This JUST happened here in Philly...

Just got back from paying my mechanic for a new window, and was about to stop by the Dunkin' Donuts for my large with cream and sugar. I had trouble getting into the parking lot with that bus and all of those state troopers and SUVs around (not very green IMO)...

So as a trooper was directing traffic, I rolled down the window and "Who we got?"...The response?

"Joe Biden"...

I said, "Oh...I thought it might've been somebody important."...he smiled, but that kind of a smile that says "I don't want to smile, but you made me."...

But in reality, he IS important...so I found an empty spot nearby and parked. Good thing I was wearing a shirt with a hole in it and flip-flops...

Biden was inside a diner, so I thought "Let me drop the Political Wrinkles name on the staff hangin' around outside."...

I walked up to an SUV with a guy sitting there with the engine idling, the air conditioner on full blast, and the window down (not very green IMO)...

"You with the campaign?"...Probably a stupid question since the guy had an "Obama08" button on...

He said "yeah" and I proceeded to do a spontaneous pitch...

I handed him my card, which has Political Wrinkles and the address on it (It has my personal info, too, but that's all I had on me...I'll probably be getting the Secret Service at my house tonight)...

"It's a total coincidence...I live a few blocks away, but I run a political website called "Political Wrinkles". We're not affiliated with any party, and we have members from across the whole political spectrum. We're not one of those "Freeper" or "DemocraticUnderground" sites when everyone says someone sucks and 50 people agree. We try to keep the backhands to a low-roar and focus on legitimate debate."...

I even threw a little nudge out for their participation...

"If someone from your press staff has a release or would like to keep people updated with schedules or daily activities, you could throw that stuff out at Political Wrinkles to help spread your message."

I must've threw out that spiel about 6 or 7 times...

That was the standard 2-second meeting except for the last guy...

After my "pitch", he said "Are you a registered voter?"...I said "Yup...Republican."...

Apparently, this guy had his OWN pitch to throw at ME...

"Are you happy with the last 8 years?" I was asked...

I decided to play coy..."Nope"...

"Then you're a Republican voting for Obama?"...

"Nope...I'm probably gonna end up holding my nose and voting McCain."...

"Why would you do that after 8 years of not being happy with what Bush has done?"

I decided to break out the rain for his parade...

"Because I TOLERATE what he's done because Bush did what NEEDED to be done. On a scale of 1-10 I put him at a 3 or 4, but I also know that if it were Gore or Kerry it would been a solid 1...And when the options are "sucks" and "sucks worse" normal people will go with "sucks" every time."(I've written that last line quite a few times on multiple forums over the years)...

It wasn't confrontational...It wasn't agressive...But he knew a "Can I get you to switch?" angle was dead in the water and I think he knew he wasn't deling with an average non-politico...

Instead of looking for angles, he went with opinion questions...I didn't give him any fodder...

"What did you think about the McCain speech?"

"It wasn't bad...nothing too up or too down...It probably would've worked better if he was talking BEFORE Palin, but no campaign would ever do that."

"What did you think of her speech?"

"It did what was needed...It was an official introduction to the country and showed everyone she was girl on your block you can relate to...Nice breath of fresh air."

I may be wrong, but after each answer he'd pause and nod his head like he was thinking "OK...Now what do I have to do to find the opening in his armor?"...

We wouldn't find out...Biden was wrapping it up inside and the guy I was talking to had to get into one of the 7 or 8 SUVs (not very green IMO). Didn't even bother to shake my hand...

I saw Governor Ed Rendell...He's Palin-like in that he's the guy next door and you can relate to him...I've said "Hi" to him a few times before...

"Hello Governor"...

"Heeey! How ya doin'?" (BIIIIG handshake...One of those "I'll shake your hand while I put my other hand over yours" kind)...

"I'm doin' good"...

"Great...man it's hot out here!"...

I WANTED to say "Maybe it's all of these SUVs idling with the air conditioners on and the windows down causing all of this global warming...Not very green IMO."

But I digressed...

"Sure is" I replied...

"I'll see ya later!" he said as he walked away...He's always been a nice guy...Must have some Republican blood in him somewhere...

I went back to standing under the shade of a tree when Captain Hairplugs himself came out...he was surrounded by Secret Service and media...the guy up front was walking backwards with a huge microphone-on-a-stick 10 feet long...

I wasn't positioned for a handshake...I was about 15 feet away and I was on the other side of the SUV he was gonna get into...I could walk up to him and maybe "try" to break through the mess, but I decided not to bother...

He got into the SUV that was idling with the air conditioner on the whole time (Not very green IMO). He was sitting there for a few seconds and then noticed me (He was sitting by the window on my side)...he pointed forward like he was a general leading a charge and then gave me a thumbsup...

I just waved non-chalantly and mouthed "Hey Senator"...he returned the small wave with one of his own...and then they were off...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

There you go, folks. A day in the life of CNRedd at a Dunkin' Donuts shop in the city of brotherly love. Geez, I wish San Diego had a Dunkin' Donuts shop.

If they could put one in Seoul, So. Korea, why not San Diego?

I guess I have to travel to the Washington, DC area to find a few Dunkin Donuts shop, where lots of politicians can have two donuts with coffee.

This was on Biden's schedule...

"Go to Philly...Visit diner..."Point forward like a general leading a charge and give cnredd a thumbsup."...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

Hey Redd, Is that the same dunkin donuts u used to work at when u were a kid?

One and the same...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

I once shook hands with Persident Nixon following the GOP convention in 1972. San Diego was supposed to have hosted it, but I guess the operator of the sports arena had other ideas, since he was Canadian himself.

It was ironic. We boarded buses at the sports arena, which took us to the airport. When we arrived there, there were some willy nilly protestors.

The convention was moved to Miami, sight of the 1968 GOP convention. A day after the 1972 GOP convention ended, Nixon's plane and entourage landed at Lindbergh Field. With him was California's Lt. Governor. After getting off his presidential plane, Nixon walked on the tarmac and came up to what is now the commuter terminal.

After giving a speech, which we chanted "four more years", he went to the gate and shook hands with those who were close to the close to the gate. After shaking my hands, the Lt. Gov. did the same, too. He had a hard handshake. His name was Ed Reinecke.

Inventory of the Lieutenant Governor Records

And who was the governor of California at that time? It wasn't Moonbeam Brown, but the man who replaced his father: Ronald Reagan.

After the rally, the protestors were inside a police paddy wagon, waiting to be carted off to the pokey. One of them kept crying to be released. Oh well.

While waiting for my coffee in the DD drive-thru, I was thinking..."Wouldn't it have been funny if I just caused a ruckus?"...

The media was there, so I coulda just yelled out anything and got some attention...

Even funnier if I yelled something insane...

"Biden doesn't support Stargate:Atlantis!...Vote for the galactic free trade agreements!"...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

Well, if that had happened and the police nabbed you, we'd all be seeing red. Stargate Atlantis? Don't you think you know where you might be headed? Into space? We here don't want to see you get lost in space. LOL

I'm halfway there highway...I'm halfway there...

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"You get the respect that you give" - cnredd

At least he didn't pull the car salesman pitch. "Whats it gonna take to get you in this car today? Before he was famous lately my wife sat and chatted with Biden at a book store. He is a regular guy.

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