The picture of then-Senator Joe Biden with coffee pot in hand (repeatedly posted for many mornings within Kula's Morning Reaction) is what prompts the start of this diary series.
Currently, the focus is rightly trained upon the transition of President-elect Obama to the White house in just over 70 days. In that time, I hope you will join me as I offer an alternate focus upon the transitions and daily activites of the other Exectuve Office holder: Vice President-Elect, Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.
For your reading today I offer a look at the Veep-elect's co-chiefs for transition to the Office, a day of homecoming in Georgetown, Delaware that involved a delcaration, an axe and patented smile as well as how some see V.P.-elect Biden's role will likely start out come the 20th of January.
As always, I start with a quote from the gentleman just over the fold.
10 SEPTEMBER 2001 -- Offered text comes from the transcript of Senator Joe Biden's speech entitled U.S. Foreign Policy in the 21st Century: Defining Our Interests in a Changing World given before the Press Club in Washington, D.C.:
"I don't believe our national interests can be furthered, let alone achieved, in splendid indifference to the rest of the world's views of our policies... They're furthered when we maintain an unequal military, able to deter any threat at any place at anytime and anywhere, when we keep our economy strong, when we make wise choices that solves real problems, when we stand bound together as democracies -- multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious beacons of hope -- not some dark house next door."
-- Senator Joe Biden
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Among the names of the Obama-Biden Transition Project announced Wednesday morning, were two men tapped to co-Chair V.P.-elect Biden's transition team. Mark Gitenstein and Ted Kaufman have both held long-standing ties with Mr. Biden which include working for him during his 1970s and '80s Senate races and during both his 1988 and most recent Presidential Races.
Mark Gitenstein was hired by then-Senator Biden in 1976 as a political consultant. At the time, the freshman Senator was considered an-up-and-comer in Congress. Mr. Gitenstein's forte was to make good on his Georgetown Jurist Doctorate as would best help the Senator polish up on criminal and judicial issues. Since the time he joined the Biden .He has most recently been a partner at the D.C.-based Global Law Firm of Mayer Brown as well as serving as a Former Chief Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Ted Kaufman first worked with then-Senatorial Candidate, Joe Biden, in 1972. At that time Mr. Kaufman was a DuPont, Co. marketing official who was also the Democratic chairman of Delaware's Republican-leaning 4th District. During his campaign to seek the Senate seat held at the time by Senator, Caleb Boggs (DE-R), Kaufman's knack for GOtV efforts and acting as liaison between their council District and the campaign quickly made him one of Biden's most respected and trusted staffers.
Before being named to the transition team he was most currently President of Public Strategies (a bipartisan consulting company with several offices nationwide) and Senator Biden's Former Chief of Staff.
I perceive that these two men have been selected to remain on with the Vice President-elect for a very transparent reason.
Given the amount of time they have worked together (since their first working relationships started in the 1970s and endured through many ups-and-downs and a total of nine Senate and Presidential campaigns) it seems clear that keeping what you know and what works is a good idea.
The downside of this is the trouble that comes with becoming too familiar with your surroundings and when they change, the temptation to try something amazingly new can make adapt to new surroundings difficult at best.
What these guys know without reservation is that the Executive Branch is different from the Legislative. What's up in the air are the tactics and best plans to tackle the many troubles our nation faces upon their inauguration.
However, after eight years of having a Vice President obfuscate the role of that office, what's reassuring is that Mr. Biden seems to have found the resources, manpower and inner-circle he'll need to quickly adapt to his new position. These two gentlemen will help him firmly stand by the White House come 20 January.
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On Thursday V.P.-elect Biden flew from Chicago to Georgetown, Delaware to briefly participate in "Return Day". This is a traditional event for the State that has taken place for centuries which is "where winners and losers of state elections parade through this small town and, literally, bury a hatchet."
During the accompanying parade, the townspeople march along with a ceremonial horse-drawn mortuary carriage. Encased within, viewed through the plate glass rests a white tomahawk which is publically buried as a symbolic end to the campaign season and all the negative thoughts, accusations and tactics associated with it.
"To me, it’s not so much emotional today. Today’s just a celebratory day. This is more sort of a 'pride of my state' kind of day."
-- Vice President-elect, Joe Biden
A sound to me like this is a tradition that more towns, cities and States would do well to adapt.
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Gaining a Vice President also means losing a Senior Senator for their State. This is not entirely the happiest time for those in Delaware whom Mr. Biden represented as Senator for 36 years as reported by ABC Affiliate WPVI-TV out of Phillidephia, PA.
At the Wilmington train station, people know Joe Biden. He had been a regular there, catching trains to and from Washington for more than 30 years. In fact, he would stop for a shoe shine at least three days a week.
The man who shined his shoes, Robert Jones, says he watched the Senator grow up, and he hopes he'll bring President-elect Barack Obama through there, too.
"I think the American public made an excellent choice. You know, it brought tears to my eyes [Tuesday] night."
Gary Hindes, a one time political boss, has some bittersweet thoughts about Biden's victory.
"In some respects, it's kind of sad because we've lost our Joe. Now he's the nation's Joe. But we're all very proud of him," Hindes said.
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The other part of this diary series lies upon your interests in the Vice President, his family, his past Senate races, positions, issues, ideas and other aspects.
This is an exercise in sharing your experiences with Councilman, Senator and now Vice President-elect Joe Biden. I'll continue to research, read and report what I can in a clear manner; but keeping me as honest as possible is the responsibility of all of us.
So, what do you think of "Joe's" transitioning? :D