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Biden Sticks to Script; GOP Claims He's Been 'Muzzled'
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ShareOctober 29, 2008 1:13 PM
ABC News' Matt Jaffe Reports: Impersonating Sen. Joe Biden last weekend on Saturday Night Live comedian Jason Sudeikis shouted, "Gird your loins! By the beard of Jupiter, gird your loins!" But there was no loin-girding today in Jupiter, Fla., nor was there anything but another standard stump speech from the Democratic VP nominee, prompting the Republicans to claim Biden has been 'muzzled'.
Calling Biden's on-script message to the Sunshine State on retirement plans and Israeli security "proof that his entire candidacy is nothing more than scripted bluster and unscripted blunders", McCain-Palin spokesman Ben Porritt said the Democratic nominee "has muzzled his own running mate for offering insight into Barack Obama's plan to raise taxes."
In an appeal to Florida voters, Biden referenced his thirty-plus years in the Senate working with Israel, suggesting that a "direct connection" between a "stronger America" and a "more secure Israel".
"I've worked with every prime minister of Israel from Golda Meir right through to the present prime minister," said the six-term senator from Delaware. "I want to tell you something: that's what Barack and I know, we know what the Israelis know and all our friends know. That is, the greater the respect for America, the stronger America is in the world, the more secure Israel and the rest of our friends are in the world. So folks, this is a direct connection. It's about establishing once again America's respect in the world and people being willing around the world to follow us."
At Roger Dean Stadium, spring training site of the Florida Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals, Biden warned supporters that this presidential race is "in the final lap here."
For the past week, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee has scarcely deviated from his short and sweet 20-minute stump. As he appealed to elderly voters here in this southeastern Florida city, today was no different.
"Here's what Barack and I believe," Biden told the crowd of 2000. "We believe there should be no privatization of Social Security, no raising of the retirement age. And we believe, we believe there should be no income taxes for seniors for who have an income of less than $50,000 a year. Zero, zero income tax. In fact, we believe and we'll propose that they shouldn't even have to file a tax return, literally."
In one of this morning's few moments that have might have been unscripted, Biden dubbed the Republican ticket "Bret and Bart Maverick".
"Here's the part I love," he said, before launching into his usual imitation of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin. "Hey, maverick! I'm a maverick! You're a maverick! We're the maverick team, right?' You know? Bret and Bart Maverick. I mean, they're the mavericks, right?"
In reality, Biden said, "it's George W. Bush and the sidekicks."
This evening the Delaware lawmaker links up with Obama for a joint rally in Sunrise, their ninth appearance together, before departing later tonight for St. Louis.
October 29, 2008 in Biden, Joe, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans | Permalink | User Comments (68)
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Does the GOP have anything positive to say about their agenda? All the do is ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK. Now they are attacking because Biden is doing less gaffes. Just Dumb.
Posted by: Karen | Oct 29, 2008 1:27:32 PM
MAybe the GOP should try it with Sarah pitbitch.
Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 29, 2008 1:37:35 PM
When will the GOP Muzzle the Pitbull Enough of her barking already!
Posted by: Angie | Oct 29, 2008 1:39:15 PM
The pitbull is off her leash and Joe the senator is on a leash. Oh poor Joe! Let him speak his mind, unleash the truth! I bet Joe is pissed having to bow down to the messiah!
Posted by: MP | Oct 29, 2008 1:52:38 PM
So the GOP is mad that Biden isn't making verbal gaffes? And they are crying about it?
Is there anything the GOP won't attack? So now they are being babies and saying "Awwwwww, you aren't doing stuff we can make fun of!"
There is only one thing to say about. And in fact I'll have to quote John McCain. "Life isn't fair" huh?
Posted by: Greg in MN | Oct 29, 2008 1:55:39 PM
Obama is sticking to a tight script as well, why mess up at the finish line? Someone DOES need to muzzle Palin and McCain. Also, if the GOP spent as much time worrying about the McCain campaign and less worrying about the Obama campaign...maybe McCain would be doing better in GOP strongholds. ;-0
Posted by: francheska ;-) | Oct 29, 2008 1:58:40 PM
Obama is sticking to a tight script as well, why mess up at the finish line? Someone DOES need to muzzle Palin and McCain. Also, if the GOP spent as much time worrying about the McCain campaign and less worrying about the Obama campaign...maybe McCain would be doing better in GOP strongholds. ;-0
Posted by: francheska ;-) | Oct 29, 2008 1:58:40 PM
---------------------------
I totally agree with you!!!!
Posted by: akskimo | Oct 29, 2008 2:04:26 PM
None of the Jews in my family will be voting for Obama...they know a snake when they see one.
Posted by: MBNA Joe | Oct 29, 2008 2:04:57 PM
McCain is getting really sad. Republicans used to have a platform and specific issues. McCain has totally given up in trying to articulate what he stands for. Its all irrelevant name calling and sound bites. I'm so over this kind of dumbed down politics
Posted by: Nina | Oct 29, 2008 2:05:33 PM
It's ironic that the GOP is criticising Obama for muzzling Biden when they won't let Palin talk to the mainstream media by herself.
Posted by: Dave | Oct 29, 2008 2:07:10 PM
Did Biden ask anymore people in whellchairs to stand up and take a bow?..LMAO!..Idiot!
At least he's honest...he's let it slip that our enemies will have no respect for Obama and that their tax plan will hit people with incomes way lower than they are letting on.
Posted by: MBNA Joe | Oct 29, 2008 2:09:40 PM
Don't worry GOP; you will hear all the unscripted talk you can handle for the next 4 years when you have to listen to Good Ole Joe!
Posted by: PoliticsAsUsual | Oct 29, 2008 2:11:24 PM
If the GOP was smart they would muzzle Palin and unmuzzle John McCain from the same old tired republican lines we have heard for forty years.
Posted by: Perspective | Oct 29, 2008 2:11:46 PM
I've played a lot of sports in my time and you can tell a lot about a persons character by how they react when they're losing or have lost. Some people are gracious, play well, do their best, and congratulate you when you beat them. Others, the more contemptable ones, get angry, cheat, yell, complain, try to injure your best players, and blame it on everyone but themselves when they lose. Which of these players do you think the GOP is?
Posted by: Swoosh | Oct 29, 2008 2:12:09 PM
Biden didn't say anything different about Obama (except that he had a spine of steel) than Lieberman said about both candidates. That the new president, whether it be McCain or Obama, would be tested. This was common news released by the NSA a week before Biden restated it, adding that Obama would have a "spine of steel". It's just another pathetic grasping of straws by the desperate GOP.
Posted by: Dave | Oct 29, 2008 2:16:33 PM
The GOP should just realize that they're going to lose and go down with some dignity. They'd probably get better polling if they ran a decent campaign. The American people are sick of politics as usual and hungry for change, so what does the GOP do? The same tired negative campaign that gave us the worst president we've ever had. Voters aren't going to fall for it again.
Posted by: Joe the Voter4Obama | Oct 29, 2008 2:20:20 PM
The GOP is jealious they can't muzzle Palin!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Deton | Oct 29, 2008 2:31:08 PM
"Which of these players do you think the GOP is"
trick Question. McCain will be the winner. the answer is neither.
Posted by: geevill | Oct 29, 2008 2:32:45 PM
Obama is a fake and a lire I can not believe so many of you have bought into his Anti-American agenda. Welcome to the U.S.S.A ! What ever happened to the 18 million Clinton supporters that were saying he was playing the race card unfairly against Hilary. You should all be supporting McCain so Hilary can run again in 2012. How can you support the man you stole the nomination from Hilary.
Posted by: batesba74 | Oct 29, 2008 2:53:34 PM
The only ones wanting to muzzle Palin are Democrats they cant stand hearing the truth about Obama and his Racist, Terrorist friends. Does anyone know who The the man "Frank" is in his book who he considers to be his main mentor? Look into it and you will be surprised. Also Why is the LA Times keeping that tape off the air? What are they hiding? Obama is a Fraud!
Posted by: batesba74 | Oct 29, 2008 3:00:33 PM
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