Dear Friends,

For the past few weeks, I’ve been clear about my intention to caucus for Tom Steyer and, if he’s not viable, then to support Bernie Sanders in realignment. My reasoning is simple. The climate crisis is an existential threat that trumps all issues. Steyer is the strongest on climate. Sanders is second.

Even for those of us who’ve decided who we’re going to support, there’s value in attending other candidates’ events to further elevate the climate conversation. That was my intent at Joe Biden’s “block party” on Sunday. After long answers to a handful of pre-arranged questions, Biden invited attendees to come up front for a photo and a brief question.

Sam Kuhn, Shaun Ahern, Kathy Byrnes, and I accepted his offer. I wanted to ask Biden about his stated opposition to new pipelines even as he supports replacing older existing pipelines. Those two positions are incompatible, and I wanted to know where he really stood.

Click on the image to check out our interaction, which is disturbing on a number of levels. Biden doesn’t even attempt to address my concern. All he says is that serious climate action by 2030 isn’t realistic.

Biden: "Go vote for someone else." When asked about pipeline infrastructure, Joe Biden advises Ed Fallon to "Go vote for someone else." He goes on to say, in so many words, that we can't make a difference by 2030. Posted by Bold Iowa on Monday, January 27, 2020

And despite his repeated calls for unity, Biden rejects my offer to support him in the general election. That really shocked me. What was even more shocking was how Biden pushed and poked me, and then took hold of my jacket with both hands as he lectured me.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it one more time: Joe Biden is the Democratic candidate LEAST likely to beat Donald Trump. His demeanor on the stump will inevitably come back to bite him, perhaps repeatedly. His propensity to violate personal space is a huge non-asset in politics, and his frequent gaffes are prime fodder for opponents and the media.

Most important, Biden is simply wrong on climate change, and out-of-step with voters on so many issues.

So, here’s the truth that has become impossible to ignore:

PERCEIVED OUTSIDER BEATS PERCEIVED INSIDER. ALWAYS.

America isn’t a nation divided left vs. right. It’s divided status quo vs. the rest of us. That’s why George W. Bush beat Al Gore and John Kerry. That’s why Barrack Obama beat John McCain and Mitt Romney. That’s why Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton, and why Trump will beat Biden.

Who are our best outsider/anti-status quo prospects? Steyer, Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Tulsi Gabbard. Never has a Democratic presidential primary field been so rich with so many talented anti-status quo voices (and yes, I miss Marianne Williamson and Jay Inslee).

We have our choices. Let’s not screw this up. Don’t repeat the mistake that’s been made for the past twenty years. Donald Trump MUST be stopped, and it will take a candidate not pegged to the status quo to do it.

Ed Fallon