Last of Our Kind

Senator Barack Obama picked Joe Biden (Sorry Clinton fans, but more on you later) as his Vice Presidential running mate this morning (it was leaked this morning anyways). And as I have said in previous posts, thank you Senator Obama for picking a candidate that will bring a great balance to your platform and campaign.

Obama’s youthful energy, what some dub his “inexperience” can be countered by the foreign policy and foreign relations qualifications of the 65 year old Senator Biden.

Some may say that Joe Biden goes against everything that Obama stands for. “Biden doesn’t represent change,” they’ll say, “He has been serving in Washington for twenty years!” Biden’s years in Washington will allow him to easily support Obama whenever asked.

John McCain has already said “Biden is Obama’s harshest critic.” Should that really be the line of attack McCain uses? Senator Obama has said that he picked his running mate as someone who is willing to challenge him, and help make decisions for the country and not simply be a “yes man.” It is because of his criticism that Biden is such a great choice. He will not be the “yes man” that so many Vice Presidents can be. He will challenge Obama and together they will lead this country in a new direction that all Americans have been waiting for.

Critics will also say that Joe Biden voted for the Iraq War. It’s true he did. However, he has since gone on the record saying it was a mistake and that the war must come to an end. He has given a full plan on how he would bring the war to an end (which is different than Obama’s, but again it is these differences that will lead to compromises and even better plans for America). It is his deep passion for bringing the Iraq War to an end (as well as his passion for bringing peace in Darfur) that, had Biden not been picked as a VP I would have loved to see him as Secretary of Defense or Secretary of State. However, since Joe Biden’s own son is about to be deployed to Iraq perhaps secretary of defense would have been a bit of a conflict of interest (although I don’t believe that would have affected his judgment and I am sure he would have done a great job).

Now, the question that everyone wants answered: Where does Hillary Clinton fit into all this? Well Joe Biden is 65 and if all goes according to plan after a reelection in 2012 after eight years as VP he would be 73. I believe it would be safe to say Biden would not be interested in running for President of the United States. Hillary is 61, and in eight years would be 69, three years younger than McCain is now. Would that be too old for her to run? It isn’t impossible for her to take another shot at it. So perhaps Hillary Clinton supporters can take solace in that fact (had she been the VP she wouldn’t get to run for President until 2012 anyways) and finally, yes finally embrace Obama as the democratic nominee.

It should be an interesting day tomorrow when the sun rises and the republican attack machine kicks into full swing, only to be fired back against Obama and Biden themselves in Illinois when they campaign together later in the day.

It should also be an exciting week in Denver with the convention hitting full swing.