Chuck Todd just made a good point about how Biden was the favorite of many in the Hillary camp

[ruggerson]

Biden had been auditioning for the role of attack dog for the past few months, but he had never endorsed Obama until Hillary dropped out, out of respect and friendship for Senator Clinton.

In other words, this pick could be actually be even more unifying than it appears at first glance.

[hisownpetard]

1. Life is good!

[cyndensco]

20. ..

:D

[skooooo]

2. Time to get foaming at the mouth Joe!

I want to see some attacks!

[Colobo]

3. It'll be a great victory for us Dems.

[ErinBerin84]

4. yes, he was saying that last night too.

Heh, he was also saying that, even though Evan Bayh was thought of to be the "Hillary supporter", many of Hillary's surrogates and campaign veterans were actually rooting for Biden more. And Todd said that Howard Wolfson put out a nice statement on New Republic.

[speedoo]

5. He would have been at the top of Hillary's VP list.

He should have been at the top of VP lists in 2000 and 2004 as well. Biden is a great VP candidate and he will be a great VP for the next eight years.

[gateley]

6. A DUer posted that his/her mom was now going to vote for Obama because

Biden's on the ticket.

I'm sure that won't be true across the board, but I think his sincere respect for Hillary will be acknowledged.

[Egnever]

7. I think there are very few politicaly informed people

that dont recognize Joe as a good pick for anyone.

[DURHAM D]

8. Depends -

any Hillary supporter who watched/remembers Biden turning Anita Hill into a punching bag won't be pleased.

[scarletwoman]

21. Is this what you're going to do all the way up to election day?

Show up in every Biden thread harping about Anita Hill? What the hell do you hope to accomplish?

For gawdsakes, NO politician is an unblemished angel. They ALL have their asshole moments and asshole decisions and asshole votes.

What good does it do to keep bitching about this? It's a done deal now, Biden is the VP pick and the Democratic ticket is what it is.

At least Biden voted AGAINST the nomination of Thomas.

sw

[DURHAM D]

24. And Clarence has a lifetime seat on the bench. eom

[scarletwoman]

25. And as I pointed out, Biden voted AGAINST Clarence Thomas' nomination. (nt)

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. Of those who were considered Biden is the only pick that

Of those who were actually considered Biden is the only pick that doesn't beg the "Why not Hillary?" question.

The pick of a beloved old warrior who did not get involved in Hillary vs. Obama fighting is not a red flag to Hillary partisans, and is a much needed embrace of the history and traditions of the Democratic Party.

(The Hillary primary supporters were older and more likely to be life-long Democrats, rather than converts and unaffiliated. Biden is their kind of guy.)

[ruggerson]

12. Yep

When Biden dropped out, Hillary was my second choice and it was relatively easy to move into her camp; I think they both have similar attributes and are both huge policy wonks with a real appetite to creatively tackle seemingly impossible problems.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

18. I hope Bill R. has learned a valuable lesson

Richardson's efforts to ingratiate himself to Obama nation disqualified him for the VP. Hillary fans wouldn't have stood for Richardson.

Biden's classy, traditional approach of being neutral and waiting until the smoke cleared to endorse ended up making him a likelier VP, not less likely.

[Lucinda]

16. Yes but the plus gets minused a bit though by the 3 am texts.

Would have brilliant had the pick been Hillary - since it wasnt, it will piss many people off who may have been happy to see Biden selected.

[highplainsdem]

10. Biden may help a little in unifying the party. It's too soon to tell how much he'll help.

In the meantime, a Republican mentioned in an op-ed in the NY Times that Clinton supporters "are already fuming that Mr. Obama did not call either her or her husband to inform them of the selection."

http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/a-smart-choice-not-without-problems/


When I first heard about this last night, I hoped it wasn't true, and maybe it isn't true, though I haven't run across anything contradicting it. If true, it wasn't at all gracious of Obama.


And the Wall Street Journal is reporting that some Clinton supporters view even the 3 AM timing of the text message as meant as "a subtle jab at Clinton":

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/23/obama-text-message-coincidence/

That strikes me as more far-fetched.

But not calling Hillary Clinton personally was a mistake for Obama and does look like a deliberate slight. I remember the screaming here at DU about how rude she was when she didn't immediately take a call of his after one primary, but it sounded to me as though they were playing telephone tag then.

Obama having an underling make that call to his strongest primary rival, and the Democratic politician whose support and supporters he needs the most, will make a lot of those supporters even less likely to vote for him.

It also makes Clinton's willingness to support him seem even more gracious by comparison.

So I hope, for Obama's sake, that the story isn't true. But you'd have to have Hillary stating it isn't true, at this point, for her supporters to believe any denial.

[VolcanoJen]

11. Are we going to go all the way to November, walking on eggshells...

... so as not to perceivably "offend" Hillary supporters? I mean, I know that Flowbee is pushing this line over at his site, but c'mon now.

Really???? This is a happy day; can't people for one moment rejoice instead of complain?

[highplainsdem]

14. It isn't that happy a day for people who thought Clinton should be VP, especially if they believe

having Clinton on the ticket would have given us our best chance of beating McCain. And according to the polls, that's the majority of the Democratic Party, and the majority of our delegates.

I'm relieved Obama's choice wasn't even worse. I do like Biden. And Bayh, Kaine, or Sebelius would have been very poor choices.

But it's hard to feel like celebrating when I think Obama just hurt our chances of beating McCain.

I don't expect most GDPers to understand this. This forum is filled with Clinton-haters who did everything they could to drive Clinton supporters out. Very out of touch with the Democratic Party overall.

[VolcanoJen]

17. Is there a point at which...

... Clinton supporters move on, though? I mean, this part of the mystery has been solved. And next week, her name will be put into nomination and a roll call will be held. After that, do Clinton supporters get behind the ticket, or do you carry remorse through to November?

I'm certainly no Clinton hater. In fact, until this year, I've never supported the person who eventually won the Democratic nomination, and I know what that crushing disappointment feels like. But I always moved on and got with the ticket. I know exactly how you feel, and I think many here on DU do, too.

It really is a happy day. The decision is made and second-guessing it isn't productive. I mean, of course, you are free to feel as you choose, but it is my fervent wish that everyone who supported a candidate who lost the Democratic nomination could now take a deep breath, and move forward.

[ErinBerin84]

15. "a Republican mentioned"

"Wall Street Journal"..



let's hope that people won't be so easily manipulated. Now that we know the ticket, we must look forward and try to set an example ourselves.


Why WOULDN'T Clinton support him? She wants a democratic victory so that she can get the most accomplished in the Senate. I understand that you don't feel like celebrating today since you think that our chances just dramatically deceased, but I hope that we can just try and work to the best of our ability to make it work in the next coming weeks.

[SoxFan]

19. It's always all about them, isn't it?

[polichick]

13. It was interesting what Chris suggested about the campaign leading the media to the conclusion...

...purposely, in order to let the Clinton people decide that Biden was the next best choice.

[Barack_America]

22. And though I begrudged him for not doing so, I guess it does make sense that Biden didn't endorse...

Until Hillary bowed out.

The neutrality probably was strategically done to keep him in favor with Hillary's supporters.

[ruggerson]

23. In retrospect

a very, very wise move