Sunday, August 24, 2008

BIDEN !

I’m thrilled. I supported Biden’s bid in ’88, met him on the Amtrak train (and he wants better trains in the USA), and adored him since Bork.

Why Biden is a Good Choice
  1. His genuineness - this dovetails well with Obama's quest to restore faith in government and governing. So even Biden gaffes will serve Obama's campaign.
  2. His demographics - He is Catholic, middle class and older folks (women especially) like him. All areas that can only boost Obama's numbers. There is already talk of how much he helps Obama in FL.
  3. His knowledge - this is not just in the area of foreign policy but also in the area of the judiciary. It is because of Joe Biden that the court is 4-4 - and then tie breaker Kennedy. His instrumental role in defeating Bork led the way to Souter being on the bench. Roe would have already been overturned if not for Biden (which is a peculiar irony since he was against Roe in the early 80s. Any jurist will tell you it is a poorly reasoned decision, but it's also because Biden is Catholic and is personally pro-life).
  4. His likability - particularly amid his Republican colleagues (see below). He was one of the gang of 8 - which keep the filibuster alive. This helps Obama's message of change away from partisan politics. And he is funny.
  5. His bull-doggedness - He can deliver zingers and still be liked. I've watched him in lots and lots of congressional hearings. He is a very smart lawyer and can turn people around in their thoughts until they can't think straight. He tells it straight. He'll be a terrific attack dog.
The VP Debate & Likely GOP Pick: And well, I can hardly wait until Thursday October 2nd at 8 pm when Biden will debate (hopefully Romney). Romney’s head will be spinning more than the exorcist baby (and every Republican will be throwing up). Should be a pay per view event.
Word is that McCain will pick Romney. Doesn’t matter – Biden knows more and debates better than most public servants. Like Obama, Biden teaches law school too.
From Politico’s Playbook Saturday morning:
The officials say Sen. Barack OBAMA’s choice of Sen. Joe Biden finished off any remaining chance for youthful Minnesota Gov. Tim PAWLENTY to be on the GOP ticket. “Can you imagine what Biden would do to Pawlenty in the debate?” asked one top Republican. “It would just be sad.”

BREAKING: The GOP officials say that besides Romney, another apparent finalist McCain was believed to be pondering at his Arizona cabin this weekend was retired general Colin POWELL. But based on the blowback from the senator’s trial balloon, most McCain aides think Powell’s support of abortion rights would make that idea a non-starter.
Hmmm – hung on their own petard. Not only that – Powell is privately supports Obama. Just 2 weeks ago, public speculation that Powell would endorse Obama lit up.

Other GOP Senators support Obama's choice: There is also widely quoted support on the pick from Rep. Senators Lugar and Hagel. (Yeah!). Apparently – Lugar recommended Biden to Obama. Watch Caroline Kennedy today on Meet the Press. Maybe she'll confirm that.

Timing of Announcement and Hillary: Texts arrived at 3 am – hmmm – like that “3 am phone call” McCain campaign suggests this is a dig at Hillary (if that’s true, it’s more a dig at Bill, since he approved that ad – see Josh Green in Atlantic). I actually heard someone going on and on at how this pick was a dig at Hillary. Turned out she was a Republican stirring up trouble.
Let's be clear - Biden REALLY has 35 years of experience. New Republic's Nate Silver suggests that Biden Can Out Hillary Hillary.

And can do it without
  • a. alienating independents
  • b. the Clinton baggage and
  • c. without alienating Obama's new base - the young who loathe Hillary.
In fact, timing was driven by the fact the news broke at 1 am on the internet. Plan was for them to arrive around 7 am.

What The Ability To Keep a Secret Means:
I do think that the fact that Obama’s campaign was able to keep this under wraps and in their control, bodes well for their ability to govern. They do what they say they’re going to do and can get it done.
Biggest Reason Biden Was Picked
he can get it done. Obama, above, all else is a pragmatist. This quality is one of 3 highlighted on the campaign web site:

Barack has chosen Joe Biden to be his running mate. Joe Biden brings extensive foreign policy experience, an impressive record of collaborating across party lines, and a direct approach to getting the job done.

My favorite remark (from an Atlantic reader)
Thank God, it's Biden. Love the guy, love the pairing. Can't wait to see them together. I'm thinking it's like Astaire and Kelly, two equal but different talents. Elegant cool versus muscular earthy.
Now Lord, please give us Romney.
And I very highly recommend the current issue of The Atlantic – three GREAT piece on the campaign –
  1. an outstanding piece on the upcoming debates Rhetorical Questions by James Fallows – the guy who predicted the mess in Baghdad in "The 51st State" and wrote Blind Into Baghdad,
  2. Josh Green's riveting and revealing summary of the missteps of the Clinton campaign in The Front-Runner's Fall and
  3. a thoughtful piece on who can really bring unity to Washington by Ron Brownstein - Reconcilable Differences
First Biden Mis-speak (from Politico)- “Barack America” – which isn’t exactly off message.

Best Ticket Nickname
(also from Politico)
OVERHEARD: One reporter says her 9 -year-old refers to the ticket as “BoJo.” (Hat tip: Greektown)

1 comment:

Ted said...

Despite the Dems and the allied main stream media’s desperation to see Romney as McCain’s Veep, Mitt is clearly out, with (1) Obama doubling down on the class warfare theme (McCain’s 7 houses) and (2) McCain doubling down with ads showing the hypocrisy of Biden attacking Obama in the primaries — Romney did way more than that contra McCain.

This leaves only Govs Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty. Pro-abortion Ridge and Dem-Lieberman were never real considerations, despite relentless media goading. Pawlenty’s lackluster TV performances, coupled with Palin pizzazz, the primacy of oil drilling and the ticked off women/Hillary voters, does now portend a McCain/Palin checkmate on the Dems. This is so albeit the Dems and liberal media dare not mention Palin’s name, that is, everyone but…..

And if there’s any question as to Palin being uniquely positioned and able to more than nullify Biden in debate, see the excellent discussion at palinforvp.blogspot.com

Team McCain, well done!!!