February 2, 2007
JOE MUST GO:
Joe Biden speaks up and slips up (SARAH LIEBOWITZ, February 02. 2007, Concord Monitor)
Delaware Sen. Joe Biden - who has a reputation as loose-lipped and long-winded - made another gaffe this week when he called Barack Obama, an opponent in the Democratic presidential race, "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and is a nice-looking guy."The comments, made in an interview with the New York Observer, have focused attention on the longtime senator's garrulous ways, resurrecting past Biden blunders (none more notorious than Biden's withdrawal from the 1988 presidential race amid charges of plagiarism). This latest flap, longtime Biden observers said, simply results from too much of a good thing: Biden's love of his own voice.
"As a longtime Delawarian, this doesn't surprise anybody here. We've been here before," said John Sweeney, editorial page editor for The News Journal in Wilmington, Del. "It's just part of being Joe Biden. He gets carried away."
Not quite the narrative he was looking for. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 2, 2007 9:42 AM
Watching Biden and Chris Matthews try to talk over each other on "Hardball" is usually pretty funny (although I haven't seen the show in probably 18 months).
Posted by: jim hamlen at February 2, 2007 10:51 AMIt is interesting how America's "race problems" obfuscate the more meaningful items from our reporting of the news. People have clearly missed the point of Biden's run from the starting gate.
By paying attention to the Obama/elitist language flap, (which not so mysteriously benefits Obama), the fact is that Biden slammed both Edwards and Hillary to the curb in his remarks. He basically made the case that neither are electable. We should all ask "who benefits?" (qui bono) from such talk?
Folks need to understand that most of the nonsense focused on in the news is theater. This is not to say that Biden's remarks were intentionally thought out. Rather, they became a distraction from what he really wanted to say.
It seems obvious that the goal of his candidacy probably isn't to win. Biden's run from the starting gate was clearly a massive benefit to Obama, and I personally don't think this is an accident.
Biden must be smart enough to know he stands no chance. His candidacy is either to angle for VP on Obama's ticket, or, more likely, Sec of State in his administration.
He as much as said Hillary can't win, and that Edwards is an idiot. He is right on both counts.
Posted by: Bruno at February 2, 2007 12:06 PMSadly, Biden really isn't that bad a guy. His positions on most issues are, while not moderate, not those of a wingnut, either. And he can speak about Iraq credibly--he just can't speak about black Senators or Delaware 7-11s credibly.
Posted by: AC at February 2, 2007 1:19 PMRead What It Takes. Biden thinks he can win. He's a nut.
Posted by: oj![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://brothersjuddblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 2, 2007 1:42 PM
The best available narrative for Biden is that the Republic has survived lower, dumber, less principled, more cynical hacks in the White House. Born to be a politician, not a trace of statesmanship in him.
Biden: Maybe a Bit Higher-Minded than LBJ, Potentially a Shade More Competent than Jimmy Carter and Arguably a Tad More Decent than Bill Clinton!
Posted by: Random Lawyer at February 2, 2007 2:17 PM