Biden: ‘I will win’ in S.C.

Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden says if he survives New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary next January, he will win South Carolina.

“I will win the South Carolina primary,” the U.S. senator from Delaware repeated several times, tapping his fingers on the conference table for emphasis.

“I believe it. I genuinely believe it,” he added.

What is the basis for this sudden burst of optimism?

“Independent voters are going to call this race in South Carolina,” Biden said in a meeting Monday with The State’s editorial board and others.

Considered a long shot at best, Biden has been spending a great deal of time campaigning in four early voting states — Iowa, which has a caucus; New Hampshire, which has a primary; Nevada, which has caucus; and South Carolina with its primary.

Biden quietly has been planting seeds of optimism, cultivating the black community, raising money, enlisting campaign workers and accepting endorsements.

All seemingly for naught.

Surveys have Biden languishing in the cellar, pulling in about 3 percent of the vote.

Political experts and party leaders don’t give him much of a chance.

Francis Marion University political scientist Neal Thigpen of Florence called Biden’s boast of impending victory “a flight into fantasy.”

Emory University analyst Merle Black says Biden is one of the most able, learned and experienced candidates running. But he said he doesn’t see how the senator could pull off the S.C. feat.

Biden dismisses the poll numbers showing him with little chance of winning. He calls them meaningless.

“If I’m able to survive and beat expectations in all three contests, I’ll be able to raise all the money I need,” Biden said.

Biden points out he is in the same position in the polls that U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts was when he ran in 2004. Kerry came out of nowhere to win the Iowa caucus. He was unstoppable after that.

Kerry raised $57 million in 11 days after that, Biden pointed out.

Biden remains optimistic. Those same polls showing him losing also note that fewer than 15 percent of all primary voters have definitely made up their minds. A majority of voters still are searching for a candidate.

Biden likes his chances.

“The gun has gone off,” he noted, signaling the start of the race. “Now is when the focus begins.”

The thing he must do, Biden said, is put together enough support in the early states to break out.

“I only have to end up in the top four to get out of Iowa. I’m the only one who can probably survive that,” he argued. “I’ll be able to be in a position where I will do very well in Nevada and New Hampshire.”

“What I need to show, and it won’t happen until the end, is real live viability. And if I’m alive and well coming out of New Hampshire, I will win this race. I truly believe it.”

Bandy, now retired, worked 40 years at The State as a political writer. Reach Bandy at (803) 771-8648.