Althouse: Joe Biden on "The Colbert Report" says "thank you" to George Bush.

September 9, 2010

Joe Biden on "The Colbert Report" says "thank you" to George Bush.

The Colbert Report

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Joe Biden

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2010 Election

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Thank you, Joe Biden.

42 comments:

Robert Cook said...: I love how Colbert snarkily says he "never disagreed" with Bush's policy, he who righteously tore the President (and the mainstream press) big gaping new ones at the White House Press Correspondents' Dinner.; 9/9/10, 8:30 AM
David said...: Republican politicians think that their base is dumb; Democratic politicians think that their base is crazy.; 9/9/10, 8:37 AM
Bob said...: Too bad the current President probably doesn't have the grace and good manners to say the same words.; 9/9/10, 8:43 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: I love how Colbert snarkily says he "never disagreed" with Bush's policy, he who righteously tore the President (and the mainstream press) big gaping new ones at the White House Press Correspondents' Dinner.

I love how you think Cobert is someone to be actually taken seriously.; 9/9/10, 8:44 AM
AllenS said...: It makes Obama seem like the petulant child that he is.; 9/9/10, 8:44 AM
KCFleming said...: Sorry, I tried to watch. I really did. But 5 minutes? No way. Just tell me the money quote.

Never mind. It's Biden, the pandering old fool with the motel sign smile saying Vacancy.

So Hillary knocks US debt as a security threat and Biden thanks Bush for honoring the troops ...on a comedy show. Meh.

Viceroys paying tribute to virtue.; 9/9/10, 8:47 AM
Clyde said...: Unlike regime propaganda minister Robert Gibbs, Joe Biden was at least able to give a straight answer. Kudos to him. It was funny as hell watching Gibbs squirm around Gretchen Carlson's questions the other day about whether Obama would give Bush any credit for the success of the Surge in Iraq.; 9/9/10, 8:48 AM
Anonymous said...: As someone who was against the Iraqi war and as someone without BDS, let me add my thanks to the VP too. It was the decent and right thing to say, and that he seemed sincere in saying it, brought a smile to my face. On the other hand, my mind searches for others in the present administration whose answer to the same question wouldn't piss me off. And I come up blank. Granted, 'tis my imagination at work here, and I sincerely hope I would be proven wrong, but that I'm confident I wouldn't, tells me something about the Obama administration's rhetoric over the past few years.; 9/9/10, 8:49 AM
Original Mike said...: Bet he was in trouble when he got home.; 9/9/10, 8:58 AM
Robert Cook said...: "I love how you think Cobert is someone to be actually taken seriously."

One must take seriously anyone who has the spine to stand in the midst of slavering, fatted jackals and give them the chastening "fuck you!" of truth.; 9/9/10, 8:59 AM
rasqual said...: Heh. Always. Always. Everyone asks why we can't bring the troops home since their work, putatively, is done.

So what work are our troops doing in Germany? Japan? ITALY? Why not bring them home from there?

It's the weirdest thing in the world how folks are content to leave troops where they're not needed at all, but GET THEM THE HELL HOME from where, arguably, they alone can make a huge difference for the better.

Some people are so freaking backwards.; 9/9/10, 9:13 AM
KCFleming said...: " the chastening "fuck you!" of truth"

More like the childish "fuck you!" of truthiness.; 9/9/10, 9:15 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: One must take seriously anyone who has the spine to stand in the midst of slavering, fatted jackals and give them the chastening "fuck you!" of truth.

You do understand that Colbert is a comedian right? You know someone who makes a living doing comedy, satire, humor.; 9/9/10, 9:21 AM
Fred Strange said...: Maybe I'm missing something, but it's the best I've ever seen Biden. Good on him.; 9/9/10, 9:25 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: So what work are our troops doing in Germany? Japan? ITALY? Why not bring them home from there?

Why not indeed. If it were up to me, every single one would be brought home. Oh and the next time there was some massive tsunami or earthquake or other act of Allah, the hourly rate for a carrier task group providing humanitarian aid or airlift service is $1,000,000 per hour plus per diem.; 9/9/10, 9:25 AM
Opus One Media said...: @trooper...i actually met someone who is reasonably intelligent on most things who thought Colbert wasn't performing tongue in cheek and that he is ultra right wing. i think he has a lot of people fooled.

@bob...we have nothing to thank Bush for regarding Iraq. nothing.; 9/9/10, 9:28 AM
Original Mike said...: Actually, I imagine this was very calculated. This will allow the administration, at a later date, to claim they acknowledged Bush's role in winning Iraq without Obama having to say it himself.; 9/9/10, 9:31 AM
Anonymous said...: The Democrats have a "civility" problem this time around too, see 2002 election, i.e. the Wellstone funeral, that sits atop the "its the economy stupid" problem. This week Obama has been doubling down on both the surface and substance. Being as partisan and petulant as ever and not coming up with anything new in face of overwhelming evidence of the need not to go down the same well-worn Keynesian path again. Biden just went the other way on the surface problem. Hillary just went the other way on the economy with a statement on the debt. So, sinking ship, bald men and women to the life boats first? Or mixed message grab bag, as an attempt to be all things to all opinions? Or, simply politics as usual--No one's ever on the same page.; 9/9/10, 9:32 AM
Robert Cook said...: "You do understand that Colbert is a comedian right? You know someone who makes a living doing comedy, satire, humor."

Of course...he's hilarious! (It seems that a number of conservative fans of his show don't quite get that he's actually liberal, and is mocking them.)

But, as I'm sure you know, "much truth was spoke in jest," and boy was Colbert telling some truth that night!; 9/9/10, 9:45 AM
KCFleming said...: "...boy was Colbert telling some truth that night!"
The zenith of Cook's life, apparently.

But seeing Obama's ship falter and stall under utopian hubris, leftism should remain a jester's realm. It's only real use is keeping the work honest and humane, for it cannot actually steer.; 9/9/10, 9:51 AM
tim maguire said...: Favorite line:

Colbert: I hope I didn't startle you with my heroics.

Biden: Conservatives always do that to me.

First runner up:

Biden: My home state of Dover.; 9/9/10, 10:06 AM
Shanna said...: You do understand that Colbert is a comedian right? You know someone who makes a living doing comedy, satire, humor.

Some people will only speak the truth through humor. Then when someone calls you out, you can say “just kidding!”.

I've always liked Biden, and struggled to figure out why, because he can say the dumbest things at times, but maybe the fact that he is willing to say something like this is one reason.; 9/9/10, 10:13 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: A fine, clear statement. Well deserved. Very helpful.

Colbert is a joke (not a bad thing in his profession): a more realistic - and funnier - version of Zippy The Pinhead. I still think, rather then politics, the elasticity of spiritual belief was a better platform for his humor, back on The Daily Show. His job description does not include honesty or intelligence on anyone's part.; 9/9/10, 10:22 AM
Jim Hu said...: Meh. It's a non-thank you thank you.; 9/9/10, 10:44 AM
Mary Beth said...: The live audience was service people. I wonder if he would have said the same thing if they were all Code Pink members.; 9/9/10, 10:47 AM
Don K said...: Wow! Joe, that was as classy a comment as I have ever heard spoken by any Democrat of any Republican.
Thank you.; 9/9/10, 10:52 AM
alan markus said...: Good appearance by Joe Biden - wasn't he hired to make the Obama administration look more competent and experienced? Seems like he delivered on that this time.; 9/9/10, 11:10 AM
Phil 314 said...: a number of conservative fans of his show don't quite get that he's actually liberal, and is mocking them.

Silly conservatives!; 9/9/10, 11:45 AM
Phil 314 said...: Actually the official thank you to George Bush came a week ago on Thursday morning September 2nd as President Obama was getting dressed in his closet.

It was well received by all in attendance.; 9/9/10, 11:49 AM
David said...: Beyond cutting your neighbor's lawn, here's how you honor the sacrifices:

Complete the misson.

Successfully.

You might even say . . . . win.; 9/9/10, 12:14 PM
Unknown said...: It's only by the tiniest of degrees that I can stand to listen to good old Joe "Hoof in Mouth" Bidum for any length of time as compare to Barry. When Barry is on the stump I usually run not walk to the radio or the tv to turn off the sound because listening to him is like biting on tin foil. Bidum is almost as bad. I do like the comment about his motel sign smile that screams vacancy. Well put.; 9/9/10, 12:19 PM
Oclarki said...: Slavering, fatted jackals?? Are you the same guy who writes North Korean propaganda Cookie? Seriously are you a cariciture or a real person?; 9/9/10, 12:24 PM
Clyde said...: I think one possible reason for Vice President Biden's gracious comment is the fact that his son served over there in Iraq. Families of veterans may be more likely to "get it" about why their loved ones were over there, etc. As anyone who has seen those pictures or video clips of the Bushes greeting returning troops will tell you, Biden was speaking the truth about Bush's high regard for the troops, and the fact that the feeling for most of them was mutual.; 9/9/10, 12:43 PM
Indigo Red said...: Biden handled himself very well here. He acknowledged the sincerity of President Bush, that the troops deserve honor and parades; that was all very nice. Thank you.

Biden went further by giving us the name of one of the seven extra states Obama said he visited during the campaign, "... in my home state of Dover...".; 9/9/10, 12:48 PM
TMink said...: The tan, the capped teeth, the plugs, he looks EXACTLY like a game show host.

Trey; 9/9/10, 12:58 PM
Robert Cook said...: "Beyond cutting your neighbor's lawn, here's how you honor the sacrifices:

Complete the misson.

Successfully.

You might even say . . . . win."

What is our mission?

(That's a trick question; the answer is: we don't have one, and there's nothing to "win."); 9/9/10, 1:19 PM
Robert Cook said...: "Families of veterans may be more likely to 'get it' about why their loved ones were over there, etc."

Why are American loved ones over there? Certainly not to "defend our freedom" or "protect our country" or any of the other oft-repeated sentiments customarily invoked to explain our doing violence in other lands. Not if the words "defend" and "protect" have any meaning, as Afghanistan was never a threat to us and never intended to be, (and neither was or did Iraq).

Actually, no war we have fought abroad in our nation's history has been necessary or has been "defensive" or "protective" in nature, or necessary--World War II aside, (and there are those who would argue against that war as having been necessary).; 9/9/10, 1:26 PM
Cedarford said...: rasqual - "So what work are our troops doing in Germany? Japan? ITALY? Why not bring them home from there?

It's the weirdest thing in the world how folks are content to leave troops where they're not needed at all, but GET THEM THE HELL HOME from where, arguably, they alone can make a huge difference for the better."

The writer has no clue about military logistics, need for 1st class medical care facilities closer to the combat zone than the USA, or the need to maintain a stabilizing/reconnaissance presence in critical areas.

We are in Germany, Japan, Italy and a number of other places because the military conducts vital missions from there we cannot do as well from Ft Sill Oklahoma or San Diego Naval Base.

"Bring the troops home!!" has a certain vapid appeal to those who do not understand Landsruhe and the wounded soldiers who have their lives saved and prompt care preventing avoidable permanent wound disabilities... Or, Aviano's role in stabilizing the Balkans, how Kadema AFB monitors China, Russia's Far East, and the Nork conventional and nuclear threat.; 9/9/10, 2:15 PM
Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Take heart. For everyone who thinks that Biden somehow provides more opportunity for fodder of the left than Colbert provides of the right, there's real Republican wackos like this guy.

And then there's Maciel.

These are your Republican self-parodies, people. Enjoy them!; 9/9/10, 3:59 PM
Known Unknown said...: Ritmo-

If you'll notice, the "I drive a Dodge Stratus!" guy didn't get the nomination.

Surprised?; 9/9/10, 5:24 PM
The Scythian said...: Ritmo,

Did you bother to read the text under the video? The crazy guy didn't get the nomination. The Republicans turned him down.

So what was your point exactly?; 9/9/10, 5:31 PM
Unknown said...: tldr(w); 9/11/10, 1:46 PM