Apparently Obama was Biden his time

By the time you read this you will probably know that Barack Obama chose longtime Delaware Senator and two-time presidential candidate Joseph "Joe of the lunch-bucket Democrats" Biden as his vice presidential running mate. If not, let me be the first to tell you, Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate -- and it's a great choice, for many reasons (unless you are one of those "Hillary or Bust" supporters).

But instead of me listing off all the reasons why I think Fightin' Joe Biden is the right choice (besides the fact he was cute as a button at 10, has lots of foreign policy experience, and an ability to connect with white male working class voters), I submit to you New York Times Conservative columnist David Brooks's Op-Ed piece from Friday on why Biden was and is the right choice. It's a good, concise assessment of Biden's strengths (and weaknesses) and what he brings to the presidential table.

Oh and before you start spouting about Biden's spouting, let me say (or write) that I, for one, find Biden's candor refreshing. So the guy makes the occasional "off-color" comment or joke. Who doesn't? I like a politician who is a real Joe, not some scripted actor or tough-talkin' cowboy. Let he or she who is without sin -- or who has never made an off-color remark or joke -- cast the first stone. (Of course, that won't stop Rush Limbaugh -- and all those "senior McCain advisers" who are hugging themselves because of all the archival footage of Biden's "gaffes," even though their boy McCain doesn't know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite or how many homes he owns, to name just two recent verbal faux pas.)

You want some real straight talk? Vote for Joe (and Barack).

As for all of you who are angry, hurt, resentful, indignant (pick your adjective) about Barry not giving Hillary his pin, get over it. Yeah, yeah. I can hear the moral outrage even underneath my cone of silence. But choosing Hillary for the number two spot would have been a disaster. (Don't believe me? Check out my prescient blog post from June 5, "Top 10 Reasons Barack Obama Should Not Choose Hillary Clinton as His Running Mate.") While Hillary on her own would have probably been okay, Bill and Hill have so much combined baggage I doubt they can afford to travel on a commercial flight these days.

Will Biden help Obama get elected? Indubitably. But it is ultimately up to Senator Obama to get the job done. Stay tuned, presidential election watchers, as the press stakes out the homes of Mitt Romney and the other leading Republican vice presidential contenders next week... (though I have this little feeling that McCain may surprise us by choosing a woman as his running mate, say Kay Bailey Hutchison or Elizabeth Dole, which would pretty much sew up the Southern White Woman vote, which is not to be underestimated).

08/25/08 Update: Hillary Clinton Speaks to New York Delegates. I just listened (via NPR) to Senator Clinton addressing the New York delegates at the Denver Democratic National Convention. Since I was listening, not watching, I couldn't see her body language, but the speech itself was great -- well written, well modulated, and delivered well. And while I am sure she is still smarting over not receiving either the presidential or vice presidential nomination (and already planning her run for 2012), her words of support and encouragement for Barack Obama -- and condemnation of John McCain's latest ads, which use her and her words extensively to put down Obama -- seemed utterly sincere. I particularly liked the line, used in regard to the McCain Hillary ads, "I'm Hillary Clinton, and I do NOT approve that message." Bravo. For more about Joe Biden, Hillary, and the Democratic National Convention, check out this article from the Associated Press, filed just a few minutes ago.