Comments on: On Meeting Joe Biden

By: Rhymes With Right

Rhymes With Right — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:52:11 +0000

A Point About Joe Biden’s Tenure In The US Senate…

I’ve noticed a number of comments regarding Joe Biden’s lengthy Senatorial career making him the ultimate insider. I’ve noted folks observing that Barack Obama was 11 when Biden first won election to that body (I was 9). But there is……

By: American Elephant

American Elephant — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:59:00 +0000

Interesting story. It’s nice that Biden was a good host in private, but a decent man he is not, I’ve seen too much indecent behavior from him in public to accept that, and one does not excuse the other.

By: ILoveCapitalism

ILoveCapitalism — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:46:44 +0000

he is a decent guy, a good man

So Biden’s defeatism, racial slurs, constant episodes of plagiarism, and shutting down a questioner by telling him “My IQ is higher than yours, I went to law school”, don’t count?

My idea of “a good man, a mensch” can encompass one or two of those (since no one’s perfect). Not all four, sorry.

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:17:55 +0000

#17 John you are right. I would like Condi to run for governor of somewhere so we can nail down some of these policy positions. But she is a “clean articulate Republican African American” as the leftists might say.

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:22:39 +0000

I think Sarah Palin is his best choice. He can grab some of the disenfranchised Hillary vote, usurp the “change” theme from Obama (who has now picked the ultimate beltway insider for his VP), show the party is more than just old white guys, and put someone with solid executive experience on the ticket that conservatives, religious right, libertarians and independents all like.

I think if he goes with Romney he loses a perfect opportunity to remind voters of why he’s called maverick, and will likely have an even sleepier effect than Obama’s choice of Biden.

By: John

John — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:13:19 +0000

Before becoming NSA, Condoleeza Rice taught at Stanford University for 20 years. And you don’t spend two decades in heathen San Francisco without it affecting your Bible Belt upbringing just a tad. While she’s an advocate of aggressive neo-conservative foreign policy, I don’t see her as much of a social conservative. In fact, Condi has said she’s “mildly” pro-choice. She typically waffles on affirmative action (saying that non-racial factors should always take the lead, but also carefully avoiding the suggestion that she’d rule out the use of race completely). Likewise, she has dodged questions about homosexuality as “outside of my purview.” While this ambiguity is fine for the State Department, it is not acceptable for a GOP Vice Presidential candidate. Given McCain’s own troubles with the religious right over the years, picking Condi would be a huge risk. It would, however, have the virtue of being bold. As well as neutralize Obama’s phony “racism” charge once and for all.

By: DaveP.

DaveP. — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:49:59 +0000

From a strategic point of view, this is a wasted chance.
For over two decades, one of the ground facts of the Electoral College is that the Democrats can rely on having certain large-population states automatically on thier side: we might as well just call California, Massachusetts, and New York right now for Obama. For the same period of time, the Republicans have been winning elections by building coalitions of midwestern and southern states; mostly of few electoral votes individually but collectively totaling enough to counterbalance the Democrats’ big-state advantage.

In Obama’s shoes I wouldn’t have wasted a VP pick on someone from a reliably blue state: I would have nominated someone from a battleground or “purple” state, preferably in the South. Kaine of Virgina or Governor Whatsisname in North Carolina would’ve been on my short list. If I can break up the Republicans’ southern bloc, even by just one stae, I can keep them from getting enough electoral votes to win… which means that I win.

By: Mitchell Blatt

Mitchell Blatt — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:10:54 +0000

Tom my preference now is Romney. He is not a died in the wool conservative…

As a libertarian, I find it hillarious when people call Romney a conservative. You guys, go crazy on McCain for calling Falwell an “agent of intolerance,” and you can’t vote for anyone who supports abortion unless they are Mormon. You trash Obama for pandering and flip-flopping, but you don’t care about Romney supporting abortion.

So Obama picks a balding silver haired straight white guy from the NE. Where’s the CHANGE? What’s up wit that?

Age doesn’t even have anything to do with change. McCain is really old, but he’s been a maverick.

More importantly, VP doesn’t matter at all.

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:49:58 +0000

So Obama picks a balding silver haired straight white guy from the NE. Where’s the CHANGE? What’s up wit that? Biden has been in Washington for over 35 years! I thought Barack promised us he was gonna be different? A lot of people thought he was gonna be bi partisian and pick a Republican! TV said Obama was the most liberal Senator and Biden was the 3rd most liberal Senator. Just another polititian, says one thing does another. Lies all lies. Man did Hillary get the shaft. BHO didn’t even have her vetted, didn’t ask her for advice on the VP, didn’t call her to inform her of his decision. How the Clintons must feel humiliated. Note to Hillary supporters…take a walk. Or stay home. Don’t support a guy who disses you so bad. MSNBC is saying the Clintons are upset because Obama isn’t helping her retire her debts. (Remember in the liberal world, your debts really really aren’t your own). Is it true that he picked Biden to ensure he will win Delaware? hehe

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:36:45 +0000

#4 Tom my preference now is Romney. He is not a died in the wool conservative but we don’t have any of those to choose from. I wish Condi Rice were available, and am extremely disappointed that the Republicans don’t have a woman or minority ELECTED official who is ready for at least VP. Looking forward, Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin Gov of Alaska…are rising stars. If McCain wins, hopefully Romney will be elevated in 2012 with Jindal or Palin as VP. One of my biggest disappointments with Bush 43 is that he didn’t set up a better, more obvious successin. I love Cheney but having him step aside in ‘06 for Rice would have been perfect.

By: Leah

Leah — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:28:41 +0000

Dan, good story, but I don’t vote based on personal stories. Politicians more than any other profession seem to live double lives.

Mitchell, you are a brave young man, to have your name on Obama lists, although you are still young I can’t imagine how much fund raising mail you must get from him.

As to the ticket being upside down, I guess Obama just confirmed it in his introductory speech. He must agree with his choice of VP that he himself is still too green behind the ears. Isn’t that called a Freudian slip?

By: MikeInSedona

MikeInSedona — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:53:24 +0000

THANKS for sharing this story. It’s far easier to villify people whom we’ve never met. Most folks are OK, or at least not nearly as bad as blogs and partisan news clips make them out to be. That said, I don’t like Biden’s public persona; however, I will be a bit more cautious with what I say about him now that I know he made a young man feel more at ease during an awkward moment.

By: Mitchell Blatt

Mitchell Blatt — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:28:52 +0000

Obama just emailed me with great news! Now you can buy a small circle with Obama’s and Biden’s names on it and put it on your car! Only $15!

https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/vpmagnet?source=20080823_OB_CM

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:51:07 +0000

If you don’t have the patience to listen to it all, slide to the final 25%.

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:46:43 +0000

Alert..if Hillary gives a Teddy Kennedy 1979 “the dream shall never die” speech on Tuesday look for a huge sigh or remorse and buyers remorse on Wednesday. In 1979 he had the convention hall rocking and shaking, when Jimmy Carter tried to shake his hand on stage Teddy kept walking away from him. Carter never recieved much respect after that. If you watch it, the tape will give you chills.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/tedkennedy1980dnc.htm

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:39:39 +0000

(spam blocker has dumped two of my best posts, damn)

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:38:53 +0000

The Biden pick, just another balding white haired straight white guy. Where’s the CHANGE. In the beginning I thought this new guy Barack might be the anti polititian. Something I was dying to see more of in DC. Why would he lie to us. No change here. Biden has spent 35 years in Washington? Geez. BHO lied to us and made America think he was different. And the slap at Hillary is obvious. He didn’t have Hills even vetted. Didn’t ask her for advice or inform her of his choice. The Clintons seem so muted and humbled. Hillary supporters, come on over. I’d ask them to walk out or sit the election out. The Democrat ticket, two more power hungry men. How sad for Americas women.

By: Mitchell Blatt

Mitchell Blatt — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:35:30 +0000

Did you see how Barack introduced Biden as the “next President of the United States’? What a horrible gaff.

Maybe Barack was finally having a moment of clear thinking. As Dick Morris said, if you put Joe Biden on the ticket, most people are going to view the ticket upside down.

By: Gene in Pennsylvania

Gene in Pennsylvania — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:33:48 +0000

Tom as a conservative bordering on libertarian…my pick for VP for McCain would be Rice or Romney. There are no life long conservatives for McCain to pick from, so Romney is the next best thing.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:24:40 +0000

Nice post. If only the other side were as cordial and civil. The far lefties are some of the nastiest people I’ve met. I’m curious about this site’s thoughts on who McCain should now pick as VP?