Everyone laugh at Joe Biden, D-MBNA

[Incognito]

http://observer.com/20070205/20070205_Jason_Horowitz_pageone_newsstory1.asp

On Hillary,

“From the part of Hillary’s proposal, the part that really baffles me is, ‘We’re going to teach the Iraqis a lesson.’ We’re not going to equip them? O.K. Cap our troops and withdraw support from the Iraqis? That’s a real good idea.”

The result of Mrs. Clinton’s position on Iraq, Mr. Biden says, would be “nothing but disaster.”...

“Everyone in the world knows her,” he said. “Her husband has used every single legitimate tool in his behalf to lock people in, shut people down. Legitimate. And she can’t break out of 30 percent for a choice for Democrats? Where do you want to be? Do you want to be in a place where 100 percent of the Democrats know you? They’ve looked at you for the last three years. And four out of 10 is the max you can get?”

On Edwards,

“I don’t think John Edwards knows what the heck he is talking about,” Mr. Biden said, when asked about Mr. Edwards’ advocacy of the immediate withdrawal of about 40,000 American troops from Iraq.

“John Edwards wants you and all the Democrats to think, ‘I want us out of there,’ but when you come back and you say, ‘O.K., John’”—here, the word “John” became an accusatory, mocking refrain—“‘what about the chaos that will ensue? Do we have any interest, John, left in the region?’ Well, John will have to answer yes or no."

Finally, on Obama...

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

But—and the “but” was clearly inevitable—he doubts whether American voters are going to elect “a one-term, a guy who has served for four years in the Senate,” and added: “I don’t recall hearing a word from Barack about a plan or a tactic.”

WTF is this guy talking about? :lol All this coming from a guy who proposes an Iraqi plan that is laughed at in every corner of the world. I'm sure the Obama riff will play well, too.

Although we can be sure he's not plagiarizing anyone else's thoughts this time....

 

[ToxicAdam]

I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man


Holy shit. Imagine if Mitt Romney said something like this. It would be all over the news.


Time for Biden to pull a Kerry and say it was a "failed joke".

 

[Incognito]

Don't forget "clean". He's not one of them uppity types. :lol

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

I absolutely despise Joe Biden. Always have and probably always will.

 

[Learn2read]

bu-bye-Biden

 

[Oldschoolgamer]

Such idiocy... "thats a storybook man"


:/

 

[MC Safety]

Joe Biden, on Gettysburg:

"Four score, and seven years ago our forefathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."

 

[Azih]

A black person who can articulate words properly is very rare and so worthy of comment.

Wow. Just wow.

 

[Learn2read]

Drudge Report Headline:

Obama 'Clean' Black

:lol

 

[ToxicAdam]

There's been a lot of early sniping. I was reading some Edwards remarks where he talks bad about every major Democratic candidate. A major break for him compared to the 2004 campaign. Not nearly as bad as Biden's rants .. but still interesting.

 

[worldrunover]

I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man


Holy shit. Imagine if Mitt Romney said something like this. It would be all over the news.


Time for Biden to pull a Kerry and say it was a "failed joke".

He's probably the second (behind Colin Powell). Honestly, how many black politicians can you name? Not many of them reach mainstream mass. I think that was Biden's point. It was still poorly worded, though.

 

[GDJustin]

Oh man, he's so screwed. The sad thing is I think most people get his point. Everyone been saying essentially the same thing about Obama. But his specific choice of words was awful. Ha. He's effed.

 

[Azih]

Oh man, he's so screwed. The sad thing is I think most people get his point.

The 'articulate' thing I can let slide since it's such an entrenched piece of stupid. But clean? CLEAN?

 

[levious]

He's probably the second (behind Colin Powell). Honestly, how many black politicians can you name? Not many of them reach mainstream mass. I think that was Biden's point. It was still poorly worded, though.

Jesse Jackson Jr., that's one, there's more, it's not that hard. Poorly worded for sure, but does not at all excuse what oozed out of his mouth.

 

[human5892]

Obama should respond, "Why, Massah Biden! Dat's awful nice a ya to say dem nice tings!"

 

[GDJustin]

The 'articulate' thing I can let slide since it's such an entrenched piece of stupid. But clean? CLEAN?

I took it to me like, clean in history, or whatever. No baggage, or skeletons. He seems to have this aura about him - comedians can't make fun of him, etc. When you think about other black politicians, they all seem to carry a bunch of baggage with them that prevent them from being electable - nothing to do with their race. But he doesn't have that.

There's an article in the latest newsweek about this same thing - his "cleanness" (for lack of a better term).

 

[worldrunover]

Jesse Jackson Jr., that's one, there's more, it's not that hard. Poorly worded for sure, but does not at all excuse what oozed out of his mouth.

There's no one in "high" political power right now in Washington other than Obama and Rice. And we know Rice is just a Bush mouthpiece. I was very dissapointed that Harold Ford lost in Tennessee, since I think he could be up there as well. But fact of the matter is Washington is overly white. And most people couldn't name 3 black politicians if they wanted to. That's what he means by mainstream.

Like Colbert called it, "the chocolate city with the white, marshmallow center."

 

[Azih]

I took it to me like, clean in history, or whatever. No baggage, or skeletons. He seems to have this aura about him - comedians can't make fun of him, etc. When you think about other black politicians, they all seem to carry a bunch of baggage with them that prevent them from being electable - nothing to do with their race. But he doesn't have that.

There's an article in the latest newsweek about this same thing - his "cleanness" (for lack of a better term).

Haha I suppose that's a valid interpretation. Since it was right after 'articulate' my first reaction was that Biden was praising Obama for not stinking of 40

 

[Learn2read]

Obama should respond, "Why, Massah Biden! Dat's awful nice a ya to say dem nice tings!"

"An tank's fo' da rag n' cleanin' bucket, it sure did wash off da stank sho enuff"

 

[ronito]

Well at least he's dead on about Hillary.

 

[siamesedreamer]

Biden is the one DEM I have always really liked.

If he's on the 2008 DEM ticket in any form, then I'll vote for it without batting an eye.

 

[Pellham]

He's probably the second (behind Colin Powell). Honestly, how many black politicians can you name? Not many of them reach mainstream mass. I think that was Biden's point. It was still poorly worded, though.

Wow this is one of the most racist things i've read in a long time.

 

[BigGreenMat]

I can't believe people are harping on what he said about Obama? Hell, he basically complemented the guy as much as possible. His statement amounted to 'This guy is an awesome candidate, but he only has 4 years in the Senate...'. You have to try mighty hard to make that insulting. You guys really need to start understanding words, articulate, bright, clean, and good-looking are all positive things. By GAF standards the only insulting thing he called Obama was 'mainstream'.

Oh and old Joe is simply not electable. I like the guy, but he is not the type of visionary leader that people look for in a President. He is more like a John Quincy Adams (I know he was president, but his work outside the presidency) who was quite the hawk in legislature for most of his life.

Wow this is one of the most racist things i've read in a long time.

So you haven't read in a long time?

 

[levious]

And most people couldn't name 3 black politicians if they wanted to. That's what he means by mainstream.

you're assuming quite a lot about what he meant.

'This guy is an awesome candidate, but he only has 4 years in the Senate...'.

What a great way to word that... too bad Biden didn't.

You have to try mighty hard to make that insulting. You guys really need to start understanding words, articulate, bright, clean, and good-looking are all positive things. By GAF standards the only insulting thing he called Obama was 'mainstream'.

"first" as well as the insinuation that those superlatives would be out of the norm.

 

[Baron Aloha]

I think when he said Obama was 'clean' he was really trying to say 'clean-cut'. People often use the words 'clean-cut' and 'nice looking' together.

 

[Learn2read]

I can't believe people are harping on what he said about Obama? Hell, he basically complemented the guy as much as possible.

"He shows admirable restraint around white women and fried chicken, he's my opponent and all, but I truly have to give him credit for that..."

I think when he said Obama was 'clean' he was really trying to say 'clean-cut'. People often use the words 'clean-cut' and 'nice looking' together.

Apart from Al Sharpton when he used to appear in track suits (which he rocked btw), are all the other Black public figures on average so slovenly that Obama is somehow noteworthy?

 

[APF]

I was very dissapointed that Harold Ford lost in Tennessee, since I think he could be up there as well.

Ford runs the DLC now

 

[BigGreenMat]

you're assuming quite a lot about what he meant.




What a great way to word that... too bad Biden didn't.



"first" as well as the insinuation that those superlatives would be out of the norm.

This is from colloquial conversation (very obviously) not a prepared statement or speech. I could take any statement you make and turn it negative if that is the attitude you want to take. Even if Biden did word it the way I did you would say he was obviously being sarcastic and insulting him. Get over yourself and this complex. Biden doesn't mince words and what he said is both complementary and quite relatively correct. Unfortunately you do not have the ability to see such things.

 

[levious]

how did we go from discussing Biden's comments to insulting me? I need to get over myself? Yeah sure.

 

[worldrunover]

Wow this is one of the most racist things i've read in a long time.

How do you figure? Obama is a mainstream black politician. Name another one beside Powell and Rice? I'm not saying there SHOULDN'T be more, or that it's wrong to have more, there just aren't. It's a fact. Deal with it.

 

[human5892]

Biden doesn't mince words and what he said is both complementary and quite relatively correct.

You're saying that you agree that Barrack Obama is the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright?

If you truly believe that, I have this organization you may be interested in.

Obama is a mainstream black politician.

That's not what Biden said.

 

[Oldschoolgamer]

Maybe i'm dyslexic, but, can someone point to me where Biden didn't just generalize all African Americans, and just focused his dumb comment towards the ones in politics? That shit is an insult through and through. He might not have meant any harm, but the ignorance inside is oozing out.

I can't believe this is getting defended.

 

[xBigDanx]

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

OR

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American, who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” he said. “I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”

Did someone forget a comma? He could very easily have said it with a comma, it just was transcribed incorrectly. Not defending the guy, but look at all possibilities before jumping on him.

I'm surprised with so many grammar whores here, no one has mentioned this yet.

 

[human5892]

OR




Did someone forget a comma? He could very easily have said it with a comma, it just was transcribed incorrectly. Not defending the guy, but look at all possibilities before jumping on him.

I'm surprised with so many grammar whores here, no one has mentioned this yet.

The second option wouldn't make any sense. Obama is the first mainstream black person? Like, ever? Even if you gave him the benefit of the doubt and say that he meant "politician", it still wouldn't make sense.

I think it's perfectly clear what Biden meant here, and there's a very good reason why most people in this thread are angered by it.

 

[APF]

Basically, people aren't being fair to Biden because he's long been a blowhard who has used up whatever "political capital" he ever had. The question is, why does Kerry get a fair shake but Biden doesn't?

 

[xBigDanx]

The second option wouldn't make any sense. Obama is the first mainstream black person? Like, ever? Even if you gave him the benefit of the doubt and say that he meant "politician", it still wouldn't make sense.

I think it's perfectly clear what Biden meant here, and there's a very good reason why most people in this thread are angered by it.

And the first option makes sense? I thought that's what all the anger was about... Using your logic, Obama is the first mainstream black person who is articulate? Like, ever?

Considering he was talking about politicians, he may have felt that there wasn't a need to be redundant and say the word politician?

And to your other point, yes if you give him the benefit of doubt and assume he meant politician, Obama *is* the first mainstream black politician running for president who has any sort of chance.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I can't believe people are harping on what he said about Obama? Hell, he basically complemented the guy as much as possible. His statement amounted to 'This guy is an awesome candidate, but he only has 4 years in the Senate...'. You have to try mighty hard to make that insulting. You guys really need to start understanding words, articulate, bright, clean, and good-looking are all positive things.

Wow.

 

[human5892]

And to your other point, yes if you give him the benefit of doubt and assume he meant politician, Obama *is* the first mainstream black politician running for president who has any sort of chance.

You can't assume that all of that went unsaid. “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American [politician who is running for president who has any kind of chance]." That's three qualifiers that he didn't say.

It's pretty apparent he meant the statement in exactly the way it sounds.

 

[bob_arctor]

I can't believe this is getting defended.

Hey, at least Haleon hasn't chimed in yet.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I can't believe this is getting defended.

It's GAF.

 

[xBigDanx]

You can't assume that all of that went unsaid. “I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American [politician who is running for president who has any kind of chance]." That's three qualifiers that he didn't say.

It's pretty apparent he meant the statement in exactly the way it sounds.

You can assume that all of it went unsaid. He is talking about Democrat presidential nominees. He has no need to specify that after each person. He doesn't say "Hillary Clinton, a Democratic presidental nominee"... and "John Edwards, a Democratic presidential nominee". Take your blinders off.

And how exactly is it apparent? What knowledge of this quote do you have other than what was written? Were you there? Did you hear him speak?

Regardless, even if a comma was intended, it is still an offensive thing considering we have had black guys run for president before...

Again, not defending the guy, just saying don't crucify him for something you can't be positive about.

 

[Gio_CoD]

Hey, at least Haleon hasn't chimed in yet.

I'm quite confused as to how to respond to this one. On one hand, I think what he said is mostly accurate, and people are trying to hard too get offended. On the other hand, I'd be thrown out of the rich, white, Republicans club for defending a democrat.

 

[human5892]

How exactly is it apparent?

By reading what he said and not getting hung up on three theoretical different qualifiers on the statement in Joe Biden's head that he just forgot to say.

 

[levious]

I'm quite confused as to how to respond to this one. On one hand, I think what he said is mostly accurate, and people are trying to hard too get offended. On the other hand, I'd be thrown out of the rich, white, Republicans club for defending a democrat.

the proper response would be "If a white republican said this, he'd be thrown out of office!"

Doesn't condemn or defend what he said but simply diverts attention to something else you'd rather complain about.

 

[xBigDanx]

By reading what he said and not imagining that there could theoretically be three different qualifiers on the statement in Joe Biden's head that he just forgot to say.

But that's the thing. We aren't reading what he said. We are reading how what he said was interpreted. I am struggling to see how you are missing that point.

Joe Biden did not write this article. He is being quoted. People are misquoted all the time by incorrect punctuation. It's just the nature of writing down what people say. If he wrote the article you would have a point. But this is not what he said, it is what he is quoted as saying. There is a small, but very important difference there.

 

[Stoney Mason]

the proper response would be "If a white republican said this, he'd be thrown out of office!"

Doesn't condemn or defend what he said but simply diverts attention to something else you'd rather complain about.

I loled.

 

[Gio_CoD]

You know if a white republican said this, he'd be run out of town. Remember Trent Lott? I'm sure Biden will get a pass though.

 

[bob_arctor]

You know if a white republican said this, he'd be run out of town. Remember Trent Lott? I'm sure Biden will get a pass though.

Totally. Dude ain't been heard of or seen since that railroading. What the hell is he up to now anyway?

 

[Learn2read]

If a 'comma' was intended it does change things slightly, but calling him 'clean' is retarded and 'articulate' is always a backhanded compliment towards blackpeople. It'd be nice to hear the audio from the interview.

But there is this little gem from Biden's near past, him bragging that Delaware used to be a slave state. Gooooooooo Joe!

 

[xBigDanx]

But that's the thing. We aren't reading what he said. We are reading how what he said was interpreted. I am struggling to see how you are missing that point.

Joe Biden did not write this article. He is being quoted. People are misquoted all the time by incorrect punctuation. It's just the nature of writing down what people say. If he wrote the article you would have a point. But this is not what he said, it is what he is quoted as saying. There is a small, but very important difference there.

Well, as stubborn as I am, I will admit that I was wrong here.

Biden's office has issued a clarification on this quote and they make no mention of being misquoted at all or of any missing comma.

This guy won't last long in the race for president.