Is Biden-bashing the lamest joke in politics?
I've never had a strong reaction to Joe Biden's politics or style.
His personal story - his wife and daughter were killed in a car crash while Christmas shopping in 1972, not long after Biden won office -- is heartbreaking.
But other than that poignant personal detail, and his weird decision to plagiarize a line or two from British Labour leader Neil Kinnicock, he's never struck me as a terribly colorful character.
Competent, centrist -- you either like his politics or not, but it kind of ends there.
But for years, the media has trotted out the notion that Biden is gaffe-prone. Late night comics still dine out regularly on jokes about the VP's tin ear.
The latest supposed misstep was admitting that he encouraged Barack Obama not to run for president last year. Yawn.
And before that, he used the words "heck of a job!" -- to praise officials in Georgia responding to flooding.
George W. Bush used those same words to praise former FEMA director Michael Brown, who was rather flamboyantly not doing a great job at the time.
But given that the Georgia folks were, in fact, doing a heck of a job, that's hardly a zinger.
Slate.com actually has a "Bidenisms" page, purporting to collect the most delicious examples of the Veep's missteps. Here's a sampling:
I mean, that's thin gruel."These guys are smart. Some of the guys Chuck and I have campaigned for are turkeys. Not all Democrats are created equal, while most Republicans are."—complimenting three Democratic nonturkey congressmen at a fundraiser in the home of former Sen. Chuck Robb, Alexandria, Va., Sept. 24, 2009
"You heard it in the debate, John McClain. John McClain, excuse me—John McCain. I don't recognize him anymore. I used to know him well. … Bad joke."—Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 24, 2008
"The idea that we're not building these new Humvees with the V-shaped things is just crap, man. Kids are dying that don't have to die. Second thing is we're going to shove it down his throat."—proposed response to then-President Bush's decision to veto Iraq funding bill, Columbia, S.C., April 27, 2006
Reminds me a bit of the old "Gerald Ford is clumsy" gag, a myth that Bob Schieffer acknowledged was a media-created put on.
Yes, Mr. Ford fell once or twice (sorry for the awful audio track) but he was also a talented athlete whose public image was re-invented from whole cloth by the likes of Chevy Chase.
So, memo to late-night comedians: There might be something funny about Joe Biden, but the gaffe-bit is out of gas.
posted by Brian Mann @ 10/06/2009 08:11:00 AM
18 Comments
18 Comments:
Who doesn't love Joe?
I agree and I'm sure you also tired of the "W" is tupid jokes too.
Those weren't jokes about W. Those were statements of fact.
Biden's gaffes are the kinds of things that happen to everyone once in a while. W's gaffes were just too many and too often to ignore.
Sooooo Obama is a socialist is just a statement of fact too? (Shakes my head)
Socialist, shmocialist...a label is just a label...perhaps with a seed of truth. How 'bout describing Obama as what he is: our president, a highly intelligent man who cares about this world, the environment, his family and his country (not necessarily in that order) and tries his best to do the right good and true thing.
The jokes about Biden should be considered in a broader context of jokes told about public officials generally. Going back to as far as I can remember politicians have always been the butt of jokes. Nixon (was a dumb vp to Ike), Johnson (was a redneck womanizer), Agnew (was a stupid buffoon), Reagan (a dim bulb that liked midday naps), Bush 1 (a preppy nerd), Quayle (dumb), Gore (boring), Cheney (evil & conniving), and Biden (...).
All this makes media types - particularly the likes of Maureen Dowd, Frank Rich & the like - feel superior. Late night comics are just trying to have fun and we should all lighten up a bit.
jpm
Humor's a funny racket. The redeeming quality is, well, humor.
You can get away with a lot until the joke falls flat.
And that's really my dig at the Biden stuff. It's just a lame gag.
Some of the Clinton stuff, like some of the Bush stuff, is funny.
-Brian, NCPR
I agree Brian but Biden will undoubtedly say or do something stupid to keep the jokes alive. He will go down as the foot in mouth VP
Standard humor Republicans are characterized as crooked and/or dimwitted. Democrats as womanizers and/or hypocites
Veeps have always been the butt of jokes - I think it's in the job description, maybe even written into the Constitution or something...
I've always considered those jokes to be a way for Americans to think - well, I may not be crazy about what President Whoever is doing at the moment, but at least we're not being led by #2!
And while Joe Biden is no doubt a lot smarter than the jokes give him credit for, anybody who speaks off-the-cuff in front of numerous microphones and cameras most of every day is sure to get caught in a few gaffes. Biden is no different.
While it's not typical of his thought process, we cannot forget his statement about FDR's fireside chats - as I recall Joe placed Roosevelt before TV cameras and misstated the era or something... It was a pretty funny gaffe at the time, but obviously forgettable.
Veep jokes tend to contain a grain of truth, but mostly are the gas that keeps comedy ratings aloft. They're considered mostly harmless because the vast majority of Veeps fade into history as footnotes and trivial pursuit topics.
I'll take Joe Biden over Dick Cheney
anytime.
Mike,LF
AMEN!
Out of respect for the office of the Vice Presidency, we should outlaw this type of humor.
Pres. Obama is clearly the smartest man to ever become POTUS. I don't think he would choose an idiot as VP.
Pres. Obama has surrounded himself with some of the best, brightest and respectable people. VP Biden fits right in that group.
I am certain that most of us a happy our mis-steps aren't put on the world stage for mockery.
Any of the comments from the state-run media regarding former Pres. Bush were well-deserved. However, that type of conduct now is inappropriate as there is a Democrat in charge.
"Any of the comments from the state-run media regarding former Pres. Bush were well-deserved. However, that type of conduct now is inappropriate as there is a Democrat in charge."
Well said, very well said. We should also outlaw the stupid term limit for the Messiah, I mean The most Merciful President Obama. He should be President for life. And anyone making fun of him or Her Majesty The Queen Michelle (loved those latest $600.00 Nikes!!!)who just made that terrible sacrifice of flying to Denmark with Oprah in that so called "luxury" 757 (hah!, there wasn't even a masseuse on board. You call that luxury!!!) to try and get the Olympics for Chicago, the Garden Spot of all America, should be hanged in the public square!!!! It about time these rednecks started getting what they have coming to them. Wipe them out! Every last one of them!
Oh, how I HATE intolerant people.
I think he was being sarcastic
No! Really?????!!!!!
Was anyone else struck by the magnificent performance of Joe Biden in the vice presidential debate with Sarah Palin? He was respectful, knowledgable, humourous and above all self contained.
I'm sure he really felt as dismissive of her as John McCain did of Obama but realized that showing this would be a huge mistake and harm the campaign.
He probably exasperates the President at times but I also think that he respects his experience and values his opinion.
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