By Colin Campbell 3/21 1:42pm

Bullet Points

Joe Biden at City Hall. (photo: nyc.gov)

Biden and Bloomberg Team Up to Again Pressure Congress on Guns

As the U.S. Congress debates gun control legislation, two of the countries’ leading advocates on the issue–Vice President Joe Biden and Mayor Michael Bloomberg–held a City Hall press conference today to pressure federal lawmakers to have enough “courage” to vote in favor of the bill when it hits the floor. Standing behind victims’ family members from last year’s massacre at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school, Mr. Biden and Mr. Bloomberg argued the measures being proposed are neither controversial or unconstitutional.

“There’s not one single thing being proposed–not one, not one , not one, not one–that infringes on anyone’s Second Amendment constitutional right. Not one,” Mr. Biden said. “Three months ago, a deranged man walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School with a weapon of war. That’s what he walked in with–a weapon of war. That weapon of war has no place on American streets and taking it off American streets has no impact on one’s constitutional right to own a weapon.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 2/21 2:37pm

Bullet Points

(Photo: Getty)

Biden Says Both ‘Political Survival’ and ‘Moral Price’ Demand Action on Guns

Earlier this afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden attended a gun violence conference a few miles from the location of last year’s infamous Newtown school shooting massacre. And Mr. Biden, who has led the White House’s push for stricter policies on guns in the shooting’s wake, passionately argued that gun control is no longer the untouchable “third rail” in our political system. Indeed, Mr. Biden took his contention in the opposite direction and said politicians are now compelled to engage the issue.

“Our understanding assumption is–in American politics today–[is] that this is kind of a third rail of politics,” Mr. Biden declared. “That if you take this on, somehow there will be a severe political price to pay for doing it because that’s what happened in the past. That’s what happened in the past. People say–and you read, and people write about–the political risk and why they’re unacceptable to take on. I say it’s unacceptable to not take these on. It’s simply unacceptable.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 1/24 5:05pm

Bullet Points

Joe Biden illustrating the efficacy of shotguns. (Photo: YouTube)

Joe Biden Explains Why Assault Weapons Aren’t Necessary for Self-Defense

Vice President Joe Biden participated in a Google+ “hangout” this afternoon to discuss President Barack Obama’s gun control plan. Mr. Biden stressed his belief the plan, which includes an assault weapons ban, would help prevent law enforcement personnel from being “outgunned.” He also addressed concerns the ban would infringe on peoples’ ability to protect themselves by suggesting a shotgun is far more useful than any assault weapon for self-defense in the event of a situation such as a major natural disaster.

“You know, guess what? A shotgun will keep you a lot safer, a double-barrelled shotgun, than the assault weapon in somebody’s hands who doesn’t know how to use it, even one who does know how to use it,” Mr. Biden explained while using his hands to mimic the gesture of holding a shotgun for added effect. “You know, it’s harder to use an assault weapon to hit something than it is a shotgun OK? So, you want to keep people away in an earthquake, buy some shotgun shells.” Read More

By Colin Campbell 1/21 3:07pm

Cup of Joe

(Photo: Getty)

Joe Biden Offers Chuck Schumer a Surprise Toast

At the inaugural reception earlier this afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden proved he still has the ability to go off script.

As various speakers–including President Barack Obama–stood behind the room’s podium to offer toasts, Mr. Biden offered a heap of praise on Mr. Obama before quickly announcing his toast would instead go to one of his former colleagues in the U.S. Senate, New York’s Chuck Schumer. Read More

By Colin Campbell 12/19/12 1:04pm

federal action

US-VOTE-2012-ELECTION-OBAMA

Obama Says He Was Too Busy to Tackle Guns Before Sandy Hook

Earlier today, President Barack Obama announced Vice President Joe Biden would be tasked with heading his administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence, an issue that he had not previously focused on. Directly asked about his relative silence on gun policy before the massacre at a Connecticut elementary school last Friday, Mr. Obama aggressively pushed back, telling ABC’s Jake Tapper, “I don’t think I’ve been on vacation.”

“It seems to a lot of observers that you made the political calculation in 2008, in your first term and in 2012, not to talk about gun violence,” Mr. Tapper began. “You had your position on renewing the ban on semi-automatic rifles that then-Senator Biden put into place. But you didn’t do much about it. This is not the first issue, the first incident, of horrific gun violence of your four years, where have you been?” Read More

By Colin Campbell 11/06/12 3:11pm

Journeys With Joe

Another one of Mr. Biden's fans from a few days ago. (Photo: Getty)

Joe Biden Meets His Fans and Makes More 2016 Jokes

Vice President Joe Biden, fresh off voting for himself in Delaware, returned to the pivotal battleground state of Ohio this afternoon to do a final round of campaign stops before polls close. And, true to form, Mr. Biden seemed to be having fun.

Approaching a booth at a Greek diner in Cleveland, Mr. Biden apologized for causing a commotion, jesting diners just came to get some spaghetti, “and Joe Biden shows up.”

Next, the vice president met, according to a pool report, “the number one Biden superfan.” The supporter, “struggling to contain excitement,” offered Mr. Biden her food before chanting, “Biden! Biden!” Read More

By Hunter Walker 11/02/12 2:54pm

Journeys With Joe

Joe Biden eating lunch in 2009. (Photo: Getty)

Joe Biden: ‘I’m No John F. Kennedy’

Vice President Joe Biden is campaigning in Wisconsin today and he stopped for lunch this afternoon at West Side Family Restaurant in Beloit. While there, as is his custom, Mr. Biden had an interesting exchange with one of the diners. According to the White House press pool report, which was written by Politico’s Jennifer Epstein, Mr. Biden sat down with an older man and it “sounded like the man was saying that he had met John F. Kennedy during a campaign stop five decades ago.”

“I’ll tell you what, man. I’m no John F. Kennedy,” Mr. Biden said. Read More

By Hunter Walker 10/23/12 2:35pm

Journeys With Joe

Joe Biden eating lunch in 2009. (Photo: Getty)

Joe Biden Gets a Side Order of Negativity on His Lunch Break

While campaigning this afternoon, Vice President Joe Biden stopped by Schmucker’s Restaurant in Toledo, Ohio for a piece of pie. However, Mr. Biden may have gotten more than he bargained for at the restaurant. While he was eating, Mr. Biden found himself in conversation with another patron who was clearly eager to see the vice president and his running mate, President Barack Obama, lose the election and leave the White House.  Read More