I like Joe Biden.
And any VP choice would have garnered attacks from the SlimeBall Lie Machine.
And Obama can still win.
But it will be tougher now, for one main reason, summed up in one word that is among the most detested by the Average American:
Hypocrite.
Is it accurate? Of course not. Obama is the presidential candidate, the change agent. The VP will follow and support and fight for the agenda/platform of his President.
But as with McSame's gaffes, perception is/will be paramount.
And as many times as we will hear and see Joe taking the train home every night to wash off the Washington fungus, it may never reverberate with as many voters as will the cries/innuendi of hypocrisy.
I wish it weren't the case. And I am baffled by a choice that is so pointedly counterintuitive to the very essence of this campaign.
Secretary of State Biden and VP Wes Clark would have been a home run. VP Biden is a hit-by-pitch that gets the winning run on base, but at the risk of grounding into a rally-killing double play.
It's like all of a sudden, we're playing to not lose as opposed to playing to win.
And that rarely succeeds.
I'm disappointed, in the strategy, and the lack of consistency, and in opening up the doors to more attacks instead of fewer ones.
All that said, I like Joe Biden enough and think he does have strengths.
It just puts even more pressure on Obama now to do even more... that is, it puts more on the supporters of Obama to do more as well. It may not be as steep as it could have been, but it will still be an uphill climb against an avalanche.
Apologies if there are too many mixed metaphors. Blame it on watching too much Olbermann.
Pray to whomever you pray to for help, rub your lucky charm, be prepared to work your ass off. It's going to be a long 75 days.
Oh, and as I mentioned in other posts, I am an ex-pat, and/but we are a slam dunk for Obama. However, if I could find a job State-side fast enough, I'd move my wife and newborn there in a minute, and spend every spare moment going door-to-door for this campaign. Alas, I'm here in Europe. I'll do what I can.