I Was Afraid Of This
So it's Joe Biden.
* sigh *
CONS
Biden's mouth. The guy is a loose cannon in love with the sound of his own voice.
36 years in the Senate. Not exactly what people think of when the word "change" is used. As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, he is the quintessential Washington insider.
PROS
Biden's mouth. Because he has a reputation as a loose cannon, Obama will have plausable deniability for anything the guy says. If he can be controlled and "programmed", he could be the perfect attack dog.
36 years in the Senate. His experience counter balances Obama's percieved inexperience. His knowledge of Foreign Relations is second to none. Foreign leaders know who he is. He will bring gravitas to the ticket.
I really don't have anything against Biden. He certainly has the qualifications. My biggest fear is that if they can't control the words that come out of Biden's mouth, he could be a major distraction and liability during the campaign and for the next eight years.
There WILL be gafs. Guaranteed. The only real question is how serious and damaging they will be.
But, the decision is made. They didn't ask my opinion.
Now I would really, really like to see him announce that Bill Richardson will be his Secretary of State. In that position Bill Richardson should start a world tour the day after Obama is inaugurated. He should visit every single country on this planet, hold talks with the leaders of those countries, and begin repairing the damage that has been done by the current administration.
I also want President Obama to shut down every single secret prison, bring the so-called non-legal combatants into mainstream, due process, legal system. Tell the world who they are and the charges against them. Put them on trial and move them through the legal system as quickly as possible and make it all transparent to scrutiny by the rest of the world.
I think any instances where the United States has tortured detainees should be investigated and made public. Anyone involved needs to be held accountable. The United States needs to publically apologize to the world for all such instances and pledge that we will never, ever again treat anyone in our custody in such a manner.
The United States needs to hold itself to a higher moral standard than the people who want to attack us.
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9 comments:
Even as a conservative, I listened to what Biden had to say during the Iraq crisis period. No doubt he is skilled in foreign policy. The other thing Biden brings to the ticket are the lunch pail democrats, the kind like those in my family who don't relate to arugula or George Soros.
I knew the more liberal democrats would not be happy with this choice, but Obama already has them in the bag anyhow. He's also the safest choice for those pissed off Hillary supporters.
Should be interesting.
You left out the biggest pro, Biden gives Obama a real shot at getting elected without that frothing at the mouth Hill and Bill, so would your girl Katy S had he picked her. Im still not convinced that when the curtain is drawn and the chat is punched, that everyone who says they are willing to vote for a black man will actually do it. I honestly hope he wins, but Im not sure enough people are really ready.
I agree with you on the "World Tour" and that our secret prisons and torture should end. We should act better than those against us, not stoop to less than their level.
Biden is a fantastic choice, experience, smarts and a little chutzpah.
ooooo-rah!!!!
mainstream - I'm afraid that Biden won't be able to resist the siren call of his elevated bully pulpit as Vice President. I'm afraid his ego will sieze the opportunity to use the Vice Presidency to espouse his own views and opinions to the detremment of President Obama's agenda. I think that Obama's Press Secretary will spend far too much time standing in front of the Press Corps prefacing statements with "What The Vice President meant to say was..."
It is a risk - but Biden is a great campaigner. I loved it when he publicly, in front of God and everybody said literally "This is bullshit" when Bush compared Obama to a Nazi sympathizer.
But your fears are well founded - my hope is that Biden will rise to the occasion.
Well...you've given me a little hope today....so that's a start...
There's almost always (at least) one old white guy on the president/vp ticket.
Obama needs an old white guy as VP candidate to get into the White House. He can't do it with a 2nd minority on the ticket, in regards to race or gender. I wish it weren't true, but it is.
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