This was literally the reason why Obama needed the optics of “calm, experienced (white, male) Joe Biden.” Which is funny in hindsight because Biden had been far far far more progressive than Obama ever was (despite getting no credit for it).

Biden is, and has been, as progressive as the median Senate Democrat for his entire political career. As the party has shifted left, he’s done so as well.

It also was conventional wisdom in the early 2010s that Obama was secretly supportive of same-sex marriage but couldn’t say so lest he lose social conservative Dem support. He needed Biden’s gaffe of announcing support to go, “yeah, ditto.”

Where was Biden far far more progressive?