i>It's good to see him come out swinging and metaphorically knock them back on their heels

That is precisely what drew me to Biden in the first place all those many decades ago...

My most vivid memories of Biden are of a wily Senate chairman coming out swinging and metaphorically knockin' 'em on their heels, all the while sporting a smile to light up an arena! Love it! Love him!!

The happy warrior, indeed. :)

Well, Kick, he's always had that streak in him, too. :)

Yes, he certainly has, hasn't he, but ain't it great to see that side of him coming out more often?

It's good to see him come out swinging and metaphorically knock them back on their heels because in politics (as you know), if your opponent has to keep explaining things, you're winning. It's a hoot to watch the Republicans and MAGAts trying desperately to memory hole their multiple statements/plans to dismantle the social safety net and claim they're "all for it" when obviously they've been gunning for cutting it or doing away with it entirely. It's good to see Biden rip them over it.

Hey, remember that time Biden got caught on a hot mic referring to the Affordable Care Act as a BFD? Of course you do... rhetorical question. I think it would be an absolute laugh riot if Biden would add that to his "I'm your worst nightmare" list of protections since Republicans wanted to dismantle that too. I dare the lying cons to even try to claim they're not gunning for the BFD ACA. I can picture Biden saying something along the lines of:

"If cutting Social Security is a dream of yours, then I'm your worst nightmare. You guys can lie about this, but you should really give the American people more credit than that. They were also watching right along with me while you Republicans voted over and over to dismantle the ACA and replace it with nothing, no plan that ever existed. It took my good friend John McCain and some other thoughtful Republicans along with every Democrat in the Senate to stop Trump and MAGA from hurting hard-working Americans by killing their healthcare. You know, I got caught on a hot mic telling President Obama what a BFD it was. It's still a BFD, and if it needs some fixing around the edges, I'll consider it, but I won't allow Trump and MAGA and Republicans to dismantle Americans' healthcare like they've been attempting for years and years. Any attempts to hurt Americans whether it's Social Security, Medicare, and the BFD ACA aren't happening on my watch. I will veto them all."

Or something like that.

Would I put it past Trump et alia to say they weren't ever trying to dismantle the ACA? No, I definitely would not. Knock them on their heels more. I like it. :)

I wish you guys would have known Senator Biden and his senatorial arias. Obama had nothing on him.

He's still got it somewhere in him, and now he has time behind him and that "I'll be your worst nightmare" and "eff around and find out" attitude to go with it. :)

That was an incredibly racist statement.

Totally unnecessary too.

Obama with his soaring rhetoric created expectations he didn't have the political chops to manage. Mediocrity does not equal betrayal. Biden is a much less talented, less inspirational orator, but his results say something different.

Very well said. The benefit of hindsight hasn't hurt either. If roles were reversed and Obama was Biden's Vice President for eight years and all things being otherwise equal, I suspect we'd now be reaping some of the same benefits of living and learning... as one does. :)

Not about to sit here in silence while you post this racist drivel and spew, and you're definitely proving beyond doubt that you meet your self-description of "Libtard," a nice bit of introspection on your part that didn't require immediate proof in order to substantiate the admission.

I won't attempt to debate the nuances of your political beliefs and whether or not Obama met with your personal approval because politics is subjective, being that one man's definition of "progressive" is another man's idea of a "centrist."

As for Shaquille O'Neal, his career doesn't match your description, having been named "Player of the Week" his first 7 days in the NBA and in only his second season being number one in goal percentage at 60%, which he won that title 10 times in his career. In his third season, he was number one in scoring average. Cut to the chase: NBA Hall of Famer and one of the greatest centers in NBA history who held the 7th spot in all-time scoring upon retirement, but not before winning four NBA championships and named MVP of the league three times. In conclusion: All the above and having your number retired by not one NBA team but two of them doesn't meet with any sensible definition of "most underperforming ever."

You go earn all those accolades while at the same time being a substandard free-throw shooter (by NBA standards, obviously), and then you can talk shit about Shaq. :)

So, to recap: You go earn all those accolades while at the same time being a substandard free-throw shooter (by NBA standards, obviously), and then you can talk shit about Shaq. As for that other crap, I was (tried to be) nice the first two times I saw you use this type racist language on this forum, but I'm warning you now that my third shot will be nothing but net. :)

I would also hope this finally puts to bed the Republican lie that Biden is senile, incompetent and somehow not in charge. I would love to be as fiery and intelligent as Biden is when I am 80 years old.

Very well said.

Unlike Trump who thought that a test for dementia was an IQ test instead.

I know, right!? It takes a "special kind of bone-deep stupid" to keep prattling on and on repeatedly (with cameras rolling) about passing a cognitive questionnaire as if it was a Mensa IQ test rather than an assessment designed specifically to assess for dementia and/or evidence indicative of possible neurodegenerative disease. It's like watching a grown man bragging over and over how he can go potty all by himself. #DiaperDon

That was an incredibly racist statement. Obama with his soaring rhetoric created expectations he didn't have the political chops to manage. Mediocrity does not equal betrayal. Biden is a much less talented, less inspirational orator, but his results say something different.

I must disagree, said the Loud and Proud Libtard who literally wept in ‘08 when Obama won. Obama was nothing more than a good “house n*gga” that kept the rich folk in BOTH parties happy.

Obama and Shaquille O’Neal are both M.U.P.E. Most UnderPerforming Ever

I would like to get away from old white men having so much of the power, but I would also like to see some of the younger political generations gain a little more experience. (OK, old white women, excepting Nancy Pelosi, as well, and Pelosi has done well to retire as Speaker now.) Yes, Obama badly disappointed many of his supporters, but I think lack of political experience led to much of that. Four or eight years as VP or in a more senior senatorial role would have prepared him better for the obstructionism of Republicans.

Obama was downright shocked the first time he was heckled (to be fair, so was much of the rest of America, just for the sheer disrespect it displayed). He managed to answer back, but he only got heckled the one time, by one person.

Remember that time during the 2015 SOTU when Obama was "heckled" by Republicans in unison? He shut them down fast.

Obama: Surely we can agree it’s a good thing that for the first time in 40 years, the crime rate and the incarceration rate have come down together, and use that as a starting point for Democrats and Republicans, community leaders and law enforcement, to reform America’s criminal justice system so that it protects and serves us all.

That’s a better politics. That’s how we start rebuilding trust. That’s how we move this country forward. That’s what the American people want. That’s what they deserve.

I have no more campaigns to run. My only agenda...

Republicans: [Interrupted by Republicans clapping and laughter]

Obama: [smiling at them/laughing] I know 'cause I won both of 'em.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S6nwCpO000

*
Good times. :)

Biden had to put up with it whenever he approached any contentious issue tonight, and he gave as good as he got.

The Q-Anon crazy conspiracy MAGA rubes who cannot ever allow themselves to keep their ignorant mouths closed even for a short period of time performed like pavlovian dogs on cue, and Biden definitely owned them.

It’s almost like Joe is shooting fish in a barrel. Joe has historically always positioned himself in middle of Democratic thought and hath therefore swung with us Dem Progs.

Biden has always been 'progressive', in the truest sense of the term, before it was hijacked by the current crop of left-wing progressives in congress. You know the ones who make it easy for Republicans to paint Dems as extreme ... like shooting fish in a barrel!

Biden's speech was rather extraordinary, mostly because of his delivery. He actively engaged with Republican hecklers, which is a very tricky thing to do, but he pulled it off masterfully. He stressed cooperation over partisan confrontation, for the most part, and called for unity and getting done what they could both agree upon. Which, again, is a very hard needle to thread in today's hyper-polarized America. But he managed to stay folksy and cheerful throughout it all, which is what made it all so extraordinary. I've already seen the term "happy warrior" used to describe Biden's performance last night, and it fits pretty well.

Extraordinary? Yes! And, vintage Biden. :-)

One of my favourite classic Biden quotes from decades ago:

"I'm not on the right. I'm not on the left. I'm Joe Biden in the middle. Come join me!"

Biden's speech was rather extraordinary, mostly because of his delivery. He actively engaged with Republican hecklers, which is a very tricky thing to do, but he pulled it off masterfully. He stressed cooperation over partisan confrontation, for the most part, and called for unity and getting done what they could both agree upon. Which, again, is a very hard needle to thread in today's hyper-polarized America. But he managed to stay folksy and cheerful throughout it all, which is what made it all so extraordinary. I've already seen the term "happy warrior" used to describe Biden's performance last night, and it fits pretty well.

Extraordinary? Yes! And, vintage Biden. :-)

One of my favourite classic Biden quotes from decades ago:

"I'm not on the right. I'm not on the left. I'm Joe Biden in the middle. Come join me!"

Whopah, NOT Gangnam Style

In other words, CW, I think you should consider tossing what was recently considered “Conventional Wisdom” that even marginally gives any attention to The Polls. Dude, shit was already WHACK only Trump gave it an unashamed veneer of legitimacy. And has gotten killed three elections running.

To be more specific I always regarded part of Obama’s w

Did the Dems ever shout 'liar' at notorious liar Trump during a State of the Union? I don't remember that they did. [sigh] More projection, I suppose.

In the 70s I regarded Bruce Springsteen as “overrated”…right up to when the moment I heard this New York City Serenade” and thence regarded BS as having heart.

It’s a Klingon thang, you wouldn’t understand

Myself I’ll reserve fire for what Joe didn’t get right…

So I had oodles of time to do what I (still) like to do, reading histories and biographies of Hitler, Stalin and other principal players back in the day.

I mention this because what I learned that the really sophisticated players did what Joe Effing Biden seems to have done — working the levers of power to direct political action in a desired direction. Practicing good politics and such.

Stop bagging on Joe, Elizabeth, he got Ukraine right. Frankly I remain uncertain as to what opportunities Joe missed that would have forestalled Putin’s invasion.

No biggie, it’s not important that I didn’t bother watching Joe‘s SOTU speech (just because I expected — no, RELIED upon) incisive analysis from [name redacted] shortly thereafter. It didn’t ultimately matter.

Having not reviewed film it sounds like Joe went and practiced effective politics on the Bad Guys, once again.

It’s almost like Joe is shooting fish in a barrel. Joe has historically always positioned himself in middle of Democratic thought and hath therefore swung with us Dem Progs.