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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009

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the big plan

Beck Will Host Conventions
to Educate America

He's shifting toward political organizer, plans big DC rally

Nov 21, 09 5:06 PM CST
Senate Democrats Clear
Health Care Hurdle, 60-39

Reid gets 60 votes to open full debate after Thanksgiving recess

Nov 21, 09 7:13 PM CST
Palin Pulls in Big Bucks
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'Going Rogue' boosts Dem fundraising to new high

Nov 21, 09 6:50 AM CST
demagogue alert

Lawmaker Paints Target on Barack Obama's Back

Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert panders to dangerous paranoids

Nov 21, 09 9:08 AM CST
Reid Gets 60th Vote:
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She'll allow health care bill to move forward; vote at 8pm

Nov 21, 09 1:51 PM CST
HE'S GOT A BOOK OUT, TOO

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'Big Plan' at
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Nov 20, 09 8:07 PM CST
Billboard Links Obama to Jihad

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Nov 20, 09 8:42 PM CST
Matt Taibbi

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NO COMMUNION FOR YOU, MY SON

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|NEXT STORY »

PROFILE

Joe Biden Is Obama's Best Gadfly, 'Truth-Teller'

Hardly a joke, veep doesn't mind stirring the pot

By Polly Davis Doig| Posted Oct 11, 09 1:20 PM CDT|

(Newser) – Barack Obama's suave, controlled campaign may have winced when gaffe-prone Joe Biden came aboard, but the vice president has proven himself to be a necessary straight-shooter time and again in the administration's tumultuous first nine months. From Afghanistan to health care, Biden has become Obama's most reliable "truth teller," and one who doesn't mind stirring the pot, reports Newsweek in a profile of the White House's No. 2.

Typical is the veep's skepticism of expanding the war in Afghanistan, favoring instead a focused effort against the Taliban in Pakistan. The approach was largely dismissed when Biden proposed it in March, but is gaining steam as the president weighs the hard realities of sending more troops. Ever the gadfly, Biden "says the things that others at the table don't want to talk about, or which they find uncomfortable," says Rahm Emanuel.

[Images (6)]

[Quotes (1)]

Vice President Joe Biden greets Delaware Adjutant General Frank Vavala during a welcome ceremony for the Delaware Army National Guard 261st Signal Brigade, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

The October 19 issue of Newsweek, "Why Joe is No Joke," features Joe Biden as an "inconvenient truth teller" who has bucked President Obama on health care and Afghanistan. (PRNewsFoto/NEWSWEEK)

Vice President Joe Biden before he addresses the New Jersey AFL-CIO 2009 Conference, in Atlantic City, NJ, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009. Biden has become a political workhorse for President Obama. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Vice president Joe Biden addresses the New Jersey AFL-CIO 2009 Legislative Conference in Atlantic City, N.J., Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Vice President Joe Biden along with Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., right, discuss how the Recovery Act investments are creating jobs and rebuilding Connecticut's infrastructure in Fairfield Conn. Monday Oct.... (AP Photo/Douglas Healey)

Vice President Joe Biden responds to news that the nation's unemployment rate rose in September, Friday, Oct. 2, 2009,, during a meeting of his Middle Class Task Force in the White House. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

The president will lean over, and they will quietly talk to each other. Biden will then question someone, make comments, and the president just leans back and seems to be taking it all in before he speaks. - Attorney General Eric Holder

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

11.20.09

The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun

11.19.09

Sarah Palin Deserves Some More Attention

26 comments

VIEWING:

divetrader
Oct 11, 09 2:00 PM CDT

Unlike some people, I like Biden. Military people like McChrystal are going to want more troops. He is a warrior...he wants to wage war. Let's stop being occupiers and start being peacemakers. Reply

+15

IN RESPONSE:

carpenocturne
Oct 11, 09 2:47 PM CDT

I'm with you dive on peacemaking, but what do you do when the people won't listen to anything you say, and threaten violence once more? This is why our greatest peacemakers in history ended up martyrs. I wouldn't want our nation to "take one for the team".

+11

| 0 minutes ago

Thinker
Oct 11, 09 2:30 PM CDT

I like Biden too. The man seems to be a straight-up guy. Reply

+19

| 0 minutes ago

SilenceDogood
Oct 11, 09 3:00 PM CDT

Biden is a moron. Reply

-20

IN RESPONSE:

Snowleopard
Oct 11, 09 3:33 PM CDT

he certainly has a bad choice of words at time, but moron is hardly the right choice of words.

IN RESPONSE:

nick
Oct 11, 09 3:40 PM CDT

Dogwood: That brief Joe-Wilson-type-remark brands you as a moron.

IN RESPONSE:

Rocket448
Oct 11, 09 3:50 PM CDT

That "Biden is a moron" comment is completely typical of the negativism the reactionary right brings to any discussion of national policy, isn't it? For the longest time, our nation yearned for leadership made up of good, moral men -- and, now that we have it, the right is set to crap all over it. Well, I'm not interested in your opinion, Silence; in fact I wish you would "do good" by keeping "silence".

+10

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Oct 11, 09 9:24 PM CDT

No, Rocket, I don't think SD's comment can be given so much meaning. It was too short and confrontational to be anything other than a troll. If SD had had anything to say to back it up, he would have said it then. ................... Come on, Silence, man up and start supporting your statements or stop making the ones that have little thought behind them.

IN RESPONSE:

SilenceDogood
Oct 12, 09 3:28 AM CDT

Quotes from our Vice President of these United States; Joe Biden……… "When the stock market crashed, Franklin Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.' "--------- "I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places now. … When one person sneezes it goes all the way through the aircraft. That's me. I would not be, at this point, if they had another way of transportation, suggesting they ride the subway."---------— "Barack Obama ain't taking my shotguns, so don't buy that malarkey. … I've got two, if he tries to fool with my Beretta, he's got a problem."—--------- "A man I'm proud to call my friend. A man who will be the next president of the United States—Barack America!"----------- "Look, John's last-minute economic plan does nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs." ---------- "Stand up, Chuck, let 'em see ya." ----------- "You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent.... I'm not joking." ; Now someone tell me this is Presidential material or a Party Hack.

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Oct 12, 09 5:00 AM CDT

Yay! Silence. You actually tried to back up the statement with info you should have at least alluded to the first time! Hip! Hip! Hooray! ....................................... Now, if only you'd said that at first, your "Biden is a moron." would have been, "Biden is a moron because he makes silly verbal mistakes." This is progress. Too bad you needed so much prodding to get that "really important point" out ;-) --------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- So, yeah, he says silly things. It's embarrassing. Obama seems to be using Biden in such a way that his runny-mouth affliction doesn't much matter. You have any followup, genius?

IN RESPONSE:

SilenceDogood
Oct 13, 09 6:30 AM CDT

Why is it liberals seem to get personal and attack the messenger rather than the message, I wonder if it is because they feel their position is weak? Anyway shonangreg, my comment was simply that Biden is a poor choice for VP of the USA. God forbid anything happen to Obama, Biden would be the last person we would want at the helm, he makes Dan Quayle look like Winston Churchill.

| 0 minutes ago

OldFart
Oct 11, 09 3:06 PM CDT

divetrader and Thinker, count me as one who also likes Biden. Reply

+13

IN RESPONSE:

Robert_Dada
Oct 11, 09 4:35 PM CDT

same here

| 0 minutes ago

QueenAlli
Oct 11, 09 3:29 PM CDT

I like my VP and would feel very comfortable if he should have to take over. People joke about his gaffes (i.e. bluntness), but he is extremely intelligent, reasonable, and calming. Reply

+12

IN RESPONSE:

Reader64481089
Oct 11, 09 4:15 PM CDT

Joe Biden seems like a down to earth human not so freaking android you wind up and point which way to go. He has a good heart and attempts to deliver for the ones who elected him and I also see him as a damn fine choice for the #2 spot and if he had to take over tonight I know the country would still be in great hands unlike Cheney Biden has a real heart and cares deeply for his country not his wallet

| 0 minutes ago

Caps
Oct 11, 09 5:49 PM CDT

Biden has more brains in his little finger, than Didkhead has in his brain. War monger is what Dickhead will be remembered by. Also torture and draft dodger. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

vwright1
Oct 11, 09 6:30 PM CDT

Joe Biden gets our vote! IWe're very comfortable with his ability to run this country. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Oct 12, 09 12:18 PM CDT

It would be interesting if Biden took Rep. Alan Grayson for lunch. All that straight talk + the truth might be something that Americans need to hear from the left.

| 0 minutes ago

archibaldarmstrong
Oct 11, 09 7:57 PM CDT

Sounds to me like they're setting Joe up for the fall. If they take his advice and don't send the troops, when it doesn't work out, they can always blame it on "the ole gadfly". Reply

IN RESPONSE:

cornelison
Oct 12, 09 12:21 PM CDT

The President won't blame Joe.

| 0 minutes ago

Derni
Oct 11, 09 10:07 PM CDT

I believe Biden is correct -the critical place to be is Pakistan-a reporter that was on TV and spent 6 motnhs there and was being moved to South America brought light to the fact that the hot spot will be Pakistan and its relationship with India-so get out of the other sand piles and get the troops home-the stress and horrors of war -enough-the war will end real quick once we announce a DRAFT-just watch Reply

| 0 minutes ago

SilenceDogood
Oct 12, 09 3:39 AM CDT

You know what’s scary; Joe Biden is a Democratic version of GWB. They both have problems articulating simple messages to the populace. They both seem to have no inhibition talking about issues they need to understand better. They both have a knack for blustering. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

Doctor_Zaius
Oct 12, 09 1:08 PM CDT

How dare you. Bush was an absolute idiot, proven time and again by both his words and results. Biden says what he means and means what he says. He's also a foreign policy expert. George Bush destroyed every company and country he ever ran.

IN RESPONSE:

SilenceDogood
Oct 13, 09 6:33 AM CDT

Zaius, get real, Biden and GWB are both less that acceptable. You accept flaws in one that are not acceptable in the other; your bias is too obvious.

| 0 minutes ago

oldgoat
Oct 12, 09 6:37 AM CDT

I like the idea that he is asking questions instead of just going along with the flow. Too bad it wasn't done in the previous administration. The general is basing his needs on the task he was assigned. Obama has to decide if the mission needs to be changed or if he even has the support of Congress or the people, let alone the people in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

cornelison
Oct 12, 09 12:14 PM CDT

Biden was the right choice for Veep. I like Democrats who tell it like it is. While I like The President's speeches, Biden keeps things real. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 26 comments »

Joe Biden • vice president • foreign policy • gaffe • presidential adviser • Afghanistan war • Obama administration • Obama Cabinet

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Joe Biden Is Obama's Best Gadfly, 'Truth-Teller'