Jamie, I would say Biden is in the top tier. You saw his debate performance. His CFR experience, international experience, forthrightness and experience in the Senate for a considerable period of time makes for a good partner, in my opinion. I think Dobb, Richardson or Hagel would have been great as well. I would have been repulsed by Clinton. Furthering American monarchies is not my cup of tea. I do believe Biden is a top tier candidate.
I think it’s difficult to say that one person is the penultimate choice, but I think we can make distinctions about top 10%, top 20% or like Palin, bottom 20%.
Ed, I’m not certain I understood what you were trying to say. Obama is an intellectual lightweight? That’s a tough one to swallow. Listen, I’m not criticizing McCain’s intellect. I thought his first debate was pretty strong and I saw glimpses of the 2000 McCain that lots of people could get behind. It’s the Palin choice which is so distributing. It highlights two things: (1) that we settle for a wink and a whistle over substance and (2) that McCain is not in control of his own campaign. That his handlers chose her as a cynical ploy to motivate the base. That should be distributing to everyone. How will he staff his cabinet and advisors, through lobbyists and Republican operatives? In contrast, Obama has LED his campaign and remained calm and collected.
