Joe Biden and his big mouth enter presidential race
By Michael J.W. Stickings
So Joe Biden is the latest Democrat to join the fray for '08. Fine. I don't always agree with him, but he's a straight shooter, in a wild, reckless sort of way, and I think his foreign policy experience will be a positive addition to the race. If nothing else -- and, let's face it, he has no real shot at the nomination -- he'll force the other candidates, the legitimate contenders, to address issues like Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and Darfur with something other than carefully crafted spin. The fact that he has no real shot at the nomination -- he may not know it now, but he will -- provides him a nothing-to-lose freedom, and that freedom will allow him to speak his mind freely.
But while his big mouth may prove to be of benefit to the race, and of service to the other candidates, his tendency to stick his foot in mouth with rhetorical blunder after embarrassing rhetorical blunder could prove to be a disservice both to himself and to his party. Consider what he said recently about Barack Obama: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."
He's being hammered for that one. Although it's probable that he just didn't express his point clearly enough, the perception of ignorance and bias has fueled the 24/7 news machine. What did he say? What did he mean? It's all much ado about not much at all, but it takes but an inkling of scandal for speculation to explode. Did he say, did he mean, that other African-Americans in the mainstream are not articulate, not bright, not clean, and not nice-looking? Hmmm.
Anyway, I don't intend here to add any more fuel to the machine. He said what he said and shouldn't have said it. But I highly doubt that this was Biden's Michael Richards moment. We didn't witness the emergence of the real Joe Biden, the heretofore hidden bigot. Biden is a straight shooter, and at times he should think more before he speaks, but he isn't a racist.
All the explosive speculation, all the much ado, makes for some excitement at a time when fabricated excitement is all there is. Political junkies need something to talk about even when there's nothing going on.
So let's get back to the race, or whatever race there is -- and let's get past Biden's stupid remark.
Joy to the world.
So Joe Biden is the latest Democrat to join the fray for '08. Fine. I don't always agree with him, but he's a straight shooter, in a wild, reckless sort of way, and I think his foreign policy experience will be a positive addition to the race. If nothing else -- and, let's face it, he has no real shot at the nomination -- he'll force the other candidates, the legitimate contenders, to address issues like Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and Darfur with something other than carefully crafted spin. The fact that he has no real shot at the nomination -- he may not know it now, but he will -- provides him a nothing-to-lose freedom, and that freedom will allow him to speak his mind freely.
But while his big mouth may prove to be of benefit to the race, and of service to the other candidates, his tendency to stick his foot in mouth with rhetorical blunder after embarrassing rhetorical blunder could prove to be a disservice both to himself and to his party. Consider what he said recently about Barack Obama: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."
He's being hammered for that one. Although it's probable that he just didn't express his point clearly enough, the perception of ignorance and bias has fueled the 24/7 news machine. What did he say? What did he mean? It's all much ado about not much at all, but it takes but an inkling of scandal for speculation to explode. Did he say, did he mean, that other African-Americans in the mainstream are not articulate, not bright, not clean, and not nice-looking? Hmmm.
Anyway, I don't intend here to add any more fuel to the machine. He said what he said and shouldn't have said it. But I highly doubt that this was Biden's Michael Richards moment. We didn't witness the emergence of the real Joe Biden, the heretofore hidden bigot. Biden is a straight shooter, and at times he should think more before he speaks, but he isn't a racist.
All the explosive speculation, all the much ado, makes for some excitement at a time when fabricated excitement is all there is. Political junkies need something to talk about even when there's nothing going on.
So let's get back to the race, or whatever race there is -- and let's get past Biden's stupid remark.
Joy to the world.
Labels: 2008 election, Democrats, Obama
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
8:43 PM
4 Comments:
i don't believe that Joe Biden is a serious candiate but he has done his pary and his country a great service. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have done more to harm the democratic party in the last 20 years than anyone else or any issue. Neither of these guys was or ever will be very good looking, neither was very bright and they were both crooks. The democratic party should finally admitthis
By
Anonymous, at 10:35 PM
I really have to disagree. Just because Joe Biden the person isn't a racist doesn't mean he hasn't reproduced a really disgusting racist trope, regardless of intention. And of course there are always more important issues; that doesn't mean we shouldn't denounce this kind of ugliness when it happens.
By
James, at 11:39 PM
Hey, lily, I love your new photo. But who's that in the foreground?
And I agree with you. The implication of his comments, whether intentional or not, is that it's amazing, "a storybook, man," to see an intelligent and articular black politician. And clean? Oof.
By
., at 12:26 AM
Heraclitus, I'm glad you like it - that shadowy specter to the left of Lenin is, of course, the Dresseuse herself.
It's kind of disturbing how many people are responding to Biden's remarks with total nonchalance, or accusations of reverse racism thrown at people who are critical of them. I feel like the right wing has really succeeded in recalibrating what degree of bigotry is acceptable in public discourse - as long as it's not overt hatred, people seem willing to let it stand.
By
James, at 1:06 AM
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