A 43-minute address, a welcome if modest bit of transparency, “Text released by office of Vice President Joe Biden. Speech delivered this morning to the AFL-CIO Executive Council at their annual conference, in Miami Beach, Fla.”

And old joke, Mr. President, you know, you go home with them that brung you to the dance. Well, you all brought me to the dance a long time ago. And it’s time we start dancing, man. It’s time we start dancing. (Applause.)

That’s certainly frank enough.

Surprisingly brief comments about the Employee Free Chocie Act. In fact, just a single paragraph. The AFL-CIO leaders must be disappointed:

I mentioned the productivity increased by almost 20 percent from 2000 to 2007, but wages fell by $2,000. If our basic bargain had been intact, if paychecks rose with productivity growth, as they did from World War II to the early ’70s, families would have gained $10,000 over that period, instead of losing $2,000. (Applause.)

So, folks, that’s why there’s no one thing we have to do. This is all going to be difficult, and one of the most difficult things will be to reinstitute that basic bargain. And I think the way to do that is the Employee Free Choice Act. (Applause.)
Folks, let’s get it straight — we’re not asking — we’re not asking for anything we don’t deserve. And we’re not asking for anything that wasn’t intended when the NLRB said we should be encouraging — encouraging — unions. We just want to level this playing field again.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think President Obama said it best when he said — I’m quoting — “I don’t buy the argument that providing workers with collective bargaining rights somehow weakens the economy or worsens the business environment.” If you’ve got workers who have a decent pay and benefits, they also are customers for your business. (Applause.)

On the other hand, the Vice President makes no effort to acknowledge the point of view of employers on anything, so perhaps that will satisfy the AFL-CIO.

Gwen Ifill, who did a credible job as moderator last night, choose not to ask a question about the civil justice system, “jackpot justice” or tort reform in last night’s vice presidential debate. Despite our repeated pleas!

Well, there’s only so many minutes available, but we still would have thought it an important area of exploration given Senator Biden’s praise for himself as the No. 1 supporter of trial lawyers in the Senate.

In fact, the only time the word “lawyer” appeared in last night’s debate was in Senator Biden’s explanation of his view on his duties of advise and consent. From the CNN transcript:

BIDEN: Yes, I can. When I got to the United States Senate and went on the Judiciary Committee as a young lawyer, I was of the view and had been trained in the view that the only thing that mattered was whether or not a nominee appointed, suggested by the president had a judicial temperament, had not committed a crime of moral turpitude, and was — had been a good student.

And it didn’t take me long — it was hard to change, but it didn’t take me long, but it took about five years for me to realize that the ideology of that judge makes a big difference.

That’s why I led the fight against Judge Bork. Had he been on the court, I suspect there would be a lot of changes that I don’t like and the American people wouldn’t like, including everything from Roe v. Wade to issues relating to civil rights and civil liberties.

And so that — that — that was one of the intellectual changes that took place in my career as I got a close look at it. And that’s why I was the first chairman of the Judiciary Committee to forthrightly state that it matters what your judicial philosophy is. The American people have a right to understand it and to know it.

But I did change on that, and — and I’m glad I did.

Jake Tapper of ABC notes remarks of Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) at a fundraiser sponsored by the American Association for Justice, the trial lawyers’ lobby.

Biden said that he’s “done more than any other senator combined” for trial lawyers. 

“There are two people — you’ve heard me say it before — two groups that stand between us and the barbarians at the gate,” Biden said. “It’s you and organized labor. That’s it. That is it. So, mark my words, mark my words, if we lose this election, you are going to continue to see a continuation of the onslaught on everything we care about. For real. For real. So, I’m not only thanking you for your help. I would think you’re all absolutely brain-dead if you didn’t help. And I mean it.”

Who are these barbarians in Senator Biden’s eyes? Business owners? Coal miners?

(Hat tip: Walter Olson)

Sen. Joe Biden was certainly an interesting pick for Sen. Obama. Right until the very last minute, many thought Obama would pick Hillary Clinton to shore up the remaining Democrats who supported her in the primary and who haven’t warmed to him. Polls right after the Biden selection suggest that a Clinton pick might have brought more unity to the Dem ticket – from one-quarter to one-third of Hillary backers are still saying they won’t support their party’s nominee.

But the Biden pick sends a message that targets another key constituency group – independent and undecided voters who like Obama, but who have been concerned his experience in foreign policy is rather light. Biden brings deep foreign policy credentials and is respected on both sides of the political aisle, and is well-known in foreign capitals. In fact, immediately after the Russia-Georgia conflict erupted, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Biden traveled to Georgia with an offer to assist.

A few years ago, my office was right across the hall from the Biden office. You get to know the real person when you see them all the time – especially when they are in a hurry to get to a vote or meeting. Joe Biden is the consummate gentleman. He never missed an opportunity to say hello, even though he knew I was a mere staffer in another office. On the floor of the Senate, he is certainly known for being loquacious, but he also has a reputation for being gracious and respectful of his colleagues.

The Biden record on manufacturing issues is not so rosy, unfortunately. Except for one vote in support of the NAM position on energy development (a very important vote to be sure) and another authorizing funding for highways, the Biden record in the last Congress on key manufacturing issues is dismal. Overall, in the last Congress (2005-2006), he only voted to support the NAM agenda 11% of the time.

But the NAM has always found him willing to listen. We hope that continues should he be elected Vice President in November.

With Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) being Sen. Barack Obama’s choice as vice presidential nominee, we take a look at the NAM’s “Key Vote” tabulations, the ranking of each member of Congress on positions taken on measures identified by the National Association of Manufacturers as important to the manufacturing economy.

The full listing of Sen. Biden’s votes is here. Percentages:

110th Congress (2007-2008): 11% — unofficial
109th Congress (2005-2006): 11%
108th Congress (2003-2004): 18%
107th Congress (2001-2002): 0%
106th Congress (1999-2000): 29%
105th Congress (1997-1998): 38%

Record on legal votes, 106th-109th Congress: 0%
Record on energy votes, 106th-109th Congress: 18%

We’ve put the full table of votes in the extended entry below.

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