Obama Chose Biden In Hawaii: "Very Personal Decision"

NY Times:

In the beginning, Senator Barack Obama was not entirely sold on Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. And Mr. Biden told friends that he was pessimistic of his chances of becoming Mr. Obama's Democratic running mate.

...

"It's a very personal decision," said David Axelrod, the campaign's chief strategist, in a brief interview Saturday. "He approached it in a very serious, sober and reasoned way."

Mr. Obama reached the decision about 10 days ago while on a weeklong vacation to Hawaii. That week, Mr. Biden's strengths in foreign policy were highlighted by the conflict between Russia and Georgia, giving his prospects a further boost. Associates of the other main possibility on Mr. Obama's list, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, said Mr. Obama cited the situation in Georgia in breaking the news to Mr. Bayh late last week that he had chosen Mr. Biden.

Read the whole story: NY Times

Comments

[iranter]

i bet you he flipped the new quarter he had minted with his image on it.

[Coinyer101]

how can i convince my friends that we stand for change ,when our best choice for vp has been in washington 36 years? is there any way he can still change his pick? we need wes clark.

[nowRnever]

Maybe your friends, like you, aren't worth convincing. If they (and you) haven't got with the program by now, you probably won't. I, too, liked Clark. But I trust O and his advisers to know a "tad" more about this process than I do. They haven't made a mistake yet. I'm fairly certain they know what they're doing.

[MargaretO]

Biden is a good man. Not everyone in politics is bad.

[HoagieWan]

the real reason biden was chosen - blackmail!

obama has a problem. that problems name is larry sinclair. larry accuses obama of cocaine use; homosexual acts and murder.

biden has a solution. his son is ag of deleware. larry is going on trial for failing to pay a hotel bill. biden can keep him in jail a long time. if jo-man is picked as vp. if not - larry goes free and keeps telling his story. get it?

problem solved.

[GunneraGirl]

you missed your calling. you should write for soap operas, not in HuffPo.

[MargaretO]

You are as ridiculous as Larry Sinclair.

[castlerider]

Many are bringing up things Joe has done with DC insiders and isues he has worked on that have been very non-progressive, and that's rightly so....

But who is to say that each one of these issues cannot be reviewed, re-worked, and re-done, ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ???

We need to get past the mindset of being constantly cornered by right wingers who have fooled us, lied to us, and done everything in their power to maintain control over this nation and have now overblown themselves because of GREED , AVARICE and their constant lust for power.

People, it's up to us. We need to do our part, and educate others who don't really have a clue to understand how important this election is.... Them about Jeremy Skahill, about Naomi Klein, the awesome great books that have come out, Like Andrew Bacevic's "Limits Of Power". Advise them to listen to Democracynow.org on weekdays...
Here's a link that will help you convince the most die hard rightty that is leaning independent. Please, please, please just ask them to take 15 minutes to watch this. If they love this country, they'll want to continue watching.. It says it all:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/08152008/watch.html

Good luck, guys.... Obama- Biden 08!!

[mydoglucky]

How did this thread get to be about Hillary? She gets her moment at the convention. Let's move on. Evan Bayh would have been a terrible choice. He has all the excitement of a corpse. (sorry McCain)
Biden is a good guy. He'll do great.

[PAposter]

I can't believe Evan Bayh was even a consideration. That would have been very strange and disheartening.

[manicallday]

I think that Obama was flattered by Biden's comments: "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Then since Biden loves the drug war, the bankruptcy bill, RIAA and draconian copyright laws, he seemed like the perfect hope and change candidate. However, I thought the what made the deal was that Biden was one of the founding drafters FISA. I mean that is perfect. Then he figured that none of this really matter to most voters because it is now just a election of lesser evils anyway a nobody will ever vote for the third party in this election - the stakes are too high. Those people will just be flagged as McCain supporters by his loyal and rabid fan base anyway. They will just get angry and sling mud at anyone who brings up an issue. So bring on Biden; it is not like it makes a difference anyway. Issues still equal attacks and hope and change says it all.

[manicallday]

Oops I meant "and nobody." I also forgot that Biden said that Obama wasn't ready to be president. Are we supposed to just ignore that? Whatever....

[nellie]

Nice article on the process.

More on Biden:
http://www.truthout.org/article/in-his-home-state-biden-a-regular-joe

[burndtdan]

"If there was ever a place to relax and make an important decision, it would be the Hawaiian Islands. In MHO one of the most beautiful and serene places on earth."

not to mention elitist!

/kidding

[JackND]

Biden is a great choice, but if not for Russia, it would have been someone else for sure.

[PAposter]

Well, the lord works in a mysterious way (or the universe)...... :)

[nellie]

http://www.truthout.org/article/in-his-home-state-biden-a-regular-joe

[OleSmartee]

I'm holding out hope that the convention will take the opportunity to seriously look at Hillary, and give her the nomination. Why? Not because I supported her in the primaries -- I DIDN'T. But, the sinking poll numbers for Barack -- and now this weak pick for a VP -- make me think SHE should be our candidate. Yes, FOR PRESIDENT. She can make Obama HER veep choice.

And no -- I'm not stirring the pot, nor a PUMA -- I just want to win, and I've lost confidence in what we're getting.

[IslandGyal]

D-E-L-U-S-­I-O-N-A-L! America is full of delusional people are are going to determine who the president is, geeez. Give it up people H*ILLARY LOST!

[DaOne]

Four days ago you said Hillary was not change and the GOP would come out against her and now you say you want it to be her.

How does she organize if it is her? No national team, no money, no VP. It's not like you pick up a candidate and drop them in an existing organization.

Quit dreaming. Obama-Biden is the team and they are going to win. Eight years of W, pointless wars, thousands of troops dead, tens of thousands injured, an economy in the toilet, and millions remain uninsured. If that doesn't motivate you to vote Dem then you deserve what you get.

[JackND]

It would be interesting to see what %age of Obama's field organization would just acquiesce to working for Hillary The Usurper instead.

[JackND]

What coalition of voters do you think she could assemble to win? I keep asking and no one can answer

If the convention did as you describe and rejected O'bama for H'illary, among the two key Democratic demographics, young voters and African African Americans, she would hemorrhage voters to Nader, Mc'Kinney, Barr, and even Paul.

I'm a middle aged white guy, and I'd switch to Barr.

On top fo that, H'illary would inspire more GOP voters to vote against her than the total number of votes she got in the primaries. She'd inspire GOP voters like Mc'Cain never could.

For the umpteenth time, Hillary on the ticket, even as a VP, but especially as Prez = net loss of votes, probably a considerable one.

I've no doubt that they've stopped and taken "a serious look at H'illary" once or twice since June. Apparently they conclude what I describe, because they're still on board with O'bama.

[Roxanne2009]

Oh, ye of little faith...patience is a virtue that you do not possess...lol...

I am sooo happy that polls are close and hope that they'll stay that way. Remember, most polls are taken via landlines and a tremendous amount of Obama's support is derived from young people who usually only have cell phones. We need him to be close or even considered the underdog so people will go and vote and not be complacent!

Hillary would have done more to energize the Republican base, even moreso than McCain choosing a conservative VP!

[starfire426]

Don't know (or care) whether you're a PUMA (or just plain uninformed) or not, but NOBODY in their right frame of mind is going to seriously take a look at Hillary at this late date!!! Reason? B-I-L L!!! There is no way, that either of them could withstand the type of scrutiny they would have to submit to during the vetting process and come out smelling like a rose...plus Billyboy REFUSES to relinquish certain financial information regarding donors to his library, etc. So what does that tell ya?

[foreffectivegovernment]

starfire426: It tells me the temporary Democrats that have come out of the woodwork during this primary believe anything the Republicans have to say. The fear of losing to the Republicans again has made them addle-brained idiots willing to jump every time the Republicans yell BOO.
To swallow the negative talking points of the Republicans about the Clintons and use them to get a nobody nominated as our candidate tells me that even Biden can't save Obama from defeat.
As usual, when the Republican Party promises the Independents a tax break, tells them Obama will take away their guns, promises to strengthen the Military, promises to balance the budget, and promises to overturn Roe v. Wade, the election will be decided against Obama and the Progressives will cry about how the Presidency was stolen from them again. We are being played for fools again.

[marymansour]

If there was ever a place to relax and make an important decision, it would be the Hawaiian Islands. In MHO one of the most beautiful and serene places on earth.

OBAMA/BIDEN '08.