Biden is drooping in the polls like an unwatered Lily. Biden is Obama's firewall, the static attracted to him, derived from what are now established defaults: to deflect, ignore, make excuses, for Obama. People want Obama to succeed because the country is in a bad way, and they want to like Obama. They want to see themselves as without prejudice and "tolerant". It is silly, but it is the public square. So Obama is given a pass. Critical thinking: not allowed. Biden, as he presents, manifests the derisive characterizations that were unfairly ascribed to McCain.
After peaking at 59% last November, Vice President Joe Biden's favorable rating continues to decline and now stands at 42%. That barely exceeds his 40% unfavorable rating, and is easily his worst evaluation since last year's Democratic National Convention.
Given Obama's disposition, that of convivial detachment —the "blank screen" as Obama described it, where people project onto him, an unmarked landscape, all their prejudice and hopes, their denials and affirmations of self — it resolves well for Obama, poorly for Biden; How well it works for the country, well let's hope.
