It's official, Obama goes with a Washington insider, Joe Biden, as his VP choice, leaving the whole "change we can believe in" idea buried in the mud the McCain people have been flinging his way.
What we need is vertical change (redefining the way politics works), but it seems we will have to settle for horizontal change (more of the same in different clothing, with different slogans) -- see this post for an explanation of what this means.
Anyway, here is what the Washington Post has to say:
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has chosen veteran Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, a leading voice on international affairs, as his vice presidential running mate, his campaign said on Saturday.Biden, 65, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is one of the most knowledgeable Democratic experts on foreign policy -- an area where Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, has been criticized as inexperienced.
Ending days of speculation, Obama announced the decision on his Web site, featuring a photo of the two.
"Barack has chosen Joe Biden to be his running mate," the announcement said. "Joe Biden brings extensive foreign policy experience, an impressive record of collaborating across party lines, and a direct approach to getting the job done."
Obama's camp also sent a text message and e-mail to supporters.
Biden, a Roman Catholic originally from the battleground state of Pennsylvania, will bring not only foreign policy expertise to the ticket but strong working-class roots.
That could help Obama connect with the blue-collar voters he has failed to attract in the run-up to the November 4 election against Republican John McCain. Obama and McCain are neck and neck in opinion polls.
Biden's 2008 presidential bid fell flat but he proved a forceful and aggressive debater, firing off some of the toughest criticisms of President George W. Bush and the Republican contenders for the White House.
The choice of Biden, who has served in the Senate since 1972, indicates Obama was more interested in filling gaps in his foreign policy experience than in finding someone who could reinforce his message of bringing change to Washington.
The Delaware senator emerged as a strong possibility late on Friday after three other contenders -- Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton -- reportedly were told they had not been selected.
Others in the mix had included Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Texas Rep. Chet Edwards.
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1 comment:
Bill--
I don't know if Biden will help Obama, hurt him, or have no discernible effect on his campaign. I think McCain will win in any case, as much as I hate to think and say so.
But of all those who had any shot whatsoever of being elected president, Biden would have been my first choice. I think he's pretty much the complete package so far as "horizontal" qualifications are concerned, and I think he would make an outstanding VP.
But you speak of wishing for a ticket promising "vertical" change. Who would have been YOUR choice, and what chance do you think he or she would have of being elected by the American public?
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