I’m a lifelong Democrat and about as liberal as they come. But that does not mean I have never voted for a Republican. Just wanted to get that out of the way.

I Don’t Know About Biden as Nominee

While I don’t yet know if Biden is the best Democratic nominee to be Donald Trump, and beating Donald Trump must happen, I do think he is wounded.

Too Much Emphasis on Iowa

We put way too much emphasis on Iowa, and like lemmings the candidates rush to Iowa in droves spending millions to court voters in this first voter judgment. But what a debacle and from a state that hardly represents the whole nation anyway.

So Iowa May Not Be a Bell-weather

So Iowa may not be a bell-weather, neither may New Hampshire given that it is Bernie Sanders/Elizabeth Warren territory.  There are other primaries, as well, before the big March 3 Super Tuesday, so he has time to prove himself.

But Burisma and Hunter Remain

But the biggest cloud surrounding Biden is his official role in working with Ukraine on eliminating corruption, while his son, Hunter, served on the board of Burisma Holdings Ltd., a large energy holding company. Obviously Hunter was chosen for the board because of his father’s name, something he seems to have capitalized on throughout his life.

No Real Credentials for the Job

He appears to have had no real credentials for the job. And even U.S. Senator Mitt Romney mentioned that there was an obvious conflict of interest in Biden as vice president working to eliminate corruption in Ukraine with his son in that position. Romney mentioned this in his courageous explanation for why he was voting in favor of one of the articles of impeachment of President Trump.

Error in Judgment

So wasn’t it an error in judgment on the part of Vice President Biden to allow his son to take the Burisma position? For that matter, isn’t it wrong for the children of any public official to profit from their parents’ name, with the parents’ consent–especially when it appears there is a conflict of interest?

It Just Sits Wrong

I have earned every position I ever held, none particularly noteworthy or lucrative, on my own. I don’t think what Hunter Biden did was right. And I think his father should have called him out for it, publicly if need be.

Biden Still a Popular Choice

While I probably will make another selection on Super Tuesday, I think Biden has many attributes that would make him a worthy president.  He is experienced and moderate. He could, I think, help dissolve some of the acrimony between parties. He has apologized for errors he made in his long-ago Senate career, including his vote for the Iraq war and his treatment of Anita Hill. While wealthy, he comes across as everyone’s neighbor.

We’ll just have to see what primary voters think.