Labor's commitment to economic justice, Biden said, explains why corporate-funded conservative groups, and their legislative minions, are attacking collective-bargaining rights. "These guys on the right -- they know without you there -- they call every shot," he said. For that reason, he said, they have launched "a concerted, full-throated, well-organized, well-financed, well-thought-out effort waging war on labor's house."
The vice president did not deny that the right has had its successes, in Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and other states. That, he said, is why it is necessary to "be vigilant and unrelenting in our fight to protect and expand collective bargaining."
There is no subtlety with Biden.
But there is a subtext.
In a Democratic Party that is sick with compromisers and concessionists, the vice president is savvy enough to present himself as a happy class warrior. That doesn't mean he's better on the issues than Senator Elizabeth Warren or Senator Bernie Sanders or any other "dream" candidate. But if no prominent progressive populist runs, Biden is suggesting that he would be willing, make that delighted, to fill the void.
Read Next: The Nation launches "Project 45."
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).