‘Silly season’ in politics grabs attention months ahead of schedule
Sep 4, 2015, 8:33 AM
PHOENIX — About 14 months away from the 2016 presidential election, the political silly season has become silly season on steroids.
That period during campaign season marked by eye-rolling behavior from candidates started a little early.
Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has gone after presumed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and members of his own party. They in turn have fired back at him.
Then there is the rise of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, as a serious challenger to Clinton.
And Clinton’s continuing email scandal has the GOP focusing on that.
KTAR political expert Mike O’Neil said it was no mystery why Americans were caught up in this race so early.
“This is great entertainment, the greatest show in town with Trump clearly the entertainer in chief,” O’Neil said.
“Like (Trump) or hate him you can’t take your eyes off of this. It’s great fun. This is not a serious time for politics. Wait until people in Iowa start voting and then it can be taken seriously. The Iowans will pare down this cast of thousands into two or three.”
The biggest wild card, observers said, was Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden is weighing the possibility of challenging Clinton just months after the death of his son Beau, 46, to cancer. According to CNN, Biden said that he “would not hesitate” to run for president if he concluded that he can launch a viable campaign and that his family can make it through a presidential bid.
“Obviously, there’s the personal side and he has to decide if he has the fire in the belly and my guess is he does,” O’Neil said. “Secondly, he has to see that Hillary is mortally wounded.
“If he gets in, I think it’s a sign that she’s in deep trouble. I think he gets in if he sees a clear path to victory.”
O’Neil said Biden’s meeting with U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts got tongues wagging because people who are excited about Sanders were excited about her first.
“I think they’d go back in a heartbeat for a Biden and Warren ticket.”
Biden was expected to make a decision this month. The first Democratic presidential debate was set for Oct. 13.
Biden failed in his runs at the White House in 1988 and 2008 before becoming Barack Obama’s running mate.