Biden bombs at New Hampshire rally after releasing attack ad mocking Buttigieg

Voters in New Hampshire will go to polls on Tuesday for first-in-the-nation primary

Just half a day after Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg faced off during the New Hampshire democratic debate, the former vice president came out swinging with an ad bashing the former mayor’s experience.

The ad mocked the relatively small responsibilities the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, would have had compared to that of Mr Biden’s most recent job, the vice presidency. Whereas Mr Biden helped negotiate things like the Affordable Care Act and the auto industry bailout, Mr Buttigieg spent eight years in charge of a mid-sized American city changing pet collar regulations and adding colourful lights to the underside of bridges, the advert claimed.

With just days before voters head to the polls in the New Hampshire primary, the ad marked an escalation in Mr Biden’s attacks after Mr Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders both walked away with their own respective “wins” in the Iowa caucuses. The ad seemed to signal that Mr Biden may have some fight left in him even after the devastating fourth place finish in that contest.

Joe Biden waves during his speech at the 100 Club Dinner in Manchester, New Hampshire, ahead of the Democratic primary (Getty Images)

But when Mr Biden took the stage on Saturday night for the Mcintyre-Shaheen dinner in Manchester — the state Democratic Party’s fundraiser that gives every candidate the chance to show off the might of the power of their organising and support — his performance may well have signalled something else entirely: instead of a strong fighter and eventual presidential nominee, he may well end up being a footnote in the 2020 presidential contest.

At that fundraiser, virtually every candidate except Mr Biden seemed to energize the crowd. Supporters jumped to their feet and waved light-up signs for Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Mr Buttigieg. Amy Klobuchar roused the crowd, too. But Mr Biden delivered a speech that was met largely by silence, with just dozens of his supporters who were barely visible at times amid the commotion.

The Mcintyre-Shaheen 100 Club dinner is a fundraiser that carries with it the vibe of a small-scale national party convention.

Supporters pile into the arena, which has been used for events from rodeos and ice capades, as well as hockey and basketball games. Those supporters set up booths, and organise their cheers. It’s a literal battle to drown out the opponent with sound and handheld signs held high to catch the eye of the C-SPAN cameras in the back.

On Saturday, Mr Biden and his supporters seemed to lose that battle. For the casual observer, it may have seemed a four-way race between the three senators in the room, and the mayor.

“New Hampshire, on Tuesday, let’s make history,” Mr Buttigieg said at the end of his speech, which itself drew boos at moments from Mr Sanders’s supporters. He then turned to wave and smile at every section of supporters, as his supporters went buck wild in their yellow t-shirts.

Ms Warren and Mr Sanders managed to snag the back two halves of the arena behind the stage, a direct shot behind the cameras, making it look as though the two senators from neighbouring states had brought the largest crews with them.

Mr Sanders, for his part, energised his supporters with something of a victory lap, arguing that many of the progressive policies being argued by Democrats in 2020 are policies he championed four years ago. And, he claimed victory in Iowa: “We won the popular vote in Iowa by 6,000 votes,” he said, to massive cheers. Bright pink light-up signs bounced with his name behind him.

On Tuesday, voters in the state will determine whether any of the shows of force Saturday night will matter much to voters — or if they show the kind of momentum and interest that can be seen on TV. As things stand, polls show Mr Sanders in the lead just ahead of Mr Buttigieg. Meanwhile, Ms Warren and Mr Biden find themselves in a near tie for third.

But, the turnout on Saturday showed a big gap between Ms Warren and Mr Biden, at least among those who showed up.

“Dream Big! Fight Hard!” Ms Warren’s supporters, in her campaign’s light green t-shirts shouted in a call-and-return after her speech to the room, prolonging her walk-off from the stage. His supporters, meanwhile, were barely visible in the commotion.