Bidens’ Kind Legacy: People First

I find it very odd those events which strike close to the heart for those of us living here in DC, or at least mine. After witnessing so much downright silliness, chicanery as instinct, and mean-spirited partisanship that eventually pushes many folks to capitulate in stunned despair and then to exit quietly, it’s great to be reminded of those who stay.

Most don’t.

Moving in and then out is often the nature of Capitol Hill’s voting cycle. But some of us do stay. Many stay with their humanity in hand and a noble intention in their heart realizing it is possible to rise above tit-for-tat political strategy and judge only people’s choices or ideology but not the content of their heart and character. They bypass false witness. They skip the downright evil opportunity. They move forward in the most simple kindness. And most stay with a walloping bucket of laughter and playfulness which dilutes an ocean of madness.

Joe Biden, for all that he’s not — now in old age and under constant character assassination or kind-hearted mockery as the nation’s avuncular, second in command, titular holder of a do-nothing job — is one of those who individuals who seems capable of creating a path to befriend and connect with those diametrically apposed to his vision of the future and the political path he believes will get us there. He was workmate and beer buds with Strom Thurmond even when working from opposite poles. He even inherited Strom’s office (and desk too I believe).

I know this about Joe because I’ve brushed elbows with him. I know because my company had a contract with his peeps to edit hundreds and hundreds of hours of his floor speeches, talks, and public appearances. I listened to him from his early days in gov, middle days with status, with good hair days, without any hair days and I learned both he’s very human and maintains an ongoing intention to see people as people first. To connect with them. To work alongside them. It was also unavoidably apparent in the videos how much he loved his family way back then and always. He loved his boys and his investment in them is undeniable; love as action.

Now we lose Beau. Yes. We. We inherited him even when he took his own steps further toward us. I never met him that I remember. I barely saw that much of him even on video, and if so, he was a boy in the background or going off to college and all the things kids do in an average life.

Despite all that is heard about the travails, conflict, rancid attitudes, and evil labelled as strike-down-this or vote-no-for that, there are beaming virtuous people here: this side, that side, no side upside and twisted. There are a lot of people for us to be proud. Yes, more than less needs to change here. But one highlight that will benefit us all is remembering and acknowledging those who treat people as people first, and act toward them with this intention ever step of the way. Argue your point. Stand for it. Then sit with those apposed and have a beer or ask about their kids, and truly care doing so.

So the Biden’s, as a family are gutted right now.

The US lost one of the good guys. And I think it would honor Beau and Joe to take on their legacy and intention, that of treating people with an open heart and mind when times are hardest. And I have no doubt Strom Thurmond would agree.