Take A Minute To Read This: This is the Joe Biden you rarely see

[WeekiWater]

This week, Joe Biden is set to announce his candidacy for president. Forgive me for getting ahead of the punditry clutter with this story.

Meetings in the Oval Office with President Obama and Vice President Biden to discuss Democratic House races were always thrilling. Notably, the body language was instructive. The president would sit straight in his chair, cerebral and analytical, absorbing the analysis I presented as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The vice president would hunch forward with his arms outstretched, as if waiting to dive into one of the districts and campaign there himself.

At one such meeting in 2011, I was struggling to concentrate. My dad, who was living in Arizona, had just received a diagnosis of lung cancer. The prognosis was not good. On the way to the White House, I stopped to pick up a “get well” card. My plan was to ask the president to sign it. My dad was a fervent Democrat, and perhaps one of the only Democrats in the retirement community of Ahwatukee Foothills in Phoenix.

After the meeting, I asked the president to sign the card. To my chagrin, he nodded no, then went to his desk, pulled out a drawer, grabbed a piece of stationery, and wrote a personal note. As I left, Biden asked me to join him in his West Wing office. I thought we were going to review maps of competitive districts. Instead, he said, “Your dad’s condition is going to one of the hardest things your mom will go through. I’d like to call her.”

The Hill

[redstatebluegirl]

1. Yep that is Joe and President Obama.

[TeamPooka]

29. yup, one passes on just signing a card to write a personal note and the other makes a

personal call to the family.
Gosh how I miss those days.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. We could use a good person in the White House; we sure don't have one now.

I don't know yet if Biden is the best candidate to beat Trump, but without question he's a good man, and it shows.

[handmade34]

6. leave it at...

we could use a REAL person in the White House... we sure do need a good person in the White House, but the reality is that we now have a soulless, callous blob in the WH... Trump is unable to show care/concern/empathy/humanness... it is truly scary

[Demsrule86]

36. So true...

[louis c]

3. Biden-Harris: A Winning Ticket

[BigmanPigman]

25. That is my suggestion to my family last Sept.

They thought about it and all 3 generations nodded with approval. It is a good combo.

[TeamPooka]

30. I like Harris/Biden, but I think Joe should be every Democrats VP until

he passes away.
Can we make that a law?

[Funtatlaguy]

4. Boy, the comments that follow that article from Repubs are foul.

Guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. I made the mistake of reading a few. WTF is wrong with those people?

[TeamPooka]

31. They are brain damaged by Fox News.

[Fla Dem]

13. Some may be truly Trump acolytes, I fear we're also seeing the Russian disruption machine at work.

[JI7]

38. a lot of comments sections on articles, social media etc are full of the same shit

[Cha]

5. Mahalo for this, Weeki!

I know they have so many heartwarming stories like this over their 8 years in Office.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

7. Props to Joe on doing that... good for him!! That's the Joe people understandably love.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[lapfog_1]

8. more to the story

That was the case until it emerged again in the first week of January 2013. “Joe called,” she told me during a phone conversation. I said, “I know, mom. That was a couple of years ago.” She said, “No. He called on New Years Day. He told me that the first day of a new year without someone you love is hard, and he called to tell me he was thinking about me.”

[Auggie]

12. THIS

WOW

[Demsrule86]

37. I am sobbing.

[Justice]

43. wow.

[BlueFlorida]

10. K&R nt

[samnsara]

11. thats more tear jerking then a lost dog story :(

..I love those two and I cant wait for Joe to jump in

[LakeArenal]

16. Every president should have a dog.

I think Biden has two.
Trump is the dog in the WH.

[Silver Gaia]

21. No, sorry, that's insulting to dogs.

My dogs are both better people than Trump!

[LakeArenal]

23. Sorry. You're right. Not only trump

My dogs were superior to me ❣️

RIP Ace gone on March 16,2019.

[Silver Gaia]

26. I'm so sorry.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. He is unarguably, in many ways, a good person.

[calimary]

15. Made me cry. I didn't even get to the end of the story in The Hill

before the tears started.

Dammit, Joe. Every time I think I’m out, you pull me back in.

[PatSeg]

27. There are so many Joe stories like this one,

stories most people never hear. The man has brought me to tears more times than I can count. His compassion for other people is extraordinary and inspiring.

Do you remember a speech a few years back where he talked to people about surviving the loss of a loved one? I get teary-eyed just thinking about it.

"There will come a day, I promise you and your parents, as well, when the thought of your son or daughter or your husband or wife brings a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. It will happen. My prayer for you is that day will come sooner or later.. But the only thing I have more experience than you in is this: I’m telling you it will come.”

[emmaverybo]

34. Always remember that one

Cried then and still do.

[PatSeg]

40. When I read his book

"Promises to Keep" a few years ago, there were chapters where I cried nonstop. I have his more recent book, "Promise Me, Dad", but I'm not quite ready to read it yet. I'll have to stock up on Kleenex first!

[calimary]

42. Yes, I do remember that speech. And that passage in particular.

And it made me cry then, too.

[PatSeg]

45. I have a friend in England

who had lost his wife unexpectedly and it was so hard to find the right words to express my condolences. I sent him Joe's words and though it brought him to tears, it was the perfect sentiment at the time.

[NYMinute]

17. Wonderful article

Thanks for posting

[amywalk]

18. This brought tears to my eyes.

[nolabear]

19. Oh you made me cry. This is who I want us to be.

Not that monster who wouldn’t know a human emotion if it bit him on the ass. This carries over into everything. Negotiations, state visits, policy, the press, Congress, everything.

Joe has made decisions I have disagreed with. I don’t for a second believe he has done it cavalierly or without believing he was doing the right thing. And he has changed his mind over time. I appreciate that. And these days simple human caring is something we need in order to heal the rifts this monster has created.

Thank you for the post. I needed it. And not just because of Joe. Because of us.

[Soxfan58]

20. Trump would have charged $100 for the signature.

And pence would have prayed for his mom.

[IndianaDave]

22. I love your response! Hilarious!

[PatSeg]

28. Sadly

That is more true than funny, though he would probably charge more than $100. Compassion is a language that Trump just does not speak or comprehend.

[Tarheel_Dem]

24. K&R

[highplainsdem]

32. K&R

[sellitman]

33. Joe is a Mensch.

We could do a lot worse. If he is the one to win this whole thing I will be ecstatic. That being said he still isn't my 1st choice.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. Exactly right! I agree completely. n/t

[VOX]

39. My initial reaction to Joe's announcement: RELIEF is in sight.

Obviously, no one can predict who’s going to resonate with voters and light a fire under them.
It’s possible that Joe won’t make it... or maybe he will. And there’s the “old white man” pushback that’s sure to come.

At the moment, America, as an idea, is very sick and in desperate need of care and regenerating. It’s going to take a special soul to build trust in the government again, and to reach out to our former allies once more. For now, at least, I’m backing Joe simply because he’s an experienced, savvy pro who’s seen it all, and he offers the best chance of undoing the Trump mess as quickly and efficiently as possible.

But regardless how things shake out, it’ll be nice to have a respectable, respectful and respected candidate campaigning against 45.

[calimary]

44. This is a very good argument. And there IS a sense that relief is in sight.

One thing I think is glaringly obvious about Joe Biden is - he’s a genuinely caring, compassionate, and good man.

NOBODY is perfect. Not even the ones some THINK are perfect. But we need a genuinely good and kind and compassionate leader. Someone who’ll help us heal. Someone eager to give us a reassuring hug and a shoulder to cry on. Someone who can empathize because he has known great pain and anguish and loss, up close and personal. He has legitimately walked in those shoes. Authentic and genuine as can be. I don’t know of anybody better-suited for that than Joe Biden.

Sure sounds like relief on the way, to me.

[Gothmog]

41. Thank you for posting this

[backtoblue]

46. Joe is a good man

I believe he truly has a big heart and cares about people.