Sorry, Hillary...
When the phone rings at 3am ...
It's Barack Obama, and he's picking Joe Biden.
My initial response? I'd rather have Biden as VP, visiting foreign funerals, than continuing to frustrate me in the Senate, where there's a lot of talk and not enough action, and some of it is awful, like the bankruptcy bill.
He'll make a good, witty, 'attack dog' on the campaign trail ('noun, verb and 9/11' was his). He's far more of a 'straight talker' than McCain even was. He'll appeal to older voters, and make a lot of people who weren't comfortable with Obama feel that it's safe to vote for him.
People on the left will be disappointed by the pick of an establishment guy like Biden, and some will cry that it destroys Obama's claim to be a candidate of change. I sympathize, but I also recognize that Obama will need to be elected to effect change, and I think Biden helps that. Plus, if people haven't twigged by now to the idea that, while inspirational and revolutionary, Obama is a pragmatic moderate (of the old school variety), I can't help them.
Biden has some advantages. He's well-known, so the campaign won't have to spend time introducing him, except perhaps to highlight his personal life story, which shames McCain on the 'family values' front. The media folks like him, and he has established relationships with the DC talking heads, who might decide that Joe Biden is actually the straight-talking, nice guy pol they thought McCain was before he starting lying during this campaign, opening room for them to admit that McCain is a cranky hothead who shouldn't be let near the nuclear launch codes. Plus, since he already has a reputation for gaffes, any future gaffe will be seen as Biden's mistake, and not Obama's.
Beyond the campaign, Biden actually does do a lot of reading, he's smart and plain spoken, and he knows a heck of a lot about a lot of things. He'll be a good person to have in the cabinet room during policy discussions, and Obama can benefit from having his experience. It makes sense.
Obama already has the corner on the inspirational change agent bit - Biden balances the ticket.
It's Barack Obama, and he's picking Joe Biden.
My initial response? I'd rather have Biden as VP, visiting foreign funerals, than continuing to frustrate me in the Senate, where there's a lot of talk and not enough action, and some of it is awful, like the bankruptcy bill.
He'll make a good, witty, 'attack dog' on the campaign trail ('noun, verb and 9/11' was his). He's far more of a 'straight talker' than McCain even was. He'll appeal to older voters, and make a lot of people who weren't comfortable with Obama feel that it's safe to vote for him.
People on the left will be disappointed by the pick of an establishment guy like Biden, and some will cry that it destroys Obama's claim to be a candidate of change. I sympathize, but I also recognize that Obama will need to be elected to effect change, and I think Biden helps that. Plus, if people haven't twigged by now to the idea that, while inspirational and revolutionary, Obama is a pragmatic moderate (of the old school variety), I can't help them.
Biden has some advantages. He's well-known, so the campaign won't have to spend time introducing him, except perhaps to highlight his personal life story, which shames McCain on the 'family values' front. The media folks like him, and he has established relationships with the DC talking heads, who might decide that Joe Biden is actually the straight-talking, nice guy pol they thought McCain was before he starting lying during this campaign, opening room for them to admit that McCain is a cranky hothead who shouldn't be let near the nuclear launch codes. Plus, since he already has a reputation for gaffes, any future gaffe will be seen as Biden's mistake, and not Obama's.
Beyond the campaign, Biden actually does do a lot of reading, he's smart and plain spoken, and he knows a heck of a lot about a lot of things. He'll be a good person to have in the cabinet room during policy discussions, and Obama can benefit from having his experience. It makes sense.
Obama already has the corner on the inspirational change agent bit - Biden balances the ticket.
posted by Paul at 9:05 AM |
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