Ladies and gentlemen, the most comical, and in my view, pathetic political speech I’ve ever heard came from Joe Biden last night. And it was so absurd, so farcical, it’s almost hard to believe. He stumbled about, made nonsenses, even lied at one point. At one point, he accused Jim Mattis of something so wrongheaded it’s virtually impossible to credit him.
The event, at New York University, was supposed to be a sort of big coming out of a moderate Democrat. The idea was to provide a warm-up for Biden’s media appearances, which have been held largely to promote his book. He’s been on a few media shows recently, but Tuesday night was different.
I understand that Biden had a right to announce the book publicly. Given that we live in an age of more and more information, it’s almost every reader’s fundamental right to be read, if not read to bed. But he’s still not a political candidate. The article about Biden’s remarks on social media the other day led with the assertion that Joe Biden is a “70-year-old grandfather of two” who “earns about $200,000 a year, works 35 hours a week, and is still considered one of the wealthiest people in the Senate.” It’s true that Biden is a multimillionaire and the overwhelming majority of American families do not live in such a lavish lifestyle.
But it’s patently untrue that he is one of the wealthiest people in the Senate. According to OpenSecrets.org, in the most recent reporting period, Biden earned $4.2 million. That’s not far from the median household income of $59,124, but it’s not the stuff of aristocracy either. The Senate itself has reported net worth of around $3.7 billion, and Obama was worth $1.2 million. Biden’s net worth would rank him just 117th in the Senate. The idea that Joe Biden is a member of some elite class is laughable, especially given the choice Biden has made. On the one hand, he’s a former vice president and senator who has worked hard and been treated well. He’s a perfectly nice guy, someone whose character is well regarded. The media usually have warm feelings toward him, as do Democrats generally. And the fact that most people don’t see a problem with his fabulous wealth is hardly going to persuade them to change. But on the other hand, he’s also married to Jill Biden, a candidate for president on the Democratic side, and they have a big family — twins, three daughters, and some other kids — and they occupy a massive compound.
It’s true that their finances are not a central focus of their life, but it’s also true that their wealth has now made their lives very complicated and occasionally very expensive. Last night, Biden did something most politicians do when they want to give a big speech: He started out sounding reasonable. But once the substance came in, he descended into farce. I’m going to give Biden the benefit of the doubt, and assume that he meant to sneer at Mattis, who’s now the secretary of defense. In that case, he’s being serious and he’s not being fake. But even if that’s true, it doesn’t make it a satisfying strategy. Not when someone running for president is doing just the opposite, resorting to false outrage when news doesn’t go in their favor.
When Democrats refuse to distance themselves from the terrible Trump policies that are constantly coming out of the White House, they’re telling Republicans that they want to govern and help Americans, but they don’t want to fight Trump. And when they want to oppose him, they’re failing miserably. Joe Biden can’t do better than Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, who were hammered for even putting forward a message of restraint and (obvious) moderation. Get The Beast In Your Inbox!
Daily Digest Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast. Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't). By clicking “Subscribe,” you agree to have read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Subscribe Thank You! You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason. If Joe Biden thinks that he can do better than even this array of Democrats, he’s misreading the party.
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