Blue Hen Biden Goes Home to ‘Bury the Hatchet’
EmailABC News’ Matthew Jaffe Reports: Vice President-elect Joe Biden returned to his home state of Delaware Thursday for "Return Day," a traditional ceremony when the election’s winners and losers “bury the hatchet” after the heated battles of the campaign trail.
"This is a great event," Biden said during the parade. "Feels like the old days."
Biden defeated Republican challenger Christine O’Donnell Tuesday to win re-election as Delaware senator, a seat he has held for 36 years but will now have to resign to assume the vice-presidential post.
On a rainy afternoon Thursday in Georgetown, winning and losing candidates rode in open horse-drawn carriages as part of the post-election celebration that dates back centuries.
Leaning out of his white carriage, Biden basked in the cheers of onlookers, waving and shaking hands as the caravan made its way through town.
"Feels good," said Biden, accompanied by his wife Jill. "Feels good to be home."
"I’m coming home a lot," he promised later.
Despite the drizzling rain, Biden’s soaking-wet supporters showed no signs of any dampened enthusiasm, cheering loudly and snacking on the traditional barbecued ox, cooked on an open pit and handed out for free.
After the parade, the winners and losers participate in the "Burial of the Tomahawk," the symbolic ending of Delaware’s political season, before the town crier reads the election returns from the Sussex County courthouse balcony.
Following the ceremony, Biden was set to fly back to Chicago to attend meetings in the coming days as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to transition to the White House.
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What a cool ceremony. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we did that everywhere.
Posted by: Hoping for a better Future (formerly:This is SO Old) | November 6, 2008, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
Joe Biden: The REAL “Joe six-pack”. He’s gonna be a great VP!
Posted by: MsRotten | November 6, 2008, 5:56 pm 5:56 pm
Did he say anything stupid. He will be the enterainment for the next four years
Posted by: ClassBroad | November 6, 2008, 6:08 pm 6:08 pm
If he is so great why did he lose in the prim elections. He said so many bad things about
Mr. Obama and now they are great pals.. Such a fake. I do wish him and Obama luck and will pray that they can unite all of us as one Nation Under God. After all we are Americans we need to get rid of all the other titles and just be Proud to Say I am an American.
Posted by: Lisa | November 6, 2008, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
Lisa,
He lost in the primary elections because there was both a woman and a black man running and the media wasn’t interested in anyone else, because most of the people voting wanted to make history one way or another.
I know because I was there.
When politicians are running against each other they try to separate themselves by emphasizing their qualifications and the other person’s deficits. When they are on the same side then they emphasize their similarities and the things they agree upon. Most of the time it isn’t personal, but just the way politics are conducted.
When John McCain first came to Washington, looking for a way to get started, Joe Biden hired him as a staffer. They have a long history as friends and colleagues, and now that the campaign is over, in which they both said unpleasant things about each other, they will get past it. That’s politics.
Posted by: Donna Hughes | November 6, 2008, 8:15 pm 8:15 pm
But Donna isnt that the very politics Senator Obama was trying to break away from. Things will never change if we simply dismiss the unfair negativity that Sentaors McCain and Biden expressed against each other as “just politics”. They each should have done better – and the American people deserved better.
Posted by: undecided2012 | November 6, 2008, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm
You don’t think it is right to “bury the hatchet” and get to work on getting things done then? John McCain has in the past usually been one of the less polarizing forces in congress, and Joe Biden has a reputation for bringing people together on legislation and getting things done. I think that the American people are fortunate to have both of them, for there are far more polarizing members of congress.
You are not going to have campaigns without a certain amount of negativity, and I think it is naive to think otherwise. The question is, does it have to be character assassination? Preferably not. It was far worse coming from the right wing, but as long as there is right-wing talk radio out there spreading its toxic propaganda it probably will be an uphill battle against the ugly right-wing tactics.
Posted by: Donna Hughes | November 6, 2008, 11:54 pm 11:54 pm
I am watching with some bemusement at these comments seeking to villify Rahm Emmanuel. It is the dying last gasp of “guilt by association” that people try to tear down Emmanuel for his “partisanship” and appointment to Freddie Mac. A more nuanced and careful read of his resume would help you conclude that yes, we American people ought to be glad that we have this guy on our side, that his fiery reputation was in the service of performing his job, and that people on both sides of the aisle respect his formidable intellect. If you LOOK at how Obama arrived here at the White House, you might best stand back and appreciate that this Obama guy clearly knows what he is doing. The Best And The Brightest are not likely to win popularity contests with the recently deposed and their disappointed followers. Oh Well.
Posted by: Colin Kellogg | November 7, 2008, 11:29 am 11:29 am
I am very pleased with the Emmanuel pick. He had been giving good advice to Nancy Pelosi on how to win elections, much to the detriment of House Republicans.
Without Rahm there, Pelosi will overreach and give the GOP a real shot in 2010.
Posted by: xaaix | November 7, 2008, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm
Amazing that he could run for 2 offices at the same time. I guess if you’ve been in Congress for 36 years, you need to guarantee yourself a job. So in Delaware, can you run for mayor, senator, county commission, governor also at the same time? Or only if your son is the State Attorney.
Posted by: glennmcgahee | November 8, 2008, 7:34 am 7:34 am
native american,
It is just a symbolic weapon, and could just as well be an axe, knife, pistol, or whatever. The old saying goes “bury the hatchet”, and if that references some insulting episode to Native Americans then I am not familiar with it. If that is the case, then apologies.
Posted by: Donna Hughes | November 8, 2008, 10:22 am 10:22 am
This election was a firestorm. Two candidates from opposite sides of the political and ideological spectrum ignited the hearts and minds of more Americans this time around than during any campaign in my memory. Tensions ran high and we, myself included, used this media to fight hard for what we believed in. Now the election is over. Whew!
As cooler heads prevail you can see the rhetoric and venom starting to receed. Of course, there will always be those on the fringe who try and perpetuate the discourse, but for the most part I think Americans are ready to get to work.
I think “Return Day” is great.
Posted by: Concerned | November 11, 2008, 9:44 am 9:44 am
Biden lost in the primaries because he couldn’t raise money -PERIOD. You don’t know what you are talking about. Don’t listen to this idiot. It has nothing to do with not being a woman or a black man. Grow up. We’ve had 43 White Male Presidents. Being a white male didn’t hurt Biden.
Posted by: Julia | November 13, 2008, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
I forgot-BIDEN ROCKS.
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Posted by: gary | November 18, 2008, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm