Folks are thinking that Obama needs to add someone with, you know, actual experience to the ticket. Howard Fineman sees the Obama camp leaning toward Biden:
Within the last few hours I’ve spoken with two of the finalists for the role of Barack Obama’s running-mate, and to two other sources who are close to the process.
My bottom line is this: Barring a big surprise or last-minute change of heart, the choice is likely to be Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
He is a lively and feisty if unpredictable campaigner with working-class roots and a street-level feel for the hot spots of the globe — which he can use to go toe-to-toe with Sen. John McCain.
Unpredictable? That word doesn’t quite do Joe Biden justice:
Biden would be the worst of the likely choices for Obama since he comes from a solidly blue state, nobody cares that he’s traveled around the world, and he’s a giant, gaffe-prone goof ball.
Put aside Biden’s gaffe-prone-goof-ballness, for a second, and there’s still a massive problem facing Obama. An Obama-Biden ticket raises a very important question – one that will have voters scratching their heads. Why is the experienced guy playing second string? This question is coming up regardless of Obama’s selected running mate. He can’t possibly select a running mate that has less experience than he does (a T.G.I Friday’s assistant manager perhaps?) so he’ll have to deal with the internal experience gap either way. His camp will probably try to deflect the question by positioning the VP choice as a integral part of the administration, not just a tie-breaking funeral attender. He, or she, will be a new kind of VP. Right.
Selecting Biden would raise other issues:
Fineman lists the reasons for that popular line of thought but Biden’s own words during the primaries before he dropped out of the presidential race could come back to haunt Obama as well as Biden if he is the choice.
On ABC News’ “Political Radar” Blog, 8/2/07, Joe Biden lashed out at Obama saying, “Having talking points on foreign policy doesn’t get you there.”
As reported by SunTimes, George Stephanopoulos asked Biden and said, “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.”
Biden’s response was clear when he stated, “I think that I stand by the statement.”
Those statements won’t be deal breakers but Obama and Biden will have to dance as fast as they can to explain them and the excuses will be transparent. It will be politics as usual from the Obama camp – not change.
Update:
Biden is sort of denying that he’s the pick – sort of:
Biden returned from his outing to dial back his “its not me” statement from earlier.
He rolled down his passenger side window and said to reporters don’t you have anything better to do?
The “It’s not me” from earlier is now “I have not spoken with anyone” repeated several times to several different questions.
Have you spoken to the Obama campaign?
“I have not spoken to anyone.”
So you’re not ruling out you could be picked?
“I have not spoken to anyone.”
“You guys know as well as I do,’ he said as he drove down his driveway with admonitions that your staker outers should be careful on the treacherous road outside his house.
Stay tuned.
3 Responses
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August 23rd, 2008 at 6:18 pm
“Change” for Obama-Biden? I don’t think so. Obama was playing/making fool with the Americans. There’s not even one word he’s serious. It’s not sin to work HARD and own/invest a multiple houses. That’s the American dream! BTW Biden is not new change in washington.
August 23rd, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Goodluck for ALL of those people believing for CHANGE. Because Obama is ALWAYS CHANGING his mind – that’s the only thing we know he’s best of – to CHANGE EVERYTHING about American way. He wants that everyone will live simple vey SIMPLE like his brother in Nairobi/Kenya country.
September 10th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Obama has to know he made a mistake by not picking H.Clinton, to have a sure win, perhaps Biden should bow out as VP so that H. Clinton could step in. I’m sure if you post a poll alot of people would feel the same.