The Importance of Being Joe Biden
Senator Joe Biden confirms what many of us already knew: he's seeking the Democratic presidental nomination.
Sen. Biden has been on various Sunday morning news shows over the past couple of weeks, and at his current pace, he'll be a household name way before people start thinking about the 2008 election. I expect his his future appearances to be increasingly more hostile towards the Bush Administration, and we might start hearing a semblance of a message.
But it says here Biden can play a bigger role for the Democratic Party, assuming he's willing to do so: decoy.
The Bush Administration, despite having a "businessman" at the helm, has been poor at multi-tasking. They pick one issue or problem, pay as much attention to it as they deem necessary, and then move on to the next one. That's why they say things like "move on" or "this has already been discussed." That's why anyone bringing up past actions/bills/initiatives are labeled as obstructionists. That's why anyone with long-term memory gets frustrated when a speech given in May completely contradicts one that was given in November.
Biden, if he feels up to it, can use this to his advantage. When Howard Dean was attacking the Bush Administration about going to war with Iraq, how many stories did you read about "No Child Left Behind" or the Tax Cuts? Where was the follow-up to the President's mission to Mars?
Instead of delegating a group to "deal with Dean" they focused at least 99% of their time and energy to sqwashing him and any other high-profile anti-war pundit.
And I think if Biden picks up the slack and starts attacking now, the same thing will happen. The focus will not be on getting armor for the troops, or approving judges or "saving" Social Security. It will be burying the guy who has the nerve to question the White House. And in the meantime, the "actual" candidates can get their game plan rolling.
But it's not going to happen. Biden actually wants to be President, not a sacrificial lamb.
Sen. Biden has been on various Sunday morning news shows over the past couple of weeks, and at his current pace, he'll be a household name way before people start thinking about the 2008 election. I expect his his future appearances to be increasingly more hostile towards the Bush Administration, and we might start hearing a semblance of a message.
But it says here Biden can play a bigger role for the Democratic Party, assuming he's willing to do so: decoy.
The Bush Administration, despite having a "businessman" at the helm, has been poor at multi-tasking. They pick one issue or problem, pay as much attention to it as they deem necessary, and then move on to the next one. That's why they say things like "move on" or "this has already been discussed." That's why anyone bringing up past actions/bills/initiatives are labeled as obstructionists. That's why anyone with long-term memory gets frustrated when a speech given in May completely contradicts one that was given in November.
Biden, if he feels up to it, can use this to his advantage. When Howard Dean was attacking the Bush Administration about going to war with Iraq, how many stories did you read about "No Child Left Behind" or the Tax Cuts? Where was the follow-up to the President's mission to Mars?
Instead of delegating a group to "deal with Dean" they focused at least 99% of their time and energy to sqwashing him and any other high-profile anti-war pundit.
And I think if Biden picks up the slack and starts attacking now, the same thing will happen. The focus will not be on getting armor for the troops, or approving judges or "saving" Social Security. It will be burying the guy who has the nerve to question the White House. And in the meantime, the "actual" candidates can get their game plan rolling.
But it's not going to happen. Biden actually wants to be President, not a sacrificial lamb.
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