MICHAEL O. ALLEN

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Biden

“I want to gather talents from everywhere”

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv7K8S4kGQM[/youtube]

Moderator: Senator Obama, you have Bill Clinton’s former national security advisor, state department policy advisor and Navy secretary, among others, advising you. With relatively little foreign policy experience of your own, how will you rely on so many Clinton advisors and still deliver the kind of break from the past that you’re promising voters.

Much laughter, including Mrs. Hillary Clinton distinctive laugh before she offered this crack.

Candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton: I want to hear that.

Candidate Barack Obama: Hillary, I’m looking forward to you advising me as well.

Much applause.

Sen. Obama, with a big smile on his face, continued as the applause rolled: I want to gather up talent from everywhere. You know, we haven’t talked too much about the war but one of the points that I’ve tried to make during the course of this year during the campaign is I want to change the mindset that got us into war because I think that, since 9/11, we’ve had a president who essentially fed us a politics of fear and distorted our foreign policy in profound ways. I think that there are a lot of good people in the Clinton years, in the Carter years, George Bush I, who understand that our military power is just one component of our power, and I revere what our military does. I will do whatever it takes, as commander-in-chief, to keep the American people safe but I know that part of making us safe is restoring our respect in the world and I think those who are advising me agree with that. Part of the agenda that we’re putting forward in terms of talking not just to our friends but also to our enemies, initiating contacts with Muslim leaders around the world, doubling our efforts in terms of foreign aid, all those are designed to create long term security by creating long-term prosperity around the world.

And so it has come to pass, that little noted exchange during a debate in Iowa has largely come true. On stage that day almost a year ago were Obama, HRC, Sen. Joe Biden, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, and former Senator John Edwards. Well, Biden is now the Vice-President, Richardson is Commerce Secretary, and HRC is Secretary of State.

Only Edwards, who disgraced himself by having an affair on his cancer-stricken wife, did not make the cut.

They are calling it a “Team of Rivals.”

Obama, as he has resolutely built his administration with people recognized as stalwarts in their fields, says he’s simply gathering the very best talent available to lead America. We may quibble (my views on HRC are very well known) on some of the names, but it is clear that the President-elect (God, how I love writing that!) knows very well where he wants to lead the nation and how.

December 1, 2008
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Hockey moms, Joe Sixpack, aw shucks!

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At some point last, GOP Vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin declared she was not going to be debating:

“I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear, but I’m going to talk straight to the American people.”

I wish they could have stopped the debate at that point and ushered her off the stage. Palin’s performance was audacious, mixing outright lies with distortions to mask ignorance and idiocy. Truly unprincipled, Palin said any and everything that came into her head, whether germane to the question being asked, or not.

Any minute now, John McCain should be suspending his campaign so that they can celebrate Palin’s debate victory.

October 3, 2008
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Palin’s understated brilliance

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I know all of us are holding our breath for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to wow America all over again during her vice-presidential debate with Delaware’s Sen. Joe Biden Thursday night.

One newspaper has called Mrs. Palin’s debating skills “formidable.” The New York Times says she’s a confident debater. In fact, the Obama campaign, calling her a “terrific debater,” is thinking of suspending the vice-presidential portion of the fall campaign.

I thought, maybe, we should imbibe a little her recent series of triumphant interviews with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric:

Couric: You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?

Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It’s funny that a comment like that was kinda made to . . . cari . . . I don’t know, you know . . . reporters.

Couric: Mocked?

Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that’s the word, yeah.

Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.

Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…

Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.

Ms. Couric then brought up the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, suggesting the money could be better spent by regular Americans. Mrs. Palin burst forth in incandescent rhetoric. Her answer was nothing short of historic in its scope and grasp of policy details, mastery of nuance:

COURIC: Why isn’t it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

PALIN: That’s why I say I, like every American I’m speaking with, we’re ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the—it’s got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we’ve got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we’ve got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.

October 1, 2008
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Joe Biden @ St. Claire Shores, MI

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Biden: The Case for Change

Transcript:

Eight years ago, a man ran for President who claimed he was different, not
a typical Republican. He called himself, you remember, he called himself a reformer. He admitted that his Party, the Republican Party, had been wrong about a number of things in times past. He promised us, if you remember, it was a major selling point, that he would work with Democrats. He said he’d been working with Democrats for a long time in Texas.

That candidate was George W. Bush. Remember those promises? Remember the promise to reach across the aisle? To change the way things were done in Washington. To change the tone? To restore honor and dignity to the White House?

You know, we saw how that story ends. A record number of home foreclosures. Home values, tumbling. And the disturbing news that the crisis that you’ve been facing on Main Street is now hitting Wall Street, taking down Lehman Brothers and threatening other large financial institutions.

Read More

September 19, 2008
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Well Done Mr. Obama, Well Done!

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I know it’s been some hours but I still have not wrapped my mind around the selection of Joe Biden as Sen. Barack Obama running mate. This piece is by Eileen Davis of the Central Virginia Progressive.

Fighting Joe Biden-The Silver Fox of the Senate-Chairman of the foreign relations committee and 30 year champion of the working class is the VP select.

Family leave Legislation, Domestic violence legislation, his brilliant plan on what to do in Iraq (take the time to google and read it) all a “Tapas” taste of what this man has done in his stellar career.

You will learn alot about Joe Biden in the next days and will be impressed. For those of us who already knew, we are pleased, really pleased, b/c we know the possibility of this newly created dynamic duo.

Joe will soften the hearts of the pissed off Hillary’s because he has a resume that rivals hers and his record on woman’s issues ,social issues and education is laudable.

The swing votes-Catholics, some East Coasters, union, fire, police, nurses,teachers-many will be pulled back solidly to Dem land.

And Tivo any debates featuring Biden, he is one of the most brilliant debaters ever-it will be not to be missed viewing.

I heard a laudable “swoosh” from all the people slidng back into Dem land when my phone and email started screaming “OMG its Biden-I’m so happy, I know your pleased”!

Yes I am dear friends, yes I am Not forgetting our own dear Tim Kaine I expect to see him in the administration as undersecretary of education,where his championing for preK and educational parity can get national exposure and implementation.

Together Foward my Friends…

The DAVIS Report

Posted by www.EileenDavis.blogspot.com The Davis Report – The Voice of Central Virginia and the Capital City.

August 23, 2008
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Initial thoughts on Biden . . .

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First, I’d like to point out that Biden was at the top of my VP short list back in June. Yes, that’s because the list was in alphabetical order, but shouldn’t I get at least half credit for making the right pick?

On a more serious note, I’m feeling mixed emotions about the pick this morning. I like Biden a lot. Those of you who know me well may remember that he was very high on my list of presidential choices last year before he dropped out of the race. He’s a legislative leader, a great speaker, and a brilliant and pragmatic thinker. He also has an extremely compelling life story. I should be very happy this morning.

But I’m not. Three different thoughts leave me a little disappointed. First, I don’t think that Obama picked him for the right reasons. Kerry, Gore and Bill Clinton had all advised Obama to pick someone he trusts completely. I don’t think that’s Joe Biden even though Obama and Biden are, by all accounts, friendly and cordial in their relationship.

Second, the pick doesn’t obviously reinforce the Obama brand. Biden is not change. Biden is not hope. Biden is many good things but neither of those two. We may see some re-branding of Team Obama today at the unveiling, but I think it’s a little late in the game to be doing that.

Third, I don’t think Biden gives the greatest chance of success in November. I probably wouldn’t even have put him in the top 3 on that score. My biggest concern is that Hillary’s die-hards (and remember, Hillary was my first choice) will make a big fuss. I think the Obama campaign underestimates the number of votes that Obama will now not get because of this choice.

A few days ago, I was worried that Obama sounded too much like Michael Dukakis. Now I just hope that Joe Biden doesn’t turn out to be Lloyd Bentsen.

Cross-posted from Facebook.

August 23, 2008
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Second slot

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The New York Times

Obama Chooses Biden as Running Mate

Selection Ends Two-Month Search

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JEFF ZELENY 6:40 AM ET

Word of Senator Barack Obama’s decision leaked out hours after he had informed Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana and Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia that they had not been chosen.

Washington Post:

Biden has served more than 35 years in the Senate, where he has emerged as one of the leading voices in the Democratic Party on foreign policy matters. He is also a two-time presidential candidate. (Photo: AP)

August 23, 2008
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An exchange with Bryan Sells on Obama’s VP choice

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michael o. allen to Bryan Sells: Today @ 9:18am

Good morning.

I think you’re wrong but would you post your veepstakes piece?

And may I put a link to the New York Times piece in that post?

Bryan Sells‘s reply Today @ 9:24am

OK. You can certainly add the NYT link.

Bryan Sells‘s follow-up to his reply Today @ 9:26am

And what part is wrong? who’s your guess?

michael o. allen to Bryan Today @ 11:17am

I agree with you that all the names that have been floated could be feints. I don’t think Gore is in the mix. Neither is Hillary. I have a hard time seeing Hagel (such a pick would confirm what many suspect that Obama is a moderate in a sheep clothing; the Democratic base would rebel).

Webb is still a possibility (he’s my choice), despite taking himself out of the race.

Kaine, too.

Bayh is certainly safe.

But, if you’re correct that the names being floated are to throw us of, then I would not rule out a safe dark horse like Chet Edwards

Bryan Sells replied Today @ 11:27am

I thought long and hard before leaving Edwards off my list of four surprise picks. His brand isn’t strong enough to make people say “wow!” They’d just say “who?”

michael o. allen’s very long rejoinder Today @ 11:35am

which could be a selling point.

The Times story is wrongly assumes that the presidential candidates want publicity from their vp choices. why would they want publicity?

The most obvious tack is to do no harm. Biden, for instance, even without his awkward jab about Obama being “clean”, would be a harmful pick.

Bayh and Kaine not so much.

Edwards, Chet not John, unless he too has busloads of illegitimate children that he fathered with illegal immigrant prostitutes, would fit the bill of boring but safe vp pick (he even looks like a vp).

And he might even help you.

Today @ 11:47am, Bryan Sells wanted to know:

Fair point. But if Obama’s not seeking publicity, then why’d his campaign leak the “short list” story last night? Why has his campaign been hyping the veepstakes for weeks?

michael o. allen then meanders Today @ 12:04pm

because, as you pointed out in your first post today (which scared me, by the way), Obama is not always the sure-footed candidate that some of us who drank the kool-aid a long time ago (I count myself as one of these) would like to think he is.

I think full-throated economic populism, with jobs and rebuilding America’s infrastructure as the linchpin, is the message that’ll give him the office he seeks. And that’s exactly the message that Obama will not deliver. Obama seems to want to hew close to the middle of the road, thinking the Republican brand is so degraded that even a black man saying not much of anything could coast into the presidency.

I don’t believe that.

I think Americans are taking a hard look at McCain and would give him the presidency in a bat of an eye if he does not seem too crazy. If all that is wrong with McCain is that he’s too old, too incompetent, and sometimes gets lost in his own words, America would take a pass on Obama’s apparent brilliance and stick with McCain.

Obama needs to give people a reason to vote for him. Charisma is not going to do it. Being miles and miles more intelligent than the other guy is not going to do it. You’ve got bring more to the table.

August 19, 2008
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Yet another veepstakes post

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The Democratic world may soon wake up with a text or email from the Obama campaign announcing his choice for VP. Drudge, the NYT, and other media outlets have been abuzz this evening with the story of Obama’s “short list” and impending announcement.

The names being floated are Bayh, Biden, Kaine, and Sebelius. Kaine would be my pick, but I think they’re all head fakes. The stories out tonight have the distinct feel of a carefully scripted campaign leak. So why leak at all?

The answer? To make the actual announcement more surprising and newsworthy.

So who, then, would generate that kind of buzz as a surprise pick? There are a lot of people whose pick would be surprising, but very few whose selection would really grab the headlines:

Clinton
Gore
Webb
Hagel

My gut tells me that Webb and Hagel are the least likely of the four.

What’s your guess?

August 19, 2008
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