Joe Biden Loves John McCain

After he stands with the White House on guns and immigration, McCain gets the big Biden shoutout. Sen. John McCain can be one of the White House’s toughest critics. But after backing President Obama on gun control and comprehensive immigration reform, McCain got a big shoutout from the White House Friday.

In the latest installment of “Being Biden” — the White House audio series featuring the Vice President describing moments in his week — Biden describes his recent trip to the McCain Institute in Sedona, Arizona where he appeared with the Republican Senator at a policy summit. Biden heaps praise on McCain, who he calls “my old friend of 35 years,” in the audio clip posted to the White House website.

Though McCain has continued to be a thorn in the side of the White House, particularly on foreign policy matters, McCain recently broke with many in his party to support universal background checks, a top White House priority. McCain is also a leading voice in the push for comprehensive immigration reform, another of Obama’s goals.

Biden said both he and McCain are looking for a return to bipartisanship in Washington.

“We’re both determined to reestablish the kind of trust between the parties and among senators and congressmen that existed all the years we served together,” Biden said.

Beyond sharing a desire for the mythical comity of old Washington, Biden said he and McCain share a lasting respect.

“He’s not only a great hero, he’s an honorable, decent man and he has the courage to vote his conscience and he’s my friend,” Biden said.

Latinos, should be a natural constituency for the party, Paul argued, but "Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration." ...he would create a bipartisan panel to determine how many visas should be granted for workers already in the United States and those who might follow... [and the buried lead] "Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers... [Rand Paul calls on conservatives to embrace immigration reform]
...by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war... We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue" ... the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage... "We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party," Paul said. [Rand Paul: Time for GOP to soften war stance]
One day after announcing on his radio show that he is "truly considering" running in 2014 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by New Jersey's Frank Lautenberg, Rivera amped up his message today in a television interview and a column on the Fox News Latino website... a moderate Republican who is fiscally conservative but also supports gay marriage and Roe v. Wade... [Geraldo Rivera declares himself a 'moderate Republican' as he eyes U.S. Senate run]

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