Thoughts on 2008 VP Choices

Well, the two presidential race VP choices have been made, and I've had some time to think about them, so I would like to talk about that for a little bit. That said, I'm not going to go into serious detail here, as I don't want to make my blog too political.

First off: Joe Biden. My initial reaction was disappointment that Barack didn't go with Bill Richardson or one of the more risky, younger possibles he was looking into, but after hearing more about Biden's stance on important issues, learning a bit about his character, and hearing him speak (particularly at the DNC), I was pretty convinced he was a great pick as a running mate. Ultimately, I think Biden has a lot going for him, especially his experience (certainly something that helps out Barack here), foreign policy stance, willingness to speak his mind, and his ties to true middle class roots.

Now, onto Sarah Palin. How do I put this in a way that makes it look like I've got some objectivity while still speaking the almost-certain truth? Not sure, so I'll just say it: John McCain had to have picked the worst possible candidate on his list. I'm not sure I've got too much to add to this conversation on why Palin is a horrible choice, as I'm sure you've heard all of it too many times already, so instead, I would like to make a comparison:

Despite the fact that Barack doesn't have nearly as much experience in office as Biden or McCain, he DID make yet another wise decision for the country by picking a really experienced and qualified running mate. On the other hand, McCain picked someone who could only be seen as a wise decision (arguably) for getting elected, but most certainly not for running the country, unless of course he wanted someone that wouldn't actually get up in his face and challenge him on something, despite the fact that I'm sure Palin and McCain have a few (most-notably religious) issues they disagree upon. On the contrary, Biden WILL challenge Obama if they disagree upon something, and I have a strong feeling Obama is prepared to listen and take it to heart.

Ultimately, a good president is measured not only by his own goals and beliefs, but by the caliber of advisers he puts around him/her. As it turns out, the VP is the only position of this sort that we get to see the presidential nominees decide upon BEFORE we elect them, and thus far, I would have to say Obama made the far superior choice, most importantly in terms of the positive effect his VP would have on our country's governance, not simply the party's ability to get elected...