Page 3 - atoday

U.S. NEWS A3
Thursday 15 October 2015

Biden’s Path to 2016 Grows

Murky Following Debate

JOSH LEDERMAN Dan Pfeiffer, a former long-
Associated Press time political adviser to
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Barack Obama.
President Joe Biden’s po- Meanwhile, Sanders’ cam-
tential path to the White paign said Wednesday
House grew murkier on it raised nearly $2 million
Wednesday as Democratic in the hours after the de-
front-runner Hillary Rodham bate, while social media
Clinton emerged strength- metrics showed he was the
ened from the party’s first most-searched candidate
debate of the 2016 race, on Google and most-dis-
while Vermont Sen. Bernie cussed on Facebook and
Sanders solidified himself as Twitter.
her chief rival. While Biden’s indecision
Hunger among some Dem- had been expected to
ocrats for Biden to enter the loom conspicuously over
race has built for months the debate stage, the vice
amid concerns about low president instead was a
enthusiasm among voters non-entity.
for Clinton and questions His name didn’t come up
about her use of a private once during the two-hour
email account and server. event, and he acknowl-
While Biden’s supporters edged Wednesday the
and confidantes insisted party’s field of candidates
he isn’t taking his cues from appeared to be in good
Clinton, she nonetheless shape without him.
delivered a strong perfor- “I was proud,” Biden said. “I
mance in the debate, glid- thought every one of those
ing over potential hurdles folks last night — my own
while casting herself as prejudice — I thought they
the natural heir and pro- all did well.”
tector of President Barack He did not respond to a
Obama’s legacy. shouted question about
“The vice president would when he’ll announce his
still be a formidable candi- decision, and Clinton re-
date, but there is no ques- fused to comment on the
tion that Hillary Clinton as- impact Biden’s indecision
suaged a lot of Democrats may have on Democratic
nervous about the strength party chances in the gen-
of her candidacy,” said eral election.q

Clinton’s strong debate is a general election warning

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton pos- from Vermont Sen. Bernie cannot afford a Repub- siders. And just as the Re-
es for a selfie while stopping for ice cream Wednesday, Oct. Sanders, an independent lican to succeed Barack publicans’ raucous first two
14, 2015, in North Las Vegas, Nev. Clinton made a stop for ice and self-proclaimed dem- Obama as president of the debates exposed deep
cream with her staff and posed for pictures with people. ocratic socialist. Clinton United States,” she said. divisions and pressure on
aides insist the former sec- She referenced Republi- candidates to appease
(AP Photo/John Locher) retary of state isn’t taking cans a dozen times during conservative primary voters
the Democratic nomina- the two-hour debate, even without alienating the na-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hill- likely strength in a general tion for granted. putting the party alongside tional electorate, the op-
ary Rodham Clinton’s pol- election. The debate was the first for the Iranians and National position party argues that
ished performance in the While her strong debate the Democratic hopefuls Rifle Association on a list of Clinton’s shifts to the left on
first Democratic debate performance may have so- with nearly four months to enemies she was proud to major issues would hurt her
served more than anything lidified her standing as the go before primary voting have made. in the general election.
as a warning to the chaotic party’s front-runner, she still begins and more than a David Plouffe, an archi- Florida Sen. Marco Rubio
Republican field about her faces tough competition year before Election Day. tect of Obama’s two cam- said Wednesday that Clin-
On the Republican side, bil- paigns, wrote on Twitter ton was locked in “a race
lionaire Donald Trump has that Clinton looked like a to the left to see who could
surprised the political world candidate who could win be the most radically lib-
with his rise to the top of the the general election. eral, the most big govern-
polls, but no clear favorite To be sure, Clinton remains ment.” And former-Florida
has emerged among a a flawed candidate. Her Gov. Jeb Bush cast Clin-
crowded field of contend- evolving policy positions ton as the beneficiary of a
ers. On Tuesday, Clinton leave her open to charges Democratic field that side-
mostly appeared to be set- that she shifts with the po- stepped confrontations
ting her sights on the Re- litical winds. She’s a Wash- over her private email use,
publican field. ington insider in an election a controversy that has
“I can take the fight to the cycle where voters have dogged her campaign for
Republicans, because we shown more interest in out- months.q