Biden's Predictably Unpredictable Campaign
Obama's Running Mate Has Made Expected Gaffes, But Democrats Say He's Been An Asset Regardless
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Photo
Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden D- Del., greets supporters at a Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Va., Friday October 24, 2008. (AP)
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Photo Essay
Biden His Time
Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden drums up support.
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In-Depth
Joe Biden
Learn more about Barack Obama's vice presidential pick.
The biggest knock against Biden during discussions on whether he would make a good vice presidential nominee was that his mouth tends to get him in trouble. And it has, with Biden recently raising the expectation that Obama would be tested by an international crisis soon after taking office - a comment that Obama said showed Biden's penchant for "rhetorical flourish."
Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin have used that comment to suggest that Obama is not prepared to deal with such a problem. That's not what Biden said - he argued Obama would persevere because he's "got steel in his spine." But McCain is using a recording of Biden's comments in a new ad against Obama.
"We're going to have an international crisis ... to test the mettle of this guy," Biden says in a recording replayed in the ad over grainy images of a woman crying and people rioting in the streets of a foreign land. "I guarantee you it's going to happen."
An announcer interjects: "It doesn't have to happen. Vote McCain."
But despite the occasional gaffe that's been highlighted, the Obama team says Biden has been a steady asset.
"Yes, there are those moments when you say, 'Wow, I wonder why he said that,"' said Obama adviser David Axelrod, but he added, "Even in the cold hard world of politics, you just look at his numbers. The American people have really embraced him and he's got a very favorable standing.
"So I don't care if every once in a while there's one of those cases where you sort of say, 'Geez, I'm not sure I would have said it just that way.' I don't care about that because at the end of the day, I think the upside is so great," Axelrod said in a telephone interview.
Since the party conventions, Biden's favorable ratings have steadily gone up. An Associated Press-Yahoo News poll conducted earlier this month found both Biden and Palin were viewed favorably by 48 percent of respondents, but his figure was up from 37 percent the previous month, while hers remained about the same as her earlier 47 percent. And her unfavorables were rising, from 28 percent to 39 percent, while his went from 30 percent to 33 percent.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll of voters in the swing state of Ohio this month found nearly four in 10 moderates were less apt to vote for McCain because of the Palin pick, double the proportion drawn to him as a result of her nomination. Biden attracted three times as many moderates to Obama as he pushed away.
Biden completed his 170th interview Friday night in the two months since becoming a vice presidential candidate, according to a tally by his staff. He's been a constant McCain critic and has been on television at critical moments, such as going on all the networks after every presidential debate while Palin was declining to do interviews.
Biden has been the least covered by the national media of any of the four nominees, but he's generating steady local coverage in key markets. The campaign has dispatched him to areas filled with working-class voters and his fellow Catholics, hoping he can make a connection where maybe Obama can't.
"He's going to a lot of places where Barack certainly didn't do as well in the primaries and talking to folks and bringing them over," said 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, who is close to both men on the ticket. He said he encouraged Obama to pick Biden because of his experience in legislation, foreign affairs and politics.
Axelrod said Biden is deeply involved in campaign discussions, and often will share what he's seeing on the trail and how issues are playing. Unlike the Republican ticket that campaigns together frequently, Biden and Obama have mostly kept separate schedules. One aide said they send e-mail messages frequently on the BlackBerrys they carry on their hips, and talk on the phone about once a day on average.
Biden has said if the Democratic ticket is elected, he would like to use his 36 years of experience in the Senate to carry out a President Obama's agenda on Capitol Hill.
He's respected by lawmakers in both parties for a breadth of knowledge developed over decades of service that have included leadership of the Judiciary and Foreign Relations committees.
It's an insider experience that Obama lacks, and a role that has not been Vice President Dick Cheney's focus. Cheney has been a forceful hand helping guide the Bush administration from the confines of the White House, while venturing to Capitol Hill occasionally to cast a tie-breaking vote or meet with lawmakers from his own party.
"The advantage you have here is you've got in Joe Biden somebody who's seen a lot of mistakes made in Washington and who himself has led major committees," Kerry said. "That is an enormous help to any president."
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.





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See all 53 CommentsYes change is coming. America will be proud again. Despite John McCain and Sarah Palin trying to stop it.
If that''s the worst they can come up with, they don''t have much.
Posted by notopennshut at 02:34 PM : Oct 25, 2008
What about the GOP gaffes, Biden is not afraid to say what he feels, not what he ''thinks'' we want him to feel. What is wrong with being open and aboveboard to start with.
Agreed, Obama will change the way Washington doesn''''t work. McSame will reward the greedy bastrds who helped put him into office.
Gee my husband is all of the above. Maybe he should run for President. The only problem is he doesn''t have the one thing you forgot to mention that Biden has. Stupidity.
Why doesn''t anybody ever do any research on that?
Obama: + 0.7 to 83.7
McCain: - 0.4 to 13.2
People who put their money where their mouth''s are get it right.
Biden-Obama 2008.
Posted by Lola939 at 06:52 PM : Oct 25, 2008
And I still remember when Obama (who is never negative according to the media) gave Hillary the finger during a debate. Obama is a joke and Biden is his side kick.
Alaskan pipeline: awarded in an inappropriate tender process to a company which she has association with.
Public funding: spent on kids travel to see Pop''s snowmobile race.
$150 thousand on clothing for the campaign.
Troopergate: repost said hounded the Commissioner for personal gain. Abused office. Ran an amatuerish administration.
Troopergate 2: she then blatantly denies what the report said.
Appoints unqualified friend into top agri post in Alaska.
Palin views: can see Russia so experienced in foreign policy. doesnt matter what caused climate change but we need to do something.
IS THIS WOMAN QUALIFIED TO BE VICE PRESIDENT?
You decide.
HMMMMMMMM,
SIGN OF THINGS TO COME?
ANOTHER JOE THE PLUMMER,X2.
GOD "BLESS" AMERICA. NOT "G D" AMERICA.
Posted by GrammaWhamma at 05:29 AM : Oct 26, 2008
LOL Having trouble with the first Black Presidential Candidate are ya? Now you guys COULD have picked one of the FIVE Blacks at the Reich''s Convention to have been the candidate you know. I thought it was so funny how the Fascist kept moving them around but didn''t have the common sense to change the clothing so NO ONE would notice they were the SAME people in ANOTHER group!! LOL The "Party" is broken and has been taken over by Fascist... ONLY Real Republican''s can fix it!
Posted by DemWatcher at 05:11 AM : Oct 26, 2008
How''s that? LOL I mean someone who voted for and supported the WORST in our History has GOT to do better than this don''t you think? LOL I certainly hope YOU haven''t jumped on the NEW McCARTHY bandwagon here... For those who don''t remember McCarthy, anyone who didn''t agree with the "Party" was branded a Commie and denied rights. Sick man and SICK "Party"!!
He is not "given a pass" on his off-the-cuff comments; rather, they are weighed against this three decades of actions.
Palin''s comments, on the other hand, are weighed against her several weeks'' worth of pronouncements; those early weeks were, as we know, showed a highly restricted access. So, her words now represent the bulk of her public statements. At this point in the campaign, she is really allowed no trial balloons; what we have of her history is what she says anew every day. So, her words must be chosen extra carefully, since each one matters so much. Unfortunately, neither Palin herself, her confidantes, or the "rogue-charging" McCain staff have been able to show enough discipline, or intelligence, for her to come off as anything but trouble.
Obviously angry, and not used to real probing, Biden just about loses it, obviously tense. CBS WHERE ARE U ?
He is not "given a pass" on his off-the-cuff comments; rather, they are weighed against this three decades of actions.
Palin''''s comments, on the other hand, are weighed against her several weeks'''' worth of pronouncements; those early weeks were, as we know, showed a highly restricted access. So, her words now represent the bulk of her public statements. At this point in the campaign, she is really allowed no trial balloons; what we have of her history is what she says anew every day. So, her words must be chosen extra carefully, since each one matters so much. Unfortunately, neither Palin herself, her confidantes, or the "rogue-charging" McCain staff have been able to show enough discipline, or intelligence, for her to come off as anything but trouble.
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Posted by rdepontb
Just flip Biden for McCain and Obama for Pailin. Only thing is, Obama IS the Heatbeat.
This is quite different: Must we go down this well-travelled RAT-HOLE of idealistic KUM-BA-YAH even after virtually every other nation in the world has proven that it is a dead-end? It''s not about terror this time, it''s about wasted motion.
He''s sure beginning to flex his shoulders...
Now, that smells like facism to me. The end result is, do not question the messiah!!! Just don''t do it.
Yep, it''s gonna be a great America floks, just great.
We are in for a world of hurt.
He also knows that FDR got on TV at the beginning of the Great Depression to clam the public. Yep, joe is wise. I just don''t know how Hoover took to FDR doing that when, hey, he was President at the time. Don''t think TV was around in 1929. But, hey, joe is wise.
Why, he is so wise he is predicting a "crisis" within the messiah''s first 6 months as dictator, ur, president. Yep, joe is wise.
He also wrote a great piece in his college days, so great that he lifted it from someone else. Whatta guy!
Regarding the post by Xlib at 11:36 AM : Oct 26, 2008..
"FDR got on TV at the beginning of the Great Depression to clam the public."
And.. Xlib: "I just don''''t know how Hoover took to FDR doing that when, hey, he was President at the time."
FACT CHECK, Xlib:
FDR''s FIRST of his many "fireside chats" to the nation (the first was about about the banking industry and a possible run on the banks) , was delivered March 12,1933, WELL AFTER he became president.
No, Xlib, they had no TV they were radio broadcasts. See for yourself.
ttp://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrfirstfiresidechat.html
Regarding the post by Xlib at 11:36 AM : Oct 26, 2008..
"FDR got on TV at the beginning of the Great Depression to clam the public."
And.. Xlib: "I just don''''t know how Hoover took to FDR doing that when, hey, he was President at the time."
FACT CHECK, Xlib:
FDR''s FIRST of his many "fireside chats" to the nation (the first was about about the banking industry and a possible run on the banks) , was delivered March 12,1933, WELL AFTER he became president.
No, Xlib, they had no TV they were radio broadcasts. See for yourself.
It seems transparently foolish to criticize so freely, without knowing you American history.
Please learn more about the country you live in.
It might also be more "Amercian" to stop insulting "indians", as a group.
ttp://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrfirstfiresidechat.html
Regarding the post by Xlib at 11:36 AM : Oct 26, 2008..
"FDR got on TV at the beginning of the Great Depression to clam the public."
And.. Xlib: "I just don''''t know how Hoover took to FDR doing that when, hey, he was President at the time."
FACT CHECK, Xlib:
FDR''s FIRST of his many "fireside chats" to the nation (the first was about about the banking industry and a possible run on the banks) , was delivered March 12,1933, WELL AFTER he became president.
No, Xlib, they had no TV they were radio broadcasts. See for yourself.
It seems transparently foolish to criticize so freely, without knowing your American history.
Please learn more about the country you live in.
It might also be more "Amercian" to stop insulting "indians", as a group.
ttp://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrfirstfiresidechat.html
Regarding the post by Xlib at 11:36 AM : Oct 26, 2008..
"FDR got on TV at the beginning of the Great Depression to clam the public."
And.. Xlib: "I just don''''t know how Hoover took to FDR doing that when, hey, he was President at the time."
FACT CHECK, Xlib:
FDR''s FIRST of his many "fireside chats" to the nation (the first was about about the banking industry and a possible run on the banks) , was delivered March 12,1933, WELL AFTER he became president.
No, Xlib, they had no TV they were radio broadcasts. See for yourself.
It seems transparently foolish to criticize so freely, without knowing your American history.
Please learn more about the country you live in.
It might also be more "Amercian" to stop insulting "indians", as a group.
ttp://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrfirstfiresidechat.html
Regarding the post by Xlib at 11:36 AM : Oct 26, 2008..
"FDR got on TV at the beginning of the Great Depression to clam the public."
And.. Xlib: "I just don''''t know how Hoover took to FDR doing that when, hey, he was President at the time."
FACT CHECK, Xlib:
FDR''s FIRST of his many "fireside chats" to the nation (the first was about about the banking industry and a possible run on the banks) , was delivered March 12,1933, WELL AFTER he became president.
No, Xlib, they had no TV they were radio broadcasts. See for yourself.
It seems transparently foolish to criticize so freely, without knowing your American history.
Please learn more about the country you live in.
It might also be more "Amercian" to stop insulting "indians", as a group.
ttp://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrfirstfiresidechat.html
I only intended to post it once.
If I can, I''ll pull the repeats.
No foul was intended...
I''m proud to be in country where there ARE isles and I really just want the raging to stop and people to discuss what''s important.
I''m a musician & have frinds all over the nation. Deep south Maine, you name it.
I have no agenda really. I Just want the best for all.
I have an opinions on issues, but some are conservative, some are centrist.
I make no claim to the ultimate truth.
Trash talking ANY candidate makes me ill.
I''m 51. My friends & I have often wondered why so many (hopefully less every year) have to say the other opinion is unamerican.
No matter what the opinion is, as long as it''s legal under the first amendment, it should be said with respect.
CBS is clear that a vigorous debate is welcome.
Just "cussing out" the other guy/gal with insults saddens me.
I happen to like both candidates. That''s not a misprint.
Personally, in my dream one would be Pres, one would be VP. i.e. McCain/Obama...Obama/McCain.
Then they''d HAVE to listen to each other, and I suspect they truly disagree a lot less than their "handlers" push them to admit.
The US constitution was debated heatedly before it was finally signed & ratified. It almost didn''t get ratified.
They were All good men, trying to do their best.
They understood back in those dire times, that sticking together was the single most important thing if they were to survive as a nation.
Today we''re fighting to survive in a different way.
WE could use more of that kind of thinking today.
jmho
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