Sunday, August 24, 2008

The correct choice

Here's why Obama's choice of Joe Biden was the right one, even though he was not my personal choice:
  • My choice was Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas. But if he had picked her then the Republican hate machine would have spewed out the "Holy shit, that damn dirty negro is defiling that white woman!" line of bullshit for the next few months.
  • If he had picked someone to the left of himself then they would have kept harping on the "He's a socialist!" angle.
  • If he had picked a black woman or black man it would have been political suicide. We are ready for one African American on the national ticket, not two.
  • If he had picked Hillary then he would have had to deal with Hillary and Bill's baggage.
  • The choice of Biden, a corporate Democrat who's an insider, sends a message to Wall Street and corporate America that things under an Obama presidency are going to be like they were under Bill Clinton's. And while I despise most everything about Wall Street, corporate America, and big business, a signal like this needed to be sent to calm fears about his "socialism."
  • Biden also covers Obama's perceived "weakness" in foreign policy and defense.
  • Biden's "advanced" age balances Obama's "youthfulness."
  • Biden is the man who kept the most dangerous Republican Supreme Court nominee, Robert Bork, off the Supreme Court. That one fact alone should earn him the gratitude of all progressives everywhere.

As for all the bitching, pissing, and moaning from the various camps within the Democratic party about how bad a choice this is, I would like to remind you all that in the end this is a race that Obama wants to win, it's not some noble exercise in civics and race relations. Sen. Obama was not my first choice, but he turned out to be the best choice, just as Biden was not my first choice to be his veep but he has turned out to be his best choice.

So now it's time to head to the convention and to make history and then take back the White House. And it's time for all true Democrats to get in line and work to get our candidates elected. It's time to stop whining, to grow up and smell the coffee, and to get the Obama/Biden ticket elected in November. But if you're one of those bitter people who are clinging to the wreckage of the Hillary campaign and who plan on voting for McCain just so you can show us all a thing or two about a thing or two, then to you I say, take your Bush McCain vote and your PUMA merchandise and shove them up your you know where.

Speaking of the convention, here's a photo of my young friend Cameron, that's him on the left, holding a cool T shirt out in Denver. He and his brother Quinn are out in the Denver area with their parents for a few days, they're taking in an outsider art exhibition that focuses on art about Obama and his impact on America.

And yes ladies, Cameron is "available."

10 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Well said, Dr. Monkey.

I loved this post.

Unknown said...

I completely AGREE! I don't have (as you know) the hope that you do that Obama will get elected (but only because I think it will be stolen). However, I am pretty damn amazed at the response from liberals and democrats. NO ONE was acceptable to them. I think your points are completely well made. And PUMAs suck. They are just whiny babies who are stomping their feet because they didn't get their way. If they are angry enough to vote for McLame, then they are morons. Hey, MY dream candidate was Kucinich, but when he dropped out I didn't throw a temper tantrum, sulk and vow to vote for McLame out of spite.

PUMAs really piss me off... obviously.

Freida Bee said...

I like the good cop/ bad cop dynamic they're setting up here. Obama can continue to play his deck close to his chest and Biden can play the crazy uncle in a way Gravel never could (because he was too convincing), and say whatever the fuck he wants, smearing greasy McMuffin into the ground.

Is he available for adoption?

Snad said...

You know, the whole worry about the election being stolen would be moot if every progressive - not just Democrat - but progressives of all type - got out and voted for Obama in droves, and then made it crystal clear to everyone around them that they vote for Obama in droves.

That way the right wing saboteurs would have to work A LOT harder to cover their tracks - or just give up and slink away to lick Karl Rove's ass - I mean their wounds - I mean, hopefully there won't be a difference between the two at that point.

Unknown said...

Snad, spot on. And LOL re: KKKarl Rove!

junie said...

yes yes snad and yes yes monkey. oh how i do agree with the two of you on this one. bugger me

Mauigirl said...

Well said. I totally agree on all counts.

Another reason he couldn't pick Sebelius is that if he picked a woman then the Hillary supporters would be even more bent out of shape - it would be such a slap to Hillary.

Joe said...

I was surprised when I first heard about Biden. Then a few things happened that have made me feel pretty good about it:

-I found out about Biden's popularity in Pennsylvania. He's from Scranton, and when PA had GOP senators a lot of PA congressmen and other pols would go to Biden for help in the Senate. I had expected Obama to pick a VP candidate who could maybe swing a state for him (like Indiana or Virginia) and it looks like Biden could fit the bill in this area.

-I found out that it was Biden who dismissed Giuliani earlier this year by saying:

“Rudy Giuliani - I mean, think about it. Rudy Giuliani -
there’s only three things he mentions in a sentence: a
noun and a verb and 9/11. I mean, there’s nothing else.”

It will be great if he brings that same wit to this campaign.

-My mom loves him. My mom is the classic Democrat who should have been for Hilary--she's in her 70's and from a working class southern family. She called me thrilled that Biden got the choice. I think she's pretty representative of the kinds of voters Obama wants to reach out for.

Blueberry said...

Obama has shown good judgement so far in running his campaign, picking the right people for the job, managed his budget, shown leadership qualities.

Unknown said...

Whoa, after seeing Sebelius speak I'm damn glad she wasn't picked for VP!!