A Biden sampler

Joe Biden has always struck me as a mouth moving nonstop, driven by an endless supply of narcissism, and with no brain connected to it. Not that he’s literally always brainless, but he does seem that way a great deal of the time. Powerline supplies some devastating Biden moments.

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Paul K. writes:

Of Biden, you wrote, “Not that he’s literally always brainless, but he does seem that way a great deal of the time. “

Funny you should use that word “literally.” As I listened to Biden’s acceptance speech today, I noticed that it seemed to be a verbal tick with him. He used it eight times.

“I say we literally can’t afford four more years of this non-energy policy written by and for the oil companies, making us more and more dependent from hostile nations on our ability to run this country and literally, not figuratively, literally putting America’s security at risk …”

.” . . not only to change the direction of America but literally, literally to change the direction of the world …”

“That literally has been the American way, and it can be that way again.”

“He made his mark literally from Day one … “

“It gave Barack and Michelle their chance to stand on this stage today. It’s literally incredible.”

(Of course, when you used it made sense.)

LA replies:

Remarkable. Biden uses “literally” the way Rudolf Giuliani and Newt Gingrich preface every adjective with “very, very.” In all three cases it shows a thoughtless person flapping his lips, using an emphatic adverb to make it sound as though he has something weighty to say, when he has nothing to say.

Paul K. replies:

I just glanced at NRO and saw that Peter Wehner commented on Biden’s frequent use of “literally.” Obviously, I wasn’t the only one struck by it. I listened to the speech live and found myself bracing for the next “literally.” Only, not literally, but figuratively.

Neil P. writes:

I hear he is such a great foreign policy expert, but other than gabbing in the Senate since age 29 or whatever, can someone tell me what his expertise is? Has he negotiated a single treaty or talked to a single foreign leader when what he said represented anything other than his own opinion?

Alex M. writes:

Joe Biden will do for hair plugs what Bob Dole did for Viagra. Little by little men will be freed from the clutches of the Matriarchy. I am Geezer, hear me wheeze!

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 23, 2008 11:08 AM | Send