Biden Explains Debate Moment Where He Choked Up

Newsweek catches up with Joe Biden and talks to him about the moment during Thursday's debate when he choked up with emotion:

About that catch in his throat: in the moment, he "could picture Beau in the bed" after the 1972 car accident that killed Biden's first wife, Neilia, and their baby girl and critically injured his young sons. Now Beau, the 39-year-old attorney general of Delaware, was off to war, a judge advocate general traveling to obscure regions of Iraq, where the road isn't exactly the safest place to be. The memory of being a single parent mixed with worries about Beau to create "a lot of bundled emotions. It surprised me. I was hoping nobody noticed." Only 70 million or so did.

Here's the video. More from the Newsweek piece below:

Biden, who had stayed neutral in the Democratic primaries after dropping out in January, told Obama that he was "ready to be second fiddle" and sought no specific portfolio--but only if he got a guaranteed hourlong, one-on-one session with the president every week (like Al Gore's lunches with Bill Clinton, and George H.W. Bush's with Ronald Reagan) and a presence at all important meetings. Obama said yes, that he wanted him for his judgment and for his help in enacting a big legislative agenda. And so the job was defined: "My role will be to say, 'Boss, here's the way I'd go about it'."

Biden says Obama reminds him of Bill Clinton in his "confidence, cognitive ability, judgment" and intellectual security--that he can listen and absorb advice without having to prove he's the smartest person in the room, a critical leadership skill. He says he experienced an "epiphany" during a recent conference call on the bailout bill with Bob Rubin, Paul Volcker, Warren Buffett, Paul O'Neill, Joseph Stiglitz, Larry Summers and Laura Tyson. "He [Obama] comes on the call and says, 'Well, folks, sorry I'm late. I've got four questions.' He was in total frigging command! Here's a 47-year-old guy in one of the most complicated economic dilemmas anyone has had to face since 1929 to '33. And it was like, 'Bang! Bang! Bang!' I called him afterward and said, 'You sold me, sucker!' "

Comments

[duchessdorleans]

in that moment i really felt for him. I could see that he was caught off guard by his own emotions and tried to hide it. i really expected Palin to respond but she just blew right past that. she probably wasn't paying attention, just looking at her notes and preparing to rehearse her next talking point.

[Matt7]

You guys are going to send the tr0ll below, paravo63, to the gambling tables in style, if you keep responding to their obvious attempt to pick a fight . . . I mean elicit a response.

(They often get paid by getting you to respond. I learned this the hard way, and much too late, on another blog).

[parvo63]

Once and for all:

Biden's choking up was a well-rehearsed and calculated move, meant to save him from a less than favorable outcome from the VP debates with a political debutant. I.e. when you have no arguments, resort to tears - people are nice, they will understand... A girlish man, as Schwarzenneger used to say.

The question is does anybody really believe that the guy was suddenly struck by grief 36 years after the events, in the middle of a VP debate he was losing aginst a political debutant, and, again, not in private, but exactly when the cameras were on and 70 million viewers were watching?

Very touchy. Personally, I felt like throwing up.

[duchessdorleans]

there is no way that was rehearsed. you are barely human if you cannot see that.

[combatveteran]

your a joke.

[janfin]

Obviously parvo has never experienced personal tragedy, or has and has no heart. Yes, all these years later he genuinely got choked up--otherwise he deserves an academy award. And if you think having, experiencing, and, in this case, spontaneously expressing emotion is girlish, then you need to question your manhood, and if you are a woman, your definition of a man. How sick you are.

[shawnaNaustin]

I think you mean "girlie man" and "touching", sport.

[parvo63]

That was exactly what I meant, thanks; but why did you skip the rest?
Do you thing that crying in public is a good idea? My question is: would he cry if the cameras were off? No way.

[TAC]

"A girlish man, as Schwarzenneger used to say."

Quoting Ahnuld? Einstein parvo's not...

[MissCupcake]

PARVO...the name fits. Its a canine disease spread through poo!

[Kay72403]

We did notice, Joe. It was the greatest moment of the debate. Heartfelt, human, authentic emotion showed the true character of the man who will be the next VP of the USA. A truly honorable man who didn't stoop to the dirty, mean, provocative woman of the Republican party.

[Matt7]

No explanation necessary, from Joe Biden. He's the "real thing," without pretense or manipulation; and his genuine emotion and authenticity comes through loud and clear.

I was introduced to him through his son, and the video at the DNC. Those presentations didn' t feel like fake, forced PR pieces. It seemed as though I was getting to know the real deal. (As opposed to McCain. I got to hear and see his story, but he exploited it at every opportunity, as if it were one of his qualifications to BE president. It is not.)

I love the way Obama and Biden (and their families) look and work together. I think these two will make an excellent Executive Branch team. If right-wingers (and other outright racists) gave themselves half a chance, they'd see that this country can be led by these two, to being and accomplishing something wonderful again.

Unfortunately, Rethugs are already laying the groundwork to give them hell; whether or not they win (they will).

[111]

I don't like Joe Biden but I thought he had some really great moments and this was one of them. He was right to remind us that he has been a single father who struggled to meet the challenges of being a bread winner while parenting young children alone. I also liked that he spoke about being well off now but that there were times in his life that he wasn't so well off and that he remembers very well what that was like.

Six Pack was horrifying in her need to control the debate, her insistence on regurgitating her talking points and her inability to respond to the human being standing next to her on stage. I find her repulsive.

[formerprosecutor]

Curious...WHY don't you "like" Joe Biden ?

[T Pol]

I'd like to know, too. I'd encourage you to learn more about him. On the surface, perhaps people just see him as a stereotypical slick politician of many years. But remove that bias, and you'll find such substance beneath.

Not a perfect man...nor one who pretends to be. He has mellowed with age, and truly become a "fine wine."

Thanks for your different and balanced point of view.

[Samalabear]

I would echo this. I didn't know a lot about Joe Biden. I didn't feel one way or the other, but I have a lot of respect for him now and certainly feel better about voting for Obama. I wasn't going to vote for either McCain or Obama, but Biden did change that for me.

I just found it funny that you started out with you don't like Biden and then wrote all of these wonderful things that you respected and noticed. Definitely read more about him and see what happens.

I've read a lot more about Palin and McCain and the more I read the more I cringe. These are not genuine, warm or caring people. They're ruthlessly ambitious and I can't believe that at one time I ever supported McCain.

[kiran888]

I want to wish the Biden family that Beau comes back quickly and safely. God Bless!

[Shashi0224]

My thoughts and prayers are with the Biden family, too. They've been so solid through so much. True Family Values - unlike the republicans.

Biden and Obama live family values. I trust them and am so proud to support them!!

Obama/Biden '08 and '12!!

[kmdippenger]

Reading through these positive comments makes me really hopeful for this election and for this country. As for the comments on Joe Biden, I agree...this is a very exciting time for us and for the world. I met Jill Biden and Ashley, their daughter, 2 weeks ago, what beautiful, intelligent women. We would be so fortunate to have the Biden's and the Obama's as our leading families.

[MIKEBC]

Like joe said, we will end this war, and with mc pow the soldiers have no light at the end of the tunnel as far as ever seeing a normal home life again.

[utd]

I have always respected Biden for his greatest strength.. his ability to talk *&^% in a profound yet sensible manner. He was my number 2 pick behind Obama since they were both declared in the primaries, so this has always been the perfect ideal ticket I wanted to see. I can already see America getting back on the right path finally once we have ditched the false moral indignation while engaging in disaster capitalism crowd.

[aznurse]

When she said that "Waving the white flag of surrender" crap I wanted to throttle her.! Doesn't she even realize that more than half the country is sick of the war? Are we all cowards?
BTW, what war did McCain win?
The feelings that I have that voting for Obama and Biden are visceral in knowing its just right.

[Lombard42]

Also, by the McCain / Palin rationale, we'd still be in Vietnam -- unwilling to wave that darn White Flag.

[DefeatedAnOfficer]

What struck me about the "white flag of surrender" line was the long, awkward pause before she said it, like she was truly struggling to come up with something after Biden finished a valid point. There was literally a long moment of dead air before she sputtered that out. She betrayed a real lack of confidence with that line.

[GuidedByEwoks]

This is going to go down as one of the most honest moments in modern politics. Compared to probably one of the most contrived and facile nominees standing only 20 ft. away.

[LilyK]

And what was so jarring was Palin's response afterwards. When Joe Biden got emotional thinking about that tragedy and about his son about to go to Iraq, I -- and I'm certain almost every other mother watching -- got tearful too. In that honest moment, you could feel something of what he was feeling, and I can't imagine any mother -- or most fathers -- not empathisizing.

One would think that with 4 or 5 children of her own, Sarah Palin would have responded with a word of understanding. I don't think she's a bad person but I think she was so programmed with her ready-made answers that she couldn't express an honest emotion in response but instead, just went back on the attack. That was the most surreal moment of the debate by far.

[ex-pat]

"Joe, mind if I call you Mr. Vice President" I can not wait to see that Diner Waitress lose this big time and then to back to Alaska and be impeached...you sassy, nasty little girl

[lvnky]

Wow, what a human emotion to show the nation of humans. I am impressed with "Joe" B.

[mamala4]

Joe Biden is the epitome of class, humanity and brilliance. I was so disappointed when he dropped out of the primaries; then I became a Hillary supporter. But when Obama won and picked Biden, I became a true believer. What an outstanding team they make. How could anyone think that Sarah Plain could represent our country as Joe Biden will. Can you hear her say to Sarkozi " You Betcha, where are the french fries?" UGH!!!
Senator and Mrs. Biden, our thoughts and prayers are with you as you send Beau to Iraq and deal with Mrs. Biden's mother's illness.

[jcrush]

please watch and post everywhere - you won't believe your ears...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVDCXpSD6Fk

[duchessdorleans]

wow. she came right out and said it. this needs to be all over tv.

[politicojunkie]

Unreal. Who conducted this interview and what is the date?