Joe Biden on Religion
When I think of religion and politics I don't usually think of Joe Biden, but maybe now I should. The report is that at a Rotary Club meeting the ever loquacious Biden said that Democrats have been afraid of talking about religion and that should change.
What is important to voters, he said, is that candidates believe in something greater than themselves and that they respect the religious views of others, something he thought Bill Clinton did well.
A practicing Catholic who hasn't talked much about his beliefs, he's coming out of his shell.
"I can hardly wait for one of these guys on the other side tell me about family values. I can hardly wait for them to tell me — a guy who's commuted for 34 years to get home and put my kids to bed," he said. "I can hardly wait for them to tell me — a guy who's been married for 30 years when they've been divorced three times. I can hardly wait."
I'm not sure Joe can win the nomination or the presidency, but I've always loved him. He's pugnacious, talks too much, but knows lots more than most of us. I don't always agree with him, but does his thing and I respect him for it. I'm just afraid that if he became President the State of the Union might go on for several days.
That being said -- his comments about family values have great meaning in this debate.
Comments
Biden at least has an explanation for why he voted for that extension of money -- he's a realist. He was however a strong opponent of the extension of the presidential powers to wire-tap.
On Iraq, though, he really is a policy wonk, and yes I would vote for him in a General Election. I just wish he had run in 2004 -- I think he would have been a better candidate than Kerry.
It's especially good from my perspective to hear him talking about his Catholic faith. Lots of Protestants on the Left have started doing that articulately, but few progressive Catholic politicians talk about how their faith drives their faith because they're afraid of the disconnect between their pro-choice positions and the official stance of the Catholic church. That's a shame, because the Catholic tradition offers some pretty rich resources. Biden's commitment to his family in particular is really admirable. I think the front GOP contenders have something like five divorces (several very messy, with infidelity) between them, while the Dem candidates have many, many years of collective fidelity to their spouses. That's an example of the kind of values I like to see.