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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Joe Biden: why is he coming to Europe? | Joe Biden: why is he coming to Europe? |
| (4 months later) | |
| Age: 70. | Age: 70. |
| Appearance: Uncle Sam's cheeky brother. | Appearance: Uncle Sam's cheeky brother. |
| The vice president of the United States? That Joe Biden, yes. | The vice president of the United States? That Joe Biden, yes. |
| What is he up to now? He's in town – town, in this case, being Europe – for a chat or two about the violence in Syria with his pals in Germany, France and the UK. | What is he up to now? He's in town – town, in this case, being Europe – for a chat or two about the violence in Syria with his pals in Germany, France and the UK. |
| Which pals are these? Angela Merkel, François Hollande, the Russian foreign minister, the international envoy to Syria and, of course, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. | Which pals are these? Angela Merkel, François Hollande, the Russian foreign minister, the international envoy to Syria and, of course, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. |
| Clegg too? Yup. Presumably that one is less of a serious chat and more of a "shoot the breeze 'bout bein' a deputy" affair. | Clegg too? Yup. Presumably that one is less of a serious chat and more of a "shoot the breeze 'bout bein' a deputy" affair. |
| So what should we expect from this trip? Geopolitically speaking, who knows? But if Biden is on form, we should be guaranteed at least a couple of decent gaffes. | So what should we expect from this trip? Geopolitically speaking, who knows? But if Biden is on form, we should be guaranteed at least a couple of decent gaffes. |
| Such as? Such as last year's shocking admission: "I've known eight presidents, three of them intimately." Or old classics: "Do you know the website number?" and (to a senator in a wheelchair) "Stand up, Chuck, let 'em see ya!" | Such as? Such as last year's shocking admission: "I've known eight presidents, three of them intimately." Or old classics: "Do you know the website number?" and (to a senator in a wheelchair) "Stand up, Chuck, let 'em see ya!" |
| Does he deliberately try to make himself a laughing stock? No, but he has been quite successful at it. He is now a regular figure of fun for satirical newspaper the Onion, which must be a pain, since he has also been touted as a potential future president. | Does he deliberately try to make himself a laughing stock? No, but he has been quite successful at it. He is now a regular figure of fun for satirical newspaper the Onion, which must be a pain, since he has also been touted as a potential future president. |
| Of America? Well, it wouldn't be Liberia, would it? Yes, of America. | Of America? Well, it wouldn't be Liberia, would it? Yes, of America. |
| Seriously? So says NBC News journalist Steve Kornacki. He reckons that former secretary of state Hillary Clinton is gearing up for a fresh attempt to get her hands on the nuclear football and ol' Joey B just might have a problem with that. Kornacki's question: "We already have a vice-president ... shouldn't he be the heir apparent?" | Seriously? So says NBC News journalist Steve Kornacki. He reckons that former secretary of state Hillary Clinton is gearing up for a fresh attempt to get her hands on the nuclear football and ol' Joey B just might have a problem with that. Kornacki's question: "We already have a vice-president ... shouldn't he be the heir apparent?" |
| Might he not be a little too far past retirement age to be an heir – apparent or otherwise – to, well, anything? That's a bit ageist, isn't it? | Might he not be a little too far past retirement age to be an heir – apparent or otherwise – to, well, anything? That's a bit ageist, isn't it? |
| Yup, but also, arguably, a bit true? Historically, very true: if Biden ran and won in 2017 he would be the oldest person sworn in as US president by around five years. | Yup, but also, arguably, a bit true? Historically, very true: if Biden ran and won in 2017 he would be the oldest person sworn in as US president by around five years. |
| Do say: "Biden, Biden, he's our man!" | Do say: "Biden, Biden, he's our man!" |
| Don't say: "If he can't do it, that's understandable, he will be 74." | Don't say: "If he can't do it, that's understandable, he will be 74." |
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