It’s Biden! The Fun Begins
The media and blogosphere is exploding with reaction to the Democratic VP pick: PJM rounds up the best.
[Newer items on top]
Ron Rosenbaum: “Biden’s first gaffe! Right out of the block, he’s weirding us out like Nixon.”
William Kristol: “A modest suggestion to my justifiably outraged Democratic friends: Hillary’s name should be placed in nomination not for the presidency (Obama won that more or less fair and square) — but for the vice presidency.”
Patterico’s Pontifications: “What makes Biden desirable … are his background and family values.”
John Podhoretz: “Yes, Obama began to introduce Biden as the ‘next president.’”
Rich Lowry: “Obama-Biden in Springfield: What I was most struck by was how much they both emphasized middle-class and economic themes, and how hard Biden went after McCain as a clone of Bush.”
David Harsanyi: “Well, it turned out Biden was wrong about Haditha. … So will Biden take his own advice and apologize to those eight marines?”
La Shawn Barber: “Joe Biden: The ‘Articulate’ and ‘Clean’ Man’s Choice”
Hugh Hewitt: “McCain counters with … Romney, of course.”
Mother Jones: “By tapping Biden, Obama does little to reinforce his core themes of change and hope. He does not amplify his Washington-is-broken and postpartisan messages.”
Feministe: “I’m not devastated but not thrilled either. There’s a lot of really troubling things in there…”
Andrew Sullivan: “Not an inspired choice, in my book. But smart and solid — and adult.”
Powerline: “Happiness is a thing called Joe”
The New Republic: “The fighting in Georgia underscored the need to bring some foreign policy experience to the ticket. No one does that better than Biden.”
Tom Maguire: “It’s interesting how far off the table the war in Iraq has fallen as an issue for the Democrats.”
Orin Kerr: “Being from Delaware myself, I think that’s pretty cool; I’ve liked Senator Biden ever since he spoke to my 7th grade class during our class trip to Washington.”
Subguns: Bill Clinton “reacts” to news of Obama-Biden ticket.
Bridget Johnson: “For a campaign that has consistently chided John McCain for being mired in the old Washington guard and conducting the “same old Washington politics,” Obama’s choice is bizarre.”
Politico: “But while Biden, 65, made strides during the primary season on curbing his legendary penchant for leaving no thought unspoken, those who have watched him (and listened to him) over the years know the Obama team will spend some sleepless nights wondering what he might say at any given moment.”
Donklephant: “A safe choice. Even a smart choice. But picking someone who’s been part of Washington for more than three decades is hardly change we can believe in.”
Chicago Tribune: “For Biden, the choice amounts to something like a political resurrection, one that took nothing less than 20 years, and one that has seen him evolve from firebrand to party statesman.”
The Caucus: “Just three hours after the Obama campaign sent out its text announcement, the McCain campaign rolled out its first ad this morning, using Senator Joe Biden’s own words during the primary season about Senator Barack Obama.” [Video here]
Jonah Goldberg: “I think it is an outright terrible decision on Obama’s part to pick Biden. Yes, he helps balance Obama’s inexperience on foreign policy, but he also reminds people of it. Yes, Biden could conceivably be effective as an attack dog. But Biden is such a gasbag he makes the Hindenburg look like a sack of rocks.”
AP: “Barack Obama told everyone he wanted a running mate who will challenge his thinking, and now he’s got one. Joe Biden’s tendency to speak his own mind—and speak and speak—is entwined in his DNA.”
Blast from the past: “I’m sticking with McCain,” Biden said in 2004. (MSNBC)
R.S. McCain: “The thing is, Joe is old news. Very old news. And he’s got no executive experience. To jerk around the national press for a full week, only to deliver Joe Biden — this is a disappointment. Imagine the reactions of those poor saps getting their text messages: ‘WTF? Dude. Joe Biden?’”
Ed Driscoll: “If there were any Obamamaniacs relying solely upon their text messages to find out who the Messiah’s veep would be, they were the last to know.”
Hot Air: “After a week of excruciating suspense, the big revelation is Joe Hairplugs?”
The Moderate Voice: This is a big deal for little Delaware.
Seth Gittel: Unpublished comments by Biden on Obama.
AP: “The candidate of change went with the status quo.”
HuffPo: Obama-Biden logo revealed.
Jim Geraghty, NRO: “It’s hard for Obama supporters to play the age card any longer, as their potential veep is all of six years younger than McCain.”
Marc Ambinder: “This is a formidable ticket, and a risky ticket, and not a comfort zone choice for Obama…criticism will focus on Biden’s 1987 plagiarism bout, his support of credit card companies (he pushed the bankruptcy bill that Dems now hate), his comments about Obama, his racial obliviousness.”
WSJ: “The McCain campaign was quick to ridicule the choice. ‘There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama’s lack of experience than Joe Biden,’ said his spokesman, Ben Borritt.”
Taylor Marsh: “If not Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden is absolutely the next best pick in my view. No doubt, many will be fueled to act out on this, but they’re not thinking of the larger goal.”
Riehl World View: “I can’t believe Obama doesn’t feel like he’s sitting on a keg of dynamite with Biden - just hoping he doesn’t go off.”
CNN: A flurry of activity at the Biden house.
Washington Note: “Wait till America gets to know Jill Biden – she’s an impressive woman.”
TalkLeft: “Is anyone besides me extremely unhappy with Joe Biden, the ultimate crime warrior, on the ticket?”
Patrick Ruffini: Joe Biden vs. Joe Biden’s Mouth
Countless Biden Gaffe YouTube videos circulating: here and here, for example.
DailyKos prints the message body: “Barack has chosen Senator Joe Biden to be our VP nominee. Watch the first Obama-Biden rally live at 3pm ET on www.BarackObama.com. Spread the word!”
The text message is finally out: Obama campaign acknowledges pick.
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44 Comments
1. Cletus:All day yesterday on CNN, it was “Obama has made his pick, but he won’t tell us. He will sometime before tomorrow afternoon though.” Then, instead of leaving it and waiting to know, they spend the ENTIRE DAY going on and on and on about who it might be, the long shots, the short list blah blah blah. YOU ARE GOING TO KNOW. STFU AND REPORT SOME NEWS. There is an entire WORLD full of shit happening. There is absolutely no excuse for this bogus.
Aug 22, 2008 - 11:41 pm 2. ic:Wait till America gets to know Jill Biden – she’s an impressive woman (Washington Note)
Heh, he picks Joe Biden, not Jill Biden.
Aug 22, 2008 - 11:50 pm 3. Rachel Peepers:An hour or so ago I was watching David (why would Hill and Bill pimp Chelsea out this way?) Shuster on MSNBC trying to put a happy face on the Biden pick. Kind of like walking down the street in a light colored suit on the way to a job interview only to be splashed by an oncoming car, then trying to rub out the stains with Kleenx.
Aug 23, 2008 - 12:37 am 4. Tony:The text messages are in! The “America’s Idol” Veep will help Obama to win landslide; IL, DE, and the 57 States of Islam!
Aug 23, 2008 - 1:14 am 5. Tom W.:Epic, colossal, cataclysmic fail.
Obama is as dumb as mud.
Thank God.
Aug 23, 2008 - 1:20 am 6. Moultrie:BHO did manage to make a lot of Repubs happy and a lot of PUMA’s extremely unhappy with the 3:00am mismanaged selection of al Biden!
Aug 23, 2008 - 3:54 am 7. J.J. Sefton:To paraphrase Winston Churchill, upon hearing of America’s entry into WW2
“the greatest joy” that the attack had arrayed his mother’s country on the side of Britain, he “went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful.”
Aug 23, 2008 - 3:57 am 8. Paul from Florida:An empty suit picks a stuffed shirt.
Obama/Biden? Toast. The only question now is if they could even pull off a win in Massachusetts.
Aug 23, 2008 - 4:31 am 9. Ann:BO’s acting like the manchild. It is going to be very difficult for him to come across as the “top of the ticket” because, as of sunup today, he’s not. He’s been roleplaying all along–the “citizen of the world” role. Now he has a new role that it will be a little embarrassing to watch him try to play, “Daddy, isn’t this what you wanted? Daddy, please stop yelling at me. Wahhhhh……..”
Aug 23, 2008 - 5:19 am 10. Jack:Well, the late night shows and comics will have something to mock now. If Obama’s ears are like a disney ride, then Biden’s hair is like the tuft of grass in the hand of a body at base of a cliff.
Aug 23, 2008 - 5:44 am 11. Jack:Biden is not going to help with those voters bitterly clinging to guns and religion.
But he has created a real sense of anticipation; what is going to be Biden’s first big gaff?
Senator Biden, do you agree with Obama’s position of infacticide?
Aug 23, 2008 - 5:49 am 12. Lem:Biden said Obama was “….articulate and bright and clean…”
Here they are at 3 am.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDXSXkYoM5Y&feature=related
Aug 23, 2008 - 6:03 am 13. nobozons:It’s dumb and dumber!
Aug 23, 2008 - 6:36 am 14. Self-hating boomer:Ann, that’s exactly why this reminds me of Dukakis/Bensen. Now all we need is Barak with a helmet.
Aug 23, 2008 - 7:29 am 15. Edmund Jenks (MAXINE):NBC News analyst, Jonathan Alter, this morning on MSNBC, calls the pick of Biden by Obama a brilliant pick as Vice-President for the Democrat Party ticket for President of the United states and he (seriously) used this line of logic; Joe Biden’s mouth will be able to have a Gaffe spoken by Obama spun … and presumably out-Gaffed by Joe Biden on the stump. “Joe Biden’s mouth is an asset”.
He went on to explain by asserting that the media would move its focus off of Barack Obama’s ignorance and have Biden’s mouth diffuse anything the McCain campaign can develop to make the Obama campaign look bad or incapable of credible leadership.
The “Fourth Estate” is contorting itself to place a pretty dose of lipstick on this obvious PIG … Alter goes on to conclude that with Joe Biden, one can not fake working class “street cred”.
A Gaffe out Gaffed by a world-class Gaffer (and plagiarist) to go on to win an election for the most powerful political office on Earth … sounds like a recipe for strong Democrat Party leadership to me!
Aug 23, 2008 - 7:30 am 16. Kevin:ic,
had the same basic thought as you when I read the Washington Note’s quote. It is said often, and correctly, that people don’t vote for VP. Even less of a reason to vote for prez is the VP nominee’s wife. With a few notable exceptions, Barb Bush, Lynn Cheney, and Tipper Gore(of music censorship fame), who can remember the first name of any VP’s wife for the last 5 presidencies? Jeez, if this the what they have to resort to to find the light at the end of the tunnel, then the tunnel is a dead end.lol
Aug 23, 2008 - 8:03 am 17. airbound dude:You have to remenber that Obama is an agent for change. He can change his mind at the last minute and so on. He can change his choices when they’re not convinient ( Reverend, Rezko, etc.). But he believes in change. He attacks McCain for his age but now he changed his opiniion when he realized that his own choice is as old as McCain himself.
I don’t know if that’s the change I want, but he is an agent of change all right
Aug 23, 2008 - 8:22 am 18. Edmund Jenks (MAXINE):Empty Suit Embraces Gas Bag To Form Democrat Ticket!
Was there ever a better Democrat Party marriage made in heaven?
What a ticket – Barack Obama who was against going into Iraq as a front on the war on terror when HE had nothing on the line (he had NO vote and no position of power on the issue) has picked as a Vice Presidential partner,
a longtime Senator (35 years) who argued and voted for our involvement in Iraq,
was in complete agreement with his Senator friend, John McCain, on pursuing a Surge strategy in order to put down the build up of al Qaida terrorist forces and former Baathists in Iraq,
and even stated that he would make a good VP choice for the presumptive Republican Party nominee for President, Senator John McCain if Senator McCain wanted to cross political parties for a dramatic choice to fill out the ticket!
That person is the very senior Senator from Delaware (near Pennsylvania) – Joe Biden.
So now we will all be treated to a doubling down of the Gaffe factor what with an inexperienced junior Senator from Illinois who should be saying less away from a teleprompter is teamed up with a speech plagiarizing (1988) egomaniac who should talk less when he is asked a question … Biden is the type of person who, when asked “what time is it?” is inclined to tell you how to build the watch, how he helped with some of the original watch makers on construct of their designs, how he made a suggestion on the type font used to form the numbers on the face of the watch, that there should be many types of watches like ones for a pocket, a broach, put a strap on one so that it can be worn on a wrist, make watches that would appeal to different genders, and call it a timepiece – all very helpful stuff. Joe Biden has NEVER held an executive, leadership position … he has always been a legislator.
Sound the gun, ring the bell, and let the alarm begin the Democrat race for President of the United States and let us hear how we can become citizens of the world out of the mouths of;
1.) an empty suit with little in the way of accomplishment at the top of the ticket and,
2.) a world champion policy wonk, gas bag at the bottom of the ticket.
Let the Gaffe war, begin.
Aug 23, 2008 - 9:06 am 19. Terry Baker:The VP choice brings no new support to the ticket.
It doesn’t upstage Obama.
It seems more or less mainstream.
It raises no new questions about Obama’s beliefs.
I think this is a head fake.
Aug 23, 2008 - 9:07 am 20. John the Libertarian:Self-hating boomer said: “Ann, that’s exactly why this reminds me of Dukakis/Bensen. Now all we need is Barak with a helmet.”
Perfect.
Dope/Change, indeed. How many liberal heads are going to explode with this latest dose of cognitive dissonance?
Aug 23, 2008 - 9:11 am 21. Justice?:Biden is a man who says all men should constantly respond to women with a “yes dear.” He has left a trail of injustices verses men via divorce courts. He is an absolute wuss. Obama & heshe= a Wuss & Wusser.
Aug 23, 2008 - 9:25 am 22. Andrew X:I also heard a lot of people lauding the BO campaign for “discipline” in not leaking the Veep choice ahead of time.
But they DID leak it, two hours plus before the vaunted text message, a message that itself possibly went out earlier than BO desired because of that very leak.**
Which leads one to wonder if they did not leak because there was nothing to leak. BO literally could not make up his mind until late Friday. That is a more compelling and Occam-ish explanation than any “campain discipline”.
** Interesting that FNC’s Carl Cameron notes speculation (by some Hillary Democrats) that the “3am message” (ahem) might have had some meaning other than just coincidental timing.
Hmmmm.
Aug 23, 2008 - 9:29 am 23. John Samford:To lift a line from the immortal bard, “Much ado about nothing” Or something like that. I didn’t think much of the immortal bard. No good chase scene. Can’t have drama without a chase scene.
If McCAin wants to seal the deal, he selects Hillery as his VP candidate. The race is over the next day. Conservatives will go ballistic, but fukk ‘em and feed ‘em fish heads. It was the “conservatives” and the Religious right that screwed the Republican party with their penchant for stealing everything that wasn’t nailed down. The only reason they didn’t get the nailed down stuff was Delay stole the hammer before they could use it.
If Big Mac can’t deal with Bill looking over his shoulder and chasing the interns, he should go with another female. The E-Bay girl would be good, or the Alaskan Belle. The Idea is to get the Pumas and NOW on his side. As well as reassuring the blue-collar voters. As for the far right, they get to chose between a RINO and a Marxist. Serves them right.
They still there? 15 days and counting.
Aug 23, 2008 - 10:21 am 24. Self-hating boomer:JtL, someone needs to ask Barak if he’d be for the death penalty if some skinhead killed Michelle.
Then wait for the nuance.
Aug 23, 2008 - 10:45 am 25. AdrianS:Question. Will Obama’s selection of a Senator that’s been in government for 36 years kill the Obama youth movement’s zeal?
Perhaps now these young voters will get their head straight and take a look at John McCain in new light. They should learn to admire McCain as my generation admired Reagan — a man of fortitude and leadership strength.
And, although Joe Biden brings tutorship for presumptive Obama on foreign affairs; there is a plethora of issues Obama has flip-floped on and obfuscated in his naivete.
Alas the Democrats have their very own ticket: the Obama bin Biden ticket.
Aug 23, 2008 - 10:55 am 26. Typical White Person:Edumund posted:
Empty Suit Embraces Gas Bag To Form Democrat Ticket!
—-
Yep, they better avoid sharp objects or the balloon will go pffffffft into space.
Aug 23, 2008 - 11:34 am 27. Rachel Peepers:This post is about the ones I’m reading above. Clever. Thoughtful. Funny as can be. You people are awesome.
And almost (almost) make me feel sorry for this tinny, tweedle-tweedledum twosome.
I can hear it now. The opening of their show that’s going coast to coast.
You are there.
Welcome ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages.
It’s the Barry and Joey show, performing for the next 70 days.
They’ll be dancing in the aisles and around the truth, singing Kumbiahh on Hullaballu, and acting like they’re ready for Chuck Barris’Gong Show, 2008 version.
Someday, friends,in the far off future, they’re destined to be part of a trivia game available at participating McDonalds. Here’s their picture. Ear boy on the left. Corn stalk transplant boy on the right Rub off your answer and get a free bag of fries.
Were they:
a) Leaders of the free word
b) Court jesters
c) Egos masquerading as politicians
Take you pick. Just don’t give these clowns your vote.
Aug 23, 2008 - 11:43 am 28. Jack:What a combination for the
Aug 23, 2008 - 11:54 am 29. Steve-o:Democrats. A whiner and a blowhard–that should keep all their liberal media sycophants busy. I wonder if Chris “Blue Dress” Matthews still has a tingle up and down his leg.
George Bush, a two-term governor of a large state, was accused of being to lightweight for the presidency. So he picked Darth Cheney as VP to convince voters an adult would be nearby. Biden is now Obama’s Cheney. Somehow it’s just not the same…
Aug 23, 2008 - 12:12 pm 30. John Austin fitness:Joe”Plugs/Blowhard” Biden - arrogant, boorish, elitist, grandstanding, narcissistic, mean-spirited, cerebral welterweight and consummate DC insider. What was BO thinking?
Aug 23, 2008 - 12:13 pm 31. The Obama/Biden Round Up « Count Us Out:[...] http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/its-biden-the-fun-begins/ [...]
Aug 23, 2008 - 12:57 pm 32. Kiseta50:Just read a Serbien newspaper, the American-Serbs will not wote for the ticket of Obama-Biden, they feel, that Biden was the one who talked Clinton into bombing Serbia in the 1999 with Natos help. Also, he is for independence of Kosovo, which had been part of Serbia for hundreds of years.
Aug 23, 2008 - 2:00 pm 33. Reaction to Obama/Biden VP Ticket « Heroes for Hillary:[...] Source: Pajamas Media [...]
Aug 23, 2008 - 2:35 pm 34. Rachel Peepers:When it comes to picking a running mate, BO stinks.
Aug 23, 2008 - 3:16 pm 35. John Samford:I vote for Osama bin Biden as the best name game with the slogan of “Keep the Change”. Or maybe “Spare change, anyone”
Aug 23, 2008 - 3:47 pm 36. Slattsnews » Oops!:[...] Loads of commentary on the Biden selection here. Favourite quote: Empty suit picks stuffed shirt. Filed [...]
Aug 23, 2008 - 7:21 pm 37. dw:every newspaper in the country has had their prayers answered. the gaff and gasbag champ of the century takes the stage for weeks of fun and glee. the mccain folks will have a hefty archive full of past bobos from which to drawn from should the demo party honchos be able to… stuff a sock in it.
Aug 23, 2008 - 7:49 pm 38. Lisa:John Samford-
It was the “conservatives” and the Religious right that screwed the Republican party with their penchant for stealing everything that wasn’t nailed down.
WTF?!! Seriously- WTF kind of assinine comment was that?!! Have the guts to explain it instead of doing a drive-by.
Aug 23, 2008 - 9:05 pm 39. mac:Bama just finished handing McCain this election. He’s been trying to for some time but with Biden, he almost literally threw it at Mac. All the Republicans have to do to win now is a)pick a VP with a good track record of executive service, and b)stay on message without any extraneous commentary. Simply letting BHO and Biden talk in front of the cameras will do more to drive Americans to the GOP than anything the Republicans can do themselves. Oh, and keep calling for more drilling.
Aug 23, 2008 - 10:06 pm 40. Ed Wallis:SPEAKING OF SLOGANS…
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/black_guy_asks_nation_for_change
Aug 24, 2008 - 2:37 am 41. jenna:I was thinking the same thing Steve-O; Biden as Barack’s Cheney? Barack as the new Bush? Is that perhaps the message Barry is trying to convey (rather casts a new light on all those “McSame” derisions coming from the DNC). So much for the “hope n change” platform, eh?
If this is the nuance they’re going for, it doesn’t work well. The comparisons of Cheney to Biden, Barack to Bush, or McCain (it will be interesting to see who he picks after this) to any of them doesn’t exactly point to the best lights for Barry and Joe (except amoung those voters who were already in their pockets from the get go).
Aug 24, 2008 - 7:30 am 42. John Samford:Lisa; sorry, I had no idea you had been asleep for the last 3 years. Where to start? With the biggest thief, of course;
Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/28/cunningham/
Here is one that didn’t steal as much, but was higher up the food chain;
Rep, Tom DeLay
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1020051delay1.html
Ever hear of Representative Thomas W. Druce?
AKA Hit and Run Druce? Google him.
How ’bout this;
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jack_Abramoff
When someone says Abramoff, they are NOT ordering a martini.
Where have you been the last couple of years?
The Demonrats took back Congress on the strength of a “Culture of Corruption” campaign.
I have barely scratched the list here.
The Demonrats are just as bad as the Republicans, but they control the MSM, so they can afford to be.
Dirty Harry steals 1.2 million in a fraudulent land deal and nothing happens.
Representative Craig is in an airport bathroom looking for a little dick, not even to suck, he just wants to hold it in his mouth and now he is in all kinds of trouble. Meanwhile, the House Page Committee gave Barney the Fag a new set of Kneepads for X-mas and the MSM doesn’t say squat.
Here is a partial list of the Abramoff gang;
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jack_Abramoff
If the FBI was turned loose on Congress with a Presidential warrant, out of the 538 Congress critters, at least 535 would serve time.
I blame the 4th estate. Their job is weeding out corruption within their district. The Law cannot touch a sitting Congressman while Congress is in session. The Voters have to solve that little problem by tossing the crooks out. In order for them to do that they have to know what their crooks are stealing and for whom. The Lobbyists understand that so long as the Media is looking else where, they have an opportunity to steal a fortune. So they are spreading the graft and corruption as far and as wide as they can.
The RNC is missing an opportunity to reclaim Congress. Congressional approval ratings are 10% BELOW the President Bush’s. That is because most voters are aware of the problem, if not the extent of it. The RNC should only support politicians that agree to publish their net worth before running for office and then agree to give ALL worth beyond that to Charity when they leave office. That won’t happen because most politicians run with the intent of stealing as much money as they can, knowing if they get caught, they keep the money and go back to the real world greatly enriched.
Guys like Murtha got elected with a bank balance in the hundreds of dollars. Now him and his brother are multi-millionaires.
Nothing new about any of this;
“Under every stone lurks a politician.”
Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae, 410 B.C.
Greek Athenian comic dramatist (450 BC - 388 BC)
ALL democratic societies face this problem eventually. Most solve it by getting rid of the democracy thingie, which just changes who is corrupt without ending the corruption.
“You’ve got to vote for someone. It’s a shame, but it’s got to be done.”
Whoopi Goldberg
They still there? 16 days and counting.
Aug 24, 2008 - 8:49 am 43. Judy, NYC:I am wondering why barry doesn’t cross over and support mccain, like the rest of america. he’s going to end up a lonely guy with just his battle axe wife and joe biden, the three of them clamoring for space on rev wright’s knee. the politically incorrect reverend being his only alliance that isn’t under federal investigation, homeland security surveillance, on their way to prison, or in it.
Aug 24, 2008 - 9:55 am 44. Sissy:John Samford:
You may have very interesting things to say, but when you resort to very foul and inappropriate language, you turn many people off. It is difficult to give any credence to someone who uses such pornographic language to make their point….Re: Representative Craig…you appear to be intelligent and educated, so I appeal to your sense of decorum to find a more palatable vocabulary when blogging on a forum which may have others who find “looking for a little dick, not even to suck, he just wants to hold it in his mouth” as offensive and detestable as I do.
Aug 24, 2008 - 6:04 pm