I have to admit to puzzlement over the Joe Biden selection. The conventional wisdom regarding vice-presidential nominees is first do no harm. Given that Biden has been a garrulous gaffe machine for his lengthy political career (36 years in the senate, although it feels like longer), it would seem the potential for harm is great. Me, I thought Tim Kaine was the obvious choice. If Obama loses over the experience issue, it won’t be because his running mate is too green. And as a politician, Kaine would have brought a lot more talent to the race than any of the other contenders as well as a message perfectly in sync with Obama’s. Kaine also would have made Obama the favorite in Virginia. While the selection of Biden will provide fodder for much debate, a far more interesting topic to chew over is why Obama bypassed Kaine. I’m also puzzled by the timing. If I were choosing Joe Biden as running mate, I too would incline to do so at a time when the nation was asleep and therefore might miss the news. But presumably Barack Obama views things differently. Also, why all the dithering? Was Obama doing his Hamlet thing again, or did the campaign truly decide that owning the Saturday-at-3:00 a.m. news cycle was the highest priority? Anyway, I must offer thanks to the Obama campaign – the Biden selection promises to provide grand entertainment. On the right, we’ll get to dust off Joe Biden’s greatest hits, a pleasurable task that will take weeks. Also on the right, we’ll get to watch progressives feign joy over Obama’s elevation of an Iraq war supporter who enjoys a cozy relationship with the credit card companies (not that there’s anything wrong with either one of those things). Like many people who read Richard Ben Cramer’s seminal “What It Takes,” I’ve long harbored a secret soft spot for Joe Biden. But that soft spot is always threatened by prolonged exposure to the man. Usually a 20 minute segment on Meet the Press provides a mortal threat to my lingering fondness for Biden. Like the head of the Democratic ticket, Joe Biden tends not to wear well, especially in concentrated doses over short periods of time. Speaking purely analytically, Obama has made a poor decision. But that’s just on a political basis. For pure entertainment value, the Biden selection will be a homerun.
