Biden gets the nod

Will it help or hurt Obama?

I don't see how Biden could be seen as a strengthening move in any way. I can see this pushing a few of the more conservative leaning independents who liked Obama's change message firmly back towards McCain. Not his best choice IMO.

Biden has a huge history of running his mouth off. I'm worried.

I am not sure it helped or hurt him. Biden is a commanding figure. I bet he gave Obama a feeling like he was around greatness and got the most support from him and his experience. Time will tell. Now it is time for McCain to put up.

I wish candidates chose running mates once they accepted the nominations. It's an important component and now we all have to research the proposed Veep and evaluate how they'll work together. So I have no opinion on Biden yet. I do wonder if "OBAMA BIDEN" on a ballot is going to look too much like "OSAMA BIN LADEN" to some folk, but I may just be too pessimistic about the average voter's intelligence.
(I'll try to change.):)

I wanted Richardson but this is a decent choice. I like it when pols shoot from the hip.

I thought Richardson would have made a good pic for President. He sure would have straigntened the the illegal immigration issue.

Biden is a well respected man in his state - unfortunately his state is the second smallest in the nation. Sure he holds some important positions in DC, but I think he isn't going to help as much as some of his other options that could have carried much more important states. We'll see.

I don't know about this. It just feels like Biden is the guy they would pick if they were worried about grabbing the old white guy vote. I don't think that was really an issue, but... I don't know it just doesn't feel right.

A view:

Its Biden! Now Let’s Look At His Record

When Joe Biden accepts the invitation to become the Democratic Party’s vice-presidential nominee in Springfield, Illinois, later today, will he write the speech himself or borrow the words from Neil Kinnock?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t get the reference. The talking heads are saying everything about Biden–”safe choice,” tragic car accident that took the life of his first wife, working-class upbringing, foreign policy expertise — but are not mentioning the one thing that makes Biden memorable. Yes, during his 1988 presidential run, he plagiarized paragraphs from British Labour Party Leader Neil Kinnock.

It is one of the few things in Biden’s dreary career in the U.S. Senate, which began in 1972 and stretches to right now, that makes him stand out. It gives him a kind of cosmopolitan flair. I mean, who else was reading, let alone admiring, the words of a failed hard-left Labour Party leader? It suggests at least a thimble-full of intellectual curiosity — and a gallon of gall that he thought he could get away with it.

By the way, both Fox and MSNBC are wrong when they report he was elected to the Senate at age 29. He ran for the office at that age, but was 30 when he was sworn in. Thirty is the legal minimum age for service in the U.S. Senate.

What do his decades in the Senate tell us about him? He has served on two key committees, both as chairman and ranking-minority member. One dealt with judges and constitutional law and the other with foreign policy.

(continues)
http://pajamasmedia.com/richardminiter/

What do his decades in the Senate tell us about him?

They tell us he's a scumbag politician, like the rest. You were expecting Spiderman? I've been around long enough to know every election, on every level, is about trying to pick the lesser evil. Will McCain find a lesser evil VP choice?

I look at the Prez as the C[COLOR="Red"]E[/COLOR]O, and the Veep as the C[COLOR="red"]O[/COLOR]O.
The Prez, being [COLOR="red"]E[/COLOR]xecutive, is the idea man in front of the cameras.
The Veep, being [COLOR="red"]O[/COLOR]perational, is the guy that's got to get it done.
So until the day comes when America smartens up and makes Congress work for them, the Veep has to be a Washington "insider" that knows his way around Congress and can bring the Prez's ideas to fruition.
I don't think a Governor can do that as effectively or efficiently. :2cents:

As I said before, McCain has to pick a woman as VP candidate. That shows everybody, even me, that he's a maverick.

That being said, Biden is not really an overenthusiastic and inspired pick.

TheMercenary;477775 wrote:

By the way, both Fox and MSNBC are wrong when they report he was elected to the Senate at age 29. He ran for the office at that age, but was 30 when he was sworn in. Thirty is the legal minimum age for service in the U.S. Senate.
(continues)
http://pajamasmedia.com/richardminiter/

He was elected before his 30th birthday on November 7, 1972, (his b-day is November 20), and was 30 on January 3rd, 1973, when he was sworn in; so Fox for once, as well as MSNBC, are correct.

deadbeater;477799 wrote:

As I said before, McCain has to pick a woman as VP candidate. That shows everybody, even me, that he's a maverick.

Thats the last thing he'll do.

The Republicans are already trying to divide the Democrats by telling pro-Hillary supporters that they should be pissed.

So women would make a pro-feminist statement by supporting directly or through inaction a Republican candidate who has promised to elect possibly 2 or 3 Supreme Court justices in the mold of GWB's appointees.

Now I know that GWB was able to get blue collar conservatives to vote against their interests in electing him, but would educated Hillary supporters be that stupid?

Biden has already brought up the Supreme Court as an issue. I don't think many moderates believe that guys like Scalia and Thomas are strict constructionists.

richlevy;477899 wrote:

The Republicans are already trying to divide the Democrats by telling pro-Hillary supporters that they should be pissed..

Say it isn't SOOOOOOOO!

Biden is a good pick for Obama. He's made wise decisions in the past when he was against the unconstitutional war in Iraq, and now he's done it again by picking a candidate with unparalleled foreign policy experience. Biden is well-liked by Clinton supporters.

This is exactly the choice he needed to make to unite the Democrats, to gain some support in Pennsylvania, to shut the McCain camp up with their lies that McCain has more experience than Obama or that he's not ready to be commander in chief. History has proven that one doesn't need military experience to be a great commander in chief and that many who have a too much military experience aren't very good leaders.

McCain would be a terrible commander. He could snap at any minute because he was a war prisoner in yet another illegal war. He's the last guy in the world who should have his finger on the button. McCain is a war monger and a geezer without any connection to regular working-class Americans. McCain is a failure at marriage, and he cheated on his wife to marry someone with political connections and money. McCain is the biggest flip-flopper in the Senate. He's a walking joke, and he's older than that nutbag Reagan was when he took office.

Radar;477926 wrote:

Biden is a good pick for Obama. He's made wise decisions in the past when he was against the unconstitutional war in Iraq, and now he's done it again by picking a candidate with unparalleled foreign policy experience. Biden is well-liked by Clinton supporters.

Which wise decisions? Please cite some - This is a huge issue for me - what the hell has this guy EVER DONE????

Radar;477926 wrote:

This is exactly the choice he needed to make to unite the Democrats, to gain some support in Pennsylvania, to shut the McCain camp up with their lies that McCain has more experience than Obama or that he's not ready to be commander in chief. History has proven that one doesn't need military experience to be a great commander in chief and that many who have a too much military experience aren't very good leaders.

Were/are the democrats divided? When did that happen? Why? Whose fault is that?
The Democrats son't need any more support from PA. This is a very democratic state to begin with. Besides that, Biden is from Delaware, the second smallest state in the nation - NOT PA - He isn't thought of any differently here than any other senator.

Which is it? That he has as much experience as McCain or that he doesn't need to have it since he certainly doesn't.

Radar;477926 wrote:

McCain would be a terrible commander. He could snap at any minute because he was a war prisoner ~snip~

Our enemies better keep that in mind then.

Radar;477926 wrote:

He's a walking joke, and he's older than that nutbag Reagan was when he took office.

Wow - that nutbag huh? Reagan was a better man than you could ever dream of being. He was also an excellent leader and the last great president we've had.

classicman;477929 wrote:

Which wise decisions? Please cite some - This is a huge issue for me - what the hell has this guy EVER DONE????

The decision to oppose the war in Iraq when our lying president started this illegal, unprovoked, and unconstitutional fiasco alone makes him a better candidate and a better American than Bush and Clinton combined.

As far as his accomplishments, Obama attended Columbia University where he excelled and later attended Harvard Law school. He was the first black president of Harvard Law review which shows he's got what it takes to make real change that matters. He did community outreach in Illinois as an organizer and a civil rights attorney so he stood up for the little guy and dedicated his life to helping others. He was a professor of Constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School for 12 years shaping young minds and helping them learn to be leaders in the legal community. Unlike Bush, he's very accomplished intellectually and he actually earned his place in college and earned his college degrees.

He ran for Congress and lost, but he ran a decent campaign. He's an excellent orator and he inspires others. He was chosen to give the keynote speech for the Democratic Party national convention (quite an honor), and he did so wonderfully. Again, he inspired others and gained a lot of support.

As a member of the 109th and 110th Congress, he's helped create legislation to make government more accountable for the use of federal funds, especially for weapons as well as authoring legislation regarding lobbying and electoral fraud, climate change, nuclear terrorism, and care for returned U.S. military personnel. He's made official trips to Europe, Africa, and the middle-east. He's met the leaders of many nations and discussed foreign policy with them, or more accurately the lack of a decent foreign policy in the last 7 years.

So the majority of his life has been dedicated to helping others, to standing up for regular working-class Americans, to perfecting his legal craft, to shaping policy, and to representing America with honor.

Does that answer your question?

classicman;477929 wrote:

Were/are the democrats divided? When did that happen? Why? Whose fault is that?

The Democrats became divided when a portion of them (most likely the racist portion) decided they didn't want to vote for a black man, and would prefer voting for a white woman. When she lost her campaign, rather than uniting behind the chosen candidate, their sour grapes drove them to support McCain. This is like saying, "I can't vote for Hillary Clinton, so rather than vote for someone who shares 90% of the same positions as her, I'm going to vote for an idiot who shares only 10% of the same positions as her and who will do exactly the opposite of what she would do."

classicman;477929 wrote:

The Democrats son't need any more support from PA. This is a very democratic state to begin with. Besides that, Biden is from Delaware, the second smallest state in the nation - NOT PA - He isn't thought of any differently here than any other senator.

Biden was born in Pennsylvania and he's got serious connections there. And yes, Obama needs more support there. He lost there in the primary to Clinton and the sour grapes Democrats might be inclined to vote for McBush. Biden will help unite the Democratic party again.

classicman;477929 wrote:

Which is it? That he has as much experience as McCain or that he doesn't need to have it since he certainly doesn't.

The only experience McCain has more of than Obama is living longer. He's a tired, old geezer with no connection to what real Americans are going through. He wants to continue the failed and insane policies of the Bush administration.

classicman;477929 wrote:

Our enemies better keep that in mind then.

Which enemies? The ones we keep making by unilaterally attacking nations in violation of both the UN charter and the U.S. Constitution? The enemies America makes when it takes sides in every dispute? When it arms both sides in every dispute? When it props up dictators or overthrows democratic governments? When it sticks our nose into every petty dispute on earth? The enemies it makes when it bullies other nations and acts like the police of the world? The enemies it makes when it refuses to acknowledge the fact that other nations are sovereign and don't require America's permission to build any weapons they want?

And what should they keep in mind? That the old geezer who lost the election to Obama is teetering on the edge and isn't stable? Do you think it would frighten our enemies more or our allies to know that America has an insane person running for president who might launch weapons at anyone when he sees an Asian, freaks out, calls him a gook, and pushes the button?

classicman;477929 wrote:

Wow - that nutbag huh? Reagan was a better man than you could ever dream of being. He was also an excellent leader and the last great president we've had.

Reagan was a scumbag and he didn't have a tenth of the honor, courage, dignity, or character that I do. He spent generations of Americans into debt. He tripled the national debt. He raped Social Security. He took credit for the release of hostages from Iran and the fall of the Soviet Union which he had absolutely nothing to do with. He traded arms for hostages. He released insane people into the streets and created a huge homeless problem. He ran up the credit card and left the bill for others to pay.

He was one of the worst presidents in American history.

Radar;477950 wrote:

The decision to oppose the war in Iraq when our lying president started this illegal, unprovoked, and unconstitutional fiasco alone makes him a better candidate and a better American than Bush and Clinton combined.

'Course Biden voted for the war, so we're full circle, now.

and it was pretty easy for Obama to be anti war, considering he had no skin in the game at the time. of course he voted present for an awful lot of bills he actually could have influenced at the time... but whatever.

Undertoad;477960 wrote:

'Course Biden voted for the war, so we're full circle, now.

Not so much. Biden probably believed the lies he was being fed from Bush and his people. The Bush administration has already been caught forging the documents that supposedly connected Al Queda to Iraq; namely the bogus documents claiming that Mohammad Ata met with Saddam Hussein.

Biden probably didn't believe even Bush could be this much of an evil scumbag. I'm sure he's figured out by now how wrong he was.

At a time when even long time insider Democrats were being fooled by false intelligence from the Bush administration, Obama had the wisdom and the intelligence to be against the war. This is why he's not only better qualified to be president than McCain, he's a better person.

McCain has launched the largest and filthiest lie & smear campaign ever created in any political race against Obama. Karl Rove is jizzing in his pants over the scumbag tactics being used by the GOP right now.

It really doesn't matter though because Obama will be elected president, and none of these dirty tricks, will help McCain. He's done. He's just too stupid to know it yet.

Well radar, again we disagree on most everything. Without getting into another pissing match with you - I'll simply agree to disagree.

I can live with that.

By the way, Obama is a natural-born American citizen and McCain is not. McCain can't become president. Luckily for McCain he'll lose the election so it won't really become an issue.

I've met Joe Biden, and you sir are no Joe Biden.

Heh heh heh, is that a compliment? ;)

It's all about winning the undecided and independant votes. Biden may be attractive someone who might hesitate to vote for Obama. I don't think he would scare off anyone who had already decided to vote for Obama. He has strengths where Obama has weakness (most notably his expeience being caucasion). I think choosing someone young, liberal, or minority would have been a much worse choice.

you missed "female" there spex ;) I think Biden was a total hedge choice. Doesn't offer that much and doesn't hurt a lot either.

Joe Biden loses Barack Obama the Catholic vote

More, as promised, on Senator Joe Biden (why should Sarah Palin get all the coverage?). Remember, you read it here first: on September 11 this blog reported a mounting backlash from Catholic bishops against Biden, Barack Obama's "Catholic" pro-abortion running mate. At that time I estimated eight bishops had come out to denounce Biden; the total is now 55. Beyond that, Biden is being trashed across every state of the Union by Catholic newspapers, TV and radio stations, and blogs. It is a tsunami of rejection.

There are 47 million Catholic voters in the United States. One quarter of all registered voters are Catholics. At every presidential election in the past 30 years the Catholic vote has gone to the winning candidate, except for Al Gore in 2000. This year 41 per cent of Catholics are independents - up from 30 per cent in 2004. Psephologists claim practising Catholics were the decisive factor in the crucial swing states in 2004: in Ohio 65 per cent of Catholics voted for Bush, in Florida 66 per cent. They were drifting away in disillusionment from the Republicans and split 50-50, until Joe Biden worked his magic. This is electoral suicide by the Democrats.

The term "pro-abortion" is a misnomer. You can be pro-choice without even being a person who would ever condone an abortion.

Twisty twisty politicky.

You must have missed his interview last Sunday.

Yeah, damn him for not wanting the government tell people what to do.:rolleyes:
I missed his speech of Tuesday, it was 4 doors away from my house.