DUers... Tell Me Why Biden You are Disappointed with this Pick?

[fascisthunter]

before I go on... MODS, this is not meant to stir the pot, as I do know there are folks upset at this pick. I just want to know people's reasons for being so disappointed.

I honestly don't know how I feel, but can tell you all that I did believe he would be the pick... I honestly want to know why some of you feel Biden is not a good pick and just explain. To those that think he is a great pick, please try to keep your responses to those who don't, civil, so this thread does not go down in flames.

[nashville_brook]

1. i think Biden is a great pick. if it had been Bayh, i would have been very pissed. Biden is alright.

I'm especially glad for his Foreign Policy (Pakistan) expertise. Also, he knows how DC works. He's a good pick.

[Fumesucker]

3. Yes, he knows how DC works..

Corporate money uber alles..

See: "Reform", Bankruptcy.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. DLC, Neo-Lib, IWR vote. Politics as usual.

I expected Biden or a clone to win and I expected Obama to play it safe.

Unfortunately, I was right.

[Skink]

4. I don't think he'll be breaking ties in the Senate

In that sense I don't really care about his voting record.

[MercutioATC]

8. Exactly my issue. We'll still win in November, but we've changed the tone.

"Change" diluted with "old-guard insider politics".

Obama played it safe. That's his right...and I don't think Biden hurts our chances of a win...but the tone of the race (and what Obama brings to the office) has decidedly changed.

[fascisthunter]

9. Your Post Seems to Answer my Question more than others

I guess those who agree with you, aren't willing to reply... your concern was mine as well.

[notadmblnd]

5. Out of the bunch, my prefeence is Biden

I would have loved to see Wesley Clark his mate because I think he has the military experience to straighten out the messes * created. Hopefully he'll still be tapped for a position in the new Administration.

[Liberal Gramma]

6. We have so many good dems for the new administration

Clark, Richardson, Clinton, and many others. It will be awesome to see an administration chosen for ability and experience rather than cronyism.

[aikoaiko]

7. He's an ok old school Democrat

Short answer:

Biden is a good senatorial soldier with pluses and minuses, but truthfully I was hoping for a pick that would be more inspirational rather than conventional.

[radfringe]

10. doesn't matter who obama picked

there would be a group of people upset

the focus now should be on winning in november and not slamming each other - the repubs will do the slamming for us because that's all they have left

[fascisthunter]

12. Well, Actually in that Sense There will always be folks upset BUT...

it appears to many, the non-populist once again is running, insead of the populist. And that to many concerned Democrats/liberals/progressives once again is a dismissal of their concerns. In the years I have followed the Democratic Party this closely, I have noticed this attitude towards the left, and it is no wonder the country continuously slides towards the right, at least in government policies and in the media itself. There is a HUGE swath of voters who are aligned with liberals, yet do not label themselves as such due to media bashing, who are being dismissed, and the politicians who seem to be concerned with winning a majority, may want to keep that in mind. One great example is how folks feel about Congress's performance... one could conclude that Congress has been very centrist, unwilling to rock the boat and seen as inefective. Rocking the boat, is exactly what many who agree with liberals wanted yet did not get after 2006.

[Bandit]

11. Can you name one thing Bush* put forward that Biden opposed?

Biden voted for the IWR, he voted for Bush*'s massive tax cuts for the wealthy,he voted for the bankruptcy bill. Name something, anything he opposed Bush* and Cheney on..

[fascisthunter]

13. great question, and a very good reason to be opposed to him

...not just because one wants to oppose Bush out of spite, but because Bush's policies are detrimental to average Americans and are the opposite of liberal/progressive/democratic core values.

[El Pinko]

14. Although my other OP may give the impression that I'm disappointed, I'm not.

He was probably a wise choice all-round. He's intelligent, hawkish, and desperately wants to be president (will fight tooth and nail for the ticket to win).

It was a wise choice. Do I LIKE Biden? Now that's a whole other story, but I will vote for him, and his presence on the ticket will be a significant strength.

[fascisthunter]

15. Your Sentiment is actually Similar to Mine

or at least, that's why I agreed with your thread.

[unapatriciated]

16. Crowd Reaction to Biden Pick

Less than inspiring
but we will campaign and work to make it exciting

[katandmoon]

17. Joe Biden will not bring a single vote to the ticket. Anybody who would have voted for Obama anyway,

will still vote for him. Anybody who would not have voted for Obama anyway, will still not vote for him. Biden won't change anybody's mind either way. But Biden is a safe, safe, unchallenging choice for Obama.

The only VP candidate who had the potential to change the status quo and gain votes for Obama based on her presence on the ticket was Hillary Clinton. But she was a more challenging choice for Obama. I think it spoke volumes that Obama did not accept the challenge.

Instead Obama went with the traditional, safe choice -- an old, white, Christian (Catholic -- wow, that's taking a risk) man who's been in the Senate so long he's grown whiskers.

Message: An African-American (actually, half-AA) man can now aspire to the White House, but it's still a men's club.

Thank you SO much, Obama.