So What's Biden's Excuse?

Obviously Biden wouldn't be producing any Obama ads - but it's hard to believe he wouldn't be privy to what they were doing, particularly as his name was mentioned by the campaign as recently as yesterday in terms of taking on McCain. From the WaPo link below - McCain even served as an aide of sorts to Biden years ago and the two have traveled together extensively over the years. Wouldn't he have been in a position to at least offer some counsel that this might not be a good line of attack? You know, offer some sound advice, like a good VP might do for any President? Or is that something of which Biden is incapable?

Plouffe said Biden “will be integral to that effort, both in pushing back on the lies that we'll continue to see from our opponents, and in keeping the debate focused on delivering for everyday Americans.”

Vice presidential candidates often play the role of attacker. But many Democrats feel their party's last two nominees for that job, John Edwards and Joe Lieberman, were too passive.

The newest Obama TV ad gets personal and makes a none-too-subtle dig at McCain's age. It shows McCain at a hearing in the early 1980s, wearing giant glasses and an out-of-style suit. Other images include a disco ball, clunky phone, outdated computer and Rubik's Cube. “Things have changed in the last 26 years,” the announcer says, “but McCain hasn't.”

“He admits he still doesn't know how to use a computer, can't send an e-mail, still doesn't understand the economy, and favors $200 billion in new tax cuts for corporations, but almost nothing for the middle class,” the commercial says. McCain has said he relies on his wife and staff to work the computer for him and that he doesn't use e-mail.

WaPo: "They actually have a long and good relationship. They're friends," a senior Biden aide said Saturday morning.

McCain called his colleague early Saturday morning to congratulate him, aides said. In his first speech as Obama's running mate, Biden acknowledged that McCain is "genuinely a friend of mine" before proceeding to blast his friend for being a wholehearted backer of the Bush-McCain policies that Biden said threaten the future.

That friendship dates back decades, to the time that a young John McCain served as a staffer to senators like Biden. It was then, McCain has said, that he first wanted to become a member of Congress.

In a biography of McCain, author Robert Timberg wrote that "McCain was much in demand for overseas escort duty...He was fun to be around, his wit appealing, his natural exuberance infectious. In an Athens taverna he danced on a table with Senator Joseph Biden's wife, Jill, a red bandanna clenched in his teeth."

Later, as senators, the pair sometimes joined forces, especially on military and foreign policy matters. In 1999, a "McCain-Biden" bill would have authorized President Bill Clinton to use "all necessary force," including ground troops, in Yugoslavia.

Comments

[joeb]

Check out what the man who created the phrase Bush Doctrine has to say.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/12/AR2008091202457.html?hpid%3Dopinionsbox1&sub=AR

[Fred Beloit]

Obama says Biden will be helping him in "...keeping the debate focused on delivering for everyday Americans."

Jolly good, jolly good. So far Obie has delivered the pride of his spouse to be among everyday Americans, which has never happened before. Naturally we everyday Americans stand proud that she is finally proud to be among us. So proud. So everday.

[seekeronos]

"--- In 1999, a "McCain-Biden" bill would have authorized President Bill Clinton to use "all necessary force," including ground troops, in Yugoslavia. ---"

And this is part of the reason why I find it increasingly difficult to support either major party:

The need to "send in the ground troops" at every minor altercation between other world powers.

When will we learn to mind our own business and stop intervening in every blamed thing that happens outside of our borders...?

...Likely never, as long as the senators and other political concerns with the military-industrial complex continue to exist.

[Fred Beloit]

Why, seek, I'm beginning to think all those intellectually appealing and logical dissertations by chris/Boob have begun turning you into an isolationo-pacifist. It's a way of seeing I suppose. However, I'm not yet biting in spite of the brilliance and cogency of the chris/Boob arguments. Numquam fidelis.

[seekeronos]

Fred:

I'm no pacifist by any stretch. Nor am I an isolationist, for I believe that we should freely and fairly trade with any nation that wishes to trade with us.

But I am become, in recent years, more of a non-interventionist.

Fighting to defend our own coasts, our maritime/sea lanes, our continent and territorial possessions, and airspace is acceptable.

Fighting a four- or five-front war begins to stretch our abilities to an unsustainable, untenable point, and imposing our will at gunpoint upon other sovereign nations is hardly civilised, and in the past 60 years, never Constitutionally approved.

The portion of the Bush Doctrine that covers preventive/preemptive war, first use of nuclear weapons, and "regime change" are an abomination and against what our founding fathers desired when they framed the Constitution.

And I was compelled by many of the arguments put forth by Dr. Ron Paul, Dr. Chuck Baldwin, and some other Constitutionalist thinkers; certainly not by the domesticated house-apes chris, bob, or their other partners in slime.

This and perhaps a very deep-seated distrust of most of our elected professional politician class.