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Biden Yields the Floor (Literally)
January 15, 2009 2:35 PM
He's been speaking, pontificating, sermonizing, lecturing, orating, hectoring, admonishing, and evangelizing from the Senate floor since 1973, but today Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., bid adieu to his colleagues in the Greatest Deliberative Body in the World to become the vice president.
According to the transcript, the anecdote-filled speech was interrupted 18 times by laughter. He used the word "literally" nine times. It was 5,659 words long.
"I remember the first time I stood on the floor as a United States senator," Biden recalled today as he delivered his farewell address on the Senate floor. "And I remember standing up, and having been told that the desk on my right was the desk of Henry Clay's, on my left Daniel Webster, because the senior senator from the respective states got those desks...
"It was the only time I can remember being speechless," the loquacious Blue Hen said as peals of laughter filled the Senate chamber, "when I stood there as a 30-year-old kid thinking, 'Oh, my God.'"
Biden had visited the Senate nine years before, visiting as a 21-year-old tourist," he recalled. "I had been down visiting some of my friends at Georgetown University. I went to the University of Delaware, and I was -- I had a blind date with a young lady from a school they used to call 'Visi,' Visitation, which is now part of Georgetown..."
(Visitation is a high school, by the way.)
"And after the evening staying at his apartment," Biden continued, "I got up and -- I shouldn't say this probably, but I -- I don't drink. Not for moral reasons, I just never had a drink. And there's nothing worse being the sober guy... with a bunch of college guys who have a hangover the next morning. So I got up and decided I'd get in the car."
Biden turned to the junior senator from Delaware as an aside -- "It's a true story, Tommy -- or," he said catching himself, "Senator Carper."
ANYhoo, Biden drove up to the Capitol. "In those days, you could literally drive right up to the front steps," he recalled. A Saturday session of the Senate has just ended.
Biden claimed he'd walked up the steps and went in the reception room. "There was no one there," he said. "And the glass doors, those French doors that lead in behind the chamber opened."
"I just walked in," Biden said. "Literally, I walked in. And I walked in down here, and I came through those doors. And I walked into the chamber, and the lights were still on. And I was awe-struck. Literally awe-struck. And what in God's name made me do it, but I walked up... and I sat in the presiding officer's chair. And I was mesmerized.
"And the next thing I know," he recalled, "I feel this hand on my shoulder." It was Capitol policeman who spun Biden around and asked, "'What are you doing?' And after a few moments, he realized I was just a dumb-struck kid and didn't arrest me or anything. ... That was my first time I walked on the Senate floor."
"It's literally a true story," the vice president-in-waiting assured the crowd.
Nine or 10 years later, Biden said that same Capitol Hill policeman asked Biden if he remembered him.
"Welcome to the floor legally," Biden recalled that cop telling him.
"I am still awe-struck by this chamber," Biden said.
Sen. Jim Eastland, D-Miss., listened intently to one of Biden's first orations, he recalled, an "impassioned speech about the need for public financing. And Eastland stood up -- and he hardly ever spoke at the caucuses. And he always wore a Glen Plaid suit and always had a cigar in his mouth about as big as a rubber hose...
"He took the cigar out and said, 'Joe, they tell me you are the youngest man in the history of America to ever get elected to this august body' -- I wasn't; there was one younger than me popularly elected, but I didn't dare correct him -- he said, "Let me tell you something, Joe. Y'all make many more speeches like you did here today, you're going to be the youngest one-term senator in the history of the United States of America.'"
When Biden arrived at the Senate, he recalled, giants roamed the chamber: "Hubert Humphrey, Ed Muskie, William Fulbright, Jacob Javitz, Mike Mansfield, Stuart Symington, Scoop Jackson, Sam Irving, John McClellan, Senator Warren Magnuson, Claiborne Pell, another persons who's still here, Bob Byrd and the lion of the Senate, Ted Kennedy."
"Our proceedings, in those days, were not televised," Biden said. "We didn't have fax machines, let alone e-mail. I remember the fights, Danny, we used to have in conference about whether or not we'd actually spend money for computers -- remember those fights? Some of the older guys thought, 'Computers? Why are we going to waste the taxpayers' money and put computers in our offices?' I'm almost embarrassed to acknowledge that. That makes me a pretty old dude, as the kids would say."
He told stories -- familiar ones, to Biden-watchers -- about Sens. Strom Thurmond, R-SC, Jesse Helms, R-NC, Barry Goldwater, R-Ariz., John Stennis, D-Miss., Mike Mansfield, D-Mont. More than 1,900 United States senators have served, and Biden has served with more than 320 of them.
"And I've learned something from every one of them," he said (though that seems a little hard to believe).
A few of these giants helped Biden out after his wife and daughter were killed, and his sons injured, just after his first election to the Senate in 1972. They and their wives regularly included Biden in their dinners.
"I was a kid, I was single, and they included me," Biden said. "The truth of the matter is, they went a long way toward saving my life -- changing my life."
And Amtrak's most famous commuter to Delaware noted that "for the first time in 36 years, I'm going to have a home in Washington: public housing."
And with much aplomb, the senior senator from Delaware who has served longer than all but 19 others, told his colleagues that "although you've not seen the last of me I say for the last time, and with confidence in all of you, optimism in our future, and a heart with more gratitude than I can express: I yield the floor."
-- jpt
January 15, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (37)
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While Biden may be long-winded, his heart is in the right place. That's what makes him a good senator. He will help Obama fix the many mistakes of the Bush Administration.
God bless them both.
Posted by: Lydia | Jan 19, 2009 5:58:41 PM
I cannot recall, specifically, which particular article/blogpost I read over the course of the 2008 campaign, however, I do know that it was penned by Jake Tapper. Rest assured, I do recall that it left me with very little respect for ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent. To the contrary, I have an enormous amount of respect for George Stephanopoulos. Having said that, this article, as written, reminded me once again of why I tend to disregard and ignore ABC News.
I watched as President Bush acknowledged Mr. Tapper during his final press conference, and to be honest, Mr. Tapper seemed a bit embarrassed, if you will. I look forward to the many forthcoming press conferences and the coverage of Pres.-elect Obama and VP-elect Biden, as seen through the eyes of Mr. Tapper. I hope to welcome a change in his tone with respect to Vice President Biden.
Posted by: Mickey | Jan 17, 2009 3:45:27 PM
At least Biden was born here
Posted by: Barry | Jan 17, 2009 11:39:35 AM
There is a reason why Biden never received more than 1/2 of 1% of liberal votes in the numerous primaries in which he ran to be president. He has always been a joke even to leftists until he was joined with the "messiah".
Dumb and Dumber to Washington. Heartening to know that this buffoon is one heartbeat away from the Presidency! Yeah!!!
Posted by: LogicalSC | Jan 17, 2009 11:14:49 AM
"Joe is the poster boy for why there should be term limits in congress."
Hmmmmm what group swept into office partially on campaigning for term limits only to ignore that promise once elected?
Oh yeah....the Republicans.
Posted by: Ryan C | Jan 16, 2009 12:54:40 PM
"Now do you plan to also post something about President Bush's classy, gracious farewell address? I didn't think so."
His farewell address was neither gracious nor classy.
It was a sadly bald attempt at rehabbing the image of a hated Administration skulking off into the sunset.
Posted by: Ryan C | Jan 16, 2009 12:53:15 PM
Now do you plan to also post something about President Bush's classy, gracious farewell address? I didn't think so. Why interrupt the all-incoming channel?
*****************************************************
The all-incoming channel last night was about the "miracle on the Hudson" rather than Bush attempting to revise his legacy.
Posted by: kat | Jan 16, 2009 10:56:03 AM
Joe is the poster boy for why there should be term limits in congress. I have always been amazed at his ability to talk for so long and say nothing, and even more so that my fellow Delawareans failed to see him for what he is. Marrium Websters should put a foot note under "egoism" that says see Joe Biden.
Posted by: formerdem | Jan 16, 2009 9:16:38 AM
To those who say Joe Biden will be the worst VP. in History That spots already been taken by the VP. who is leaving that office in just a couple days. History will NOT be kind to this Bush/Chaney band of Liars and crooks. Those of you with shorter memory spans should go back and read some of those reports on VP. Chaney's court order to NOT Purge some of his files that may be incrimanating to his office.
Posted by: fax | Jan 16, 2009 8:00:35 AM
Senator Biden tenure in the U.S. Senate comes with mixed reviews. He should be given credit for wins in domestic legislative accomplishments but along with many mistakes along away have been noted.
He is on record for some of the most absurd public remarks for a politician and Senator. As for his record as chairperson on the Foreign Relations Committee his lack of action to prevent genocide in Africa during the 90s is beyond belief, however, in all fairness, former-President Clinton is equally responsible for a lack of action in stopping the African genocide in the 90s.
Lastly, considering his time in Senate relative to the number of sponsored bills suggest his productivity was not stellar but typical of the institution, the Senate, our broken branch of government.
Posted by: threeriverscrossing | Jan 16, 2009 6:48:58 AM
Jwench - given his penchant for embellishing stories & saying he did things that weren't possible, because they didn't exist - it's a pretty good bet that the story occurred only in his mind. He is a proven liar....can you say "plagairism"?
Posted by: ellsbells930 | Jan 16, 2009 6:36:31 AM
Biden- 36 years in the senate and nothing worthwhile in achievements to show for! That about sums up his senate career. One thing Biden is good at is giving exagerated, factually incorrect speeches.
Posted by: Greg h | Jan 16, 2009 6:30:47 AM
LORD is that man full of crap. And I will guarantee that his story of stepping on the floor in his 20s than having some guy say he was there legally 10 years later is an out right lie.... like most of what Biden bloviates. He's the Cliff Clavin of the Senate.
Posted by: Warner Todd Huston | Jan 16, 2009 3:10:51 AM
VP Elect Joe Biden is a modern day Harry Truman... some most and all of the original Obamabots dont fully grasp what they will take over in a couple of days...In the end Obama could not get by without an administration replete with Clinton staffers and a Clinton loyalist...Bidenit will be an interestign 4 or 8 yrs... Im for the President Elect because he had the wisdom to include the Clintons... therefore this country will remain in the center and not vere to the left like so many of you want
Posted by: JG | Jan 15, 2009 11:59:55 PM
Nice coverage of Biden's Senate farewell, Jake. Now do you plan to also post something about President Bush's classy, gracious farewell address? I didn't think so. Why interrupt the all-incoming channel?
about Biden: I dread the torrent of "literally"s we will be subjected to over the next four years. It grates even more than McCain's "my friends." Oh, well, at least he made a good puppy choice.
Posted by: moderate | Jan 15, 2009 10:53:08 PM
he was a joke and he will continually be a joke. I guess we need something to keeps us laughing for the next 4 year!
Posted by: frieda | Jan 15, 2009 10:23:54 PM
Even though Joe is a great guy we still have to put him down and say that Bush did a good job. It's our duty.
Posted by: that 31% | Jan 15, 2009 7:50:54 PM
wow...wonderful gentleman and a great statesman. How fortunate to have such an honorable man as our vice president. Good luck Joe...love you.
Posted by: NBS | Jan 15, 2009 7:35:05 PM
Joe the Biden, Joe O'Biden, Champ, Dash, Senator, our next Vice President of the United States, and of course, just Joe...I love you Joe Biden. You are one of the most decent individuals I know, caring, loving, brilliant, and honest, with a wonderfully interesting stream of consiousness. I love it all. Joe Biden keeps it real in speech and action. If you meet him in person, you do not leave without knowing you are truly valued. I couldn't ask for anyone better to be my next VP.
Posted by: Stewart | Jan 15, 2009 7:26:04 PM
Biden Bo Biden FE Fi FO Fiden Biden
Posted by: aarroozz | Jan 15, 2009 7:17:58 PM
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