Joe Biden appears to be an EXCELLENT pick for Barack Obama.

And John McCain has a new ad in which he uses Joe Biden's "loose lips" against Barack Obama. This one HURTS, folks:

http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2008/08/john-mccain-doesnt-waste-any-time-body.html#links

I saw the first McAce TV trash concerning Biden's sugesting Obama doesn't have the right experience and his pat on the back to McAce. The GOP is really on thin ice here. If McAce's VP is Romney, who really hates McAce quotes from their Primary battle will be much much worse than the thin rebutal ad by Rove's team. Buckle up GOP. Biden is going to kick your neocon asses.

It will be a tough fight, but I predict BO-Joe will scrape by. I just want them to stick close enough to populist/progressive trails.

I remain impressed by the large number of Democrats who expected Obama to pick Rosa Luxemburg.

This ticket already has so much 'change' at the top of it that it's only even money to win in a very Democrat-friendly environment.

I'm proud of my party, for running the risk, making the statement, but I'm not crazy.

The median voter in this country is old enough to have seen 'White' and 'Colored' signs with their own eyes, not just in history books.

Biden is an excellent choice. He balances the ticket. He is a FIGHTER, and will not take SHIT from John McSHITHEAD.

Good job, Obama. Not a single false step since Jan 2007 by Obama. He has again come through with a super result on this VP test.

Biden is a great choice. This is going to be a horribly aggressive campaign. I say horribly because the Reps are severely threatened and will bring out as much nasty crap as they can get their hands on -- and even create crap out of thin air (as has already begun to happen). The Dem team of Obama/Biden needs to be able to chew it up and spit it out, and then hand McCain his own ass on a platter. Anyone other than Biden would have played this role awkwardly. Biden is quick, and can deftly put down a smear attack.

All the choices were intelligent people (that speaks to the depth of the Dems), but the VP choice has to have the added ability to be able to call republican campaign shit what it is, in a way that will engage the public. Biden seems to me to be a good choice.

Joe Biden: "I am a Zionist"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAZmO80dLfE

Joe Biden: "I am a Zionist"

Who the FUCK cares? What a stupid comment.

Does this qualify as a 3:00 AM phone call?

I was hoping for Schweitzer but Biden will be good. I loved the point made by the 3AM release.

Quite a while ago, Obama said he wanted a VP who complemented him, and he felt that foreign policy was one of his strengths, not a weakness that needed shoring up. I think he's shown excellent judgement in foreign policy, but the average voter apppears not to be buying it. I think Obama has made a safe but good choice in Biden, and that he wants someone who can complement him by (1) being able to rough it up a bit with McCain without coming off looking like an uppity young black guy berating Grandpa, and (2) is generally considered on par with McCain in foreign policy experience (in fact, the media cmmentariat as likely to rank Biden above McCain in that regard).

Biden is weak on bankruptcy and credit company issues, but his response to McCain is to snarl "Pay off your damn $250,000 credit card bill, and then we'll talk about who's in debt to the credit card companies". He's also on record as saying some nice stuff about McCain relative to Obama, but as somebody mentioned elsewhere, all he has to do is say, "that referred to the old McCain, but here is how he's changed since then....."

I'm OK with Biden, considering some of the alternatives. He's definitely not a centrist and not a Republican (Hagel). I'm glad to see that most here are positive about the veep pick. Kevin has his hands full over at MoJo with almost 100% negative comments about the Biden pick. A picture paints a thousand words, right? I really liked this one of Biden and Obama:

Sydney Morning Herald

Not a single false step since Jan 2007 by Obama.

Whoa. I'm with you on people who've just noticed Obama's centrism needing to get with the program, but let's not get carried away.

I'm delighted with the pick of Biden for one very simple reason.

This campaign, unfortunately, is going to one where the MSM focus on trivial, irrelevant issues. McLame and his cohorts will continue to behave like sixth grade boy trading fart jokes, throwing Britney and Celebrity and G*D knows what else at Obama/Biden. Much as we'd like to debate serious issues of the economy, the war, and a better society with McCain and co., that just ain't gonna happen. The other side has nothing positive to say, so they'll just throw mud at Barack and Joe.

Joe is the best guy to come back at all that with the right touch of mockery, dismisal, and "back in your face, loser" chutzpah to blunt that sort of nonsense. If the campaign is going to be waged on that level, I want the guy who can pull off the "noun, verb, 911" response going after the Rethugs.

I'm glad the Democratic party has for once set aside its obsession with charismatic white Southern males as candidates.

Our ticket is now balanced in the right way. McCain is going to find it very hard to balance his ticket. Romney would do it but Romney is odious and weird. All the others are going to look like lightweights next to Biden.

But... Everyone at "The Corner" says this is GREAT for McCain. Really. Everyone.

I was going to say something very similar to what Eeyore said a few minutes ago. Biden's light touch of good-humored ridicule for the ridiculous John McCain will be devastating.

I've been watching Biden clips at Steve's link to HuffPo. They're very entertaining - check them out.

Brick Oven Bill's comments are being reviewed, and any that are determined to possibly give him McPoints for trolling liberal sites (WaMo was on McCain's list of recommended blogs) to earn him a crappy t-shirt made in China are being deleted. -Mod]

As far as the McCain ad, I think the obvious counter is that alot of independent minded "centrists" might have been proud to run with McCain a few years ago. He's changed so much that the old "maverick" is unrecognizable.

Baggage. Why is that only Democrats have "baggage"? No matter who McCain picks for vp there will be no hand-wringing or great debate over "baggage."

Who the fuck cares what the McDepends campaign would say? They had a negative ad ready for any VP nominee. Whatever Obama decided would be wrong.

It's a great choice. No choice is perfect, but this choice is very good.

mhr,

Only 1/2 a McCain point for digging up remarks without context.

Looks like McCainiac is going with Mittens and it's not like he doesn't have anything bad to say about McCainiac.

McCains choice of Romney will cost him evangelical votes as they see Mormonism as a false religion just as they see the Muslim religion.

Good choice from Obama. Shows sound judgment (not weakness) to pick someone who is ready to be president. Keep pointing that out.

Two more points:
1) Biden may step aside in 2012 because of his age (Obama and Biden may have already discussed this) so that the new, younger VP will have a better shot in 2016.

2) Biden has served in the Senate with McCain for how many years? He's not afraid to tell it like it is and he could and will, I'm sure, say "Look, I've served x years in the Senate with John McCain. He used to be a maverick but for the past 4 years has marched lockstep with Pres. Bush." Biden can also bring up Keating?

Old white guys are back, baby.

Meh. Not really that great a choice one way or the other. Cettainly not an exciting one. Hilarious though how some here are reading into some "brilliant" and "meaningful" move to have the mainstream media get leaked this stuff at 3:00 am. Somebody talked before the email to curry favor with their reporter friends. Exactly what's the message you think you see in that?

McInsane will probably be sorry he dredged up the 2005 Stewart program footage. Biden's main role in the campaign should be to repeat over and over, in as many variations possible, that "this is not the John McCain I used to know." It works on all the levels the Democrats need:

-- for conservatives, it feeds their nagging doubts that McInsane's turn to the hard right is genuine, hopefully depressing turnout

-- for independents, it undercuts the "Straight Talking Maverick" BS - was he lying then, or is he lying now?

-- for the electorate as a whole, its the only way to subtly raise the age/senility issue without making the MSM go nuts.

Go to it Joe! But I hope you rethink the issue of running for relection to the Senate at the same time - that's really a dipshit move, totally not worthly of you. It's not like you won't be OK even if you are out of a job in January.

Hannah brings up the point that Biden has served in the Senate with McCain for decades....he has a lot of stories to tell, and knows where the bones are buried. I would love to see McCain lose his cool over the telling of the stories.

This might be a very entertaining aspect to the race that is unfolding.

Here's a bit of Biden biography that I don't see here, yet.

Good luck.

I think the Biden pick will grow on everyone. He knows where the bodies are buried in DC, he has the political skin thickness of a rhinoceros and anyone who would publicly call out Rudy as "a noun, a verb and 9/11" has the attack dog mentality needed in a veep.

Joe will say some stupid things on the campaign trail, and they will be controversial, but the Republicans will invent crap for controversies anyway and their friend Ron Fournier will publicize it for them.

While Biden rounds out the Obama ticket in politically savvy ways, McCain has some real problems for his pick. If he doesn't pick someone as old as he is then experience is obviously an over-rated quality. Most likely he'll have to pander to the right wing base and none of those candidates have much appeal to the masses. Obama played it safe, but he was going catch sh*t no matter who he chose.

I would have preferred Kathleen Sebelius but I can live with Joe Biden as VP for the various reasons people have mentioned. His heart is in the right place, and his fearless attack skills are definitely going to be needed if we're going to win this fight.

He still makes me a little nervous if his mouth goes off before his brain kicks in, but he's probably learned a lot from the primaries and I imagine he'll get plenty of coaching from this point.

Obama to older women and other strong Hillary supporters (a dependable voting bloc where he's been losing support for months now):

"Get to the back of the bus and wait your turn. These things take time. I'm going to effect this change thing with an old white male club-member."

That said, although Clinton, Sibelius, or any other strong woman would have been my first choice (for no other reason then Obama would have been "the man" on the ticket rather than "the black man on the ticket" to the "Bradley Effect" leaners, Biden gets a grudging okay as my fourth choice (I would have been more enthusiastic about Kaine also).

Bayh or Edwards (not my Johnnykins), would have been an "Oh sh)t!" moment for me.

BO-Joe. I can live with it and even learn to like it. Hope there are no more "he's so clean," plagarism, or temper-losing incidents - or at least not too many of them.

Hey Dale, I am married to an "old white guy" and I am here to tell ya, they ain't all bad!

BTW, is anyone else having trouble getting this site to remember personal information?

McChameleon is the REAL change candidate this election cycle. He has changed all his principles/positions for the sake of winning the presidency.

I'm not sure whether that is positive change needed by the US or the rest of the world, but you can bet your bottom dollar: this is CHANGE YOU BETTER BELIEVE IN because its real and nasty!

Is it just me or are Joe Biden's weaknesses the same as McCains? Known to run his mouth. Had a scandal in the late 80s. Prone to exaggeration. The advantage of this of course is that it would make nearly all attacks on Biden by republicans pointless because they could very easily be turned back around on McCain.

Oughta' run an ad that says- "There he goes again- Forgetting things. He forgot to include the total comment". Run the Daily Show whole comment and then. "There is just so much for John to remember- houses, cars, timetables that I guess he just needs his rest!" Obama/Biden -2008!!!!!!

The Senate is a very weird place that can change the way that men perceive their world. The Senate has taken its toll on John McCain and Lindsey Graham. It has probably taken its toll on Joe Biden as well. Biden was elected to the Senate before his thirtieth birthday.

It will all be on display soon in any case.

We should have term limits.

Posted by: Brick Oven Bill on August 23, 2008 at 1:03 PM

Term limits is not the answer, at least with respect to the Senate. The problem with the Senate was caused by the 17th Amendment, which fundamentally changed the original purpose of the Senate. By placing the power of choosing Senators with the state legislatures, the Founders intended the Senate to be the States' check on the Federal Government. Do you really think the Federal Government would be as powerful as it today if Senators were still accountable to their state legislatures who would not want excess federal government control or involvement in their affairs?

By making Senators elected by the people, the 17th Amendment destroyed the raison d'être of the Senate being an "upper house" as opposed to the House, which was supposed to be the "Peoples' House".

Oh, and not to rain on the One's big decision, but Biden?!?!? Really, that's the best the One could? The election of an all Senator ticket would be a first, but sadly that is not going to happen. LOL

D'oh!!! I just remembered that both JFK and LBJ were sitting Senators when elected in 1960. My bad. Can't think of any others off the top of my head.

I wonder if the Pope will try and give Hon. Sen. Biden the bidness?

Hey Dale, I am married to an "old white guy" and I am here to tell ya, they ain't all bad!

Okay, let the white guy in. He's with her. :-)

I hope the tech/design people at Washington Monthly take pride in their work and fix this blog design.
It doesn't save personal info.
It's almost unreadable with the tiny font.
The comments need to be numbered and the commenter's name needs to be at the beginning of the comment.
There needs to be a recent posts listing.

And those are just the necessities. There are lots of community enhancing bells and whistles they could add to.

Benen works hard and he deserves a well-run site. No disrespect to Kevin but it still has his name at the top of the comments preview.

Nice, 'Rielle Lovechild.' You just accused a black man of telling someone to get to the back of the bus because your feelings are hurt that Hillary wasn't picked. Rosa Parks would be so proud of you.

Stay classy.

I've thought and thought and thought about Hillary as Veep, and came to the conclusion that it wasn't the right thing to do. She has just too things going against her, and if I were Barack I'd want to run my own Presidency, not a co-co-co Presidency with Bill and Hillary.

Much as I've respected and admire what both Clinton's have done, their time has passed. I think it's time for their supporters to realized that they lost, someone else one, suck it up, and focus on defeating McCain and the rethugs.

Two northern Liberals - I guess the Dems have written off the entire south. -Orwell

Which state is Obama from that's in the North? Hawaii or Illinois?

Man, I hope Obama gets in there and improves the education system so no one else has to suffer from geographic ignorance.

What's next? Biden is the second most liberal Senator? Grasping. For. Straws.

Let's face it; ObamaDodd would have just been fuel for the typical American xenophobic fire. (By the way, I've written off every inbred, Creation Museum, NASCAR, Bible-blowing cretin since they called me an abomination there Orwell. I didn’t start that shit.) In this exercise, you can take quotes from both primaries and say whatever you want to gain-say. I can't wait to see which quotes will be used against the McTrollop\Mittens ticket. The bites given their inherent levity, simply display people fighting for a nomination and that is all; the easily impressed shouldn’t read too much into it.

Idiots like Orwell mystify me. There is no way in HELL that any southern state will vote for Obama. NO FUCKING WAY.

After all, he's black, and them racist nigger-haters in the south don't vote for black guys. They lynch them.

Virginia is not right now a southern state. It's a border state. It will go Obama, because the Northern Virginia suburbs are gonna carry the weight and the BLACKS will come out and vote OVERWHELMINGLY for Obama/Biden.

I just want to state what I have been saying consistently on TCBR. I have no doubt about -- and will gladly bet on -- the following:

John McCain will receive less than 100 Electoral Votes

The Democrats will have over 60 (my guess is 62) Senators after January (including Sanders, excluding the Conecticut Mugwump)

The Democrats will have at least 285 Representatives -- okay, I was saying 300, but I'll give the Republicans a shot at 150.

I have been arguing that there was no way the Republicans could win this election since January 2007 -- but I had no idea that McCain would turn out to be The Stupidest Candidate Ever -- or that Obama would manage to run as incredible a campaign as he keeps on doing -- back then I didn't even see him as a factor and hoped I'd be voting for Richardson, Dodd, or *shudder* Edwards.

McCain has no upside, no enthusiasm behind him, has lost the RRers as a GOTV wellspring, and is getting more and more laughed at bu his 'friends in the media.'

Which DOESN'T mean that Obama-Biden can coast. They have to -- and their history have demonstrated they will -- keep campaigning like they might be 3 points behind.

But McCain is the new Landon. (Actually Landon wasn't as bad as McCain, a fairly decent governor, not a boob who has succeeded by money, luck, and against no ideological opposition in his life.)

@Prup

"I hope your right, I really do... Because just 1 of those things managed to wipe out my entire crew in less than 24 hours, and if the colonists have found that ship than there's no telling how many of those have been exposed... do you understand!?"

; - )

Oh well, cut and paste.. It's then. Stupid Britons.

Wish I recognized the quote, but sorry, i don't.

Let me break it down for you:

McCain probably will win the following:
Utah (5)
Idaho (4)
Wyoming (3)
Nebraska (5) (actually, may split, the only state, i think, that does)
North dakota (3)
Oklahoma (7)
Kentucky (8)
Mississippi (6)
Alabama (9)
South Carolina (8)
(58 total)

He might pull out some of the following -- but not all, in particular, he won't win both FL and TX

Florida 27
Texas 34
Kansas 6
South Dakota 3
North Carolina 15

Giving him Texas, that gives him a maximum of 58, and a potential of

116 but I think he'll manage to blow some of these. The rest (yes, including WV and AZ and MT) will be for Obama, though TN and Arkansas will be quite close).

Biden is also a big supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

doubtful,

It's called a metaphor. I get it. You have a problem with me. I know this because I can always expect an insulting comeback from you (sometimes even preaching to me that I've made insulting remarks - see Rosa Parks reference).

Grow up.

Oh, and doubtful,

Illinois is in the North. Just thought you should know.

LOL

Rielle, my love child,
[...] although Clinton, Sibelius, or any other strong woman would have been my first choice [...]

If you *really* wanted to prove your feminist credentials (rather than your blind -- and blindingly obvious -- loyalty to Clinton), you probably should have learnt the spelling of your "second choice's" name... Since you haven't bothered to, I'm left with the belief that you're simply trying to plant a forest to hide your sacred tree in.
_______________________
I hope the tech/design people at Washington Monthly take pride in their work and fix this blog design.
It doesn't save personal info.
It's almost unreadable with the tiny font.
The comments need to be numbered and the commenter's name needs to be at the beginning of the comment.
There needs to be a recent posts listing. -- Dale, @15:10

Dale, your heart and mine beat as one on this subject :)

Lemon

exibra -

Are you really going all "language police" on me?

Well, I guess I "learnt" something about you today.

It's called a metaphor. I get it. You have a problem with me. -Rielle Lovechild

I don't care what you call it. Putting the words 'get to the back of the bus' in a black man's mouth (especially when he's never even said anything close to that) is borderline racist and absolutely insulting. I don't have a problem with you; I've never had a problem with you as colonpowow or your new assinine handle Rielle Lovechild. I have a problem with your frequent stupid comments.

Despite your constant assurances you are doing everything you can to get Barack elected, you never miss an opportunity to manufacture some sort of anti-woman sentiment which Barack has never expressed.

You need to get over the fact that Hillary isn't on the ticket.

Illinois is in the North. Just thought you should know. LOL -rielle Lovechild

No, Illinos isn't in the North; it's firmly in the Midwest where it's always been. Since you're from Indiana, you ougth to know that. I was born and raised in Indiana, too, and I learned that in public grade school, so you really have no excuse. Oh, and I might add, I am an Illinois resident now.

The State of Illinois (pronounced /ˌɪlɨˈnɔɪ/|Ill-i-NOY) is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union. Illinois is the most populous and demographically diverse[5] Midwestern state and the fifth most populous in the nation.

Emphasis mine.

Now, I'd love to move beyond this stupid spat you seem to think we're having, but that's going to require a lot more maturity on your part. Stop putting ignorant words in Barack Obama's mouth; stop acting like he killed your dog by not picking Hillary; and stop having stupid arguments you can't win, like where Illinois is located, just for the sake of arguing with me.

Take your own advice and grow the hell up.

Orange.

Illinois isn't in the North?

Oh, I stand corrected. You are kidding, right? Remember the Civil War? Texas fought with the South and Illinois fought with the ......

Or is Texas a Southern state or a Southwestern state? I get confused because different reference works give differing regions. And Arkansas? Don't get me started. I could never get that one straight either. Please help me.

Now let's see, in your very last post, you said that I'm:

"A borderline racist."

Assinine (sic)

Make stupid comments (that is, frequently)

"Immature"

"Make stupid arguments"

And, "insulting" - or was that in one of your earlier posts?

Orange you sorry you made me cry?

What a work you are! Truly.

Oh, I stand corrected. You are kidding, right? Remember the Civil War? Texas fought with the South and Illinois fought with the ...... -Rielle Lovechild

The geographic breakdown of the US is not determined by the battle lines of the Civil War. We didn't even have 50 states at that time! How will you classify the states that weren't even states then if you're using that standard? I stand by my source backed assertion that Illinois not in the North, but the Midwest.

It is a separate region. You can argue until your fingers fall off; it's a fact, and you're wrong. The Midwest isn't like the South. It's not like the Northeast. It's not like Orgeon or Montana. Trying to lump it in with them in order to score imaginary points in a blog comment section plain silly.

I can only speak for myself, but I grow weary of you unproductive and belligerent attitude. I can't imagine other commenters appreciated your 'back of the bus' comment, though.

No matter. It's not worth trying to engage you. You're completely unreasonable. Don't you think you'd be more comfortable at www.hillaryis44.com where the rest of the fact challenged and angry wounded reside?

Sigh.

Since New York, Pennsylvania, and New England are Northeastern states. And since Maryland, New Jersey, etc. are Mid-Atlantic states, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, etc. are Midwestern states - there ARE no Northern states. Or is Minnesota actually a Northern Plains state like North and South Dakota? And one of the Dakotas has South in its name. Montana et al, are they a Northern state or a Mountain state? Or another Plains state? I give up.

Oh, no. I thought I had it for a second.

There ARE no Northern states. Is that right? doubtful, please, what are the Northern states?

Not only did the other commentators appreciate the "back of the bus" reference - they all, besides you, probably understand metaphor and irony.

Again, no one else mentioned it because they understood my reference, and unlike you, didn't feel the need to launch another (sigh) personal insulting attack. Do you have to be black to be put in the back of the bus - or the South end of the bus, perhaps?

I understand there are others who don't "do nuance" well either. It's okay.

doubtful, doubtful, doubtful.

If I read your last post correctly, did you actually ask me to leave because I'd be more comfortable with my own kind?

LOL

Well, I guess I "learnt" something about you today. -- Child Rielle, @21:35

That I learnt English the Brit way? I never made a secret of it. Colour, honour, neighbourhood, travelling, spelt... All of the above show up as misspellings on my screen, even though they're still correct as far as I'm concerned.

That your knowledge of English is as pitiful as your knowledge of US geography (as evidenced in your exchange with Doubtful), is sad but not really surprising.

And no, I'm not "going all 'language police'" on you; I don't give a tinker's damn about how you spell most of the time (though, to be sure, the more misspellings, the less weight I'm likely to accord to the poster's views). But, when you claim that someone is one of your dream choices and then you don't even know their name, you come through as a phony. A hypocrite (if that's not to elite and exotic a word for you).

Well, I guess I "learnt" something about you today. -- Child Rielle, @21:35

That I spell the Brit way because that's how I was taught to do it? I never made a secret of it. You could have learnt it any time in the past year or so. Honour, colour, neighbour, travelling, spelt... all of these register as misspellings on my screen but, as far as I'm concerned, they're still spelt correctly.

That you felt the need to put the word betweeen quotation marks, simply indicates that your knowledge of English (in all its rich varieties) is as deficient as your knowledge of US geography (as evidenced in your -- truly childish -- "argument" with Doubtful)

And, no; I am not "going all 'language police' on you". Most of the time, I couldn't care less how badly you spell (though, it's true that I tend to attach less weight to badly misspelt comments). But, when you claim that someone is a part of your dream ticket and then you don't even know their name.. You come through as a bald-faced liar. A hypocrite (if that's not too elite/exotic a word for you, my child).

Lemon (was: orange)

Like you, I attach less weight to badly misspelt (sic) comments.

With all due respect, this is the last post I'll ever reply to you with. The very first sentence you ever wrote to me was to point out that I misspelled the Governor from Kansas' surname. Not "Hi." Not "BTW - here's how to correctly spell Shibbalieus." You came out firing at me about my misspelled word as some kind of "proof-of-BS" that only exists in your mind, sorry. And you served that all up with a semi-literate post of your own.

If your irony meter doesn't work correctly, mine did.

Thank you. Now go away.

exlibra -

I lied. One more thing. Since you are an expert in US geography as well as US linguistics, do you think Illinois is a Northern state?

If not, what ARE the Northern US states? Seriously.

for the love of christ shut up already.