The articulate Vice President Joe Biden thread

And it's off to the races with Jill Biden... SHHHHHHHH!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/01/jill-biden-tell.html

During the taping of the Oprah Winfrey show today, Dr. Jill Biden said that her husband, the vice president-elect, was given a choice of being either vice president or secretary of state....

Elizabeth Alexander, spokesperson for the vice president-elect, writes: "To be clear, President-elect Obama offered Vice President-elect Biden one job only -- to be his running mate. And the Vice President-elect was thrilled to accept the offer."

Haha, I was going to start this very thread on him today.

To be fair, that's more of a Dr. Jill Biden snafu. Also, at least Biden gives off a sincere vibe and not one a malevolent, sinister vibe like our former Veep.

the Vice President-elect was thrilled to contradict his truth-spouting wife

sincerely oily

Do Dennis Perrin or Bruce Cockburn have anything interesting to say about this?

haha Bruce Cockburn

"If I had a rocket launcher / No flight back to Crawford"

Haha, well I already knew Alexander Cockburn didn't have anything interesting to say.

and since YOU ASKED!

God, I hate inaugurations -- a massive commercial for the imperial state, with some "populist" tinsel tossed around to make consumers feel included. And like clockwork, media mouthpieces assure us that no other country on the face of the planet, perhaps in all of history, transfers power so peacefully, so democratically. As if every other nation shuffles leaders via summary executions in windowless basements. Inaugurations show us, full blast, how arrogant and insecure our owners remain, thus the relentless propaganda about American "uniqueness." It's nauseating to witness, but it works.

"Think the rubes bought it?"

"They better. This thing's costing a fortune!"

http://dennisperrin.blogspot.com/2009/01/o-nauguration.html

As if every other nation shuffles leaders via summary executions in windowless basements.

The dark side of Canada REVEALED.

what a retard

he's got the refreshing cynicism of a 14-year-old goth

whereas ppl who think Bam is a liberal actually are 14 years old

this is gonna be the longest thread ever

> sincerely oily

Don't forge my signature!

I really am with Morbius on at least a fair amount of stuff, but quoting Dennis Perrin makes me think he's the Alex in NYC of politics.

yes let's please have this interesting discussion about the views of dr morbius again

Not all of Perrin's views are mine.

was anyone else surprised that Justice Stevens didn't hand Biden his robe and say "I quit" the second the VP oath was done?

no

I was wondering about that. Too bad they couldn't have asked Alito!

Stevens just has to be relieved he doesn't have to survive to 105 now

Scalito's Way

Perrin is a fucking idiot.

In case that wasn't clearly established already.

I'll get back to you in 100 days

Watched Mr. Biden talk to Oprah last night. He continues to be unpleasant.

You can expect anything pleasant to come out of watching Oprah.

Inaugurations show us, full blast, how arrogant and insecure our owners remain, thus the relentless propaganda about American "uniqueness."

America is unique for a number of fairly significant reasons (biggest, most successful, longest-running experiment in representative democracy, for one)

let me know when that democracy arrives, Mo

- Leonard Cohen

I'll get back to you in 100 days

can't wait

or never, you sheep.

Wake up, sheeple!

tbh the whole style of the inauguration is pretty grotesque - did have some great moments in spite of that tho

sheep-shaped cloud

http://my2bucks.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/oldmanyellsat-cloud.jpg

http://images.salon.com/ent/movies/review/2008/12/12/gran_torino/story.jpg

lol

sweet belt, clint

morbs this is weirdly gross even for your "everyone is the same" style? i dunno something about this thread is really vomity to me.

I wonder, Morbs, what contemporary governments we should looks to for pointers? Governments of large, world-leading, heavily-armed countries, I mean. Or even historically. Where do we find the morally unblemished examples of representative government in action that should inspire us? Not, mind you, in small bystander nations that have few concerns outside the tending of local pea-patches, but among the "superpowers" of this or that era.

I'm trolling, kinda, not cuz I don't think any such examples exist, but cuz I'm not really trying to defend what America gets wrong. The lack of a better example does not forgive us our faults. But the snarling, embittered, wounded-idealist schtick gets kind mystifying when it issues from the mouth of someone over, say, 35 years old (not that I presume to know your age). I mean, when one knows a bit of history and has had the opportunity to observe the human animal at work for a few decades, it seems to me that one more-or-less naturally comes to understand why the application of power falls so consistently short of its nobly stated ideals. I.e., the "failure" comes to seem less like hypocrisy and more like the gap that always stands between ambitions and acheivements, even when one is most successful -- and especially when action necessarily involves the cooperation of many individuals with wildly differing agendas, some much more powerful than others.

To understand is not to forgive, necessarily, but it does tend to temper judgement. Evil must be opposed, of course, but examined fairly, the action of the American government consists of a myriad sub-actions, some more evil and some more good. The trick is to work practically & pragmatically with the good to minimize the evil -- not to simplistically insist that the whole enterprise is worthless until all evil is expunged.

The thread in and of itself is unobjectionable, lord knows we're gonna need a rolling lolling Biden thread for at least 4 years

xpost

ya rly

schef, I think of it more as "every pol is not different enough."

apparently I'm not the only one who's creeped out by the new Veep even tho NO HE IS NOT CHENEY.

contenderizer, i'm tryin real hard to think of net good accomplished by the American government since Jan 1981. (and yes I voted in '80)

let me know when that democracy arrives, Mo

Democracy is relative. America is a republic but even so it is more democratic than every other republic/democracy that preceded it.

Americans are pissy enough about participating in a republic, imagine if they actually had to vote on everything!

every pol is sacred, every pol is good

Morbius, doesn't keeping millions and millions of less-well-to-do citizens (and non-citizens) fed and clothed and housed count for something? And what about countless international aid efforts? And what about bridge-building with China, regarless of the motives? And how about the slow move towards the legal validation of gay people and gay relationships? And how about Clinton-era movement towards environmental protection? Net good is subjective, I'm a progressive, and this country has been under conservative control for 20 of the last 28 years (and Clinton's administration was only nominally liberal). This means that I mostly agree with you. My vision of "the good" has been squashed by someone else's. But that doesn't justify ALL IS SHIT AND AMERICA SUCKS or some other equivalently peeved/simplistic sandwich-board sloganeering.

Over the course of its history, America has accomplished good and done evil, as most nations do, great or small. In a very broad sense, I'd say that we are now a wiser and in some ways morally "better nation" than we have been for most of our history (Dubya years notwithstanding, of course).

the steps backward in this country are fewer than the steps forward, but they tend to be louder.

dude this is a thread about biden saying dumb shit, lighten up xpost

better in many ways, worse in many, need to Rise Above.

I'm sure we share the same basic wishes and goals for our nation and world, 'tender, but 28 years of Reaganism is enough (omar -- no, backwards for 3 decades); it's chucked many powerless citizens by the wayside. I hope we see a real course change, but given the entrenchment of institutional monied interests, I'm waiting but not expectant.

Wait. Why are we telling someone calling Morbs out on his tedious bullshit to stop?

why did everybody stand up? are you supposed to? the way broadcast was edited seemed like Louis Gossett Jr. was first to stand so I figured maybe it was old school etiquette...

Yeah, the way they all stood for Elia Kazan.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/06/you-are-a-warrior-joe-biden-writes-moving-open-letter-in-support-of-stanford-rape-survivor/

Manu Raju (CNN)
‏@mkraju
Just asked Biden if he's concerned w Bernie backers at DNC; said Ds should "show a little class" and let em be angry

@ggreenwald
Glad to see Biden say this. The bullying demands that all Sanders supporters instantly fall in line & cheer is gross

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/757972317456695296

"Instantly"

like since Super Tuesday

https://twitter.com/VP/status/761253705341480962

Onion Biden and real Biden are now one

http://deadsp.in/wtdIBTU

“’Because I’m a billionaire I can do things other people can’t.’ What a disgusting assertion for anyone to make,” Biden said while campaigning for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania. “The press always ask me, don’t I wish I was debating him? No, I wish we were in high school, and I could take him behind the gym. That’s what I wish."

Onion Biden and real Biden are now one

http://deadsp.in/wtdIBTU

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, October 20, 2016 3:37 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol this was EXACTLY what I came in this thread to post with EXACTLY the same sentiment

But there's also this Joe Biden

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bidens-last-stand-convincing-democrats-not-to-give-up-on-the-white-working-class-voters-fueling-trump/2016/10/21/d4230d4a-7a94-11e6-ac8e-cf8e0dd91dc7_story.html

As his motorcade barreled into a high-dollar fundraiser in this wealthy St. Louis suburb recently, Vice President Biden noticed the firehouse next door. He told his aides to cut the fundraiser short a few minutes so that he and the Democrat running for Senate here could visit with the firefighters on the way out. These were his people, and for more than 10 minutes Biden talked to the fire company about what they do and how members of his own family had been saved by their work.

“Hey, I’ve used you guys several times, and it was great,” Biden told the crew, according to Clayton Fire Chief Mark Thorp. The fire crew was stunned by the gesture, Thorp said. “He just as easily could’ve gotten in his car and waved.”

Meanwhile: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/clinton-biden-secretary-of-state-230428

Neither Clinton, nor her aides have yet told Biden. According to the source, they’re strategizing about how to make the approach to the vice president

Guys, let's try to keep this between just us and Politico, okay? Oh, I can't wait to see the look on Joe's face when she springs the news!

I'm sure Jill will let the cat out of the bag before it's time.

As the State Dept becomes less powerful in relation to Defense, maybe affability and a 150 watt smile are roughly the right tools for the job. But the main talent HRC might be thinking about here may be his loyalty. He'd never go behind her back to slag her off to journalists because of an internal power struggle.

Plus another four years of Onion Biden stories, only this time with datelines from around the world

My LOL of the week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjx-1gE9J7U

https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15171309_1126455830737269_7256971130739091606_n.jpg?oh=2a416a871f2878cb69c77147e7ec6060&oe=58C7F437

https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/2000/1*wXcs7rUo0i93g4oTqi8cxA.jpeg

from

https://medium.com/@WhiteHouse/behind-the-lens-2016-year-in-photographs-9e2c8733bbb3#.n48snl9n8

Beyond all of the most obvious awfulness of the next four years, I keep being reminded that we won't be seeing anyone from the executive branch just acting like a normal fucking human being who interacts with other human beings normally. Spray Trump with a super soaker and he'll just tweet about how sad and disrespectful that eight-year-old was.

...and Pence would sponsor the kid for electroshock.

well, yeah

The water stain on Pence's shirt would be the image of Christ. Amen.

and really, SuperSoaker optics are really important, like FLOTUS singing in James Corden's car

Someone on Reddit: Obama should resign a few days early just so Joe gets to be the 45th President for the next week.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C14U6VpXAAIwQK-.jpg

change we can believe in

It'll be on Snopes in five .. four ..

Zombies and Moustaches and Biden

http://www.npr.org/2017/01/12/509545778/in-surprise-send-off-president-obama-awards-biden-presidential-medal-of-freedom

you beautiful old bastard you

@DennisThePerrin
Only a decaying imperialist culture could venerate Joe Biden. There are no take backs.

@mrsinisterlefty
Come on, the man gifted Clarence Thomas to America. He deserves thanks from a grateful nation.

Godspeed to you and to Dennis in your search for the politician whose unimpeachable purity will lead us all into a new golden age filled with joy and prosperity and only the finest of linens and marble columns of such fine craftsmanship that to behold them is to weep.

notice how Morbs isn't quoting Charles Pierce (who was appropriately nuanced) this time.

what are some good biden portmanteaus and morbsian wordplays

joe lie-den

joe corporate buyden

those aren't very good though

glad yer down w/ Clarence, Old Lunch

(and presumably credit-card-co whoredom)

shove "purity" where bad improv goes

Your career?

I'd prefer it if Morbs took out a list of previous Medal of Freedom winners and told us how many deaths they caused

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/us/politics/joe-biden-delaware.html

So the quiet life that the Bidens lived away from their official duties in Washington, and the weekend rituals that were a large part of it, will continue. On Saturday that means taking Natalie and Hunter to the Charcoal Pit restaurant, where Mr. Biden will almost certainly order his usual meal of hamburger, French fries and milk shake that he has been gobbling down for decades, according to Juan Avilez, a cook at the Charcoal Pit who has been making that meal for Mr. Biden for 26 years.

“His all-time favorite is the black-and-white,” a vanilla milkshake mixed with chocolate syrup, Mr. Avilez said.

On Sundays, the Bidens will still be in the pews of St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church just as they have been for decades. After the service, their habit is to stop by Janssen’s Market, where Xavier Vega, the weekend cook there, will fix up Mr. Biden’s usual breakfast: eggs over easy with a side of dry wheat toast.

Their beloved house will continue to serve as a refuge for the entire Biden clan. The only real change will be that Mr. Biden will need a new car, since the 1967 Corvette that he got from his father and still cherishes is just for special occasions.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/01/joe-biden-barack-obama-partnership-white-house-214662

They spoke alone at their weekly lunches and alone after the Presidential Daily Briefing on intelligence and almost every important meeting when both were in Washington. But sometimes, their most important communication was unspoken. Obama and Biden worked in wordless tandem in the Situation Room, where Biden served as what Obama told me he called “my hidden proxy.” By pre-arrangement familiar to fans of buddy cop movies, Biden posed tough questions and offered provocative ideas that Obama wanted discussed but preferred not to raise himself, for fear of tilting the debate.

liked this -

Biden likes to say that “when they call me ‘Middle Class Joe,’ they don’t mean it as a compliment.” He’s still ticked off at Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, for lobbying him on an internet piracy bill with the argument: “You understand we’re the economic engine of America. We will deluge the White House.” Biden offered respect for Google’s “value-added” but told me he felt like throwing Schmidt out of his office. He pointed out that, all together, the tech sector employed fewer workers than GM shed in a single year during the Great Recession.

yeah fuck eric schmidt

here is a horribly, horribly written story that contains a gem of clearest Joe
http://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/06/23/joe-biden-s-beef-with-bill-ackman-sparks-heated-exchange-and-presidential-chatter.html

Biden explained that part of the decision stemmed from the death of his son Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015. The room grew quiet as Biden became emotional, and said: “I’m sorry…I’ve said enough.”

That’s when Ackman blurted out “Why? That’s never stopped you before.”

The formal, and understated dinner conversation suddenly turned tense, according to three people who were present and confirmed both the substance and the wording of Biden’s responses.
Biden, these people say, turned to someone seated near him, and asked, “who is this asshole?,” a reference to Ackman.

Then he turned directly to Ackman and stated: “look, I don't know who you are, wiseass, but never disrespect the memory of my dead son!” these people say.

Ackman attempted what was described as an apology, to which Biden said, "just shut the hell up."

(and here is nymag's attempt to edit it into something people would read: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/06/biden-owned-a-billionaire-who-mocked-him-over-his-late-son.html)

fuck Joe btw

Joe Biden: "I wish I had been able to do more for Anita Hill. I owe her an apology." https://t.co/NKi2RBHm7F

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 14, 2017

He was the chairman of the senate judiciary committee. He was ABLE to do more than he did. Also, on "owing" her an apology...it's been 26 years, dude.

— Rebecca Traister (@rtraister) December 14, 2017

You might think having been vice president would help Joe Biden get elected, but the last Democratic Party vice president to become president (without their predecessor dying in office) was Martin Van Buren in 1836.

— Jon Schwarz (@schwarz) January 7, 2019

this balloon got mad experience in losing

The thread in and of itself is unobjectionable, lord knows we're gonna need a rolling lolling Biden thread for at least 4 years

xpost

― some dude, Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Joe Biden is who the Jon Hamm character on 30 Rock grows up into.