Comments on: The Trouble With Biden http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/ Firedoglake weblog Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:30:48 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: shell http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1588417 shell Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:12:30 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1588417 <p>Thank you for this article. I have known of Biden for decades — which is to say, I have paid attention to politics for a loooong time, unlike most Americans.</p> <p>But lately, there is so much to remember, who can remember all, off the top of their head?</p> <p>I am so glad you posted these reminders. When Biden’s name came up in a big way, I had an uneasy feeling. But I didn’t remember exactly why. All I could really come up with was the latest “clean” remark. I didn’t think THAT would stop him from being a VP candidate. But your link to Jack&Jill reminded me. I had heard these before — but couldn’t think of them, off hand. Now I do.</p> <p>EVERY VP candidate will have problems. Well, every Democratic candidate. But some have too many to ignore. </p> <p>Thanks again.</p> Thank you for this article. I have known of Biden for decades — which is to say, I have paid attention to politics for a loooong time, unlike most Americans.

But lately, there is so much to remember, who can remember all, off the top of their head?

I am so glad you posted these reminders. When Biden’s name came up in a big way, I had an uneasy feeling. But I didn’t remember exactly why. All I could really come up with was the latest “clean” remark. I didn’t think THAT would stop him from being a VP candidate. But your link to Jack&Jill reminded me. I had heard these before — but couldn’t think of them, off hand. Now I do.

EVERY VP candidate will have problems. Well, every Democratic candidate. But some have too many to ignore.

Thanks again.

]]> By: Ann in AZ http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587573 Ann in AZ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:45:00 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587573 <p>I’m talking about being a force to be reckoned with by the janjaweed as they murder people with machetes for the sake of ethnic cleansing. I’m talking about the ability to make a difference by sending peacekeepers into Bosnia/Herzegovina. That may not be in our national interests, but it seems to me it’s in the interest of the human race. </p> <p>I am not talking about waging war for oil or any other fossil fuel or commodity. And BTW, I am not talking about being soundly defeated militarily by the Russians or anyone else necessarily. We have sunk from a first class industrialized country with a good world reputation to a joke and a parody due to our policy of hegemony. We’ve gone from a shining example, a pattern to which many other countries aspired, to smart-alecs with imperial aspirations which we are currently putting into effect. If we don’t stop those tendencies, if we don’t lose the aspirations of imperialism, some other powerful nation is bound to try to do it for us at some point. That’s what I meant.</p> I’m talking about being a force to be reckoned with by the janjaweed as they murder people with machetes for the sake of ethnic cleansing. I’m talking about the ability to make a difference by sending peacekeepers into Bosnia/Herzegovina. That may not be in our national interests, but it seems to me it’s in the interest of the human race.

I am not talking about waging war for oil or any other fossil fuel or commodity. And BTW, I am not talking about being soundly defeated militarily by the Russians or anyone else necessarily. We have sunk from a first class industrialized country with a good world reputation to a joke and a parody due to our policy of hegemony. We’ve gone from a shining example, a pattern to which many other countries aspired, to smart-alecs with imperial aspirations which we are currently putting into effect. If we don’t stop those tendencies, if we don’t lose the aspirations of imperialism, some other powerful nation is bound to try to do it for us at some point. That’s what I meant.

]]> By: brendanx http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587518 brendanx Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:00:17 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587518 <p>Biden may not be able to wear the ermine, or the denim, but he’s got “working-class roots and a street-level feel for the hot spots of the globe”!</p> <p>That’s from the girlishly vapid <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26288748/" rel="nofollow">Howard Fineman</a>. No mention of his vote for the Iraq war.</p> Biden may not be able to wear the ermine, or the denim, but he’s got “working-class roots and a street-level feel for the hot spots of the globe”!

That’s from the girlishly vapid Howard Fineman. No mention of his vote for the Iraq war.

]]> By: brendanx http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587468 brendanx Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:29:17 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587468 <p>Don’t ask me. I’m just shackled in the hold.</p> Don’t ask me. I’m just shackled in the hold.

]]> By: brendanx http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587465 brendanx Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:25:47 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587465 <blockquote><p>we stand to be soundly defeated if McSame wins the next election</p></blockquote> <blockquote><p>We have a limited time to regain our lead position,</p></blockquote> <p>What do these things mean? Maybe I’m too “ultra” liberal to grasp them ;-)</p> <p>Some euphemism-laden references to bombing and killing on our part and Russia’s don’t clarify your point: </p> <p>“I believe they are flexing their muscles now that we’ve lost credibility and become a joke.” </p> <p>There is no “lead position” that “we” can reclaim. There are some oil companies and some defense contractors and some Israelis and some other interests I’m sure other people can name behind our wars. There isn’t any national interest animating any of our actions. Such a thing doesn’t exist. When it comes to foreign policy, we aren’t part of this “we”.</p>

we stand to be soundly defeated if McSame wins the next election

We have a limited time to regain our lead position,

What do these things mean? Maybe I’m too “ultra” liberal to grasp them ;-)

Some euphemism-laden references to bombing and killing on our part and Russia’s don’t clarify your point:

“I believe they are flexing their muscles now that we’ve lost credibility and become a joke.”

There is no “lead position” that “we” can reclaim. There are some oil companies and some defense contractors and some Israelis and some other interests I’m sure other people can name behind our wars. There isn’t any national interest animating any of our actions. Such a thing doesn’t exist. When it comes to foreign policy, we aren’t part of this “we”.

]]> By: foothillsmike http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587455 foothillsmike Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:16:44 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587455 <p>Power is the threat of force - when that force is expended power vanishes.<br /> Bush/Cheney have squandered both. There are different types of force - military, economic, moral - all squandered.</p> Power is the threat of force – when that force is expended power vanishes.
Bush/Cheney have squandered both. There are different types of force – military, economic, moral – all squandered.

]]> By: Ann in AZ http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587448 Ann in AZ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:04:44 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587448 <p>I think Biden may be particularly good at that. Remember what he said about Gulliani: “Giuliani’s sentences comprise of a noun, a verb, and 9/11.”</p> I think Biden may be particularly good at that. Remember what he said about Gulliani: “Giuliani’s sentences comprise of a noun, a verb, and 9/11.”

]]> By: Ann in AZ http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587445 Ann in AZ Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:58:07 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587445 <p>I consider myself a liberal (not ultra liberal, but liberal) yet I also think that this move by the Russians is the first in a series, not a singular provoked event. I believe they are flexing their muscles now that we’ve lost credibility and become a joke. This was totally foreseeable and predictable. Did this administration think nobody would notice that we have overextended our armed forces, that we are having problems maintaining our armaments, that our funds are being expended too much on unnecessary foreign wars to suit our populace? Did they seriously think nobody would take advantage of this now that we’ve become a parody in the eyes of the world. We’ve lost a lot of ground with Bush at the helm, and we stand to be soundly defeated if McSame wins the next election. I just hope the American population realizes this in time to do something about it. I know this, the world wants at least one superpower to look up to, so the farther we slip down that slippery slope, the more likely Russia or perhaps China will be to try to creep up. We have a limited time to regain our lead position, so if we waste it this time, our society will likely grossly evolve into something we don’t even recognize.</p> I consider myself a liberal (not ultra liberal, but liberal) yet I also think that this move by the Russians is the first in a series, not a singular provoked event. I believe they are flexing their muscles now that we’ve lost credibility and become a joke. This was totally foreseeable and predictable. Did this administration think nobody would notice that we have overextended our armed forces, that we are having problems maintaining our armaments, that our funds are being expended too much on unnecessary foreign wars to suit our populace? Did they seriously think nobody would take advantage of this now that we’ve become a parody in the eyes of the world. We’ve lost a lot of ground with Bush at the helm, and we stand to be soundly defeated if McSame wins the next election. I just hope the American population realizes this in time to do something about it. I know this, the world wants at least one superpower to look up to, so the farther we slip down that slippery slope, the more likely Russia or perhaps China will be to try to creep up. We have a limited time to regain our lead position, so if we waste it this time, our society will likely grossly evolve into something we don’t even recognize.

]]> By: Bluetoe2 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587444 Bluetoe2 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:54:03 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587444 <p>Couldn’t agree more. He has to frame his attacks to demonstrate how Republicans and their ideology of greed are destroying the working/middle classes. His campaign is beginning to look more and more like Kerry’s in 2004. Don’t expect the American electorate to see through the Republican subterfuge and bs.</p> Couldn’t agree more. He has to frame his attacks to demonstrate how Republicans and their ideology of greed are destroying the working/middle classes. His campaign is beginning to look more and more like Kerry’s in 2004. Don’t expect the American electorate to see through the Republican subterfuge and bs.

]]> By: DBaker http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587443 DBaker Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:50:18 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/19/the-trouble-with-biden/#comment-1587443 <p>Agreed again.</p> <p>But how do we change this?</p> <p>Or, if you think said metaphorical ship needs to be destroyed, how do you propose to achieve this?</p> Agreed again.

But how do we change this?

Or, if you think said metaphorical ship needs to be destroyed, how do you propose to achieve this?

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