2 dimenisional politics

Hilary Clinton epitomises the Washington insider; cosy with Wall Street and the moneyed power brokers, "moderate" enough not to alienate wealthy donors, with a coterie of advisers, opinion pollsters, PR and political consultants.

Bernie Sanders, by contrast, speaks not from a carefully tested and polished script but from a set of passionately held beliefs. Unlike Clinton, who comes across as calculating, instrumental ultimately inscrutable and inauthentic, there is never any doubt about Sanders' views. But absent a sea-change in American politics, he may do for the Democrats what Michael Foot did for Labour 33 years ago. That's the fear bolstering Hilary's nevertheless wilting campaign.

Enter Joe Biden. He's still a completely establishment insider. But like Sanders, you have the feeling that he speaks from the heart. His many 'gaffs' show how unscripted he is. Unlike Hilary, who oddly reminded me of Queen Elizabeth II, with her carefully masked disdain for, and completely lack of comprehension of, the lives of common folk (she noted last year than its been more than 30  years since she has driven herself anywhere), Biden used to take the train from Delaware to Washington, and is at easy with ordinary people in a way that Bill may have been able to fake but Hilary clearly can't.

If he does decide to run, Joe Biden may be the 'compromise' candidate that the Democrats are looking for.