I've Seen This Before

I found myself pleasantly unmoved by Barack Obama's announcement that he has chosen Joe Biden as his running mate. I'm not sure Obama could have selected anyone in serious contention that would have made me more inclined to vote for him in the Fall. In picking Biden, though, he selected someone who is clearly experienced in foreign policy and generally even-handed. Both are important considerations for me.

When we lived in Connecticut I used to listen to Imus in the Morning out of New York City. Biden was a frequent guest. He was never too partisan and I generally agreed with his foreign policy assessments. Thelma, Braeden and I watched him campaign (on C-SPAN) during the Iowa caucus season and were impressed on balance by his demeanor and positions.

He has a reputation for verbosity and not choosing his words carefully. The Republicans and affiliated pundits will blow all that well out of proportion in the upcoming days. Some of it might stick and some of it should. It didn't take more than a few hours after the announcement before the McCain campaign began airing a campaign spot in which Biden criticizes Obama for his lack of experience. In the same ad, he says he would be honored to run "with or against" McCain.

My biggest criticism of Obama's decision is that it runs counter to his call for change. Biden is not a breath of fresh air. In fact, Biden is a choice that may let Obama have his cake and eat it too. Biden can wage the traditional political battle against McCain without distracting too much attention away from the Obama political theater.

This pick is the Democratic version of George Bush selecting Dick Cheney as his running mate eight years ago. Cheney did not provide any advantages in important swing states. He did not shore up support with any important demographics. He was not expected to run for president in any future election. He allowed the race to remain focused squarely on George Bush's message.

Likewise, Biden will not be a candidate for president following an Obama administration. He does not hail from a swing state, nor does he appeal to any group of voters where Obama could use additional support. He allows the debate to remain focused on Obama. But how useful is he really if his experience does not advance the Obama message? There is nothing about Biden that suggests he can bring about any real change.

I've seen this race before. George Bush campaigned on a positive message about change. After almost eight years, however, very little of that message ever made its way into law. Obama has selected a running mate who is skilled at doing things the old way. Why should the outcome be any different?

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