Charlie Cook: Biden Pick Shows Obama Means Business

[babylonsister]

Biden Pick Shows Obama Means Business
The Voluble Senator Adds Muscle To The Democratic Ticket

by Charlie Cook

Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008


It's always been amazing to me how closely many people around the world watch our presidential elections, but this year tops them all. Having just arrived in Denver from Beijing and Hong Kong for the Democratic National Convention, I can personally attest how fascinated people overseas are about this race. Little wonder that journalists from 130 countries are descending on Denver this weekend. No one this year is questioning whether it matters who is elected president of the United States, and the startlingly diverse cast of characters in this political drama makes the story even more compelling, no matter where one lives.

Barack Obama's selection of six-term Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware is a muscular pick, worthy of such a year. Rather than choosing a running mate based on demographics or whether that person happened to be from an important swing state, Obama decided on a wingman who on foreign policy is the most knowledgeable and experienced Democrat in Congress. Obama chose a running mate who in 36 years in the Senate has seen and experienced it all, the one quality that, as bright and intuitive as Barack Obama is, he does not possess.

Biden's grasp of the issues was on display at a town meeting that he held at the Ames (Iowa) Public Library last December when he was running for president. It was a tour de force. For more than two hours, Biden took questions from over 350 people on a dizzyingly diverse number of subjects, leaving reporters shaking their heads on the span of issues and questions that he could address with facts and figures, names and dates. If the Iowa Caucus was a presidential Jeopardy game, Biden would likely have won in a walk, even against the likes of Sens. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Obama. More importantly, Biden seemed to understand each issue and didn't just regurgitate a staff-prepared briefing book.

I've watched Joe Biden since we both came to Washington in 1972 and seen him evolve from a brash, wisecracking freshman senator to one of the most senior and most respected members of the chamber.

more...

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/cookreport.php

[az chela]

1. Thanks for this sister,it is a great post that I have forwarded

to anyone with doubts

[gateley]

2. K&R! Thanks! nt

[CrispyQ]

3. Wonderful article!

Thanks so much for sharing!

I haven't been this excited about an election in years!!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. I have a feeling I'll want to watch the VP debate

whoever McLame chooses for a running mate will have a hard time standing up to Biden.

[qwlauren35]

17. Unless McCain picks Cheney...

Biden will mop the floor with the Republican VP pick.

And yeah, I'll be watching. With popcorn, and likely, a HUGE smile!

[FrenchieCat]

5. Obama is running to win.

nuff said.

[DFW]

6. This is especially important, as Charlie Cook is a tough sell

He's a nice enough guy, but a difficult sell. This is about as close as
you'll get from him to a rousing whooping endorsement. The cool thing is,
McCain has NOBODY who will inspire the pundits. Whoever he picks will elicit
a yawn. The only question is how big.

[kimmerspixelated]

7. You absolutely nailed it.

BTW-Native Texan here.

[DFW]

14. I'm not, actually

Dallas resident since 1983, but born and bred in Virginia.

I'm overseas most of the time anyway.

[kimmerspixelated]

15. Too weird,

I'm in VA, now and want to get back to FW(well, surrounding area). Now, how weird is this coincidence?

[DFW]

16. Karma compensation, I'd say.....

[Cosmocat]

13. Eh ...

You discount the republican homer effect for the "pundits."

Make no mistake, if McCain picks Romney, it will be HAILED, very loud, and very clear. Mr unquestinoed foreign relations and Mr economic guru, the PERFECT ticket.

If he picks Liberman, it will be hailed as the most brazen VP pick in history, and his showing his Mavrick approach and PROVING beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the man this country needs to bring both sides together.

If he picks Ridge, it will be hailed as the ALL TESTOSTERONE pair, the only choice the country has to keep us safe from them there evil terrarists.

Pawlenty ... Well, not much to work with there, but if he picks a woman - BRILLIANT pick that will poach all those disaffected Hillary voters.

He really can't go wrong from a PUNDIT standpoint.

[jillan]

8. That is something that even I didn't think about with Biden. He is respected

around the world since he has been the chairman of the SFRC for so long.
He knows alot of people and they know him. Take Georgia for example. It was only a little over a week when President S invited Biden to Georgia to discuss the conflict. Now he is the VP hopeful.

Picking him really did send a message all around the world.


On another note - us Bidenites were in total awe of that campaign event in Ames. He stayed there until he answered every single question. No notes, no teleprompter.

[roguevalley]

9. I figured with the shit slinging by the GOP that they would have to

get a more pugnacious person for VP. It counterbalances Obama's more genteel tendencies.

[butterfly77]

10. Did they just figure this out...

what did Obama tell them "Not this time" We are not going to keep doing the same things the same way"

[FrenchieCat]

11. Kicking good stories to the top!

[Cha]

12. I'm so happy with Biden..when it got down to the

last few days and I realized he was still on the list I started getting interested in him and it's been all good.

Born in Scranton, PA and a Delaware Senator:patriot: :bounce:

I like how Charlie Cook put this..

"Obama chose a running mate who in 36 years in the Senate has seen and experienced it all, the one quality that, as bright and intuitive as Barack Obama is, he does not possess."

And even more importantly Obama feels he can work with him over the next four years.

[Sensitivity]

18. kick -- real substance here

[Undercurrent]

19. Thanks!

I never had an inch of doubt about Joe's gravitas, and my trust in Obama was affirmed anew by his choosing him. Biden is one smart guy, and Obama is equally smart to partner with him.

Plus Joe can kick ass!

added: I would have been happy with Schweitzer too, but Joe is the man when it comes to foreign policy.

[Swamp Rat]

20. kick