If Obama wins the nomination, Biden is probably the best VP

[Herman Munster]

Like Bush, he would need an elder statesman with foreign policy experience to give him "gravitas." Unlike Cheney though, Biden isn't fucking insane.

[mikelgb]

1. how about Byrd?

[MadBadger]

17. Byrd wont survive two terms.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I agree--Biden or Dodd. Needs an elder statesman.

[bellasgrams]

14. Needs elder states man ? you mean like Bush needs Chaney?

The number 1 man should have to be qualified. We don't need another 8 years of a co-president.

[TwilightGardener]

15. It's for perception and balance, not because I don't believe he's qualified enough.

A lot of people may like him but fear his relative newness on the national scene, especially since we are at war. Pairing him up with an old white guy will lend some subconscious comfort to fence-sitters. I think it would be disastrous (especially if McCain's the nominee) to go with a young Senator or Governor that has even less foreign policy/military creds than he does--again, because of perception. And no woman in the slot either--would start to look like a deliberate social experiment. That groundbreaking will have to happen another time.

[fadedrose]

3. I'd like Edwards for VP, Biden for Sec/State

[Kucinich4America]

19. Actually, I'd put Edwards at Attorney General.

That would put him in a perfect position to get some legal remedies going against the corporatists. I'm sure he's read up on his Antitrust laws. :)

[Muttocracy]

26. agreed! n/t

[7 of 11]

4. What about Al?

Al Gore would make an Awesome Sec of State.

[AshevilleGuy]

6. Gore has said he would only take President. n/t

[Kucinich4America]

22. He said he would only RUN for President.

But if the next President appointed him to Secretary of the Interior or the EPA, where he could act on his environmental agenda, I believe he would definitely consider it.

[AshevilleGuy]

5. Joseph Biden was first elected in 1972.

He has been a prominent Senator for 35 years, a committee chair for many of those years and is extremely experienced and accomplished.

He should take second billing to someone who has been in the Senate since January 2005? Please...

[Hippo_Tron]

37. We don't award the presidency on the basis of seniority

In fact we don't award it at all. If Obama gets the nomination and the presidency he would have won them fair and square. I'm sick of this bullshit that Obama hasn't "earned" the presidency when it isn't something you earn.

[suston96]

7. Biden VP? No. What a waste. Sec. of State.

[Quixote1818]

8. I think it will be Edwards because the focus will be on "change"

and hope. Obama and Edwards complement one another and have the same goals. As they say, a VP won't help you he/she can only hurt you. Edwards is a safe bet.

[oldtime dfl_er]

13. Will Edwards go for the VP a second time?

That's not usually "done" , is it?

[Quixote1818]

18. There is a first time for everything

I don't know if Obama would pick Edwards or not but Edwards would be stupid not to take an offer for VP. He is young and it would greatly increase his chances of becoming President in 8 years of the Obama presidency is a success.

[usregimechange]

9. Good point!

[rpannier]

10. WRONG!!! Didn't you see william safire???

He said it will be Diane Feinstein...

Even though he totally ignored the fact that California has a republikkan governor and arnold would choose a republikkan to sit in her seat.

See...It is true about media pundits...You don't have to know a f**king thing about what you're talking about to get a job doing that. In fact...it helps.

[Kucinich4America]

21. You have got to be joking.

Feinstein as VP would be almost as bad as Hillary as President. She would be Cheney in a dress. Start as many wars as possible, just to profit from them.

[rpannier]

34. No joke

william safire was giving his...uh...expert opinion on who the Democratic candidates would likely select if they got the nomination.

Now, I don't know about you but...when I want information about the Democratic Party and the candidates, I don't turn to william safire.

But, apparantly the msm does.

[calteacherguy]

11. Biden would be an excellent choice, Herman. We agree on something! nt

[Egnever]

12. I have been hoping for that for a long time

I think we win in a landslide with that ticket and it does balance Obama out nicely.

Sadly I dont think Joe will do it.

[Stop Cornyn]

16. Is Biden clean and articulate enought to be Obama's VP?

[Muttocracy]

24. what's sad is...

Biden was trying to compliment Obama for being a great speaker, something Biden admires, and it came out wrong. Biden ovecame a childhood stutter. Obama gets criticized by some for stuttering a bit on some debate answers.

Biden could have said, no, he's completely inexperienced and how dare he run for president. Would that have been better?

[Thrill]

20. Doesn't bring a state with him

He'll be better in the administration

[Muttocracy]

23. would bring moderate ind/repubs though

I know the traditional bring-in-a-state theory, but I wonder if that even applies anymore the way it did decades ago?

Wyoming would have gone GOP w/out Cheney. Gore didn't win TN; Edwards didn't bring in all southern states, etc. Does Shrub count as CT or TX or ME? Would HRC count as IL, AR, NY, or DC?

Biden would, however, bring in a lot of moderate independent and republican voters though, esp. since they don't like the GOP candidates this year. Saw a video this morning of a guy in NH saying now that Biden was out he would switch to McCain. I've seen a surprising # of blog posts (for whatever they're worth) from republicans saying they would cross lines to vote for Biden. Maybe they don't even know his voting record but for whatever reason just don't see him as liberal the way they would some other Dems. Or they just want to vote for the smartest guy with the best sense of humor :)

I'm going to be VERY interested to find out what Biden wants to do. I can see Obama offering it, and Biden considering it, but it would be hard to weigh VP or SoS vs. his current senior senator status.

[AshevilleGuy]

28. He might bring Delaware

That would be three electoral votes.

[jlake]

25. He needs Biden, but is probably too arrogant to choose someone

more qualified for the job than himself.....darn, the constitution bars Bush from holding the veep slot..... gonna be a tough search.

[Cha]

30. yeah, yeah.

whatever

[jlake]

31. yeah yeah, true.

[1corona4u]

35. Yep.

Plus, Biden's an 'old pasty faced white guy' remember? :sarcasm: Can't tell you how many times I heard that here...

[Maven]

27. I think this "elder statesman for VP" idea is the wrong one

1) Putting someone with Biden's experience as VP would make the ticket look "bottom-heavy" and highlight Obama's lesser experience
2) Obama's entire "change" campaign, let's face it, has succeeded largely because of image. New name, fresh face, younger appeal. Why would you want to dull that by putting someone who looks more establishment on the ticket?

Frankly, the best option for VP if Obama is nominated would be John Edwards or someone with similar appeal.

[Cha]

29. I agree..Obama is his

own gravitas imo. If Obama is the nom it will be interesting to see who he chooses.

[Kahuna]

32. I hope he's on the short list. He's an expert on how Washington works..nt

[Yukari Yakumo]

33. Hell no.

Two Senators on the Ticket is very bad mojo.

That, and I don't think Biden wants the job.

And Deleware? Connecticut? These areas aren't remotely in play. If Obama wins the nom, he should go west. That's an area definitely in play.

[Hippo_Tron]

36. Obama doesn't need an elder statesman

He can stand on his own feet just fine.