Recently, Joe Biden took some subtle digs at Hillary Clinton by saying it was “naïve” to declare Republicans the enemy. The prohibitive Democratic nominee said in the first debate, that she was proud to make the Republican Party her adversary in her career as a public servant. Yet, while some might have saw this as maneuvering regarding the vice president’s much rumored 2016 run, Biden formally announced that he thought the window for launching a winning campaign had closed. He’s out, but not after giving remarks that probably would have provided the foundation for his 2016 platform. Here, he also reiterated the naiveté of calling Republicans the enemy. Instead, he said they’re the opposition, with whom we must work with to reach a consensus on a whole host of issues. Without that–consensus–the nation cannot move.
In fact, you’ll be surprised how many prominent Republicans the vice president admires and respects, despite having differing political views. In 2010, Vice President Biden spoke fondly of former Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin on The View.
When asked by host Joy Behar about the mama grizzly’s appeal, Biden didn’t know from a political perspective, but personally, like her
“If you meet her, she is a charming person,” he said. “I say this, and people look at me like I’m kidding, I like her…I don’t have a problem.”
During the ceremonial swearing in of new senators, Vice President Biden told Sen. Rand Paul that he admired him after he read the oath of office. Turning to both Sen. Paul and his wife, Kelley, he said, “I admire you, I really do.”
“I never get along with any interest groups in the United State Senate. The only one that I really respect, and I don’t agree with them most of the time, is the ACLU because never, ever … they have principles … I admire you. You mean what you say,” he added before posing for pictures.
Finally, we find out that Joe actually gets along with Vice President Dick Cheney, who most in his party often regard as having the qualities of Darth Vader, or some other cultural reference meant to symbolize the personification of evil. Inside Sources reported that Biden saying, “I actually like Dick Cheney…For real. I get on with him. I think he’s a decent man.”
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Comes to show you that while political differences might separate Biden from his Republican colleagues on certain issues (okay–almost every issue), it also shows he doesn’t let that torpedo the chance in striking up a friendship, or speaking admirably of someone with different views. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
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