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Choo Choo Joe
October 01, 2008 9:38 PM
ABC's Z. Byron Wolf and Matt Jaffe report: It bears mentioning that Democratic VP candidate and Delaware Senator Joe Biden rode the train down to DC here from debate prep in Delaware for tonight's vote on the economic rescue bill.
A welcome change from the campaign trail for Biden, surely, resting back into the daily routine he has kept for more than 30 years - the Acela high speed train since its inception.
Riding the train was a way for Biden to stay grounded in Delaware and near his boys after his first wife died , shortly after his first election to the Senate . In a lot of ways you could say he is Amtrak's best customer.
Tonight's first vote, as we were all waiting for the rescue bill to come up, was for a sweeping railroad bill that would give billions to upgrade Amtrak. Joe Biden was riding Amtrak down to DC to help out Amtrak.
And the train did its work. According to the Amtrak website, the 6:29 Acela left 3 minutes late, but arrived at Union Station 7 minutes early (who said American trains don't run on time?) That should have been plenty of time for the Senator to walk from Union Station up to the Capitol building in time to vote by 8:04 .
So... why did Biden miss the vote?
Should he have taken the 5:56 as originally planned?
We are on the case. Not that it really matters - the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act passed easily.
October 1, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (45)
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He voted wake up who ever said he didn't.But I bet you one thing this bail out isn't going to work unless the mistakes that caused this are corrected and the fat cats are being penalized. or even fired and made to make restitution.
Posted by: Rose Szymanski | Oct 1, 2008 10:01:45 PM
The safety for trains was good. Now how much is it going to cost the railroads or tax payers?
The other bill passed tonight will not be good for America.Ride safely Senator Biden.
Posted by: William | Oct 1, 2008 10:07:48 PM
Why did Biden meet with Prter Goss, Bob Graham, and Pakistani Gen. Mahmood Ahmed on behalf of Saheed Sheikh and wire 100,000 to Mohammed Atta on the day of 911. Come on Joe, the victims families have a right to know. Why did you tell a spokesman for those familes when confronted with this evidence to: "Get a life." Pretty cold, Joe. Pretty cold. You've got some explaing to do, if not to the American people, then at least to those family members. Have you no decency sir!
Posted by: hmn | Oct 1, 2008 10:09:07 PM
Why bother, Joe? Didn't you receive the text message from Gwen Ifill? It's a win-win situation : you have all the questions to be asked by Gwen and she will have a good a shot on a book deal.
Posted by: mtr2311 | Oct 1, 2008 10:13:32 PM
Ooooooh I see. McCain/Palin insinuate bias in something so obvious, but we get a nice lil fluff piece about Joey on a choo choo. Was his name Thomas, and did Joey get to sit in the engineers seat? Gawd!
ABC should stand for...ALWAYS BACKING COMRADES!!!!
This is so unbelievably stupid, and galling, and what's really sad is...you get all the nitwits to believe this crap.
rex84 is waiting.
Posted by: Jeanie | Oct 1, 2008 10:18:28 PM
Wow! The rightwing nutjobs are certainly here tonight! And on such a benign subject!
Obama/Biden 08
Posted by: jackt51 | Oct 1, 2008 10:30:56 PM
Who is singing "He ain't heavy, he's my brother" in the shower? Not Sarah Palin.
Posted by: mtr2311 | Oct 1, 2008 10:34:36 PM
In the train he read the transcript of Palin's Supreme Court answers to Couric.
He started feeling very bad, just as every sane American who read or listened to the BS chatter of the GOP VP candidate.
It's an insult to Biden that he has to debate with a chicken.
Posted by: trent | Oct 1, 2008 10:36:04 PM
Amen,so much for slick Joe!!!!!!
Posted by: Joey | Oct 1, 2008 10:36:13 PM
Both Joe Biden and Sarah Palin will not be able to name all the 57 states. Guess who can?
Posted by: mtr2311 | Oct 1, 2008 10:41:47 PM
Vote 'No' to the bailout-Resuce Plan. The New Plan, puts Humpty Dumpty back onthe Wall Street. Wall Street is the seperation, between The 5% and the 95%. The New Revisions, only make Wall Street in control again. We wil once again loose our 'Independence'. Why would anyone support, the New Bill, will only bring forth a Credit Line of 'Mass Destruction.'Please vote 'No' to 'Wall Street'. No More Division.
Let Americans own their own homes. By Saving Wall Street, They can still own Your Houses, and later, evven raise the intrest rate, to earn themselves more money.
Vote Independant.
WallStreet will Buy McCains 'WIN'
Remember Clintons Suprise?
Take it to the Bank, That these stall tactics, is a Nixon-Clinton-Bush-McCain set-up.
Follow the trail Back to the Beginning.
Watch CNN and MSNBC
Call Your Congress and Say NO, to the same Bush McCain division Plan.
Vote Independent. Not Wall Street Support.
Looking At McCains Past Record, He has only voted, when his elect 5%, would make more of a Gain.
McCain was held away form voting No, on the Past Bill, because his 5% would not gain anything. This is a set-up. Put this view in your History Books. McCcain is Buying Wall Streets 'Fixed' Votes.
Vote No to McCains Afgan War 'Draft'. View McCain's past voting record. Voted against money for Younger Education, But supports his Funding of 5% Teenagers of Drafting Age.
Vote No to Mc Wall Street.
Watch CNN and MSNBC for the Truth.
No more Bi-Partisanships. This leaves out 'Independence'. This takes th American Independence away.
Vote No to McCain.
PAC=Power and Control
Power-over the people
Control of Wall Street
vote No to Wallstreets resuce
Call the House AND SAY NO
WHERE IS RICK DAVIS?
Anyone else notice 'Clintons Turtle on a Fence Post', speech? Same as McCains.
McCains Oil Tycoons Win Again.
They are already buying up GM. Why?Because they still have the money and BlackGold.
Watch CNN and MSNBC for more Truth.
Vote NO to WallStreet Rescue.
Vote Independant
Posted by: historyremembered | Oct 1, 2008 10:42:21 PM
I’m not sure what the appeal of Sen. Biden and his- riding on “trains” is?
I have ridden on trains, (NJ transit to NY City) and I cannot say that I was able to “keep in touch with my fellow citizens.” Actually, after the train ride, I wanted to get as far away from my “fellow” train riders as I could!
Maybe McCain could appeal to “canal” riders by taking American ferry boats?
Sarah Palin could appeal to boaters by taking a kayak to DC?
Joe Biden and “trains” reminds me a lot of John Kerry and wind-surfing.
A distraction from the gaffes.
Good editorial, by the way. Trains are becoming more valuable with the high price of fuel and should be made safer.
Posted by: The Angry Republic | Oct 1, 2008 10:46:56 PM
Taking the train gives him plenty of time to review the soaring Obama/Biden poll numbers.
Posted by: mymyself | Oct 1, 2008 10:53:01 PM
slow night? yawn
Posted by: Miki | Oct 1, 2008 11:01:05 PM
Does Joe Who knows the 13 states that signed the declaration of independence? no wonder he makes a gaffe
Posted by: Stephen from Indiana | Oct 1, 2008 11:03:19 PM
Yahoo news said the only Senator who didn't vote was Kennedy, he is in the hospital. Where's Joe? I thought he voted. I guess this wasn't an important vote.
Posted by: Waggdogg | Oct 1, 2008 11:06:50 PM
My husband works for the rairoad.CSX. Calling him choochoo Joe.Is that supposed to be funny? For all the men and women that put their necks on the line I'd say your comment is a little condescending. Epecially since my husband just spent the last 6 hours getting wet and cold.I admire Joe for taking the train. Especially when he dosen't have to.
Posted by: Bea | Oct 1, 2008 11:07:16 PM
Joe Biden didn't vote for the bailout in the end, according to the article. And Obama says that we need a sense of urgency. He also say that we all should vote.
Posted by: young_voter | Oct 1, 2008 11:34:07 PM
Awww, that's cute. Run out of McCain/Palin bash stories already?
Posted by: Mack | Oct 1, 2008 11:48:11 PM
Joe will make a great VP.
Posted by: matt | Oct 2, 2008 12:12:39 AM
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