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Biden's Gloves Come Off ... Against 'Sexist' Media
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ShareSeptember 04, 2008 8:41 AM
ABC News' Matthew Jaffe reports: Some might have expected Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., to come out swinging after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's scathing speech last night at the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn. But Thursday morning, Biden threw more punches at the "sexist" press than at his vice presidential counterpart.
"No one has to wonder about there being a sexist bone in my body," Biden said in an appearance on "Good Morning America." "And the truth is, some of the stuff that the press has said about Sarah, and that others have said about the governor, I think, are outrageous. Look, I think kids are off-limits, flat off-limits.
"I think this stuff about how can she be a governor and vice president and raise three kids -- c'mon, whoever those folks are don't know any strong women," he continued.
"I just think some of the stuff said has been over the top, totally unfair, and has been sexist, and I think the way the governor has handled it has been admirable."
As for how Palin handled her speech at the Republican National Convention, Biden said he was impressed.
"I thought she had a great night," the senator said of Palin. "I thought she had a very skillfully written and very skillfully delivered political speech, and I was impressed with her.
"I was also impressed with what I didn't hear," Biden added. "I didn't hear a word mentioned about the middle class, or health care, or about how people are going to fill up their gas tanks."
The Democratic vice presidential nominee noted that the speech reeked of the influence of Karl Rove.
"That's sort of the Rovian way of doing things," he said. "You know, I think it's a political skill set that Republicans have used with some effectiveness over the years, and so, it's not surprising to me.
"I don't know if they're effective or not," he said of such tactics. "That's for the American people to decide. My guess is that they saw through a lot of it. So much of what was said was just simply not true."
The senator cited taxes as one example, noting the case of Palin's sister, who owns a gas station.
"I should let her sister know she'd be better off under a Democratic plan."
But it was not what Palin said that stood out for Biden -- it was what she didn't say.
"She never once mentioned the word Afghanistan, never once mentioned the word Pakistan," he said. "The phrase 'middle class' was not mentioned once."
Of course, some of the things Palin did say served to attack the Democratic ticket, but Biden said he will not ratchet up his rhetoric in response to his Republican opponents.
"I'm not going to change my tone about John McCain, I think it's just kinda sad the way they went after Barack Obama," he said.
"They're good funny lines," Biden acknowledged. "I gotta admit, I'm glad they weren't about me, ya know. I mean, I'm sitting there thinking, 'Whoa, look at that zinger.'"
And Obama's running mate has already started raising expectations for Palin ahead of the veep debate on Oct. 2 in St. Louis.
"I think she's gonna be a pretty skillful debater. I think it'll be a tough debate for me."
September 4, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (204)
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==Funny Americans....so the election is about a childish ranting women...about Republicans attack? ...Name Calling....not about issues anymore!!Gooduck if you believe 8yrs lesson is nothing......other countries are moving on!==
Without our money, we hope.
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:28:33 AM
Sarah is an insult to women. She cries sexism everytime a little tidbit is dug up on her. Her speech was written by someone else for her to give. She is not an original or a maverick. She is a unqualified woman trying to fill the void on a horrible Republican ticket. Nice try McCain this country isn't as stupid as you hoped!
Posted by: Hippiemom | Sep 4, 2008 9:28:52 AM
How does 5 years in a prison cell make you ready to be president? Everybody knows McCain has anger issues. Do you think 5 years of imprisonment and torture screwed his head up? Do we really want someone who might has some sort of post traumatic mental illness running our country and especially our military?
Posted by: John | Sep 4, 2008 9:29:16 AM
==so the election is about a childish ranting women...about Republicans attack? ...Name Calling....not about issues anymore!!==
Nobody is listening to Libs, except to take what Libs say as confirmation of Conservative values.
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:31:36 AM
==How does 5 years in a prison cell make you ready to be president?==
You don't know, and THAT's the problem.
== Everybody knows McCain has anger issues.==
Oh, well.
== Do you think 5 years of imprisonment and torture screwed his head up?==
No.
== Do we really want someone who might has some sort of post traumatic mental illness running our country and especially our military?==
Do we wanna listen to somebody like you who may have mental problems?
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:34:15 AM
Whenever Joe Biden says he was impressed and that he is worried about his competency, watch out. He thinks this woman is toast. Hope he doesn't get to over confident.
Posted by: Chuck | Sep 4, 2008 9:34:51 AM
==Sarah is an insult to women.==
Lib women.
== Her speech was written by someone else for her to give.==
They all are.
== She is not an original or a maverick.==
Oh, well.
== She is a unqualified woman...==
A Lib would say that, when threatened.
==... trying to fill the void on a horrible Republican ticket.==
We don't expect a rabid Lib to like the GOP tix. That's ok cuz we don't need you. We got Sarah "Baracuda"!
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:37:59 AM
Dems new strategy is to tag Sarah Palin with Bush. They didn't succeed with McCain because everyone knows they hate eachother, so now they says it about Palin. I saw her speech, and I don't think she looked like Bush one bit. Obama is the charming IVY-league bubler of words in the crowd running for office.
Posted by: Sylvia Johnsen | Sep 4, 2008 9:39:23 AM
is it just me or have the GOP become exactly what they joked about obama
empty speaches, no experience, no substance...
the whole gop convention ahs not mentioned any plans...
its only attack attack attack... with no substance
talk about empty suit...
packed with lies! how many bald faced lies did she tell last night?
the bridge to nowhere? uhmmmmmm you supported that governor...
"if the democrats become elected we will all die!"
"we are in trouble in the economy because of the democrats... shhh nevermind the last 7 years we were in power"
oh and sara palin could have never got as many votes for mayor as biden got for president.... not even if she won 100% fo the vote, it would take 2 election cycles in her small town
my god this is a joke
Posted by: Bhrandon | Sep 4, 2008 9:41:17 AM
That was the most sarcastic and downright nasty political convention I've ever seen. I still can't figure out what the republicans are for... but I get the message that they have no respect for Obama. Underestimate Obama at your own peril, fools.
Palin proved she can act as tough as Bush and read Rove's teleprompter. Big deal. There are hundreds of thousands of women who could do that. Why would I be impressed?
Student council? Maybe.
VP? Not gonna happen.
Posted by: mgks | Sep 4, 2008 9:42:16 AM
Sarah was/is Fantasic! She is someone who this country can look up to. The McCain-Palin ticket will make sure the middle class and healthcare are in the priorities. That is why she brought up her youngest child.
Go McCain-Palin!!!!!!! Problem solvers!
Posted by: lyle | Sep 4, 2008 9:42:27 AM
Sarah "Baracuda": Sounds like a real American, to me.
The problem isn't that conservatism is too strong in this country; it isn't strong enough...until last evening, that is. Americans WANT Conservative, and they're showing it.
Angry white males, just like '94, are chomping at the bit, and we're taking this country back this November!
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:43:00 AM
Pnader! Where was he when the same crap was happening to Hillary. He could care less. He know there are in for a fight now & that the sexist crap has pi**ed a lot of women off! Biden needs to go to ancestry.com & find his roots because what he is pedaling as blue-collar doesn't look very blue to me!
Hillary 2012
Posted by: rockthebleachers | Sep 4, 2008 9:46:17 AM
Lib detractors against Palin don't have an audience, and their remarks go only to energize Republicans and independents who felt that they had nowhere to go.
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:46:51 AM
Chuck,
I couldn't agree more. That's very uncharacteristic of Joe Biden. Man, the Obama team must have done a good job reigning this champion. Although I love the new and disciplined Joe, I must say his maverick style is what attracted me to him. Like you I hope he does not get over confident.
Posted by: D | Sep 4, 2008 9:47:39 AM
Mr. Incredible, can you do anything other than call people liberals?
I think given the past 8 years, I think "conservative" might be the new bad word.
Posted by: Mr. Super-incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:47:48 AM
==Hillary 2012==
Palin will run in '12, and she will smack Hil down.
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Sep 4, 2008 9:48:06 AM
2000, 2004, 2008, Rove, Limbaugh, Bush- Cheney, McCain-Palin.
By order of importance and influence.
Posted by: Thinking | Sep 4, 2008 9:48:13 AM
Not trying to burst any bubbles, but Biden "the Statesman" is a bit of a stretch. Mr Biden has a history of plagiarizing - from his university days, law school and even in public political forums where he out right, without even changing a word or two, used a British politian's (Neal Kinnock) speech during a 1987 campaign speech. Biden initially denied any wrongdoing, claiming that this was just an inadvertent lack of acknowledgement. Yet there were other instances of rhetorical borrowing from speeches made by Robert F. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey. And the fact that Biden had given other speeches using the Kinnock passages without acknowledgment suggested that the lifting was more than just an inadvertent oversight. Is he really the Statesman we want near the White House?
Posted by: NOLA56 | Sep 4, 2008 9:48:34 AM
Sometimes a good offense is a good defence. I see the strategy Mr. Biden and I hope it works. Focus on what's important but be careful, even a dog on a chain can bite if you don't keep a wary eye on it.
Posted by: James | Sep 4, 2008 9:49:36 AM
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