August 23, 2008
It's Biden

At long last, we have an answer.


Barack Obama has ended an intense and highly secretive search for a vice-presidential nominee by settling on Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware--a choice calculated to offset some of the weaknesses in Obama's own resume and produce a ticket that marries messages of change and experience.

Obama announced the pick on his Web site in the wee hours of Saturday morning with a photo of the two men and an appeal for donations. The much-awaited text message went out shortly afterward, reading: "Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee."

As I said before, I'm perfectly fine with this choice. I know there's going to be a lot written about Biden's foreign policy/defense credentials, which are formidable, and how they fill a gap for Obama, but there's another facet to him: he reinforces the recent narrative about the economy - he was born in Scranton, still commutes home daily via Amtrak, and is apparently the least wealthy person in the Senate. Imagine the contrast if McCain picks Mitt Romney as his running mate, for instance. Finally, Biden has a pretty strong record on progressive issues, and he's the kind of attack dog any Presidential candidate would like to have at his back. So, while not the most exciting pick ever, a pretty decent one.

Now who does McCain pick, and when does he make the pick? Speculate away in the comments.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on August 23, 2008 to The making of the President
Comments

I don't know about McCain, and I really don't care. My question is, and I saw this on the news this a.m., George S.(not going to try to spell his name) asked Biden in the debates, about Barack being ready, he claimed it was not an on the job training type job (pointing to Barack,) yes, yes, I have a question, how is he going to back track on that one? And for the record, and I totally agree with what you have to say about Biden, I think I've been secretly hoping for him. I've always liked Biden.

Posted by: Patty Pinkley on August 23, 2008 8:27 AM

I also like Biden and would prefer him at the top of the ticket; and I completely agree with Patty, the McCain campaign can now just run a series of commercials with the 3 most important Democrats (not including Barack) - Bill, Hillary and Biden all talking about how Obama is not up to the job. They really should be more careful how they go after each other in the primaries.

Posted by: Will B. on August 23, 2008 2:39 PM

Do McCain supporters not realize that similar videotape exists of Romney bad-mouthing McCain? And of Huckabee saying terrible things about Romney? They would have also said terrible things about Guiliani except that he was never a serious candidate in the first place and didn't merit their attention.

The issue is not what Biden said about Obama, but what McCain said about Bush. He loved the guy, supported him consistently, which is now a much bigger problem for the Republican Party.

Posted by: Dennis on August 23, 2008 3:07 PM

BIG disagreement on the Biden pick for VP. That guy is the ultimate Insider, how the heck can Obama sell people on "Change" when he goes with a longtime politico like Biden? I think the VP pick stinks, make Biden a Cabinet member, but this pick tells me that it wasn't Obama's decision, he was made to take this guy by the Party or Biden was owed a big favor by someone. Richardson would have been a great pick, as would have Kusinch.

On the McCain front, I agree with everyone else, since all the Repubs lambasted each other so much, they will have some funny soundbites to have re-aired by the Dems. The only one that makes sense to me is a Gingrich (uber-Conservative type) or dusting off a Jack Kemp type that no one has any dirt on and appeals to Moderates while not upsetting the Right Wing bombthrowers.

Posted by: TAN on August 23, 2008 5:52 PM
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