As the 113th Congress was sworn in Thursday, Joe Biden’s secured his job as Washington’s favorite, slightly goofy uncle, affably joking with giggling, star-struck new legislators and their families for photo opportunities.
Just days after saving fiscal cliff negotiations in the final hour, Biden made the photo line seem like a wine and cheese party, mocking himself ("I've been here for 200 years!"), throwing compliments at young women (“that smile brightens the whole chamber”) and old women alike (“Hey Mom! Come stand by me!”) and even offered to help one gentleman on his workout routine. ("If you need any help on those pecs, let me know!")
Biden’s good humor—and the trust people like Mitch McConnell have in him during crucial negotiations—may do more than make him a CSPAN favorite, Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough noted.
“If this guy keeps doing the deals as we move towards 2016,” Scarborough said. “Everyone’s talking bout Hillary, but every time something like this happens your stock goes up.”