Not Hoity-Toity: Just Down To Earth Joe Biden

Some may say I was fortunate and others would say unfortunate, but last night I attended by design and desire the Democratic Party fundraiser at Chapel Hill’s Carolina Inn at which Vice President Joe Biden spoke, presenting a pretty good case for the re-election of his party for at the very least the coming election cycle, that in two years and one more after that.

While there was a smattering of enthusiastic, but not wildly fervent, applause throughout the talk—a mixture of a prepared teleprompter text and much given speech with a local flavor and old-time political saying sprinkled throughout—I was not willing to put my hands together about everything he said, but I did enjoy being there, especially to hear the Vice President of the United States, especially Joe Biden who, I believe, among all those who ran for the Democratic nomination in 2008, would have been the best President if elected.

Reason: he knows how to relate to all people at all times, not just an elite group of thinkers one day or a specific group of a certain race or ethnic background the next: he knows how not just to give a straight message but weave it as a story, drawing in his audience as he knows the neighborhood while taking his listeners to other parts of America and around the world, giving a perspective that only Biden can do with his charming smile and serious face and delivery.

Another reason I think he would have made a good President is because of his legislative negotiating skills. Believe it or not, he knew how to get along with Jesse Helms, and that speaks volumes to being able to pass laws with votes from both sides of the aisles. Maybe it’s because of his long-time service in Congress and the many friends he made and the respect he gained from nearly all members of the House and Senate and, while that may not have translated positively if he were President, I feel he would have been able to work closer with Republicans, much closer as President than President Obama has.

Last night’s affair was not your hoity-toity gathering, despite the announced minimum $500 required to get in (there were plenty there who paid less and plenty who contributed more). In today’s report of the function by Rob Christensen of The News & Observer, you are led to believe it was more extravagant than it was. Rob reported, “They grazed on hors d’oeuvres such as beef tenderloin on crispy wonton, crab crostini, and spinach and local goat cheese profiteroles.” All true but these were just bite-size finger foods being offer by the highly competent Carolina Inn wait staff, the same as if they were working a get-together by a Rams Club group prior to a football game or a UNC Board of Governors reception or a fraternity reunion. By the way, Rob left out two of my favorites being offered: some little fried green tomato thingy and the entire plate of dessert cookies, all bite size.

While there were plenty of lawyers, legislators, candidates and other back-slappers in attendance, and while Governor Bev Perdue did the quick introduction so she could share the stage with the Vice President, this was more of blue-collar than high-dollar function—the cash bar offered a substantial glass of wine for $5.00 and premium beer (thank goodness for the New Castle) for only $4.00 a bottle—intended to rally the Democratic troops—especially those who can help with additional fundraising—for the fall election than it was to put some much needed cash into the Democratic National Committee’s bank account. From my view, both were accomplished.

While Mr. Biden’s speech—purely the Company line—was interesting and made points with the faithful while trying to box into a corner the just-say-no Republicans and their failed policies of the eight years of the most recent Bush Administration, I attended for various reasons, not all to be revealed here, of which the utmost was to see and hear Biden in a small setting.

He’s the Vice President, for gosh sakes and I had the opportunity to be there. I went to see and hear President Obama when he came to Raleigh’s Broughton High School last July. I figured seeing Biden would be a lot more entertaining and give me a better perspective of why vote Democratic. He was and he did, though doing the latter is not exactly where I am now or expect to be later.

In a strange way, I’ve admired Biden, while not agreeing with him much of the time, for many years. He says too much sometimes and offers information he should keep to himself, but that’s not all bad. We know him to be down to earth as if he wants to pull you aside and give you some inside stuff to something. He’s got a secret, and he’s going to tell someone. It might as well be you. I’d love to have a sit-down with him in a secluded watering hole and get the inside scoop on his life, politics and other topics. As Vice President, he’s got to miss those types of opportunities.

One more reason for going: After the speech, he came down from the stage and worked the rope line, talking directly to and shaking the hand of at least a hundred of those there. It was fun and interesting to see him do this. He showed genuine concern when someone related a problem and he joined in laughter even when what was said was not funny but the person saying it thought so. He worked that rope line longer than he spoke to the entire group. He posed for photos take by a staff member with small cameras and cell phones, giving those who stayed a memento for life.

And, that’s one of those reasons I went. Got it! Thanks, Joe, for the photo opp, but especially for being yourself.

So Today, We Slog Through a Slog

Have you ever slogged or at the very least been in one? That’s not a misprint. I did not intend to say “blogged” or refer to a “blog,” such as what this place on the Internet is called. It wasn’t a typographical error. The “s” is second key from the left on the second row from the bottom while the “b” is fifth in from the left on the bottom row.

“Slog” is the right word. It came up twice this morning while I was doing that daily constitutional thing which includes reading cover-to-cover The News & Observer, the daily newspaper that so is well loved. Actually, for all the wrong and right reasons, I like the newspaper and am one of the few who today get my news, at least my early morning news, from the print edition of a broadsheet.

The reason I bring up “slog” is that as long as I’ve read The N&O, I do not remember seeing “slog” in print once, much less twice. But, as it turns out, a quick search of the archives accessible on the newspaper’s website, http://newsobserver.com/, the word shows up 109 times, 99 times in news stories and 10 times in blogs, not slogs, though there’s at least one “Slog” on the Internet. It’s a blog on the website “The Stranger” out of Seattle WA. Slog the Blog. Neat. But wait there’s more. There’s another, SLOG a second life resident blog. Read it at your own risk.

The N&O archive search offered articles dating back to April 2007 with the word used as a verb and a noun. For a complete list of the newspaper’s articles which include the word “slog” click this link: N&O Slog Articles List.

But, the word is a bit older than that. According to Merriam-Webster, “slog” dates to 1888, about 100 years before the first “blog” which is a contraction for the two words “web log.” Say it fast, drop the “we” and voila! It’s “blog.” So, trek back to 1888. That was the year Benjamin Harrison defeated incumbent Grover Cleveland for the presidency of the United States. Remember? Anyway, my story goes that a couple of late 19th century geeks in charge of sanitation collection on the streets of New York were talking about the election and the trash generated by the election celebration. One said to the other, “I need to make a few notes, a log, about what we’re doing. This is a mess.” The rest, as they say, is history and the first “Mess Log” was born and was soon shortened to “Slog” because the clean-up was persistently slow. (I made that up.)

From Merriam-Webster, the definition for “slog,” the noun: hard persistent work such as the endless enervating slog of war; a prolonged arduous task or effort such as reform will be a hard political slog; or, a hard dogged march or journey. Then from The Free Dictionary: A tiring hike or walk; long exhausting work; a heavy blow or swipe. Synonyms: work, labour, toil, industry, grind, effort, struggle, pains, sweat, painstaking, exertion, donkey-work, trudge, tramp, trek, hike, traipse, yomp, and footslog (as in a slog through heather and bracken).

In today’s newspaper, the word “slog” shows up in the lead of two stories, one on the front page and the other on the third page of the second section. The first was in an article about the Wake County School Board’s end to the diversity policy and the effort to change how students are assigned to schools. The story, Diversity policy tossed; tough decisions loom, was written by T. Keung Hui and Thomas Goldsmith. It said: With the school board's vote Tuesday night to end its diversity policy, Wake County began a politically bruising slog to divide the county into community school zones.

The second was written by Jane Stancill as reported by Rob Christensen in the “Under The Dome” column, and it concerned an up-coming appearance by US Senate Majority Leader harry Reid who wants North Carolinians to support financially his re-election effort in Nevada. That story said: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be in the Triangle on Friday to raise money for his tough re-election campaign. The event could raise eyebrows from North Carolina Senate Democratic candidates, Elaine Marshall and Cal Cunningham, who are finding fundraising a hard slog for their June 22 primary runoff.

So, two “slogs” in one day in the newspaper. And a lot of research to learn more about the word including this translation from one of the sources: a hard blow such as “he gave the ball a slog.” And, that leads me to this entry at The Free Dictionary, a reference my sister, Sarah, who lives in Barbados and who is a cricket (the sport not the noisy bug) fan, would understand better than I:

Slog refers to a type of shot in many forms of cricket where the batsmen attempts to hit the ball as far as possible with the aim to hit a 6 or at the least a 4. It is an extremely dangerous shot to play since the ball is almost certainly going to be in the air for a long period of time and great technique and power is required from the batsmen to actually clear the field.

When playing a ‘Slog,’ a batsman is likely to want to score quickly therefore it is likely to be used in a Twenty20, Pro40 or One Day matchup. The slog is an extremely difficult shot to play well. Firstly there is a high possibility of missing the ball with the bat and simply getting bowled. LBWs are also common when playing the slog but if contact is made there is no guarantee that the ball will simply not loop up to a fielder. A slog is therefore likely to be played in times of desperation when runs are required extremely quickly or in variations of the game such as 'Plank Cricket' where continuous defensive shots are frowned upon and may even result in disqualification.

There are different ways to play a slog, and they can be played with different techniques. One of these techniques is called advancing down the track. Advancing down the track is where the batsman facing the balls takes 2-3 steps down the track, building more power for the shot. When a shot like this is played correctly the effect can be devastating, and can score big runs, fast. Of course it is a very dangerous technique to use, as you could hit the ball wrong on the bat and it could fly high in the air allowing fielders to move under it. Another reason why this is dangerous is because if you miss the ball but it doesn't hit the stumps, you are out of your crease, and the wicket keeper can stump you. Advancing down the track is only one of many different variations on the slog shot.

One last note about “slog”: If you’ve gotten this far in today’s post, you now know the true meaning of “slog” and all those references and definitions didn’t matter. In reality, you’ve yomped, and if you want me to explain that word, well, forget it. Not even some other time.