I am thrilled - just finished listening to Biden and I am so completely convinced that this team cannot lose.  

Neil

I think Obama genuinely thought back to his community organizing days and saw Biden as fighting on his side.

Biden was fired up today!  He adds the passion and the fight that some say was missing from Obama's campaign.  

Great choice, Senator!

Driving in to the farmers market early this morning, I turned on XM's POTUS channel and caught the entirety of a speech Biden gave a few weeks ago to a group of firefighters, supporting Obama. It was powerful, detailed, eloquently presented, and genuinely moved me. It had the sort of fire and detail that I so often feel is missing from Obama's speaking. I still wish the ticket were reversed, but I feel better about this candidacy now than I ever have as a long-time Obama doubter. This pick balances most of my concerns about him, and compensates for most of my falling interest in McCain (which is falling for most of the reasons Biden laid out today). At this moment, I am solidified in my choice from what has been a long waver ever since attempting to decide between McCain and Clinton on Super Tuesday.

I wonder how he gets parking at Union Station.  Maybe he takes the Metro too.  A first for America!

Great post literate, you're right.  Biden sort of brings this whole thing alive.

Yes, but Biden's working-class roots merely highlight just how effetely elitist and out of touch Obama is. Every time Joe will say anything about the trouble ordinary folk have getting food on the table now, it will only serve to remind voters how unable Obama, the candidate of naive, hopemongering college kids and upscale latte liberals, is of feeling their pain. The Democratic party remains doomed.

OK, consider the Tep post done for this one...

jobeek:

Way to parrot right-wing talking points. Let me help you with this. Obama is the mysterious stranger who was born in Kansas, raised by a single mom, who spent time on food stramps and then (gasp!) was educated in Hawaii, an American state, and who spent some time abroad as a child before going to college on a combination of scholarships and school loans like almost every other person who attends college in America. He then mysteriously disappeared into the Chicago streets, where he spent time helping the poor before going to that vortex from which no American leader has ever emerged, Harvard Law School, where he happened to be a smashing success. He then interred himself into that bastion of American communism, the University of Chicago Law School, teaching perverse courses about that deeply subversive document, the American Constitution. He then became--and this is where it gets ugly--a public servant.

If only he had the background of George W. Bush that we all find so familiar.

WHO IS THIS GUY!

Watching the two of them on stage together I thought that this is going to be a strong team.  Not simply for the campaign, which I am sure will be a good thing, but also, if they win, they will be a good team for governing.

I would guess that Biden will be an interesting foil for Obama, and that the two of them will hash out policy with actual discussion and argument.  They will challenge one another.  They will explore the issues.  And, finally, it seems like they will be able to figure out how to get things done.  It is no small comfort to me that Obama has decided to pick his VP based on the fact that Biden will provide a rigorous debating partner for him.  

Obama is a centrist visionary (I don't think that is an oxymoron), while Biden has been a bit of a pragmatic type.  The ordering is right though, as you need the visionary at the top of the ticket. Somebody has to set the agenda, and this takes someone who can see the big picture, and who can articulate the grand themes.  A great many are frustrated by Obama's rhetoric, but someone has to do that kind of work, it can't all be Clintonian laundry lists. To me this looks like Reagan-Bush - except that Biden has a much more down-to-earth quality about him than Bush ever could have manufactured (remember the pork-rinds?), and is just far more interesting than Bush.

As far as the campaign, I agree with many on the list who believe that Biden adds some necessary fire to the ticket.   Biden, in his speech today, really got cranked up a couple of times.  This should work as the perfect companion style as Obama tends more toward a kind of cool jazz riff (especially when he is loose and in good humor) or his out and out soaring when he is delivering his huge set-piece speeches.   Their different rhetorical flourishes will encourage the other to always up their game.  Kind of like the Bird-Jordan HORSE commercial from a few years back.  This is a good thing, as our politicians must be able to clearly articulate their ideas, plans, agendas, and assorted whatnot.  They must be good public speakers.  They must have a sense of the gradiosity of the office, it is simply a part of the work that they are supposed to do.  

They will also delight in punishing McCain and (Romney, Pawlenty, etc).  Biden will simply throw elbows (his seven tables crack), while Obama will continue to play the bemused professor.

They will make their fair share of mistakes.  No doubt about it.  But I feel like this team can counter what the Republicans will offer.  Perhaps they can even shame McCain back into the kind of campaign that he said he would run all those months ago.

Irony,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall Union being only a few blocks from the Capitol. What does he need parking or the Metro for? Surely an umbrella or a taxi would do on a rainy day?

Wandrey,

My wife is relieved by the Biden pick, because it has brought me back into the safe folks of her party from which I was straying.

For some reason, a quote from "Gladiator" has always stuck with me: "I have never pretended to be a man OF the people, but I try to be a man FOR the people." While this is not Obama's message, it is the image he conveys to many folks. Biden helps round that out, and gives me far greater confidence in the judgement of the leader who will be listeing to him.

If McCain picks Romney, that settles it completely. As it is, we'll be trying to get tickets to the VP debate just 3 hours away.

Propositionjoe -

Satire. Of a well-known Talkbacker. Relax. Read the last sentence.

Kgrant -

I fully agree. I'm also very heartened that Obama chose a VP based on intellect, experience, and governing ability, not the pathetically overrated ability to "deliver" a state. Says a lot that he avoided the temptation for electorally attractive Bayh or Kaine or Sibelius and went with an intellectually rigorous choice with long-term benefits. I, too, can see them having the sorts of debates, challenges, and discussions that have been so lacking. Well done.

Is it just me, or did Biden seem pretty shaky making his speech? I got the impression that he was having a tough time sticking to his written speech -- it was like watching someone squirming in a straightjacket. I wished he would've just let it rip.

Sorry for the misunderstanding jobeek. I was just watching MSNBC and had to sit through some right-wing, anti-Obama sentiment. I turned it off, but the effects were clearly residual. I should never skim.

propositionjoe, you DID get that jobeek was doing a parody, right?

literate, you could well be right.  I'm not so familiar with DC geography -- although I was there around two weeks ago and spent a nightmarish 15 mins (it was a Friday, which may have made it worse) trying to pick up a friend out in front of Union Stn.  Just as a side note:  the Metro system is pretty darn good.

Literate:

Being a graduate of the Georgetown Univ. Law Center (three blocks from Union Station), I can tell you that it's probably close to a mile from Union Station to the Capitol.  He probably just has a staffer meet him and drive him there.

And I agree, the image of Biden taking a train home every night is a powerful one.  More so than I might have guessed

Ok literate wins with a quote from Gladiator.

I also remember your wife literate, the one not addicted to politics with a good head on her shoulders.  I'm glad she's happy.  I always look to my Mom - a nice Christian lady - she does love Obama but loves Joe even more. everyone's Mom loves Joe.  

Joe is brilliant and experienced yes, but also a very very *talented politician*, like Obama, which is a rare thing.

As a hopeless Obama person, one thing I've noticed is that, also like Joe, seeing him speak is a totally different experience from reading about him speaking.  Obama reassures me with his vision, dignity, discipline and temperment every time I see him speak. Joe reasures me with his charm, knowledge, courage and regular-guy vibe every time I see him speak.  They are a great team.  Also, both quite liberal, what a nice thing.  No more defensive fearful Republicrats, at least I hope so.

I thought so too kevincollins, Joe is going to have to be let off the leash at some point.  But he did capture the essense of what needed to be done with his "kitchen table" comment in a way no one else could have.

This was great news - Obama-Biden is about the best I could hope for. Question: is Biden still pressing for the tripartite Iraq thing?

Jon,  I think Biden's choice connects Obama to a more 'mature' audience, and that's where that choice will have a large impact.

"I can tell you that it's probably close to a mile from Union Station to the Capitol."

Biden's office is in the Russell Senate Office Building; from the back door of the Russel to the front door of Union Station is way less than 1000 feet - a 10 minute walk for a guy as fit as BIden.

Good point.  He would go to his office first most every morning.

propositionjoe - misunderstanding aside, your post was great fun to read, as well as, a spot-on cream against the inevitable right-wing smear attempts against Obama-Biden 2008.  

It deserves a repeat:

propositionjoe said:

Way to parrot right-wing talking points. Let me help you with this. Obama is the mysterious stranger who was born in Kansas, raised by a single mom, who spent time on food stramps and then (gasp!) was educated in Hawaii, an American state, and who spent some time abroad as a child before going to college on a combination of scholarships and school loans like almost every other person who attends college in America. He then mysteriously disappeared into the Chicago streets, where he spent time helping the poor before going to that vortex from which no American leader has ever emerged, Harvard Law School, where he happened to be a smashing success. He then interred himself into that bastion of American communism, the University of Chicago Law School, teaching perverse courses about that deeply subversive document, the American Constitution. He then became--and this is where it gets ugly--a public servant.

If only he had the background of George W. Bush that we all find so familiar.

WHO IS THIS GUY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good stuff!!

propositionjoe - misunderstanding aside, your post was great fun to read, as well as, a spot-on cream against the inevitable right-wing smear attempts against Obama-Biden 2008.  

It deserves a repeat:

propositionjoe said:

Way to parrot right-wing talking points. Let me help you with this. Obama is the mysterious stranger who was born in Kansas, raised by a single mom, who spent time on food stramps and then (gasp!) was educated in Hawaii, an American state, and who spent some time abroad as a child before going to college on a combination of scholarships and school loans like almost every other person who attends college in America. He then mysteriously disappeared into the Chicago streets, where he spent time helping the poor before going to that vortex from which no American leader has ever emerged, Harvard Law School, where he happened to be a smashing success. He then interred himself into that bastion of American communism, the University of Chicago Law School, teaching perverse courses about that deeply subversive document, the American Constitution. He then became--and this is where it gets ugly--a public servant.

If only he had the background of George W. Bush that we all find so familiar.

WHO IS THIS GUY!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good stuff!!

Where the hell is Tep?

Just looked at Google Maps, and my memory is correct. The front door of Union Station is about three blocks from the north side of the Capitol Building. I'm not familiar enough with DC politics to know where offices are, but I've done the Union-Capitol walk and it's not far at all. Assuming sdmeuth is correct re. his office location, definately not an issue. Of course, this question is silly anyway, but we might as well get things right.

Wandrey,

She's glaring at me as we speak for wasting time blogging on TNR. Of course, having just grilled spiced goat kebabs with sweet corn and vegetables with beer and fresh watermelon, I think I've earned it.

As a relevant side to this whole train focus, Biden's long advocacy for Amtrak (and his son's presence on the Amtrak board as another strong supporter) bodes very well for the future of reasonable, first-world rail service in America. This as much as anything excites me about Biden's presence in the Executive Branch. I hope he'll put a serious bug in Obama's ear about the viability of rail service throughout the country ala all other 1st world and many 2nd and 3rd world countries.

Obviously, McCain's not going to want a VP nominee who criticized him or vice versa in light of the already-launched attack ads showcasing Biden saying Obama was too inexperienced in that debate last year. And that's going to be kinda difficult in that just about every Republican politician favored Bush's wartime tax cuts when McCain didn't. However, if the Obama/Biden ticket is going to continue to hammer McCain for just being another Bush, then they're going to find themselves in a Catch-22. Why? Because if McCain picks a VP candidate who's on the record of supporting those tax cuts back in the day, then if Obama/Biden cite this like the GOP is citing Biden's criticism of Obama, then they're going to citing something indicative of McCain NOT being a 100% McBush.

Thoughts?

"if McCain picks a VP candidate who's on the record of supporting those tax cuts back in the day, then if Obama/Biden cite this"

If they stick to debating the issues, this will never come up (except perhaps as backstory to a longer narrative on something else).

Well everyone is just glowing with young love tonight.  Walks from the station, late night debates over lattes.  It is a beautiful thing.

Literate - you always know the coolest stuff, I didn't know that about Beau Biden.  As a regular Amtrack rider, I know we're safe with either McCain or Biden because they both take it regularly and stick up for it.  They know how important it is that we leave it alone.  No, its not as important as them both supporting closing Guantanomo Bay, so please excuse my selfishness on this.

Only someone who doesn't take Amtrack between DC and NY lives in ideology-land with it.  Amtrack is a public utility, not a business and always has been, it really does come down ro your thoughts on our public responsibilities.  The Metroliner line between DC and NY supports the entire line across country.  There's no way there would be cheap travel between teeny towns in Alabama or Montana or Missouri without it.  There is no profit in that, no way to make any money really.  Fine by me.

We need European level train options in the US as soon as possible, its a disgrace that we don't have it already - long ago.

I think McCain will pick someone whose past comments won't be so great about him either.  My bet is that these types of ads will die down almost immediatley.

The Rove Slime Machine is so talented at sludge, I'm sure we have some doozers coming that will make todays ads look like Hallmark.  

"Where the hell is Tep?"

Tep was on board yesterday with his too-little-too-late-Clinton-would've-been-the-inspired-choice-Biden-shoulda-been-on-top-of-the-ticket line and was met with a cool reception from myself and others.

I suspect he sees that for the next day or so, he'll find it difficult to reconcile his Biden love with his whole Obama-skeptic imperative and so has decided to lay low.

wandrey,

Hunter, not Beau. Apparently he was appointed by Bush (!) after Congress ruled that Amtrak's board had to have at least two Democrats and couldn't be an entirely partisan affair dedicated to killing it off. And according to some quick research I did, passenger rail advocacy groups seem to consider McCain the Devil incarnate. He may support high-density rail like Acela in the NE, but seems to have no concept of its value nationwide, and for all I know he wants to privatize Acela as well. Using something and appreciating its value doesn't automatically mean you support its current incarnation. Plenty of highway-loving Republicans are itching to privatize our highways; my sense is McCain is the same way for rail.

aeromonas,

Once more to the defense of Tep, whatever his faults in over-pushing his agenda, many of his criticisms of Obama are exactly why people are celebrating Biden (whom he pushed for those same reasons). To me, Tep has been very consistent and the substance of his complaints is accurate and clearly explains the Biden pick. I've tended to agree with him all along (though not with his approach to saying so) and think the pile-on and on-going reduction of Tep to a running joke is a bit much.

"There's no way there would be cheap travel between teeny towns in Alabama or Montana or Missouri without it."

Not true.  Ever heard of Greyhound?  

I've ridden Amtrak between Boston and Virginia many times going back to my childhood in the 70s, but I've ridden the bus lots more between VA, North Carolina, and NYC as well as points west.  (I've done the coast-to-coast Greyhound 72-hour extravaganza three times.)  The DC-to-Penn Station Amtrak express is probably quicker than the bus to the Port Authority, but only a little, and for points north of NYC, south of Washington or west of either, the bus is quicker than the train BY FAR.  As for price, there isn't any comparison.  Last time I rode the train--about a year ago from Boston to New York--we really had to ask ourselves why we didn't fly.  We saved no more than $150 for a family of five.  The bus would've been half again as much and with hourly express buses from Bean Town to Manhattan, it'd have been quicker too.  The kids were hyped about the train, tho, and I'll admit that the only thing that makes Greyhound halfway bearable is the ability to read, which with three under six wouldn't have been an option.

hobo, I think tep's a smart guy too, and his concerns about Obama have some validity.  What gets me about the tep 2.0we've been seeing since the spring--and I limit this critique solely to what he has to say about the election-- is the following:

-> His predictability

-> His repetitiousness

-> His sarcastic, name-calling sloganeering

-> His constant complaints about the poor quality of the commentary on this site (Yes, this has eased off lately)

-> His inconsistency (e.g. his shifting stance on Nate Silver's polling posts, calling them a waste of time a month ago when they showed Obama with a lead, and then over the past two weeks pouncing on each and every one of Silver's updates like our erstwhile liberal reformer telling us what fools we all are to have gotten behind a glass-jawed candidate like Obama.)

-> The fact that despite his apparent policy smarts, his predictions about election-related matters have generally been wrong (e.g. Hispanics flocking to McCain) along with the fact that despite this conspicuous error rate he seems constitutionally unable to adopt a lighter, humbler, less adamant tone when making his daily prognostications of Democratic doom

A couple weeks back, I asked tep if he was depressed, and I meant it.  I won't say his posts are without humor, but it's a grim sort of humor indeed.  

aero - good point on the bus, I live on the bus in the city. But long trips, especially with little kids, are risky business. The bus does take appx two times longer than the train in some places.  Public buses, sadly, are still not quite up to train standards in cleanliness or reliability either.  

I will say both buses and trains are much cleaner and more reliable than almost any American airline these days, which is almost always a crap shoot in terms of what sort of experience you will have. I just expect something unpleasant to happen when flying these days.  Not so with buses or trains.

I agree on the price - I keep waiting for someone to do the simple math for Mr Lunch Bucket Amtrack to go back and forth between DC and Delaware every day - he could probably hire a limo.

Tep is smart and a good person. But he's too biased and insulting about Obama in ways that have nothing to do with policy.  He is incapable of giving the man any credit for anything, which just isn't realistic and says nothing about Obama.  It just shows bias which hurts Tep's credibility immensely.  When Tep complained about Biden's nomination, something he harped on incessantly,  he jumped the shark. It showed the pattern perfectly.  Nothing Obama does ever is anything other than dim, bad, weak - even George Bush doesn't fall in to this category.  No one does.

Tep also insults Obama's supporters, infering that only Tep is the real adult while everyone else is an excitable child, etc - I've always listened to your critiques Literate and Iggy Pop also wallops Obama pretty hard. Although I have always found the suspicion of big crowds to be really odd (I've been to two of his speeches and they are great, not blind crying devotional experiences at all, just simply great oratory), other than that, you two are almost always on to something that makes alot of sense. Iggy, for example, recently suggested that Obama needs to go to a welfare office, which I totally get,

But you never insult me and you're never personal towards Obama.  

Long speeches on Obama's ego or his *real* motivations (always dim and low, natch) are just silly and irrelevant.  An inability to give Obama credit for anything is lame too - mean, petty, small.  Disagree with his tactics, OK, but the mind reading drives me insane.

aeromonas & wandrey,

I've tried to draw a line between methods and content when it comes to Tep's Obama comments. I agree with you on the former, and Tep on the latter (mostly). It's like listening to Bush or McCain bash farm subsidies; the hypocrisy of the messenger doesn't change the value of the message. To me, anyway. Reasonable folks can disagree on this and far too many pixels have been spilled psychoanalyzing both our candidate and our Talkbacker. Let's just be glad (I hope) that most/all Democrats are on board with this choice and go from there. So far my impression is very, very positive re. the reaction.

Regarding Amtrak, my dream is that someday someone will realize that  modern intercity rail service works best when it mimics subway service, not airline service. You need to know that you can show up in downtown Detroit at any time and catch a high-speed train to downtown Chicago within an hour or two, no reservation needed, while you work/sleep/read during the trip, just as you can show up at a subway station in Long Island and know that within a reasonable amount of time you'll be on your way to Manhattan, no questions asked. Amtrak's single biggest failing is that it attempts to follow the airlines' business model and of course fails.

Related to this, the most common complaint againast national rail service is that America is too big and train travel takes too long cross-country. The answer is that few people travel cross country; they travel intercity, in the same way that few people ride a single subway line from one end to the other.  A network linking Midwestern and Eastern cities would allow fast, convenient travel between any two given cities; the integrated national network makes these routes practical over whatever distance you need. Subway riders integrate their usage over all possible permutations of stops, and intercity riders would do the same if the network were consistent. A spoke-and-wheel system linking MSP, KC, STL, CHI, DET, IND, CINC, etc would instantly transform business and travel patterns in the Midwest, and that system could easily be linked to the East Coast via Ohio and Western NY and a few cross routes through the Appalachians.

Not that I'm a rail advocate or anything.