My wife looked at me and asked if I was alright because I was beet red with anger.
Someone mentioned a board meeting treatment of a laughing fool. I’d have done and have done a similar thing. First. I would have never called him Joe but only Mr. Biden. He might not have recognized it but some would recognize it as an insult to his age and the fact that I did not like him at all.
Second, I would have simply stopped, given him my best go to hell grave look and said. Mr. Biden have I interrupted you or made a spectacle while you have been speaking? Have I been rude to you and the audience here by interrupting what is supposed to be a serious discussion of serious issues facing the nation? No, I have not. Is it possible sir for you to be polite and civil? You have that opportunity sir.
The other tack is to stop and ask, “Mr. Biden, do you need some time? Are you OK? I’m concerned about you.”
Ding ding we have a winner.
You treat the person with sufficient respect that makes them look like the fool they are while putting them in their place. It furthers the point that you are the adult in the room and the one that should be put in charge.
I was hoping that when Ryan spoke about Romney reaching across the aisle to work with democrats, and listing several ways he did that, that he would have thrown in something about Romney NOT doing it by laughing or smirking at them, treating the other side with disdain...that’s not the way to get things done, yet that is the approach that this administration has taken over the last 4 years: we’re not going to do that.