The Biden Pick

All signs had pointed to Biden during the last week, so this selection does not come as a surprise. Now that it's official I have some thoughts:

1. It's a good pick if for no other reason, it doesn't hurt Obama. The other major candidates (Hillary, Bayh, Kaine, etc) were all controversial in their own right. Clinton is obvious (inflame the GOP), Bayh is a total nob, and Kaine is a very conservative Dem and likely would have alienated the base.

2. Biden is a man of extensive experience. In particular, he is the Senate Foreign Relations Committee leader and has served in the same role on the Senate Judiciary Committee. As far as Committee leadership in the Senate goes, he's got it in spades. Of course, he got it wrong on Iraq, but then came around. But no matter, he's got the "perception"of experience which is important to beat back the silly "Obama isn't experienced enough" meme.

3. He's an attack dog. Make no mistake, Biden is an excellent debater and will provide some swerve to Obama's dignified, non-confrontational stance. To a lot of people, Obama is almost too vanilla. Biden is more rough and tumble and if I were Mitt Romney (McCain's likely choice for VP), I'd be sweating already because Biden is going to destroy the Mittster (Mitt doesn't do himself any favors by being a total tool with zero foreign policy knowledge and a rich man's economic plan).

4. They can continue the "McCain is a rich, out of touch, fool" meme. Biden has 1 house. He's not wealthy. He's a regular guy who never got corrupted by the craziness of Washington. He's what McCain should have been. That doesn't mean he's perfect, but he damn well sure knows that it lettuce pickers don't earn $50/hour.

5. He *may* help Obama in Pennsylvania, which, as we all know, is pretty big. And, as CNN is trying to drive home today, Biden is Catholic and that could help Obama win some Catholics (no actual reasons have been given for that argument except that, you know, in 'Merica we vote for people like us).

Last thought: This is yet another example of Obama rubbing it in Clinton's face. He chose the "experienced" candidate, the candidate that would fill his gaps, be a bulldog etc. That was basically Hillary's line - that she was the one candidate who could take on the GOP, that she had the experience, and that she'd "been there before". I'm guessing that this is gonna smart.