Although I am not supporting Joe Biden for President (I'm hoping that something can be done so President Bush can run again), I do want to say a word in his defense. He is being roundly and unfairly attacked for a statement he made in an interview with The New York Observer. Referring to Barack Obama, Biden said "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." Some people are saying that Biden's use of the word "clean" is racist or at least very strange. But I think most people are forgetting that Biden's words are not usually his own. His first campaign for President was derailed when he was caught cribbing from a speech by British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock. It turns out that the source of this recent statement was also British, namely the Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night.In A Hard Day's Night people keep referring to Paul McCartney's grandfather, played by Wilfrid Brambell, as a "clean old man." According to the Internet Movie Database, this was a reference to the fact that Brambell played a rag-and-bone man in the British sitcom Steptoe and Son, whose catchphrase was "You dirty old man." Steptoe and Son was later remade in the United States as Sanford and Son, which starred Redd Foxx and was one of the most important early television series featuring African-American actors. So I think what Biden was actually saying was that Barack Obama reminds him of the beloved African-American comedian Redd Foxx, which is quite a compliment, really. Now that I have cleared that up, I hope we can go back to discussing important issues like Obama's middle name and Hillary Clinton's jokes.
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Jon Swift, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Redd Foxx, Neil Kinnock, Journalism, Politics
"the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
ReplyDeleteThat may come as a surprise to the Congressional Black Caucus. I guess Biden doesn't hang with them too much.
I think when Joe Biden reeled off his list of "storybook" characteristics for the ideal leader, he meant that Mr. Obama fell short COMPARED TO BUSH. He did not state this because he is far too polite, but the casual observer could easily see that Mr. Obama is not in the same league with Mr. Bush on any of the criteria except being African-American. Maybe Mr. Bush even has a trace of African-American blood, I couldn't say. He is certainly clean, since he likely puts on a new suit every day - he has been very mistrustful of his tailors since they fitted him with that suit that accidentally had a transceiver caught in the back of it during the presidential debates. I'm not ashamed to say I find him very good-looking. And he becomes brighter and more articulate with every speech - if he gets any brighter he is going to go supernova.
ReplyDeleteIf President Bush is smart enough to figure out how he can run again, he should be smart enough to figure out how to beat Obama at blackness, too.
That's awesome.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the next time Biden goes on, The Daily Show will play the Sanford and Son theme song for his entrance.
Would that make Hillary Aunt Esther? Cheney/Bush in '08, even if I have to write it in. Although, if we must have a woman, how about Laura and Lynne?
ReplyDeletejoe...just stay home watch the stupid bowel, and for god's sake don't say any more...
ReplyDeleteIt's okay. Dick Clark is going to help Biden with his little problem.
ReplyDeleteIm just waiting for Biden to come up with a similar zinger about Hillary Clinton. Let's face it, Joe is a real long shot to gain the Demo nomination for president unless he swings for the fences.I'm actually surprised he didn't use the Lisa Nowak astro-nut card to cast doubt on Hillary's ability to function the next time Bill is caught "straying". But I guess he's waiting for someone else to say it first!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the article, quite effective information.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that. It was fun reading it. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat was a VERY interesting one! Seriously interesting.
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