Analysis: Biden pick shows lack of confidence

[Fountain79]

The candidate of change went with the status quo.

In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness — inexperience in office and on foreign policy — rather than underscore his strength as a new-generation candidate defying political conventions.

He picked a 35-year veteran of the Senate — the ultimate insider — rather than a candidate from outside Washington, such as Govs. Tim Kaine of Virginia or Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas; or from outside his party, such as Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska; or from outside the mostly white male club of vice presidential candidates. Hillary Rodham Clinton didn't even make his short list.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/veepstakes_analysis;_ylt=Al6BjeFbhPSsNchY7Oe1_Cxh24cA

[Muttocracy]

1. wrong - shows total confidence - not threatened. nt

[polichick]

2. LOL - they WISH!!!

[Malikshah]

3. Says McCain's shill Fournier...

Byline says it all.

See other threads referring to whom one should write to get Fournier out.

[MarjorieG]

4. AP owned by Gannett/USA Today people. They know exactly who Ron Fournier is.

[Naturyl]

5. Orwell strikes again.

Picking the strongest guy in the room to work under you shows enormous confidence. If Obama were insecure, he would have picked someone less intelligent, experienced, and forceful than Biden. Obama knows very well that if it comes down to it, Biden won't be afraid to set him straight. Insecure people don't risk that.

This "analysis" is remarkably simple-minded and wrong.

[featherman]

6. I hope you all realize this is Ron Fournier, a McCain campaign operative who

was recently put in charge of the AP's Washington bureau. I'm not sure if he is on the McCain payroll under the table but a good investigative journalist migth start checking Fournier's offshore bank accounts.

[Waiting For Everyman]

7. That is so stupid!

Obama's outside the system, so he's disqualified for "inexperience".

Yet they down Biden for HAVING experience?

So that leaves nobody then, right? Leave the Presidency vacant, to passify the naysayers. Bullshit and BLUSTER.

Biden didn't get rich from his Senate seat... that spells CHANGE to me.

[noamnety]

8. lwfern's analysis:

If Obama had any confidence he wouldn't have picked a VP at all! He'd be capable of doing the whole job himself.

:evilgrin:

[babylonsister]

9. Bullshit rethug meme circulating today, because they've got nothin' else.

The latest piece from Ron Fournier, the AP's Washington bureau chief and the man responsible for directing the wire service's coverage of the presidential campaign, on Joe Biden joining the Democratic ticket, is drawing a fair amount of attention this morning. More importantly, McCain campaign staffers are pushing it fairly aggressively to other reporters, in large part because it mirrors the Republican line with minimal variation.

By choosing Biden, Fournier argues, Barack Obama is showing a "lack of confidence," and is siding with "the status quo."

There are two ways to consider Fournier's piece: substantively and in the broader context.

First, on the substance, Fournier's analysis seems a little lazy. By his logic, any potential running mate shows a "lack of confidence" -- picking Hillary would mean Obama lacked confidence in his ability to win over women voters; picking Bayh would mean Obama lacked confidence in his ability to win over independents and conservative Dems; picking Webb would mean Obama lacked confidence in his ability to win over voters concerned about national security; picking Kaine would mean Obama lacked confidence in his ability to win over voters in the South; etc. For that matter, "the status quo" in Washington has been conservative Republican rule. Biden may be an old pro and a DC insider, but he's anything but "the status quo."

Second, in context, Fournier's objectivity covering the presidential race continues to look shaky. We are, after all, talking about a journalist who, as recently as last year, considered working for the McCain campaign.

more...

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2008_08/014385.php#more

[YvonneCa]

10. This will be disproven when...

...the polls change in Obama's favor. :)

[ColbertWatcher]

11. WRONG. GOP talking point alert!

As I said in another thread:

Confidence has nothing to do with it.

This is not about confidence, this is about competence.

Obama is the organizer, manager and motivator that Dumbya only pretends to be. Obama is hiring the best and brightest to be in his administration. Not ass-kissing sycophants or blindly faithful ideologues loyal only to the plan hatched by out-of-touch think tanks, but people who, in his words will be able to ...

"...challenge my thinking..."

--http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/22/earlyshow/main4372737.shtml">CBS

I can't wait to hear what http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Team-of-Rivals/Doris-Kearns-Goodwin/e/9780743270755/?itm=1">Doris Kearns Goodwin has to say about Obama's choice.

I will copy and paste all this annoying code in every damn thread this crap is posted in.

[kevinmc]

12. Majikthise : Ron Fournier: If Obama were confident, he would have picked a ficus tree:

Because nothing says confidence like picking a VP who adds nothing to your ticket. A photosynthesizing running mate would have been a decisive break from the status quo, not to mention a source of fresh air. By picking a ficus tree, Obama would have signaled his readiness to win the entire election by himself.

http://majikthise.typepad.com/majikthise_/2008/08/ron-fournier-if.html

[arthritisR_US]

14. what you describe is hubris and nothing more and I don't think Obama suffers that. n/t

[arthritisR_US]

13. I call BS to that analysis, I think it shows tremendous confidence to

pick someone with Biden's acumens. Only someone who is so insecure picks someone with equal or lesser credentials than themselves. He has enough self awareness to accept and recognize his limitations and take actions to shore them up. The only reason the little turd picked the big dick back in 2000 was because he was/is maintaining his Oedipus complex. I get the distinct impression that Biden is the rights worse nightmare for a VP choice in the same way Obama is, JMO.

[DB1]

15. What a bunch of malarkey, oops, I mean BULLSHIT!

[PopularVote]

16. Surprised me

Who thought it would be Biden?

[DCKit]

17. Republicons: Our Grapes are Sour n/t

[spanone]

18. i expect them to spin it anyway they want....truth is always the victim

[stillcool]

19. GOP talking point!

Is it Ground Hog Day?

[wisteria]

20. Well, they are good talking points. People could see things this way. n/t