Boom-Boom. Obama picks Biden; GOP picks Biden to hit Obama

Well, that didn't take long.

Some of you are still reading right here on The Ticket that Sen. Barack Obama has chosen Delaware's Sen. Joseph Biden as his vice presidential running mate on the Democratic Party ticket to be formally nominated in the next few days in Denver.

And, boom, just in time for a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast in any U.S. time zone, here comes the first ad from the campaign of Sen. John McCain, who doesn't have a running mate yet.

What do you bet he picks a governor instead of yet another Washington insider? Biden does have a lot of foreign policy experience. (He'll likely be playing down though his Iraq plan to divide the country in three, don't you think?)

But being a Washington veteran also means that Biden's been a senator in D.C. since Obama was an 11-year-old. And Obama's 47 now.

The video of the new McCain ad is below.

The McCain ad (no doubt they had ones prepared for several candidates) is called simply "Biden." Why?

Because it features Biden himself talking about Obama (you might guess Biden once thought the freshman Illinois senator was not yet ready for primetime) standing right next to Obama, who was looking down his nose wordlessly during a Democratic debate last winter.

And the ad also features Biden talking about McCain; Biden says he'd be honored to run with or against a John McCain. Is it possible the two of them could have an elevated, respectful civil debate over the future of our foreign policy? Can a presidential candidate do that with an opposing vice presidential candidate, who's supposed to be the attack dog?

Think we'll be seeing a good deal more of this kind of contrast in the coming weeks? Maybe even as soon as this coming week when McCain's people buy ads during network coverage of the Democratic Convention.

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--Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: CafePress.com

Comments

[Michael C. Teniente]

I never though Obama was going to win and I think this pick seals that thought.

What happened to "change"? Everything Obama preached in the primaries is out. As soon as he really starts to go negative McCain's camp is going to eat him alive and Biden won't be able to save him.

mike t.

[mirth]

How do I feel about Obama/Biden? Disappointed. Disturbed. Dis-spirited. Distanced. Dissed.

[Tom Mariner]

Love the Joe Biden thing. Would have been more comfortable if the ticket were reversed.

[Kathy]

excellent ad

[repubmocrats fail]

Wow, that sure was fast. McCain's people are on the ball.

[TJ]

This is the best selection Senator Obama could make; it is great! I am a Hillary supporter and will always be her supporter. But I have long been an admirer of Senator Joe Biden. I appreciate his direct talk, his respect for the voters, his long service with accomplishments, his humor, even his "gaffs", which, while not always "politically correct", are usually correct and often reflect what the ordinary American is thinking. He puts it out there. His biggest contribution will be his willingness to advise for consent his President with the goal of doing what is best in governing our country. I must say that this selection has given me a new perspective on Senator Obama. I am happy to concede that he may have more substance and less ego than I had thought. His first decision as potential President is a good one; one of substance over style and hype and an indication of strength, in my opinion. I have no concern that this will be a "Chaney model" of an Administration. Senator Biden offers an open, inclusive, more healthy personality. He is, indeed, A Happy Warrior! I had put away my voter registration card and will now take it out, dust it off, and have it ready for use!!

[Paul Bullard]

The key to this ad is that this footage wasn't taken yesterday. It was while Biden was on a fishing trip. Get it dumbo? He's a political candidate for crying out loud, looking for a job as either president or vice president and he wants the best job he can get. Either as the president himself, or as the running mate for the strongest and best candidate to hook up with. I think he has chosen wisely. I also think that the future president, Barack Obama, has also made the wisest and best man or woman for his running mate. I think their abilities and experience and personalities dovetail perfectly to be the absolute very best team to get this country back on track to be the greastest country in the world! paul b. Winston Salem, NC

[acarponzo]

Well the Democrats now have there tag team moving forward. Bam Bam Obama and "Big Bill" Biden. Big Mac McCain and team better get there second half over with soon. I can't stay up 'til 3a.m. again. Please just do it at a press conference. Well the polls are already heating up on this one trying to analyze the "Biden Effect." this paper has one here on Top Of The Ticket that will be interesting to follow all day. Another one that should be interesting to watch is the one at http://www.bop-o-rama.com. In anticipation of the announcement, this poll was really hopping yesterday. Here are the current numbers but they are changing fast.

Obama 524,076 McCain 301,234

The way these ads keep flying out, you have to wonder if it is an inside job sometimes.

[Russ Wilson]

Sen. Obama could do no better than Sen. Biden. I'm a die-hard McCainiac, but I respect Sen. Biden. I think his judgment about Sen. Obama's lack of experience is correct. Sen. Biden will spin it differently now, of course, but the reality is, Sen. Biden knows a good opportunity when he sees one. This positions him nicely for 2012. The McCain ad works. We have to move beyond calling fact-checking advertisements 'negative,' and rather accept that in the IT age, contradictions abound. Sen. Obama in the White House is a contradiction in political thought. Electing an inexperienced freshman Senator with very little accomplishments to the office of President is a contradiction in rational politics. Sorry folks. Sen. Obama is going to lose this election. Don't despair, because Sen. McCain is a great man.

[Michael]

Now Obama can say, "I was always against the war and Joe Biden voted for it." Obama said that Hillary's vote for the war reflected her judgment. Wouldn't you think that Biden's vote for the war reflected the same judgment?

Now no one should make fun of McCain's age any more. Biden will be 66 on Nov. 20.

No one can say any longer that Obama will change the old politics in Washington. Biden has been a senator since 1972 - that is 36 years ago - that is over three decades. That is the old politics that Obama is so much against.

[TOM MCKEE]

Excellent choice. Now the Democrats can go on the attack and not sit back and let the narrow-minded, right-wing talking heads bore us with all their vitriol.

The more of this negative babble that comes out of their mouths, the more it will remind us of just why we want change in Washington and what we have seen and heard for the past eight years.

[Al]

Biden & Richardson should have been the ticket

[Giant Robot]

Project code: "Magic 19 Age + Personality Strategy".

Suppose you heard the news about Obama's VP choice being Joesph Biden by now.

This all the more reason why Senator McCain should choose Mike Huckabee as his VP. Age differences was a primary reason for Obama choosing Binden and the reversal should be for true for McCain too.

Obama's birthdate - 8/4/1961
Biden's birthdate - 11/20/1942
= difference 19 years older

McCain's birthdate - 8/29/1936
Huckabee's birthdate - 8/24/1955
= difference 19 years younger

While Obama tries to influence the population with a more balanced ticket of age as Biden is 19 years older, McCain too can use the same strategy and choose Huckabee who is 19 years younger.

When you think about it, age has a lot to do with whom people vote for. Most people that hang around together are usually the same age group.

While McCain and Biden attrack the older baby boomer generation that are in retirement years living longer, the younger middle age boomers of Obama and Huckabee track the next largest voting population.

Plus...

Obama tried to balance the ticket based on personality:

Obama - Great orator speaker people skills
Biden - Hard military details person

McCain - Hard military details person
Huckabee - Great orator speaker people skills

Again another strategy to balance the ticket and persuade both types of people. Those who relate more personally and those that relate more on details.

It's an impressive strategy by Obama, let's see if McCain counter punches that with the same impressive strategy choosing Mike Huckabee as his VP.

[Zeleni]

For those Hillary supporters that still want to support a woman, consider Green candidate Cynthia McKinney, former six-term congresswoman. She's strong on the issues and even selected another woman, Rosa Clemente, for her vice-presidential candidate. Why spend your vote on patriarch McCain when you can vote for a woman?

[Scott]

It does position Biden nicely for 2012 -- to be re-elected to the Vice Presidency.

[bobbiewick]

A plagiarism scandal knocked Biden out of contention in 1987 and has kept him out of presidential politics since. What has changed since then? This character issue is sure to become a main topic in this election. Does the Obama candidacy really need that?

[new_york_loner]

The question remains, "Will Obama-Biden win any electoral votes in what was formerly known as The Confederacy?"

Like it or not, the Democrats will have to cut a Southern state out of the GOP herd.

Obama-Biden could win the popular vote yet lose the electoral vote tally. That would be poetic justice for the Democrats, they opted for the status quo rather than reform after being stung in 2000.

The republic’s voting machine SNAFU’s have not been resolved.

This should be great, well-financed theater.

[David]

Biden's old enough to be Obama's father!

Does he call that change or not enough experience to handle the job?

Dean and the DNC gives it away again with pushing Obama in!!!

[Almost Angeleno]

I'm sorry, but I just have to LAUGH whenever I hear/read about Obama's "lack of experience" as a reason for not being elected as president. And George W. was this brilliant, articulate, and wise statesman with a long resume prior to 2000, right?! Let's not forget Dubya was a failed businessman, an ineffective governor and a dry drunk whose only saving grace were his family connections. And now the U.S. is SO well-respected throughout the world and Russia just snickered when Georgie Boy told them to 'Hey! cut it out' when they invaded Georgia.

Let's face it -- Obama could have resurrected Churchiil or JFK as a VP but those who DON'T want him as president (and for a variety of reasons -- but let's be truthful now) would've found fault anyway. Obama wasn't my first choise -- but it's going to take an intelligent, thoughtful, and rational diplomat to repair the mess GWB & Co. has made of the U.S.A. in the world's eyes over another 4 years of the same via John McCain. Cowboy Diplomacy is OVER!

[Mike]

Well, there is one thing Obama and Biden have in common: They like to hear themselves talk. In this case, Obama didn't listen closely enough to what Biden had said about hm. I guess Obama was too busy thinking about what he would say next. Without his script, Obama needs to listen and think more and speak less...

[debeer]

Cynthia McKinney? Yeah we need a crazed commie in the White Hiouse. Good Choice...NOT!

[Kevin]

Good choice. Unlike Bush - and make no mistake, McCain is another Bush - who surrounded himself with sycophants and tolerated no dissent, Obama picked someone who will kick him in the pants when necessary. This shows Obama's strength - he welcomes differing opinions and won't let his beliefs overrule common sense, like the idiot in the White House now - with whom McCain supported with the vast majority of his votes in the Senate.

Being surrounded by yes-men got us into the money pit called Iraq. Remember that when someone questions why Obama would pick a guy who slammed him during the primaries.

[Richard Thomas]

High Strangeness Obama and McCain political ads.

Watching the random political adds showing up on http://illusions.me it first appears to be an Obama or McCain ad but then a few strange twists leaves one wondering did the Obama campaign do an ad for McCain and the McCain campaign do an ad for Obama? Or is it some others? Which is fitting because the page is about illusions and creating appearances.

Are some creating the appearance of being from a certain source only to disparage in subtle ways?

[oaklynne]

The Repubs had ads ready to roll out for each of the Obama VP candidates - which only proves that anyone Obama picked would have been trashed by the Repugs. Yawn...

[Dukakis & Bentsen (bis)]

Obama should have studied previous democrat booboos,
instead of just listening to the hysterical H. Dean and G.
Soros.So accute is their affliction with verbal diarhea,that
even the most casual observer will suffer from Obama
fatigue long before election day. How much appetite does
the average American have to spend the next 4 years
listening dayly to the endless rantings of theese two
verbose senators?

[Jen Wood]

We all knew it would have taken a lot of forgiveness and audacity to pick Hillary who made some mistakes but Joe Biden? I fear the impressive Obama is going toward the same downfall that Hillary went towards, over the years, when she became more and more concerned with the views of socalled middle America and the conservative establishment. People, left or right, see thru it. The impressive Obama might win the presidency but lose his soul. I'll be praying for his salvation. As an old broad who has seen a lot, I'm sick of the old boys network ever parading in brand new clothes. I'll vote Obama but now with a lot less joy. (And hope.)

[Historian1956]

This only proves the depths of John McCain's soul and campaign. He has no class. A REAL man, a REAL opposing candidate would have had the grace to congratulate his colleague first, on receiving the nomination, BEFORE going negative. This reaction from McCain is further proof that his emotional development did not end the day he was shot down, but, was formed by being the son and grandson of more accomplished men. His envy of his father and grandfather has propelled him to do them one better. If he couldn't beat them by becoming an admiral, he thinks he can do it by becoming Commander-in-Chief of all the military. He always has been and always will be pitiful. We DON'T need another president with "daddy was a better man than me" issues.

John McCain is now just "A noun, a verb and POW"

[VOTE PEDRO]

Sarah Palin is the only good choice for Mccain.

If he picks Mitt democrats can run ads of Mitt talking junk about Mccain.

This election is starting to lose its appeal i cant wait till its over.