People Features
Joe Biden in the spotlight; why Americans love him
By April MacIntyre Aug 23, 2008, 16:25 GMT
Joe Biden - Senator Joe Biden New Book Signing \'Promises To Keep\' - Borders Books - Las Vegas, NV, USA © Terry Thompson / PR Photos
Senator Joseph Biden knows a thing or two about hardship, personal loss and coming through enormous grief only to keep serving the country he loves.
Speaking CNN during the early stages of the Democratic primaries, Biden spoke of his thirty-five years in the Senate, and shared his personal story of loss.
“I got elected when I was 29, and I got elected November the 7th. And on Dec. 18 of that year, my wife and three kids were Christmas shopping for a Christmas tree. A tractor-trailer broadsided my family and killed my wife instantly, and killed my daughter instantly, and hospitalized my two sons, with what were thought to be at the time permanent, fundamental injuries.”
Biden spoke of his wife, Neilia, and 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, who died that day, his two sons fortunately made full recoveries. “They’re both, thank God, healthy and well,” said Mr. Biden.
"I know, I understand what it is like to be a single parent, to struggle. If it wasn't for my family, especially my sister who is my campaign manager too, I would have never made it."
Biden's popularity is undeniable; he is liked on both sides of the American political divide.
Biden was not keen on George W. Bush's post-9/11 leadership. "We had the world in the palm of our hand. The palm of our hand," he said.
"Europe declared that the attack on us was an attack on all of us. There were forty thousand Iranians - Iranians! - who showed up at the boarded-up U.S. embassy with candles and flowers and notes. We had the world in the palm of our hands. And what did this guy do?
He and Cheney literally went out there and divided the world. They literally divided it." And when the moment called for national sacrifice, Biden scoffed, "This guy told us to fly, and to go shopping!"
Biden finished his time on CNN reiterating that he had the same passion and enthusiasm he did the day he walked on the Senate floor 35 years ago.
Now presidential hopeful Barack Obama has selected Biden as his right-arm, his top advisor and Vice-President, if elected.
Political pundits and reporters are quick to highlight Biden's past gaffes and stumbles, as Washington Post reporter Chris Cillizza did today. He writes, "While Biden was on his best verbal behavior for much of the rest of the campaign, there is no question that his tendency to shoot from the lip worries some in Obama world.
As one Democratic consultant put it: 'You know there will be three days in the campaign where someone in Chicago will get a call and respond -- 'What did you say he said?.' "
It is exactly Biden's unfettered brain-to-mouth honesty and humor that Americans appreciate in this age of polished political liars and overboard political correctness, where the word "articulate" has been castigated as a deliberate "code" for racial condescension.
Biden doesn't have a malicious bone in his body for anyone, is one of the best bridge makers in Washington, and has suffered the greatest of personal losses.
Americans know this, and they get him and like him even more for it.
COMMENT
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Older Talkback
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Hmmm, the lefties scream that McCain's POW experience is not a qualification for President, yet this is the 50th story I have read today on Biden's loss of his wife and daughter 35 years ago.
All I can say is that this tells me he will bring anger and bitterness to the White House. But then again, so does Obama and Michelle.
Now McCain needs to select Bobby Jindal from Louisiana to make a really interesting GOP ticket...
Its a matter of what country is it you love Mr. Biden. He as a member of the left party loves his ideals of America, a socialist nation with the government controlling everything and all people depending upon and subserviant to the government. A nation that punishes success and rewards laziness. That's the nation he loves and he envisions, not the America of Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Madison. A nation of very very limited government. That is why they left the 'king' and came here. That is what elections have been about for the past 40 years since the so-called democratic party went left or socialist and it is even more concerning today with these two lefties.
This country can't afford another term of a Bush clone. We are just hanging by our nails as it is and getting worse by the day. We need new blood and new ideas, and they can't come fast enough. Obama brings intelligence and a willingness to learn, while Biden brings vast experience as well as intelligence, and they can both relate to the ordinary citizen. They didn't come from wealth, and they are well aware of how many homes they own - not so many they can't count or remember. Which, by the way, are probably all owned because of the money from McCain's wife's inheritance.
sp4 hates him because he is not a republican.
also sp4 thinks bill clinton is still president.
more qualified for the presidency than john or barack.
did you know john means toilet?
sarah will rip him apart in the debate.all that experience means nothing against sarah,we are comfortable with sarah,very comfortable.
SNL should do a skit where Biden comes onto the stage and imprisons all the computer users at an internet cafe with an RIAA-themed costume on since he is the man with the not so master plan behind all the RIAA / FBI tech according to what i've read. I know many people agree with this, however I think they have done things the wrong way.
Screw the non-american obama who won't even put his hand on the bible to be sworn in. Screw the non-american obama who will not use the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance, but spits in the face of America when he is forced to say it, and does so without using it. Not to mention the 20 years that he attended 'REVEREND' WRIGHT's church.. What a racist, anti-american being. Obama must have been asleep every sunday for 20 years. BTW, have you checked out the report on MICHELLE OBAMA's thesis from college that was suppressed and not released intentionally and then went public. It's quite interesting. They are racist people, folks. Get it through your heads or kill yourself before the election please.
Thank you. Have a great day!
Please do your research on those fools. DO NOT say yes to the RIAA. Do not say yes to destruction of our government from within by biden obama!
How did Bush and Cheney literally divide the country, last time I checked america still looked the same; my most recent map is from 2006 though so I could be wrong. Maybe Bush and Cheney widened the Mississippi or something. I am quite confused. I'm going to go take a nap, literally take a nap.
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concerned democatAug 23rd, 2008 - 19:04:06
Let me get this straight, another former democratic nominee that trashed Obama for lack of experience and adds nothing to ticket electorialy[delaware always votes doemcratic] is the best they can come up with.Would have been better with warner or Kane from Virginia or the Ohio governor .
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