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After teasing us and putting up with internet pranksters, it seems Barack Obama has finally picked a running mate. According to the Associated Press and CNN, who both apparently got that coveted text message way before anyone else did (including us), Obama has tabbed Delaware Senator Joe Biden to be his running mate in the 2008 Presidential campaign, ending weeks of speculation, rumors, and guessing-games. Biden was considered a favorite for the spot on the ballot early on.
Biden is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and just returned from a trip to the war-torn Republic of Georgia. Biden is also Delaware's longest-serving senator ever, now in his sixth term and first elected to the Senate in 1972. He made one run at President in 1988 which was cut short due to charges that he plagiarized a campaign speech.
The McCain campaign wasted no time in responding, releasing the following statement:
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.
Biden is expected to join Obama at a rally at the Old Capitol in Springfield later this afternoon before the duo jet to Denver for the Democratic National Convention where Biden will make his acceptance speech on Wednesday night, followed by Obama's on Thursday night.
Photo of Sen. Biden taken from his website
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I can just imagine Obama thinking, "I mean, you got the first mainstream Delaware Senator who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Who wouldn't choose Biden?
never understood the furor over the comment biden made that dopplerd refers to. it seemed like a simple compliment and nothing more. biden's comment about indian-americans was innapropriate though. regardless, seems like a good selection to me
The choice of Biden just seems a bit milquetoast to me. Sure, his best asset his his foreign policy experience, but if Obama was looking for a VP choice who might have actually made him think twice about his decisions in office (assuming he wins the general election, that is), then I think the best choice would have been Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Sebelius has managed to forge a working government as a Democratic chief executive in a state hell-bent on turning back the clock to the Mesozoic era.
Choosing Biden seems like Obama's playing it safe and I hope it doesn't come back to bite him in the ass.
Chuck - check out this month's Atlantic. Some great articles about the upcoming election, including some that indicate that's exactly what Obama might have to do to get elected: just play it safe.
Well, when taking on an old white man, it helps to have a better looking old white man on your side I guess.
On the downside, now I can look forward to hearing the GOP portray him as an evil Washington insider until November. Add this to the McCain has how many houses?, he is so rich! commercials and DUUUDE, I wish Queen Elizabeth II could rule.
Also, McCain criticizing Biden for being an 'insider' and long-time senator is a bit like yelling into a mirror.
I was pulling for Kathleen Sebelius, a democrat who can win in the wastelands of Kansas? Impressive.
That and turning to those Hillary stragglers and saying "It's not because she's a woman, it's because she's HILLARY CLINTON" would have been nice. But perhaps that's a nuance too far.
Albany - Fucking right on to everything in your last comment. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Sebelius the Dem response to the State of the Union? If so, I liked her. Big time.
"McCain criticizing Biden for being an 'insider' and long-time senator is a bit like yelling into a mirror."
Fair enough...if he were criticizing Biden.
What about McCain criticizing OBAMA for campaigning on "cleaning up Washington" and "getting rid of Lobbyists"...and then he picks, what we all agree here, is a Washington Insider for V-P?
"How thoroughly did Barack Obama vet Joe Biden? After months of demonizing lobbyists, Obama selected a running mate who has taken millions in contributions from those same lobbyists Obama supposedly eschewed. In fact, Biden’s son works as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill, accruing the kind of earmarks that Obama has both decried and pursued".
THAT is what McCain is criticizing.
I would also suggest reading Michael Moore's
"How The Democrats Can Blow It ...In Six Easy Steps"
BamBi '08!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wasn't Biden out there 4 months or so ago commenting on how Obama is too inexperienced to be a good president?
@Marcus:
That was her. A very solid response. I think she's got a shot at the VP slot in 4 years actually. Biden will be 75 in 2012, if Obama wins he'd be smart to pick someone a tad (6 years in this case) younger.
As for picking an "insider", to be frank, I'd rather have an "insider" (which I put in quotes because how much more "insider" do you get than being the damn presidential candidate of a major party?) in the VP slot. Biden can put a bit of stick about in support of Obama's agenda.
McCain's response has been so pro forma, attack ads. Is he running for president of attack ads?
Obama is running attack ads all over the country albany you obama lust is blinding you to what is obamas politics as usual. I would like to see if obama would care to comment on his mentor Emil Jones following the crook co. school of democracy and appointing his son as state sen.
I like this pick.
Biden is a straight shooter who won't let McCain get away with any crap. He'll help with Catholics and blue-collar voters in the Rust Belt.
As for the ad McCain put out using Biden's words against Obama -- um, he accepted the VP nomination, right? I'd say that's a more ringing endorsement of the man than what he said at a debate months ago while still running for himself.
But what will be crucial for this election will be Hillary's speech at the convention (and to a lesser extent, Bill's speech). Thankfully, I think she's smart enough to realize that if she doesn't shine on stage, doesn't practically beg her supporters to vote for Obama, she greatly sullies her standing in the party and ruins any possibility for a second shot at the presidency.
obama has nothing to do with jones and his son. what a desperate, weak, foolish comment. obama is no saint but you need to at least come up with something better than that. the nation doesn't care about chicago politics.
Sebelius as a VP pick would have caused a full on riot within the "Clinton" wing of the Democratic party. The arguments would have gone like: "If he's gonna pick a woman, why not the obvious one?" Then
I would have spent a solid month catching up with all the comments sent in then and die a little inside with each one.
Also, she thought the Little Casear's in the break room was "Chicago Style Pizza". Bad form.
Obama is running attack ads all over the country albany you obama lust is blinding you to what is obamas politics as usual.
Me Obama lust is! Is!
I'm sorry, you were addressing the bizarro version of me correct?
I've, repeatedly, said I'm not an Obama fan. Not that I expect you to follow my meandering drivel, but if you're going to assume you make an ass...oh you know.
In point of fact, I mentioned the Emil/Obama connection in another thread. So...ha.
As for the issue at hand, attack ads, it's not so much that Obama isn't running them, it's that John McCain seems (perception here) to ONLY be running them.
Obama's core message (Change...hope...change...hope) is at least positive. McCain just looks old and mean and bitter.
You're all going to be so sorry when Alan Keyes sweeps them both.
I'd been pulling for Sebilius, too, but.. he could have done worse and I believe now this pigeonholes McCain's choices, too. Hmmm...
Gonna be an interesting couple of months.
I agree with Magilla about the impact of the Emil Jones connection--or any connection to Chicago politics, for that matter.
I don't the nation will care very much about any of that.
I won't be voting for Obama, but not because of any Emil Jones/Chicago stuff.
At first I thought this was the second worst pick he could have made (the first being Clinton). I thought "Great, he's locked up the Northeastern Liberal vote!" Thinking about it now, he could help Obama win PA and maaaybe Ohio, but how does he plan on winning any Southern states with this ticket?
It seems a bit short sighted to outright say "attack ads, it's not so much that Obama isn't running them, it's that John McCain seems (perception here) to ONLY be running them."
Your perception is incorrect, good move by qualifying your opinion.
We live in Obama's base camp. Of course we are not going to see any negative ads by McCain. That is a waste of money.
You can find Obama's and McCain's negative ads in certain parts of the country where the race is still up for grabs. Granted, you cannot fact check this with local media blogs...you might have to think outside the box a little bit.
And don't blame McCain for Obama leaving himself wide open for negative attacks.
Joe Biden? For real? The father of a Washington DC lobbyist? C'mon Barry...I thought you were smarter than that!
The minute Joe Biden un-gracefully ran onto the stage yesterday, was the minute "Change" flew out the window.
My perception is incorrect? Are you in my head now perceiving for me? Don't try to be clever.
From the moment Obama clinched the nomination, that very night, McCain's m.o. has been to tear down Obama in every ad and speech. Is that just a perception? Yep, and the spring wore into summer its only grown. Hell, a couple weeks ago people were mocking the shit out of McCain for that Paris Hilton/Britney Spears ad. McCain puts out these clunky, fear-pandering attack ads constantly.
Go look on youtube, try to find a McCain ad that isn't about how Barack Obama will be in yer white houz, wrekin yer stuff.
obama has nothing to do with jones and his son. what a desperate, weak, foolish comment.
Not a big fan of local politics Magilla. It is pretty fair to say Jones Made Obama was one of his earliest supporters and is still this/close to Obama. Obama is a crook co. machine hack through and through. Yes I am sure he is embarresed by it but these are "his peeps" his quote not mine (2007 Bud Billiken parade).
i am aware of that but please explain what obama had to do with jones' son taking over his dad's seat. it was a weak point you made
"Your kitchen table's like mine," Biden said. "You sit there at night, after you put the kids to bed, and you talk. You talk about what you need. You talk about how much you're worried about being able to pay the bills. But ladies and gentlemen, that's not a worry John McCain has to worry about. It's a pretty hard experience -- he'll have to figure out which of the seven kitchen tables to sit at."
I like Joe. He might not have been my first choice for VP...but now that it's a done deal it all of the sudden hit me: It's going to be like a breath of fresh air to have substance, style, brains and heart in the White House after these past 8 years.
Well, I just went back through about 20 recent Obama ads, and only one wasn't an "attack" ad, which I'm loosely classifying as an ad mostly made up of negative statements about the opponent. (Only found one for McCain as well.) So it would seem neither is currently going positive with their ads.
I believe this is order.
Magilla reading is a skill I did not say Obama had anything to to with jones son's appointment I said I would like to see him comment on the strange form of democracy we practice here in Crook co. Il. his home base. where he learned the political ropes and became a made member of the machine.
fed up: it takes an inordinate amount of skill to read your comments. use a period once in a while.
fed up: it takes an inordinate amount of skill to read your comments. use a period once in a while.
Shannon: Thank you for the advice. When you start a new sentence you should capitalize the first letter of the new sentence.