Don't Put a Muzzle on Biden

So Senator Joe Biden is the pick. The wait for the text message is over. Everyone can go back to their business.

The temptation for Barack Obama's team will be to keep Biden on a short leash, as the pundits have been advising. Senator Biden is notorious for speaking before he thinks, which often gets him into trouble and has plagued his political career. In 2006, for example, Biden displayed made an exceptionally insensitive comment when he said, in front of C-SPAN cameras, "in Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a 7/11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I am not joking."

Biden's penchant for poorly-thought out remarks violates an important characteristic for vice presidential candidates in this 24 hour, instant media age--pick someone who won't make an embarrassing mistake and turn into a liability for the campaign.

But Biden's quick verbal skills can be an asset for Democrats, and they should risk giving him room to speak his mind. The fact is that Democrats have not had a good "attack dog" as their vice presidential nominee for a long time. Just think of 2004, when Senator John Edwards sat there in a televised debate with his polished smile as Vice President Cheney systematically eviscerated his record and the Democratic Party in general.

Biden is a different kind of vice presidential candidate. During this campaign, Biden has offered some of the most biting comments about how Republicans have conducted the war on terrorism and foreign policy. In one debate, Biden offered a devastating critique of then Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani--and implicitly the entire Republican Party--when he said that all of Giuliani's sentences consisted of "a noun, a verb, and 9/11." Biden has called Bush's administration the "worst" in modern history with regards to foreign policy and argues that "every single thing they've touched has been a near disaster." He has been equally tough in his criticism of Senator John McCain. "The administration's policy and John McCain's view-- and I love him--are abject failures. We have never been weaker in relative terms than we are today," Biden said of their foreign policies.

This is the election when Democrats have the opportunity to go on the attack. The incumbent president is overwhelmingly unpopular, the economy is facing tough times, there is real confusion and uncertainty in foreign policy, and the Republican candidate only has tepid support from key factions in his own party.

From a strategic perspective, this is not the time for Democrats to play nice. Biden is the perfect candidate to take on this challenge, a man with a wealth of foreign policy expertise and political experience, yet a hardened politician who is willing to be as aggressive with the GOP as they have been with Democrats in recent elections. Democratic operatives should take the risk and give Biden some room to say the things that Obama himself probably can't say.

Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School. He is the co-editor of "Rightward Bound: Making America Conservative in the 1970s" (Harvard University Press) and is completing a book on the history of national security politics since World War II.

Comments

[gerontion72]

Joe Biden, member of Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/bios/1451/joseph_r_biden_jr.html

Change we can be-

Oh, wait a minute, the CFR has dominated US politics for decades.

Days after 9/11 Biden also met with Gen. Mahmood Ahmed, the man who authorized a $100k wire transfer to lead 9/11 hijacker Mohamed Atta.

[illinoisan]

If tearing down the CFR was a winning national political strategy, Ron Paul would still be in this thing.

[leftcoastliberal]

RIght, it's all been orchestrated by secret societies. The Illuminati control the Bilderbergers who are working for the Freemasons who are behind the Democrats, the Knights of Templar, the Disney Corporation and World Communism. Look it up on the internet. Just don't do it while the black helicopters are spying on you through the window.

[wak84]

Yea for Joe Biden! My biggest concern for him, because he is Catholic, is the abuse he is going to take from the American Catholic Church since I assume he is pro-choice. The anti-abortion crazies in the Catholic Church, including most bishops and pastors, are going to skewer him relentlessly. I left my paid staff position with an extremely large parish in the south after almost seven years because I could no longer deal with the right-wing nutters that are in control of the church. Most churches in the south should lose their tax-exempt status due to their barely-concealed attempts at influencing the Catholic vote for the Republican party. I wish that the average, thinking-Catholic (an oxymoron, I know) in the pew would walk away from such nonsense, and take their contributions with them! Maybe Joe Biden can lend a sane and intelligent voice to the insanity within the Church. It'll be great to watch, nonetheless, because if anyone can give it right back to the extremists in the church, it's JOE!

[bbobby]

I think that most Catholics, while maybe not rabid pro-choicers, are in fact pro-choice. They may not make that decision thmselves, or speak up vocally about it, but I truly think that most of them believe that it is the woman's choice. The Catholics who are most vocal are the pro-lifers, but I think that most Catholics quietly are pro-choice. Biden won't be a problem for them on this issue.

[MOregon]

Sad that you left your parish, and in the words of a Catholic priest who understands the value of the dialectic, "don't let them tell you you are not Catholic; don't leave - be problematic!!!!!

The fact that Biden is Catholic will indeed help as people see how skewed McCain is about pro-life. Life begins at conception yet he is for embryonic stem-cell research among other faith issues. It is hypocrisy for political expediency. While you will not see many Obama bumper stickers in the church parking lot because they are not as bold, there are alot who are voting more on the range of issues and who see an authentic Christianity from Obama.

Very glad he chose Biden! So excited!!!!

[wak84]

You are indeed fortunate to know a priest that encourages critical thinking, and your parish is blessed if you are that priest!

Things in my neck of the woods are not so good. Wise, older priests that lived through Vatican II are being replaced by retrograde ultra conservative ones. The right wing nutters do not appear to be interested in dialogue, only strict adherence to doctrine and dogma. As adult ed coordinator I had to step in and stop public verbal abuse (by a right winger) of an 80 year old priest with 50 years of service during a class he was teaching on Vatican II--he actually discussed liberation theology! I felt so, so sad for this priest who was so stunned by the onslaught that he couldn't defend himself. This type of attitude became somewhat typical in the diocese, especially with the younger priests, although it is an extreme example. Critical thinking by parishioners is generally discouraged by the hierarchy. Only neo-con theologians, like Scott Hahn, are allowed. He's almost as revered as the pope here!

On a hopeful note--I am confident that Joe Biden can handle any right wing catholic attacks and hope his staff is preparing him with valid replies. He could become the hero of the silent catholic majority like me!

[JimR]

I don't really think that's going to be much of a factor.

[slaxx]

obama is also christian, so i don't see any difference. plus, could someone show me where in the bible these people get their beliefs from? and despite what the fundies say, over half of christians are actually pro-choice!

[wak84]

Obama was/is a member of the United Church of Christ, a very liberal, open-minded, inclusive, thinking group of Christians. Catholics have dogma and doctrine, scripture and tradition (teachings of authority) for their beliefs. Even though the New Testament does not address abortion directly, church authority has expanded it from the Old Testament commandment of "do not kill". The RC church makes some VERY big leaps from scripture to dogma--the Immaculate Conception and Assumption being two that have absolutely no biblical basis. That's why many fundamentalist protestant christians really don't believe that catholics are even christian!

I do agree that most christians, even catholics, are really pro-choice. But the authority and the money in the RC church hammers home the abortion issue. Catholic guilt is a long-standing tradition too!

[Whinger]

FlipFlop McCain is gonna get it right in the neck!

What goes around comes around John, only three times worse!

[Soothsayer08]

Thank the Lord! You are correct. Barack please don't put a muzzle on Biden if you wnt to win. He is the perfect attack dog. He helps Barack in the fact that he isn't an intellectual and is from a working class Catholic background. He brings the ticket more foreign policy experience, Judicary committee experience, than HIllary would have. Joe Biden can take an active role in going after the Repubs in a more verbal way that Barack Obama can't, lest he be seen as an angry black man. His temperment compliments Baracks also. They look good together. As an Obama supporter I'm thrilled.
Obama /Biden 08 /12

[slaxx]

agreed! i'm an independent who has been quite disappointed with obama, but this scores him major points in my book. joe was my pick for the dem nomination and i think they make a great team.

[flacon]

Biden is the reason I became something of a political junkie. Home, sick at the time, I watched the Bork hearings gavel to gavel. Biden was the commitee chairman at the time. Bork was, and still is, a brilliant thinker, author and teacher. Abortion was clearly the elephant in the room and Bork was unconvinced there was a right to privacy in the constitution.

Biden twisted every comment or statement against Judge Bork in an unfair and partisan way. Unfair and partisan are the operative words when it comes to Sen. Biden.

I'll not forgive him for his conduct against Judge Bork.

[HeresJohnny]

Bork was a Neanderthal. I'm glad Biden gave him the shank. 'Unfair and partisan'? The Dems could use someone like that on the ticket.

[JimR]

Bork was not an appropriate choice for the Supreme Court. You are supposed to judge cases, not pre-judge them.

[notthistime]

I agree Julian - let him go for it. Gaffes and all.


Go Obama/Biden 08

[BottomLine2008]

Let Biden be Biden!

[maxwellinformed]

This is the perfect lead in to the Convention. I don't think today's speech will be about flower power. Republican's have got the Democratic party confused with previous election cycles. Obama has been attacking McCain with facts and Biden will do the same. However, Biden's words will bite more because he knows McSame, probably better than anybody.

[LongBeachDave]

Totally agree, and he is believable....he can say with all honesty "I like the guy (McCain), I just think his policies are a disaster for the country."

[smharden]

Biden is fully capable of crushing John McCain, having had even more time in the Senate. He can also use the same line, "a noun, a verb and POW, that he used to such good effect against Rudy. Go get 'em, Joe!

[PumaAnn]

Play nice? O didn't play nice in the primaries, and he's already gone negative.

I don't really get this false stuff about how the Dems are too nice.

Hardly.

The deal about negative ads is that the charge has to hit the sweet spot to work. If people basically agree, then it works. If it's off the mark, then it doesn't.

I personally don't think the latest about Mac's houses works. People in America really aren't that dumb. We all know rich people who have real estate investments.

I do think Mac's ads about O being presumptuous hits the mark. But that's because a lot of people were shocked by that presidential seal stuff and the ridiculous trip abroad.

Anyway, the trick isn't just to go negative. It's to go negative on what the people, real people, are thinking.

And pundits rarely know what that is.

[CharlesJ]

How do you say, the stuff is about to hit the fan. LOL.
McCain will have absolutely NO wiggle room now.
Time to wake up McCain, you will no longer be able to get away
with all those gaffs, the attack dog has arrived.

[LaFilleEnRose]

From your mouth to God's ear! Let Joe rip! I'll take a few clean, articulate Obama gaffes from him any day if it'll give us: With Guilliani all you get in every sentence is a noun, verb and 9/11. I love it when he rails against wrong and the other side. Thank you God for this pick. Thank you God. Now if Obama will just leave him alone and let Biden be Biden, we'll see the polls change and stay changed. Many Americans like straight, tough talk. Obama must be a president to them, too. It would be ridiculous to pick Biden and then straight jacket him.

[elizaW]

Obama made a terrible choice for many reasons but the key one is it points to his insecurity. Chosing a Washington insider, who has never been particularly popular with the American people, shows how scared Obama is. He thinks he's getting an attack dog who can take on the Republicans but the fact that he thinks he needs one only makes him look weaker. Even the visual of the two of them is a minus. Obama looks more stronger standing on his own. The Clintons must be laughing over this bad move. 2012 is looking good for Hillary.

[JimR]

Such bitterness...

Obama made a good choice.

[LawrenceL]

Your message conspicuously lacks the names of those persons whom you would have thought better choices.

My impression is that you are a curmudgeon and/or a Republican.

[Wox]

Agreed: do not muzzle Biden. McCain is not playing nice. Note his statement "I have great respect for Joe Biden and look forward to our sides putting the issues before the voters ..." Ha-ha. Nary a statesmanlike compliment but instead dredging up primary campaign talk to make another hit ad. Well, the American people are not stupid, and I hope Biden will show them the REAL "Straight Talk Express."

[ProudLiberalDan]

This is absolutely right.

Why do Democrats always feel they have to be nice? Conservatives are as ruthless as they need to be to win.

One of the most frustrating things about 2004 was Kerry's totally misjudged campaign where they didn't criticize Bush the way he needed to be criticized because they thought a few swing voters in Ohio wanted a positive, ideologically free campaign. It's not just that Bush/Cheney and the neocons misled the nation into war under false pretenses against the wrong country, and incompetently planned and conducted that war, while giving tax cuts to the super wealthy that they didn't need, bankrupting our treasury, while seeking to privatize social security, and inflict the religious dogmas of the religious "right" through the power of government, and launched a full assault against constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and liberties -- it was that they got away with it -- and the Democratic leadership didn't even call them on it -- not in Kerry's run for the White House or in the cowardly performance of the Democratic Congress over the last two years.

Our country is significantly weaker in every way -- economically, militarily, morally, ethically -- thanks to these failed conservative and neoconservative policies. We cannot afford another 4 or 8 years of this failed conservatism. It's not just "old politics" which need to change, it these "old policies".

Biden has the skill and the bravery to take these neoCONS head on and is a wonderful choice. Go get 'em, Joe.