Quick Update on the Obama Veepstakes

Hello readers. Just taking a quick moment to comment on the ongoing watch for who Barack Obama selects as his vice-presidential nominee. I've commented previously on my thoughts as to who would make a great candidate, and who I thought Obama should pick. Nonetheless, the senator seems unlikely to select any of my prior top three candidates. The latest credible reports center around another person who I believe would be an excellent pick for "resume" reasons but who I did not seriously consider before because I thought it was unlikely that he would be selected. What I failed to focus upon were two other key qualities this man would bring to the ticket--superb debating & speaking skills, and the ability to pointedly criticize McCain's record in a "sunny" way.

This man is Senator Joe Biden of Delaware.

He is the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (on which Barack Obama serves), and has been in the Senate since the Carter Administration (1976). There are few, if any, political figures who are as learned and perceptive about foreign policy as is Biden. Combine that with his demonstrated history of being very sharp witted (if somewhat long-winded) in public settings, and you have a very good choice as VP. Biden could serve well an "attack dog" who can raise the more negative parts of McCain's terrible record on so many issues (because he's served with McCain for the latter's entire Senate career (McCain elected in 1986), thus leaving Obama dedicated to advancing the positive message of his camapaign, which he does so well.

One final subtle piece of evidence suggests that Biden is the likely selection--we've not heard a single word out of him or his office about ANYTHING for weeks, politics or policy. If he's in the final stages of vetting by the Obama team, it would make a great deal of sense for him to be off the political radar screen.

I could be wrong; I certainly have been before. But watch for developments over the next week or so, as the VP is likely to be named next week, prior to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, which begins on August 25. The more I think about it, the more I'm excited about the possibility.