A Bittersweet Oath for Biden

[Jennicut]

WASHINGTON -- A smiling Joe Biden took his seventh oath of office among friends on the U.S. Senate floor Tuesday, hitting a personal and historic milestone before becoming the next vice president.


At age 66, he was the youngest person ever sworn in for a seventh full Senate term, a fitting distinction for someone first elected at the age of 29 in 1972. He is the longest-serving senator in Delaware history and among the longest-serving senators in U.S. history.

"In all my life, the greatest honor bestowed upon me has been serving the people of Delaware as their United States senator," he said in a statement. "It is truly humbling today to take the Senate's oath of office for a seventh time."

After weeks of speculation, Biden's office announced Tuesday that he would resign from the seat Jan. 15, five days before he takes the oath of office as vice president. His former chief of staff, Ted Kaufman, will be appointed to serve in Biden's seat until a 2010 special election.

Biden chose to extend his Senate service even after President-elect Barack Obama resigned from his Senate seat shortly after the election. His friends said taking his final Senate oath was important to him.

"He wants to be able to tell his grandchildren he did it," said Mark Gitenstein, a Biden adviser who previously served on his Senate staff. "I just know that he feels it's important. He's told me that. I've been in meetings where he said, 'I really want to do this one last time.' "

Kaufman said, "We all encouraged him to do it. It's historical."

Biden worked the Senate chamber like the veteran he is, shaking hands and chatting with other senators. There was "a lot of good will and excitement" in the chamber from senators thrilled to see one of their own become vice president, said Republican Susan Collins of Maine, who took the Senate oath in Biden's group.

"Joe has many, many friends, of which I'm one," said Collins, who will accompany Biden later this week on a bipartisan trip to Southwest Asia. "It certainly added a specialness to the swearing-in."

The ceremony ran smoothly except for one close call. Biden was about to be called to the well for his oath when he was seen leaving the Senate chamber through the back door. He was looking for a Bible that's been in his family since 1893, according to Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., who served as Biden's escort, per Senate tradition.

Biden has used the Bible each time he's been sworn in, as did his son Beau when he was sworn in as Delaware's attorney general. And he will use the Bible again when he is sworn in as vice president.

Returning empty-handed, Biden said to Carper, "My Bible! It should be here." Carper intervened, telling the officiant, Vice President Dick Cheney, to slow down the ceremony.

There has been no shortage of friction lately between Cheney and Biden, who called Cheney the "most dangerous vice president." Cheney slammed Biden during a recent interview, saying that during the vice presidential debate Biden couldn't "keep straight" which article of the Constitution covers the legislative and the executive branches.

But Carper said the clerk offered to pace the reading of the names and Cheney agreed, playing a "constructive bipartisan role." The ornate, five-inch-thick Bible with a Celtic cross arrived in time for Biden to lug it down the aisle.

Steps away from Cheney, Carper said he told his friend, "Joe, it's a big Bible. Just don't hit him with it," drawing a laugh from Biden.

"I'm sure they're both aware of the irony and also the humor of the situation is not lost on them," Carper said shortly before the ceremony.

In a later ceremony for photographers, Biden and his wife, Jill, shared a laugh with Cheney, and Biden introduced him to several of his family members.

"Let's do it family style," Biden said, getting his picture with his family and Cheney.

Biden showed no eagerness to leave the Senate chamber, sticking around for the entire ceremony and showing off his Bible to several members.

Biden is a bit of a "sentimentalist or a romanticist," Gitenstein said. And he said leaving the Senate will be difficult, considering how members took him under their wing in the aftermath of the accident that killed his first wife, Neilia, and daughter Naomi.

In his 36 years in the Senate, Biden has cast more than 12,000 votes and led two high-profile committees, Judiciary and Foreign Relations.

Biden talked with Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., about being a "Senate man."

"He really loves the Senate," said Levin. "I think it kind of hits him when he's there as a senator realizing how much he's loved it and that next time he comes in a very different role."http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090107/NEWS02/901070333/1006/NEWS


I had no idea he is the youngest person ever to take a 7th term. I guess it makes sense considering how young he was when he came in.

[jillan]

1. CNN said this morning that Bible has been in his family for about 100 years.

He is a "sentimentalist or a romanticist," - and that's one of the reasons why I am so fond of him.

[Jennicut]

2. Yeah, me too. Its so obvious too! He is sentimental about everything.

And that bible was huge, Jill looked so small holding it.

[PatSeg]

3. What a touching story

I got choked up reading it. I hope Chris Matthews reads it.

"Joe, it's a big Bible. Just don't hit him with it," - So funny!

[livvy]

4. What a great story.

I bet this is so hard for him. He must have really mixed feelings.
Love this man...he is something special.