Even Republicans Respect Biden's Massive Foreign Policy Experience

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RealClearPolitics VP Watch
RCP Staff

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August 18, 2008
Biden: Smart, Safe (Mostly) Pick

With all the Biden buzz, we have to wonder if he would be a good choice for Obama. Is someone who's spent all of his adult life in Washington, but who's never had much success on the national stage, a good fit on the ticket? Here are a couple of the reasons why the answer is yes:

1.) Ask yourself if any of Obama's other potential VPs could have made that trip to Georgia. Only two names come to mind: Bill Richardson and Hillary Clinton. The rest couldn't have pulled it off. That should put Biden in a class above them in terms of foreign-policy credentials. For a candidate who's greatest liability is his inexperience on the world scene, Obama would be buying some much needed insurance for wary voters, who would be able to see Biden assume the presidency

2.) Although a strong critics of the Bush administration, Biden is also a centrist Democrat. He's never been aligned with the far-left in the course of his career, and even Republicans grudgingly respect his word on foreign-policy matters. With the Right aiming to turn Obama into just another lefty, Biden's place on the ticket will prove to voters that an Obama administration won't take the country into the fever swamps of progressive/liberal ideology. Again, he's a reassuring choice.

3.) During an presidential election, the running mate really has two primary functions: Act as an attack dog for the campaign and perform well in the one VP debate. During the primaries, Biden proved to be an effective debater. (In fact, some of his answers will come back to haunt the Obama campaign if they choose him.) But he's quick on his feet and is able to humorous when necessary. Backed with a wealth of policy facts, Biden should scare any of McCain's potential running mates.

In short, Biden is a smart, safe bet. Biden's problem has always been his own mouth, which is why we should put an asterisks next to "safe." There are plenty of "Bidenisms" out there for the GOP to turn into a pretty humorous ad, but that's small ball kind of stuff. What the Obama campaign needs to watch out for is what Biden could say on the stump. The other knock on Biden is that he doesn't bring much excitement to the ticket. His place on the ticket could be a letdown for the Democratic base and especially for female voters.

Posted by Blake Dvorak at 01:23 PM | Send to a Friend | Print | Permalink |