Biden predicted Obama's "genius"

22/04/2009

President "a cross between Denzel Washington and Franklin Roosevelt"

US Vice President Joe Biden described Barack Obama as “a cross between Denzel Washington and Franklin Roosevelt” The Big Issue has learned.

Biden predicted Obama – “a genius” - would win the Democrats’ nomination as far back as October 2007, according to his old friend Neil Kinnock.

Lord Kinnock and VP Biden became pals after the gaffe-prone US Senator was caught up in a plagiarism row in 1988. Biden withdrew his bid to become President because of the similarity of one of his speeches to a Kinnock speech from the same year.

However, the pair became close and Kinnock told The Big Issue in Scotland about a conversation in Washington D.C. when Biden was still in the Presidential race. “I remember speaking to Joe and him saying it was going to be Barack Obama up against John McCain. He said: “You can put money on it – Obama’s a genius.”

“I said: “What kind of genius? Like who?” He said: “Well, there isn’t one person I could compare him to, but he’s like a cross between Denzel Washington and Franklin Roosevelt.”

Kinnock, who attended Obama’s inauguration in January, said Biden could take the top seat, should he be required. “He’s an immensely tough and intelligent guy, and he could fulfil the role should the unthinkable happen. I think Obama knew that when he picked Joe for the job.”