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Biden: McCain 'Used to Be a Close Friend'

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October 18, 2008 7:21 PM

ABC News' Matt Jaffe reports: Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., can barely mention Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., without calling the Republican presidential candidate "a good friend," but while ripping GOP campaign tactics today, Biden used the past tense when referring to the two lawmakers' friendship.

"He used to be a close friend," the Democratic vice presidential nominee said of McCain at a mid-day San Francisco area fundraiser. "What's being done, is a constant attempt to win by actually making, appealing to the cynicism of American people and the sense that government cannot work."

Even while blasting McCain on the campaign trail, Biden still calls his GOP opponent "a good friend" so frequently that two weeks ago NBC's "Saturday Night Live" parodied the Delaware lawmaker's habit.

"Look, I love John McCain," SNL's Jason Sudeikis said in his impersonation of Biden's veep debate performance. "He is one of my dearest friends, but at the same time, he is also dangerously unbalanced. I mean, let's be frank, John McCain -- and again this is a man I would take a bullet for -- he's bad at his job and mentally unstable."

Despite what he denounced as "scurrilous" Republican tactics, Biden today expressed confidence that voters are "smart" and "tough" enough to elect the Democratic ticket.

"We dumb them down a little too much," Biden said. "I think we don't think they're as smart and as tough as they are. They are smart and they are tough."

"It's totally within our wheelhouse. We can do this," Biden said confidently of the Democratic ticket's chances, before adding a note of caution. "But anybody who thinks that we're going to be elected, and all of a sudden, you know, the birds are going to start chirping and everything is going to come out is wrong."

At the Atherton home of former state comptroller Steve Westly, who made an unsuccessful bid for California governor two years ago, Biden joked with the audience about being the fourth most senior senator, but still being younger than 39 of his fellow lawmakers.

"I am getting so tired of this, I am the senior guy on the ticket. I can't stand it man," said the 65-year-old Biden, who then downplayed the veep slot to a member of the audience. "If I had known it was gonna get this way, John, I would have never left Senate chairmanship of the Foreign Relations Committee. You know, the vice presidency ain't much to begin with, you know what I mean?"

In response, a supporter in the crowd called out to the six-term senator, "At least you know what a vice president does!"

"Right now our vice president does too damn much," Biden replied with a laugh.

October 18, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John | Permalink | User Comments (189)

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Uh, well, when asked during the debate what the VP did, the 6 term senator, like got it wrong....

I am voting for McCain, but I have always respected Biden. If he could just get the mouth in sync with the brain....

He has great foreign relations experience but I will say, if not for Sara Palin, the media would be all over his verbal gaffes...

Posted by: kp | Oct 18, 2008 7:28:36 PM

Fellow Sportsman,
Hello, my name is Rich Pearson and I have been active in the firearm rights movement for over 40 years. For the past 15 years, I have served in the Illinois state capitol as the chief lobbyist for the Illinois State Rifle Association.

I lobbied Barack Obama extensively while he was an Illinois State Senator. As a result of that experience, I know Obama's attitudes toward guns and gun owners better than anyone. The truth be told, in all my years in the Capitol I have never met a legislator who harbors more contempt for the law-abiding firearm owner than does Barack Obama.

Although Obama claims to be an advocate for the 2nd Amendment, his voting record in the Illinois Senate paints a very different picture. While a state senator, Obama voted for a bill that would ban nearly every hunting rifle, shotgun and target rifle owned by Illinois citizens. That same bill would authorize the state police to raid homes of gun owners to forcibly confiscate banned guns. Obama supported a bill that would shut down law-abiding firearm manufacturers including Springfield Armory, Armalite, Rock River Arms and Les Baer. Obama also voted for a bill that would prohibit law-abiding citizens from purchasing more than one gun per month.

Without a doubt, Barack Obama has proven himself to be an enemy of the law abiding firearm owner. At the same time, Obama has proven himself to be a friend to the hardened criminal. While a state senator, Obama voted 4 times against legislation that would allow a homeowner to use a firearm in defense of home and family.

Does Barack Obama still sound to you like a "friend" of the law-abiding gun owner?

And speaking of friends, you can always tell a person by the company they keep. Obama counts among his friends the Rev. Michael Pfleger - a renegade Chicago priest who has openly called for the murder of gun shop owners and pro-gun legislators. Then there is his buddy Richard Daley, the mayor of Chicago who has declared that if it were up to him, nobody would be allowed to own a gun. And let's not forget Obama's pal George Soros - the guy who has pumped millions of dollars into the UN's international effort to disarm law-abiding citizens.

Obama has shown that he is more than willing to use other people's money to fund his campaign to take your guns away from you. While a board member of the leftist Joyce Foundation, Barack Obama wrote checks for tens of millions of dollars to extremist gun control organizations such as the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and the Violence Policy Center.

Does Barack Obama still sound to you like a "friend" of the law-abiding gun owner?

By now, I'm sure that many of you have received mailings from an organization called "American Hunters and Shooters Association(AHSA)" talking about what a swell fellow Obama is and how he honors the 2nd Amendment and how you will never have to worry about Obama coming to take your guns. Let me make it perfectly clear - everything the AHSA says about Obama is pure hogwash. The AHSA is headed by a group of left-wing elitists who subscribe to the British view of hunting and shooting. That is, a state of affairs where hunting and shooting are reserved for the wealthy upper-crust who can afford guided hunts on exclusive private reserves. The AHSA is not your friend, never will be.

In closing, I'd like to remind you that I'm a guy who has actually gone nose to nose with Obama on gun rights issues. The Obama I know cannot even begin to identify with this nation's outdoor traditions. The Obama I know sees you, the law abiding gun owner, as nothing but a low-class lummox who is easily swayed by the flash of a smile and a ration of rosy rhetoric. The Obama I know is a stony-faced liar who has honed his skill at getting what he wants - so long as people are willing to give it to him.

That's the Barack Obama I know.

The ISRA is the state's leading advocate of safe, lawful and responsible firearms ownership. Founded in 1903, the ISRA has represented the interests of millions of law-abiding Illinois firearm owners.

Posted by: Nub-Tail | Oct 18, 2008 7:37:52 PM

kp

If one is voting for McCain they should not talk about some one elses brain.

Posted by: jim | Oct 18, 2008 7:38:36 PM

Joe Biden - Go back to the Senate!

If you have the - you know what - be honest with the American people about Barack Obama - a MARXIST, who may end up becoming President of the United States of America.

Shame on you hypocrite Joe Biden!

Oh! I know...you would not know anything about "character" and "judgement" - after all you have already abandoned a Presidential bid because you were caught "plagiarizing"!

Perhaps you can abandon your Vice Presidential bid before the country BOOOOOS you for one more time - after Marxist Obama has destroyed it.

You should wash you mouth before speaking about Senator McCain.

Get lost Marxist DemocRATS!

Posted by: Natasha | Oct 18, 2008 7:39:32 PM

ABC

Nub-Tail's free political ad should not be allowed to be posted on your blog.

Posted by: jen | Oct 18, 2008 7:41:52 PM

I washed my mouth.
McCain is old, erratic and has no solutions for America.

Posted by: doug | Oct 18, 2008 7:43:02 PM

At a time that Europe is awakening up - turning to the "right" after years of "failed socialism" it would be a crime to elect Marxist Obama as the next President of the United States of America.

Even France learned the lessons of its "failed socialism" and elected conservative Nicholas Sarkozy - a staunch friend of the United States. And here we are - Americans are about to let our country destroyed by MARXIST BARACK OBAMA!


Video: Sarkozy’s Speech Before Congress


The following video is for the geopolitically savvy and morally sound American patriots - not for the "Obama Communust Youth"!


France’s new leader Nicolas Sarkozy gave a speech before Congress that was, dare I say, almost...Reaganesque. He called America “the greatest nation,” among other platitudes.

You can view the whole thing here, and I really think you should all watch it.


http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/video_sarkozys_speech_before_congress/


He speaks of America in such glowing terms that you almost wonder if he isn’t, in some ways, more American than certain Democrats I could think of.

What’s particularly interesting is that, years ago when the Bush presidency was new and Iraq was a fresh issue, the left told us constantly that George Bush was making America less popular in the world. Yet during the President’s term in office three of our traditional allies (Canada, Germany and now France) elected leaders that displaced virulently anti-Bush and anti-American leaders with people more of Sarkozy’s temperament (Stephen Harper in Canada and Angela Merkel in Germany).

Sort of almost seems like...that whole “less popular America” thing just isn’t true.


Video: Sarkozy’s Speech Before Congress

http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/video_sarkozys_speech_before_congress/

Posted by: Natasha | Oct 18, 2008 7:43:36 PM

Uh, well, when asked during the debate what the VP did, the 6 term senator, like got it wrong....

I am voting for McCain, but I have always respected Biden. If he could just get the mouth in sync with the brain....

He has great foreign relations experience but I will say, if not for Sara Palin, the media would be all over his verbal gaffes...

Posted by: kp | Oct 18, 2008 7:28:36 PM

Joe Biden sometimes opens his mouth and inserts foot, but between him and Palin, I will rather him take over if something would happen to Obama. Palin is a lunatic.

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 7:44:21 PM

Joe the Plumber's Revenge: Martin Nesbitt, Treasurer of Obama's Campaign, Has Several Tax Liens

http://webofdeception.com/nesbitt.html

Posted by: LightSeeker | Oct 18, 2008 7:45:07 PM

The Republicans are nasty and frightening. If you don't agree with them you are a commie-liberal-leftist-anti-American. Apparently northern Virginia is now communist anti-american, are are huge swaths of this country. Its crazy for a party go so far out of their way to alienate so much of the population. I've never seen so much mental illness on such a grand scale.

Posted by: Half-Baked Alaska | Oct 18, 2008 7:48:31 PM

The socialist programs that Obama suggests are the same type of socialist programs that brought about the economic crisis - one and the same.

Joe the Plumber brought the economic crisis into focus by pointing out that the Obama tax plan to redistribute wealth is the same sort of flawed thinking that brought about the collapse to the loan industry and rolled into Wall Street.

Posted by: plumbers | Oct 18, 2008 7:50:20 PM

The Republicans are nasty and frightening. If you don't agree with them you are a commie-liberal-leftist-anti-American. Apparently northern Virginia is now communist anti-american, are are huge swaths of this country. Its crazy for a party go so far out of their way to alienate so much of the population. I've never seen so much mental illness on such a grand scale.

Posted by: Half-Baked Alaska | Oct 18, 2008 7:48:31 PM

Hopefully we are watching the death of the Republican party in the making. They have no vision of the future.

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 7:55:41 PM

I can't believe Mr. Biden anymore. I used to admire Mr. Biden. But he's starting to lie like Mr. Obama.

Posted by: young_voter | Oct 18, 2008 7:56:14 PM

The socialist programs that Obama suggests are the same type of socialist programs that brought about the economic crisis - one and the same.

Joe the Plumber brought the economic crisis into focus by pointing out that the Obama tax plan to redistribute wealth is the same sort of flawed thinking that brought about the collapse to the loan industry and rolled into Wall Street.

Posted by: plumbers | Oct 18, 2008 7:50:20 PM

Well this "trickle" down stuff hasn't worked now has it. We are trillions in debt and who can we blame for that?

Look at the amount of money we are spending on Iraq (I might mention we had no reason to attack them).

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 7:59:36 PM

republicans follow the bush mantra -
"if your not with us your against us!"

If you speak of the faults of America - your against America.

If you speak against the GOP party - your a liberal.

If you like Obama - you must be a muslim- terr0rist.

Posted by: jozy | Oct 18, 2008 7:59:38 PM

Back in 71 when the soilders of the VM war returned and spoke against the war they were considered by those at the conventions to be communist, traitors, and cowards - never mind the fact they had been over there fighting - mislead by our government - once they realized how wrong it was and tried to speak out they were cast aside and called everything but citizens.

Posted by: jozy | Oct 18, 2008 8:00:54 PM

Biden is a fool. At least you know what a vice president does.

His supporter was referring to Palin.

Biden is the most overrated poltician in america. He is a dunce who is looked at as some great savior.

Posted by: Dan | Oct 18, 2008 8:01:53 PM

Biden you are so dense.

Your supporter was referring to Palin on what a vice president does.

This shows how clueless and dense Biden is.

What a dunce Biden is. Joe Biden who said his IQ was higher than yours to a reporter. What an ego driven dunce Biden is.

Posted by: Dan | Oct 18, 2008 8:03:12 PM

Biden is the most overrated poltician in america. He is a dunce who is looked at as some great savior.

Posted by: Dan | Oct 18, 2008 8:01:53 PM

I guess you think Palin the Parrot is a maverick too...lol

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 8:03:24 PM

The Republicans have been busy redistributing the wealth for the past 8 years.

They've been helping redistribute the wealth from the lower and middle income groups and making sure it goes to the top 5% rich people.

That seems fair heh? 8 more years! 8 more years!

Posted by: pefros | Oct 18, 2008 8:05:08 PM

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