Biden Outlines Plans to Do More With Less Power

[babylonsister]

Biden Outlines Plans to Do More With Less Power

Damon Winter/The New York Times

Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., in his transitional office on Wednesday, had critical words for his predecessor.

By PETER BAKER
Published: January 14, 2009


WASHINGTON — He was in the Senate for 36 years and visited the White House under seven presidents. But Joseph R. Biden Jr. has never seen the inside of the vice president’s office in the West Wing. “I never thought a lot about the vice presidency,” he said, “until I was asked to go on the ticket.”

Perhaps not, but Mr. Biden certainly has been doing a lot of thinking about it in the last 10 weeks as he prepares to assume the nation’s second-highest position. A man who does not even know what the office looks like says he plans to reinvent the vice presidency on the theory that the man now occupying it distorted it out of all proportion.

While most incoming vice presidents arrive eager to expand the influence of the office, Mr. Biden faces the unusual conundrum of figuring out how to scale it back. He wants to “restore the balance,” as he put it, after the unprecedented assertion of authority by Vice President Dick Cheney. Yet at the same time, Mr. Biden hardly wants to return to the days when the vice president was neither seen nor heard.

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating,” Mr. Biden said in an interview Wednesday. “The Bush-Cheney relationship hasn’t tasted very good. Not a single person you can name for me” — at this point, he leaned forward in his chair, jabbed his finger in the air and punctuated his words sharply. “Look at me, now — a single one can tell you that the pudding has tasted good. Not one. Name me one serious person, liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican.”

Mr. Biden’s sharp assessment of his predecessor contrasted with the generally polite tone he and President-elect Barack Obama have tried to take since the Nov. 4 election. But Mr. Biden seemed exercised at the suggestion that he would not be as effective because he would not wield the influence Mr. Cheney had.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/us/politics/15biden.html?_r=1

[LynneSin]

1. Cheney didn't 'wield influence', Cheney was a bully

there's a big difference between the two.

[babylonsister]

2. He did 'wield influence' even if his motives sucked.

I think he deserves all the credit in the world for helping to make this possibly the worst admin in American history.

[LynneSin]

5. but he did it as a bully

you can wield influence in a positive way that makes people want to see your point of view. Cheney never did it politely - if you didn't do what he said he muscled you out.

I think Biden will wield plenty of influence as Vice President but because he will do it in a positive way and not as a bully.

[treestar]

3. Good, maybe now it will go back to the executive branch

Rather than Darth's fourth branch, or whatevr the hell claim he was making!

[Clio the Leo]

4. About time we had someone to finesse the office....

... and the Silver Fox is the perefect man to do it.

Good choice B!

[Beacool]

6. Nice interview.

It appears that Biden will restore the vice president's office to its former role and it's smart that he doesn't want to be pigeonholed into only delving in one policy area. I'm sure that he will do a great job and that it will be a great end to his long career in public service.

Remember how some here were wondering if Obama & Hillary had come to some agreement about the SOS job or whether the Clintons were forcing his hand? Well, another myth debunked:

"Although many outsiders assume that he and Hillary Rodham Clinton, the secretary of state designate, will jockey to lead foreign policy, Obama aides said Mr. Biden had been crucial in persuading her to take the job, calling her several times."

:-)

[Jennicut]

7. I am so looking forward to having a Veep that is not an evil swearing scumbag

Joe will be my most favorite VP since Al Gore.

[nyc 4 Biden]

8. K&R for VP-Elect Biden.

I hope he wears a lot of hats in the next administration.

[Muttocracy]

9. K&R - Senate tributes to Joe on right now on c-span 2

[babylonsister]

10. Thanks for the heads-up. Clinton on now. nt

[Muttocracy]

11. yeah, I missed Biden's speech itself - hoping c-span will archive since

they highlighted it on their home page.

[Muttocracy]

12. there's an audio clip from Biden on that page too.nt