AP Says Obama Has Picked Joe Biden

[Belegon]

A choice that seems to be directed at countering McCain's perceived strengths, Foreign Policy and Experience.

I think it is a somewhat defensive gameplan, this choice. Which is not to say it is a wrong one. A strong defense is important.

I don't know that much about Biden, other than the general stuff. Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, strong in the party, has been in the senate for more than 30 years. A Catholic senator with blue collar roots.

What are the thoughts on this selection here in the AH?

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I'm not happy. Biden has tons of experience so he fits Obama in that regard, but for me he has the scent of a loser about him. Has had his hat in the ring for president a bunch of times, had to withdraw from one race over a plagiarism issue. The man has hair plugs.

He's very knowledgeable about Washington and he'll probably act as Obama's attack dog in what looks like it's going to be an extremely nasty campaign. He also should bring in a lot of blue collar votes. He's just not exactly who you'd pick for your Dream Team, but I suppose that's the whole point. One superstar's enough.

 

[Pure]

biden has publically lied on several occasions and makes an easy target. he once said he graduated in the top half of his law school class, when he was infact near the bottom. i hope the choice is bayh.

ADDED: The Los Angeles Times says it's Biden.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-biden23-2008aug23,0,7564344.story

good articles on this topic are

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/08/the_case_against_joe_biden.html

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpa...1575AC0A961948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print
--

ADDED: Biden has an 'up' side, of course, in the area of foreign policy, and does not hesitate to take on McCain.

 

[sweetness6280]

I'm not thrilled with the choice either. I understand the need to play to McCain's strengths, but I would have much preferred that Obama stay the course for CHANGE. Biden seems like a concession to old school Dems. Experience does not equal competence.

I agree with the good Dr... Biden reeks of loser. Not at all who I envisioned Obama would pick.

But what do I know...

 

[Safe_Bet]

One word description of Biden: Ewwwwwww!

 

[impressive]

I'm disappointed.

 

[Liar]

So who did you guys want?

 

[impressive]

So who did you guys want?

It's not so much a WHO as a WHAT. I want our presidential candidates to select their running mates based on their ability to do the job as opposed to their ability to help them get elected. If the latter wasn't a serious concern, I doubt Obama would've chosen as he did.

Biden will help Obama get elected 'cause he will be a calming influence to the swing voters who believe the office of the president needs to be filled by an old white guy. Biden's been around a long time. He will mitigate concerns about "the junior senator" and about Ivy League elitism (since his college record ain't that shiny).

However, the campaign needs to keep him from speaking. He's prone to bonehead remarks:

“I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”



All told, I think McCain has a more difficult choice to make. I'm sure he's feeling the pressure to NOT have an old white guy as his running mate. His options -- without looking like a total hypocrite (again) -- are limited.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I'd say the position is above his pay grade.

Obama is the most liberal dem candidate since McGovern (who at least was a war hero and culturally a plain midwestern kind of guy).

How to balance that ticket?

How about a northeast liberal senator-for-life!

NOT.

~~~~

Prediction: Obama will get creamed because America is not liberal.

 

[impressive]

Obama is the most liberal dem candidate since McGovern...

It's funny, 'cause before Obama announced his candidacy, the talk was that he was not "liberal enough" for the liberals. That he was too centrist, too open to compromise.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

It's funny, 'cause before Obama announced his candidacy, the talk was that he was not "liberal enough" for the liberals. That he was too centrist, too open to compromise.

His voting record is the most liberal. He's made bipartisan noises during his career but when opportunities arose to act on them he has never done so, not once. A supporter was recently asked to name one instance in which he had acted counter to Dem party orthodoxy and could not name one.

When he announced the speculation was mostly about whether he could prevail in a dem primary environment dominated by the angy left. Now he's in a general - a very different animal, and he knows it: Witness the dizzying pace at which he's rushed back to the middle, rhetorically.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

His voting record is the most liberal. He's made bipartisan noises during his career but when opportunities arose to act on them he has never done so, not once. A supporter was recently asked to name one instance in which he had acted counter to Dem party orthodoxy and could not name one.

When he announced the speculation was mostly about whether he could prevail in a dem primary environment dominated by the angy left. Now he's in a general - a very different animal, and he knows it: Witness the dizzying pace at which he's rushed back to the middle, rhetorically.

The question is, what does America hate more: Liberalism or the status quo?

 

[rgraham666]

Why does it have to chose?

Hatred is such a wonderful feeling. Why not avail yourself of as many sources of it as possible.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Some Biden quotes that the GOP will enjoy using;

"Obama is not ready to be president."

"I've been calling for more troops for over two years, along with John McCain and others subsequent to my saying that." -- Meet the Press, November 27, 2005

"The only guy on the other side who's qualified is John McCain." -- MSNBC, October 30, 2007

"John McCain is a personal friend, a great friend, and I would be honored to run with or against John McCain, because I think the country would be better off" -- The Daily Show, August 2, 2005

Roxanne is surely right. Biden - who voted for the Iraq war - brings a fragile carapace of foreign affairs awareness and a whole load of negative and unwanted baggage.

Could be Obama's Dan Quayle moment.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Addendum to my previous:

If I'm right that Obama will lose because he's too far outside the mainstream in a leftist direction, naturally I won't regret that outcome from an ideological point of view. That said, his candidacy represents a magnificient cultural moment - the first black major-party candidate for president. Like probably everyone else here I will regret that particular aspect not coming to fruition.

How different things would be if Colin Powell were the first black candidate! Ideologically he's almost indistiguishable from McCain. Like McCain he's a centrist with an impressive biography - probably more impressive than McCain's.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

The question is, what does America hate more: Liberalism or the status quo?

False choice: Bush is not running.

 

[snap1415]

Biden's a sort of mainstream Anglo-Saxon-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.
He'll do well.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Yep, Obama screwed up picking Biden. I was thinking Kaine of Virginia.

It will be interesting to see if McSame chooses Lieberman, a Democrat as VP. I might force myself to vote for Lieberman and hope a house drops on Captain Queeg.

I think the election is McBush's to lose. Obama is the interesting debutante this season.

 

[impressive]

False choice: Bush is not running.

See, now that's where you're wrong. Bush -- the person -- may be out, but perpetuation of his philosophies (*snerk*) and methods are where status quo applies.

 

[desertslave]

Having lived in a neighbor state (PA) for most of my life, I've always thought Biden was a good guy and a skilled senator. For that reason, I'm unhappy with Obama's choice. I'd rather see Biden stay in the senate where he can actually continue to be useful.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Ha! Biden will stay in the Senate. Obama's gonna carry DC and Mississippi and Illinois, and go back to the Senate, too.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

See, now that's where you're wrong. Bush -- the person -- may be out, but perpetuation of his philosophies (*snerk*) and methods are where status quo applies.

Well, that's your story and stick to it, but I don't think it's going to sell. McCain will be perceived by the public as what he his - a centrist who has bucked his party on lots of issues (the wrong issues in my view, but that's a different discussion).

 

[Belegon]

Having lived in a neighbor state (PA) for most of my life, I've always thought Biden was a good guy and a skilled senator. For that reason, I'm unhappy with Obama's choice. I'd rather see Biden stay in the senate where he can actually continue to be useful.

I've seen this a few times. So, while it is true that he would not be representing a particular state as VP...

How is becoming the President of the Senate LEAVING?

Regardless of my beliefs about whether or not Joe Biden is the best possible choice for Obama, I do think that the majority of the things a good VP can accomplish revolve around being the voice of the executive branch in the hallways of the capitol.

So, while Biden may not be sponsoring legislation or making speeches on C-span, plus only voting to break a tie, he will still be involved.

 

[3113]

I'm not thrilled with the choice either. I understand the need to play to McCain's strengths, but I would have much preferred that Obama stay the course for CHANGE. Biden seems like a concession to old school Dems. Experience does not equal competence.

Well, neither does inexperience which is what Obama is trying to counter.

I think I agree that Obama doesn't need another superstar. He needs someone who will play second fiddle, who will be his guard dog, who will chat him up, and allow him to stay above the fray. He doesn't need anyone to help him shine, so much as he needs someone to take on the bullies who are trying to derail him, so he can concentrate on other things.

I do wonder if McCain, should he decide on Elizabeth Dole, will steal away women who feel betrayed by Obama for picking another good old' white man. McCain would get it both ways in that instance--he's the old white man the status quo want, but he gets votes from women who feel the Dems copped out on that score.

As for the job itself, what job? Cheney has been the most powerful VP ever, but usually all the VP does is break tie votes in the Senate and wait in the wings in case the president dies. He is, ultimately, as weak or powerful as the president wishes him to be--the president can give him a lot of power or none. I think few people will see Obama as likely to cede as much power to Biden as Bush did to Cheney. So Obama can make use of Biden's good points to help win the election, without the bad points bringing him too far down because Biden isn't going to be in power (hey, he can't even influence the Senate where he will preside!)--unless something happens to Obama.

I'm sure plenty of people are wondering about assassination in Obama's case--still, he's young and healthy, not the oldest potential president ever like McCain, so they may feel that Biden is less likely to end up President than McCain's running mate.

 

[Belegon]

Well, that's your story and stick to it, but I don't think it's going to sell. McCain will be perceived by the public as what he his - a centrist who has bucked his party on lots of issues (the wrong issues in my view, but that's a different discussion).

The key to this statement is that this is what YOU perceive McCain to be.... I disagree.

5% is not "lots of issues". McCain has voted with Bush 95% of the time. And the reputation he has for going against the party in public cuts both ways. Although John is doing everything he can to march to the right drummer now, even voting against his own bill a few weeks ago. He also has been hiring proteges of the current gang like a trophy wife at a Nordstoms Sale with a new credit limit.

The places John McCain challenges the "status quo" on are rapidly disappearing. They've disappeared almost as fast as my respect for him. Because I did respect him once, before he started transforming himself.