Obama Chooses Biden

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has chosen veteran Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, a leading voice on international affairs, as his vice presidential running mate, his campaign said on Saturday.

Biden, 65, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is one of the most knowledgeable Democrats on foreign policy — an area where Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, has been criticized as inexperienced.

Ending days of speculation, Obama announced the decision on his Web site, featuring a photo of the two, and his campaign sent a text message and e-mail to supporters.

“Barack has chosen Joe Biden to be his running mate,” the announcement said. “Joe Biden brings extensive foreign policy experience, an impressive record of collaborating across party lines, and a direct approach to getting the job done.”

Biden is to travel to Springfield, Illinois, to join Obama for their first campaign event later on Saturday.

Biden, a Roman Catholic originally from the battleground state of Pennsylvania, will bring not only foreign policy expertise to the ticket but strong working-class roots.

That could help Obama connect with the blue-collar voters he has failed to attract in the run-up to the November 4 election against Republican John McCain. Obama and McCain are neck and neck in opinion polls.

Biden’s 2008 presidential bid fell flat but he proved a forceful and aggressive debater, firing off some of the toughest criticisms of Republican President George W. Bush.

The choice of Biden, who was first elected to the Senate in 1972, indicates Obama was more interested in filling gaps in his foreign policy experience than in finding someone who could reinforce his message of bringing change to Washington.

The Delaware senator emerged as a strong possibility late on Friday after three other contenders — Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton — reportedly were told they had not been selected.

Clinton, beaten by Obama narrowly in a bitter struggle for the Democratic nomination, welcomed the selection of Biden, who she described as “an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant.”

“Senator Biden will be a purposeful and dynamic Vice President who will help Senator Obama both win the Presidency and govern this great country,” she said.

Ugly Women Welcome in Australia

Mount Isa, Austrailia Mayor John Molony was asked to apologize for angering local women with a suggestion that “with five blokes to every girl, may I suggest that beauty-disadvantaged women should proceed to Mount Isa,” in north-west Queensland state.

The mayor said “a lass who is not so attractive” and might not have a date in most parts of the country would likely have more dates than she can go on if she moved to Mount Isa.

The mayor said he was “telling it like it is” in a testosterone-laden town more famous for cowboys and mining lead, silver, copper and zinc than for match-making, sitting atop one of the world’s biggest underground mines.

“I’m a bloke who respects women. I believe we should look after women. I’m told men outnumber women here by five to one. If that’s the case, then perhaps it’s an opportunity for some lonely women,” Molony said.

As much as this concept might offend you, the fact remains that if you’re a lonely woman (wether it’s due to looks or any other reason) and have nothing else to do, you could very well find love in Mount Isa. Granted, no one remarked on what the men look like…

Biden & Dodd

It’s been several days since the Iowa caucuses lead upstart senator Barack Obama to victory. Called a “Senator Killer” by Mitt Romney Mitt-Romney-MBA Sep-07 , Obama won decisive victories against Sen. Hillary Clinton, former Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Joe Biden, and Sen. Chris Dodd. Any one of these senators would make an excellent president. Obama? He’s got the passion and the voice, but predicting his actions in office remains a fool’s game.

That is partially why the quick drop out of Biden and Dodd was so painful to Democrats looking for experience this election cycle. Both Biden and Dodd would have easily defeated any Republican nominee and set the country back on the right track. Both Biden and Dodd would have responsibly ended the war in Iraq, supported important social programs, and worked well across the aisle. Both would have been excellent, electable presidents.

So with a touch of sadness I bid them farewell in ‘08, left with rolling the dice on the youngblood (Obama), a previously defeated candidate (Edwards), an uninspiring overweight governor (Richardson), or Republican anathema (Clinton). Whoever said the Democrats were satisfied with their field of candidates should consider taking another poll now that our doyen elders have dropped out.

Don’t get me wrong, voting for any of the Republican candidates would be insane, and any of the Democratic candidates as president would make make George Bush’s presidency look that much more pathetic. The issue is that now we’ve ventured into riskier waters. The failures of the Bush administration have left the White House ripe for Democratic picking. Choosing a moderate, experienced Democrat as the party nominee gave us an enormous chance of taking back the presidency. Any of the Democratic candidates would make an excellent president. And the Democrats are excited about their prospects in ‘08: Too excited it seems to vote for the safe win. And the enthusiasm of the Iowa Democrats just might have been our Achilles heel.

As a final ode to the senators who were shunned by Iowa Democrats and would would have easily won in ‘08, here are their thank-yous to their supporters after the Iowa caucuses.

Hillary Clinton Mad or Sad

The over-analyzing of Sen. Hillary Clinton has begun. While many believed that new front runner Sen. Barack Obama would receive more scrutiny after his decisive win in Iowa, all eyes seem to be on Clinton and how she handles her trailing status.

Perpetually scrutinized, lambasted, and hailed, Clinton has given folks a lot to comment on in the last 24 hours. With an aggressive debate performance and an emotional response to a New Hampshire audience question the following day, the range of her emotions are being exposed in what many consider her do-or-die primary.

Democratic New Hampsire Debate

The second half of the New Hampshire debate focused on the Democrats. Don’t worry, they had some zingers too. Here we go!

Debate Firsts

• First debate to have the Democrats and Republicans join stage together: This one!
• First to be introduced: former Sen. John Edwards
• First to wear St. Patrick green: Sen. Hillary Clinton
• First to mention Osama Bin Laden: moderator Charlie Gibson
• First to talk with a froggy voice: Sen. Barack Obama
• First to look exhausted: Obama
• First to look like he’s nodding off: former Sen. John Edwards
• First candidate spouse to look like a first lady: Mrs. Edwards
• First to sigh before answering a question: Gov. Bill Richardson
• First candidate to make sense: Edwards
• First candidate to wear an American flag lapel pin: Richardson
• First to say he would ask the Pakistani President to “step aside” for violating the Pakistan constitution: Richardson
• First to wear two necklaces: Sen. Hillary Clinton
• First to rock back and forth in his chair: Richardson
• First to mention human rights: Richardson
• First to bring up Iraq: Obama (someone had to do it)
• First to say the President of the United States needs to project a “calming” effect after a nuclear attack on the United States: Edwards
• First to take notes: Edwards
• First to enter the debate without tightening his tie: Richardson (looks sloppy)
• First to mention the New Hampshire voters: Clinton
• First candidate to use another candidate’s first name: Obama (”Hillary”)
• First real debate of the debate: Clinton & Obama on health care
• First to interrupt Clinton: Obama
• First to interrupt Obama: Clinton
• First to say he appreciates Edwards’ patience: Obama

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