That’s the spirit! Biden says he’s just a ‘transition candidate’ to put ‘the Mayor Petes of the world’ into office

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he will serve as a “transition candidate” in the 2020 race, arguing his primary role is to funnel new voices and ideas into government – rather than govern himself.

“I view myself as a transition candidate,” Biden said during a virtual fundraising event on Thursday, adding: “My job… is to bring the Mayor Petes of the world into this administration… and even when they don’t come in, their ideas come into this administration.”

Jumping far ahead of the election in November, as well as the Democratic nominating convention, Biden described his hopes for when he “leave[s] office,” saying he would handle “big issues” and garner attention for talented staffers who “haven’t been in the national spotlight enough.”

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The former VP’s latest slogan – effectively labeling a future Biden administration a placeholder before the more able “Mayor Petes of the world” can take over – did not inspire much confidence among netizens.

Pete Buttigieg – the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, perhaps known better as “Mayor Pete” – ended his presidential campaign in March, just in time for Super Tuesday, helping to push moderate Democratic voters to Biden. Critics have speculated that the mayor and other “centrist” candidates, such as Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, dropped out in coordination with the Biden campaign to ensure his victory over Sanders on Super Tuesday.

Supporters of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who dropped out of the race and endorsed Biden in early April, shredded the statement, arguing Democrats had traded a “transformational” candidate for a mere “transitional” one.

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