Prior to tonight, almost the only fact I knew about Biden was the family tragedy—this because my mother had mentioned it to me—and that it should be hoped he said nothing dramatically stupid in the course of the debate, because outside of his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, I had heard him quoted mostly in contexts that made him sound like the Baptist at the second coming of Dan Quayle. So when not only did he avoid dramatic stupidity, but came across as someone who had all his facts at his finger's ends without needing to cram for them (even if he fudged a few of them, which I could have done without), could contradict Palin in the tenor of restrained anger rather than persnickety hedging, and knew how to tell stories about and against himself without sounding programmed into them, I became curious. Also, while I admire the fact that he does not drink (he explains) because there are so many alcoholics in his family, what genuinely impresses me is that he apparently never has—as an Irish Catholic, it would practically have been de rigeur for him to deal with his wife and daughter's death with a prolonged bottle crash. I actually respect that he didn't. In short, while I do not feel confirmed by God that he's the best vice-president since John Adams or the automated bread slicer, it's nice to have a present-day politician that I find weird enough to read up on. I think my metaphor meter has expired.
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Prior to tonight, almost the only fact I knew about Biden was the family tragedy—this because my mother had mentioned it to me—and that it should be hoped he said nothing dramatically stupid in the course of the debate, because outside of his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, I had heard him quoted mostly in contexts that made him sound like the Baptist at the second coming of Dan Quayle. So when not only did he avoid dramatic stupidity, but came across as someone who had all his facts at his finger's ends without needing to cram for them (even if he fudged a few of them, which I could have done without), could contradict Palin in the tenor of restrained anger rather than persnickety hedging, and knew how to tell stories about and against himself without sounding programmed into them, I became curious. Also, while I admire the fact that he does not drink (he explains) because there are so many alcoholics in his family, what genuinely impresses me is that he apparently never has—as an Irish Catholic, it would practically have been de rigeur for him to deal with his wife and daughter's death with a prolonged bottle crash. I actually respect that he didn't. In short, while I do not feel confirmed by God that he's the best vice-president since John Adams or the automated bread slicer, it's nice to have a present-day politician that I find weird enough to read up on. I think my metaphor meter has expired.
thx for the links as well.
Welcome!