Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden whose campaign was considered dead, buried and forgotten came out swinging at the South Carolina debate on Tuesday night in what many described as a striking comeback ahead of a make-or-break race on Saturday that may position him for a win on Super Tuesday in just a week.
Joe Biden appeared forceful and more believable, pummeling Senator Bernie Sanders and making him appear as a man who cannot and should not be trusted by African Americans who represent more than 60 percent of voters in South Carolina.
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg performed better in tonight’s debate but was not excellent, missing to strike back at Elizabeth Warren.
With most of the Democrats on the debate stage arguing that Sanders was too extreme and Bloomberg was too risky, Joe Biden appeared to be a moderate candidate with the right experience and track record.
Biden’s attacks on Sanders on race certainly were decisive for black and brown people who were watching from home.
It was Biden’s most colorful, most forceful and most consequential debate to date.
It was Biden’s most colorful, most forceful and most consequential debate to date.
Before now, even his ardent supporters had begun having doubts over his ability to defeat Donald Trump next November or even win the nomination.
It is my analysis that Joe Biden was the clear winner tonight and his performance has thrown wide open the Democratic nomination.