We learned that the Democrats had a state convention in California, and the man leading the polls did not attend, as we see in this report:

The tensions between former Vice President Joe Biden and liberal progressives were on full display this weekend in California, where most of the Democratic Party's presidential contenders were campaigning.

Several candidates were in San Francisco for the California Democratic Party convention and a slew of other gatherings — including MoveOn.org's Big Ideas Forum. Biden, who has sat comfortably atop the polls with a message anchored in more establishment Democratic politics, opted to stay out of the fray, skipping the convention and instead headlining the Human Rights Campaign's annual Ohio gala.

His absence, however, loomed over the events in California, a delegate-rich state that has moved up its primary earlier in 2020, potentially making it much more pivotal to the nomination-selection process. Handed out at California's Democratic Convention on Sunday by the Sacramento-based activist group Action for a Progressive Future were flyers that asked: "Where is Joe Biden?"

To say the least, it was a real lefty show, from booing Speaker Nancy Pelosi to a couple of presidential candidates warning about moving too far to the left.

Frankly, Mr. Biden is right to stay away.  What in the world would speaking to the California delegates do for him?

My sense is that the Biden team has concluded that such campaigning does nothing for his eventual plans to run against President Trump.  It's sort of similar to scheduling 2016 Democrat debates during playoff games.

In other words, Mr. Biden does not want to explain his past positions, from immigration to the crime bill to abortion.  He'd prefer to say nothing and then hope the media forget to ask him.

Will the missing Biden get away with it?  He may if he can get rid of most of his opposition by next spring.  It won't be easy once we get to the convention and actual campaign.

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