On Friday, January 4, an online petition was created on the official White House website asking for a C-SPAN series featuring Vice-President Joe Biden. It was apparently inspired by positive reactions around the Internet to a Senate swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, January 3.
Biden won the hearts and minds of many people on Twitter and other social media sites by joking around with the senators and their families. Peter Weber of The Week compiled a list of some of Biden's best one-liners.
According to Weber, "Fresh off his big win negotiating the country away from the fiscal cliff, Vice President Joe Biden posed and schmoozed with new and returning senators on Thursday, ceremonially re-enacting for the cameras their earlier swearing in.
"And it was clearly 'the Biden show in the Old Senate Chamber,' says Rachel Rose Hartman at Yahoo News. In his role as president of the Senate, the vice president 'turned himself into a one-man welcoming committee for the newly elected senators in the way only Biden could accomplish.'"
Donovan Slack of Politico provided more details about the petition.
According to Slack, "A day after Vice President Joe Biden 'killed it' on C-SPAN2, a new White House petition asks the Obama administration to approve the filming of a regular C-SPAN show starring the veep.
"'Vice President Joe Biden has a demonstrated ability to bring people together, whether at the negotiating table or at the neighborhood diner," writes the creator "Nathan B." of Washington, D.C. "We, therefore, urge the Obama Administration to authorize the production of a recurring C-SPAN television program featuring the daily activities and interactions of the Vice President with elected officials, foreign dignitaries and everyday American families.
"'Such a program would educate the American public about the duties and responsibilities of their Vice President, while providing a glimpse of the lighthearted side of politics even in the midst of contentious and divisive national debates.'
"Biden's appearance on C-SPAN2 greeting families and swearing in new senators set Twitter abuzz as he made off-hand jokes -- 'Spread your legs, you’re about to be frisked.' -- and flirted -- 'Your smile lights up the room.'"
The idea of Biden getting his own reality show may horrify people in the greater Spokane area who voted for Mitt Romney. However, the consensus of several online news sites is that the show could be hilarious to viewers even if they don't agree with the vice-president.
According to Jason Linkins of The Huffington Post, "Please note with care that I did not say that Americans of all political persuasions like Joe Biden or agree with Joe Biden -- simply that they enjoy watching Joe Biden.
"His most ardent fans love his lack of filter and his giddy panache. His fiercest critics love watching out for those moments where he shoots from the hip and ends up in Gaffe Town. And Biden himself clearly just likes flirting with old ladies and getting high-fives and hugs.
"So, I think this makes the case for having a camera on Joe Biden at all times, because he is sort of a cross between America's fun uncle and a one-man basket of Shiba Inu Puppies learning to walk for the first time."
According to Alex Fitzpatrick of Mashable, the petition needs 25,000 signatures to get a response from the White House. As of 8:35 PST on Friday, the petition already had 872 online signatures. People have until February 3 to add their names to the total.
It will be interesting to see what happens if the goal of 25,000 signatures is reached. Will Biden become a reality television star? Will there be spin offs and similar shows such as "Real Housewives Married to Lobbyists" or "Breaking John Boehner"? Bravo is probably already making deals with Washington D.C. movers and shakers.
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