Life in the reality warp...

I seem to be the only person I know who actually rather likes the choice of Biden as VP nominee. It's smart on a lot of levels, adding someone who I think provides good balance to the ticket, and even more importantly balance to the potential Administration. No, it's not the choice that the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party would have chosen -- which is exactly why I approve, and exactly why it was smart. Yes, he's a Washington insider -- *someone* had damned well better be, if they want to get things done. I may want refom, but it's only going to happen if they know how to work the system, very effectively; otherwise, they'll just get steamrollered by the entrenched interests.

And frankly, this afternoon's speeches were fun to watch. Biden definitely isn't the beautiful speech-maker that Obama is (he certainly lived up to his reputation there), but he had fire and spirit and the willingness to be politely ruthless that is absolutely needed if they're going to win in November. It was what I wanted to hear; moreover, it was what I *expected* to hear. Everyone's been fretting about "Oh, my god -- McCain is catching up in the polls!" Of *course* he was -- he's gone on the hard offensive, while the Obama campaign played rope-a-dope for a while. I think that ended today, with a Biden speech that was uncompromising, full of delicious sound-bites, and frankly made some damned good points.

One thing that only occurred to me today: the Democrats have just hurt Romney's chances of getting the VP nod. Their message was substantially focused on painting McCain as rich and out-of-touch, contrasting with two Democrats who come from much less exalted circumstances. Romney would just make that contrast worse -- not just two white guys, but two very *rich* white guys. The Democrats would be all over that, and I have to expect that the Republicans know that it's a danger...

Life in the reality warp...

I seem to be the only person I know who actually rather likes the choice of Biden as VP nominee. It's smart on a lot of levels, adding someone who I think provides good balance to the ticket, and even more importantly balance to the potential Administration. No, it's not the choice that the Progressive wing of the Democratic Party would have chosen -- which is exactly why I approve, and exactly why it was smart. Yes, he's a Washington insider -- *someone* had damned well better be, if they want to get things done. I may want refom, but it's only going to happen if they know how to work the system, very effectively; otherwise, they'll just get steamrollered by the entrenched interests.

And frankly, this afternoon's speeches were fun to watch. Biden definitely isn't the beautiful speech-maker that Obama is (he certainly lived up to his reputation there), but he had fire and spirit and the willingness to be politely ruthless that is absolutely needed if they're going to win in November. It was what I wanted to hear; moreover, it was what I *expected* to hear. Everyone's been fretting about "Oh, my god -- McCain is catching up in the polls!" Of *course* he was -- he's gone on the hard offensive, while the Obama campaign played rope-a-dope for a while. I think that ended today, with a Biden speech that was uncompromising, full of delicious sound-bites, and frankly made some damned good points.

One thing that only occurred to me today: the Democrats have just hurt Romney's chances of getting the VP nod. Their message was substantially focused on painting McCain as rich and out-of-touch, contrasting with two Democrats who come from much less exalted circumstances. Romney would just make that contrast worse -- not just two white guys, but two very *rich* white guys. The Democrats would be all over that, and I have to expect that the Republicans know that it's a danger...