Well aren’t we the lucky ones. Barack Obama has decided that his best chance to win Ohio next year is to put Joe Biden in the forefront of his campaign here in Ohio (and in Pennsylvania and Florida too.) Obama desperately needs to win these three states to have any chance of being re-elected, since he’s not connecting in them.
The simple fact is, you have to be in pretty sad shape to have to rely on Joe Biden for your political fortunes. Biden has been described as a “gaffe machine,” and for good reason. Here are just a few of Joe Biden’s gaffes, which if he were a Republican, I would submit would have gotten significantly more coverage.
On September 28th, 2008, criticizing President Bush by comparison, Biden said that, “When the stock market crashed Franklin D. Roosevelt got on television and … said look, here’s what happened.” Biden apparently didn’t realize that Roosevelt wasn’t President when the stock market crashed, Herbert Hoover was; and neither Hoover nor Roosevelt could possibly have gone on television, which was only in its experimental stage at that time.
On St. Patrick’s Day 2010, Biden was at the mic, speaking in Washington trying to make a connection with the Irish Prime Minister he was introducing. Biden, thinking the Prime Minister’s mother was deceased, said, “His mom lived in Long Island for ten years or so. God rest her soul. And although she’s – wait – your mom’s still – you’re mom’s still alive!” It just makes you shake your head.
On April 30th, 2009, as the recession dragged on and on, and the airlines in particular were showing financial weakness, Biden weighed in on the topic of swine flu (which turned out to be, for the most part, much ado about not very much) saying, “I wouldn’t go anywhere in confined places now… when one person sneezes it goes all the way through the aircraft.” The hundreds of thousands of jobs that are dependent on a viable airline industry really appreciate the help there, Joe.
On February 25th, 2009, Biden was on the CBS Early Show for the express purpose of informing and encouraging viewers to visit an Administration website designed to track Stimulus spending. The problem was – Biden didn’t know the web address. So while he was live on the air, he had to seek help from a staff member, saying, “You know, I’m embarrassed. Do you know the website number? I should have it in front of me, and I don’t. I’m actually embarrassed.” (And it takes a lot to embarrass Joe Biden.)
India is the most populous democracy on earth. They have the world’s third largest standing army. They are becoming more and more of a significant trading partner to the United States. They are a strategic ally in an important part of the world, and their role in holding China in check, and balancing Pakistan cannot be overstated. So why would anyone want to gratuitously insult Indians? You’ll have to ask Joe Biden. Here’s what he said: “You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent… I’m not joking.” Way to go, Joe.
On September 12th, 2008, in Columbia, Missouri, Biden famously encouraged State Senator Chuck Graham to, “Stand up, Chuck, let ‘em see ya.” (Mr. Graham was wheelchair bound.)
And finally, not because I’ve run out of examples, but just because I have to stop somewhere, one more. Who can forget when Joe Biden’s brain decided it was appropriate to use an expletive before an open mic in the White House, at a formal signing ceremony, to the President of the United States, saying, “This is a big ******* deal.” So much for decorum.
The bottom line is, every one of us is capable of occasionally opening one’s mouth and inserting one’s foot. It’s part of being human. But Joe Biden has made a career of making gaffes. And now he’s in charge of carrying the state of Ohio, and its 18 electoral votes, for Barack Obama. He may well make it very interesting.
That being said, let me go out on a limb here and make a prediction. Both Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton will throw their hats into the ring for the Democratic nomination for President next time around, in 2016.
