Bad Bumble for Biden
Obama to Biden: "Ummmm, please shut up."
I don’t say a lot about politics on here, but I thought this story was worth a mention, because it speaks more about character in the little things than anything else. (Coincidentally, I just read from Matthew 25 when Jesus tells the story of the master who gave a bit of responsibility to 3 servants)
Sometime in the last 24 hours, President Obama and Vice President Biden were talking to the press. Someone asks Biden if he was going to swear everyone else in, because Biden had forgotten that he had more to do. Then Biden immediately decides to make a joke, essentially selling out Justice Roberts from the Supreme Court and his little mess up at the inauguration and says “I don’t have as good of a memory as Justice Roberts.” At this joke, the press laughed really hard, and it even received a few “ooohhhh”s.
But Obama’s reaction was stone cold. (this link is time sensitive and will probably not be there tomorrow, but eventually you’ll be able to check it out on you tube) He didn’t laugh. He didn’t smirk. He simply and slowly reached out his arm, and touched Biden’s arm as if to say, “We don’t have time for your partisan, crappy jokes that have the intention of drawing attention away from yourself and onto others shortcomings.”
An absolutely amazing moment. One of the things this little story did for me was helped me realize that though I might not agree with everything President Obama does, as I haven’t agreed with everything any other president has done in the last 20 years, I already respect him for being the person who he says he is, and this is a quality that has been non-existent in our nations capitol maybe since Washington in his two terms.
What do you think? Was this character or just for show?
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Totally and completely agree with your analysis.
It’s a great Show of Character. I am not a fan of Biden and actually thought Obama made a huge mistake in naming him as his running mate.
The thing I find a little odd is how Obama basically picked apart Bushes entire presidency (with Bush sitting right behind him) in his first speech. I think one of the lines was something to the effect of “we need to pick ourselves up dust ourselves off and begin the work again of making this country great.” Another was “unlike the previous administration we can’t be afraid to make the tough decisions.” Granted He was trying to emphasis the need for change, I was just a little surprised at how harshly he spoke about the previous administration, while it was sitting behind him.
I didn’t vote for Obama but I do think he will me a great leader.
Wow. I figured there was a good amount of Kool Aid being passed around Mass these days, but I had no idea you’d be sucking so much of it down, my friend. Barack Obama is the first person since George Washington to go to D.C. and “be who they said they were”?? Are you serious? The sheer scale of that statement makes it ridiculous.
Biden is well known for shooting off his mouth and Obama has had to pull the reins on him several times already. I see this as nothing more than another example of the type of thorn in Obama’s side that Biden’s mouth is going to be. Kudos to Obama indeed for his reaction to Biden here and elsewhere. Clearly Obama is trying to bring some class to his administration, but don’t forget that just a few weeks ago Obama himself made an unnecessary slam against Nancy Reagan that he had to later apologize for. The rosy glasses on this guy right now are just simply amazing.
This all is very interesting stuff. (I suppose maybe I’m the dispensor of kool aid, here in Massachusetts.
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I will agree with Clay that Biden’s mouth is his own biggest enemy. And I am proud to have a leader who didn’t feed into Biden’s foolish moment.
I guess my thought about Obamama having some negative things to say is this: The man is in a catch 22. There is no one in this country who thinks Obama’s a fan of many of Bush’s policies. Obama ran on change.
If he’d down played this, in his inaguaral speech, people would call him either a coward or a sell-out. He chose to be quite fierce in his adress, though, and the parts that critique Bush make him look “rude.” I actually think that’s the more character-filled road to take: to say what you have to say, even if it’s going to hurt the former president’s feelings.
I am 50/50 on this one. Yes, putting the restraint on Biden was good to see, however it was completely cancelled out by his remarks the day before during his speech. His remarks regarding the previous administration were uncalled for. You can talk about change and moving forward without the digs. I remain cautiously optimistic.
Boy, the more things change, the more they stay the same. i recall a certain much-maliagned former president who was big on exercising a “new tone” at the start of his administration. He was savaged from day one by his political foes and taken advantage of because he was the only one drinking that particular Kool-ade.
Check your feelings at the door folks. Stop politiking and sniping over style and sensitivities. Pay attention! Apply consistent standards of criticism. So far all i can tell is that the current president is a superior communicator. Take some salt-peter or a cold shower and start to reason. If you actully listen to what he’s saying (like in his innaugural speech), how much different was his intent than previous presidents?
So far he’s set rules for operations and staff with built in “reasonable exceptions”. Can you think of a president you might have crucified for making such a statement? As far as the Biden thing: i remember another president who was keen on not making hay at the personal expense of a colleague. You know, a president of whom everyone said was a nice, respectable man of character (and ‘idiot’, ‘dolt’, etc)? Do you really give a hoot about the president’s consternation over a light-hearted joke?
If their roles were reversed (office, et al), would you be saying “the president needs to lighten up?”
I would not be saying that Garret…if the roles were reversed. I was a huge Bush fan at one point and I don’t allow the media to sway me one way or the other, or drink any kool-aid (my friend Clay) because I watch Fox News. Unfortunately for you both, it’s me you’re talking to and not a liberal, because I could give a rat’s ass about politics. I look at every president from day one. and on day one, he made a good move. End of my discussion and point. Tomorrow may be another day, but I haven’t posted that blog yet.
how about this move he’s making on his second day?
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/01/21/obama-lift-ban-funding-groups-providing-abortions-overseas/
Now, yes, on day 2…that sucks.
I still dislike the Steelers.
Seems as if we might be pulling and stretching the act quite a bit to reach the conclusions that we want to see- reinforcing our preconceptions. The announcer on fox news really did a good job of blowing the act well out of proportion IMHO, adding way to much opinion disguised as informed perspective (such is most TV news today). Nevertheless, it does seem that Obama’s reaction was quite commendable and appropriate. How many of us have stood by silently, or even laughed, when a friend was making fun of another? And Obama had plenty to gain by having the justice denigrated: the blame for screwing up the swearing in, the fact that he’s conservative and that he may go against future policy decisions, etc. I would have just laughed right along, wrongly. Again, IMHO, Obama has serious class, concern, eloquence, and intelligence.
RE: day two. I’m not going to touch this one with a ten foot pole.
Very wise Clint. Very wise.
Dude, I’m sorry, but this statement:
I already respect him for being the person who he says he is, and this is a quality that has been non-existent in our nations capitol maybe since Washington in his two terms.
Is total Kool Aid drinking. Two days in office and based on a single act of class you deem his character superior to every other President (save one) stretching over two hundred years?
I agree wholeheartedly that the man has (most of the time) shown a great deal of class in the way in which he’s handled himself. That being said, I have to stand with the others here who’ve pointed out that George Bush earned similar praise in his first few days and we all know what the common opinion of him is today.
i’m sorry Marty, i should have specified who i was referring to when i said “roles reversed”. i meant Biden and Obama, not Bush and Obama. i think too much is being made of both the oath flub, the wise-crack, and the poker face.
i’m saying “lighten up” and wait for real oportunities to celebrate or criticize.
[...] The Baltimore Sun picked up a quote from Martyholman.com this week when reporter Andrew Ratner featured President Obama and the Pope, and how they have each utilized the internet to share their message with the people they represent. The article in the Sun is here. The post that Ratner quotes from is here. [...]