OK, I’ll admit it–I’m obsessed. The Familiar Stranger has swept me off my feet! And I’m beginning to wonder if there are other ladies like me out there. Ladies who yearn to hear sweet nothings in their ears. Sweet nothings that LAY THE HAMMER ON GRANDPA McANGRYPANTS, for example.

The Familiar Stranger arrives in town. At first, no one really notices him because they think they’ve seen him around.

[We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog for this ESB News Update:]

Joe Biden is on Twitter.

Repeat. Joe Biden is on Twitter.

[We now return to our regularly scheduled blog, currently in progress.]

Then the people start turning their heads as he passes by on the street. Is it the blazer with the natty pocket square? The jaunty step? As they go about their business, they see their friends, their neighbors gathering around him, nodding, then laughing, then clapping.

He shows up at the labor gatherings.

He shows up at the hall of fame.

And today, he shows up at the ladies gatherings:

He also mentioned the likely impact a president would have on the Supreme Court, with as many as four justices possibly being replaced, ones Biden said would likely be those “who have been the last bulwark against the onslaught of women’s rights.”

“What do John and Sarah Palin say? They say that they want to appoint more Scalias, more Roberts, more Alitos,” Biden said. “These are decent, bright guys, but they are dead, dead, dead wrong. And ladies, once they are on the court, they will be there long after, long after the next president is gone.”[Emphasis added.]

And now my hometown paper answers my schoolgirl crush prayers with this Tiger Beat of an article on the top of the website:

Meanwhile, the Other No. 2 Keeps On Punching

Let’s see how the article begins:

FLAT ROCK, Mich. — As the economy reels, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. — the Other Running Mate — has been absolutely butchering Senator John McCain across the Rust Belt this week. It is not clear who has noticed.

WTF!

Who’s noticed? Who’s noticed! Well, New York Fucking Times, I have an answer for you. I’ve noticed. Prematurely Grey has noticed. I’ve been drooling over You Tube clips of this guy all week. I’ve been cruising Daily Kos, just hoping to catch a glimpse of him. I’ve been emailing my friends, trying to get them to want to sleep with him.

And you know who else noticed? You did. Yes, you, fucking hypocritical New York Times. Acting so clever with you little lede? Who’s noticing?

Hey, wait. Are you trying to change the subject here? Are you picking up the remote for all those New York Times readers (the ones who just drool over the paper on Saturday)? Are you going to put that picture of Joe raising a fist, like maybe he’s going to violate the law he stakes his reputation as a senator on and give Sarah Palin a beat down if she comes anywhere near this crowd, Joe’s crowd, on the front page tomorrow morning?*

To hell with Holy Rosary v. St Elizabeth’s in 1951. I guess the Familiar Stranger heard his father’s words once again this week. Joey, if nothing’s broken son, get up.

*Hey, it looks like this guy beat me to the punch…