Meet the Bidens

I am wary of political coverage that focuses on the-pol-as-real-human-being in part because I dislike making myself open to the possibility that I've confused my affinity for a politician with my position on the issues she or he represents.

That said, it was a pleasure this week to read two different articles on Joe and Jill Biden.  "Biden's Brief" (New Yorker, Oct 20, 08) is an easy read on how Joe Biden's trying to conceive the role of vice president as he would fill it. The passage in the article that I found striking:

Biden told me that Senator Mike Mansfield, of Montana—who persuaded him to stay in the Senate in 1973, when he was distraught over the deaths of his wife and child—taught him that, no matter how reprehensible another senator’s views, his job was to figure out what was good in that person, what voters back home saw in him. It may be a sentimental view of how senators treated each other in an earlier age, but Biden suggested to me that when he repeated that to Obama it helped to bring them closer—and he said that he and Obama would bring that approach to Washington.

Emphasis mine. And I think it's a handy way for all of us to look at elected officials.

And then there's last Thursday's piece in the WaPo, "Campaign Curriculum," which looks at Jill Biden. She's pretty awesome in her own right -- it is a not-so-secret dream of mine to teach community college, so I am already admiring of people who do so -- but this little anecdote just kills me:

"I had always kidded Joe and said the mail always comes 'Senator and Mrs. Biden,' " Jill says. When she earned her [doctorate], she found that her husband had mounted signs in the driveway. One said, "Dr. and Senator Biden live here.

You can't extrapolate an entire marriage from one incident. But I do think as far as anecdotes go, it's a pretty awesome one.

Anyway, I have a friend in Austin who's been a Biden fan from way back. And after this week, I can say to her that I totally understand why.

Comments

[Josh]

I am a huge fan of Joe Biden. He's a genuinely good guy, I think.

I especially love the fact that he's commuted home to his state from DC every day for basically his entire Senate career by train. He knows all the conductors and staff on his route by name and throws an annual x-mas party for them.

[Becky]

You can't extrapolate an entire marriage from one incident. But I do think as far as anecdotes go, it's a pretty awesome one.

Biden strikes me as someone who naturally respects women as equals, down to his core. This article talks about how he worked with so many women to pass VAWA, and I think it's interesting that he recognized some of the safety issues that affect women's equality.

[sam]

You know, when Biden was first picked to be the VP candidate, I thought, OK. Solid choice, good attack dog, good on foreign policy, etc. Nothing too exciting though. But over the course of the last two months and, in particular, learning about his family, his record, and very much in particular watching the VP debate, i have totally developed an inappropriate crush on the guy.

And that commute. that's real family values.

[amanda]

I didn't know much about Biden before this election and I don't know yet that I love the guy but his choice of spouse says something. Choose a Barbie-style automoton for a wife? I think that says something about your character (and I don't like it). Choose a smart, outspoken woman for a wife and I think that here's someone who is comfortable addressing women one-on-one. Since we haven't yet had a woman to vote for for president, I have to hope that their wives keep them informed and on their toes about women's issues and interests. Has Cindy McCain discussed birth control issues with her husband? Apparently not. Has Michelle Obama? My gut says yes.