Biden Takes a High-Wire Act to Brussels

[Jennicut]

WASHINGTON -- "Heading off a diplomatic train wreck at NATO headquarters is on the list of urgent tasks that take Vice President Joe Biden to Europe this week for the second time in a month. High-level jet lag is one consequence of having an administration that is all generals and no sergeants.

His Tuesday visit to Brussels illuminates Biden's Mr. Fix-It role in the Obama administration. Joe the Glad-Handing Mechanic has replaced Dick the Secretive Influencer. Sunny, visible and verbose have chased gloomy, occult and clipped from the office that is by turn momentous or frivolous, depending on what the president and vice president make of it -- and of each other.

President Obama's confidence in Biden's versatility and talents is outranked only by that of, well, Biden in himself. This week the VP is helping shape the new multilateral engagement that Obama has promised. The Bush team figured out who America's enemies were and left it to other nations to decide if they were our friends. Obama is determined to do it the other way around."

I thought this part was funny.
"At coffee breaks the vice president will no doubt scout the horizon for signs that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will put aside his reticence to re-establish a U.S.-Russian commission headed by the two of them. Then Biden can hurry home, get back to fixing the middle class, overseeing stimulus accountability and perhaps, most urgently, getting some sleep."http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/03/obamas_mr_fixit.html

Joe is certainly being kept busy these days. Get enough rest, Joe!

[PatSeg]

1. Nice to see acknowledgement

of Joe's unique talents instead of all the stupid gaffe jokes at his expense.

Talk about multitasking! Joe is everywhere these days.

[Jennicut]

2. Yup. He got up at early this morning to catch a 6:30 am (!) flight to Brussels. Ouch.

I read that on Politico. The VP and Prez have killer schedules. I still can't get up at of bed at 8:00 because of daylight savings time. Hope they both get some rest here and there and take care of themselves.
Obama really needs Joe to go overseas right now as he is so busy at home.

[PatSeg]

3. Of course, they have the advantage of

motivation! If I'm involved in something I really love, I don't care about sleep or food. Otherwise I move like a snail, which lately is most days. Also there are so many mundane tasks that they don't have to worry about - packing, booking a flight, getting a ride to the airport, planning meals, checking their oil, etc. It is much easier to keep one's focus when the day-to-day distractions don't wear you down.

[Jennicut]

4. LOL, true. I would love someone to do all that for me.

[Muttocracy]

5. I'm loving this - Obama is a great personnel manager - picks good people and figures out

how to make them shine :)

[jillan]

6. Cupcake to the rescue!

We need a cupcake superhero costume for Joe :)