It's Biden!

As a supporter of Hillary Clinton, how should I feel about the choice of Joe Biden as the vice-presidential nominee? Surprisingly, I find myself far more disappointed than I expected to be. After all, it has been clear for some time that Obama was not moving in Hillary's direction. However, I believe many of Hillary's supporters are having a similar reaction. For those of us who believed, there was something special about this election and something special about Hillary. I believe we are already seeing that in the fact that there seems to be no Biden bounce for Obama, and several commentators are saying for the first time that McCain could actually win this election. Hillary supporters who say they will support McCain have moved from 16% to 27%. I believe this represents a stark contrast to the incredible excitement the ticket would now have if Hillary had been chosen. Yes, there are plenty of Hillary detractors out there, but how many of them would have been voting for Obama anyway?

Accepting the fact that it simply was not meant to be, Joe Biden clearly represents my second choice as the best person for the Veep position. He exemplifies many of the qualities that Senator Obama most needs in a running mate. I believe that, even among Hillary supporters, Joe Biden will wear well over time. He has a personal story of triumph and tragedy that Americans will respond to. He clearly says what is on his mind in a way that I think will resonate with the American people. He is a regular guy who should be able to connect with voters in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, etc. His foreign policy experience is exceptional, and his relationship with John McCain makes him an ideal person to challenge McCain's rhetoric and negative ads. He may be an attack dog, but I believe what he says will be seen as making sense. Who knows, he may even make a few calculated 'gaffes' so as to be seen as a real person by the voters.

Congratulations to the 'scrappy kid from Scranton'.