Joe Biden: not as moronic as it first appears

[Trainz]

Peeps have been comparing Biden to Palin when it comes to soundbites and intellect, but this interview with Barbara West begs to differ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW_wQgWviZ8

[Name Lips]

Who WAS writing her questions? Man, they were moronic.

[Ink Bleeder]

His response to that ridiculous question about Marxism is perfect! My gods, this woman makes Palin look like an intellectual giant.

[Merganser]

Wow, that was amazing. I can't believe they actually asked him some of those questions.

[Dr_Avalanche]

What channel was that?

The answers were good, but I've always been confused by attempts to pain Biden as a little crazy, or dumb. If anything, he's too smart for politics.

[Name Lips]

This is kind of what I was talking about in the "media bias" thread. They put a pretty face up there asking questions that would attract viewers -- the economy and Obama's socialism. I bet they hyped it up beforehand to get viewers. But then they sort of forgot... you know... the content that would have made it worthwhile to tune in. But what does it matter so long as they got a crowd together for the next commercial break?

[Merganser]

What channel was that?

The answers were good, but I've always been confused by attempts to pain Biden as a little crazy, or dumb. If anything, he's too smart for politics.

He's got a tendency to stick his foot in his mouth, occasionally. It's often enough to make him look a little goofy.

[PWD]

Holy crap that stupid bint embarassed herself.

[Ancalagon]

Interesting....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_West_(TV_news_anchor)#2008_presidential_ra ce_interviews_controversy

If this was a plan to be tough on the democrats, it certainly backfired. It looked almost... phony :grey:

[Snatch]

This seems a bit phony. The questions seemed pretty loaded. What channel was this from?

[Ancalagon]

You know what would have been a killer answer to the Marxist accusation? Quoting Jesus (on some give to the poor thingy), ask the interviewer to say if that is a marxist policy, then say "are you saying that Jesus is a communist?!?"

:D

(hint: he kind of was...)

[Varaj]

Have you seen her interview with McCain?

[Ergeheilalt]

You know what would have been a killer answer to the Marxist accusation? Quoting Jesus (on some give to the poor thingy), ask the interviewer to say if that is a marxist policy, then say "are you saying that Jesus is a communist?!?"

:D

(hint: he kind of was...)

Jesus was kinda like the first Hippy. Love, community, down with the man, and finding your inner peace.

I kinda wish that message were still the main part of Christian doctrine rather than all the political dogma that has been pushed.

[Sobek]

You know what would have been a killer answer to the Marxist accusation? Quoting Jesus (on some give to the poor thingy), ask the interviewer to say if that is a marxist policy, then say "are you saying that Jesus is a communist?!?"

:D

(hint: he kind of was...)
Christ advocated giving of your own free will. That's not communism.

But, really, I've come to the conclusion that it's pretty much impossible to have a truly Christian government. Some things that government has to do are just plain un-Christian.

[Merganser]

Oh for God's sake, she's a former Miss Vermont.

[Ancalagon]

Oh for God's sake, she's a former Miss Vermont.

Are you saying that beautiful people are dumb, or that she got the job not for her wits? :tongue:

[Merganser]

Are you saying that beautiful people are dumb, or that she got the job not for her wits? :tongue:

I'm saying I wish she'd been from any other state. Former Miss Delaware? sure. Miss California? Why not? But god, why from here? Man.

[Schizm]

Are you saying that beautiful people are dumb, or that she got the job not for her wits? :tongue:

I believe he his lamenting the fact that royal idiots can come from any state in the union, even his own...

edit: stupid quick reply.

That was hysterical. just. hysterical. The only thing that would have made it better is if he started talking down to her like you would a two year old child who just shat on the floor.

[Ancalagon]

I'm saying I wish she'd been from any other state. Former Miss Delaware? sure. Miss California? Why not? But god, why from here? Man.

Oh! Well damn... yeah that sucks.

[PWD]

Christ advocated giving of your own free will. That's not communism.

It is if it's consensual communism and not enforced. That's ultimately why communism fails so hard, people don't buy in (because they can't, they're human), and down she goes.

Shit, if we can hear "compassionate conservative' and not die laughing, I presume you could coin the phrase "compassionate communism" just as easily. It won't happen on any scale larger tham some hippy commune though. It cannot scale.

[Utrecht]

Have you seen her interview with McCain?


No, how was it?

[Ancalagon]

No, how was it?

according to the wikipedia article:

On October 27, 2008, Barbara West interviewed the Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain. West asked McCain about alleged in-fighting between his own staff and that of Sarah Palin and whether it was indicative of Palin's belief that the ticket is not going to win, the strength of McCain’s own campaign, why independent analysis showed that Joe the Plumber would do better under Obama's tax plan, and whether the wealthy really need tax cuts. McCain jocularly requested West not say "anything mean" or else he "may get angry."[8][9] Mark Thomas, a columnist for the Orlando Sentinel, characterized this interview as tougher than her previous McCain interview because she was "well aware of her bizarro, Marx-quoting interview with Joe Biden".[10]

[obryn]

This seems a bit phony. The questions seemed pretty loaded. What channel was this from?
I think she wants a contract with Fox News.

She has a lot to learn, though. A true Fox News interviewer...

(1) Makes his talking points loudly and angrily
(2) Aggressively demands an answer
(3) Talks over you and interrupts you while you are providing the answer, then
(4) Accuses you of talking over and interrupting him when you're answering his question.

She got (1) and (2) down pat, but fell flat when she actually let Joe Biden answer her questions.

-O

[Varaj]

No, how was it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOCF0t2BkqQ

[Trainz]

Is it just me or the republicans, when adressing the general populace, are trying to address the less mentally endowed?

[obryn]

Is it just me or the republicans, when adressing the general populace, are trying to address the less mentally endowed?
They're playing to the anti-intellectual streak that's run deep in conservative policy for years.

-O

[Radu]

Trainz, they aren't playing to the unintelligent directly as much as they're playing to their base, who just so happen to be morons more often than not.

I can't wait until Sarah Palin splits the conservatives into sane (WFB, Jr. and others of his ilk, who you can disagree with but still respect) and the religious (essentially everyone else in the Republican party).

I can't help but ask the specious question, "Since when did our politics become more about appearance than substance, why are we so complicit in this, and what can we do to bring back legitimate discourse?"

Right now I'm too bitter and sick of this shit to really answer in any way that isn't a variant of, "they've always been that way, you've just now realized it, we're complicit because we're lazy, stupid, and ignorant (and we like it that way, damnit!) and legitimate discourse is dead. We'd rather focus on buzzwords and non-issues because rationality and reason are much harder, more boring than, and require a higher awareness of events than muckraking and mudslinging."

[Sobek]

It is if it's consensual communism and not enforced. That's ultimately why communism fails so hard, people don't buy in (because they can't, they're human), and down she goes.
This, I can agree with. I suppose it depends on how you define communism. I could see being part of a small enclave that practiced voluntary communism. It would probably work pretty well in a small town. A big part of that, though, is that without the ability to opt out, it pretty much is incompatible with freedom.