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Biden? Wait, BIDEN?!

Biden?

Biden of:

-“the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean” fame? and

-“You cannot go into a 7-11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. Oh, I’m not joking.” and

-Who didn’t even realize that his own state, Delaware, was in the Union and not the Confederacy? And who tried to cite this erroneous membership in the Confederacy as a positive credential??

…F%$king BIDEN?!

32 thoughts on “Biden? Wait, BIDEN?!”

  1. Emma says:

    So, back awhile on the blog feministing, we got into a debate where I think you sort of said I was crazy and (possibly) a racist for not thinking Obama would definitely make a better candidate and a better president than Hillary Clinton. I was just curious whether you still feel the same way?

  2. Emma says:

    (As a reminder, I wasn’t a strong Clinton supporter either. I was just rather ambivalent and a little skeptical of them both… although slightly leaning Hillary, at the time)

  3. Meranda says:

    Okay, settle down now…..

  4. Radfem says:

    Not very surprising and disappointing. I don’t vote Democrat but I really hoped for a good VP candidate on its Obama ticket.

  5. nightgigjo says:

    Yeah. Him. I don’t understand it either.

    The only explanation I can think of for ignoring the racist garbage Biden has spewed is that Obama’s somehow trying to align himself with “progressive” white voters who are racist but don’t like to admit it (to themselves or others) — people who would say things like Biden does. Earning a cookie for not being radical? For playing along?

    Maybe the rationale is trying to be ‘bigger’ than that. But that makes calling racists on racism out to be somehow petty or childish, which it most certainly IS NOT.

    Another name for this move? Playing it safe. Trying to fit into the white boys’ club (which the US Govt most certainly is).

    I don’t know if that’s actually what’s going on, and if I’m way off track or there’s something I’m missing, please please kick my ass on this.

    In any case, it makes no SENSE.

  6. Ico says:

    I was also hoping for something better on the VP ticket. If only he had chosen someone who would make up for some of his shortcomings re: women’s issues and LGBT issues.

    Thankfully, there is McKinney. Though it seems the media is doing their damnest to erase her, along with a lot of supposedly progressive folks who keep trying to reduce the choice to Obama or McCain.

  7. pheeno says:

    THANK YOU!

    And I swear to god I am already SICK of hearing people say ” oh but that’s not how he MEANT it”

    Really? What the fuck else could it mean?

  8. A. says:

    I preferred Bill Richardson.

    Joe Biden? Now I’m really sad.

  9. Jacqueline says:

    I say, “Let the fireworks begin!” :-)

  10. Angel H. says:

    I am SO voting Green Party.

  11. Juan says:

    Not surprising at all but still headdesky

  12. Saladin says:

    Ummm, yeeeah….

    The sell-out-dom is so thick It’s almost funny…

  13. Angel H. says:

    I just realized something:

    If Obama wins –> Black president….white vice-president.

    I think I’ll get out my mourning clothes now.

  14. Radfem says:

    I keep reading he’s great for pro-choice but he’s against federally funded abortions? And will there ever be a candidate who’s really family friendly?

    So “pro-choice” is only for those who can afford to exercise all their choices? That doesn’t sound very feminist to me.

  15. Diane J Standiford says:

    I liked Richardson too. There really is never a perfect choice. I stand behind Obama. Bush and Republicans must GO. Obama can tweak Biden.

  16. rikyrah says:

    I have a Biden story.

    White male southern friend of mine. He’s a Democrat, so he was going to vote for Obama regardless. From Virginia, Catholic, Irish.

    Left me a message. Totally thrilled about Biden. Says that his 80something father is now on board for Obama too. (Biden is very popular with the AARP crowd).

    I had issues with Biden, but the one thing I believed, from the moment he stepped out on that stage – HE WON’T TRY AND DOUBLECROSS OBAMA.

    I’m SO tired of Barack Obama being surrounded by folks with ‘ D’ attached to their name, and we have to SEE whether or not they’re REALLY on his side. Biden is going to help Barack get elected or die trying. And THAT is very important to me. Too many mofos in the Democratic Party are only half-heartedly supporting Barack, and I think it’s time we took names.

    What impressed me most is that here’s a man, been in the Senate over 35 years, and can still be listed as one of its POOREST members….I think that says something positive about him.

  17. pheeno says:

    I just don’t get how anyone can honestly be happy about a man who expresses surprise at an “articulate clean” Black man or who jokes about being from a slave state in order to garner votes.

    He doesn’t have to try and stab Obama in the back, he already did.

  18. Lucie says:

    Yeah, strange.

    I’ve read a lot of thinly veiled racialised language around the decision, about how Biden is going to ‘balance out’ Obama etc – and wasn’t there a slip of the tongue where he was introduced as ‘the next president of the united states’? ugh.

    And lets not forget, he’s pro-war, pro-patriot act, and he’s chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations.

  19. Radfem says:

    Of course “poorest” is still relatively speaking. I mean, compared to those they govern.

  20. Susie says:

    Personally, although I’m definitely not saying it’s wrong to be concerned about gaffes he’s made, my focus is on his voting record. That’s mixed: http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Joe_Biden.htm

    Although he’s largely voted in ways I support, Biden’s made some choices I profoundly dislike. However, rikyrah’s point seems very germane to me. And frankly, I’ve old and cynical and I’ve become resigned to knowing that I’m probably never in life going to get a candidate I’m really happy with; I haven’t yet, having never loved Clinton much. But I’m all about winning this election, because no matter how bad the Democrat ticket is, another four or eight years of Republican rule may literally destroy this country. I don’t even think that’s hyperbole. If we go to war with Iran… god, I don’t even want to think about it. I don’t like giving the Democrats a pass for a lot of things I don’t like, but good god, look where we were eight years ago, and look where we are today. There’s just no question. They’ve got to win.

  21. Lori says:

    We’ve got to keep our eye on the prize folkes, which is get Republicans O-U-T! Obama happens to be the chosen “messiah”. We now have to focus on getting him elected with his integrity intact. I get scared to read about people who consider voting for a third party because they don’t like the running mate. I believe the race will be close enough without the threat of loosing supporters to a third party that won’t win anyway! Since this is a democracy, a government of the people by the people, that implies that our candidates are people too. Obama-Biden is what we have, the best we’re going to get – so lets get ready to mold our candidates into what we want out of them AFTER their elected. In the meantime, repeat after me: Read my Lips – No More Republicans!

  22. Admiral Komack says:

    Better Joe Biden than Hillary Clinton.

  23. Susie says:

    Actually, maybe he’s really not so bad. Someone just reminded me of this: http://biden.senate.gov/press/press_releases/release/?id=80d6e40f-9b0e-4644-94b0-1af9192373f8

  24. storm says:

    I must admit I had a bubble of question marks over my head also. I will have to withhold judgement until i study the man more. I cannot call it a sellout. Who is he going to name, Jessie Jackson? Oprah? Ok, a little tongue in cheek but Obama cannot forget that this is not about ‘representing’ just as a black man, it he does that then he’d never make it.

    ;) peace

  25. Jennifer Kesler says:

    There are over 300 million people in this country. Why on earth can the Democrats not scrape up two people the vast majority of the party is happy to support on the ticket?

    Seriously, these people need to go to Republican Boot Camp and learn a few lessons about running a party with the intent of actually winning an office or two.

  26. chicago dyke says:

    he’s SOP in the village, dear, and the ‘best’ we were going to get.

    the one thing that you need to know about biden: he’s not filthy rich. more than anything else, that’s a good sign of what to expect from him. there’s also the benefit of getting at least a chance at replacing him in the senate with a progressive.

    i can live with it.

  27. Darkrose says:

    I’m actually okay with Biden. Yes, he puts his foot in his mouth a lot. But he also knows how to bring the snark. This is the guy who helped doom Giuliani’s candidacy by coining the “A noun, a verb, and 9/11” line. He came out swinging on Saturday, and I think he’s going to keep pushing at McCain until he finally snaps and lets out that famous temper. Meanwhile, Obama gets to look all statesman-like and above it all.

  28. Ceci says:

    I’m not happy with Biden as the VP pick due to the fact that he is such a loose cannon. I am also not very happy with some of the votes he made on his record–especially when siding with the Iraq War.

    As far as I am concerned though, it is better than having Hillary on the ticket because she is not to be trusted in any way of the imagination.

    I still don’t even trust her–especially after the speech she gave at the DNC convention last night.

    I will keep my eyes open to what Biden is going to say, though.

    Take care,

    Ceci

  29. Deadbeat says:

    The Biden pick is strategic primarily to reach out to the so-called Reagan Democrats and to shore up Obama so-called “commander-in-chief” experience that the media is harping on. The media still has enough power to make-or-break the candidate so Biden essentially splits the difference.

    Regarding Cynthia McKinney. There is real structural problems with the Green Party that caused them to lose ballot lines in 2004 and their failure to coalesce around Nader 2004 weaken someone who could have better positioned the left and the strengthened the anti-war movement.

    Stating that Ms. McKinney make an excellent choice in her VP running mate. It gives the impression that the Green Party is trying to diversify and reach out to minorities. However there is the issue of McKinney’s vote for the invasion of Afghanistan and the left giving McKinney a pass on that vote.

    Also Nader is polling higher than McKinney and I don’t think that is necessarily a reflection of the media. Yes the media should give her campaign some coverage however even if they did Nader would still poll higher than McKinney. The problem that I see is the lack of cohesion and solidarity on the Left that prevent it from constructing solid and strong organizations.

    Because the Left self-destructed the anti-war movement four years ago and weakened itself they are in no position this year to challenge Obama who filled the void created by the Left. IMO the Left should prepare for the future but the Left must determine who are their real allies and purge those who are there only to weaken and retard solidarity.

  30. mother2 says:

    Your shocked! I was like dang Obama you could at least chose Hillary. This going to be an interesting election. Yes, I said Hillary. Hillary wants to be president and she came across in her speech at the convention, just like a presidential candidate. She was very confident and saying everything that should have been said,except, and my wonderful husband Bill. Why she left him out of her good speech beats me. I felt like she could be Obama’s VP and a good one. Oh, well.

  31. jenn says:

    I wasn’t thrilled with the choice of Biden either. But of the choices out there, it made the most sense. This is politics people. Good politics is about the art of comprise. The trick is to not compromise too much of yourself while bringing the other guys to your side. In this case, I think we are okay. My only fear is Biden’s connections to the credit card industry. Hopefully being out of Delaware will give Biden the independence he needs to do the right thing by the American people in terms of the bankruptcy policy.

    “You can’t always get what you want
    But if you try sometimes you just might find
    You get what you need …”

  32. Sis says:

    Anita Hill

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