Biden: Gaffe or Being Honest?
Posted: September 23, 2008 Filed under: No Obama | Tags: biden gaffes, Biden misspeaks, Obama misspeaks 4 CommentsEvery one who knows Senator Joe Biden knows he has a tendency to talk a lot and not always with his political brain attached to his vocal chords. It shouldn’t be all that surprising to the Obama folks and their uberly scripted Presidential candidate that they would not be able to put a muzzle or a message collar on Biden. Senator Biden gave an opinion the other day on a tasteless Obama attack ad. It was the one that showed McCain as old, crotchety and unable to use Internet. What the Obama campaign failed to find out was that McCain doesn’t use a PC because of his war injuries that limit the flexibility and use of his arms. Senator McCain usually has some one operate the machines for him. This some one is usually wife Cindy.
After that exposure, the Obama attack ad came off as petty, uninformed, and insensitive to the disabled. Biden called it like it was–not the best of moves on the part of the Obama/Biden campaign and something that he wouldn’t have done if he’d have called the shots. This so-called gaffe is different than some of the doozies that have given him ink and news time (see below). I don’t think this was a gaffe. I actually think he was just being honest. The ad was a low blow and some one with knowledge and credibility wouldn’t have run it. Guess we’ll see how the press spins it shortly. Anyway, love this YouTube offering and I thought I’d share it too… it’s a Gaffe contest between Biden and Obama. I thought I’d put it here rather than post it to the huge content I have on the Gaffe and flip-flop patrol page. I can’t wait for the debates. I’m expecting so many actual gaffes that I’ll be busy posting them throughout the next couple of weeks.
The Biden Criticism:
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
I haven’t liked Biden since the Anita Hill fiasco, but his comments about the ad disparaging McCain’s inability to use a computer seemed sincere and, I don’t know how to put this any other way, the decent thing to say. In spite of my low opinion of the Obama campaign in general, and its attacks on the Clintons in particular, I always thought this ad was more the result of incompetence and overzealousness than a real attempt to ridicule McCain’s disability. I was therefore genuinely surprised when in the following days the Obama campaign refused to apologize for or even admit the ad was a mistake. I still don’t think the campaign itself set out to make fun of the disabled (that’s what the O-bots are for), but it says a lot about them and Obama himself that they are unwilling to make this right.
2 things … 1) do you really truly believe anyone is out to ‘make fun’ of the disabled?
2) can you PLEASE (pretty please with a cherry on top) explain how Obama stole the election. I’ve been patrolling the PUMA sight and I hear a lot of mention of this but can’t seem find a satisfactory explanation anywhere. And I guess b/c I’m considered a “troll” they won’t publish my posts asking for clarity on the matter. Thanks for your time.
You know, Nick, before you get snarky about someone else’s word usage, you really should check your own. If I were an Obamabutt, I would at this point make some asinine, nit-picky remark, surrounded by quotes, about your patrolling the PUMA site, but since I am a polite, congenial McCain supporter, I shall refrain from such juvenile behavior and not make fun of you.
And now to substance, the point of this post and my comment is that Biden in this instance showed a rare bit of humanity and decency, which was apparently promptly tamped down by the Obama camp. And your reading level apparently did not allow you to comprehend the point that I did not believe when the ad was originally made, it was made with the intent of ridiculing McCain’s disability — merely to ridicule his age. Since they refused to apologize for their offensive behavior, however, it is fair to believe they see nothing wrong with ridiculing a person’s disabilities. This is further demonstrated by the numerous comments on the more rabid Obama supporting sites making obnoxious remarks about Palin’s Down’s Syndrome child, the most vicious of which was the posting of him for sale on e-bay. That Obama inspires such behavior is a serious issue.
As to your second question, I can only presume that once again your reading comprehension is at fault. Any site affiliated with the PUMA group is replete with examples of Obama’s thugs refusing to allow Hillary’s supporters to participate in caucuses, the behavior of the DNC and the Rules Committee in particular in awarding him votes he didn’t get, the shenanigans by Obama supporters in Gary, Indiana, and many other instances of fraud and vote theft by Obama during the nominating process. (Your question was about the election, but I presume you meant the nomination; it remains to be seen whether he will succeed in stealing the election.) Anyway, if those sites are not sufficient, Google is your friend, as Uppity says; so do your own research. If you are acting in good faith, which I doubt, you will have no trouble finding the information which you are pretending to seek.
I must ask, however, the reason behind your second question. I always thought the purpose of an off-topic question trying to hijack a discussion was to move the topic from a harmful one to a relatively harmless subject. You have moved the discussion from Joe Biden’s one decent moment, which I would think you would be proud of, to Obama’s vote stealing. What, pray tell, do you wish to discuss next — Biden’s attempting to garner sympathy from the tragic death of his first wife by wrongfully accusing an innocent driver of being drunk when in fact it was Biden’s wife’s vehicle which veered into the other lane? Or maybe you could initiate a spirited discussion of the fact that Obama thinks there are 57 states. Ah, well, you choose.
Wow … Well thanks for some of the clarifications on the Obama election/nomination stealing. I do appreciate it. I’m sorry to tell you that I really did go through many pages (not all of them) on the PUMA site and could find nothing there regarding this subject. But you have given me a good shove in the right direction.
Unfortunately, I guess there are those that would belittle even a child born with Down’s syndrome. I withdraw the question and concede the point. These types of attacks, however, have little to nothing to do with the candidate himself. Just as when an audience member yells for the killing of Barrack Obama during a Palin rally, this is in no way a direct position or reflection of that campaign. You are right that such statements should not be glibly set aside and should be taken head on. We all deserve better in our political discourse and it starts with us, the people.
As far as the notion that Biden is attempting to “garner sympathy” by bringing up the tragic death of his wife and child … It’s a part of his story, an important part of his story that helps define who he is, just as being a prisoner of war is a part of John McCain’s. As far as I know there isn’t anyone who has claimed it was McCain’s fault for being shot down in the first place, so he should just keep quiet about the whole incident. The gall of making such a claim, I believe would make the claimant look cold and, yes, heartless. Something I’m sure you are not.
57 states: A verbal gaffe coming from a presidential candidate? Kind of like complaining about a fart in a ‘poop’ storm, don’t you think?
I’m not here to attack you or defend Obama. I’m here to learn, and I mean that earnestly. No, I do not agree with you. From where I’m sitting a vote for McCain is a vote that vindicates the Bush administration; an administration that exemplifies incompetence and mismanagement.
Also, I have nothing against Hillary Clinton. I think she is an apt and able politician. Her time is far from over, and she will be back. I have no doubt about that.
Yes. I like Obama. I actually like him a lot. I’m sorry if you feel that is somehow a reflection on me personally or my education level. I have my reasons, and I think they’re good ones just as you have yours. I do not hate John McCain. Had it been anyone but Gore in 2000 (who I have always adored), I may have voted for him had he won the republican nomination. This is not the McCain of 2000 though. It is a shell of his former self. It makes me sad. Thanks again for your response.