IMPRESSIVE: BIDEN passes on the opportunity to tell the story of the death of his wife and baby.

[FrenchieCat]

during the debate.

He certainly could have gone into it.....when he was asked about his New Years' resolution.

but rather than to do that, he looked down a few times in anguish but chose not to elaborate.

That impressed the hell out of me!
It illustrates a certain integrity and makes him much less "political" in my eyes as of today.
I don't care much for political use of one's personal tragedies, because so many Americans have them.

What it does is tell me that he is very authentic when it comes right down to it.

[Stephanie]

1. I dont' know that story!

What happened to them?

[FrenchieCat]

3. Here.....

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/election2008/story/21450.html

[Stephanie]

11. Wow, I had no idea. Thanks. Excerpt >

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/election2008/story/21450.html

Biden, 64, is running for president largely on the strength of his foreign affairs expertise. People who know him, however, say that the character he's shown since he experienced tragedy at age 29 is an equally important part of who he is.

In 1972, Biden's wife and baby daughter were killed in a car accident. His two young sons were hospitalized with serious injuries. The accident happened a week before Christmas and six weeks after Biden had been elected one of the youngest U.S. senators ever.

One of his sons, Beau Biden, now 38, the attorney general of Delaware and the father of two children himself, recalls that his father said at the time: "Delaware can get another senator, but my boys can't get another dad."

"Those weren't just words," he added. "He lived them."

Beau Biden remembers that his father stayed constantly at the hospital with him and his brother. The boys recovered, and Biden's sister, Valerie, moved in to help care for them.

Biden wrote in his memoir that he told the then-Senate majority leader, Mike Mansfield, that he wouldn't become a senator, but Mansfield persuaded him to give it at least a six-month try.

He began a daily commute by train — 80 minutes each way between Wilmington and Washington — rushing to get home in time for dinner, or at least dessert, and to tuck his children in at night and be there when they woke up. His son said that Biden put his children first, making sure he got to ball games and other important events.

Biden has never had a home in Washington. He's always made the commute.

[NCarolinawoman]

27. Thanks, Frenchie.

My brother-in-law was the psychologist who worked with the Biden sons, when they were little boys, to help them get through
the trauma of the accident. He never has gone into any detail, as well he shouldn't, but what he told me was that Joe is a class act, as is his entire family. They are all really terrific people who value public service and sacrifice.

[democrat2thecore]

31. Ranks 99 out of 100 in senate in personal wealth - from that same article

To me, that also says a lot.

[MADem]

Car crash. Tragic. NT

[MADem]

4. Doubleclick....pardon.

[Drunken Irishman]

5. They were in a car accident a long time ago.

I believe it was when Biden was first elected to the Senate.

[mirrera]

7. He lost his wife and daugter in an accident.

I think it was when he first entered the senate 20 years ago. John Edward's loss of his son is still pretty recent, and I read about it in his book. I am amazed at them being able to carry on after the loss of a child.

[FrenchieCat]

9. See, that illustrates my point........

You don't even know what happened.

[WheelWalker]

2. He's real, isn't he.

[FrenchieCat]

8. For a life long politician, the opportunity to

do what he didn't do would be nothing more than 2nd nature.

The sympathy vote is always tempting if you have the right story, which he does.

However, he chose not to exploit his personal story for political gain.

That was something that I have only seen in very few politicians.

[ginchinchili]

32. And you might not see it again in another viable candidate for president.

Presidential elections say a lot about who we are as a people. Are we materialistic and superficial, or are we substantive and looking for expertise and authenticity? We shall see.

[1corona4u]

6. Thanks for noticing Frenchie...and sharing your thoughts...

His supporters have known that for a long time. :-)

Thanks for the post.

[zabet]

10. Joe is

bigger than that.
(using the deaths to
gain politically)
Just one of his many
admirable traits.

[wtmusic]

12. FC I will not turn down an opportunity to agree with you

because it doesn't happen very often ;-)

[jillan]

14. Did Dodd get any press today for his great performance at the Debate?

He did really, really well.
Several of us at the Biden blog were talking about how good Dodd was doing.

[hvn_nbr_2]

19. I saw something somewhere on DU (big help, huh?)

Somebody posted a link to something by a reporter or columnist (I don't know which) for the Des Moines Register, that said all the second tier candidates did the best. They said Biden did best but also favorably mentioned Dodd.

[jillan]

13. Thanks for the great post!

His wife and kids were Christmas shopping when it happened, so it must be really hard for him
this time of year.

And his first wife - she was the love of his life.
I have to hand it to his wife now for being able to cope with that.

Biden with his wife that he lost, and his two sons.

[Steely_Dan]

15. As A Biden Supporter,

I have known about this story for quite sometime.

[1corona4u]

17. Steely, check your pm.

[BeyondGeography]

16. Yep, me too

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3832398&mesg_id=3832398

[calteacherguy]

18. Yes, Biden is one of the good ones. nt

[Cameron27]

20. Yes, Joe Biden has a lot of class,

that impressed me as well.

[hvn_nbr_2]

21. What was the question?

I'm having a hard time filling in the blanks or making the connection between "asked about his New Years' resolution" and declining to tell the story about Nelia and the kids' accident.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

22. He said his News Years resolution is always to recognize the good things because they can be gone in

an instant.

That's a very inexact paraphrase, but that was part of it.

[hvn_nbr_2]

23. Thanks. That explains it. nt

[1corona4u]

28. "never forget where you came from"..

was the rest of it.

[FrenchieCat]

25. Debate transcript not yet available from where I looked for it, but

Biden's wife and daughter died a week before Christmas while doing some shopping. His two young sons where also seriously injured. That would mean that today is coming very close to the anniversary of those deaths........

Biden was asked about a New Years' resolution. His answer I believe was something like; just always remember the good times, or something like that. I was so busy watching him struggle with his thoughts, until I don't quite remember word by word what his answer was.....

I can't think of anyone who coming upon the anniversary of such a tragic accident that had to have left deep scars not to associate the holiday season with the accident.

Plus, remember that he didn't divulge any information about that accident whatsoever, not even a hint. One would have to be familiar with the story to understand what he was NOT referring to.

Let's put it this way; it was a deep moment, Imo.

[Occam Bandage]

24. Reminds me of Edwards in '04, who also refused to use past tragedy for political gain.

[MelissaB]

26. My support and respect just grew by leaps and bounds.

No, I don't have a candidate I've been supporting, but I'm leaning Biden's way.

[Uncle Joe]

29. I don't view it as an either or case

had Biden felt comfortable discussing that episode of his life, because it impacted who he became, fine with me, if he didn't that's just as well too, but I don't assign authenticity or integrity to such actions.

[FrenchieCat]

30. if one was directly asked.......

or if it was specifically germaine to the conversation, I would understand it as well. However, I have seen many a politician bring that type of tear jerking story up on their own and wear their tragedy as a badge of honor on their sleeve....not that they couldn't. But for me, considering the many tragedy that many, many folks bear, it is a turn off when one thinks that his/her tragedy makes them special.

It's kind of the difference between an unsung hero and one beating his/her chest while granting multiple interviews.

Unfortunately, when it comes to politics, there is a thin line between authenticity/sincerity and playing all you've got to get all you can.

[Rowdyboy]

33. I had just gotten interested in politics and was thrilled about Biden's election when this happened

What a tragedy. Many lesser men would have tried to use this for sympathy. Biden has shown class IMHO.

[PatSeg]

34. When I read that chapter in his book,

I cried throughout the whole thing. This was the first time he openly discussed the tragedy and after writing about it, he's finally been able to talk about it.

He hadn't even taken office yet and tried to give up his seat, but several veteran senators stood by him and convinced him to hang in there for a while. Incredible story.

[LynneSin]

35. Here's something else about Joe - his son is being deployed to Iraq in begin of 2008

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/08/16/bidens-son-to-deploy-to-iraq/

Biden's son to be deployed to Iraq

Biden said his son will be deployed to Iraq.

(CNN) – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden told a crowd at the Iowa State Fair Thursday that his son will be deployed to Iraq.

Beau Biden, Delaware’s attorney general, is a captain in the Army National Guard. His unit has been notified that it should be prepared to deploy in 2008.

“He’ll go…I don’t want him going,” the Delaware senator told the crowd. “But I don’t want my grandsons or granddaughters going back in 15 years. So how we leave makes a big difference.”

[PatSeg]

36. Someone posted Biden's interview on ABC tonight

and he talks about the experience. Very emotional and revealing interview. Bring your Kleenex.