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27.08.2008
Biden Treats His Friend Gently

Joe Biden, like practically every Democratic Senator who’s spoken, noted that he’s friends with John McCain—fine. But isn’t the idea (not evident these days) that McCain is a maverick a big part of what all these Democrats liked and found friend-worthy about him? I wish Biden had taken a page from John Kerry and expressed more personal disappointment in his friend: “I have known and been friends with John McCain for almost 22 years. But every day I learn something new about candidate McCain,” as Kerry put it. Biden just mentioned his friendship with McCain and then went on to critique his policies, as though they were two unrelated things. Kerry was sharper.

--Eve Fairbanks

Posted: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 11:00 PM with 7 comment(s)

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maxblum13 said:

meanwhile Ted 'Tubes' Stevens has won the GOP primary in Alaska.  rack one up for the dems.

August 27, 2008 11:16 PM

The Stump said:

...And I don't mean 2004. I mean this convention. Schweitzer was attention-grabbing. The Clintons

August 27, 2008 11:19 PM

stgla said:

yeah, just like Bill Clinton pivoted away from his and his wife's claims that Obama's not ready, Kerry beautifully pivoted away from McCain as "my friend" with the Candidate McCain vs. Senator mcCain trope.

August 28, 2008 12:07 AM

JEFF FREY said:

Probably right, maxblum. Alaska Republicans had a choice, vote for Ted Stevens and hope he can beat the rap and still win, or vote for a challenger who clearly would lose in November. So they held their nose and made their best bet (well, some still love Ted).

Don Young, on the other hand, is headed for a recount and has a lead of less than 150 votes as of now.

August 28, 2008 1:25 AM

Daily Intelligencer - New York Magazine said:

This was a setting these two aging, white, male Washington insiders hadn't found themselves in before.

August 28, 2008 11:35 AM

The Plank said:

Avoiding A Long, Disappointing Fall by John B. Judis Why Political Speechmaking Sounds So Weird by John

August 28, 2008 11:55 AM

ChanRobt said:

All this talk from Biden and Kerry about their "friend," John McCain reminds me of the hoary old saw, too true to die:  "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."

August 28, 2008 7:21 PM