A Warm Encounter with a Steeler (Biden fib)

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/a-warm-encounte.html#comments ^ | 8/20/08 | Jake Tapper

[trublu]

This afternoon in Pittsburgh, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., greeted Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin.

"Hey coach. I'm Joe Biden," said the vice presidential candidate. "I'm second string."

Biden told Tomlin that after his wife and daughter were killed in 1972, the owner of the Steelers Art Rooney -- whom Biden called "Old Mister Rooney" -- had players from then-world champion Steelers bring an autographed football "to the hospital in Wilmington, Delaware with a signed football for my sons" as a Christmas present, "and I have been a Steelers fan since that day."

[trublu]

Joe claims that the owner of the "then-world champion" Steelers gave his sons an autographed ball in 1972. The Steelers did not win their first world championship until after the 1974 season.

Before we laugh too hard, McCain also made a gaffe about the Steelers.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Even though the Rooneys are classy people and run a classy organization, they are super libs, the same as the old man (Art Sr.)..

[JMS]

Did he give Mean Joe Green a Coke and get a soiled jersey too?

[dblshot]

A Delawarean being a fan of the Steelers makes more sense than a Chicagoan being a Yankees fan.

[Lou L]

they [The Rooneys] are super libs,

Are they super libs, or are they super Democrats? I believe the Rooneys are closer to the traditional, working class Democrat--socially conservative, though more liberal from a fiscal standpoint.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"I believe the Rooneys are closer to the traditional, working class Democrat--socially conservative, though more liberal from a fiscal standpoint."

Perhaps, all I know is that they supported Barrack Obama during the primaries (they were in attendence at his rallies here, but I never read about them being at the Clinton rallies).

Here's a little hypocrisy for you, some of the brothers (there are five brothers that own shares though one runs the team, Dan) have to sell their shares. They are trying to get the deal done this year because they fear tax increases in the inheritance taxes and capital gains tax increases under a possible Obama administration. Yet, they are big time supporters of his.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Deleware is very close to Philadelphia, not so close to Pittsburgh. He was just pandering. Though I won’t criticize him for that. He’s not the first politician to pander. McCain has done it on this exact issue. All politicians do it and its not a big deal to me.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Did he give Mean Joe Green a Coke and get a soiled jersey too?"

I think Mean Joe is around 60 now. Even at that age, he could probably growl at Joe Biden and make him soil something... : )

[OrioleFan]

I’m from Baltimore and am a Steelers fan. The Bolts left us for Indy years ago in the middle of the night.

[nascarnation]

Thanks a lot pal.
We got the Irsays for at least another 20 yrs and just got held hostage for a 700 million dollar taxpayer funded stadium and tens of millions of guaranteed yearly profits for the team.

[Oldpuppymax]

The fact that Biden is a serial liar is not all that big a surprise. As a leftist, truth is never on one’s side. What’s annoying is that leftists consider the American people so stupid, they figure they can lie with total impunity and never get caught! Of course, if Joe really were a Steeler fan he would damn well know that lying to Pittsburghers about the history of the Super Steelers would be a complete waste of time and incredibly dumb!

[OrioleFan]

I heard about the new stadium. That's what he wanted in Baltimore. I am a firm believer that when these owners give a city an ultimatum, the response should be "..., or else you will leave? Then leave." The problem is there are no politicians willing to make a stand.

No offense, but one question that I have always had, "does Indiana have a horse racing industry to justify the name Colts."

Want to read a good book about the oldtime Colts?