Actually, what is truly amazing is the fact that he and his wife both graduated from teleprompter school.
News analysts who weren't already hard-wired to fawn over the Democratic ticket gave it a less-than-stellar assessment when Barack Obama named Joe Biden as his running mate Saturday.
"The candidate of change went with the status quo," wrote the Associated Press's Ron Fournier. "In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness --- inexperience in office and on foreign policy --- rather than underscore his strength as a new-generation candidate defying political conventions."
Obama, the alleged candidate of change, the supposed outsider, the new type of politician, picked a 35-year member of the Senate, whom Fournier called "the ultimate insider."
At least one poll showed that Obama got no bounce from the choice of Biden: A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll Sunday night showed the race a dead heat.
"This looks like a step backward for Obama, who had a 51 to 44 percent advantage last month," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland was quoted on CNN.com. "Even last week, just before his choice of Joe Biden as his running mate became known, most polls tended to show Obama with a single-digit advantage over (Sen. John) McCain.
The Biden pick, writes Fournier, indicates "something profound about Obama: For all his self-confidence, the 47-year-old Illinois senator worried that he couldn't beat Republican John McCain without help from a seasoned politician willing to attack. The Biden selection is the next logistical step in an Obama campaign that has become more negative --- a strategic decision that may be necessary but threatens to run counter to his image."
All that, and the fact that most people don't know much about Obama, means that the Democratic nominee will have to define himself and sketch out his policy positions in his acceptance speech on Thursday.
"The biggest thing Barack Obama has ever run is his own presidential campaign," notes Associated Press writer Christopher Wills. "The 47-year-old Illinois senator is asking voters to look beyond his thin rÃsumà and conclude that he has the wisdom and toughness to be president. The economy, terrorism, health care -- he hopes voters will trust him with all that and more.
"That's a lot to ask for someone who just a few years ago was an obscure member of the Illinois Legislature."
This is the biggest week of Barack Obama's life. And his vice presidential pick didn't make it any easier.
Nor will the continued tension between Hillary Clinton's supporters and the rest of the Democratic convention in Denver. It didn't please them when they learned Obama's team had never "vetted" Clinton -- investigated her past, interviewed her -- for vice president.
Any bounce Obama gets will be from his speech on Thursday. But he has one big advantage there: It comes on the 45th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. The comparisons will be powerful, the richness of the images profound, as the first African-American presidential nominee of the two major parties accepts the nod. It will be a great moment, no matter your party affiliation.
His challenge will be to match the imagery with imagination -- and to explain what his candidacy is all about.
Comments
Actually, what is truly amazing is the fact that he and his wife both graduated from teleprompter school.
Your right mgroot.... I wonder if half-brother believes in the notion that Obama is the "savior" of the world...
Obama's pick of veep is like every candidates pick. Not that big of a deal, unless you count all of the Hillary backers that feel dissed. Obama's poll ratings don't look too good right now. We'll see what the future brings, but tied in the polls, or even a single digit lead, won't overcome the disenfranchised or racial backlash vote.
I just cannot understand how Biden is accepting runniong with a Muslim. Doesn't he know Obama wants to convert this nation to Islam? Come on christian134 where's your support. You used to melt down over these issues in the past. Have you come now to understand it was all a lie? Or, do you continue to follow the right-wing party line blindly as does patriciathomas and the AC?
What your asking shivas is if I believe in this fellow Biden? Quite simply I haven't a bit of use for anyone who supports the likes of Obama, white, black pink or purple with polka dots...I believe Biden being on the ticket of one such as Obama only serves to reinforce the flip-flop changeling Obama characterizes...
Be careful where you walk shivas. Eyes closed can lead to a nasty bump. When Nov. 5 comes, expect me to gloat.
The other day I was driving down 520, and saw a sticker on a van that said Nobama 08. Clever. I didn't see a McCain sticker anywhere on his vehicle. I didn't see any other candidate's sticker on his vehicle. If not Obama, then who? Is he an anarchist? That is the problem I have with so many of these anti-Obama people. Perhaps, if they were to promote an alternative candidate, or promote something at all, they could be taken seriously. It seems that is the tactic that Conservatives are best at. Attacking and smearing with half truths, innuendo and flat out lies. They realize that while McCain is a great patriot, he does not inspire anyone. So all of you anti Obama bots, why don't you try finding something to promote instead of trying to destroy everything that opposes you.
Republicant why not open your eyes and ears and see this Obama character for the greedy, power-hungry pacifist, totally inept person he truly is...
Power hungry pacifist? Please explain how a pacifist woudl gather that power, and then what a pacifist would do with that power?
Also, please explain how he is inept. I am curious.
Greedy? A politician? Never!
I see the hero of Chappaquiddick spoke for Obama last night. How could you not do well when the man that epitomizes the Democrat party endorses you?
And Mary Jo Kopechne nowhere to be found, eh?
How I will tell you how...Get enough people riled up with the threat of rioting and come swooping down like a "savior"...That would be the perfect plan...
That would be Al Sharpton or Jesse. Not exactly the same as Obama. Or have you forgotten the whole cut his *&%$ off threat?
Seemingly pacifist I should say...Maybe some could say behind that smile he is about as pacifist as a radical Muslim could possibly be...
:-) republicant
"That is the problem I have with so many of these anti-Obama people. Perhaps, if they were to promote an alternative candidate, or promote something at all, they could be taken seriously." Wow, Republicant. In some parallel universe, you could just barely imagine (crazy talk, I know) a group of people so blinded by hatred for George Bush that their whole political philosophy could be summed up as "The Bush-Cheney war criminal regime sucks up to Halliburton while eating baby Iraqis for breakfast." If you were to ask them for an actual proposal in terms of specific policies and initiatives, they would tell you to hope that things would change, that once we impeach Bush for spending his weekends in Crawford clearing brush, the al Quaida mucky-mucks will come over and sign a wide-ranging series of cultural exchange agreements with us... But, of course, there's nobody like that on the planet, really. Only conservatives will argue against one candidate without proposing a serious alternative. And to think, YOU discovered this amazing phenomenon, based on ONE bumper sticker. What a genius you must be...
Ok, I'm lying. That's actually a pretty standard liberal thought process you followed, there. 1) Start with a text that is obvious to everyone but you ("Nobama" = "I care enough about politics, at least, to put a sticker on my car, so I will probably vote, and you can assume that it will not be for Saint O.") 2) "Extrapolate" from that text, "interpret" that text, "decode the code words" in that text, to make it say what you want ("Another conservative who can only attack, without proposing an alternative. Typical!" you'll have to imagine the Richard Simmons voice...I'm lousy at impressions) 3) Asserting that what was NOT said, WAS in fact said, proceed to generalize to all of your opponents, based on one example. Your best exhibit here is St. O, himself, who keeps reacting against all the racist campaigning that isn't happening. John McCain (you know? the guy O is actually running against?) and his campaign have never once mentioned O's funny name or his skin color.
In fact, McCain has immediately smacked down any attempt to draw any conclusions based on O's biography, but then St. O gets up there and reacts against the fact that "They're saying I have a funny name, that I don't look like them." Um, O? I know you SPEAK really well, but you need to work on the LISTENING. McCain is attacking you based on your utter lack of experience, your lack of knowledge, your left-fringe ideas about taxation, abortion, you name it. He hasn't said anything about your color or your name. In fact, the highest-profile politician to call you "Osama" was Kennedy, so...
Why can't a pacifist be power-hungry? Woodrow Wilson was a staunch pacifist, and he arrogated more power to himself than Bush would ever DREAM of. Read the history of your own party, dems...it was WILSON who sent out armies of internal spies, locked CITIZENS up w/out habeas corpus rights, and generally created the Imperial Presidency. His fellow traveler FDR engaged in similar typical left-wing activities, such as concentration camps for even potential dissidents, and brazen attempts to circumvent the rule of law by skewing the body that would interpret the law as written. Then again, at least he wasn't a "pacifist," eh?
They should had all the "Revs" there last night along with Teddy "K". Al, Jessie and Jeremiah. Could have been a hell of a party. Of course, Michellel would have to have drove home.
Gloating has never been your shortcoming. If McCain becomes President, I will accept that as a citizen of my country. I wonder how you and the right-wing will accept Obama if he wins? The right-wing thrives on hate and bitterness and it is reflected in their actions and words. Just listen to yourself, christian134 and Rush. At least the right-wing is consistent with their hate of anyone who does not think like they do.
Why would anyone want Ted Kennedy to speak and support them. Hopefully Obama will not ride home with Ted unless he wears a life preserver.
Touche' Johnsmith. I actually voted for Kerry simply because he was not Bush. I also believe that Woodrow Wilson had to be one of the worst presidents the country has ever elected.
If McCain beats Obama based on his ideas, perfect. I am leaning more toward McCain right now honestly. We both made some broad generalizations, John. Most of the anti-Obama rhetoric is based off of b.s. emails that somebody forwarded to their cousin and other tinfoil hat conspiracies that have no basis in reality. If somebody dislikes a candidate based on facts, or even just doesn't like them for personal reasons, fine. It is not right to dislike a candidate based on flat out lies and b.s.
john smith should write a book. Wait a minute, he HAS.
As usual we get the right-wing hate from shiv. At least he didn't add in the racist and bigot names that the conservatives are usually called. At least not this time.
There are way too many real reasons to not vote for barack hussein obama-carter. We don't have to spend a lot of time making up things.
we all admit that the primaries, and caucases were lively and that obamas presidential run has become boring.unfortunately, he is my nominee though i voted for edwards.those who nominated him need to finish what you started.i will vote for him and biden.you think this is boring wait till mcboring announces his mate. i have my fig newtons and milk all ready for this sleeper.oh wait! i forgot theres always nader and gonzalez, they are still running aren't they?someone call ross perot,lyndon laruche! anyone!
Shivas, your hypocracy is amazing. You have a lot nerve. I will give you that. Now, off to La Costa for a little golf.
I guess all you obama/obiden followers must be some of the lower income earners because their policy is to raise taxes on people making more than approx $42,000. Their economic policies will be the destruction of this country. They can't raise taxes on the working people and high achievers and expect to correct the problems of the under-achievers. I used this example before. Your brother isn't working and he continues to borrow money from you. Just how long do you continue to have compassion and when do you say enough is enough.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
