How much does it help Barack Obama to have picked Joe Biden for his running mate?
Those who are praising the pick say he will fill in Obama's foreign policy gap and be the working class attack dog against the wealthy and probable McCain – Romney ticket. But he won't make people who distrust Obama because he is black or "foreign" hop on board. I doubt very much that he will win over Hillary's whiney baby PUMAs and pouters, of whom the number one pouter is her husband.
Those who are criticizing the pick say Biden is gaffe prone and has said negative things about Obama druing the primary. Well, picking Hillary would have given the Grumpy Old Poops even more fodder in terms of sound bites attacking Barack. Bayh and Biden would have put everyone to sleep, and who else was there?
Biden is an okay pick and will help more than he hurts, but ultimately it will be up to Obama and his campaign to pull off a November victory.
Some pundits (god I hate them – they are mostly idiots who talk amongst themselves and try to find the downside to almost anything positive that Obama does) are pointing to a poll that has Obama up by "only" three over McCain, but has Hillary up by "a whopping" six in a hypothetical matchup against McCain. Oh my gosh, they say, Hillary could have beaten McCain more easily than Obama can. Those self-defeating dems are going to lose again.
Are these people so brain dead that they don't even realize that Hillary is up by six (which Obama was up by a month ago) precisely because she isn't the nominee and hasn't had a month's worth of disgusting and dishonest negative campaign ads directed at her? Had Hillary been the nominee you can bet the Republicans would have been vicious – and they have so much to use against her, she would probably be ten points behind at this point.
So good for Obama. He made a wise, though not perfect pick. I feel happy for Biden because he is a genuinely good and decent man who has had his share of tragedy in his life – far more than John McCain has had, in spite of having spent six years in a POW camp.
Let's keep two things in mind about McCain's POW experience. First, he volunteered to be a pilot during wartime. He got into Annapolis as a legacy – his scholastic ability certainly didn't qualify him. But being the son and grandson of admirals did. And he wanted to be a pilot, even knowing the risk it entailed. He was a willing participant in his own misfortune. And secondly, he came home alive and got to see his family again.
Joe Biden, on the other hand, didn't volunteer for his tragic experience. His wife and children were in a car when a drunk driver hit them, killing his wife and daughter and seriously wounding his sons. His wife and his daughter were separated from him forever, not just for six years. He never got to see them again.
Joe Biden is a hard working legislator and decent human being who deserves his moment in the sun. And he has earned the right to be the next vice president.
The only question is, are we going to be lucky enough to see him sworn into the office and carry out its duties?
Those who are praising the pick say he will fill in Obama's foreign policy gap and be the working class attack dog against the wealthy and probable McCain – Romney ticket. But he won't make people who distrust Obama because he is black or "foreign" hop on board. I doubt very much that he will win over Hillary's whiney baby PUMAs and pouters, of whom the number one pouter is her husband.
Those who are criticizing the pick say Biden is gaffe prone and has said negative things about Obama druing the primary. Well, picking Hillary would have given the Grumpy Old Poops even more fodder in terms of sound bites attacking Barack. Bayh and Biden would have put everyone to sleep, and who else was there?
Biden is an okay pick and will help more than he hurts, but ultimately it will be up to Obama and his campaign to pull off a November victory.
Some pundits (god I hate them – they are mostly idiots who talk amongst themselves and try to find the downside to almost anything positive that Obama does) are pointing to a poll that has Obama up by "only" three over McCain, but has Hillary up by "a whopping" six in a hypothetical matchup against McCain. Oh my gosh, they say, Hillary could have beaten McCain more easily than Obama can. Those self-defeating dems are going to lose again.
Are these people so brain dead that they don't even realize that Hillary is up by six (which Obama was up by a month ago) precisely because she isn't the nominee and hasn't had a month's worth of disgusting and dishonest negative campaign ads directed at her? Had Hillary been the nominee you can bet the Republicans would have been vicious – and they have so much to use against her, she would probably be ten points behind at this point.
So good for Obama. He made a wise, though not perfect pick. I feel happy for Biden because he is a genuinely good and decent man who has had his share of tragedy in his life – far more than John McCain has had, in spite of having spent six years in a POW camp.
Let's keep two things in mind about McCain's POW experience. First, he volunteered to be a pilot during wartime. He got into Annapolis as a legacy – his scholastic ability certainly didn't qualify him. But being the son and grandson of admirals did. And he wanted to be a pilot, even knowing the risk it entailed. He was a willing participant in his own misfortune. And secondly, he came home alive and got to see his family again.
Joe Biden, on the other hand, didn't volunteer for his tragic experience. His wife and children were in a car when a drunk driver hit them, killing his wife and daughter and seriously wounding his sons. His wife and his daughter were separated from him forever, not just for six years. He never got to see them again.
Joe Biden is a hard working legislator and decent human being who deserves his moment in the sun. And he has earned the right to be the next vice president.
The only question is, are we going to be lucky enough to see him sworn into the office and carry out its duties?
