Been thinking about this comment a bit. I thought it was blather when I first read it, but the more I think about the more it seems to make sense. Just as it would have been politically radical in Lincoln’s time to believe African-Americans were capable of being intellectually and socially equals to white Americans, so men Sen. Biden’s age may have inherited a (to put it politely) less progressive perspective, having been 11 years old when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act.

Not an apology for dumbo comments. Just a half-baked thought.

Jay Tea, if you read that whole TNR article you’d understand that this is not a serious policy proposal on Biden’s part but indicative of his rhetorical and personal style. Yes, throwing out grandiose ideas designed to provoke certain responses or simply saying what’s on your mind are bound to get any politician in trouble which is why most of them don’t do this sort of thing. Biden doesn’t seem to give a shit. Would Joe Biden ever actually propose and vote for giving $200 million to Iran, no strings attached? I highly doubt it. But Biden was trying to make a larger point about how the US should respond to 9-11 and he did it by throwing out the most provocative idea he could think of to start the ball rolling. Of course, Biden had moved on to something else seconds after saying. He wasn’t seriously proposing it.

At the same time, when McCain goes off half-cocked and starts singing about bombing Iran, there’s considerable doubt about whether this is rhetorical flourish or really want McCain wants to do regardless. That’s a little more frightening to a lot of people.

California?

Seriously?

Heh.

Heh heh.

You ever been there?

My guess is by being the better candidate.

And it makes me happy.

4 more years of denying homosexuals civil rights and pointless wars! Hooray!

Given that Obama “limped” across the finish line against Clinton and didn’t win the vast majority of the major states (eg; PA; Ohio, CALIFORNIA) that you absolutely need to win as a Democrat,

That only makes any sense if the vast majority of people who voted for Clinton go to McCain. We’re seeing 10% at worst I believe.

and that the Obama camp is in total free-fall as of late,

He’s been picking up lately since McCain’s 7 houses & 7 families gaffe.

The big problem is how much Biden costs the Dems in areas (THE WEST) where we have been making up ground.

Anyone who is canvasing or phone-banking for Obama in the RM
West just had their job get that much harder.

Sarcasm, aside…while it’s true Biden is a very capable, smart guy, I’ve always found him a bit of a loose cannon. And, let’s face it, if he were any good on the stump, he’d have won a primary or two, or at least been competetive.

Given that Obama “limped” across the finish line against Clinton and didn’t win the vast majority of the major states (eg; PA; Ohio, CALIFORNIA) that you absolutely need to win as a Democrat, and that the Obama camp is in total free-fall as of late, I’m starting to sense a McCain landslide may be in the works.

Amazing…considering the early energy generated early on by Obama.

I am absolutely stumped as to how Obama wins this thing at this point. And it makes me happy.

JK

The first one, however, sounds completely made up, and the fact that you linked The New Republic does nothing to assauge that feeling. I’m sorry, but this is setting off my BS meter.

To get back on topic, I have my reservations about Obama’s VP pick, but I’m certainly willing to give him a chance. Let’s just see where this goes.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLN9698420080823?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=10112

J.

At the Tuesday-morning meeting with committee staffers, Biden launches into a stream-of-consciousness monologue about what his committee should be doing, before he finally admits the obvious: “I’m groping here.” Then he hits on an idea: America needs to show the Arab world that we’re not bent on its destruction. “Seems to me this would be a good time to send, no strings attached, a check for $200 million to Iran,” Biden declares. He surveys the table with raised eyebrows, a How do ya like that? look on his face.

The staffers sit in silence. Finally somebody ventures a response: “I think they’d send it back.” Then another aide speaks up delicately: “The thing I would worry about is that it would almost look like a publicity stunt.” Still another reminds Biden that an Iranian delegation is in Moscow that very day to discuss a $300 million arms deal with Vladimir Putin that the United States has strongly condemned. But Joe Biden is barely listening anymore. He’s already moved on to something else.

http://www.tnr.com/columnists/story.html?id=ba9b09bb-ed01-4582-b6ec-444834c9df73&k=93697

That’s one. I’m going to bed now, but if you want the other one (the partitioned Iraq one), I’ll post it later.

J.

But does that number include McCain and Obama? Come next January, one or the other will be out of the Senate.

Presuming, of course, Hillary doesn’t pull a coup at the convention, but that wouldn’t change the numbers — McCain, Obama, and Clinton are all not up for re-election, but Biden is.

J.

Biden, October 2001: “Let’s give two hundred million dollars to Iran. No strings attached.”

NPR article you cited: “Iran may be able to develop a nuclear weapon between 2010 and 2015 — but the country halted its nuclear weapons development program in 2003 due to international pressure, according to a new National Intelligence Estimate report.”

The “non-existent program” was apparently shut down two years after Biden’s suggestion.

Thanks, Zython!

J.

You mean the non-existent nuclear program? Gotcha.

Let’s talk about that next Monday.

Shortly after 9/11, when our economy was heading towards the crapper, he thought a good move to show we’re not “anti-Arab” was to give — no strings attached — Iran $200,000,000.00 Of which, I’m sure, not a single penny would have gone towards their nuclear program. (Note to Senator Biden: Iranians ain’t Arabs.)

Back in 2006, he suggested partitioning Iraq along sectarian and religious lines.

In his defense, he actually helped unify the then-fractious Iraqi government — pretty much every single one of them was totally disgusted by the plan.

I dunno if “I’ll help unite the Iraqi government by giving them someone to disagree with” was his intent, but it worked out pretty well…

J.