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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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This shows how clueless and dense Biden is.


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

If you want to talk clueless and dense look no further than the Republican ticket.

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 8:07:35 PM

The great irony of Joe the Plumber is it was McCain who thrust him into the spotlight by mentioning him repeatedly in the last debate.

McCain attempting to cash in on the plumber's back has caused that man the harassment McCain is currently trying to blame on Obama. How pathetic.

And further irony, in reality the plummer was earning something like $40,000 per year and would benefit under the Obama's tax plan, not under McCain's.

Posted by: pefros | Oct 18, 2008 8:09:25 PM

There is no way in hell Obama is qualified to be President.

- paraphrasing Joe Biden, a few months ago.

Posted by: country voter | Oct 18, 2008 8:10:30 PM

Nub-Tail. Quit lying. Gun season will soon be in and you can put your bow away til next year.

Posted by: Obama lobbyist | Oct 18, 2008 8:14:32 PM

McCain is mentally unstable, erratic, his medical records tell a lot about it. America remember that Bush is a morron, but he is not crazzy, McCain is from any psychiatric assessment a patient who needs a mental hospice. God save America from McSame and Palin. God bless America and God bless OBAMA/Biden

Posted by: BKMC | Oct 18, 2008 8:15:44 PM

This is a very sad year. Old emotions from the 1960's have been resurrected. Ignorance seems to be the main course at Republican rallies. How sad. ..........

http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/10/18/the-ayers-of-christian-redemption/

Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | Oct 18, 2008 8:20:23 PM

SOCIALISM WILL BE THE FALL OF AMERICA

Your response is a terrific example of 'moral relativism' where by the consequences of 'your beliefs' conflict with that of 'someone else', me. The 'right' to health care, you believe exists, in reality, does not.

As so many other perceived rights bandied about, your affirmation, 'I believe is a right', describes your personal desires. The subject "is" of a "moral nature" that has ignited, once again, conflict.

The consequences of the, yours vs. mine, morality argument is "very real" and "costly" for many people of the opposing view. What must follow always results in “mandates”, “controls”, and "taking more taxes".

“My” freedom of choice now diminished and “my” paycheck smaller. I now have to “obey” what I previously did not have to. I am now worse off than before.

I learned in college economics this one axiom; Wants and desires are never ending. This “human trait” is why our founders demanded a “limited government” as “originally intended” and enumerated in our rule book, the Constitution.

Why elections matter so much:

Alexander Fraser Tyler, Cycle of Democracy (1770)

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury.

From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over lousy fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.

The average of the world’s great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; from faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to Complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependency back again to bondage.”

Posted by: Patrick | Oct 18, 2008 8:27:44 PM

SOCIALISM WILL BE THE FALL OF AMERICA

Your response is a terrific example of 'moral relativism' where by the consequences of 'your beliefs' conflict with that of 'someone else', me. The 'right' to health care, you believe exists, in reality, does not.

As so many other perceived rights bandied about, your affirmation, 'I believe is a right', describes your personal desires. The subject "is" of a "moral nature" that has ignited, once again, conflict.

The consequences of the, yours vs. mine, morality argument is "very real" and "costly" for many people of the opposing view. What must follow always results in “mandates”, “controls”, and "taking more taxes".

“My” freedom of choice now diminished and “my” paycheck smaller. I now have to “obey” what I previously did not have to. I am now worse off than before.

I learned in college economics this one axiom; Wants and desires are never ending. This “human trait” is why our founders demanded a “limited government” as “originally intended” and enumerated in our rule book, the Constitution.

Why elections matter so much:

Alexander Fraser Tyler, Cycle of Democracy (1770)

A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury.

From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over lousy fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.

The average of the world’s great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These nations have progressed in this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; from faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to Complacency; from complacency to apathy; from apathy to dependency; from dependency back again to bondage.”

Posted by: Patrick | Oct 18, 2008 8:28:41 PM

Patrick:
If you havent noticed, The Fall of America has already begun. If anything, Obama will break the fall.
The system as it is, doesnt work.
You are blind.

Posted by: Cindy Lou Who | Oct 18, 2008 8:31:20 PM

To BMKC, taking your kids to hear Wright's rantings is mentally erratic.

Wright saying our chickens came home to roost on 9/11 and then Obama still praising him is erratic.

Obama is the one who did coke.

Obama is the one who did a land deal with rezko while he was under federal investigation for influence peddling then lied about it.

Obama is the one who called his moral compass for 20 years father pfleger an anti semite.


Obama is the one who was erratic on his dc gun ban position.

Obama voted to give a felony to a homeowner for using a handgun to protect himself and his family against a robber in his home.

Obama is Mr erratic. Hussein is erratic.


Hussein slammed small town america at a san francisco fundraiser.

Obama is shady and acts differently when he thinks the cameras aren't on.

Obama threatened the life of a colleague in chicago.

Obama wouldn't even sign an autograph for a guy.

Obama is the only candidate who doesn't have open town halls.

Obama refused ABC this week's offer for an open town hall.

Obama doesn't like open town halls.


Obama is erratic he did cocaine.


You Obama supporters who never served in the military love taking shots at McCain.

Posted by: James | Oct 18, 2008 8:34:06 PM

Obama took his kids to a hear hate for years.

Obama is erratic to the tenth degree.

Obama is filled with rage.


Obama lets a fly bother him in an interview a fly didn't bother mccain.


Obama being CIC is a joke he never served in his life and has no right to be CIC.

Obama said our military was only air raiding villages and killing civilians.

Our military needs to treat Obama like the joke he is and look out for themselves and treat Obama like the joke he is.


Obama blamed Clinton for Bhutto's death talk about erratic.

Obama said Hillary's claws were coming out.

Not likable enough with that smirk.

Obama said Hillary visiting 80 countries amounted to her having tea.


Posted by: James | Oct 18, 2008 8:37:51 PM

Sorry to see McCain go down this way, it is truly sad....

Posted by: Davis | Oct 18, 2008 8:37:59 PM

Posted by: Patrick | Oct 18, 2008 8:28:41 PM

Instead of copying and pasting crappola from right wing websites, let's hear an original thought from one of you parrots.

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 8:41:15 PM

Davis Obama is the one whose poll numbers are inflated.

I wouldn't be so confident if I were you.

Look back at the primaries and Obama's poll numbers were way inflated.

The only thing sad will be watching you Obama supporters after election day say how you are moving to canada and blaming diebold like you always do.

McCain served this country with honor while Obama takes advantage of his war injuries in commercials. Obama's rush limbaugh commercials are sad.


Karma is coming to get you Obama supporters big time. You have spit on McCain long enough.


Posted by: To Davis | Oct 18, 2008 8:43:58 PM

patrick...

very intersting read. i too believe, sadly, america is on its way out. im 30 years old, semi "schooled" on history of civilizations and their eventual downfall, and i couldnt agree more. FULL BLOWN SOCIALISM IS THE NEXT STEP IN COMPLETE FAILURE OF OUR NATION. and the worst part of it is, that you dont even have to be a scholar in history to know this just dosent feel right. thats why i cant vote for barack obama. his supporters say "well we already have socialim in america", or "you just dont care about the poor" or a whole other list of things regarding the socialism question. call it whatever you want, with obama, we will have more government handouts. there is absolutely no disputing this. you can argue whether it is right or wrong, but there is no argument that it will be this way. as karl marx said "socialism is the next step before communism". it may take awhile, but i believe this to be true.

Posted by: tim | Oct 18, 2008 8:44:51 PM

Posted by: James | Oct 18, 2008 8:37:51 PM

Obama is erratic? Look at McCain's campaign...lol. Yes a fly did bother McCain when he called his wife the "c" word. Also when that one reporter kept asking him that question.

From you:Obama being CIC is a joke he never served in his life and has no right to be CIC.

Where does it say you had to serve to be Commander in chief?

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 8:46:05 PM

The only reason Republicans keep bringing up Socialism is because the right wing websites are covered with that nonsense. Did it also tell you that Obama is the boogey man?

Can't you people come up with an original thought and not what somebody told you to parrot.

Most of what is posted on here is taken right from those websites. I just happened to follow a few links last night and I thought I was reading these blogs...lol

Posted by: Jwench | Oct 18, 2008 8:49:38 PM

Nub-tail: Obama's gun stance is the one thing that truely disturb's me about him. Biden used to be my senator....he is as anti-second amendment as Obama. With the economy falling as it is, American's will thank God they have the right to be armed if the economy collaspes. Obama has never once supported our 2nd amendment rights. People don't realise that Hitler rose out of an economy such as ours in the 1930's. It is the foremost reason assault weapons are very important. Todays tyrants use automatic weapons....we will be at a disadvantage with semi-auto weapons but we will have the advantage of a people's army! If you think a tyrant can't arise...think again folks. The patriot act set's up our country for this dispicable behavior! I remember folks used to say, no one will ever attack us in our homeland, we'd nuke them.....then 9/11.

Posted by: kennedy | Oct 18, 2008 8:51:44 PM

jwench...

if you're referring to me, let me say that i am NOT republican. i dont affiliate with any party. i happen to be conservative, versus liberal. thats the only thing that really matters. i dont like either one of these canidates. i just happen to think obama is a WHOLE lot worse. much to your surprise, socialism is an actual word, with an actual meaning, and actually exists!!! honestly, if you do some research, you'll find there are quite a few socialist goverments on this earth. and if you think that it cant happen here, or wont happen here, think again. look at the history of civilizations and how they evolve. we are no different than any other great empire in history that has gone through this "evolution". please stop saying that every "republican" just throws that word out there because they jumped on the bandwagon. you can learn alot from opening a history book.

Posted by: tim | Oct 18, 2008 8:55:19 PM

you folks are just plain funny! You're all nutz! Now wonder our country is struggling so bad. Stop reading articles like this. They are not news and not newsworthy. Go hang out with your kids. Go do something nice for your spouse. Go walk your dog. Do SOMETHING productive with yourselves.

As for me... I just kinda like to read you guys blasting each other.

It probably doesn't matter who wins at this point. They will be like a banker with no money in the vault. Doesn't matter what their ideas are... there won't be any money to do anything!!!

Hey... and maybe you could start being a 'little' nice to each other? Surely we have more in common than you are willing to admit. We all want the best for this country. We all realize that our freedoms where purchased with the blood, sweat and tears of many generations. We bring them no honor by ridiculing each other in a blog...

PEACE...

Posted by: smc | Oct 18, 2008 8:59:30 PM

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