Reminders of Senator Joe Biden

Stanford Matthews at blog@morewhat took a short time away from the blogosphere, but he's back now. Stanford is one of the finest and most objective political bloggers on the web (that does not mean sans opinion). From blog@morewhat, here a news piece about Senator Clinton's supporters and reminders of some of Senator Biden's past and present: Some of Hillary Clinton's most fervent supporters are taking their enthusiasm and their campaign contributions to John McCain. As Barack Obama prepares to accept taking his fairy tale to the public on behalf of the Democratic party his running mate Senator Joseph Biden assumes the attack dog role of VP nominee. This is the same Biden famous for a tendency toward plagiarism who hosted a luncheon to make nice with the person he plagiarized in 1990. Published on July 19, 1990, The Washington Times

Sen. Joseph Biden Jr., who became famous for purloining political rhetoric, yesterday made restitution with beef tenderloin for the author of his best material. The Delaware Democrat was host at a Senate luncheon for Neil Kinnock, leader of the British Labor Party, from whom he plagiarized a speech three years ago that caused a minor scandal and derailed his 1988 presidential campaign.

Perhaps the two Dems are running mates based on these tendencies. Hillary Clinton pointed out that Obama plagiarizes Governor Deval Patrick and Obama did not deny it but … Obama downplayed the significance of the accusation.

I’ve written two books, wrote most of my speeches. So I think putting aside the question … in terms of whether my words are my own, I think that would be carrying it too far,.... Deval and I do trade ideas all the time, and you know he’s occasionally used lines of mine,...” Obama said he also used some of Deval’s words at a Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Wisconsin. I would add I’ve noticed on occasion Sen. Clinton has used words of mine as well,...” CNN Politics.com

As I said before, I really don’t think this is too big of a deal. The plagiarism thing may seem trivial and perhaps it is. What is not trivial is what the practice says about the candidates. What else that is wrong do they think is no big deal? Joe Biden once took PAC money but now is PAC-pure

Barack Obama makes a point of rejecting money from political action committees, condemning them as a symbol of what’s wrong with insider politics in Washington. Los Angeles Times

Edwards’ Money Man Also Has Ties to Biden By Matthew Mosk, Washington Post read more about Edwards' money man