It’s official. Obama does not want to win. As I’m sure you know now, Biden has been selected as the selected one’s running mate. McCain’s immediate response? To quote Biden:
There has been no harsher critic of Barack Obama’s lack of experience than Joe Biden. Biden has denounced Barack Obama’s poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing — that Barack Obama is not ready to be President.
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The idea of nominating someone without “unimpeachable credentials on national security and foreign policy,” Sen. Biden said during a radio interview in August 2007, would be “a tragic mistake.”
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“Would I make a blanket commitment to meet unconditionally with the leaders of each of those countries?” Sen. Biden asked in August 2007, referring to Sen. Obama’s reported willingness to meet with leaders of rogue states. “Absolutely, positively, no.”
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Another clip on the site is from a candidate debate in August 2007, when Sen. Biden was asked about his previous criticism of Sen. Obama, including that “the presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.”
“I think that — I stand by that statement,” Sen. Biden replied.
And Biden was exactly right, of course.
Of course this is, as I said at Alegre’s place last night, about PA. Well, that, and the fact that Obama has alienated every other legitimate candidate with his arrogance. No one sucks up like Joe Biden. But it is about PA. PA is in play, and now that they have fucked themselves with MI & FL, they HAVE to win PA. Good luck with that. I’ll be there, helping them lose.
But check out his credentials. Take a close look at those committee assignments. Of course his foreign relations experience stands out. He’s extremely pro-Israel, which is a real shortcoming for Obama. But he’s also got his hooks into issues like homeland security and technology, as well as immigration. This suggests to me that Obama is trying to shore up support among American Jewish voters, business folks, and Hispanics. He’ll have to have at least those to beat the loss of women. I predict that if things don’t change at the Convention, he will lose women by huge margins.
Also check out Biden’s stats at opensecrets.org. The industries that supported his presidential bid are here. The stats for his 2008 Senate election are here. As with his committee assignments, Biden is known and loved by all the right people: Business people, particular the stock market, real estate, and insurance, as well as (unsurprisingly) lawyers.
He’s also up for reelection this year, and has funds available from both his senate campaign and his presidential campaign. While insignificant compared to what Obama has made and has on hand, it does play in here. As does the fact that he’s running for reelection. As with Joe Lieberman, you can bank on the fact that he won’t suspend that campaign.
Anyway, that’s a start, and I do have more to say on this topic later. Right now I have errands to run . See you in a bit.
