"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," Biden said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."Oy.
Biden's admirers spin his undisciplined chatter as a kind of John McCain-esque straight talk. Their shining example is the way, in 1992, Biden told Slobodan Milosevic to his face that he was "a damned war criminal and should be tried as one." Washington insiders "like people to speak in this kind of thought-speak where you talk for three minutes and don't say anything," says his former longtime chief of staff, Ted Kaufman. "That's not Joe Biden."posted by Class Goat at 12:03 AM on August 23, 2008 [3 favorites]
But Biden's mouth does him as much harm as good. " He gives Castro-length speeches," says one exasperated Senate staffer. In Democratic caucus meetings, he is famous for declaring, "I'll be brief," and then talking the room into a stupor. (Biden's colleagues have been known to burst into laughter when he makes that promise.) People who know Biden also warn that his loose talk often reflects muddled thinking. In his classic study of the 1988 presidential candidates, What It Takes, Richard Ben Cramer wrote, "Joe often didn't know what he thought until he had to say it." In one recent committee debate, recalls an observer, Biden delivered a rambling explanation of his opposition to a foreign aid amendment, by the end of which he had seemed to talk himself out of his original position.
Biden favors diverting drug offenders out of the nation's prison system. He is against making stricter laws for drug offenses but helped in the creation of a Drug Czar.He also thinks kids should have easy access to violent video games. My kind of VP.
Obama favors pouring more troops into Afghanistan for a purpose he has never, to my knowledge, explained
So as far as I can tell, Obama now has the exact same policies on foreign conflicts as George W. Bush.
Other than plagiarizing one speech, Biden is clean as a hounds' tooth. His first wife was tragically killed, then he remarried. He has never been mentioned in any kind of sex scandal, financial scandal, or anything else. If there had been any dirt on him, it would have come out during his many campaigns.And:
As mentioned above, he plagiarized part of a speech in 1988. The Republicans will hammer him on for being dishonest. He will apologize and say it was a long time ago. Then the Republicans have a tough decision to make. They can say: "There is no statute of limitations on people who are fundamentally dishonest so we can keep talking about this." But that runs the grave risk of the Democrats saying: "Fair enough. Let's also talk about McCain taking bribes from convicted felon Charles Keating also in the 1980s." Then the Republicans can't dismiss that by saying: "It was long ago." If both transgressions are big news, there is a chance people may see what McCain did as more serious than what Biden did.posted by russilwvong at 9:32 AM on August 23, 2008 [9 favorites]
As mentioned above, he plagiarized part of a speech in 1988. The Republicans will hammer him on for being dishonest. He will apologize and say it was a long time ago. Then the Republicans have a tough decision to make. They can say: "There is no statute of limitations on people who are fundamentally dishonest so we can keep talking about this." But that runs the grave risk of the Democrats saying: "Fair enough. Let's also talk about McCain taking bribes from convicted felon Charles Keating also in the 1980s." Then the Republicans can't dismiss that by saying: "It was long ago."They wouldn't dismiss it by saying "It was long ago".
But put Biden's obvious flaws aside and ask yourself how in the world Obama decided to go with Biden, and you'll quickly realize that the Democratic nominee must have been impressed with Biden on the long campaign trail of 2007 and 2008 --even though voters weren't and even though Biden has no accomplishments of note after 36 years in the Senate. Biden talked a great game and dropped some very interesting place names --and this impressed Obama. Talking the talk has been the key to Obama's success, and in Slow Joe he found an older, far better traveled but equally prolix gas bag. ...The Jawa Report:
For Obama, it is all about politics and words, elections and poses. Slow Joe is the perfect running mate on a perfect ticket for a party betting on wind to solve the energy crisis.
Praise the Lord and pass the popcorn. This is going to be more fun than Carter/Mondale '80.NRO Corner:
And I don't even like McCain that much.
I am quite surprised — nearly shocked — at the pick of Biden. I believe Obama has made an error — not just hope so, believe. And he had so many good options for the veep slot (unlike John McCain). He could have gone Kaine, Bayh, Sebelius, Boren, Edwards (Chet) — he had many good options. It was practically impossible to screw up. ...posted by Class Goat at 10:13 AM on August 23, 2008
All politicians have sizable egos, but this may be the most self-loving ticket ever. There’s an old saying, “He’ll die in his own arms” — that can apply to both of them. (I’ve thought of it in connection with McCain, too.) And Obama and Biden are two of the gassiest politicians in all the land — they are rhetorically impossible.
And the MSM has already begun the bullshit 'analysis' presented as truth.
But put Jesus' obvious flaws aside (consorting with whores, making excuses for the poor, etc.) and ask yourself how in the world Obama decided to go with Jesus, and you'll quickly realize that the Democratic nominee must have been impressed with Jesus on the long campaign trail of 2007 and 2008 -- even though voters weren't and even though Jesus has no accomplishments of note, other than the water and wine thing.posted by scody at 11:24 AM on August 23, 2008 [14 favorites]
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.)posted by Frankieist at 5:13 PM on August 23, 2008
“I’m happy being called ‘Mr. Chairman.’ ”
I don't care if you accept or reject homosexual behaviour...Nothing about hate. So maybe you aren't "squicked out."
I don't even really care if you approve or disapprove... your approval or disapproval isn't going to stop anyone from doing something.
Someone may not personally be a racist or a homophobe and yet still make the choice to act in a manner which empowers racism, homophobia, or other bigotry for his or her own personal advancement.You respond with, to quote troybob, "the answer to the question, 'why is it okay to discriminate against these people, and not against these other people?'"
Washington, D.C. Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, issued the following statement in response to Sen. Barack Obama's selection of Sen. Joe Biden as his vice-presidential running mate.posted by joannemerriam at 9:54 AM on August 25, 2008
"Sen. Biden has consistently expressed support for a woman's right to choose. While we have not agreed with him on every vote, we have a longstanding relationship with Sen. Biden that is open, positive, and constructive, and we are confident this will continue in a new administration under Sen. Obama's pro-choice leadership.
"Most notably, Sen. Biden has a strong record of opposing judicial nominees with hostile anti-choice records. He voted against George W. Bush's two anti-choice nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court, John Roberts and Samuel Alito, and he opposed anti-choice Justice Clarence Thomas' nomination to the Court as well as multiple anti-choice nominees to lower federal courts.
"In addition, Sen. Biden has a strong record in opposition to anti-choice clinic violence and voted to hold anti-choice extremists convicted of violent attacks against doctors and patients at women's reproductive-health centers accountable for their criminal actions.
"Sen. Biden, who is a cosponsor of the landmark Prevention First Act, also has joined us in supporting commonsense efforts to prevent unintended pregnancy by improving women's access to birth control, ensuring teens receive accurate sex education, and supporting family-planning programs."
NARAL Pro-Choice America, which tracks all choice-related votes in Congress, classifies Sen. Biden's record as mixed choice.
Fox News: 'Obama-Biden, Osama bin Laden. Coincidence?'
note that chosing Condy Rice as VP, McCain could score on several different fronts
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posted by fingers_of_fire at 11:09 PM on August 22, 2008