Way back when the democratic primary was raging on and on, back before the field was narrowed down to Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama, I went out of my way to watch a couple of the primary debates. During the debates I was able to make observations and formulate opinions to inform my participation in our system of democracy, the recounting of which I will spare the reader as it falls outside of my current purpose in writing. All but one. I like Joe Biden.
I learned this while watching these debates. Everyone else seemed so uptight, or calculated, or desperate to mark themselves out as a viable alternative to Hillary or Barak. But not Joe Biden. he seemed utterly relaxed in the midst of the verbal warfare. More than relaxed, actually. He seemed to be having FUN! He was clearly enjoying it! While others were trying so hard to sound presidential, Biden would occasionally drop some one liner or make some statement so sincere and genuinely oblivious to propriety and appearances, that it brought a momentary parting of the clouds of bullshit and a single radiant beam of common sense would shine down and light upon his podium. A few years back the republican candidate Pat Buchanan had a similar pathos in his debate appearances. I think the key is that guys like Biden and Buchanan never really anticipate getting their party's nomination so they are left free to speak as they wish during their candidacies. This is probably true to some degree of guys like Dennis Cucinich and Ron Paul as well. But there's one huge difference. Cucinich and Paul have no sense of humor.
Biden may very well prove to be a competent vice president. Who knows? But I am confident that he would bring a refreshing candor to the office, that's for sure. Click the title of this post to watch a clip from the debates that illustrates my point.
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