winterbadger (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
winterbadger) wrote2008-08-23 09:34 am
winterbadger) wrote2008-08-23 09:34 am
this is a disaster.
I am rapidly losing any belief, not only in the Obama team's *ability* to win the campaign, but in their *desire* to win.
US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has announced that Joe Biden will be his running mate in November's election. ... Mr Biden, a 65-year-old veteran lawmaker, is highly respected on foreign policy issues.
Joe Biden is not "respected" by anyone. He's a joke, a Washington punchline.
He's also an old white guy from the northeast. He's establishment with a capital "eh".
A VP choice doesn't mean much in and of itself, but it's an opportunity for the candidate to reach out and appeal to people who feel he's missing something in his campaign and his personality. And to reinforce the basic themes of the existing campaign. Biden doesn't do that.
Yes, he has a reputation as a blowhard on foreign policy issues, but that's not because anyone thinks he *knows* much about them is is particularly intelligent. It's because he talks a lot.
He has no appeal outside his region (hell, probably no name recognition, other than negative). He doesn't appeal to working class voters. He doesn't appeal to the moderates, the great undecided 10-15% lying between the parties. He doesn't bring Obama strength in a contest region. He doesn't bring Obama more credibility with Latino or women voters.
He's a liar. And a cheat. He's a party man, an old-time hack. He brings a taint to the ticket, not a luster.
About the only positive thing one can say is that there's no chance he will outshine Obama. Is that really necessary? Is Obama that insecure?
I don't think this is the thing that will tip the scales, but there have been a steady accumulation of small failures and missteps, and this is the first really large misstep.
The campaign is now McCain's to lose, I think.
EDIT: I'm astonished at how calmly some of you guys are taking this. I hope you're right, but I think this is a blunder that signals that the Obama campaign has passed its high water mark and is heading rapidly down.
US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has announced that Joe Biden will be his running mate in November's election. ... Mr Biden, a 65-year-old veteran lawmaker, is highly respected on foreign policy issues.
Joe Biden is not "respected" by anyone. He's a joke, a Washington punchline.
He's also an old white guy from the northeast. He's establishment with a capital "eh".
A VP choice doesn't mean much in and of itself, but it's an opportunity for the candidate to reach out and appeal to people who feel he's missing something in his campaign and his personality. And to reinforce the basic themes of the existing campaign. Biden doesn't do that.
Yes, he has a reputation as a blowhard on foreign policy issues, but that's not because anyone thinks he *knows* much about them is is particularly intelligent. It's because he talks a lot.
He has no appeal outside his region (hell, probably no name recognition, other than negative). He doesn't appeal to working class voters. He doesn't appeal to the moderates, the great undecided 10-15% lying between the parties. He doesn't bring Obama strength in a contest region. He doesn't bring Obama more credibility with Latino or women voters.
He's a liar. And a cheat. He's a party man, an old-time hack. He brings a taint to the ticket, not a luster.
About the only positive thing one can say is that there's no chance he will outshine Obama. Is that really necessary? Is Obama that insecure?
I don't think this is the thing that will tip the scales, but there have been a steady accumulation of small failures and missteps, and this is the first really large misstep.
The campaign is now McCain's to lose, I think.
EDIT: I'm astonished at how calmly some of you guys are taking this. I hope you're right, but I think this is a blunder that signals that the Obama campaign has passed its high water mark and is heading rapidly down.