Unlike many here, I think Biden would make a TERRIFIC Veep.

[Bicoastal]

I've thought so ever since I heard his concession speech--the man is a brilliant speaker, maybe not as lyrical as Obama, but bursting with evident smarts and competence. Futhernore, his now-famous put-down of Giuliani ("a noun, a verb, and 9/11") is evidence that he's willing and able to cut any Republican challenger down to size, even a so-called national hero. He's very qualified on the foreign policy front, more experienced in cardiscourse than anyone else on the short list (and McCain, for that matter), and can be pretty damn funny when he needs to be.

But to those who say, "Well, he's not liberal enough on domestic issues,"--I think it's important to remember that Barack is not Bush, and his White House would not be run by a Cheney-like svengali. Obama seems firmly in control, and having read "Team of Rivals," he knows the importance of surrounding himself with intelligent advisors who have different perspectives. Are we really going to be as close-minded as the conservatives who won't vote for McCain if he picks a pro-Choice running mate?

In fact, the only reason I can think of that Biden would make a poor choice is the swing-state advantage, which frankly is the ONLY qualification people like Kaine and Bayh bring to the table. I don't buy it, though. Why pick a running mate who can (maybe) deliver one state when you have someone who, like Biden, appeals naturally to a crucial demographic, like those stubborn blue-collar whites in the midwest? Deleware is a solidly middle-class state, and Biden's bio (born in Scranton, raised Irish Catholic, son of a used-car salesman) is appealingly ordinary compared to Obama's extraordinary life story.

So I think Biden will get the nod, and furthermore, I'm happy about it.:thumbsup:

[bdamomma]

1. I wouldn't mind him being tapped either.

too many volatile crises are happening and we need someone like him or him to be Secretary of State.

[gateley]

5. You bring up an excellent point. And now with Musharraf stepping down

in Pakistan (which is great!) we need someone who understands the region and players as well as Biden does.

SOS is perfect for him, and we'd benefit immensely from his expertise and an administration who would listen to and consider his input.

If he's chosen for VP, I think he would bring a lot of undecideds our way.

[bdamomma]

34. I wouldn't mind a President Biden should he decide to run in 2012

[gateley]

41. I was always hoping for a Biden/Obama --

Then we would have the WH for sixteen years!

[olkaz]

2. Same here.

tl;dr, but I don't understand where the anti-Biden folks think we're going to pluck a PERFECT VP.

[Bucky]

3. Biden would be an excellent choice. He's well vetted from years of public service. NO surprises.

He's as close to bullet proof as we can hope for, plus he kicks ass on the stump.

[Qutzupalotl]

43. Right there with ya.

[rucky]

4. I think most folks here like him.

He placed solid in most of our pre-primary polls.

but there are some who can't stand him and aren't shy about it.

[TheDebbieDee]

6. I agree, Sen. Biden would be an excellent choice for VP.

I'd even forgive him for that horrible credit card bill that he supported 3 years ago!

[mmonk]

7. I know he would make a great VP.

Especially as the campaign progresses. I do not see Bayh as a good choice because I see nothing he offers as the campaign progresses with the only exception being helping to try and get Indiana.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Would he listen to Obama, and take Obama's direction? Seriously?

I don't think he would. I think he thinks he knows it all.

[Bicoastal]

14. No offense, but I think Obama and his team know Joe Biden a little better than you do...

...if Biden truly felt that way, no way he'd be on the short list.

[TwilightGardener]

16. I think he's on the short list because they have almost no one else. I hope it's Bayh or Reed.

I remember how rude and disrespectful Biden was to Obama over the course of the primaries, and he never did come out and endorse him, IIRC.

[Bucky]

23. If you look at Biden's actual record in the Senate, you'll see he's a team player.

Also, he's clean.

[JerseygirlCT]

39. Oh I do. There's a lot of respect there

And he knows how to work with people - he's been a senator for years and you don't get anything done unless you find a way to work with people. I'd be more concerned about a governor wrt that concern.

[bdamomma]

46. I think they could both learn from each other.

Obama and Biden.

[flpoljunkie]

9. If it's to be Bayh or Biden, put me in the Biden column!

[FormerConservative]

10. Obama needs an attack dog. Biden can fill that role, beautifully...

[SoxFan]

11. Most folks here like Biden

There are a handful of ideological puritans who will bitch about any nominee to the right of Barbara Lee, but they're a minority.

[gateley]

12. He connects well with "real" people, too. Far better than anyone I can

think of on the Republican side.

He just accepted the IAFF's endorsement of Obama on his behalf, and he had the crowd. Several standing O's.

[FormerConservative]

13. Good point...he might help make inroads with "working class whites"

[sshan2525]

15. A big NO here....

Biden is a whore for the banking industry. He is largely reponsible for the hideous baknruptcy bill of 2005 and the revamped banking laws that have allowed baks to commit usury on debt plagued Americans. That should be enough for Obama to not want him as VP but there is also the issue of the plagerized speech from 1988 that the Rethugs will be sure everyone finds out about. We can do better (AND NOT KERRY EITHER!!!!!).

[MorningGlow]

17. He could shut up the "no foreign policy experience" critics

Even though those critics are full of it when they say Obama doesn't know what he's doing when it comes to foreign policy :eyes:, Biden has more than enough for the both of them--and he knows what the word DIPLOMACY means. That would work out great.

[sshan2525]

18. A big NO here....

Biden is a whore for the banking industry. He is largely reponsible for the hideous baknruptcy bill of 2005 and the revamped banking laws that have allowed baks to commit usury on debt plagued Americans. That should be enough for Obama to not want him as VP but there is also the issue of the plagerized speech from 1988 that the Rethugs will be sure everyone finds out about. We can do better (AND NOT KERRY EITHER!!!!!).

[gateley]

20. We heard you the first time.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6656717&mesg_id=6656851

[sshan2525]

26. I did not intentionally post this twice

The site gave me an error message when I first posted so I tried it again. Besides, who the fuck named you ""Official Post Counter"?

[gateley]

28. Ooooh. Touchy.

Signed,
Official Post Counter

[FatDave]

33. We took a vote

And gately won the role of official post counter in a landslide. I'm surprised you didn't notice, it says "Official Post Counter" right on his name tag.

[sshan2525]

42. Well since you've proven your credentials...

I apologize. I'll try and limit my fuck ups in the future.

[Muttocracy]

30. what does "largely responsible for" mean in terms of that legislation? nt

[democrat2thecore]

19. Actually - he's VERY liberal on domestic issues

The bankruptcy bill aside....he has an entire record as a reliable senator for voting the interests of labor and for liberal ideals.

Can't go wrong with Biden.

[gateley]

22. He's been a BIG champion of labor and supporter of unions his entire career. nt

[tokenlib]

24. "The bankruptcy bill aside"?? It is just too easy to turn a blind eye to struggling people.....

Every consumer group in the country opposed that bill. Obama has been very vocal attacking bankruptcy reform and votes in favor of it--especially Hillary's weak moment (remember she was glad the bill didn't pass after voting for it) and McCain's support for it. After making such an issue of it--picking Biden sends the wrong message.

Biden may well be the pick--but if so, I think he needs to get his feet held to the fire on this issue. To set it aside is just plain wrong....

[democrat2thecore]

25. You can find one vote on ANYBODY - he has a career in the senate that speaks for itself -nt

[tokenlib]

27. This isn't one vote, Biden has carried the industry water on this...

..and historicaly the democratic party has stood up for the struggling. It isn't just one vote...

And if Biden is the VP nominee--in a time of economic struggle for millions--he must answer for this. And I maintain his support of the credit lenders is opposed to the message we need this fall.

[cascadiance]

37. But that's the way the DLC operates... Their moderates are "liberal" on some issues...

... that the corporatists don't care about like the bankruptcy bill. Now I know that Biden isn't listed as part of the DLC, but he's mentioned quite a lot on their site as if he's working with them.

You have to be careful with these "liberal ratings" sites. It is a tool to keep our soul-sucking DLC in power sucking the life blood out of this party to keep it from embracing REAL change that will get rid of the corporate ties that continue to doom this country.

Biden still is too beholden to Credit Card America for my tastes. He works well enough on other issues that I'm not saying we should push him out of the Senate (like I might be more inclined to do with one of our Senators Feinstein if we were ever to have a Dem governor), but I don't think we should put him in a position of leadership if Obama really wants to have substance in his "campaign of change" meme.

We need someone that will help take leadership in removing corporate ties in government, not enhancing them as he's done in a number of instances.

And Bayh isn't any better. We could do better than a choice between these two if Obama really wants to have a campaign of "change". I hope he's got other names on that list!

[Colobo]

21. Biden rocks.

[Dinger]

29. O.K., I'll Fall In Line

I know when Im BEAT.

[PatSeg]

31. I agree

I think Biden can help pull in a lot of independents and undecideds. Though there are people who strongly dislike him, most people find him very appealing and down-to-earth. Also there are no major scandals in his past. He doesn't drink, doesn't own stocks (conflict of interest), refuses to meet with lobbyists, has strong family ties, and he is an extraordinary and persuasive speaker.

[LibDemAlways]

32. I'm one of the "many here." Biden ran for

President this year and dropped out early. He got no traction.

Biden is in love with the sound of his own voice. Put him in front of a committee-hearing microphone and settle in for long-winded speechifying.

He's prone to unfortunate verbal gaffes, just last year declaring African-American candidate Obama "articulate" and "clean." The media would certainly love to revisit that, just as they would an unfortunate long-ago incident of plagerism.

Biden voted for the war.

He voted for the bankruptcy bill, kowtowing to the credit card companies which reign supreme in his small state.

He's the ultimate Washington insider.

I would vote for an Obama/Biden ticket, but all in all don't think his presence on it would be a plus.

[FatDave]

35. I think Biden would make an excellent VP

I think Richardson would as well, but Biden's the better campaigner of those two, and presumably Obama wants to add some "experience" to the mix.

But, while I think he'll make an excellent VP, I don't think he'll make a very good candidate for 2016 due to his age. So Barack may need to consider a different veep for his 2nd term if we want to run an incumbent as our 2016 candidate.

[Muttocracy]

36. yes, age is an issue

That was why way back when I wanted a Biden / Obama ticket so we could have 16 years :)

Who knows what things will be like in 4 years. It would make a lot of sense to have a VP in training for 2016.

[gateley]

44. That would work out nicely --

Give us time to get to know the new person, move Biden over to SOS for the remainder of the administration. I like it! :thumbsup:

[JerseygirlCT]

38. Completely agree. I think that team would be amazing

for the country.

And Biden can be the attacker that Obama can't or won't be or shouldn't be.

We won't see a reprise of Lieberman and Cheney in a debate - there will be blood on the floor, but his opponent won't even notice it until hours later.

And unlike McCain, who can't tell a Sunni from a Shia or Pakistan from Iraq, Biden is one of the smartest guys we've got in Congress wrt foreign policy issues.

Obama will pick someone with something tangible to offer - not just in winning, but in governing. I agree with you - Biden is the guy.

[WheelWalker]

40. Perfect side to the Obaman main dish. Joe is one of us.

[Inspired]

45. I think Biden would be a great choice...but I don't really care who Obama chooses.

[bdamomma]

47. it really is Obama's choice who he picks.

I'm trying not to get too disappointed if he doesn't choose Biden, so I remain optimistically cautious.