Gleason scale stops at ten, and disease experts say at this level getting out of bed can cause the spine to snap.
Biden handled his diagnosis at the time with grace – even as all around him the media and political opponents were nosing around for a conspiracy. But nearly two years later, Biden has all but been erased from public views and media interactions. With a man who craved the attention, that alone speaks volumes of where the president is with his current health crisis.
But after a period of retreating to the shadows, the former president will have to be seen somewhere in Columbia, South Carolina, and actually speak. Will he appear robust and deliver what the Democratic Party in the Palmetto State expect? That would be nice for all involved, but no one is holding their breath.
