Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Sen. Joe Biden (D-MBNA): It was an outrage in 2005, so why not now?

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22 comments

Sen. Joe Biden (D-MBNA): It was an outrage in 2005, so why not now?

POSTED: Thursday, October 2, 2008, 10:59 AM

The New York Times reminds us how Joe Biden (D-MBNA) got his nickname:

The real estate deal was just one facet of a close relationship between Mr. Biden and MBNA, which donated more than $200,000 to his campaigns. The Delaware-based company gave a job to Mr. Biden’s son Hunter; flew Senator Biden and his wife to the Maine coast, where Mr. Biden spoke at a company retreat; and its former chief executive, Charles M. Cawley, donated at least $22,500 to a nonprofit breast cancer fund started by Jill Biden.

MBNA also was an aggressive advocate of bankruptcy reform legislation before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Mr. Biden was a senior member and its former chairman. The legislation would make it harder for consumers to escape credit card debts.

Mr. Wade said there was nothing improper in Mr. Biden’s dealings with Mr. Cochran. He said the sale price was supported by an appraisal for the same amount, and that Mr. Biden never did MBNA any favors in the Senate.

No favors, except, you know, that bankruptcy bill that made life a lot harder for those families at the kitchen table that Biden likes to talk about. There's a lot more in this Times article, including VIP mortgage treatment for Biden -- which isn't illegal or anything but really should be barred by Senate ethics rules -- and evidence that he used money from campaign donors to support his lifestyle, including his commute to work on Amtrak and lawn care at his home. This is exactly the same behavior that I blasted Rick Santorum for in 2006 -- it's just as bad when Biden does it as when Santorum does it.

This a good story that isn't getting the attention it deserves -- liberal bloggers who were so justifiably angry at Biden in 2005 when he was just some Joe Schmoe senator from Delaware won't trumpet an article that hurts the Democrats' chances for the White House, and you probably won't hear so much on the right because it undercuts their storyline that the NYT is in the tank for Obama.

It's bizarre but it's seemed to me that the only thing that doesn't bounce around the media/political echo chamber in 2008 is good journalism.

Will Bunch @ 10:59 AM  Permalink | 22 comments
22 comments
Comments  (22)
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:20 AM, 10/02/2008
    "It's bizarre but it's seemed to me that the only thing that doesn't bounce around the media/political echo chamber in 2008 is good journalism." This from the guy who made a thread about Sarah Palin's US Weekly cover, while ignoring for months the Chris Dodd/Countrywide scandal. Clean up your own kettle before calling the pot black, Will.
    db_cooper
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:36 AM, 10/02/2008
    "It's bizarre but it's seemed to me that the only thing that doesn't bounce around this blog is good journalism." Also, believe Mrs Wigglesworth would say poor grammar, Willy. Sentence should read It's bizarre but it seemed to me. IT not IT'S. Again, where is the journalism?
    shoeshineboy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:45 AM, 10/02/2008
    This feels like when Polman was actually criticial of Barry last week...the old "see, I can be critical of Democrats" piece that will fade away. I'd rather talk about how Biden says he was shot at in Iraq...how his helicopter was "forced down"...both lies. If I were a Hillary supporter - I'd be fired up - considering the media help barry win the nomination with the same example of lies/distortions.
    rbpeeple
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:53 AM, 10/02/2008
    "If you are a politicians in Deleware, you are involved with the CC companies. " Yeah, so what if MBNA pays your son $100K a year for a consulting gig while he also works at the same time to start his lobbyist career? Joe's family is entitled, you know, because he's a Senator and IMPORTANT.
    db_cooper
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:58 AM, 10/02/2008
    Since when did you care about fair and impartial reporting in the paper. Did your chair slip a little to the right and you forgot what you were all about?
    mokey1057
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:58 AM, 10/02/2008
    Since when did you care about fair and impartial reporting in the paper. Did your chair slip a little to the right and you forgot what you were all about?
    mokey1057
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:03 PM, 10/02/2008
    I think Will must be feeling prematurely secure about an Obama victory because now he's floating out some token criticisms of the Obama campaign in an effort to appear fair.
    jmc
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:15 PM, 10/02/2008
    LOL, I'm loving the irony in this post following your last one, Will.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:16 PM, 10/02/2008
    kudos will..i hammer you a lot...but thumbs up on this one..goes to show we don't have much offered to us this election year.
    OgieOglethorpe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:19 PM, 10/02/2008
    Atrios linked to the story.
    ElBlot
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:19 PM, 10/02/2008
    Can this fishwrap get someone to edit Will's errors? Please see last sentence. Mrs Wigglesworth is getting upset.
    shoeshineboy
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:23 PM, 10/02/2008
    I could swear, I recall not too long ago a regular right winger here defending Biden from a similar attack by Will on the grounds that he was obligated as a politician to look after his "constituents".


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Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

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