Barack Obama tapped Joe Biden as his running mate, bringing to the Democratic ticket a veteran senator with deep expertise in international relations. Personally, I had been hoping that General Wesley Clark would be the nominee. However, Biden is a great choice from a strategic perspective.
"Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee," the text message said. "Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3 p.m. ET on http://www.barackobama.com/. Spread the word!"
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden could help offset Oba
ma's relative inexperience in foreign policy. Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator, has been ridiculed by his Republican rival, John McCain, as too naive to be president.
A Roman Catholic born to a working-class family in Scranton, Pa., Biden might also help Obama draw blue-collar Catholic voters who formed a core constituency for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in her primary battle with Obama. I hope that we see some visible support from Clinton supporters with this VP selection.
The senator also offers a compelling personal story. His first wife, Neilia Hunter, died in a car accident in 1972 as she was driving their three children shortly after his election as U.S. senator. Their infant daughter was also killed but their two sons -- Beau and Hunter -- survived their injuries.
Biden, then 30, was sworn in as a first-term senator at his sons' bedside.
Biden has long harbored aspirations to be president himself. He ran this year, but dropped out of the Democratic presidential race in January after a lackluster showing in the Iowa caucuses. "I'm not a superstar," he said while stumping in Iowa. "People say they like me, people tell me they think I'd be a good president but that they just don't think I can win."
Along with his Senate Foreign Relations post, which recently took him on a trip to Georgia after the Russian invasion, Biden has been chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committ
ee, and has had a hand in legislation on crime, terrorism and drug policy.
One issue that could prove problematic is that Biden supported the 2002 resolution in favor of military action in Iraq. Obama has made his opposition to the war a centerpiece of his campaign. But Biden has become a persistent critic of the handling of the war.
One of the main roles of the Democratic vice presidential nominee will be to attack McCain and his running mate. The Arizona senator is expected to name his No. 2 after the Democrats end their national convention in Denver.
Villagers, what is your take on the Biden selection? What say u?
"Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee," the text message said. "Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3 p.m. ET on http://www.barackobama.com/. Spread the word!"
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden could help offset Oba
ma's relative inexperience in foreign policy. Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator, has been ridiculed by his Republican rival, John McCain, as too naive to be president.A Roman Catholic born to a working-class family in Scranton, Pa., Biden might also help Obama draw blue-collar Catholic voters who formed a core constituency for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in her primary battle with Obama. I hope that we see some visible support from Clinton supporters with this VP selection.
The senator also offers a compelling personal story. His first wife, Neilia Hunter, died in a car accident in 1972 as she was driving their three children shortly after his election as U.S. senator. Their infant daughter was also killed but their two sons -- Beau and Hunter -- survived their injuries.
Biden, then 30, was sworn in as a first-term senator at his sons' bedside.
Biden has long harbored aspirations to be president himself. He ran this year, but dropped out of the Democratic presidential race in January after a lackluster showing in the Iowa caucuses. "I'm not a superstar," he said while stumping in Iowa. "People say they like me, people tell me they think I'd be a good president but that they just don't think I can win."
Along with his Senate Foreign Relations post, which recently took him on a trip to Georgia after the Russian invasion, Biden has been chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committ
ee, and has had a hand in legislation on crime, terrorism and drug policy.One issue that could prove problematic is that Biden supported the 2002 resolution in favor of military action in Iraq. Obama has made his opposition to the war a centerpiece of his campaign. But Biden has become a persistent critic of the handling of the war.
One of the main roles of the Democratic vice presidential nominee will be to attack McCain and his running mate. The Arizona senator is expected to name his No. 2 after the Democrats end their national convention in Denver.
Villagers, what is your take on the Biden selection? What say u?
15 comments:
heard the news while I was out earlier this morning. I didn't think it would be Biden either. However, Joe is a great choice. He always been passionate about what he believes in and dedicated to serving those who put him in office.
I think the mode of announcing the candidate backfired in a sense, though brillliant in that they got the email and telephone numbers of millions of people. I heard it on CNN before I went to bed last night. So, the cat was let out of the bag early. So, the mainstream media know first.
I like Joe Biden, but I am afraid that this was a calculated move on Obama's part to shore up his inexperience in this area. Nothing wrong with that. President Bush had no such experience either. Immediately the McCain camp had ann ad out speaking to Obama's inexperience on this front.
Second, it seems that he could not get away from Washington as usual. Biden has over three decades of Washington experience. You can't top that, but more importantly it proves that you cannot get away from WAshington as usual.
I like Joe Biden and I felt it would have been him or Evan Bayh, who clearly does not have some of the issues we will hear about Joe Biden. On the campaign trail I liked Joe Biden's message, but people looked past his substance and fell in love with Obama. Personally, I think Biden could have done a lot better during the campaigns. Well, he is a consummate politician and attack dog who will do just fine.
Until he dropped out of the race, I was supporting Biden. So, I'm delighted with this pick. So glad its so, Joe!
Didnt he swear up and down that he wouldnt take the VP spot because he wanted to stay The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?
Sly fox he is.
i just wonder what happens if obama looses?
The more I think about it the more I am disliking the idea, this dude is the typical Washinton survivalist, a good one willing to try new ideas like deviding Iraq up but he damn sure showed no balls to fight for it, or against the war in the first place, plus I cant get this out of my head, "the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy."
There had to be a better pick out their like maybe Bill Richardson.
I think it is a pretty good choice on Obama's behalf. Biden has the experience and foreign knowledge that Obama needs as well as longevity in Washington's political arena. Of course there will always be those opposed no matter what Obama does, he'll just have to deal with that as I'm sure he already knows.
But hey at least it's not Hillary...
There was a little piece of me that was thinking it was going to be HRC (whatever)...I still need to do some more research on Biden, but from what I've read so far, this seems like a good choice...
Blog Queen - I agree that Biden is the best of the available choices. He does help Obama with those white voters that voted for Clinton in the primaries...
Mike - Actually, he told the media that he didn't want the job, however, if asked he stated that he would accept the offer. I see that you would prefer Richardson. Personally, I think that Richardson would make better member of his administration rather than Veep candidate. I just never felt any juice, connection or passion from Richardson during his presidential bid. On the other hand, I felt juice and passion from Biden, especially as it relates to world politics...
Biden has ambition and thats the problem.
Besides bringing in some one as VP because they can fill in your holes shows me more about what you cant do.
Mike - You are hard on Barack. I imagine you will have the same criticism of McCain when he brings in Mitt Romney as his running mate...
clnMike:
Everybody in the Senate has "ambition." And what do you say about a man (Biden) who ran for President only twice in 20 years - obviously, it couldn't have been he was so anxious to be in the White House.
Janet - The text message process didn't backfire. Many folks woke up to it in the morning. Only us polical junkies were still awake at that time of night (smile). In any case, it is part of his community organizer mindset. He continues to build a remarkable email and text database that will serve him well over the next 70 days...
Janet & Sojourner - I learned more about Biden over the past few days than I ever knew before. He seems like a good person and he'll make a good VP partner for Obama...
RDawg - I haven't thought much about what happens if Obama loses. I do think it will set race relations back quite a bit both here in our country and in our relationship with many countries abroad...
Regina & MsMarvalus - The Hillary and Bill Clinton drama continues. Will they ever go away?
The Biden selection is smoke and mirrors, he wont bring in the working class voters because he couldnt do that for himself, he finished 5th in Iowa lets not forget.
He is going to play bad cop to Obama's good cop when it comes to throwing mud on McCain.
His foreign policy creativity means absolutely jack now since every thing in the world is broken thanks to Bush, to late devide Iraq, The Russins are not going to roll over now that the US is posting up missles around them, the Chinese are already here, anfd the Africans are not stupid enough to let them post up a major military base.
And just like it's to late for that it's too late to tell Biden to take a walk so were stuck with him.
As for McCain that soldier will fall on his own sword if left alone.
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