Culture

'Amtrak Joe' No More

by Adam Purple | November 22, 2008 at 05:59 pm

124 views | 26 Recommendations | 6 comments

America has lost its highest profile mass transit commuter: Senator, and now Vice President-Elect Joe Biden. Long known for commuting daily on Amtrak between Washington and his Delaware home, Biden made himself the outsider-inside, shunning the salons of Washington to instead be home with his family at night.

Biden will soon reside with his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, at the official residence of the Vice President, on the grounds of the US Naval Observatory in Washington.

Perhaps we can convice a few high profile members of the new administration to ride Metro to work.

Not since Jacob K. Javits took near-daily flights back to New York City (mostly to please his wife, Marian, who refused to leave Manhattan) have a senator’s commuting habits been so carefully documented. But Mr. Biden’s nightly 90-minute Amtrak rides to Wilmington, Del., will grind to a halt in January, when he and Dr. Biden, an English professor, take up residence at No. 1 Observatory Circle, on the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory, the official home of vice presidents since 1974.

Mr. Biden will be the first vice president to move into the residence without previously living in Washington, said Donald Ritchie, a Senate historian.

For the Bidens, the move will bring a drastic change in habit. Mr. Biden, 66, will abandon his long-cherished routine that cemented his reputation as “Amtrak Joe,” an average guy who rushes to make the train home to spend time with his kids. Dr. Biden, 57, will almost certainly surrender her job at Delaware Technical and Community College.

recommend Add a comment

Cypresso

at 18:09 on November 22nd, 2008

Ahhh... a new bit of information.. thanks for posting... :)

amyjudd

at 18:11 on November 22nd, 2008

I had no idea Joe Biden had this reputation or that he is the only Vice President not to have lived in Washington before.

I like Joe Biden - I think he will be able to make some real changes with Obama.

Adam Purple

at 18:36 on November 22nd, 2008

Yes, I like him too. I'm hoping he and Obama will make many changes for the better.

panzerlawyer

at 23:19 on November 22nd, 2008

So far he is proposing the same old communist ideas that already failed under Joe Stalin, Jimmy Carter and Fidel Castro. He also re-appointed the Clinton administration, so it looks like more of the same. Class warfare to get votes of poor people. Turn the masses against the rich for votes. Yawn.