The VP

Vice President Biden came by the Embassy today and met with a group of Embassy staff in the morning.  His speech was at the exact same moment that the Auburn-Oregon game was in its final minutes.  I know this because I was watching the game on the big screen TV in the office next to ours.  Plus, we figured the reason he was running late was that he was probably watching the game.  I guess he wasn't.  Our office was allocated a certain number of slots, plus one for the head.  I gave up my slot, because I've met VP Biden before.  Heck, I've been in a 9-on-9 meeting with him with the Czech cabinet.  I've been at a lunch roundtable with him.  So I decided, even before I realized the game was on, to give my slot to someone in our office who probably hasn't had a chance to meet him yet.  For the people I nominated I used a simple rule: the people who had served in Afghanistan the longest were the ones who got to attend.  Plus our office management specialist.  Nobody ever includes the OMS in things, so I thought she should be included.  So I have no photos of the VP or of the speech.  I didn't hear what he said.  But I did get to see the last half of the fourth quarter of the game, though.  I thought the one Auburn guy was down with his wrist on the ground and the play should have been stopped on the play that was reviewed.  But no matter; I didn't really care who won.  One guy watching the game next to me said, "Auburn deserved to win.  They're the best team money can buy."