MSNBC is reporting that according to insiders, Joe Biden is the "clear frontrunner for Veep," yet questions about former Biden statements regarding Barack Obama crop up.
In a piece titled "
Biden the clear frontrunner for Veep," MSNBC speaks to insiders that point to the possibility that Joe Biden will be Barack Obama's choice of a vice presidential running mate.
Howard Fineman writes that he has spoken to two of the finalists and two other sources about who will be picked by Obama as his running mate and that the bottom line is, "Barring a big surprise or last-minute change of heart, the choice is likely to be Sen. Joe Biden of Deleware, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee."
Fineman lists the reasons for that popular line of thought but Biden's own words during the primaries before he dropped out of the presidential race could come back to haunt Obama as well as Biden if he is the choice.
On ABC News' "
Political Radar" Blog, 8/2/07, Joe Biden lashed out at Obama saying, "Having talking points on foreign policy doesn't get you there."
As reported by
SunTimes, George Stephanopoulos asked Biden and said, "You were asked is he ready. You said 'I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training."
Biden's response was clear when he stated, "I think that I stand by the statement."
(That exchange with Biden is shown at the 34 second mark in the video above)
These statements, should Obama choose Biden, would be used just as Hillary Clinton's statements have been used, via video in questioning Obama's experience.
Having the
words of Democratic lawmakers used against the Democratic presumptive nominee is something that is already being done by the McCain campaign and it has seen some success in the opinion of some political pundits, but having those words shown over and over again from someone chosen to the vice presidential candidate is not a visual or and idea that would be considered pleasant to many presidential candidates.
According to Fineman, the upside of choosing Biden in some people's minds is that Biden "won't be afraid to get in McCain's face, which is what Obama needs," as others assert that the identical line of thinking is why Biden would be difficult to control as the vice president.
Either way, the Obama's campaign is expected to announce his choice "at the earliest on Wednesday morning" according to the
International Herald Tribune.
[Update] Biden says he is not the guy according to
MSNBC!!
