Lindsey Graham: Joe Biden as Good a Man as God Ever Created

In an era of incredibly polarized politics and 24/7/365 campaign mode, it's refreshing to see politicians treat each other as human beings now and again.

The HuffPo gang spent some time interviewing Republican presidential contender Lindsey Graham. He became emotional talking about his good friend, Vice President Joe Biden.

When Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) celebrated his retirement from the Air National Guard last week after 33 years of military service, he was greeted at the ceremony by an unexpected guest: Vice President Joe Biden.

Though they hail from opposing parties, Graham and Biden have long had a close friendship, going back to their years serving together in the Senate. The South Carolina senator and 2016 Republican presidential candidate was particularly touched that the vice president attended his military sendoff.

Over the weekend, The Huffington Post spent a day with Graham on the campaign trail in Iowa for the latest installment of our original series, ’16 And President. We’ll have the full episode up next week, but the above clip is a short preview of what’s to come.

In the video, Graham becomes emotional when talking about how the vice president has dealt with the recent death of his son, Beau Biden.

Biden and Graham have been struck by multiple personal tragedies in their lives: Biden lost his wife and daughter in a car accident shortly after he was first elected to the Senate, while Graham’s parents both died when he was in college. Graham’s heartfelt words reflect an enduring bond between the two men that has been shaped, in part, by their shared heartbreak.

The video is well worth watching. In an era of incredibly polarized politics and 24/7/365 campaign mode, it’s refreshing to see politicians treat each other as human beings now and again.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. JohnMcC says:

    Saw this on the news last night and silently thought that the clip would be on OTB. Thanks.

  2. Liberal Capitalist says:

    mancrush.

  3. xsnake says:

    Sounds like love…..and thanks to SCOTUS, they can now announce their engagement.

    1
  4. Peter says:

    Sadly, Joe Biden is a simpleton. The fact that he has a career in politics is a sad reflection on American voters.
    .
    We want good policies but we vote for good hair.

    1
  5. Hal_10000 says:

    You do see this occasionally. For example, Barack Obama and Tom Coburn are very good friends. I suspect if it weren’t for the 24 hours news cycle, we’d see a lot more of that. Most politicians, if you meet them in person, are very likable. Yes, even Republicans. 🙂

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  6. Kylopod says:

    @Peter:

    We want good policies but we vote for good hair.

    Ironic that you’d say that about Biden, who if anything does not have very good hair; he looks like someone who once got hair-transplant surgery before everything in back fell out.

    His habit of putting his foot in his mouth has made him fodder for late-night comedy, and the right has tried to use this trait to make him sound like an idiot despite their being no evidence of that. If anything, his main problems are that he’s verbose, undiplomatic, and lacks pizzazz. Trying to apply the “all style and no substance” stereotype to Biden is bizarre because it’s an almost exact reverse of the truth.

  7. Kylopod says:

    @Hal_10000: According to a book I read about the passage of Dodd-Frank, bipartisan friendships on Capitol Hill are much rarer than they used to be.

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  8. michael reynolds says:

    @Peter:

    Dude, observation first, political spin second. Anyone who thinks Biden’s an empty suit isn’t paying attention. Graham is right, and you are seeing the world through partisan spectacles.

    1
  9. Jenos Idanian #13 says:

    Biden is quite possibly the dumbest person to to ever assume the vice-presidency. And yes, I do remember Dan Quayle.

    What trumps every single piece of evidence that he is intelligent is that he says the most absurdly wrong things, and I genuinely believe he is convinced of them. I’d call him one of the biggest liars in Washington, but I think he believes his own BS.

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  10. Matt says:

    @Jenos Idanian #13: “absurdly wrong things” that turn out to be truthful or prophetic…

    Or do you mean his tendency to tell the truth when politicians are supposed to lie?

  11. anjin-san says:

    @Jenos Idanian #13:

    he believes his own BS.

    As the last functioning irony meter on earth dies a horrible death…

    1
  12. anjin-san says:

    Hey Jenos – can you update us on the “No-Go Zone” crisis?

  13. gVOR08 says:

    @Peter:

    Sadly, Joe Biden is a simpleton.

    Projection.

  14. gVOR08 says:

    @Jenos Idanian #13: You too.

  15. Deserttrek says:

    the things biden and many other politicians and non elected officials say about those they disagree with is more often than not appalling and beyond good taste and manners …. biden is manure who has smeared the People on more than one occasion …. his personal loses are his to endure as are mine. I wish him no personal harm but will never show him the least bit of courtesy should the moment arise