This is Somewhat Scary

From The LA Times we have this item on Vice President Joe Biden, "Biden is a linchpin of Obama's presidency".

Facing a revived Republican Party, the White House is expected to increasingly deploy the vice president and former senator to find compromises and coax reluctant lawmakers into crossing party lines.

While I think this will be helpful to the current Administration, I will speak a work of caution, which is that, notwithstanding the words out of the White House, the Vice President is NOT part of the Administration:

Biden recognizes he needs to watch himself.  His staff has said that he tries to remember that he speaks for the executive branch and no longer has a senator's license to say whatever's on his mind.

He is and needs to be his own person.  One good reason (and this is an example and not a reflection of my views on the current President) for that is if the Senate convicts an impeached President, we don't want the Vice President so deeply entwined with the President that he is gone at the same time or shortly thereafter.  Like any good member of his own party, he should be supporting and protecting his President.  But, the Vice President should understand that there are limits.  It would be good to move the Vice President's budget back to the US Senate, where it belongs, as it is where he belongs.

Regards  —  Cliff