Biden. Yes, that’s the ticket. (Updated)
I’m having my coffee at Peets this morning.
“So. I hear you’re the chairman of all the teachers in town,” says Laura, the store manager.
“Huh?” I look up from the New York Times I’m reading on my iPad.
“You’re the chairman. That’s what I hear.”
“Hardly,” I say. “I’m lucky when they call on me. I’m not exactly a favorite of the big boys.”
Laura laughs. “Not surprised,” she says.
But maybe my opposition to the early no strings endorsement of the Obama administration has gotten NEA President Dennis Van Roekel so rattled that they’re bringing in the big guns.
It has been announced that Joe Biden is addressing the delegates on Sunday morning.
I Google “Joe Biden education.”
Nothing.
But you never know.
DVR to the other NEA leadership. “I hear that Klonskyesque guy has blogged against an Obama endorsement.”
“He’s not Klonskyesque DVR. He’s Klonsky.”
“Oh. Right. Well, I’m worried. What should we do?”
“We can bring in Arne. He can tell that story about him and his mom. The delegates loved that story when he spoke two years ago.”
“No. That’s no good. Arne has been pissed since we let the delegates vote no confidence in him last year.”
“Hey. I’ve got it. Joe Biden. He hasn’t had a word to say about education. Nothing to get any teachers pissed about. And he can tell some good ‘I’m just a workin’ guy from Scranton‘ stories.”
“Biden! Yes, that’s the ticket!”
Update.
It appears I was wrong about Joe Biden and his knowledge of education policy.
A friend writes:
I actually have heard Joe Biden speak on education. Twice. Once in 2008 and again a few weeks ago in DC. Both times he talked about his Aunt Mary Margaret who was a teaching nun, the real tough kind, and his lovely wife Doctor Jill Biden who teaches English at a community college. And both times he talked only about how much respect he has for teachers because of the hard work of these two women. He will also introduce Jill and say “as you can see, I married up.”
Jeez, Joe.
I’m making book that he uses these exact lines on Sunday.
Takers?
Klonskyesque lol. Correct, you never know. IMHO Obama is walking a strange tightrope. He claims to be generally pro union, except when it comes to teachers.
IF he wanted to be consistent, Obama wouldn’t have to endorse gay marriage OR cheer when teachers are fired, as in Centrall Falls RI. In other words, if he wants to be politic, he’d shut up.