OPINION:
Joe Biden has had a long career in politics, checking many of the boxes that denote success in the glitzy world of the Beltway (“Joe Biden, the old bird who can’t recall how to fly straight,” Web, April 29). Sometimes he has stumbled and dribbled egg on his face, as when, in 1988, he cribbed part of British politician Neil Kinnock’s personal story and reported it as his own. He belatedly owned up to that mistake (sort of) but the relief he felt at coming clean became a habit. So now that he has become one of the drove of Democrats seeking presidential gold, he is apologizing all over the place.
He is diminishing himself by prattling along progressive lines, as if friendly, pale white guys with privilege can be comfortable at the ramparts of the “woke.” Joe should know that rantin’ Bernie Sanders, a very persuasive millionaire, has occupied that space for years and will not be easily displaced. Joe will be embarrassed if he pulls a mini-Bernie and prates about how much of the country he helped run for decades is now superannuated and must be fundamentally changed. How long will it take before he fingers Christopher Columbus as public enemy No. 1 for the sin of disturbing the continent?
Memo to Joe: Only the young have license to betray ignorance; septuagenarians should know better. That goes for the ranter (Bernie Sanders) and the dominatrix (Elizabeth Warren) as well.
PAUL BLOUSTEIN
Cincinnati
Please read our comment policy before commenting.