An Amusing Take On Biden and the VP Nomination

John Farmer of the Star Ledger penned an interesting piece that wonders why everyone is so worked up over the selection of Joe Biden as Sen. Barack Obama's running mate.

He leads with the following:

How much does the vice presidential choice affect the outcome of any presidential election?

If recent history is any guide, Sen. Barack Obama's selection yesterday of Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate probably will have absolutely no effect -- positive or negative -- on Obama's prospects.

History has been particularly cruel to vice presidential choices in the modern era. Franklin Roosevelt, perhaps the most iconic presidential nominee of the 20th century, had three vice presidents. Care to name any of them?

Harry S. Truman.

That happened to be one of the most consequential selections in history.

Another consequential choice? John F. Kennedy choosing Lyndon B. Johnson as his running mate.

Ronald Reagan's running mate later became president himself, George HW Bush. Al Gore tried to become president after being Bill Clinton's running mate, but lost at the Electoral College.

I'd say that it's pretty consequential and you never know when that choice will be called upon to lead.

Farmer goes on to note:

Biden seems to relish a fight, and is counted on by the Obama camp to be the kind of assertive opponent in the vice presidential debates Dick Cheney was in 2000 against Sen. Joe Lieberman, his Democratic foe.

But Biden also is counted on to produce at the polls Election Day, as Cheney couldn't.

Really? Biden gets tepid reviews from most folks, and Democrats didn't think much of him the second time he ran for President, knocking him out of the race after Iowa - the very first contest in the 2008 primary season. Biden has a long history of verbal gaffes and his grasp of history and foreign policy is suspect. Sure, he's got a long record in the Senate, but that makes him tenured - not distinguished.

As for being able to bring in the votes, Cheney did quite well in the 2004 elections, and what exactly is Biden offering up? Delaware, which is already a strong Democrat state in any event. How exactly does that add to Obama's geographical reach? But we're supposed to believe because Biden sounds like he comes from a blue collar background that it will make the difference?

Sorry, but what Biden says is just as important as how he sounds. And in both cases, he's just as liberal/leftist as Obama.