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Player of the Week: Joe Biden
By The Hill Editors - 03/15/11 06:22 AM ET
Vice President Biden has a big week.
As the lead negotiator for Democrats on the budget, there is a lot of pressure on Biden to secure a good deal for the Obama administration.
But he also must soothe some Democrats on Capitol Hill who were irritated with his trip abroad last week. Several of them told The Hill that the long-scheduled jaunt to Finland, Russia and Moldova posed a significant obstacle to ironing out a bipartisan deal.
Even though Biden called GOP leaders from Air Force Two, negotiating from thousands of miles away is not the same as doing it face to face.
Democratic leaders in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.), say they do not want to keep funding the government two or three weeks at a time.
Yet, another stopgap bill will probably become law this week because there is insufficient time to strike a long-term deal before the extant continuing resolution expires after Friday.
Senior administration officials, including Jack Lew and Gene Sperling, made the rounds last week on Capitol Hill, but they don't have the stature of Biden.
The amicable Biden has the gravitas to push back against Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). He also has strong relationships with many Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Biden helped push economic stimulus and healthcare bills to passage during the last Congress. The former senator also played an important role ironing out the tax-cut deal that the left hated in the lame-duck session.
After that tax accord was announced, Biden took a lot of heat from House Democrats. In a closed-door meeting with the caucus at the time, he stayed longer than scheduled, listening as Democratic lawmakers vented their frustrations. Congressional Democrats are still praising Biden for how he carried himself during that meeting.
Now Biden's job is to make sure that the second short-term continuing resolution will be the last one before a comprehensive deal is struck.

http://thehill.com/component/content/article/72-opinion/149457-player-of-the-week-vice-president-joe-biden