Joe Biden wants you to respect his intellect

From GQ's July profile on the vice president, we learn that Joe Biden is a sensitive guy who feels like his intelligence is grossly under-appreciated...

GQ's Jeanne Marie Laskas writes (edited slightly for profanity):

"What should I say about you that people don't know?" I ask him.

It's a foolish question, especially for Joe Biden, the guy who is about a Hillary Clinton away from the White House. He's just Joe. What you see is what you get.

But that is not what he says. Nor does he go charging athletically forth with a muscular show of words. It's the one time he answers with long stretches of silence.

"My entire career," he says. "I have never, ever, ever... Like the joke with Barack. Well, not a joke. But to make the point: When he offered me the job, I said, 'I'm not wearing any funny hats.'"

He doesn't wear funny hats. He is not the guy with the lampshade on his head. Listen, folks, he has no desire to put a f*****g lampshade on his head. He is not that guy.

"People make jokes," I say.

"It's about ideas," he says, then stops himself. He's holding his aviators, twirling. It goes awkwardly on like this.

"I have read as much or know as much about foreign policy, domestic policy," he says. "Remember all that talk about the debate? How the other guy"—Paul Ryan—"was supposed to be the numbers guy and knew all the detail? Remember? Listen, I look forward to those kinds of things—"

He falls silent again. We pass a basketball court, kids playing.

"I never speak about anything I don't know a great deal about," he says. "That I haven't worked like hell for. But that's not what you'd expect. You might expect Clinton to do that.... Well, I shouldn't. I'm getting—" He looks out the window. He is not going to do this. He is not going to stoop or beg for respect.