Of course, Biden can’t help lending an air of ridiculousness to whatever he touches. At the same Ohio campaign stop, he declaimed that “they” (rich Romney supporters) don’t understand “us” (the struggling working class), before shouting about his parents dreaming that one day he could become vice president. Such Biden moments tend to provoke hilarity followed by concern — i.e., once the chuckling stops, one wonders, “Is he unwell?”…

If Barack Obama circa 2004 had known that his political fate would eventually be tied to a longtime senator famous for buffoonish outbursts, he might have reconsidered the audacity of hope. With an unpopular record and a disappointing recovery, the president needs every hatchet man he can get. So the battle cry has gone out, “Unleash Biden!” Hide the women and children.