For What It's Worth

by: Matt Stoller

Fri Aug 22, 2008 at 16:43


From a source.

A friend of a friend overheard a phone conversation between Biden and Obama staffers making plans for Biden, his wife and his son to be in Springfield on Saturday.

So now you can say that you read on a blog that a friend of a friend of a source of a blogger overheard a phone conversation between Biden and Obama staffers making plans for Springfield.

UPDATE:  Steve Clemons reports that Biden is the pick.

Matt Stoller :: For What It's Worth

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For What It's Worth | 140 comments
Clemons concurs (4.00 / 1)
http://www.thewashingtonnote.c...

"Joe Biden is going to be Obama's vice presidential running mate."

Is that all there is? (0.00 / 0)
All this suspense and games for Biden?  

No wonder they waited for Friday afternoon.

Biden is okay, but Obama played this like he was announcing God.  

[ Parent ]
Now I can say that I read a comment (4.00 / 7)
on a blog post that said that a friend of a friend of a source of a blogger overheard a phone conversation between Biden and Obama staffers making plans for Springfield.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3
[ Parent ]
You mean Buffalo Springfield? .. (4.00 / 1)
REO Springfield?   ;-)
[ Parent ]
For what it's worth... (4.00 / 4)

 ...I hope it's someone who's never been mentioned in the whole hypefest. That would be the sweetest middle finger Obama could flash at the mediots.

  cough Brian Schweitzer cough  

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
4 for the title (4.00 / 2)
and for young people speaking their minds
[ Parent ]
There's battle lines being drawn... (0.00 / 0)

 ...and nobody's right, and everybody's wrong...

 

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
...are getting so much resistance from behind (0.00 / 0)
It's time for those of us who were young then, and remember that song, to run interference for today's young.

War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength; McCain/Palin 2008
[ Parent ]
Or Albert Schweitzer! (0.00 / 0)
Ok, I admit, it's a small inconvenience that he's dead, but he's making good for it with a much higher name recognition than the one-term farmer-turned-governor of Nebraska, North Dakota, or whats-that-irrelevant-northern-state-almost-nobody-cares-about.
:P
[ Parent ]
clemens gives no back up (4.00 / 1)
So I think he's just pulling it out of nowhere. But the wave of buzz does seem to be going in his direction. I'm still hoping for dark horse or Clark!

Obama/Biden I'm still trying to get used to it, ugh, hehe.

[ Parent ]
Poor man's Clark (4.00 / 2)
Well, in some ways Biden is the poor man's Clark.  Biden is a senator who was wrong about the war whereas Clark is a four star general and former Supreme Allied Commander who was right about the war.  But other than that they seem to appeal to the same population not including those actually paying attention.
[ Parent ]
More Like A Bankrupt Billionaire's Clark (4.00 / 1)
now that you spell it out so well.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3
[ Parent ]
At least it isn't Clinton, Bayh, Warner or Klein... (0.00 / 0)
Of the lot on the list, Biden is the best.  
[ Parent ]
substantiation (4.00 / 1)
So apparently it's Biden.  Charter flight schedules show a flight from Delaware to Springfield in progress.  Hmmm.  Obama/Biden... gotta get used to it!  
[ Parent ]
STOP TORTURING ME!!! (0.00 / 0)
actually i like it.  

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare
Ambinder -- Mysterious Charter Flight from Chicago to Delaware (0.00 / 0)
Fun With FlightAware: What's This Flight?

http://marcambinder.theatlanti...

A flight from Midway to New Castle, DE... to pick someone up? Who knows?  No other flights from anywhere in and around Chicago to anywhere in and around Delaware... or vice versa. Just this charter.

Cool map too --

[ Parent ]
Delaware-Baltimore isn't THAT long of a drive, ya? (0.00 / 0)
Surely there are flights from BWI to Chicago today or tomorrow.

though maybe not.

[ Parent ]
Be more likely to drive to PHL (0.00 / 0)
than BWI.

But why wouldn't they charter a flight to pick him up?

[ Parent ]
doesnt make sense (4.00 / 2)
why would he wait this long to announce joe biden?  he'a a pragmatic choice fine - but dramtic not really
um (4.00 / 4)
because he wants to get another day of media coverage about McCain not knowing how many houses he has?
[ Parent ]
Yeah but (4.00 / 1)
The house issue didn't pop up until a few days ago, and if Obama's pick were not going to be dramatic, he could have announced a week ago.
[ Parent ]
Not really. (4.00 / 3)
He either had to announce before the olympics are at the tail end. Otherwise he would have wasted media exposure.
[ Parent ]
And really (4.00 / 1)
Why bother text messaging to supporters that Biden is the VP?  Texting implies that there's something "super-cool" that supporters are about to be let in on, and Biden does not have that dramatic flavor.
[ Parent ]
Everyone reading way too much into the text message... (4.00 / 1)
Yeah, it's cool... but it doesn't exclude him from picking one of the "final four" that's been bounced around by the media.  There's a reason why these have been bounced around the media... because they're the most likely picks.
[ Parent ]
yeah (4.00 / 5)
The text thing was just a way to gather cellphone numbers to run GOTV.  Very clever, though I liked it.
[ Parent ]
Might have something to do with (0.00 / 0)
building a data base of e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers.  I can't believe all the grumbling about nothing.  I may not agree with Obama on policy, but he sure deserves credit for his politics.  
[ Parent ]
It's about drama... (4.00 / 6)
Not the pick.

Biden, I suppose, makes some sense.  As Chris has pointed out before, he's sort of a "meh" pick for us (the netroots), but he's well-liked overall and at least sort of in the realm of "acceptable" for us (being in the middle of the Democratic party).  Most people seem to think he'll help in Florida, but that's probably overstated.

At the very least, Biden is responsible for the best one-liner during the campaign season ("A noun, a verb, and 9/11"), and has typically been an extremely strong advocate during interviews, hitting McCain quite hard.  I can get behind that.

[ Parent ]
i just received an e-mail from the obama campaign (4.00 / 3)
it says not to open until xmas, i'll let you know, who, in dec, have a great holiday!
a friend of a friend told me its (4.00 / 3)
Joe Biden Purple Monkey Dishwasher
Excellent simpsons reference (4.00 / 1)

[ Parent ]
OK, here's another: The VP is (0.00 / 0)
Gabbo!!!
[ Parent ]
We'll make you pay... (4.00 / 3)
especially for that purple monkey dishwasher comment.
[ Parent ]
Biden will never get Medvedev and Saakshvili to talk (0.00 / 0)
they're like two positively charged ions!

"I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that."
-Lawrence Summers
[ Parent ]
I heard it's gonna be Ralph Wiggum (4.00 / 2)

[ Parent ]
Well... Biden isn't my first pick... (4.00 / 1)
I thinK I'd rather Have (in this Order) Clark, Clinton and then Dodd over him, but I'm relieved it isn't Kaine or Bayh.  
Pretty much my list... (0.00 / 0)
But those all sort of seemed like outside chances at this point.  Of the "final four", Biden was probably the best (or maybe Sebelius, but I think Sebelius may have been a more difficult electoral-sell).
[ Parent ]
Biden (4.00 / 3)
is a very risk adverse,  don't f'up this choice.

He doesn't add much in my view.

But the inside the beltways types might say something like:
"A solid pick".

he's a solid foreign policy hand (4.00 / 1)
and he's great on the attack, a master of the soundbite.  

downside is he's a beltway lifer and has a huge ego.  

another huge upside is it would give Dodd the chairmanship of the foreign relations committee in the senate.  huge.  

[ Parent ]
His role (4.00 / 1)
in the bankrupcy bill should have made him more of a non-starter than Kaine to liberals.

[ Parent ]
One regret I have from the primary (4.00 / 2)
is that since nobody gave him a chance to win the nomination, I don't think he really got grilled on that by activists like Clinton and to some extent Edwards got grilled on their war votes.

Would have been nice to get him on record saying that was a bad idea or he thinks changes need to be made.  

[ Parent ]
Please (4.00 / 1)
Your Solid Foreign Policy Hand was one of the hands behind the biggest foreign policy cock-up in my lifetime.
[ Parent ]
I disagree... (0.00 / 0)
I think Biden adds plenty - including a high volume of charisma, a good deal of plain talk, and the foreign policy wonkiness to quell doubts about Obama as a president.

One of my biggest fears was/is a Bayh/Sebelius choice - and that was on the charisma factor.  We talk about the need for a reinforcing candidate - and we usually talk about reinforcing by the issues.  Of course that's how we SHOULD be talking, but we shouldn't overlook the fact that some of the Obama brand is about star quality.  The excitement his campaign generates, the generational coolness factor, and the genuinely decent (but sexy) guy factors are all part of the brand, and Bayh steps all over that, as does Sebelius.  (For the record - I had a dream that the message came announcing Sebelius for the win, so in case that was a psychic episode, I feel the need to mention it - but I'm hoping that that's just not the case at all!)

Biden, on the other hand, has all that going for him with the older generation and generates a good deal of cross-generational charisma.  From a purely aesthetic perspective - Biden is an excellent choice.

The only aesthetic I worry about with Biden is the leadership aesthetic - Biden will seem like a mentor next to Obama - and I would want to be sure that that doesn't overshadow Obama's leadership chops.  OTOH - having the Cheney mentorship got Bush elected.  Before anyone complains "and look where that got us" -  I think it's quite plain that Obama is light years ahead of where Bush was when elected...

QT

Visit the Obama Project


WindOnWater.net



[ Parent ]
I think Biden has a lot to offer. (0.00 / 0)
He's affable and likeable.  He has foreign policy cred because he's earned it through hard work.  He is cogent.  He can lucidly and credibly make the case that Obama, far from being "naive" about foreign affairs, has been consistently right, while the "heavyweights" like McCain, Bush, Rumsfeld, Powell, Rice, Cheney, and their fellow travelers Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Snow, Kristol, et al. have made laughingstock of their identification as experts by being spectacularly wrong about everything.

They have once again attacked a candidate's strength, as is their wont, but the arguments on the Obama as competent interpreter of foreign affairs side are so overwhelming that the presence on the stage of a clear, cogent, intelligent and seasoned voice to make those arguments will prove to be decisive.

Biden was clearly the best choice of the alleged short list.  Obama has brilliantly chosen to take Chris's dictum that the VP pick should be a reinforcing, not a balancing choice to heart, and has chosen someone who will indeed be able to reinforce his strength, which is foreign policy.

No one is perfect.  Biden hasn't been chosen to run for God.  
He will be an outstanding candidate.  

[ Parent ]
Likeable? (0.00 / 0)
Uh, maybe, as long as he doesn't hold a speech. But when he starts one of his tirades, he makes people run away from his endless blather. This has already been a problem for him as Senator (remember his deadly performances on C-Span?), and even more as a presidential campaign (couldn't inspire the voters to elevate him from the "also running" status of Kucinich and Gravel). But as the VP choice on the Obama ticket, he has to do lots of speeches in the next weeks, and he should better be able to win over new voters. After all, it has become a very close race. Hell, can you imagine Biden inspiring people to vote for the ticket? The very idea is wacky.  
[ Parent ]
First rule of the VP... (4.00 / 1)
Is do no harm... and that's exactly what Biden is... Probably doesn't do too much electorally (although if polls are correct, people WANTED Obama to pick someone with FP chops... whether you think that's Biden, at least the media circus does... and therefore most people will), but he's not much of a negative either.  If people bring up his weird, somewhat condescending (racist?) comment, Obama can just laugh it off and say something like "Are you really still talking about that?  Joe and I have been getting a good laugh over that now."
[ Parent ]
That is what this pick is about (0.00 / 0)
Do no harm.

It may also mean that the idea of expanding the battlefield looks less realistic than it did a couple of weeks ago.

[ Parent ]
Well, yes and no... (0.00 / 0)
I guess it depends on how you look at it... If Obama were performing better, perhaps he'd be more willing to pick someone a bit riskier, at the cost of losing some points in a few states.  Maybe if Biden can just hold Obama steady to a couple points below his maximum (his maximum being, say, what we saw immediately post big-bounces, what we may see immediately post-convention, etc), then he'll be able to "expand the map" in that way.
[ Parent ]
Joe Biden (4.00 / 3)
makes it ok for people to have inadvertent prejudices but good hearts.

And frankly - in this age of knee-jerk outrage over every little thing - this is a good thing, and probably, if it can be leveraged right - a great way to reach out to working class whites.

QT

Visit the Obama Project


WindOnWater.net



[ Parent ]
Drudge has an AWESOME picture of the potential ticket (0.00 / 0)
[ Parent ]
he should help with over-60 voters (4.00 / 2)
which is more than I can say for Kaine, Bayh or Sebelius.

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.
[ Parent ]
In the brief time I was in Iowa (4.00 / 1)
I actually came to believe that Biden was close to being a real player There.  I spoke to a fair number of people who really viewed as thoughtful and "Presidential".  It may have been a function of where I was most of the time - West Des Moines - but I talked to a number of people who would have supported him had they thought he had a chance.

In that sense you could argue that he wore well in Iowa.

Did you get the same sense in Iowa?

[ Parent ]
Can't speak for Iowa (0.00 / 0)
but I get the same feeling down here in NC.
[ Parent ]
no question about it (0.00 / 0)
Of all the candidates, Biden got the best word of mouth from people who went to his events. I don't think I ever talked to a single person who went to hear him and didn't walk away impressed. I wrote about this a couple of times:

http://www.bleedingheartland.c...

http://www.bleedingheartland.c...

I talked to many, many undecided people who really liked Biden.

If he had had the resources Obama had for field staff and tv ads, Biden would have been a major contender in Iowa.

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.

[ Parent ]
His was the classic case (4.00 / 2)
of someone who couldn't win because no one thought he could win.

And in retrospect it makes me feel better about the choice.

His role in the bankruptcy bill was absolutely horrid though.

[ Parent ]
if joe biden is it (4.00 / 2)
i think its gonna be an anti-climax-- its should have been someone surprising if he was gonna wait this long-- sure sure he wanted to milk john mccain's houses - but people are already losing interest and he's already gone back on some important legislation, he needed someone to re-ignite the message of "change"  and joe biden isn't that transformative... and neither has "moving to the center" on key issues-- barack obama is "politics as usual" what he accused others of being
Biden for change??? (0.00 / 0)
Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? Hardly a choice that will inspire people. This safe choice really just looks like "politics as usual" and may result in the campaign losing even more momentum. Not an encouraging sign.
[ Parent ]
The other question is ... (4.00 / 2)
will Biden be VP for both terms?  Or will Obama chose a different VP for his second term .. to given someone a leg up in 2016
[ Parent ]
..important! (0.00 / 0)
Yup, I thought about this, too. Biden would be 74 at the end of the second term, too old to run for presidency. So, lets hope Obama would change the VP ticket for his reelection, in order to give another Dem a good tail wind for 2012.

However, we both know this is somewhat idle talk. First Obama actually has to win the vote, and right now this is far from certain. And the lame "politics as usual" choice he made with Biden probably won't jumpstart the campaign. Well, lets wait for the polls...

[ Parent ]
Well, Obama could alway use cabniet (0.00 / 0)
officials for up and coming political talent. A vigorous attorney general in the mold of Bobby Kennedy for instance.
[ Parent ]
That would be Edwards (0.00 / 0)
But I dunno if the public is ready for seeing him again in a prominent role. Personally, I think the "scandal" is ridiculously overblown, and just a sign of the US obsession with hipocritical ethics, but it sure hurt Edwards.

However, I want to make the point that it would be a very good idea for Obama to present a new member for the shadow cabinet every two weeks or so, starting after the convention. This will give him headlines on a regular schedule, and show the public that he's really prepared for the job at the helm. Plus, those shadow secretaries could compensate for weaknesses of the campaign. For instance, I think that Clarke for DoD is a must. Best military expert the Dems have, lots of support from the Clinton camp (helping to overcome the rift), plus neither Obama nor Biden are strong on army issues.

After all the phony talk about bipartisanship, Obama still has to show he is also able to reach across the aisle in his own party. Chosing some Clinton supporters for important positions in his administration would be the best way to prove this.

[ Parent ]
I don't no if naming a member (0.00 / 0)
of his cabinet every week is being considered by the campaign mainly because of the risk averse nature of presidential campaigns.
[ Parent ]
Surely they would just go ahead and announce... (0.00 / 0)
...before making plans. Especially when leaving it so late. Consider me skeptical.
Maybe We're Waiting (4.00 / 1)
Because they're having technical difficulties getting the text messages sent.  I mean, my instinctive reaction with something like this would be, "Please God, don't let the text messaging fail."
Timing... (4.00 / 3)
If I had to wager a guess, it's going to come in the next hour...  Almost 6PM EDT... need to make it onto the evening news everywhere, right?

If not, then it'll be tomorrow morning... Actually, something interesting that could be done, if they're able to keep this secret through tomorrow, is literally have Obama send the text message to his list.  Like, he could get up on stage in Springfield, and say something like, "Well... everyone wants to know, right?  Let me just send this out real quick..." Obama then writes the text msg, sends it out... everyone's phones start beeping and buzzing on camera and around the country announcing his VP pick before his VP pick makes his way on stage.

It wouldn't be Biden or Bayh Then (0.00 / 0)
Since both are currently besieged in their homes by the press.  The press would be all over it before they got halfway to their cars.  Unless of course, all of the potential picks converge at once on Springfield, which would be clever.
[ Parent ]
that's kind of stupid... (0.00 / 0)
at some point he has to get whomever out there so some type of narrative is communicated.  This isn't who get's voted off survivor...but maybe that's the crowd he is trying to appeal to...he's kinda lost me with this thing already...
[ Parent ]
Let's Face It (0.00 / 0)
A sort of real life survivor is pretty much what the media has conspired to make this, like it or not.  I find the whole thing hillarious--the media coverage has been so intense that it's almost a parody of itself at this point.
[ Parent ]
Sure, why not (4.00 / 1)
Each week the blogosphere gets to vote on which short lister to veto...
[ Parent ]
I love this! (n/t) (0.00 / 0)


Laugh hard. Its a long ways to the bank.  
[ Parent ]
this is a clever idea (4.00 / 1)


Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare
[ Parent ]
Kill me now EOM (0.00 / 0)

Used to be indifferent to Biden (4.00 / 1)
but I happen to think now that Biden would be a great pick.

He's probably the best attack dog out there and no one can depict McCain and his policies in perfect soundbites like Biden.

Yeah, honestly, if it turns out to be Biden...which it looks like it is... (4.00 / 1)
then why the big waiting game...like he was introducing Jesus or something.  Is he trying to downplay the negative of introducing Biden over Clinton...then maybe he should have introduced Clinton...at some point he needs to take responsibility fort he pick he is making....all I am saying is that it's going to be received pretty anticlimactically if Joe is the pick.  Keep in mind, that I like Joe, just don't see the whole point of what they are doing...Unless they are trying to downplay the Clinton Supporter outrage...
Sigh... (4.00 / 1)
Look how much everyone is talking about this?  This is all about drawing this out as long as possible... getting everyone to talk about it as much as possible.  It doesn't matter who was going to be picked...

The only negative is, I guess, the longer the wait, the more you get people's hopes up that it's their favorite pick.  The reality is that it is who it is...

[ Parent ]
i agree (4.00 / 1)
but the is no benefit to get people talking about this unless its something that they're sure everybody will be A) happy with or B) grab previously unsure or independent voters

when people are let down after all this time that it isn't there favorite pick its gonna be an anticlimax / disappointment

[ Parent ]
cue PUMAtard head explosions! (4.00 / 2)


Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare
I just hope the apparent delay... (0.00 / 0)
...isn't due to some sort of behind the scenes PUMA shenanigans.  
[ Parent ]
thats PUMAnigans (4.00 / 2)
like the similarly named tv game show, except instead of tossing a pie in the face, you spit in your competitors eye, then do a shot of crap canadian whiskey, and belch an american flag. First one to barf up a chilly cheese dog, while passed out in their Chevette, wins!

U S A!
U S A!

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare

[ Parent ]
these people are real whiny idiots (0.00 / 0)
[ Parent ]
I had to turn it off... (0.00 / 0)
...before I was blinded by the teeth!
[ Parent ]
once the pick is announced.... (4.00 / 2)
.....can you stop using the word "PUMAtard"? you've worked it into almost every post you've written lately. not going for a personal attack here, just expressing a pet peeve.  
[ Parent ]
lol (0.00 / 1)
I'll happily trade cessation of PUMAtard for cessation of use of either "Village", "Versailles", or "Netroots". That or the Hillary die hards stop acting like children. Anyone of those would do. But I fear these people may never get over themselves.

but I'm a sport, I'll prolly get board with it by next wednesday.

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare

[ Parent ]
Last minute dark horse candidate (4.00 / 2)
Obama's VP pick will be....Susan Eisenhower.
Now THAT would be something! (0.00 / 0)
[ Parent ]
Re: For What It's Worth (4.00 / 3)
Well, there's something happening here, but what it is ain't exactly clear.
boring! (4.00 / 2)
Biden said "i'm not the guy"  
if he were the guy why would he say "i'm not the guy"?   maybe he didnt know??

Biden is the best of the boring (Bayh, Kaine, etc), yes, but still boring nonetheless.

... (0.00 / 0)
I would even rather Sebelius or a repub
[ Parent ]
Sweet! Another vote for Sebelius. (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
Sirota's article on ignoring real news... (4.00 / 4)
45 comments and counting here.
6 comments on Sirota's post.

John McCain won't insure children
Well, duuuuh! (0.00 / 0)
LOL

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare
[ Parent ]
Well, (4.00 / 2)
I've had it about up to here (-> - <-) with Sirota's POV anyway. ;-)

But to your point, some people find this hot stove league type stuff fun, so don't piss on the parade.

Smile. It's Friday. Have a beer and lighten up.  

Laugh hard. Its a long ways to the bank.  

[ Parent ]
Oh, I'm already lightened up and drinking beer (0.00 / 0)
Just making an observation.....

John McCain won't insure children
[ Parent ]
Cheers (clink) (0.00 / 0)
Best of weekends to you my friend.  

Laugh hard. Its a long ways to the bank.  
[ Parent ]
Buy my Book! Buy my Book! (4.00 / 1)

[ Parent ]
"As I say in my weekly syndicated column....." (4.00 / 1)

[ Parent ]
Sirota tends to be a "bit" of a self promoter (0.00 / 0)
So his posts just aren't interesting to read.
[ Parent ]
i agreed during the book tour (0.00 / 0)
he's making a lot of good points now.  it's a shame, because the self-promotion gets in the way of messages that are really important (like how we shouldn't focus exclusively on the presidential race to the detriment of all else).
[ Parent ]
I will note (0.00 / 0)
Sirota's article is about the subject of ignoring real news, but it isn't real news itself, is it? I mean, Sirota's article is fundamentally about the presidential elections, even if it is itself complaining about articles about the presidential elections. Sirota could have, technically, ventured a post on what the Iraq pullout means (if it means anything?). He didn't.
[ Parent ]
MetaWanking? (4.00 / 1)


Laugh hard. Its a long ways to the bank.  
[ Parent ]
Biden would be great (4.00 / 1)
Who else was able to basically destroy a candidate's entire rationale for running with a simple sentence:  "Noun, verb, 9/11".

He will never even have to say it, but every time you look at him, you'll start thinking it:

"Noun, verb, POW".

I hope the CNN VP stake outs turn into OJ like bronco chases (4.00 / 2)
except this time it will be media running down white dudes in black SUVs.

God I hope we get some video of Bill Clinton foaming at the mouth in the morning if its not Hillary.

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare

Funny as that is... (0.00 / 0)
that would be a terribly destructive image.

Here's a hint guys:

http://marcambinder.theatlanti...

A chartered flight from Chicago to Newcastle, DE.  Leaving 5:06 Chicago time, which is in 5 minutes.

QT

Visit the Obama Project


WindOnWater.net



[ Parent ]
Some real evidence? (4.00 / 1)
Get it away! :(
[ Parent ]
yah (0.00 / 0)
doesn't someone have like a photo of Biden's face 'magically appearing' in the creme of Obama's cappuccino this morning?

Michael Bloomberg, prince of corporate welfare
[ Parent ]
Obama drinks lattes. (0.00 / 0)
Duh.
[ Parent ]
GOP line of attack is... (0.00 / 0)
...Biden voted for troops while Obama did not. Underscores that Obama knows he is "inexperienced".

http://blogs.abcnews.com/polit...

Clemons now acknowledging that it's a "hunch" (4.00 / 1)
in light of the Obama-Bayh bumper stickers that some local news station found somewhere.

It's all still a lot of hot air, folks.

The sticker's ugly as hell (4.00 / 1)
Looks more like a 12 year old got on cafepress.com.


[ Parent ]
It's probably fake (0.00 / 0)
but it got Clemons to admit that he only has a "hunch" that Biden is the nominee.
[ Parent ]
The zero looks like an anus (0.00 / 0)
so hopefully that's a fake.
[ Parent ]
Obama for America Domain Registrations (4.00 / 1)
The most recent were registered on 8-15-2008 and 8-18-2008.

Link

If someone wants to pony up $94, they can see just what they are. One set (the 8-15 registration) begins with the letter "J".

Heh.

The one made Monday (the latest one) (0.00 / 0)
has 31 characters starting with the letter O.

[ Parent ]
Meh (0.00 / 0)
obamabayh - 9 characters
obamabiden - 10 characters
obamakaine - 10 characters
obamaclinton - 12 characters
obamasebelius - 13 characters

or add two characters to any of these for "obamawhoever08".

Wait, 31 characters? Who the heck registers a 31-character domain name?

"obamadoesntneedavphesjustthatawesome.com"

[ Parent ]
randomly typing in www.obama_______2008.com (0.00 / 0)
Only gave me a 404 when the blank was clinton.  obamakaine2008.com redirected me to a political commentary site, so that's probably not registered by Obama's campaign.  Other than that, I got holding pages from various webhosts.  Obama's campaign uses GoDaddy, right?
[ Parent ]
other interesting domain/ip stuff (0.00 / 0)
Domain Tools says barackobama.com resolves to 66.114.48.32, but...

Robtex says the a record points to three IP addresses: 66.39.4.254, 66.39.143.229, and 216.146.206.181.

DomainCrawler lists the same IP addys as Robtex.

I plugged in that first Robtex IP into Domain Tools, and it says there is only one site on that IP, midlandchristian.com.

Weird.

[ Parent ]
questioning accuracy (0.00 / 0)
Example:

The 216.XXX addy is supposed to be www3.barackobama.com, domain tools says it is obamabulletin.com, registered by Obama for America on 9-14-2007. None of the "O" domains listed by Domain Tools as registered by Obama for America were registered on 9-14-2007.

It's still be interesting to see the whole list....

[ Parent ]
Matthews / Mitchell say it's Biden (0.00 / 0)
They seem pretty sure on hardball. Personally, I would be bummed. The MSM seems to believe that Biden is humble. I think he's the least humble of the options.
At least he's a man of modest means - (4.00 / 2)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

Biden has spent virtually his whole life in public service and does not have much else aside from investments in a small array of mutual funds and cash accounts. He received a $112,000 advance from Random House for a book in 2005.

That part would be an excellent counter to McBush's McMansions, especially if coupled with McRomney.

[ Parent ]
please say "modest for the class of rich people that run our country" (4.00 / 1)
modest in the u.s. means - works a job or two, hurt by gas and food price increases, etc.  Like max around $30,000 a year for a single person in New York City maybe.  U.S. Senators are not people of modest means, and $112,000 is a lot, even if it doesn't compare these days.
[ Parent ]
30K in NYC (4.00 / 1)
is poor.

John McCain opposes the GI Bill.
[ Parent ]
Biden lives in NYC? n/t (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
i got by ;) (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
Point well taken (0.00 / 0)
But it's still gotta be a snappy soundbite. I had to read your proposed correction three times to fully understand it. And the details would go over the heads of most low-info voters, unless they had the time to digest it.

Something simple - "He ain't rich"
(per the link, net worth is $100-150k.)

[ Parent ]
Bull or as Biden would say: (0.00 / 0)
Malarkey

No compared to the class of rich people that run our country he's dirt poor.

I'm sorry but he's 66 years old and his net worth is estimated between
minus $302,980 to plus $277,997

That is just modest according to everybody's standard.

[ Parent ]
point taken, but (4.00 / 1)
global gdp per capita is about $10,000
American gdp per capita is about $45,000
Biden's income in 2006 was around $180-$190,000

So he could, if he wanted to, accumulate that much money in a few years, rather than decades.

Anyway, the substantive point was that his income is modest only if you buy into the notion that really wealthy people's median net worth or incomes are an appropriate standard.  Which is something we should move away from.

[ Parent ]
You are correct on that. (4.00 / 1)
But I find very it refreshing that my parents, who are roughly the same age, have a similar sized personal fortune as the current Democratic VP candidate. And that countless people will be either be able to say the same or are actually in the same situation. (My parents had to save more though)

I think it speaks well of Biden and really helps move away from those standards you decry as well. So that's partly why think it's good to call it "modest" Biden's level of wealth should be have a more positive moniker then those of the current stock.

[ Parent ]
Self Depreciating (0.00 / 0)
Not the same as humble, but it plays like it on TV.
[ Parent ]
Tomorrow folks (0.00 / 0)
"Late Friday, several officials said the text message announcement would be distributed Saturday morning, a few hours before a scheduled rally at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., where the Democratic ticket would appear for the first time."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200...

What a great quote (0.00 / 0)
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooooo," Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius told reporters

[ Parent ]
This sounds familiar... (0.00 / 0)
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, nooooo,"
Hey Heeey, Gooddbye?
[ Parent ]
Looks like a strategic mistake (0.00 / 0)
Evidence:
David Brooks endorses Biden!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08...
So, this has to be a horrible mistake.
Bayh and Kaine are both OUT! (0.00 / 0)
Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine have been told by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign they will not be his vice presidential choice, NBC News reported on Friday, quoting sources.

The Associated Press also reported that a Democratic official close to Kaine said the Virginia governor told associates of Obama's decision on Friday.


YAAAAYYYYY!!!!!!
I called it this morning (4.00 / 1)
http://populistareport.blogspo...

If it isn't Biden it's a bigger surprise then Truman winning election, one of the biggest political surprises in American history.

I think this is a win for us. Biden's not perfect but I think we killed Kaine and Bayh by showing how unacceptable they are.

John McCain: Beacuse lobbyists should have more power

Or... (0.00 / 0)
... Kaine and Bayh were never really being considered at all, but were merely floated as a way of making the  ultimate pick seem not so bad.
[ Parent ]
I agree (0.00 / 0)
I really think that if Obama had complete free reign it would be Kaine.  Pushing him this way is a win for us.
[ Parent ]
I don't know if thats true (0.00 / 0)
Obama has been saying all along that he wants some who can help him govern effectively, which is what Biden looks like to me.
[ Parent ]
Biden's Saving Grace (4.00 / 1)
Biden's saving grace is that he hates the Republicans as much as we do, and he isn't afraid to say so. I'd say he's like a good checking line agitator in hockey: in general, he's a jerk, but you love him if he's on your team. I do think that after one or two good exchanges with the McCain camp, a lot of fence sitting white Democrats are going to rally around Biden and, subsequently, Obama.

The one thing I really don't like is that this doesn't build the presidential bench for 2012 or 2016.

And at least it's not Evan Bayh.  

Just like Cindy Sheehan (0.00 / 0)
And would you want to have her as VP? So, come one, being outspoken against Republicans is a necessity for the VP candidate, but it's only one of several characterisitics that have to be considered. Maybe you try to make the point that the choice could be worse, agreed, but that's simply the soft bogotry of low expectations.
[ Parent ]
Joe Biden is Not Analagous to Cindy Sheehan (0.00 / 0)
You're talking about the difference between someone who has been a Washington insider who has held a senate seat for eons and a grassroots outsider who is actually running against the Democratic Speaker of the House and whose political views on a number of issues occupy the lefthand fringe of what's considered acceptable in today's political environment. I'm sorry, there's no real comparison there.

I think the better comparison is that Biden will be for  Obama what Cheney is for Bush. He'll be the hatchetman and the enforcer.

[ Parent ]
Only in one regard, sure. (0.00 / 0)
I didn't say there are other analogies. But you made it sound like Biden hating Republicans is a rare trait, and that's simply not true. Lots of Dems share that, too, but most of them are not the stuff VPs are made of. So, again, sry, but Biden hating republicans is not the important point.  
[ Parent ]
For What It's Worth | 140 comments
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