1. I've heard some people say that Biden is being cynical here, that he really doesn't believe this & is just saying it because it appeals to the older, centrist Dems who are his base. I want to argue on behalf of Biden's sincerity. He really thinks this.
2. The thing with Biden is that trans-ideological friendship isn't just a matter of rhetoric, it's a core part of his identity. It always has been, which is why he has so many stories about working with the likes of Strom Thurmond.
3. Biden is a man neither of the left or the right, but of elite friendship. He's buddy Biden, the guy who can bring people together and make deals. The enormous personal tragedies he's suffered is part of that -- it's made him open to people.
4. On a human level, there's something admirable about Biden's cult of friendship, his sense that the personal suffering that unites us as human transcends ideology. But as a political program? It's a fucking disaster.
5. I had a Nation column a while back explaining why friendship was so important to Biden. thenation.com/article/joe-bi…
