海角大神

Is Joe Biden an undeclared Bernie Sanders supporter? We ask that question because in a CNN interview broadcast Monday the vice president sure sounded like a secret member of the Feel the Bern club.

Talking with CNN鈥檚 Gloria Borger, Vice President Biden said that Senator Sanders is doing 鈥渁 heck of a job鈥� on the campaign trail. And he strongly backed the Vermont senator on the latter鈥檚 main issue, income inequality.

鈥淏ernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real, and he has credibility on it,鈥� said Biden.

In contrast, Hillary Clinton is a newcomer to this issue, according to the VP. The implication: She鈥檚 a less authentic voice on the dangers of the concentration of wealth, a core concern of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.

鈥淚t鈥檚 relatively new for Hillary to talk about that ... no one questions Bernie鈥檚 authenticity on those issues,鈥� said Biden.

Biden has since 鈥渃larified鈥� these statements, saying he intended no disrespect toward the former secretary of State. Mrs. Clinton has spent years focusing on foreign policy, Biden said Tuesday on NBC鈥檚 "Today", while inequality has been Sanders鈥檚 鈥渕antra鈥� since he leapt into the campaign.

But Biden perhaps protesteth too much. It鈥檚 no secret that he鈥檚 a liberal leaner, more inclined toward that faction that Howard Dean famously called the 鈥淒emocratic wing of the Democratic Party.鈥� Those are the folks most excited about the white-haired, finger-pointing, New York-accented presidential contender from Vermont. They鈥檙e the ones who chant his signature lines, such as 鈥渂reak up the banks,鈥� at rallies.

Nor is Biden the president of the United States. Barack Obama believes it鈥檚 unbecoming for the nation鈥檚 chief executive to endorse a Democratic candidate prior to the general election. But the VP may feel it鈥檚 OK for the second-in-command to at least hint at where his heart lies.

Plus, it鈥檚 clear Biden remains torn about not running for president himself. Earlier this month he said he regrets his decision to stay out 鈥渆very day,鈥� even though it remains the right decision for his family in the wake of the death of his son and presumed political heir, Beau.

Of course, as we鈥檝e noted in the past, Biden actually did run, after a fashion. He consulted advisers, dropped leaks to the press, and generally acted like someone engaged in the so-called 鈥渋nvisible primary鈥� stage of presidential politics.

The problem was he lost, to Hillary Clinton. She鈥檇 locked up all the establishment support long before Biden began his explorations. It seemed clear to him that he had no path to victory. That played a large role in his final decision.

So it would not be be too surprising if Biden鈥檚 feelings towards Clinton were a complicated mix of support, admiration, and resentment. In contrast, Sanders is playing the role of an emotional, populist crusader. In that sense he鈥檚 probably much closer to doing what Biden envisioned doing himself.