Oh, That Joe! (No. 6 in a Series) — Biden Kvells in Florida
EmailAt a town hall event in Deerfield Beach, Florida, today, with a largely Jewish crowd at Century Village, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., assailed internet rumors about Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, being a Muslim, and mentioned his Jewish daughter-in-law.
"There’s some scurrilous stuff going around on the internet, particularly in Florida, it’s simply scurrilous," Biden said. "I — to the extent you trust me, and I don’t mean that I’m anything that special — but to the extent you trust me, and understand where my heart is, I promise you the stuff you’re getting on the internet is simply not true, that’s the only reason I mention it.”
Biden had been introduced by a woman named Dina Axelrod.
"Now you know Barack Obama’s chief political strategist is a guy named Axelrod," Biden said. "Just so we’re getting it straight, I wanna find out if – no relation," he said, as Dina clarified that she isn’t related to top Obama political strategist David Axelrod.
"We’re going to be mishpokhe before this all is over, I promise you," Biden said, using the Yiddish word for "family."
"You all think I’m kidding," Biden said. "Look, my son married — and matter of fact, her, uh — my son married into the Berger family," he said, referring to Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden’s marriage to the former Hallie Berger.
(Hallie Biden’s mother Joan is Jewish, though Hallie was raised in both the Jewish and Christian faiths.)
"And matter of fact my daughter-in-law, her first cousin is here somewhere," Biden continued. "Not sure where."
Biden then spotted her.
"There she is!" he exclaimed. "So anyway, I understand what mishpokhe is. I’ve learned. I’ve learned."
- Jake Tapper and Matt Jaffe
CPAC: Romney Struggles to Convince Voters 
Obama Backs Off Birth Control Battle?
What I like about Biden is his openness.
Joe you make this season all the more entertaining!
Posted by: Ryan C | September 2, 2008, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
Biden is just pointing out more proof that McCain and his handlers are spreading all the rumors that Obama is a muslim, has a fake birth certificate, won’t say the pledge, went to a madrassa, blah, blah, blah.. You think this stuff just appeared out of nowhere? The republicans have perfected the art of plausible deniability and will say they don’t approve of it. Yeah right!
Just more crap from McCain and his group of verifiable liars.
I live in Ohio and I see it everyday.
Thanks for addressing it, Sen. Biden. I’ll be voting for you in November.
Posted by: EX-REPUBLICAN | September 2, 2008, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
Joe Biden needs to speak freely and very often.
Posted by: Sally J. | September 2, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
The more I see of Biden, the more I like him. Truthfully, I was skeptical. But it turns out that he adds a lot of warmth and humanity to the picture, offsetting the coolness well.
Posted by: Tungsten | September 2, 2008, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
“Joe Biden needs to speak freely and very often.”
I agree with this.
I don’t need my candidate hidden away from reporters because they can’t remember how many houses they own or are under siege because they are the worst VP pick in history.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 2, 2008, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
Love it Joe Biden…. Can’t wait for the debates.
Posted by: beck | September 2, 2008, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
I bet those Century Village residents LOVED him! Most of them live on fixed incomes, have been battling insurance companies to get their communities and condos repaired after the hurricanes Frances, Jeanne, and Wilma. And, they have seen their little Florida nest eggs drop to nothing with the housing crisis down there bringing many of their condos worth well under 60% of what they paid for them. South Florida is more than ready for CHANGE! Go Joe Go!!!
Posted by: Amy T | September 2, 2008, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
i guess i dont get it… what was so bad about biden in this one?
i wish the mccain camp would let palin talk….
Posted by: bhrandon | September 2, 2008, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
Obama, why don’t you just show the certificate from the Hawaiian hospital where you were born or a legal BC. Guess it is cause you don’t have it and had to travel on an Indonesian passport.
Ignoring the truth does not make the truth go away. Lies, lies and more lies from the Obama people. That is the only way he knows to play the game. Dirty.
Posted by: Mai | September 2, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
Fun facts are coming out fast and furious:
A spokeswoman for Palin said the Alaska governor had been to Germany and Kuwait in 2007 and had visited one other country, Ireland. It turns out that the Ireland trip was just a refueling stopover on the way to Europe and the Middle East.
But she has been to Canada, another campaign spokesman noted.
Posted by: Willem van Oranje | September 2, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
bhrandon
thats the first time you and I have agreed. I don’t get it either.
Unless is the old “some of my best friends are…….” line
Posted by: smith | September 2, 2008, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
Biden has been a member of the Good Ole Boys Club too long. And because he is a member in good stand with GOB, he can distort and lie with the best of them.
McCain/Palin for a better tomorrow, not a socialist tomorrow.
Posted by: Mary | September 2, 2008, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm
“I promise you the stuff you’re getting on the internet is simply not true, that’s the only reason I mention it.”
Tell that to Andrew Sullivan.
Jake,
Not counting Biden claiming Obama was raised by his grandparents in Kansas? That was Biden’s biggest blunder yet.
Posted by: geevill | September 2, 2008, 4:29 pm 4:29 pm
Mary,
Jesus said ‘heal the sick’. Republicans say ‘socialist’.
Lets get one thing straight. The Republicans are not the “pro-life” party. Not if you are sick with cancer and you go to the ER and they send you back without scheduling chemo because you have no insurance to pay for it. Because the Democrats are FIGHTING to for every American to have health insurance.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden wanted the Federal Government to pay for employers’ catastrophic health insurance and offer discounted access to the same health insurance as members of Congress enjoy. Republicans say ‘socialist’.
Of course anyone who thinks that the middle class should get a tax cut like Barack Obama proposes is a socialist, from the point of view of right-wing extremist!
Posted by: John | September 2, 2008, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
Ok, nobody’s perfect and politicians that pretend to be are as fake as Wall Street. Biden’s just a normal guy who speaks his mind and believes what he says. We need more of them in politics.
Instead, we have candidates who talk very little and hide away in fear of saying something that may be taken out of context.
Go Joe Biden!!! A real person in politics for a change! He doesn’t need to and shouldn’t have to hide who he is!
Obama/Biden ’08
Posted by: Topher | September 2, 2008, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
Yeah, I’m Pro-Life!! Let’s go shoot guns and start a war!
Posted by: Topher | September 2, 2008, 4:35 pm 4:35 pm
Heard after Joe Biden left. that guy is a is real schmuck.
Posted by: geevill | September 2, 2008, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
The “Plagiarist” strikes again. Classic.
Posted by: Glen Hull | September 2, 2008, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
I just wish it were Joe who was at the top of this ticket…
Posted by: Bob | September 2, 2008, 4:55 pm 4:55 pm
I’ve said it before and I dare asay I will say it again. Joe Biden is a great guy! Unspun, unpolished, but very real.
Posted by: markymark | September 2, 2008, 5:11 pm 5:11 pm
“Ignoring the truth does not make the truth go away. Lies, lies and more lies”
I agree when with the right wing stop with their insane lies.
Posted by: Ryan C | September 2, 2008, 5:27 pm 5:27 pm
The Palin pick (“Jews for Jesus” and all the Christianist eschatological nonsense) has opened the door for Obama to make inroads with more conservative Jewish voters in a place like south Florida. Voters that would ordinarily be disposed toward McCain and suspicious of Obama.
Posted by: Reality-based | September 3, 2008, 1:46 am 1:46 am