It's not Hillary. Not Evan. Not Tim. Joe got the #2 spot.
The Obama campaign announced that Senator Joe Biden from Delaware has been selected as his running mate. Joe beat the other contenders, NY Sen. Hillary Clinton, Indiana Sen. Evan Byah and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.
Joe brings major credentials to Obama's run for Presidency. The Senator - 65 - was elected to the senate in 1972, is currently serving his sixth term and wears the proud title of Delaware's longest-serving senator. Not only that, but he has a reputation as one of the best on foreign policy and currently heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Biden recently returned from a two-day trip to the Republic of Georgia after the invasion by Russian troops.
Not a bad resume, Biden. Actually pretty good...and definitely throws a punch at the McCain campaign's argument that Obama is weak on foreign policy. It also helps that Biden has strongly criticized Obama in the past. I think it adds credibility to the Obama ticket, because if a critic as strong as Biden has now deemed it worthy to join Obama and - in himself - addresses Obama's perceived gaps, that certainly erases some of the concerns persons have voiced about Obama's inexperience.
Here's what Joe has said about Obama:
In a debate during the democratic primary contest:
*Who among us is going to be able on day one to step in an end the war? Who among us understands what to do about Pakistan? Who among us is going to pick up the phone and immediately interface with Putin and tell him to lay off Georgia because Saakashvili is in real trouble. Who among us knows what they're doing? I have 35 years of experience"
During another debate, when moderator George Stephanopoulos referred to some of Biden's comments on Obama, Biden reconfirmed them:
* "You were asked, 'Is he ready?' You said, 'I think he can be ready, but right now, I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training,'" Stephanopoulos said. "I think I stand by that statement," Biden replied.
However, Senator Biden was quick to note in July that Obama's wisdom was better than McCain's war record. Biden said, "But 20 years of experience that has not been very solid in terms of projecting what was going to happen just doesn't make you a better commander-in-chief. We don't need as a commander-in-chief a war hero. John's a war hero. We need someone with some wisdom."
Of course the GOP will be digging up the dirt on Biden (as Obama's camp will do when McCain announces his running mate). But for now this is what Ben Porritt, McCain's campaign spokesman, had to say: "There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama's lack of experience than Joe Biden. Biden has denounced Barack Obama's poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing -- that Barack Obama is not ready to be president."
Again, I think it strengthens Obama's campaign that a former critic, and a very experienced and respected foreign policy veteran, has accepted Obama's offer to join as running mate.
What do you think about the Obama-Biden ticket?
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Quick Stats on Biden (courtesy of CNN)*Candidate status: Dropped out January 3, 2008
*Filed a statement of candidacy with the FEC on January 31, 2007
*States won: None
*Current job: U.S. senator from Delaware
*Birth date: November 20, 1942; Scranton, Pennsylvania
*Family: Married Jill Tracy Jacobs (1977-present); Neila Hunter (1966-1972, died). Children: Joseph "Beau"; Robert; Amy (1971-1972); Ashley (1981). Five grandchildren
*Religion: Roman Catholic
*Education: University of Delaware, B.A., 1965; Syracuse University, J.D., 1968
*Campaign Web site: http://www.joebiden.com/
10 comments:
Keri, you're spot on. Biden's creds on FP will maybe not silence the mccain supporters, but will undoubtedly be an effective counter.
If mccain picks romney, the debate will be something to watch, because romney is not a match for biden.
more significant, however -- compared to mccain -- it's biden's equality/superior FP cred that will make biden an effective attack-dog on mccain
after biden attacks mccain, we can predict that only gop true-believers will stick around to support mccain.
it's going to be fun watching.
Raymond,
Thanks for your comments. I agree...the race to November will likely be a lot more interesting than the race up to this point...and that is saying something!
I think Obama was right to focus on someone with strong foreign policy credentials...it's one of his biggest gaps, but nevermind that, over the next 4 years, we will need persons who have the ability to navigate the changing global world we are living in. The Obama-Biden ticket seems pretty solid. I can't wait to see who McCain picks!
I read in the Economist that the Democrats made a mistake picking their candidates...they think the best bet was an old white guy...Now they have that!
sejal, as an old white guy myself, i am looking forward to how the issue of mccain's age materializes. As silly as it seems, not being able to tell a questioner how many homes you own may be early signs of Alzheimer's?
let's hope not, of course -- and i speak as someone just a couple of months younger than mccain -- but mccain's so-called gaffes are both plentiful and potentially explosive.
(the press seems to be selective in its reporting of gaffes: obama gets full bore treatment, mccain's gaffes go virtually unreported. -- is that fair? of course not, but maybe it will change as biden is unleashed.)
my reason for picking age vs change is that i sense a divide emerging, a generational divide -- and coincidentally, passage from one century to another -- that will show us that a younger generation wishes to begin flexing its muscles.
the time for universal health care is here, regardless of what ammo big pharm can mount, but i think that international cooperation will mount very large, something pushed by biden. no more pre-emptive wars, no by passing the UN, and so forth.
if i'm wrong, i will be sorry -- but like a time for universal health care -- it's also a time for the Dems, to repair the mess created by those other old white guys.
you know I really thought his campaign might have been better served by picking Hillary. there are also enormous pitfalls that come along with picking her, but Obama picking Biden tells you nothing about Biden, and everything about Obama. two things: he's a guy that wants independent thinkers influencing his decisions. second, he's got a lot of balls.
Raymond,
I think it was clear that McCain knew the answer about how many homes he had, but felt he may come across as too elitist and so punted the question. It's not like we are talking hundreds of properties here, are we expected to believe that he didn't know how many?
I truly wish that the time for universal health care has finally arrived. It is saddening to see the impact of a system that largely caters to corporations who are primarily incented by higher profits.
Finally, as you said Raymond, I really do look forward to the upcoming months and the debates we will have. Obama and now Biden I think will both push for less character assassination and more thoughtful conversations on the issues at hand.
Time will tell...
Darren, you speak the truth. I love the fact that Obama picked someone who so strongly criticized him. He went for Biden's expertise, and experience. Also, Biden has a reputation for being outspoken about the issues which has hurt him in the past, but I think is a trait that we sorely need.
Looks like a good partnership in the making. We hope!
keri, on mcccain's houses it would believe you, if mccain wasn't prone to other oversights and gaffes.
Especially that issue that came up during his visit --with the turn-coat lieberman -- to iraq, and confused the sunni, the shia, the al qaeda, and the insurgents. (remember lieberman leaning over and whispering the response that mccain should have given? voters should be real suspicious about such behavior!)
likewise he is a "broken-record" on his interpretation of the "surge". yes, he thinks that by sticking with the "myth of the surge success", he becomes the owner of the iraq issue, but the nation has moved on, and he hasn't.
again, if i'm wrong, i'm sorry, but this is how it reads to me
me again. sorry about the stupid typo above. instead of "it would" i meant to say "i would"
Wow - the Clintons really did well with their speeches at the DNC. I can't wait to hear Biden!
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