As the Ground Shifts, Biden Plays a Bigger Role

[TomCADem]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — It was the end of a long and testy gripe session with House Democrats on Wednesday, and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had had enough.

For two hours, Mr. Biden had been going back and forth with furious members of his own party over President Obama’s deal with Republicans on tax cuts. In a basement room at the Capitol, Mr. Biden was trying to convince Democrats that the deal was the best one they were going to get.

Then Representative Anthony Weiner of New York got up and asserted that Mr. Obama was acting like a “negotiator in chief” instead of a “leader” who gets things done.

Mr. Biden erupted. “There’s no goddamned way I’m going to stand here and talk about the president like that,” the vice president said, according to two people in the room.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/12/us/politics/12biden.html?src=twrhp

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Interesting to know that Mr. Biden not only played an important role in negotiating the tax deal with Republicans and trying to sell it to Democrats, but that he was key in urging the President to find a compromise on the issue in the first place. It will be interesting to see if he can convince the President to move toward a smaller footprint in Afganistan.

[MNBrewer]

1. Biden is the only vote that Obama gets to cast in the Congress

and then, ONLY if there's a tie in the Senate. WHY, oh WHY didn't Obama bring congressional Democrats into the "negotiating" process?????

Did he think he was a king with a magic wand?

Oh, wait, we'e been told for 2 years by the appologists that he's not, so it couldn't be THAT!

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[4dsc]

2. I like what Representative Anthony Weiner had to say

spoken like someone who's had enough of these republican types and wants to fight.

[SoapBox]

3. Ditto, Ditto...

When Anthony speaks...I listen!

And Joe...how's about this? What the hell! Are you trying to take on
the role of DicKKK Cheney? Behind the schemes, uh scenes, guy?

Obama is piss'n me off.

[MissDeeds]

4. Right you are!

Agree with everything you said.

[HereSince1628]

5. Tony just doesn't understand

what it means to be a pawn in a 3D chess game. If he did he surely wouldn't talke to his president that way.

[snappyturtle]

6. I think "Tony" understands. That is the reason he described the President as he did.

Weiner doesn't like the role the President is playing. I've heard much worse here on DU and frankly, I believe Weiner was being kind. imho

[HereSince1628]

8. True, true, and true...all of which indicate Weiner doesn't

understand how important it is to the President that Weiner be a good pawn and not dream of the glories of en passant or getting 'queened.'

How can the President do whatever the hell his DLC-leaning heart wants, if congress critters from the President's political party don't behave? (note apostrophe here indicates the possesive in its fullest meaning)

[egoclothes]

7. agree

[elleng]

9. Thanks. Also posted here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x575621

[Jefferson23]

11. That seems appropriate, curse at the Democrats, way to go Joe. n/t

[Bette Noir]

12. Isnt't that how this administration operates? Appease the Republicans,

cuss out the Dems.

[Jefferson23]

17. Time and again yes, and this time they went too far. n/t

[sulphurdunn]

13. Why would any rational person

believe that a bad message suddenly becomes a good message because you change the messenger? :shrug:

[Skittles]

21. Obama must believe Joe is better at selling bullshit

[sulphurdunn]

23. Yea.

I think its all just part of the Kabuki soap opera we call politics in Washington. In the end the lady always submits to the blandishments of the hero.

[bemildred]

14. As the ground shifts, the depth of the bullshit deepens. nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. You know, I hate Republicans!

look what they are doing to our boys.

[Stringertom]

16. All Anger Directed at the Base

It is so disappointing our so-called leaders can only direct their vitriol at the ones that worked so hard for their election. The Sunday talk show spin was again filled with condescension from Axelrod and Goolsby, claiming noone but 44 has the courage to take the stands necessary to get the "best deal possible". There is so little right in the "deal" struck that the WH team has to politic their position as the "adult" approach to the national predicament. Passing $800+ billion off as an "adult" solution to the problem is ludicrous. If $800+ billion is the price tag, why isn't any of it aimed at things that would really dig us out of the Bush ditch? Why no "green" initiatives? Don't say a word about ethanol. That is only digging a deeper ditch! I want a grid to harness wind/solar built here in the US not China! I want credits to car buyers that make them want to buy 30+MPG vehicles today and electric-only vehicles by 2020. I don't want tax rates from 2001 extended that didn't work then and won't work tomorrow! I won't accept a sell-out to the elite by someone who campaigned for the common people! Do you hear me now, Mr. President? I worked phones for you, donated to you and voted for you, you fraud! Come down off your high horse and feel our pain. You are the biggest disappointment imaginable trying to pass off your capitulation as some measure of courageous political manouvering. Excuse me for my sanctimony and purist positioning but I can't bend over due to the higher volume of matter between my legs!

[blackspade]

22. well said.

[riderinthestorm]

18. Gawd, this just makes Obama look weaker, on so many fronts. nt

[No Elephants]

20. Unless you think Obama really does not want to raise taxes on ANYone during a recession.

In which case, he got what he wanted AND got to blame Republicons for "extending" the cuts. (And, IMO, they knew it, so they went for tax increases for the poor and the estate tax.)

Biden has been lavishing Congress with articles saying increasing taxes would be bad for the economy. Does that sound like "the devil made us do it?"

Look at the resumes of Obama's appointees, especially his economic appointees-esp. Summers, Bernanke Geithner. Look at how this end runs Congress, when Obama's go to strategy is to blame Congress.

Maybe I just refuse to believe that Democrats are dumber and/or weaker than Republicons.

[No Elephants]

19. Supposedly, Biden was the negotiator in chief on this one. No wonder he's pissed.

Hey, we get it, guys--Obama, Rahm, Biden, Gibbs, et al. We get it. Any time we're not thrilled with you, we are, collectively, a POS.*

Now, it's YOUR turn to get something we've been trying to communicate to you.



*Jon Stewart, speaking as though he were Obama speaking to Democrats: "I am so very disappointed in you. And my biggest disappointment in your is your disappointment in me."