Monday, August 18, 2008

EVERY RULE HAS AN EXCEPTION

You may have noticed my advice this weekend for Barack – that he refrain from nominating a VP who supported the Iraq War back in 2002, lest he inoculate McCain on the issue of his war-mongering. Well … I should have added one exception to that statement.

Senator Joe Biden was one of more than 20 Democratic Senators who supported the War. He also has a big mouth that at times loses control (note his own infamous comment about Barack being “clean” and “articulate”). Plus, he comes from a state – Delaware – that is hardly purple. Nonetheless, I think he would be an inspired choice.

Biden knows foreign policy better than any other leading American statesman, with the possible exception of Dick Lugar (not exactly a possible running mate). He speaks with the kind of authority that E.F. Hutton would be proud of: when Joe Biden speaks, people listen!

Most importantly, he speaks with passion. As I indicated earlier today, that is what has been lacking from Barack’s campaign as of late.

We don’t need candidates who are cooler than the other side of the pillow. We need candidates who have the guts to expose their hearts. In this case, we need a Democratic ticket that can viscerally convince swing voters that we absolutely can’t live with another four years of cowboy foreign policy, massive deficit spending, crappy health care, environmental neglect, and welfare for the ultra-rich. Biden can play a big part in getting that message across. He might even persuade Barack to throw caution to the wind and fight.

2 comments:

YoungMan said...

Let me be clear: I will let no one question my love of this country. I love America, so do you, and so does John McCain. When I look out at this audience, I see people of different political views. You are Democrats and Republicans and Independents. But you all served together, and fought together, and bled together under the same proud flag. You did not serve a Red America or a Blue America - you served the United States of America.

So let's have a serious debate, and let's debate our disagreements on the merits of policy - not personal attacks. And no matter how heated it gets or what kind of campaign he chooses to run, I will honor Senator McCain's service, just like I honor the service of every veteran in this room, and every American who has worn the uniform of the United States.

One of those Americans was my grandfather, Stanley Dunham.
***********************************

Oh How Soaring....How Nuanced....

But Punahou Barry Dunham

(Does anybody really think you'd have the nomination if you used the name of the family who raised you?)

Unlike Your Grandfather, you didn't serve. Sneering at McCain's service every chance youy get by "honoring" it, only highlights the contrast between you on the one hand...and McCain and your grandfather who did.

Please keep it up :)

YoungMan

Daniel Spiro said...

Youngman,

I can't for the life of me understand your bone to pick with Barack's comment. You're judgment may be clouded at this point by animosity towards him, or perhaps you're finding some legitimate fault that I'm not seeing because of my own clouded (pro-Obama) judgment. In any event, I found his comment neither particularly soaring nor particularly nuanced, but simply an appropriate rhetorical way for one candidate to respond to the attacks of another.