People screaming at Joe Biden for praising a single House Republican are ignoring a key fact

[RandySF]

Beau Biden, son of vice president and former Delaware AG, dies at 46


Washington (CNN)Joseph "Beau" Biden III, an Iraq War veteran who served as the attorney general of Delaware and was a son of Vice President Joe Biden, died Saturday at age 46, the White House said in a statement.

He died after battling brain cancer, according to the vice president's office.

"Beau Biden was, quite simply, the finest man any of us have ever known," his father wrote in a statement.
Biden had suffered known health problems dating back to 2010, when he experienced a stroke that did not affect his motor skills or speech.

In 2013, Beau Biden was treated at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston after he became disoriented and weak while on vacation. He was diagnosed with brain cancer, and after undergoing surgery was given a clean bill of health.

The cancer returned this spring and Biden pursued aggressive treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, the vice president's office said. He died Saturday evening, surrounded by his extended family.

Aside from Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden, Beau Biden is survived by his wife, Hallie; two children, Natalie and Hunter; a brother, also named Hunter; and a half-sister, Ashley.


https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/30/politics/obit-vice-president-son-beau-biden/index.html/div]

[rickford66]

1. Uh, what fact is that ?

[EffieBlack]

2. First of all, no one is "screaming" at Biden. And second, what's the point of your OP?

[RandySF]

4. He praised Upton for supporting cancer research.

[EffieBlack]

7. Gotcha

I don’t think people have a problem with Biden praising him for supporting cancer research. The problem is that he didn’t stop there but went on to praise him as “one of the finest guys I‘ve ever worked with.” Since Biden has worked with thousands of “guys,” including Ted Kennedy, Barack Obama, Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, Howard Baker, Ed Muskie, and Paul Wellstone, that is pretty high praise indeed, especially for a Republican in a tight race with a Democrat.

I realize that he might have gotten caught up in the moment and his emotions may have prompted him to engage in some effusive hyperbole ... that’s the problem

[a kennedy]

3. So Democrats are NEVER going to work with Repubs ever again???

I actually liked Joe saying he worked with that Repub on health care issues.........when is this HATE for the other side gonna be over. I think a lot of folks will respond positively to Joe Biden for saying that. People are very tired of Congress NOT working together. Is Joe the one that could possibly break through all that crap??? JMHO. Please don’t hate me for writing that.

[TJKatd]

9. I hope it's not the case...

Most Americans fall into the meaty part of the political bell curve. Too many of Congress fall to the outside edges of the curve. They are loud, uncompromising, and passionate to a fault.

Until middle takes back over, collaberation will be difficult, if not impossible.

We know that what we have now isnt working. We can only hope the middle awakens before it's too late.

[shanny]

14. lol

There aren't any commies in Congress. In fact there aren't any socialists. There's a couple of social democrats but they are more like FDR (the saver of capitalism) than radical lefties. OTOH the right has no shortage of insane wingnuts who--clearly--would prefer no government, no regulations, no protections, no safety net, no social programs at all, just social darwinism in a new gilded age.

Both Sides Don't.

[TJKatd]

16. The frustration I have is no action...

We would agree there are more on the right who would never work in good faith with Democrats to come together in a bipartisan way. They would never compromise.

The current situation begs for leadership on both sides from someone toward the middle, who could work with the other side to craft legislation that could get things off the schneid.

Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. Trump have both cemented stakes in the ground on their position when neither obviously have the leverage to force the other to relent. Therefore, both are waiting (with the support of their respective bases) for something to happen where the other has no choice but to give in. So...we are probably in for the longhaul.

We need 2-3 serious, respected, and influential Senators from each side to write a bipartisan bill.

Waiting until someone "wins" absolutely and completely, I fear, is bad for the country and willt ake a long time.

[shanny]

17. Name 2-3 serious, respected and influential Senators

from the Republican side. You can't can you? Nobody can because there aren't any that fit that description.

Ds have spent YEARS trying to work with these assholes, to no avail. When reaching across the aisle only results in bitten hands it is time to stop.

Both sides DON'T.

[TJKatd]

18. I can't name any...

That you particularly would accept; however, least ideological, respected amongst their Senate peers, who could probably be counted on to work in good faith could include Gardner (CO), Collins (ME), Portman (OH), Murkowski (AK), Burr (NC) and Sasse (NE). There maybe a couple more who might work with you in good faith although they’d be more conservative.

I totally understand and respect the “never negotiate, do nothing” position. Were I in Congress though, I would have trouble abdicating the whole debate and responsibility to two people (Pelosi and Trump) who are so entrenched in their positions that we’re in a stalemate.

But, I stand by my original statement that both parties have extremes who we could never count on to move things forward. Idealogues are great until things need to be done.

[shanny]

19. Speaking for me now? Nice.

(btw you should never put Collins (ME) and "good faith" in the same sentence. It speaks to your credibility). The requirements you laid out included "influential" and none of those named have that kind of clout.

Sorry but taking the government hostage and then making demands is not acceptable. Republicans had 2 years of total control and didn't pass wall funding; the previous Senate voted 100-0 to pass a bill without wall funding but now it's the Democrats who are extreme and ideologues and need to bend in order to "get something done"? You do recall that the Democrats offered 25 billion for a wall last year, in return for a permanent DACA fix...and were turned down flat?

Stop with the false equivalency. Just stop.

[TJKatd]

20. Speaking for you wasnt my intent...

and I apologize if it sounded like I was.

The government needs to be reopened, and we don’t need more wall. Period. Full stop.

And the government needs reopening yesterday, and at the current pace, that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

It’s going to take both parties to get it reopened since each are gatekeepers to different parts of the process. Right now, two people are those gatekeepers, and they aren’t getting it done. Therefore, others should either be invited to assist or others should insert themselves to affect an outcome.

Yes, my idea would require setting aside FOR THE MOMENT past wrongs, grievances, offenses, and whatever, all for the sake of getting something done. Some on each side can do that, and to some on each side, it’s an abhorrent idea.

[shanny]

21. And yet, it happened today. And "both parties" didn't need to give in.

I am delighted that you were wrong. I take no pleasure in being right (although I am very VERY happy that the hostages have been released). Peace.

[TJKatd]

22. Thanks for a respectful debate, Shanny...

I like to be challenged! I am glad the President caved. And I'm happy to be wrong when the outcome is a good one.

Hopefully, we cross paths again when I need to set you straight! Hahah :-P

[shanny]

13. I certainly hope not.

Republicans are the enemy and this is a war. Our last (real) president reached across the aisle, and tried to be bipartisan and LOOK where it got us. Enough.

When the Republican Party dies and reincarnates itself with some sanity, then we can work with them. Not before.

"Bipartisan overtures will never persuade congressional Republicans to vote against the interests of fossil fuel companies, or back dramatic expansions in public health insurance, or dismantle election laws that give their coalition wildly disproportionate power. Only a unified, Democratic government — that is willing to ruthlessly prioritize ideological goals over bipartisan comity — will have any chance of overcoming our legislative system’s copious veto points, and passing anything resembling a proportionate response to our nation’s climate, health-care, and democratic crises into law.

Our country paid a big price for the Democrats’ failure to do this the last time around. Had 51 Senate Democrats been willing to kill the legislative filibuster in 2009, they could have passed cap-and-trade, a version of the ACA that included a public option, a stimulus package proportional to the severity of the Great Recession, more foreclosure relief, card check for unions, and citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants on a party-line vote. In so doing, they quite likely would have prevented Donald Trump from ever becoming president; add a few million more immigrants to the electorate — and a couple percentage points to the rate of private-sector unionization — and you end up with a country that is both more democratic and more Democratic."

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/2020-primary-biden-and-betos-aid-to-gop-candidates-in-2018-is-disqualifying.html

[Hermit-The-Prog]

23. should be an OP

If you haven't already, you should start a thread with that article. Levitz is persuasive. It would be interesting to see the discussion on here.

[flamingdem]

5. Thank you!

Biden is passionate about the cause. Sometimes it's not pure politics.

[TJKatd]

8. In this instance, the genuine, nice guy Biden...

let personal affection and appreciation for another person preclude the political considerations. Hardly the worse flaw in the world, and one we've not seen before. It shows a lot about him as a person. I give him a pass on this one.

I wish more across-the-aisle signs of respect would happen.

I dont subscribe that all Republicans are evil...misguided, yes...but not evil. Being from a red state, if I wrote off all my family and friends who were Republican, I'd have few relationships. And yes, close to me know where I stand. We just stay away from politics...most of the time!

[Demit]

11. Yeah, sometimes it's about $200K to give an endorsement.

[elleng]

6. Thanks

[rickford66]

10. The link returns an error

So, what's the key fact ?

[delisen]

12. 2018 election crucial to eventually becoming free country again

Biden has suffered severe personal tragedy from the beginning of his senate career - few American politicians have endured what he has personally endured.


Every seat in Congress is crucial and was crucial in 2018. I think not reaching out also to support the Democratic candidates was a serious mistake.

I do not think Biden was sufficiently strong in warning Americans about the Russian influence on our election in 2016 (I am assuming as vp he was informed about the intelligence). I do not think he was strong in preventing the loss of over 1000 Democratic seats around the country while he was vp.

If he wants to retire and make paid speeches about matters importance that is fine. However we as Democrats have invested much in Joe Biden and I don't think it is asking too much of him to publicly clarify that he supports the election of Democratic candidates now when our survival as a free county is at stake.

[pecosbob]

15. One of the things that made me respect him is the fact that he had to borrow money

to pay for his son's illness after decades in the Senate. A man that remains of modest means among those that would enrich him for his favor is an honest man.