Ot: 9/11

[akelman]

Vice President Biden is a doofus. All politicians are lying scum. Etcetera.

Now that we have that out of the way, Biden's remarks today (http://www.nationaljournal.com/whitehouse/joe-biden-s-remarks-at-the-flight-93-memorial-service-in-shanksville-pa--20120911) are absolutely beautiful. It seems to me that this is an object lesson in the power of genuine empathy -- Biden's wife and baby girl were killed in a horrible car accident in 1972; his two sons barely survived -- rather than ginned-up sympathy.

If anybody here is going to be offended by this post, or think that I'm endorsing one political party over the other, I'd be very grateful if one of the moderators would simply delete this thread. Thanks.

[gck]

Ari,

Thanks for posting that, today.

[tuxbailey]

Thanks. That was a great remark.

[bironi]

Nice. Thanks for the link.

[thwart]

Joe may truly be a doofus... but he did good today. Thanks for the link.

[firerescuefin]

Thanks for sharing Ari....sent that on to some folks.

Geoff

[krhea]

Thanks Ari, powerful words from a man who's certainly known his share of loss and what it feels like to live with it everyday, on birthdays, anniversarys etc. Nicely done JoeB.

[malcolm]

Personally I think Joe Biden is as good a guy as a professional politician can be and I agree with the first part of your post, they are all the same. Joe is definitely a guy that in most situations should just keep his mouth shut. This was the exception. This was Joe proving we all have some good in us. Thanks for the link.

[jghall]

Yes Joey did good today. Thanks Ari.

[Ray]

I like politicians who speak their minds somewhat freely, whether I agree with them or not. Even though they occasionally say really stupid things. Adds a touch of humanity to a profession that's usually way too scripted and careful. And, yeah, Joe did good on this one. For all of the legitimate criticisms of the guy, nobody could ever accuse him of lack of empathy...

The actions of the people on that plane continue to amaze me. Its one of those absolutely iconic events that make you wonder whether you could have possibly acted as bravely, and make you hope like hell you never have to find out.

-Ray

[William]

Thank you.








William

[Keith A]

I like politicians who speak their minds somewhat freely, whether I agree with them or not. Even though they occasionally say really stupid things. Adds a touch of humanity to a profession that's usually way too scripted and careful. And, yeah, Joe did good on this one. For all of the legitimate criticisms of the guy, nobody could ever accuse him of lack of empathy...

The actions of the people on that plane continue to amaze me. Its one of those absolutely iconic events that make you wonder whether you could have possibly acted as bravely, and make you hope like hell you never have to find out.

-Ray
I completely agree with you. I'd much rather have someone tell me what they really think and let me decide how to respond, then to tell me something they think I want to hear.

[FlashUNC]

Joe gave one of the better speeches I've ever heard to a group of families who had lost family members in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this year. Referenced the same accident that killed his wife and daughter.

In that speech anyways, he openly talked about how he considered suicide after their deaths, and knew that many of the family members in the audience likely did the same. Incredibly powerful stuff that came from a very real place for him.

Shame that this kind of candor is the exception, rather than the rule, these days.

[oldpotatoe]

Joe gave one of the better speeches I've ever heard to a group of families who had lost family members in Iraq and Afghanistan earlier this year. Referenced the same accident that killed his wife and daughter.

In that speech anyways, he openly talked about how he considered suicide after their deaths, and knew that many of the family members in the audience likely did the same. Incredibly powerful stuff that came from a very real place for him.

Shame that this kind of candor is the exception, rather than the rule, these days.

Agree, he tells it like it is, from his perspective. Too bad it gets him in trouble in the daffy world or politics..truth is hard to come by, most often.

[Fixed]

Amen

[malcolm]

I completely agree with you. I'd much rather have someone tell me what they really think and let me decide how to respond, then to tell me something they think I want to hear.

Keith, not to derail the thread and I agree with you. I would much rather communicate with someone matter of fact than have to wonder what they mean or what their intent is. I don't think this holds up in the political arena because what they say is so dissected and there are so many to offend and just waiting to be offended. You can have one innocent use of a word or unfortunate word choice and within minutes an entire speech's meaning is lost and the discussion is all about this one insignificant part. I'm not sure how this came to be, but it is one of the few areas left in American politics that is truly bipartisan.

[oldpotatoe]

Keith, not to derail the thread and I agree with you. I would much rather communicate with someone matter of fact than have to wonder what they mean or what their intent is. I don't think this holds up in the political arena because what they say is so dissected and there are so many to offend and just waiting to be offended. You can have one innocent use of a word or unfortunate word choice and within minutes an entire speech's meaning is lost and the discussion is all about this one insignificant part. I'm not sure how this came to be, but it is one of the few areas left in American politics that is truly bipartisan.

Came to be in the first political race. 1700s.....in the US and other times elsewhere.

[malcolm]

Came to be in the first political race. 1700s.....in the US and other times elsewhere.

Does it not seem more pervasive? Maybe I'm just more aware. I'm 53 and it seems worse than at any time in my life. It's almost like you can't say anything publicly without offending someone or some group.

[aoe]

Thanks for sharing that, Ari.