Hmmm im the first one to see this… and im not even an americun?
Ok as an non us person could you explain what a person biden is? i read that he is an foreign expert…
Why would Obama take someone foreign as VP?
Biden has been in the Senate a long time and is considered a foreign policy expert. I’m not his biggest fan, but there were worse picks. My problem with him is that since he’s from Delaware, where all the credit card companies are incorporated and headquartered, he does their bidding. The bankruptcy “reform” bill he supported is a disaster for poor people. Many of us on the left are less than jazzed about this ticket.
I’m not at all jazzed about it; horrible choice. However, what matters is whether it will help him win the election.
I don’t think Biden necessarily gives him the uber-edge to getting elected, but I guess it offers a decent alternative to McCain’s old white man foreign policy expert vibe. What I do respect about this choice is I think it was trying to do what’s best for an Obama presidency even if it’s not the obvious thing for the Obama candidacy.
And for the record, I do like Biden as a foreign policy guy, his credit card stuff is somewhat embarrassing.
Yeah, I agree with awdougherty. I also think the choice suggests that Obama is willing to surround himself with smart people that can advise him on matters in which he is inexperienced, which is a good thing. The GOP is already jumping on the fact that Biden was a harsh critic of Obama during the primary season, but I can really see that sort of criticism backfiring on them. I think people are tired of the current president’s fondness for surrounding himself with yes-men (I know I am). Obama should surround himself with critics, and even political opponents. If he’s smart, he’ll say that he’s taking a cue from Lincoln.
Lincoln/Team of Rivals/Doris Kearns Goodwin FTW!11!!1!1
Yeah, one big concern I have with this is the credit card thing: Obama had a very clear cut policy outlined to pull the reins in on credit card companies seducing people in who were poor credit risks, then hitting them with outrageous 29% interest rates when they were late on a payment. Then they have them enslaved, as they can barely afford to make the minimum interest payment, and no chance of ever paying the card off. Obama declared this an outrage and had a plan to regulate the CC companies. I suspect with Biden on the ticket that will now be dropped.
Obama, come on. You coulda done way better.
Well, CNN is a lovefest for Biden this morning, talking about how Biden is - I can’t believe this - not “of Washington” because he doesn’t have a home in Washington. They’re making a case that he is a Washington outsider, a working class man, etc.
Edit: sorry, that was an Obama spokesman - but it’s still a pretty positive spin on CNN this morning.
McCain’s already got his first ad out on this: “What does Obama’s running mate say about Obama?” Then shows Biden in the debate saying that he doesn’t think Obama has the experience needed and the presidency is not a good place to learn on the job. Then “And what does Obama’s running mate say about John McCain?” and a clip of Biden saying that he would be honored to be running either with or against John McCain, that America would be better off with McCain or something like that.
When is Obama going to roll the ad showing McCain talking about running a campaign on the issues. It is about time. He is the change candidate. All he has to do is paint all these non-issue negative ads as typical politics for an easy win. Oh and on-topic…Biden not the greatest choice. I can’t wait to hear about his plagiarism back in the day for the next three months.
Biden is an awful Washington shill for corporate interests. By picking him, Obama moved me from probably giving him some money to “certainly not”, and watching more closely before I vote for him. I still expect to, since McCain is clearly not someone I want to see as president, but my expectations for Obama just dropped several pegs.
Just talked to a Republican friend who is a major bundler in NoVA for the GOP. He said that Biden was the choice the GOP least wanted.
Biden’s pluses, as viewed from the Right:
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Like Hillary, he’s already been pretty well vetted. “What negative things are we gonna say about Joe Biden that we haven’t already said in the last 20 years?”
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Unlike Hillary, his picture on TV doesn’t cause people seizures. Despite Biden’s occasional stridency and sometimes Dole-ish rolleye sarcasm, as he’s gotten older and grayer his positives when he does this are ok. “As Dick Cheney has proven, it’s ok to be a grouchy, mean politician as long as you’re an old man.”
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He actually shores up a weakness for Obama. Like I posted last night, had Obama picked Kaine, Bayh, or Sibelius, it wasn’t going to make significant impact electorally; Kaine’s popularity in VA is slipping, and this state will remain a battleground until November, and KS and IN will be solid Red states no matter what. “Biden helps him to the extent that any VP candidate ever helps the front end of the ticket everywhere.”
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Biden has name recognition and gravitas. “People say they want change, but we never want too much change. The other three are more unknown than Obama; he had to pick a name Ohio and Michigan were comfortable with.”
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He signed off with “You won’t hear us say it after today, but your guy did good today.”
How so?
Biden is a 6-term Senator. You don’t spend 36 years in DC by not ending up having some corporations really like you a lot. You also don’t spend 36 years without pissing some corporations off.
Oh, wait, nevermind. You’re in Austin. That explains everything.
Bingo - this is a good insight. People are uncomfortable with Obama, so he really had to take someone well established as his running mate. This will definitely help him more than “Hey, look, here’s your chance to vote for Hussein Obama and some chick from Kansas you never heard of!”
People on the left need to realize that an Obama presidency will not be fundamentally progressive, except in the sense that he may actually accomplish things through bipartisanship that he’d never be able to achieve by taking a hard-left line.
Just imagine what we’d have to hear if he picked Hillary.
lol tiggercut, Biden was the name the GOP least wanted? Your “Republican” friend is obviously not in touch with the GOP.
Anyone who says things like this
is money!
Yeah, Bob, I’m sure people of color are going to flock to the GOP now.