David Brooks’ Hopes Are Realized (So Are Mine): Biden’s the One
In yesterday’s New York Times, David Brooks starts his column “Hoping It’s Biden” with: “Barack Obama has decided upon a vice-presidential running mate. And while I don’t know who it is as I write, for the good of the country, I hope he picked Joe Biden” and concludes with “Biden’s the one. The only question is whether Obama was wise and self-aware enough to know that.”
Well, Obama was indeed “wise and self-aware enough to know that…Biden’s the one.”
I may not be the first one to make the vice-presidential pick announcement on The Moderate Voice (I don’t have text messaging), but I am probably one of the happiest TMV contributors today, as Joe Biden has always been “the one” for me.
As a matter of fact, Joe Biden was my favorite to be the Democratic presidential nominee–but let me hasten to add that I am very happy with Obama. I started a blog in 2006, named “Joseph Biden For President.” The blog has been dormant since March 2006. Thus, I need to re-activate it and, of course, change the name to “Joe Biden For Vice President.”
If you wonder about the blog’s funny address (http://letthemeatmangoes.blogspot.com/), a post on the blog explains it.
But back to Joe Biden. In his essay, “Hoping It’s Biden,” Brooks highlights in a frank but touching manner both Joe Biden’s strengths and his frailties, in addition to his working-class roots. Brook’s column convincingly describes how Biden’s strengths by far surpass any weaknesses in the critical areas of honesty, loyalty and experience.
Obama’s own main criteria for picking his running mate were someone who will help him govern; someone who will be an effective partner; and someone who, when it comes to policymaking, will not simply be a “yes person.”
I firmly believe that Obama has found such a “person” in Senator Joe Biden.
12 Responses to “David Brooks’ Hopes Are Realized (So Are Mine): Biden’s the One”
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Yours is probably the best entry on this site on Biden.
I heard about it this morning. All I can say is how I reacted.
“Foolproof choice. Resolves foreign policy concerns, exploits Iraq. Good move — he chose the favorite, strongest person. The Obama campaign is back firmly on its feet at this moment.”
Well said Dorian… Well said DLS… It's too bad that I can only give one of you a “one up” in the comments but here goes.
I read “someone who will help him govern” as meaning that Obama would pick someone with experience governing, e.g., a sitting or former governor!
Thanks, Steve K.
And how McCain, who obviously is on the defensive (answering “Why?” would take far too long!) needs a VP to give him the boost and damage control he so much needs.
Is it even possible for a VP to give McCain recovery? Lefty talk radio doesn't care and hasn't said anything about McCain's VP choice; there's no obligation for him to make a choice as soon as possible — my reaction today was, to put _some_ life into the GOP convention, McCain should announce his selection at that time.
The one last thing I was thinking about this morning concerns another poster on here, Holly (a Democrat who is worried about Obama and foreign policy and may vote for McCain out of necessity). You see, McCain could well make a poor choice, not just a choice that is Just Okay but doesn't achieve anything, but a poor choice, that generates an even bigger frown or scowl among too many Americans.
What if McCain made a throwback-to-retreads choice of particular note that was a link back to the Bushes and to the Saudis and to Big Oil?
Yep. What if McCain chose a “foreign policy” guy himself, namely James Baker?
Sorry, Holly, but McCain might well do something like that. So be prepared.
I'm hoping for a McCain-Lieberman ticket, as Biden does nothing to make Obama palatable.
Holly, For first time, in a very long time, I agree with you 100%!.. (the McCain-Lieberman part that is)
I'm hoping for a McCain-Lieberman ticket, too.
Romney, Lieberman, Ridge, Huckabee, Thompson, Crist? Who knows right now.
I'd put Romney at #1 and Lieberman at #2 likelihood, actually view Crist over Ridge.
Note the hurdle they face in that by agreeing to be VP choice it's for a likely losing campaign, and what that means for their own prospects in the future again as VP or in other positions.
It's interesting reading the impressions here (meaning all the posts on the TMV site). I've learned more about Biden this morning than all the time he was running. My personal preference was Sebelius — not because she's a woman (actually, I think that would be considered a liability to some people, not the least being Hillary supporters), but because I think she's done a very good job pulling Kansas into the 21st century. Also, when I've seen her on talk shows she's been substantive and articulate.
But that's in the past now, and heaven knows whether she had any skeletons in her closet. As far as Biden goes, he does seem a like an odd choice given Obama's message. And not exactly inspiring. But he seems like a solid pick — very knowledgeable, principled (except for that plagiarism episode, but that was 20 years ago), thinks well on his feet (despite his tendency to misspeak and run on), and is probably the best attack dog available (I can hear it now — subject, verb, and POW).
But the fact is, those are impressions. My impressions may change. I suspect that many people's impressions may change as time goes on. We've heard many times about Obama's “lapses” in judgment, only to realize later they weren't always lapses. So I guess we'll see how things go.
Thanks, SteveK.
Dorian
Thanks, DLS
Dorian
BTW, who is DLS?