Biden just might not be so bad

Re “Joe Biden’s just a barrel of gaffes,” Current, Feb. 4

Jonathan Chait tells us that Delaware Sen. Joe Biden has no chance of becoming our president. He utters too many gaffes to warrant serious consideration. Chait also says he has “tons of respect” for Biden and that he’d do a terrific job as president. So Biden is verbose. On occasion that gets him into a little trouble, but it also suggests an openness more likely to be absent in limited, circumspect expressions.

Chait should have at least mentioned the real problem here: the average voter’s use of faulty criteria to judge candidates. It is the undue emphasis on appearance, personality and an unrealistic expectation of good behavior at all times. Perhaps we should recognize our own weaknesses and assess our strengths, and then set the bar for our political leaders. I suspect Biden would soar over it.

DEWEY WASSER

Thousand Oaks