Did you see how red Joe Biden got? Talk about loose lips sink ships.

Jill Biden said on the Oprah show that she wanted her husband to be vice president instead of secretary of state, chiefly because it would involve less travel.

"If you're secretary of state, you'll be away, we'll never see you, you know," she said, describing how she and her husband had talked about it.

"I'll see you at a state dinner once and awhile. But I said, if you are vice president, the entire family, because they worked so hard for the election, they can be involved. They can come to our home. They can go to events, they can be with us all the time. And that's what's important to us," she said.

Biden, seated at his wife's side, looked sheepish and tried to shush his wife after she made the remark.

Via / ABC News and Reuters

February 24: VwV was launched in February of 2008 and one of our first posts was titled, “After Fidel, Cuban bloggers discuss US candidates.” The post compiled Cuban bloggers thoughts on what the new U.S. president would do with the new leader of Cuba and so Obama’s infamous “without pre-conditions” line began, which haunted him throughout the campaign.

March 21: After videos of Obama’s reverend were brought to the public, the now President-elect delivered, arguably, one of the most memorable speeches in history on racism. VwV’s post, “World moved by Obama’s speech on race,” highlights what bloggers throughout the world had to say after hearing Obama’s thoughts on race.

April 17: As the first African-American president of the U.S., it was crucial for VwV to get the thoughts of African bloggers on Obama. In the post titled, “A letter from Africa,” bloggers throughout the large continent shared their opinions on the then, Democratic contender for nomination.

June 9: As America’s summer heated up, so did the presidential campaign but throughout the world. In the post, “Global: The world has a say!” VwV’s editor compiled a list of Web sites that allowed non-Americans to vote who they think is best for the states.

June 19: The rapid growth of technology played a major role in the 21st century presidential campaign. In the post, “Global: I’m voting Republican” covers what world bloggers thought about a controversial film by Charlie Steak.

August 29: This was the day the world was introduced to Sarah Palin – the governor of the U.S. state closest to Russia and John McCain’s Republican running mate. Without much information about the Republican VP pick, bloggers simply commented about McCain’s pick being a woman as compiled in the post, “The world reacts to Sarah Palin’s VP nomination.”

October 10: Race was not only prevalent on the Democratic campaign trail but also on the Republican, as rallies became heated. The post, “Racism on the Republican Trail?” includes just a few of the comments that were fluttering through the blogosphere about remarks made during Republican rallies.

October 24: The rise of technology returns with the post, “Dear American Voter: an international persepective.” The post covers Link TV’s project that allowed non-Americans to send letters to American voters via videos. The post includes just some of the prevalent thoughts of the voices without votes.

November 4: Mainstream media outlets weren't the only ones covering “breaking news.” As soon as word got out that Dixville, New Hampshire, was the first county to close their polls and count their votes, the blogosphere was on it. This post, “Dixville notch makes global blogosphere history” quotes the excitement of some bloggers and skepticism of others.

November 9: And, after it was all said and done…bloggers began to look back and analyze how Obama ran a successful campaign. In the post, “Social media and the making of the president,” analyses were offered by bloggers in three different countries of how social media played such a major factor in the campaign.

On the lighter side of the campaign, our silliest moments include: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin; Sarah Palin’s conversation with “Sarkozy;” And, Joe the unlicensed plumber.

A friend had emailed me overnight to ask “So, what’s the atmosphere like over there?”

My immediate reaction was: “Erm, well, I don’t really know. Because I haven’t been out in the thick of things yet”.

I arrived at K’s house yesterday and we spent the afternoon/evening chatting, sleeping, eating and watching live footage of Obama and Biden’s journey from Philadelphia to DC. See, sometimes it’s just enough to be in the right country because you actually get to see things like that as they happen .

But actually, I realise that it’s not just that my yesterday was low-key. Based on my journey through the city at lunchtime (from Dulles Airport to the NE area, zip code 20002 if you want to look it up) and also on the news reports I’m seeing - where poor freezing newsreaders are standing on the Mall, with the Capitol building behind them - I can say that the atmosphere in DC yesterday was, surprisingly, also very muted.

Said newsreaders are standing on a fairly empty Mall; and as our airport shuttle bus made its way through the city yesterday, the streets were really very quiet. Mind you, that always freaks me out about American cities (bar New York): where are all the pedestrians? (In this case: inside, probably, as it’s sub-zero temperatures.)

All this will undoubtedly change today, however - as a) I will be entering the thick of it, to b) go to the massive concert being held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It kicks off at 1.30pm our time (for the duration of my stay over here, “our time” will be Washington time ) and they’re expecting a crowd of 500,000.

You can watch the concert live on www.hbo.com. I’m presuming that means you can watch it live on the site internationally, also. If so, it kicks off at 6.30pm UK time.

Watch out for me. I’ll be the one in a coat, hat and scarf.

2. Joe Biden

3. Colin Powell

Apart from all being prominent American male political figures, that is. And all being white (like Stephen Colbert, I don’t see colour).

Give up?

They’ve all got a great track record on bipartisanship. Well, a good enough track record to be honoured by Our New Favourite President on the eve of his inauguration:

“President-elect Obama to Host Bipartisan Dinners Honoring McCain, Powell and Biden

Dinners on Eve of Inauguration to Highlight Commitment to Bipartisan Cooperation and Accomplishment

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, as part of an Inauguration for all Americans, the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee announced a series of bipartisan dinners to take place on Monday, January 19^th, the eve of Inauguration Day.

Each of the three dinners will honor an American whose lifetime of public service has been enhanced by a dedication to bipartisan achievement: Senator John McCain, General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.), and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.  Attending will be leaders in Congress from both sides of the aisle and Americans from across the country of both parties.

On the eve of an historic transfer of power, the dinners serve to highlight President-elect Obama’s commitment to renewing America’s promise via bipartisan accomplishment.

“In these times of great challenge and great change, leadership requires rising above the same old narrow partisanship,” said President-elect Obama.  “Each of these distinguished Americans has spent his life in service to his country, at each and every moment placing the interests of America before issues of political party.  That is precisely the spirit of common purpose we need as we begin the work ahead.”

The dinners will take place at the National Building Museum, Union Station and the Hilton Washington.”

I suggest going online and asking/voting questions about immigration and hate crimes.

The Senate alone — to say nothing of the House — is literally filled with people whose fathers or other close relatives previously held their seat or similar high office (those links identify at least 15 current U.S. Senators — 15 — with immediate family members who previously occupied high elected office).  And, of course, the current President on his way out was the son of a former President and grandson of a former U.S. Senator.

I think Greenwald brings up a good point, and he’s not the only one.

Greenwald points out other recent examples:

In Illinois, a leading contender to replace Barack Obama in the Senate is Jesse Jackson’s son (Jesse, Jr.).  In Delaware, it was widely speculated that Joe Biden would be replaced by his son, Beau, and after Beau took his name out of the running because he’s now serving in Iraq, the naming of the actual replacement — lone-time (Joe) Biden aide Ted Kaufmann — “upset local Democrats who believe the move was a ham-handed attempt to engineer the election of Biden’s son, Beau, to the Senate in 2010.”

Meanwhile, in Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, who was appointed by her father to take his seat in the U.S. Senate when he became Governor, yesterday warned Sarah Palin not to challenge her in a 2010 primary, a by-product of tension between those two as a result of Palin’s defeat of Lisa’s dad for Governor.  In Florida, Mel Martinez’s announcement that he won’t seek re-election in 2010 immediately led to reports that the current President’s brother, Jeb, might run for that seat.  And all of that’s just from the last couple of weeks.

Like I said, it’s not just Greenwald seeing the problem.  Andrew Sullivan:

From a distance, it’s more obviously corrupt than up close. I mean: what are the odds that of all the people who could edit Commentary, the son of the former editor ends up in charge? It’s not entirely a function of the right, of course. The Kennedys were as bad.

Jane Hamsher @ FireDogLake:

She’s proven she can kill an unflattering story and pull strings to get Rupert Murdoch’s kid into private kindergarten, so she’s no stranger to exercising power.  But I’ll feel a bit better about the idea of another Senator Kennedy when she hits the road in upstate New York, presses the flesh with voters, listens to their concerns, answers their questions and proves she can stand up to the rigors of the campaign trail.

The problem is not so much the children of former politicians following in their parents/uncles/aunts/significant other’s/grandparents (because eventually they’d have to run on their own merits), but getting into a position just because they’re the son/niece/nephew/grandchild/significant other of a former Senator/Representative/Governor.  Which is what would happen if Caroline Kennedy would be appointed to the Senate.  Or if Beau Biden took his father’s seat.  Or if Jesse Jackson, Jr. took Obama’s seat.

There’s of course an argument that being a relation of a former politican makes it easier to get into office due to name recognition.  There is some merit to that point.  It was one that’s been leveled against Clinton at times over the past eight years.  After all, if her husband hadn’t been president, could she have gotten into office so quickly?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

The idea of another Clinton presidency eight years after the last was one of my arguments against her winning the primary.  If it were the case that she’d have won, I’d rather have seen McCain as president, bringing in a fresh face to the office, rather than a potential 28 years of a Bush-Clinton duopoly.  Not the only reason, of course, but it was quite a weighty one for me.

The idea of so many political dynasties being established (apart from the ones already in existance) may underline a problem in American politics.  We may not have a nobility in this country.  No House of Lords here.  But the idea that someone could get into office at least partially based on name recognition is a problem.  The fact we keep seeing many of the same names in politics is another, though it’s the weaker issue of the two.

If they can in on their own merits, then fine.  That is, after all, the American dream.  Working your way up to success.  But if someone is trying to use the position their relative had in order to attain power of their own, do they have any place ascending to an elected position?

©2008 PoliGazette. All Rights Reserved.

]]> http://www.englandforobama.com/presidential-inauguration-committee-website-goes-live/feed/ 0 http://www.englandforobama.com/barack-obama-may-have-shared-his-toys-in-kindergarten http://www.englandforobama.com/barack-obama-may-have-shared-his-toys-in-kindergarten#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:00:38 +0000 Aggregated from: England for Obama http://www.englandforobama.com/?p=3656 But he knows how to play with grown-ups now. As proved by his pick of Joe Biden - and as Paul Krugman notes in the New York Times:

The team of Barack (Grandpa Was a Muslim) Obama, Hillary (I’m a Clinton) Clinton, and Rahm (Israel) Emanuel (that’s his real middle name! and he was a volunteer with the I.D.F. during the 1991 Gulf War!), with Joe Biden and Bill Clinton pitching in as necessary, would put the new Administration in an extremely powerful position to apply the kind of pressure that would give Israeli politicians the political cover they need to reach a settlement with the Palestinians. Everyone knows what the deal would look like, including Ehud Olmert. It’s a question of having the political strength and exerting the will to make it happen.

It’s a good possibility. Over on BBC blogs, Robin Lustig has even created some scenarios, which look plausible. To be honest, I think all this is a bit optimistic, with too many variables all over the place.

Obama’s priorities will roughly be in this order: economy, environment and healthcare. And frankly, given how fast the US economy is diving, I don’t blame him. Obama has also appointed heavy-hitters to deal with healthcare and the environment, ensuring they will move fast through Congress. He’ll want to get work done.

The only way FP will come is if it forces its way onto the table. This may depend on how Iran behaves. If it wants to talk, and Obama is in a strong position, then tension may ease across the Middle East and Obama could bang Israeli and Palestinians heads together. Otherwise, all the time will be taken up trying to deal with Iranian nuclear ambitions and a hawkish Russia, with Israel/Palestine condemned to the backburner. Which is why I’m not expecting much from Obama on foreign policy. If I was his position I would do the same. The environment, to me, is a far bigger priority than the Middle East - over the long term it will kill more people and there’s a lot of damage Bush has done.

(With Michelle’s mother, watching the results come in)

Here’s how it was celebrated in Obamaland:

“Obama surprised his No. 2 after their weekly lunch Wednesday at the transition office in Chicago. According to staff, Obama presented Biden - a Delaware senator with decades of foreign policy experience - with a dozen cupcakes decorated with candles and teased, “You’re 12 years old!”

Staff reported that Biden, ever astute in the art of politics, laughed at the his boss’s joke. He responded: “Maybe in dog years!”

Obama led the rest of the staff in song, then handed over some Chicago-themed gifts: a White Sox cap, a Bears cap and a bucket of Garrett’s popcorn, a hometown favorite.”

“Laughed at his boss’s jokes”? “Led the staff in song”? See what sort of anarchy has reached the White House?! Next thing we know, they’ll be spreading the cupcakes around.

That’s right: Kevin Spacey.

Kind of.

It’s the man Kevin Spacey portrayed in the film Recount - Al Gore’s former chief of staff, Ron Klain.

See, that movie does have a happy ending after all!

Because at that precise moment, Joe and Jill Biden will be arriving at the Naval Observatory, Washington, for a tour of their new residence. Courtesy of its current occupants, Mr and Mrs Dick Cheney.

Bet that’ll be a fun, relaxed evening!

Actually, who am I kidding? Being shown around your new home when your new home is the Vice President’s residence is, like, *totally* awesome. Even if you have to endure Dick Cheney all night.

*UPDATE* Here’s commentary and footage from Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow - including a fascinating discussion on the powers of the Vice Presidency: