I think those who laugh at the Republican argument that Joe Biden was rude are missing a larger and very real point to the push back. Here is the thing - Biden and Ryan were both talking over each other and interrupting and asking for more time. Biden was a bit more extroverted in this behavior but Ryan was attempting to dominate the floor. You can call the behavior rude or you decide not to. But, in my opinion Romney was much ruder to Obama in their debate. Romney talked over Obama, he interrupted him, he tried to dominate the floor. Obama on the other hand was polite and deferential to his opponent. You can talk about whether this is a good strategy or not, but I believe it set up a contrast in which it was much more likely to consider Romney as rude than Biden as rude. Plus Ryan is a Congressman while Obama is the friggin president of the United States. The president of the United States is not supposed to be treated that way. A couple of people brought this up I think but it was quickly hushed by the media.
So let me see, why was it all right for Romney to treat the president of the United States that way and it receives barely a mention while the Biden behavior receives all this media attention. I have even seen three different guests say the Republicans are hypocrites because Romney had been so rude to Obama, and every interviewer simply ignored it. So I'm thinking to myself, "What could be the reason for this - hmmmmm?" Could it be because Ryan had a better suit? Could it be those piercing blue eyes - who could be rude to baby blues?
Oh, maybe it's something about Obama. Maybe there is something about him that allows somebody to be a complete asshole to him even though he's friggin president of the United States. Thinking, thinking, thinking ....wait got it...uh no. Let's all put on our thinking caps shall we. Why was it all right for Romney to be rude knowing the press would never mention it? And what would make the Republicans sure that they could then turn around and use the rude argument without any blow back from the Obama Romney debate. Thinking, thinking, thinking....
Could is possibly be because Obama is a Black man? And that it is accepted for a white man to be rude to a Black man? And a Black man is still expected to remain deferential, lest he be seen as out of control?
The Republican assault on Biden for being rude is not just playing the refs. Look, you can't play the refs unless there's already something there to play with. Phil Jackson wasn't better at playing the refs than Jeff Van Gundy because he was so much more of a genius. The refs already believed Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant deserved special consideration. There has to be something there - and the Republicans know what that is. They are saying it is fine to treat Obama that way because, you know, but you certainly can't be so disrespectful to a white man. It is the dog whistle of dog whistles, and they know their refs, they know the press.