Timing as they say, is everything.
A few days ago, a relatively strange story appeared in the media. According to an interview that aired Monday on CNN, Joe Biden told Barack Obama he planned to sell his family home in Delaware to help pay his son’s medical bills.
“Jill and I will sell the house and be in good shape”, Biden says he told Obama.
Obama reportedly told Joe Biden not to, saying “don’t sell that house. I’ll give you the money. Whatever you need, I’ll give you the money”.
The home in question is the legendary Biden family residence at 1209 Barley Mill Road in Wilimington, Delaware (the address is easily found using websearches). It’s valued at somewhere between $1.33 million and $2.86 million. (The home has been substantially renovated over the years so a more precise assessment of value isn’t available).
Joe Biden and Barack Obama may very well have had such a conversation. Yes, Joe Biden was caught a few months ago using the tragic demise of his son for political purposes. For now, let’s accept the conversation at face value.
Why bring it up?
Because it’s “Uncle Joe”. Never heard of Uncle Joe? How about Cup of Joe? Or Diamond Joe Six-Pack?
Those are some of the things Biden-lovers call Joe Biden. As though he’s a member of the family. Uncle Joe. You know, that guy from around the way.
The architects of liberalism have worked hard to build an image of Joe Biden as a lunch-box toting, Amtrack-riding, hard-hat wearing, cheap-beer-swigging, roughnecking, all-around-regular ole American guy. Because that’s more appealing than the reality of a kid that grew up with big oil grandparents and fairly normal middle class circumstances to eventually become a politician for life.
In a day and age when career politicians are viewed about as favorably as gum on the bottom of a shoe, Joe Biden has spent 43 years of his life in office. 36 of those years he’s been a Senator. That’s six terms in a profession most Americans view unfavorably.
Casting Joe Biden in the role of just another working-class stiff struggling with hard choices to pay the bills is all a part of the architecture. It’s designed to make him appear to be just like you, me, or anyone else in normal everyday life.
But what would it matter roughly a year remaining in office?
Things aren’t going well for Hillary these days. She’s faltering on the campaign trail – so badly in fact that Sanders isn’t folding like a cheap lawn chair at debates the way he used to. And, there’s a widening FBI investigation going on that’s got Clinton written all over it.
In seemingly unrelated interviews around the same time as Biden’s CNN appearance, the Vice President mentioned his regret at choosing not to run for Obama’s third term.
Could it be that after Iowa and New Hampshire, Joe will replace Hillary as Democratic front-runner?
Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/americanprogressaction/2787217598
