Comments on: The Wisdom of Choosing Joe Biden

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:47:22 +0000

kritt, who is to say that Obama has already offered the Clintons something to get on board? I heard a few days ago that Hillary in FL gave less than enthusiastic support to Obama, but she is supporting Biden more enthusiastically. My sense is that she knew all along that Obama would not pick her. Perhaps she'll get the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair being vacated by Biden… Perhaps Obama has “promised” Bill something… Ambassador to the UK (a plum assignment with some added frosting with the '12 Summer Olympics….)? Supreme Court Justice? That would be delicious…. Especially for Hillary and her “vast right wing conspiracy” paranoia.

The loudest “You've cheated Hillary” voices are coming from Hillary's supporters and not HIllary at this point.

Though I haven't actually seen Hillary lately so my impression of her level of support for Obama is coming through a filter already…..

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The Best Out of All the Possible Choices « Liberty Street — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:32:29 +0000

[...] Norbizness, Matthew Yglesias, Damozel (excellent roundup), Gun Toting Liberal, Jesse Taylor, and Jill Miller Zimon (a must-read titled “The Wisdom of Choosing Joe [...]

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Five Must Do Things in Vegas for $20 or under! | Our Travels — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:14:00 +0000

[...] The Wisdom of Choosing Joe Biden [...]

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:25:30 +0000

Kritt – I don't know – the only reason I would agree with you is if I thought that their spite would get the best of them – I'm not sure it will, but I know we can't be sure it won't.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:24:47 +0000

Couldn't agree more with StockBoy's comments – thank you. You can tell that SD's comment just adds to fatigue and an expenditure of energy in places that are for nothing more than…getting us to expend energy (clearly SBSF, you have more energy than I do right now).

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:16:56 +0000

SD, I'll bite on your question about why Biden's foreign relations experience matter as VP....

It is evident that Obama gains input from a wide variety of people in order to make decisions. Obama has also said he wants a VP who he can rely upon and a VP who will stand up to him. Obama understands himself that foreign relations matter quite a lot in the office of the US prez. and that Biden, who is **the** expert (if not for Dems and Reps, then certainly on the Dem side) will bring insight and understanding that almost no one else (and certainly not McCain) has in US politics.

Obama wants to approach the executive branch from a government service standpoint, Obama wants to govern this nation and Obama wants someone who can complement him. Obama does not want a co-conspirator in the executive branch to trash the constitution and reward supporters.

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:12:42 +0000

I think that chosing Biden was smart, but they should offer the Clintons something to get them on board. They are too powerful to be ditched by the party.

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:09:08 +0000

I think Obama's choice of Biden is smart and as I commented yesterday, people who are supporting Obama for change will continue to support him. Biden brings comfort to those voters who aren't totally comfortable with Obama's change mantra. Biden brings experience.

Thanks, Jill for the post! Very interesting to read the different views, including yours.

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:29:54 +0000

SD- Dick Cheney has proven you wrong. He ran rings around Bush's Cabinet to influence foreign policy in ways Al Gore never dreamed of!

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:34:28 +0000

On the foreign policy question, start here:

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2008/8/23/22...

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:20:15 +0000

Superdestroyer - you posited that they don't matter - why don't you back that up first?

I don't mean to be daft, but I'm not sure which "2nd paragraph" you're referencing re: mentioning foreign policy expertise.

Since I don't spew spin I'll assume your comment about it is for the general audience.

Likewise - please be sure to ask these questions of John McCain. I've not followed your comments closely enough to know your feelings on him as a pres. pick but the chances that he'll have a governor as a running mate are no better than 50-50.

By: superdestroyer

superdestroyer — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:53:39 +0000

Thank you for the none answer. The Bush ADministraiont is gone in a few months and instead of asking the hard questions about the next administration, please are spending time worrying about poll numbers and campaign ads. Maybe in 2000, everyone should have been asking questions about the abilitiy of both candidates instead of about their body langauge. If you do not want a repeat of the Bush Adminisration, everyone should be asking hard questions and demanding performance instead of spin.

The second paragraph of your post mentions Biden's foreign policy credentials. Please explain how the VP's credential in any particular policy area matter. Also, please explain how being an operator on Capital Hill means that a VP can be an operator in the Executive Branch. Those are very different skills.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:38:26 +0000

Superdestroyer - there's a reason my pretty lengthy post doesn't comment on either of those issues - they are incredibly secondary to the task at hand, which, as I see it, is to get the hell out of the trajectory we're on as set by George Bush and as would be continued by John McCain.

Will there be a conflict? Why don't you ask Dick Cheney what he would say if you asked him that question?

Who will be the Chief of Staff? Check the annals of JFK's presidency to get some hints.

Seriously - these are your concerns for how to help our country?

By: superdestroyer

superdestroyer — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:30:46 +0000

At least you can explain the benefit of the VP having good foreign policy credentials. Doesn't that just set up a conflict between the VP's office, the State Department, and the Director of National Intellifence with the president having to referee?

And yes, who will be the Chief of STaff in the Obama White House with two non-executives trying to run the place.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:23:48 +0000

Superdestroyer – do you want me to interpret your comment as though it is for real, because it reads as though it's full of contempt and snark – not a serious set of questions.

By: superdestroyer

superdestroyer — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:04:50 +0000

Since the VP has little resonsbility for foreign relations, does it really matter waht the VP's credential are in foreign relations.

Also, since the Obama administration will be headed by two former senators, who will be doing the actually executive type functions? Also, if foreign relations are important, shouldn't Senator Obama tell us who will be his Secretary of State will be?

By: Buck Naked Politics

Buck Naked Politics — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:27:48 +0000

Joe Biden: A Bloggerama

Posted by Damozel | There certainly is an interesting range of opinion among Democrats. I found on the whole that my enthusiasm for Biden increased as I read. This is doubtless because I was aware of his drawbacks (actual and alleged), but less tuned i…