Biden—Pros and Cons
Plus Side
He’s been around in the Senate about ten times longer than Barack Obama, and offers age and experience to Obama’s thin (“above my paygrade”) resume and blank slate. Biden understands Washington after more than three decades (Obama made a ludicrous claim when he announced today that “Joe Biden… for decades…has brought change to Washington.”).
He has endured personal disasters and crises with courage and resolve, both the tragic death of his wife and daughter, and his own brain aneurisms. He can be blunt, and is used to the Beltway braggadocio, and as the old stag can advise Bambi about the ways of the forest. He’s run two campaigns, so Biden’s negatives are already out there, and there will be few new surprises. He can start in mediis rebus, unlike a Quayle in 1988 or Edwards in 2004. He’s friends with Hil, and might have a good chance to woo her voters back. While a liberal, he’s not in the Barbara Boxer/Harry Reid Pluto orbit.
Downside
Some “hope and change!”
I don’t see how anyone can attribute singular foreign policy expertise to Biden. He is all over the map on Iraq—take Saddam out; my perfect war is now your fouled-up peace; hurrah for the elections; it’s now George Bush’s war; the surge worked; etc. Each new position was always predicated on the perceived pulse of the battlefield, and the assurance that no one amid the pontifications would check to see that his latest sermon was usually at odds with his of last month. Biden voted against Iraq #1 in 1990-91, and for Iraq #2, so let Obama figure that out.
I’ve written too many dissections of Biden’s idiotic idea of trisecting Iraq. Every one of Obama’s criticisms of Hillary on the war could be trumped in the case of Biden, perhaps quieting him about hammering McCain for wanting to take out Saddam. Biden’s inquisition of Justice Alito is now the locus classicus of Senatorial arrogance and self-absorption—but not surprising given his prior unprofessional hit on Justice Thomas.
The problem is not just his past record of plagiarism or silly gaffes, but the continuing hubris that fuels such corner-cutting and logorrhea. Biden is affable and smiles, but listen closely to what comes out of his mouth; it often is wierd, whether silly or savage, rather than “scrappy”. If Obama thought he was getting an old pro, scripted explicator likely to contrast with his own gaffes or unteleprompted disastrous declarations, think again: Biden will match Obama, slip for slip, gaffe for gaffe.
Pundits keep evoking his more embarrassing evaluations about Obama as comparable to Vice Presidential Pick George H.W. Bush’s early dismissal of Reagan tax cuts as voodoo economics in the 1980 primaries. But Bush never said, in the manner of Biden, that Reagan simply was not qualified to be President, or boasted that he would be honored to run with Jimmy Carter. So there is a lot of material for McCain ads (cf.#1: Biden praises McCain, and trashes Obama).
More concretely, we now have two lawyer-Senators, neither with executive experience, or any knowledge of the private sector. Both are liberal–no southern or Midwestern governor here, or even Hillary’s latest blue collar reincarnation.
Both simply left law school and abruptly ended up in politics and the rest is history. Their shared frame of reference is the collection and spending of someone else’s money. Delaware won’t offer too many electoral votes, and I question punditry that suggests “working-man” Biden will really ensure nearby Pennsylvania.
Bottom line: other than the fact that VP won’t matter that much by November—unless Biden does something analogous to what ended his two earlier Presidential runs—Hillary would have better united the party, more likely picked up the independent voter, and her advantages and savvy far outweighed the problems of leashing Bill. After all, she got more primary Democratic votes in one state than did Biden in his entire campaign, and would have offered the ticket another historical first.
Look to McCain to pick up 20% of her votes–and watch her facial expressions as poor Hil professes her hope for an Obama win.
Olympian Afterthought
To the extent the Chinese put on a splendid Olympics, it was due to their uncanny emulation of Western organization, protocols, and economics. To the extent they did not, it was due to their rejection of Western notions of freedom and human rights.
The Europeans, for all the hype, were boorish, time after time—whether the Brit middle-distance runner taunting his opponent, or the Spanish racist eye antics. Often they seemed just creepy, like the Swiss male beach volleyball team.
After watching the Olympics, one is always reminded that the US is a veritable UN, but one that works. Our coaches and athletes are from all over the world, to the extent that it is almost impossible to ascertain what an American looks like—not true of almost all other countries.
And in sports like swimming, basketball, and track, again and again winning non-American athletes, well, turn out to be sort of Americans, given their frequent training and residence at American universities and colleges. No decline of America evident here.
A Few Embarrassments:
The robotic and exploited underage Chinese gymnasts;
The crass track and field post-event interviewer Bob Neumeyer, who insisted on jabbing his mike in the faces of the recently defeated with questions that were as stupid as they were cruel;
Why the hours of diving? Finally left the television on, conked and used it as Sominex…
I could have sworn that during Sunday’s Speech, Biden called Obama “Baraka Amiri.” Most mainstream reporters, who don’t know their beat poets, interpreted the gaffe as “Barack America.” But my feeling is that Biden was thinking of “Amiri Baraka,” the former “Poet Laureate” of New Jersey, once known as “Leroi Jones.” But I believe Amiri/Leroi is a somewhat radical Marxist, so I can understand the confusion…
On a seemingly unrelated point, props to Country Inns & Suites. Their PJM ad, which now appears on the right of my screen, features a mixed-race couple. They’re both handsome people, drinking coffee and sharing a bed. The fact that the scene is so matter-of-fact makes me admire Country Inns all the more. It really makes me want to “be their guest,” as the slogan says.
Before University of Missouri sprinter Mel Gray changed his name, he was Mel Gray. At the Big 8 Track finals in 1971, my roomate and I, (distance runners both out with injury), watching on TV, saw an announcer stick a mike into Mel’s face and say, in ‘loud-rapid-fire-speech’, “Mel, you just won the 100 yards, in a few minutes you’re going to run the 220. What’s the big difference in these two races?” (My roomate and I both later said we knew what was coming.) Mel paused a moment, and said laconically, “120 yards”. The anouncer’s faces morphed into a stupefied Joe Biden in the headlights. Priceless!
The VP selection reveals the depth of Obama’s ego. Surely Hilary would have been the stronger running mate. Just as surely, his ego wouldn’t allow for such a dispassionate choice.
What’s interesting is the liberal tendency to self-destruct. Hilary would have been the safe choice as the presidential candidate but the liberals wanted to “shoot for the moon” with an ultra-leftists radical like Obama. And now this lackluster VP selection.
At least liberal self-loathing has it’s upside: a McCain victory in November.
Rev. Wright spent 20 years watching Obama. He knew then and knows now who lawyer Obama is. Biden is not the master of flattery he thinks he is.
McCain is not a grand thinker. Perhaps his choice for VP may suggest how he would solve such a personal reality, if at all.
If America at the Olympics is a mirror of every culture on this planet, then our media, in this case NBC, suggests how these elites really view “others” and intend for us to march in a lock step of their making. Ain’t gonna happen, is it?
Perhaps a shorter path to enlightenment could be attained via one’s commitment to reading the classics of western civ. Can we have a vote?
I prefer statesmen in government, not lawyers, nor flatterers.
The Duchy of Delaware is not a state; it’s an anomalous fiefdom. It would fit better on a map of 17th Century Germany than it does on the electoral map of the United States. Like the decrepit boroughs of 19th Century Britain where a rich man could buy a seat in parlianment, Delaware provides a title for anyone wealthy or ambitious enough to claim it. All hail the Dauphin de la Ware! Pretentious twit.
Meanwhile, the bitter clingers in Pennsylvania are conspiring over fifty-cent draft beers at the local VFW. “The governor says not everyone’s on board yet. Got that right.” On the opening day of hunting season Pennsylvania will field the world’s fourth largest army as millions of deerslayers take to the field. It’s a slightly different culture from the south side of Chicago. In this neck of the woods acorns are fodder for wildlife. But I wouldn’t expect someone born in Hawaii to know that, or much else about flyover country.
Somebody said it right last week. If it was to be anybody but Hillary Clinton…boring.
The Democrats are talking about McCain’s shoes and dinner tables. What about those years in prison with every kind of American? McCain knows the American people. Does Biden?
The best part of the Olympics for me was the basketball player’s patriotism and the volleyball players thanking the prez.
Your take on Gasser Biden is right on!
To exploit underage Chinese children is not abnormal behaviour for any Communist Government; it is an absolutely disgraceful and dishonorable for the International Olympic Committee to allow it.
Proof of Birth – In the United States, BIRTH CERTIFICATES are mandatory for many things —- Kindergarten and other School Entrance, Baptism, Driver’s Licenses, Marriage Licenses, Trade Licenses, Social Security Cards, et infinitum.
In 1950, after the Korean War started when Communist North Korea invaded Free South Korea, I volunteered for Military Service. One of the requirements, then and now, was a valid BIRTH CERTIFICATE. Before I was called downtown for my physical, the Naval Recruitment Office said that I was not born on the day and county that I had submitted. I went to the City Clerk’s Office and found out that my Father’s name had been entered on the records istead of mine. It took me a few days to have the name change on the Records; and was then accepted into the Service.
Mr. Hanson, if it is mandatory to prove your true age in Olympic competion,and Military Service, should not the Candidate for the Office of President of the United States be forced to produce a Valid Certifate of Birth????????
Why has Obama NOT submitted his Birth Certificate? Why the secrecy about his date of Birth??????????
Jack Brennan
jack brennan:
Your take on Sen. Biden is right on!
To exploit underage Chinese Olympic Athletes is not unusual behaviour for any Communist Government; it is an disgraceful and dishonorable for the International Olympic Committee to allow it.
Proof of Birth – In the United States, BIRTH CERTIFICATES are mandatory for many things —- Kindergarten and other School Entrance, Driver’s Licenses, Marriage Licenses, Trade Licenses, Social Security Cards, ad infinitum.
In 1950, after the Korean War started , I volunteered for Military Service. One of the requirements, then and now, was a valid BIRTH CERTIFICATE. Before I was called downtown for my physical, the Naval Recruitment Office said that I was not born on the day and county that I had submitted. I went to the City Clerk’s Office and found out that my Father’s name had been entered on the records istead of mine. It took me a few days to have the name changed on the Records; and I was then accepted into the Service.
Mr. Hanson, if it is mandatory to prove your true age in Olympic competion,and Military Service, should not the Candidate for the Office of President of the United States be forced to produce a Valid Certifate of Birth????????
Why has Obama NOT submitted his Birth Certificate? Why the secrecy about his date of Birth
It will be McCain – Powell.
I took a Constitutional Law class from Biden while at Widener in Delaware almost 20 years ago. I knew then what I know now about him. He knows nothing, has a racist sense of humor, and does things with smoke and mirrors because it fools most of his constituency. Those that loved him in class aspired to make it in government or work for non profit groups while the few conservatives in class couldnt wait to get into the private sector and make some real money. He knew less about Constitutional Law then the law students and our school was barely accredited so he wasnt teaching a bunch of scholars.
Biden is the old white version of the young half white Obama. They fool each other and call it experience.
Obama is killing what should have been a slam dunk election for the Democrats. Bringing idiot Biden on board only makes it even funnier, but also just as tragic if he actually wins.
I think a McCain-Palin would shut this thing down immediately!
That’s a McCain-Palin ticket, of course.
About your other blog: why did you bother? Anyone who calls himself and “ex-patriot” when he meant expatriate is, well, pat.
Powell’s moment was in 1996, when the Republican nomination was his for the asking. It is a great pity that he did not seize the moment, perhaps to become America’s first black President. It would be so much better if such a candidate was a man of accomplishments like Powell, instead of a poseur like Obama.
The Democrats would attack Palin on the experience issue. After all, she’s had only two years as governor. Of course that’s two years of executive experience more than either Obama or Biden has had. And Republicans could cite a Presidential precedent. Two years as governor of a state was all the political experience Woodrow Wilson had when he was elected President. Some people might think that is an unfortunate precedent, but it would be hard for Democrats to dismiss it.
Then in 2012 or 2016 the Republicans can have a square off between Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal, and maybe a few other good candidates who come to the fore in the meantime. I’m looking forward to that, no matter what happens this year. If the Dems get into the White House and get control of Congress in 2008 we’ll need a really good candidate in 2012, someone who as President can clean up the mess the twits in the Democratic Party made, just like in the 1980 election. I firmly believe that an Obama Administration will be the Second Coming of Jimmy Carter’s.
George Best: Biden is not having a racist sense of humor, the new MSM talking point is: he is “refreshingly politically incorrect”.
The worst Olympic interview moment was the idiot who interviewed the 15 years old American diver. She was on the verge of tears, trying her best to put on a brave face. The stupid interviewer asked “How do you feel losing a chance for a medal? You’ve tried so hard.” The girl mumbled something, the idiot asked more questions, the girl finally broke down and cried. That stupid reporter should be fired.
“Often they seemed just creepy, like the Swiss male beach volleyball team.” I did not watch the Swiss team, but the Swiss male beach volleyball player of the US team, Mr. Clean, was not creepy at all.
I still believe that this election will boil down to a referendum on Obama. The only effect that the Biden selection has is to 1)Present a solid liberal ticket with no semblance of balance. 2)Serve to alienate some Hilary supporters. I do not see either point as terribly consequential. If voters feel comfortable with Obama he will win. if they don’t he will lose. I don’t see how they could possibly feel comfortable with him but……there are obviously lots of millions of folks who do not think as I do.
The Lemmings are going to vote the Democratic ticket no matter who the candidates are. The real challenge will be for McCain to motiviate the conservatives to turn out in big numbers. It seems the only people willing to vote for McCain are the ones who are scared to death of President Obama…or is that President Biden?
I think McCain’s VP pick will have much more significance for either success or failure.
Election 2008 — All Obama all the time. Don’t pick a VP that might upset that calculation, i.e. Hillary Clinton. You think the MSM will focus much on windbag Biden when they have cool-walkin’, slick-talkin’ Obama to cover, or cover-up for. Both these liberal guys have been all over the map politically, so this election is definitely not going to be about policy. It’s going to be a media circus of the most superficial kind. Why pick an old, pro-Iraq War (2002) Washington insider when Obama ran against this in the primaries?
Biden can out-gaffe anyone. Makes Obama look good in comparison to the old white guy. Besides he may make another “racist” gaffe, and have to apologize to his boss, again.
All those Republican adds showing Biden during the primary debates putting Obama down for his lack of experience may backfire. Just another old white guy who doesn’t get it, especially when said white guy now comes out and effusively extols the virtues of the One & Only. Just politicians being politicians, or did they send him to re-education camp?
Biden proves that experience doesn’t always matter. Vote against the War in 1990, when virtually the whole world was in agreement with the United States, then vote for the War in 2002 when they weren’t. I don’t know, you try to figure it out. I can’t.
Maybe Team Obama is hoping we’ll all just average their years of experience, giving Obama credit for 20 without being there. Or maybe this political guessing game is all wrong this time. Maybe the Obama campaign’s decision making boiled down to something more elemental: a subliminal take-home message to the masses, that grumpy old white man is now Number 2.
…this election will boil down to a referendum on Obama…..
In so many ways it seems like Obama has painted himself into a corner. The American public (the voters) have learned so much more about the candidate, that was previously hidden from them, most of which is disturbing.
On his ‘grand world tour’ he was “a citizen of the world” who could not say anything good about his own country, which has given him so many opportunities.
At the Saddleback Forum, his answers were always nuanced; he was unable to give a straight, firm answer. I believe his ‘above my pay-grade’ will stay with him for a long time. In an interview after the Forum, he was questioned about voting against the bill to protect and give medical care to babies who were alive after an abortion. His answer was “they lied about my record”, when the proof that he had voted against the bill, as well the video showing him claiming he had not voted against it, was on the internet.
The Infanticide issue, the arrogance of his treatment of Hillary, info that is beginning to come out about the Annenberg Challenge (CAC), McCain’s new ad showing Biden dissing Obama and praising McCain…all are issues that resonate with voters. John Edwards was a liar and a phony, as is Obama, and many voters will recognize that.
….why the secrecy about his date of birth?….
It may actually be more about the Place of birth, and more and more people are wondering why he refuses to produce his birth certificate.
Obama may still win the election, but he himself has made it more of an uphill battle. He will be flailing all the way to November, and ‘hoping’ that he can beat the clock, just as many are hoping that there will be a ‘change’ to his plans of becoming President.
Some silly commenters forget that Biden was whom Hillary forced on Obama in payment for her support. Biden is a radical feminist on steroids. Just Google Biden Feminism VAWA IMBRA and other key words. Biden doesn’t care about men’s rights. Men don’t organize or have any power as a group.
Obama just won half the Clintonites who were holding back. McCain is desperate to stop the stupid other half from going back to the Dem fold who are literally too dumb to know that Biden is Hillary’s girl.
That is why you see the cynical campaign to say “Hillary was dissed”.
The problem with McCain’s pandering to these leftover Clintonites is that he can and WILL ignore the male vote and the non-feminist-female vote in order to snare the holdover Clinton feminists who remain furious that the old woman was not given her birthright as a baby boomer feminist.
They know that it is entirely possible that a baby boomer feminist will NEVER be the US President.
I thought Evan Bayh would’ve been a far more formidable choice than Biden, who seems awfully conventional in an era of “change,” and could green-light McCain for his own conventional choice (Romney). Or, perhaps, McCain could go for broke by naming a woman as his VP and really shake things up. Bayh has executive experience as governor of Indiana, a good economic record, and he’s from the moderate wing of the party that may appeal more to Hillarycrats.
I think Biden is a fairly pragmatic problem-solving sort of man. While you deride his Iraq plan, at least he’s thinking about ways to win (as opposed to the “pull the troops out NOW!” crowd). I think stronger federalism in Iraq could have some advantages, but total separation is quite impractical (as you’ve said).
The Biden plagiarism charges are true, but they do have a good explanation. If I’m not mistaken, he used quotes from a politician in the UK during stump speeches, and cited his source properly on most occasions. Unfortunately for him, he was being filmed on the occasion when he didn’t cite the source.
I think Obama would have been in much better shape come November if he had named Clinton as his VP. Reports that she was never even vetted even after the 18 million votes she received may reveal arrogance on the part of the Obama team.
Biden’s and Obama’s votes against Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito were based on nothing but partisan politics. Change indeed!
Both men were well-qualified to serve on the Supreme Court and have proved it since confirmation.
Chairman Biden’s conduct in the high tech lynching of Clarence Thomas was a disgrace. In his new book, Justice Thomas tells how Joe Biden promised to go easy on him in the first round of questions. This was well before the Anita Hill allegations.
Right out of the box, Biden asked Judge Thomas an out-of-context and misleading question from a speech Judge Thomas had given years ago. He handled it okay, but it wasn’t what Biden promised.
Nice guy.
John McCain / Kay Bailey Hutchison
If McCain thinks he needs to select a pro-choice VP, then the only one acceptable to me is Giulliani. I’d love to see McCain tell Giulliani to straighten out the mess in State and the CIA. “And don’t be nice, either, Rudy!” – boy how I would like to hear that from a President McCain!
Otherwise, I would prefer Engler, then Pawlenty, then Romney, in this order.
VDH–
Monday morning reading.
Never has the Wall Street Journal seemed more jubilant, the New York Times sound more drunkenly forensic, nor Victor Davis Hanson proven more prescient. Congratulations to All!
FM
I never thought there was a chance in hell that Obama would ask Clinton to be his VP, and the reported lack of vetting or communication between them bears this out. Having Hill as VP and bringing Bill along would be like having the Borgias watch your back.
As bad as Hillary is, the Democrats are so pathetic that they needed to take a risk. Making Hillary VP unites the stupid and like it or not, the stupid people in this country can carry a lot of votes. Biden is basically an admission by Obama that he cant believe his shuck and jive has gotten him this far and he wants to have someone who he thinks will help him should he actually win. What he actually got was someone who defines the change that Obama is really talking about, which is the same liberal policies that have and will always exist.
Its like the Eddie Murphy Joke when he votes for Jesse Jackson as a joke and then he wins. That is what Obama is thinking about now. What if I win? I was really just running to get my black brothers and sisters to mobilize and get my name out there so I can make more money by doing nothing. He is scared to death that he could actually be President.
Watching Edward Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy talk about Obama makes me sick. Its like hes the second coming of JFK in their minds. Those two are so mentally messed up because of what has happened to them they are looking for anything to bring back memories of the past. Obama other then JFK is the only person who has inspried Caroline? This is the most disingenous statement I have ever heard. Is she that desperate to feel important? Ted could have the biggest brain tumor and be wheeled up there in a chair and I would have no sympathy for him. He is the typical limousine liberal. Acts like he is for the every day person but has his own set of rules for him and his rich liberal friends. I am literally puking at the sound of this guy.
Michelle Obama is the typical angry racist black female who despite being given more monetary and educational benefits simply because of her race, cannot, even when thrust into a national election, keep her racist views quiet. She is everything that is wrong with black people in this country and to think a bunch of white people whose middle class kids probably lost educational and job opportunities so she could have them are dying to make her husband president. I have more respect for the uneducated black crack dealer then I do this opportunistic racist woman.
If McCain will just pick Romney for VP, we can do what Obama was unwilling to do, which is pick the person that not only can be the best in the position, but who can help get him elected.
As much as the electoral college still seems to favor Obama, I cannot believe that when push comes to shove that this country would elect him President.
There is simply a difference in the kind of people that inhabit our country and I am so glad I fall on the side that I do.
I hate to say this,,, but Hilary is laying there in the grass with her sniper rifle. If Obama makes one mis-step, she will unload on him. Do not listen too closely to her words, instead observe her body language. She is not completely done and out of the race. Remember please, she “suspended” her run for the nomination, she did not concede. The Clintons remain a formidable force to contend with.
Readers of this blog may wish to slip over to Prof. Hanson’s Private Papers site to view the latest Angry Readers post. Its a delight and easily missed.
http://victorhanson.com/articles/hanson082208.html
What disturbs me is that Hillary has somehow transformed herself from fiercely ambitious, ethical corner cutter, and more-Clinton-dynasty to being somehow perceived as stalwart, reliable, she-shoulda-been-the-One alternative to the slowly unraveling twerp Obama. It’s no wonder the GOP is relieved she isn’t the candidate…..even while it hears her sharpening her talons while waiting in the wings for next time. L
Like a pair of implacable zombies, the Clintons can’t be finished off. Or so it seems. Should McCain win, who will conservatives find to send into the breach to follow him?
“Like a pair of implacable zombies, the Clintons can’t be finished off.”
Hillary’s more like a vampire, slowly draining Obama of his vital essence. I’m sure he’d like to drive a stake through her heart, but he has about 18 million crazed maenads to contend with first. And they all would like to tear him to shreds.
I despise Bill Clinton. Hillary I’ve come to respect, and there are, obviously, worse choices for president than her.
Check out the pictures of the stage at Invesco Stadium where Obama is to speak Thursday night. Looks like they are setting up for a rock concert — maybe they’ll have fake fog and a laser light show too. Hope they play Jimi Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced (Not Necessarily Stoned)” when Obama takes the stage.
I’m not sure what the faux Classical architecture surrounding the stage is supposed to symbolize. The White House? Too obvious. The Lincoln Memorial? Possibly. The portico of a white Southern plantation with a new owner? Only if we see Biden bring his master a mint julep.
Sorry ’bout that. Probably a racist comment. Like Obama, I was trying to be post-racial, and look what happened.
I can’t wait to read what Doc will write about the “Temple of Reason” that Obama as Robespierre has had built to his godhood in Denver!!