New From Draft Joe Biden Group

NEW YORK: Biden Celebrates At Freedom To Marry's "Going Out Of Business" Gala

Via the New York Daily News:

Vice President Joe Biden led a raucous reception for marriage equality Thursday night at Cipriani Wall Street in lower Manhattan. The gala, celebrating the June 26 Supreme Court decision that made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states, was thrown by Freedom to Marry, an advocacy group that has fought for same-sex marriage since 2003. “This has been a heroic battle,” Biden told the crowd of elected officials, community leaders, advocates and celebrities. A spokesman described the event as “the biggest celebratory event honoring the freedom to marry nationwide” and “a ‘going out of business’ party” for the organization.

Evan Wolfson, the founder of Freedom to Marry, worked for Biden in the 1970s when Biden was a senator. The vice president has long been a supporter of gay rights and attributed his stance on the issue to his father. Biden recalled a moment when he was 17 and he and his father saw two men kissing. “He said ‘Joey, they love each other. It’s simple,’” he said, quoting his father. “That’s what it’s been about from the beginning. It’s never been that complicated for me.” But Biden also cautioned that although same-sex couples are eligible for federal marriage benefits nationwide, 32 states don’t have anti-discrimination employment laws protecting sexual orientation.

Biden departed the stage to a thunderous ovation and then spent a few minutes shaking hands and posing for photos. (I couldn't get near him.) Musical entertainment followed with Hedwig Tony winner Lena Hall and pop star Carly Rae Jepson. It was quite the celebration but all were especially appreciative that Biden repeatedly stressed the work that still needs to be done. Related to that, I cornered Freedom To Marry leaders Evan Wolfson and Marc Solomon to ask what is next for them personally. Both said they didn't know, but I suspect we'll soon see them take roles in the still-forming battle for federal anti-discrimination protections.

RELATED: There was some buzz in the crowd that Biden might surprise us with a presidential announcement last night, but he made no mention of the 2016 election.

REPORT: Biden Might Run For President

Via US News & World Report:

Vice President Joe Biden has still not ruled out a 2016 presidential run and will make his intentions known by Aug. 1, according to two Democratic sources who have been in contact with his family. While the loss of his son, Beau Biden, last month paused any political planning by the vice president, the sources tell U.S. News that family members have indicated a White House run is still a possibility. He plans to announce his decision sometime prior to the beginning of August. Dick Harpootlian, former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, says Biden previously indicated to him he would likely make up his mind in July. The two last spoke 10 days before Beau Biden's death on May 30. While Hillary Clinton remains a sturdy Democratic front-runner, there are some signs of an opening against her. A Suffolk University poll of New Hampshire published Tuesday found Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., had climbed within 10 points of Clinton. Biden registered just 7 percent.

It certainly would make the Democratic side a lot more interesting.

Beau Biden Dies Of Cancer At Age 46

Former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, has died of brain cancer at the age of 46. The vice president has issued a statement:

It is with broken hearts that Hallie, Hunter, Ashley, Jill and I announce the passing of our husband, brother and son, Beau, after he battled brain cancer with the same integrity, courage and strength he demonstrated every day of his life. The entire Biden family is saddened beyond words. We know that Beau’s spirit will live on in all of us—especially through his brave wife, Hallie, and two remarkable children, Natalie and Hunter. Beau's life was defined by service to others. As a young lawyer, he worked to establish the rule of law in war-torn Kosovo. A major in the Delaware National Guard, he was an Iraq War veteran and was awarded the Bronze Star. As Delaware’s Attorney General, he fought for the powerless and made it his mission to protect children from abuse. More than his professional accomplishments, Beau measured himself as a husband, father, son and brother. His absolute honor made him a role model for our family. Beau embodied my father's saying that a parent knows success when his child turns out better than he did. In the words of the Biden family: Beau Biden was, quite simply, the finest man any of us have ever known.

Beau Biden first entered the national spotlight in 2008 when he delivered a rousing speech introducing his father at the Democratic National Convention. He had been considered the frontrunner in the 2016 Delaware gubernatorial race.

UPDATE: President Obama has issued a statement.

Michelle and I are grieving tonight. Beau Biden was a friend of ours. His beloved family – Hallie, Natalie, and Hunter – are friends of ours. And Joe and Jill Biden are as good as friends get. Beau took after Joe. He studied the law, like his dad, even choosing the same law school. He chased a life of public service, like his dad, serving in Iraq and as Delaware’s Attorney General. Like his dad, Beau was a good, big-hearted, devoutly Catholic and deeply faithful man, who made a difference in the lives of all he touched – and he lives on in their hearts. But for all that Beau Biden achieved in his life, nothing made him prouder; nothing made him happier; nothing claimed a fuller focus of his love and devotion than his family. Just like his dad.

Joe is one of the strongest men we’ve ever known. He’s as strong as they come, and nothing matters to him more than family. It’s one of the things we love about him. And it is a testament to Joe and Jill – to who they are – that Beau lived a life that was full; a life that mattered; a life that reflected their reverence for family. The Bidens have more family than they know. In the Delaware they love. In the Senate Joe reveres. Across this country that he has served for more than forty years. And they have a family right here in the White House, where hundreds of hearts ache tonight – for Hallie, Natalie, and Hunter; for Joe and for Jill; for Beau’s brother, Hunter; his sister, Ashley, and for the entire Biden clan.

“I have believed the best of every man,” wrote the poet William Butler Yeats, “And find that to believe it is enough to make a bad man show him at his best or even a good man swing his lantern higher.” Beau Biden believed the best of us all. For him, and for his family, we swing our lanterns higher. Michelle and I humbly pray for the good Lord to watch over Beau Biden, and to protect and comfort his family here on Earth.

Joe Biden Celebrates Ireland, Calls On More Nations To Improve LGBT Rights

Vice President Joe Biden today published an op-ed in the Advocate, the Washington Blade, and the Irish Times in which he celebrates Ireland's historic vote for same-sex marriage and calls on more nations to improve their own laws on LGBT rights. The White House provides us with the text:

Last weekend, more than 1.2 million Irish voters took a courageous stand for love and family when they overwhelmingly chose marriage equality. They recognized the fundamental truth that every person is entitled to dignity and respect, and that there can be no justification for the denigration or persecution of anyone because of who they love or who they are. I want to thank my good friends Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and Tanaiste Joan Burton, for their forceful leadership and eloquent advocacy on this critical issue.

I cannot improve upon the perfectly Irish statements they made following this historic vote, but I can echo the Taoiseach’s words when he described the Irish as “a generous, compassionate, bold and joyful people,” and that their choice will be “heard loudly across the living world as a sound of pioneering leadership.” In 22 years, Ireland has gone from a nation where simply being LGBT was against the law. Now, it is a nation where the people resoundingly stand for equal rights.

And here in the United States, in just the past three years we’ve gone from six states recognizing marriage equality, to 37 states, comprising 224 million Americans. It’s about love. It’s about equality. It’s about dignity. It’s about our most cherished values. That’s what this is about – it’s all it’s ever been about.

There is still work to be done. There are still too many nations that deny people even the right to be safe from violence and severe discrimination, and too many states here in America that allow a person to be fired simply for being lesbian, gay, transgender or bisexual. But the progress is undeniable. As advocates in Ireland, the United States and around the world have proven time and again, where there’s passion and commitment, there is opportunity.

I continue to believe that in every corner of the world, people want to do the right thing. You should never underestimate the epiphanies that follow when a culture makes a breakthrough of conscience. But it takes leadership. It takes courageous individuals who are willing to step forward, to turn adversity into positive change, and to truly live the words of the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats: “Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking.”

President Obama Cracks Gay Jokes At White House Correspondents' Dinner

Starnes is probably referring to this line: "I tease Joe sometimes, but he has been at my side for seven years, I love that man. He's not just a great vice president, he is a great friend. We've gotten so close in some places in Indiana, they won't serve us pizza anymore." Or maybe this one: "Rick Santorum announced that he would not attend the same-sex wedding of a friend or a loved one, to which gays and lesbians across the country responded, 'That's not gonna be a problem.'" The president's full speech is below.

Joe Biden & Blondie - Naked Men

From Brooklyn's Gregory Brothers. You'll like this. I'd really love to see Blondie turn this into a proper single.

Joe Biden Endorses Federal SOGI Rights

Via press release from the HRC:

Today, Vice President Joe Biden affirmed his support for federal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people while giving remarks at the Spring Equality Convention for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization. Addressing the tremendous progress made for the LGBT community – from marriage equality to open and honest military service by gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members – the Vice President highlighted the challenges that remain, including the need for federal non-discrimination protections that protect all LGBT people.  "We have to pass the federal non-discrimination legislation, and we need to pass it now,” said Vice President Biden. Later this spring, a sweeping LGBT federal non-discrimination bill will be introduced in Congress—a bill that is expected to include protections in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit, education, jury service and federal funding. “In most states in this country, a couple who gets married at 10 AM risk being fired from their jobs by noon, and evicted from their home by 2 PM simply for posting their wedding photos on Facebook,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The time has come in this country for full federal equality, nothing more, nothing less.”

If you think the failed ENDA battle was ugly, just wait.

UPDATE: The Hill reports that Biden's speech include a jab at Ben Carson.

"Eight, 10 years ago — even two years ago — homophobic statements would have been, if not embraced, not viewed as having generated any political liability. Look what's happening in the other party today," Biden said in a speech at the Human Rights Campaign in Washington. "Seriously, don't misread the political trends in history here. Now, every ridiculous assertion — from Dr. Carson on. ... I mean Jesus, God," Biden said to raucous applause. "I mean — oh, God," Biden said. "It's kind of hard to fathom, isn't it?" Biden cited the incident as indicative of a broader change in acceptance for gay people and others across the country. "Think about the universal ridicule. That wouldn't have happened two years ago, five years ago. It matters, it matters. It shocks the conscience that at this moment in American history, 29 states in America, people are denied basic dignity because of who they are or who they love," Biden said.

Biden Gives Shout Out To "Butt Buddy"

Via the New York Post:

Joe Biden put his foot where the sun don’t shine at a speech in Iowa when he punctuated his remarks by giving a shout-out to his “butt buddy.” At one point during the talk in Des Moines, the Vice President declared: “Neal Smith, an old butt buddy. Are you here, Neal? Neal, I miss you, man. I miss you.” If the bizarre use of 80s teenage slang was a stutter or a slip up, the Vice President didn’t stop to correct himself. Neal Smith is a 94-year-old former Iowa congressman who was pals with the VP when Biden was a Senator.

Wingnuts are mocking up a storm.

Joe Biden Rages: The United States Will Follow ISIS To The Gates Of Hell

Vice President Joe Biden went off on ISIS today.

"If they think the American people will be intimidated, they don't know us very well,” Biden said, reminding the crowd that the United States came back after 9/11 and defeated Osama bin Laden. “When people harm Americans we don’t retreat, and we don’t forget,” he said. “They should know, we will follow them to the gates of hell until they are brought to justice, because hell is where they will reside! Hell is where they will reside!”

Two Years Ago Today

"The good news is that as more and more Americans become to understand what this is all about is a simple proposition. Who do you love? Who do you love? And will you be loyal to the person you love? And that's what people are finding out is what-- what all marriages, at their root, are about.  Whether they're marriages of lesbians or gay men or heterosexuals. I am vice president of the United States of America. The president sets the policy. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly, I don't see much of a distinction beyond that." - Vice President Joe Biden, on Meet The Press two years ago today.

President Obama At The Nerd Prom

Last night the White House Correspondents Association celebrated its 100th anniversary at the annual dinner reporters refer to as the Nerd Prom. CBS News reports on the president's speech:

Basking in the liberation of never again facing reelection, Mr. Obama aimed squarely at several likely 2016 prospects. Simultaneously ribbing the New Jersey governor's ill-famed scandal on the George Washington Bridge and the bumper-to-bumper partisanship that's locked down Washington, D.C., since 2010, the president joked that gridlock "has gotten so bad in this town - you've got to wonder, 'What did we do to piss off Chris Christie so bad?'" He also took stabs at tea party favorite Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and the early Democratic front-runner, Hillary Clinton. "Let's face it, Fox, you will miss me when I'm gone," he said. "It will be harder to convince the American people that Hillary was born in Kenya." Chiming in one more dig to the cable network, he added: ''The Koch brothers bought a table here tonight, but as usual they used a shadowy right-wing organization as a front. Hello, Fox News!''

The clip below starts with a film starring Joe Biden, Michelle Obama, Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, and Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfuss.

Joe Biden Pushes ENDA At HRC Gala

"My grandkids, my children, and their kids are going to be shocked, it shocks the conscious that this very moment in American history, in some states, an employer can fire you just because of who you are, or who you love.  It’s close to barbaric.  I mean think about this, a man, no I really mean this.  Imagine, imagine, 20 years from now, as America look back and say how in the hell could that have ever been allowed?   The country’s moved on.  The American people have moved on, it’s time for the Congress to move on, and pass ENDA.  Pass ENDA now.  Not tomorrow, now!" - Vice President Joe Biden, speaking last night at the HRC gala in Los Angeles.

More via HRC press release:

Speaking to over 1,000 LGBT rights supporters at the Human Rights Campaign Los Angeles gala, tonight Vice President Joe Biden said the United States will be a world leader in the fight for LGBT equality. His keynote address, which lasted 28 minutes, outlined the administration’s commitment to stand up for the human rights of LGBT people around the world. His speech comes on the heels of anti-LGBT laws enacted in Russia, Nigeria and Uganda over the last year. Vice President Biden also issued an emphatic demand for Congress to pass ENDA now. “The single most basic of all human rights is the right to decide who you love,” Vice President Biden said in his remarks.

Biden's full remarks are in the clip below.

Obama & Biden: Let's Move

Vice President Joe Biden: I Couldn't Remain Silent About Same-Sex Marriage

Speaking yesterday in Iowa....

GOP Mocks Potential Biden 2016 Bid

One Year Ago Today

President Obama's endorsement came three days later. Folks are still arguing about whether or not Biden's endorsement was part of a carefully calculated plan to ready the public and media for the president. Either way, one year ago today Joe Biden certainly gave a movement a push that is still being felt.

Fox News: Joe Biden Has Dementia

Aviva Shen writes at Think Progress:

Fox News’ Medical A-Team delved into psychoanalysis of the vice presidential debate on Sunday, speculating that Vice President Joe Biden was either demented or drunk during his performance. Fox regular Dr. Keith Ablow declared, “from a physicianly perspective,” that Biden’s energetic demeanor suggested dementia. When another member of the A-Team pointed out that Biden actually had strong command of the statistics and facts, Ablow suggested instead that “you’d want his alcohol level.”

The VP Debate: Songified

Another winner from Brooklyn's Gregory Brothers.

(Via Randy Report)

Concerned Women Are Concernstipated About Joe Biden's Malarkey

"The major sticking point for women in this debate had more to do with style than actual substance. Vice President Biden’s unprecedented strategy called for 82 interruptions, eye-rolling, and laughing during serious discussion of the War Against Terror. Not the type of behavior voters found flattering to America’s second in command. Overall, many believe Ryan could have aggressively tackled Biden’s points with potency, but his restrained attitude showed a humility and respect not normally seen in politicians. Ryan’s strategy was simple. Knowing his off-the-cuff attitude, Ryan let the truth shine through facts and statistics and sit back and allowed Biden to self-destruct. American women and undecided voters needed to see steady, consistent leadership." - Penny Nance, head of the Concerned Women For America.