Could it be...Joe Biden?

[babylonsister]

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/07/could_it_bejoe_biden.html

Could it be...Joe Biden?
Posted July 13, 2008 9:00 AM
The Swamp


Joe BidenBiden waits for an introduction before giving a speech at the Center for American Progress on May 20 in Washington. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

by Naftali Bendavid

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So if Obama is like John Kennedy, a charismatic young senator with little experience, Biden could play the Lyndon Johnson role, a well-known and seasoned operator who's been around the block.

Moreover, Biden is one of the few losing candidates who emerged from recent primaries with his reputation enhanced, despite his inability to garner more than a sliver of the vote. He was seen as an energetic and skillfull campaigner. After his initial gaffe, he seemed impressive in stump speeches and town hall meetings. His best moment, perhaps, was when he was asked in a debate whether as president, he would have the discipline to control his loquaciousness. Biden responded, "Yes"--then stood silently while the audience laughed. In general, he's quick on his feet; at one point he mocked Rudy Giuliani by saying, "There's only three things he mentions in a sentence--a noun, a verb and 9-11."

Biden also has a compelling life story, if one that is not quite as dramatic as John McCain's. An Irish Catholic born into a family of modest means, Biden has shown an ability to connect with the blue collar voters Obama has struggled to attract. He was elected to the Senate in 1972 at age 29, one of its youngest members ever. A short time later, his wife and infant daughter died in an auto accident, which also injured his two sons. He began commuting by train every day between Delaware and Washington, something he still does. Initially known as an eloquent rising star, Biden ran for president in 1988, but had to withdraw following a plagiarism incident. In 1988, he was hospitalized with two brain aneurysms, but returned to the Senate in full health.

When some people look at Obama, he may appear too youthful to occupy the Oval Office. Biden has his share of scars from personal and political difficulties, and for some, that could be reassuring.