While I’m unhappy with his strong ties to the banking industry and his consistent defense of corporate interests, Biden does cover a lot of the thin spots in Obama’s electability. (See how cleverly I alluded to his hair transplants? And I wasn’t even trying!)
One of them is, people just like him. (I mean, I still remember him giving the keynote speech at my brother’s college graduation some 30 years ago. He was charming, self-deprecating and funny, and despite the exhausting heat, the crowd loved him.) A lot of the people who love Joe are former Clinton supporters, and I think Biden will do a good job drawing most of them back into the tent.
Plus, the media “respects” him (i.e. they already use him as a regular talking head so if they attack him too harshly, they make themselves look bad).
But the most important thing is, Biden likes to fight. He won’t roll over, the way most Democrats do. Expect a lot of good sound bites. I just hope he doesn’t make too many moronic comments, as he is sometimes wont to do.
The bad thing is, Biden is a little too eager to believe the wisdom of the foreign policy establishment. We’ve already seen where that takes us. And wasn’t he the candidate who had the disastrous plan to partition Iraq?
Bottom line: He makes Obama more electable, and for that, I’m happy. But Biden’s track record doesn’t do much for me as a progressive. But then, Obama’s not a progressive and I don’t expect to see many progressive policies out of an Obama administration.
compared to a lot of the other names that were floated about over the past few weeks, biden was one of the better ones.
but as i said before, biden’s views don’t actually matter. his differences with obama (e.g. on iraq) will soon be erased as he switches everything to obama’s position to toe the line of the ticket. that’s how it always works.
oh, and biden’s defense of corporate interest is kind of inevitable. he is a senator from delaware. every congressman is ultimately a shill for the local industry. the state of delaware is a wholly owned subsidiary of corporate america, particularly the banking industry. moving biden away from being the representative of the corporate state might be good for biden too.
I dunno from what I’ve been reading he seems pragmatic. Does what he has to do for his constituants and he’s tough when has to be.
Who was it that was writing about FDR’s 100 days, and LBJ’s ramming things through?
The deal is, we need a powerful democratic president now. I’m thinking that Obama’s post-partisanship thing is not going to work, and the democratic label will be forever tarred “loser.” And we’ll have to start over with a third party, except that the experiment will be over.
If I don’t believe that Obama will actually change anything (and his selection of Biden doesn’t help) then that would make McCain no greater evil. And then why should I care? (Don’t bother mentioning Supreme Court. I’m thinking there’s going to be an endless wave of rolling over on that.)
still mad and not certain who you’re going to vote for? Fine! but McCrazy-Rich (who married into a woman’s fortune — where is the opinions on that? good, bad or indifferent) will put a Anti-chioce judge on the SCOTUS. And all they really need is one more anti-choice vote…just saying - you know? nose in spite of your face thingy???
I have no hang-up on male baldness or choices made to deal with it except for massive comb-overs…but your comment (weak joke) on the hair plugs is sexist. Just say no to sexist comments otherwise that lovely hypocracy weed takes root…if Sebulous or Bill’s wife was the VP and a blogger or pundit comented on the size of their waist/chest/heels/laugh, etc I am sertain there would be a meltdown or three somewhere in this site…
If I don’t believe that Obama will actually change anything (and his selection of Biden doesn’t help) then that would make McCain no greater evil. And then why should I care?
obama will be a million times better than the current bush-cheney regime. that’s not saying obama is great, it’s just saying that the current regime is completely awful. and mccain is running on the idea of continuing that awfulness, obama is not. it’s really that simple. if you want particular issues: how about all of them. and yes, the supreme court, but not just that, all federal appointments under bush have been dreadful, appointments that mccain promises to continue if he gets elected
seriously, obama is far from the perfect candidate, but if you demonize him long enough, i really think it starts messing with your head. any democrat is better than mccain. and not just by a little bit. even the most weasely, sell-out dem is much much better than another 4 years of bush’s policies.
But see, I’m starting to doubt that voting for Obama will really put an end to the New World Order. Or even slow it down. There’s a lot of inertia.
I’m going to go eat sugar coated sugar pops, and go back to bed.
Yeah, Biden’s likeable enough. He’s got that benevolent patriarch air.
McCrazy-Rich (who married into a woman’s fortune — where is the opinions on that?
Umm, John Kerry? Or have we developed a problem with women having their own money?
So Biden’s a fighter. Good. But what is he going to fight FOR? Because if it’s the credit card industry and their ilk, I think they’re already doing pretty well, thanks.
Charming and likeable are great. But the best con artists are charming and likeable. What are you going to DO? That’s what I’m looking at. Color me unimpressed.
Roe Roe Roe yada yada yada … should I really place my trust in someone sucking up so assiduously to the religious right, who thinks women get abortions because they’re “blue,” and that they need the guidance of their husbands and (male?) pastors to understand their decision? *sigh*