Joe (open your mouth and insert foot) Biden as a running mate, too much of a calculated risk. Evan Bayh maybe boring, but he offers a sure response and is a better alterative to appease Hilary Clinton supporters than Biden. Tim Kaine may deliver Virginia, but as you say, no foreign policy experience. My choice out of the three is Evan Bayh. Bayh is going to morph into a foreign policy power ranger that reflects Obama's change platform.
I think due to the proceeding primary contest ,which if nothing else was very exciting, anyone O picks out of the usual bunch of old white guys will be a boring , "who?". No matter who he chooses, if it's not Hillary Clinton O will be on his own all the way to the general. None of the peple I've seen as possible veeps have any star power or add anything to his campaign.
Biden has run for pres a million times and never gotten past the first round which shows how little he brings to the party. The others mentioned are really only known by pundits and the people in their own states.
O is already coasting on his star power. He needs to pick someone who can take some of the burden off of him and add something to his campaign. Only one person (other than maybe Al Gore) can do that. Hillary Clinton.
HRC would be a bad choice. Biden a decent one, hes funny and can be counted on to crack jokes that the rednecks will get (and want to get) on the republican ticket. Bayh's name is too funny for this ticket, the conservatives will flip!
Hilary has to be on the shortlist, surely. Although a polarizing figure, conventional wisdom is that her hardcore of supporters won't vote in O out of spite.
I do think the gov of Kansas might be a good choice, she has a record of reaching across political lines and is very popular in her state.
I totally agree w/you Dr. Hill. Joe Biden has a lot less risk than the presumptive GOP nominee himself.
Bayh's wife has an awful lot of "board" positions at major corporations though that are cause for concern, from what I understand. That could really hurt him. I'm white - if Obama picks Biden, I'll be appalled, not appeased. The man's a bit of a doofus in my eyes after that gaffe, and a couple of others. If there are white voters who won't vote for Obama because of concerns about racial issues, they're not going to be convinced by Biden getting the VP slot. They're lost causes. Kaine seems great - if foreign policy is an issue, perhaps he could pull together a strong potential cabinet team and keep them close at hand?
I don't know about Hillary. I'm seeing a lot of people I never thought would vote Democrat turn to Obama as an alternative. The arguments are that McCain is too old and has grown to be too much like Bush. If Obama pulls Hillary in, I could see a lot of those same people going elsewhere. Hillary is polarizing and could neutralize Obama's appeal to more conservative voters. I think his story appeals to people from the "bootstraps" school of thought and that's what makes them think across party lines after their disillusionment with the Republican party. Hillary is a smart and gifted woman, but where would she be without her marriage to Bill?
I have to disagree with jrzgrl, I think even without Bill Hillary was on the path to being a big "somebody". I don't know how far she would have gone but I do think it's a bit sexist (sorry, I hate that word in the context of this campaign) to just dismiss her as a product of her hubby.
Also, I don't get the feeling HRC supporters wouldn't vote for O out of "spite". All the ones I talk to are really wrestling with this out of reasoned concerns. The vast majority have told me they will not vote for Mccain no matter how they feel about O. And NO they are not racists (let's just take that train off the track). No more than a black supporting O is a racist.
I myself am hoping for some sort of surprise move that we've not spent much time contemplating.
I do hope Obama does not choose Kaine -- Virginia is an odd state, and the lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor. Right now that position is held by republican William Bolling. If Kaine resigns, Bolling becomes governor. My hope is that Obama will adopt a motto of "do no harm" and refrain from selecting Kaine.
On another subject, where is Melissa? I miss reading her thoughts, and following the conversations between Marc & Melissa.
OBAMA/KENNEDY '08!!!
I hope that he chooses Biden. He will not hesitate to go after McCain double fisted. He might teach Obama how to fight back. Not dirty, just fight. The suspense is killing me...
Fun conversation but I trust Obama....
Not sure what there is left for clintonistas to worry about. Even Clinton agrees with Obama on 95% of the issues. The only thing I can perceive them questioning at this point is his youth. Which is exactly his strong point vs. John "Cold War - anti-MLK day -'Butler...how many houses do we have?' " McCain.
As I recall, Maddy Albright, Clark, Robert Reich and the rest of the Clinton intelligentsia took a group picture with Senator Obama. Why would clintonistas hold out at this point????
Sidenote: Will McCain really pick John Kerry's sidekick? I'm thinking he really wants to pick Hillary Clinton. Now that would be hilarious and so sweet.
But I understand that campaigning is a business....
If the Clintons were in fact playing the game like I wish they would've in my dreams.... I would tip my hat. However, she exposed herself w/ the delayed concession speech. Even a coked up Terry McAuliffe couldn't justify Billary's actions at the end.
Time to shut up, get off my pseudo-intellectual soap box and continue to observe things from a far...
With that college park hemp smoke STYLE
Is how I wanna end it on this track
so I pass it to my partner
And step back up in my cadillac .... Big Boi
Obama should pick Caroline Kennedy, If you want a left hook to the anyone watching, pick her. Every single vote that was for Hillary, will in fact go for Obama. She is a well-respected woman, from a dynastic family; stong catholic roots, etc. etc.etc. So what about foreign policy experience, Obama can handle McCain on that, just wait for the first debate. McCain will end up looking like an old hoot juxtaposed against Obama.
The trouble with Hillary is Bill! He's a psychological mess and a loose cannon bent on reclaiming his legacy, and she has demonstrated in numerous ways that she can't control him. With her as running mate, Barak would have two vice presidential candidates -- just like he had two opponents during the primary. She's a great politician, a superior thinker, and an excellent performer, But, combined with Bill, she is also dangerous and would require an excessive amount of time and energy to manage.
I hope its Biden, too. I just like him! I used to be a big Hilary fan, and was fairly neutral until the mess in SC, but I think putting her on the ticket would be an absolute disaster. I agree Bayh is too milk toast. I like Kaine, but his so-called negatives are the same - to short a political career, although I also think that is a positive. Don't know anything about Chet Edwards, but with the John edwards mess so recent, we don't need our already less than well educated electorate getting confused. I really like Sebellius but I think she won't be taken because the Hilary people will feel like it is some sort of personal slight to them.
PingBack from http://edwardg.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/reconciliation-and-obamas-veep-pick/
Was I wrong! I made a list of who I thought would be on Obama's short list and Joe Biden was not on the list. Neither was Hillary. (How can she say she supports Obama and wants party unity whe she is allowing her name to be placed for nomination at the convention.) I did have Tom Kaine on the list. As the day goes on, I get more comfortable and, even happy, that Joe Biden is Barack Obama's running mate. I think I just have an incredible case of sour grapes because I didn't win the election in my district to be a delegate to the convention, and every other way I tried to get to Denver failed. Alas, this is all bigger than me, and I am going to do what I do best - work on the campaign, get folks to register to get Barack Obama elected POTUS! Obama-Biden has a nice flow to it!
Dr. Hill, one of my favorite liberal political columnists, got it right. No surprise.
Now remains to be seen whether the professor is also correct _ and Obama as well _ in viewing Biden as an asset to the ticket. However, I'm cynically not impressed with the veep choices of either party and Biden was as good a pick as anyone else.
I must say I like Biden more than Romney, who could turn me completely away from McCain and solidly into the Obama column.
I understood why Biden was chosen but am not really happy that he can put Obama over the top. There is a contadiction when you want change and then select an old time insider as your running mate. I know Obam cannot afford to look like another slick brotha and must remain in Presidential at all times, but Biden is a hoodnick. He cannot be controlled and his perception of himself is almost pyschotic. He is a ptbull that never learned the rules and will in the long run cost some votes. But on the other hand he will say what needs to be said to the Repbublicans since the Democrats are too skerred to say it. Biden has nothing to lose and everthing to gain. Let the contest begin on Sep[tember 5th. Hold on it is going to be a pbumpy ride and I hope to be in the middle of the bus peering out onto victory. Go OBAMA!
slimtype, I don't think there is a contradiction. Obama would not be able to walk into a deeply entrenched organization and immediately change it. Biden was a very smart move. He can clear the path for Obama to bring in a new agenda.
It's Joe folks and I am loving it.
@divialiciousness11 I hope its Biden, too. I just like him!
That's why most people vote foe a candidate. They just like him/her. All of these drawn out educated speculations mean little to the lay folk. This combo is the ticket that will win.
Obama is more politically skillful than you guys (Prof. Hill).give him credit for.
Just some food for thought about Joe Biden's comment...Barack Obama is articulate in comparison to other human beings. Not only or just in comparison to blacks. I think it's OK to give someone the benefit of the doubt when they are commenting on someone who is in fact a very good speaker. If Biden had said that Obama is a great orator, nobody would have questioned his comment.
