Biden's family history

[lollardfish]

Did everyone else know Biden's family history? Has he brought it up in this election cycle? (I'm sure voters in Delaware know it). It was news to me and genuinely moving.

I've always thought Biden was afflicted by "smartest guy" syndrome, which made him a good senator and would make him an interesting VP, but not a great candidate.

His debate tasks were very difficult tonight and he achieved them magnificently. Palin exceeded expectations, but moved few moderate voters I expect.

Comments

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

I read about it online when looking up the candidates before starting my canvas job.

Pretty damn sad to lose ones family like that for anyone.

Biden seems like a good egg, I really didn't know anything about him before he was picked for v.p. cand.

[saracura.livejournal.com]

Scott and I were extremely touched by his humanness when he was talking about his family. He really showed a soft side of himself. I had no idea about his history...

[pameladean]

I knew he went home on Amtrak every night to be with his (remaining) kids, but I didn't know they were remaining or that his wife had died.

I never really expected to like Biden -- not that it was necessary to my vote -- but I genuinely do after tonight.

P.

[meghanh.livejournal.com]

I did, and like a lot of others, I was genuinely outraged by the calling out of Sarah Palin as somehow "unfit" because being VP would be neglecting her family. It just really indicated the sexism of our world, where people can insinuate that she can be a bad mother due to seeking political office, and people applaud him for taking his first oath of office next to his now-motherless sons' hospital beds. Ugh, just ugh.

Sarah Palin may terrify me, but that was just too damn sexist for words.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Heh. I think it was exactly sexist enough for words! Like ... sexist. And shut up. And there are lots of reasons she's not qualified, but that's not one of them.

But has that happened recently? It definitely was around in the first few days after her nomination, but it seemed rightfully bashed down.

As a father of a child with Down Syndrome, I was outraged to hear liberals say that Palin should stay home to raise her special-needs child.

[meghanh.livejournal.com]

Hah! You're exactly right. "Sexist" and "shut up" work beautifully.

True, that has definitely been dropped, but I guess I'm still outraged by the implications therein.

Oh, absolutely! A special-needs child needs more attention than a non-needs child, but that shouldn't necessarily preclude the parents from careers. My violin teacher in high school had a special-needs child, and she had a very busy career and raised her child beautifully.

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

I dunno though I kinda wish she would stay home if only because I don't want her near politics poisoning the well.

I personally couldn't leave a tiny infant unless I had to but that's just me regardless of their individual and special needs. I think I'm kinda sexist cause I certainly questioned her being in political office with so many kids at home and so many of them still kind of young. But maybe that reflects my own personal preference for putting family before a career.
I certainly don't think others should be expected to stay home but at the same time seeing how poorly many families manage career & kids at KBH made me think twice about being a supermom.
But I'm sure they can afford good quality care for their 5 kids and soon to be grandchild.

[madtruk.livejournal.com]

I knew.

See? I answered the question. I'd be a terrible debater.

[neogrammarian.livejournal.com]

the feminist blogs have made note of Biden's family, and were horrified at Palin's remarks. Biden's tax records were also released- and he pulls down 300k/yr- more money than I can imagine, but in the circles in which he's moved professionally for so long, a really modest income.

He wasn't a pol I was familiar with beyond his tireless work on women's rights issues, but the more I've learned, verbal gaffes included, the more I've come to respect him.