What makes Joe Biden laugh?

[No.23]

I wonder if Joe Biden knows what self-deprecating humor is. Or is it a sign of our times that we can only laugh at someone else's expense?

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/node/8012
Joe Biden is Hysterical at Gridiron Dinner: Transcript

[lonestarnot]

1. What are you getting at? Or I should say "trying" to get at?

:popcorn:

[ErinBerin84]

3. I didn't get it either

In the jokes I read, Joe Biden made fun of both himself and others. I think it's stupid that politicians even have to go to these things. I'm glad Obama didn't go. Did you guys read something about Andrea Mitchell dressed in a bear costume? Supposedly it's not satire.

[dipsydoodle]

2. The thought of

George sniffing Sleezy's bicycle saddle ? :shrug:

Amuses me anyway.

[WI_DEM]

4. I've heard Biden use self-deprecating humor many times when speaking of himself.

You know that's not a full transcript it's a random selection of jokes, so maybe the person who posted it didn't post all of what he said.

[CJCRANE]

5. I think Joe Biden himself said it best

"Give me a f***ing break!"

[No.23]

9. I'd be happy to give Joe Biden a frickin' break, if his handiwork...

didn't significantly contribute to many people's sad state of affairs today:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jackson-williams/joe-biden-true-friend-of_b_120776.html

[CJCRANE]

14. Biden is far from perfect

but, when it comes to choosing sides, I'm on the side of Obama-Biden.

[No.23]

22. This is not about a man's imperfections.

This is about a man's actions which hurt the working man.

http://dir.salon.com/story/opinion/huffington/2005/03/10/bankrupt/

The consequences of his action, in this regard, is being felt by too many Americans today.

The damage is too big to couch the act as mere human imperfection.

[KittyWampus]

6. Aren't things like Gridiron Dinners about roasting friends and colleagues? If so, the commentator

cited on Buzzflash is kind of missing the point.

[Klukie]

7. Are we laughing at him or with him?

To me, self depreciating humor (if done right) can engage people and put them at ease. It is about being able to relate.

[Dr.Phool]

8. Biden is a funny guy.

And one hell of a bullshitter.

I got to spend a couple of hours with him during his presidential run. You want to grab him by the arm and drag him to the bar with you.

[ErinBerin84]

10. I like the Lou Dobbs joke

I don't have a problem with anyone making fun at the expense of Lou Dobbs.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. Self-depricating = "I'm going to be brief. Talk about the audacity of hope."

[canetoad]

12. Here's a news flash for ya No.23

Every joke, ever, has been at someones expense.

[No.23]

15. *scratches his head*

Huh?

I didn't say someone's (which includes the speaker's) expense. I said someone else's (which excludes the speaker's) expense.

Don't see any diff between the two?

I do.

[VenusRising]

13. ...

[ErinBerin84]

16. Could you post some of the article?

Buzzflash takes a really long time to load on my computer. Thanks.

[No.23]

17. (excerpted)

"'Axelrod really wanted me to do this on teleprompter -- but I told him I'm much better when I wing it. ... I know these evenings run long, so I'm going to be brief. Talk about the audacity of hope. ... President Obama does send his greetings, though. He can't be here tonight -- because he's busy getting ready for Easter. H thinks it's about him.

'I know that no president has missed his first Gridiron since Grover Cleveland. Of course, President Cleveland really did have better things to do on a Saturday night. When he was in the White House -- he was married to a 21 year old woman. ... I understand these are dark days for the newspaper business, but I hate it when people say that newspapers are obsolete. That's totally untrue. I know from firsthand experience. I recently got a puppy, and you can't housebreak a puppy on the Internet.

'Now let's see: we have a Republican speaker who was born in Austria, and tonight's Democratic speaker was born in Canada. Folks, this is Lou Dobbs' worst nightmare. ... We are now two months into the Obama-Biden administration and the President and I have become extremely close. To give you an idea of how close we are, he told me that next year -- maybe, just maybe -- he's going to give me his blackberry email address. ... But the Obama Administration really is a good team. I am the experienced veteran. Rahm can be an enforcer. And Tim Geithner is always there when you need to borrow money. And no questions asked.

'You know, I never realized just how much power Dick Cheney had until my first day on the job. I walked into my office, and you know how the outgoing president always leaves the incoming president a note in his desk? I opened my drawer and Dick Cheney had left me Barack Obama's birth certificate. ... I now realize that we have to be extra careful when we annunciate new policy ideas to make sure they don't look like they're personally motivated. For example, the other day there were a whole bunch of stories about the President's hair going gray; the next day there's a story about a Vice President who's trying to grow new hair, and then the day after that, the two of us come out in favor of stem cell research. That looked bad.


Why did I bold the part that I did? Just curious if it hurts or helps the following distorted image that some members of the public have about Obama:

[CJCRANE]

18. Obama already

compared himself to Superman (as a joke) at one these events.

It's called having a sense of humor.

[No.23]

20. That's an excellent example...

of self-deprecating humor.

Joe Biden could take a lesson from Obama re. that rare form of humor.

[ErinBerin84]

19. oh, that's nothing

I doubt Obama is offended. They are similar to the jokes that Obama made about himself.

[islandmkl]

21. think...plan...strive....