It isn't official but with CNN, Fox News and the AP all confirming it, Joe Biden, Senator from Delaware is Barack Hussein Obama's choice for Vice President.
What do we know about Joe Biden?
Born November 20, 1942 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the son of Joseph R. Biden, Sr. and Catherine Eugenia "Jean" Finnegan. Biden graduated from Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware and, in 1965, from the University of Delaware in Newark, where he double majored in history and political science. He then attended Syracuse University College of Law, graduated in 1968, and was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1969.
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In 1966, while in law school, Biden married Neilia Hunter. They had three children, Joseph R. "Beau" Biden III, Robert Hunter, and Naomi. His wife and infant daughter died in a car accident shortly after he was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1972.
In 1977, Biden married Jill Tracy Jacobs. They have one daughter, Ashley, and are members of the Roman Catholic Church. In February 1988, Biden was hospitalized for two brain aneurysms which kept him from the Senate for seven months.
Biden is a long-time member of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which he chaired from 1987 until 1995 and served as ranking minority member from 1981 until 1987 and again from 1995 until 1997. In this capacity, he dealt with issues related to drug policy, crime prevention, and civil liberties. While chairman, Biden presided over two of the most contentious U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings: Robert Bork in 1987 and Clarence Thomas in 1991.
As chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, Biden wrote the laws that created the nation's "Drug Czar," who oversees and coordinates national drug control policy. In April 2003 he introduced the controversial Reducing Americans' Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act, also known as the RAVE Act. He continues to work to stop the spread of "date rape drugs" such as Rohypnol, and drugs such as Ecstasy and Ketamine. In 2004 he worked to pass a bill outlawing steroids like androstenedione, the drug used by many baseball players.
Biden is also a long-time member and current chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. In 1997, he became the ranking minority member and chaired the committee from June 2001 through 2003. When Democrats re-took control of the Senate following the 2006 elections, Biden again assumed the top spot on the committee in 2007. His efforts to combat hostilities in the Balkans in the 1990s brought national attention and influenced presidential policy: traveling repeatedly to the region, he made one meeting famous by calling Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic a "war criminal." He consistently argued for lifting the arms embargo, training Bosnian Muslims, investigating war crimes and administering NATO air strikes. Biden's subsequent "lift and strike" resolution was instrumental in convincing President Bill Clinton to use military force in the face of systematic human rights violations.
OK, he is more experienced than Barack Hussein Obama. But then again anybody Obama chose would have more experience.
But now here is the $64,000 question: What does he bring to the ticket?
Delaware is a solid blue state, so he brings no swing states into play.
Yes Biden has more experience in foreign affairs, but when the snap decision has to be made, it is the President, not the Vice President who makes them. So while it helps that Biden is a better man in foreign policy, it doesn't mean that he will shape foreign policy.
Joe Biden is a Catholic, but he is also Pro-Choice. He can't help bring in the Evangelical voters. Obama has been trying to reach out to them, but they don't like what they see.
Joe Biden on Obama: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”
And Obama cried racism on it. And yet he chooses him for his VP.
What will the PUMAs think?
They will be pissed for one. Obama has done everything in these last weeks to disrespect Hillary Clinton. He didn't even consider her for the VP slot. Only 25% of Clinton supports will vote for Obama. The rest will either not vote at all or switch to McCain.
If Obama thinks this week is going to be an easy one for him, he is very wrong. The PUMAs are going to be both in the Convention Hall and out of it. They will make their voices heard one way or another. The only place they will not be is at Invesco Field. They cannot get tickets.
Senator Joe Biden brings only his years of experience to the ticket. He brings no swing states, no independent voters and no PUMAs. Was he a good choice? No. But he is a safe choice.
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