Biden has his problems, but he’s a voice of reason

And so now, let’s assume that the roster of Democrats is basically complete.

Joe Biden, the longtime senator and two-term vice president, officially got into the presidential race Thursday, after months of hemming and hawing. That makes 20 candidates, which of course is completely goofy.

The opposition party will have to coalesce, eventually, around one candidate. Sen. Biden would have to be considered one of the favorites, given his prominence. Others would be Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, who have energized the left wing of the party in recent years. Others who seem to energize voters at the moment include Beto O’Rourke and Pete Buttigieg, but that sort of thing waxes and wanes.

They will no doubt start clobbering each other in an attempt to win the primary, since they have to distinguish themselves. That will mean a flawed candidate in some sense will be the one to take on incumbent Donald Trump in the general election. He will have the luxury of tweeting along, nicknaming his opponents and setting them up as fools.

Sen. Biden clearly has his problems. He mishandled the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas hearings a generation ago, a mistake that resonates in this era of #MeToo and the echoes in the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He apologized to Ms. Hill recently, in an attempt to close the loop, but she hasn’t exactly cleared him.

His tendency to touch and hug also makes people uneasy. The tweeter-in-chief, who has an uncanny gift for this sort of thing, has referred to him as “Creepy Uncle Joe.” He’s also referred to him as “Sleepy Joe,” presumably a reference to age or maybe energy level. Not sure we get that joke … but the point is, he has baggage.

ON THE OTHER hand, his is the voice of experience and know-how, and he speaks a language of common purpose and unity. That’s welcome in the race, and will provide a contrast with the youth of the likes of Mr. O’Rourke or some of the further edges of the party represented by Sens. Sanders and Warren.

How will it all play out? We have no clue. We’re certain Sen. Biden will play a substantial role, and with his entry in the race, it’s fully underway.